The zing mes raged around them. Dean Bruce furrowed his brows, his mind racing as he pondered which spell to use against this threat.


    Blood for Bloodprimarily reflected damage back onto the opponent, but its damage-reduction properties were not particrly strong, and it didn''t offer protection against burns or extreme heat.


    And as for The Interrogation of the Soul?


    Though it appeared like ck water, it wasn''t actual water and had no ability to extinguish fire. It merely induced the sensation of sinking into mud in the opponent''s mind, binding their spirit and leaving them unable to act.


    But aside from these, none of the spells Dean Bruce had mastered possessed tenfold enlightenment and power. Against the vast gap in level, it would be difficult to counter Borus Kendra''s magic!


    Dean Bruce continued to weigh his options, but his calm expression and upright posture gave the others the impression that he still had the upper hand against his formidable foe.


    Otherwise, why wasn''t he showing any signs of dodging?


    Lina Jones bit her lip and suddenly took a step forward, her voice sharp as she said, "Everyone, we''ve made it this far thanks to Dean. Are you really going to just stand by and watch at a time like this? Even if we can''t defeat Borus, we can''t let Dean face him alone!"


    As soon as her words fell, Lina Jones held a scroll in her hand, which began to radiate a soft, pale blue light.


    The faint blue glow was weak but resilient, slowly and steadily spreading outward, even in the midst of the raging inferno.


    "Hm? Divine Descentmagic?" Noticing the unusual phenomenon, Borus Kendra blinked in surprise. Rather than intensifying his attack, he smiled, watching with interest.


    Whoosh—


    As the sound of flowing water filled the air, Lina Jones closed her eyes, her body lifting off the ground, now hovering in midair. The pale blue glow enveloped her, swirling gently like water around her form.


    Suddenly, everyone felt a cool, refreshing sensation wash over them, as the burning heat from the mes vanished without a trace.


    Three pairs of translucent blue wings unfurled behind Lina Jones. Unlike their previous sharp, sword-like form, these wings shimmered softly, their light flowing like a gentle stream.


    Not only that, her long hair had turned blue, billowing with the wind. A sheer blue veil now covered her eyes, and the once crimson hue of her lips had faded to a delicate, jade-like glow, sparkling faintly.


    As Lina Jones extended her hands, the soft blue glow morphed into a short sword and a shield.


    Seeing this, Dean Bruce couldn''t help but feel a twinge of envy. Regardless of how powerful Divine Descentmagic was, just the transformation itself was so stylish that he couldn''t wait for the day when he could perform such a spell himself.


    With Divine Descentsessfully cast, Lina Jones was once again possessed by an angel. Her lips, gleaming like jade, parted softly as her gentle voice echoed, "The mes of rage will only consume your reason and drive you to do things you will deeply regret."


    The moment her words fell, a light curtain made of flowing water formed, enveloping Dean Bruce and the others in its protective embrace.


    p, p, p!


    A crisp sound of pping echoed from not far away, where Borus Kendra stood, grinning. "Yourpatibility with the angel isn''t bad at all! You''ve actually managed to boost your power by nearly two levels! No wonder they chose a little girl like you as the designated saintess!"


    "But it''s a pity. Your level is far too low. Even with the angel''s possession, you''re still no match for me!"


    With a chilling glint in his eyes, Borus Kendra clenched his fists tightly. In an instant, the sea of fire roared to life, transforming into a barrage of ming arrows, which shot towards the water-formed barrier with blinding speed.


    Sizzle!


    Each ming arrow that struck the water barrier sent up a plume of steam, causing the tension among the group to rise. They weren''t sure if the barrier would be able to withstand the full onught.


    Only Dean Bruce sensed something was wrong!


    Borus Kendra had earned his formidable reputation decades ago and had even been recruited by the Nine Provinces Alliance. His strength was undeniable, so why would heunch such a pointless attack?


    As the steam thickened and obscured their visionpletely, Dean Bruce''s eyes darted around, and he quickly whispered, "Ace, can you sense what Borus is up to?"


    "Huh?" Ace was taken aback for a moment, but quickly caught on. He shut his eyes and twitched his pointed ears, carefully sensing beyond the mist.


    In less than two or three breaths, Ace''s eyes snapped open, and he gasped in rm, "There''s an incredibly powerful magical surge around Borus! These attacks are just a diversion—he''s casting a much higher-level spell!"


    Upon hearing this, Lina Jones immediately dispersed the watery barrier. The three pairs of blue wings on her back pped, and streams of water descended from the sky, coating everyone and forming protective water shields.


    Without the water barrier, the ming arrows lost their target, crashing harmlessly to the ground. As the mist began to clear, Borus Kendra''s figure came back into view.


    At that moment, his lips were moving rapidly, and his expression had grown solemn. Fire elements from all directions were frantically converging around him, coalescing into a blood-red orb that radiated fiery sparks.


    Lina Jones raised her short sword, its de shimmering with a pale blue light. Immediately, countless raindrops formed in the air, whistling toward Borus Kendra.


    "Spirits of me, so lively and free, let your fiery dance captivate the world! Dance of the me Ring!"


    Borus Kendra''s right hand shifted, his voice booming with energy. In an instant, a ring of fire materialized, swirling around him at incredible speed.


    The mes encircled Borus, illuminating his figure in a mesmerizing, almost beautiful glow.


    But it wasn''t just beautiful—the rapidly spinning fire ring blocked all the iing raindrops, burning them into mist before they could touch him.


    To everyone''s astonishment, even after casting the Dance of the me Ring, Borus Kendra''s previous spell was still active!


    A chorus of gasps erupted around them. "Oh my god, how is he doing that?"


    "How can he cast another spell in the middle of one? And still keep the first spell going?"


    Hearing the shocked murmurs, Dean Bruce narrