Chapter 260: The Battle Begins

Faced with this sudden turn of events, the other recruited wizards’ eyes flashed with shock and panic.

But they were, after all, formal wizards, not lacking in the necessary resolve and mental fortitude.

They quickly suppressed their instinctual emotions, forcing themselves to calm down. Cold rationality swiftly regained control, allowing them to analyze the situation with clarity.

Their gazes sharpened instantly. While cautiously observing the movements of their temporary allies with sidelong glances, wary of potential secondary betrayals, they directed the bulk of their vigilance and surging killing intent toward Levin Mills and Jack’s group, who hovered above with mocking, cat-and-mouse smiles.

Amid the tension, only Jie Ming appeared unusually calm, as if everything unfolding was within his expectations.

This sense of unease had taken root back at the camp square when Jack approached him with an overly enthusiastic invitation.

A casual greeting between old acquaintances might be understandable, but Jack’s proactive conversation in the square felt excessively warm.

Initially, Jie Ming hadn’t dwelled on it, but upon learning the details of the so-called “rescue mission,” a question surfaced:

If the task merely required manpower for search and reconnaissance, from a basic “cost-efficiency” perspective, hiring a few Level 2 wizards would have been ideal.

Yet Jack, Levin Mills, and their team openly expressed dissatisfaction with the “quantity” of recruited wizards—as if, from the start, they weren’t looking for searchers but rather a sufficient number of “prey.”

The second red flag for Jie Ming was the absence of a contract.

While temporary wizard teams often operated under unspoken rules, a collaborative mission lasting over a month with inherent dangers, without a binding soul contract, was highly irregular.

Noticing Jie Ming’s unusually calm expression, tinged with a hint of understanding, Jack and Levin Mills exchanged a fleeting look of surprise.

Jie Ming had many questions, but now was clearly not the time to ask.

He abruptly turned, his gaze meeting that of a Level 4 wizard nearby, who had evidently been ambushed before.

In the instant their eyes locked, a silent exchange was completed:

“Cooperate?”

“Cooperate!”

Without wasting words, the Level 4 wizard, clearly scarred from past betrayals, reacted with astonishing speed.

With a low roar, he decisively split a dazzling golden mental contract from his soul’s essence!

The contract, as if alive, instantly flew toward Jie Ming and the other ten recruited wizards.

Its terms were simple and direct: a temporary alliance, united against external threats, with no internal attacks allowed!

Jie Ming and the other survivors hesitated not a moment, swiftly imprinting their mental signatures.

Once formed, the contract bound their scattered wills with an invisible force.

While far from trust, it at least eliminated the need to fear a knife in the back, allowing them to focus fully on the deadly situation.

At that moment…

Crack… Boom!

The massive energy shield Jie Ming had erected finally shattered under the relentless barrage from Jack’s group, letting out a mournful groan as it collapsed into a shower of light particles!

Looking at the rapidly dimming Level 4 defensive artifact in his hand, Jie Ming expressionlessly returned it to his internal space.

Though the shield’s destruction came faster than anticipated, their side had adjusted and fulfilled its purpose.

There was no room for compromise. The seeds of enmity had been sown, and only blood could wash them away!

“Levin Mills! Your opponent is me!”

The unnamed Level 4 wizard, hair and beard bristling, roared like thunder. Surging energy poured from him like a tidal wave as he charged at Levin Mills, the strongest Level 3 wizard, locking him in combat.

In tacit agreement, they moved away from the ground, and the sound of massive energy collisions erupted in the sky.

But the situation below remained dire for Jie Ming’s side!

Aside from Jie Ming, the surviving recruits were all Level 1 wizards.

On the opposing side, including Jack, were twelve highly skilled, well-coordinated Level 2 wizards!

To make matters worse…

The silent, emaciated wizard (once corpulent) gave a sinister smile. His claw-like hand gripped the air!

Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff!

In an instant, all the “Glowbugs” released by the recruited wizards for reconnaissance and alerts, no matter how far, inexplicably self-destructed simultaneously!

Linked to their owners’ spirits, this sudden soul backlash felt like countless red-hot needles piercing their minds!

“Agh!!”

Agonized screams rang out.

Over seven Level 1 wizards, unprepared for defense, bled from their orifices, their eyes dimming as they plummeted from the sky like broken puppets, instantly losing combat ability!

In the blink of an eye, only four wizards, including Jie Ming, remained standing!

The other three, pale and wracked with soul pain, saw their strength severely diminished.

Though Jie Ming had been cautious, hiding his uniqueness, the ferocity and venom of this soul attack exceeded his expectations.

Fortunately, his Body Forging Method granted not only physical strength but also strong resistance to mental attacks.

Over time, its adaptive evolution had built significant immunity to such assaults.

Jie Ming’s head spun briefly, as if struck by a hammer, but his robust physique endured the pain, and he regained clarity in an instant.

In that fleeting moment of disorientation, the enemy’s attack closed in.

Without hesitation, Jie Ming gestured.

Roar!!!

Five towering black giants, over ten meters tall with skin like forged iron, roared as they burst from his internal space!

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Their massive, savage forms blocked most of the attack paths!

Under Jie Ming’s precise command, the five giants fearlessly held the front, their broad backs and sturdy bodies shielding the group.

Meanwhile, the three Level 1 wizards, enduring soul agony, roared and fought desperately.

Burning their mental energy at great cost, they unleashed their strongest spells, working with the giants to barely hold off seven of the enemy’s ordinary Level 2 wizards.

Jie Ming’s icy gaze locked onto the remaining five—the enemy’s strongest: Jack, the emaciated wizard, and three other notably ferocious Level 2 wizards!

“Kill!” Jack shouted, and the five launched their assault, energy brilliance engulfing Jie Ming.

But…

Jie Ming’s counterattack was ferocious beyond their wildest imagination!

Ten “Rune Artifacts” on his wrist erupted in blinding light, high-frequency energy beams weaving a deadly net toward the five.

That wasn’t all. With a wave, Jie Ming activated several Level 4 offensive artifacts!

Instantly, Frost Rings froze space, Disintegration Rays pierced the void, and Distortion Auras deflected attacks…

A barrage of eerie, powerful Level 4 spell effects detonated, catching Jack’s group off guard and leaving them scrambling, pinned down by Jie Ming’s terrifying firepower.

“Level 4 artifacts?! How does he have so many?!” a Level 2 wizard cried in shock.

Even before the attacks landed, his shield flickered violently under the energy torrent.

Jack’s group, seasoned expedition veterans, quickly recovered from their shock, roaring as they pulled out their own Level 4 defensive and offensive artifacts to counter.

Boom…

The clash of multiple Level 4 artifacts in the sky unleashed ear-splitting roars and devastating energy tides!

Jie Ming’s brief advantage from numbers was neutralized within seconds by their equal-grade countermeasures.

But this bought him enough time.

A glint of ferocity flashed in his eyes as his mind stirred.

In an instant, thousands of spare “Rune Artifacts” roared from his internal space, combining with the original ten to form an immense, intricate halo behind him, like a Buddha’s radiant aura.

Buzz…

The moment the “Great Light Halo” activated, a terrifying energy fluctuation swept the battlefield, chilling souls.

The halo seemed to transform into a black hole devouring all, or a sun’s core about to erupt!

The next instant, a colossal, searing torrent of pure destructive energy surged from the halo!

Where it passed, space warped and melted. The enemy’s hastily erected shields tore like paper, evaporating!

With his own strength, Jie Ming engulfed half the battlefield, including the five Level 2 wizards, in his attack range!

The destructive beam, as if alive, chased Jack’s team relentlessly, forcing them to dodge frantically, unable to spare a thought for anything else!

The three Level 1 wizards and black giants, teetering on collapse under the seven Level 2 wizards’ assault, felt the pressure lift.

Stunned, they looked up at the man who single-handedly turned the tide, his back radiating unmatched ferocity, their eyes filled with disbelief!

With Jie Ming and the giants’ support, the previously incapacitated wizards rallied, suppressing their injuries to rejoin the fight.

But their souls, already ravaged, left them severely weakened, their efforts only delaying death.

In mere moments of combat, the recruited wizards suffered heavy losses, with only five left clinging to life.

Two of Jie Ming’s black giants were destroyed.

Yet the remaining three, with their near-indestructible resilience and innate traits, managed to take down two weaker Level 2 wizards.

The battlefield, due to Jie Ming’s unreasonable outburst, was dragged into a brutal stalemate.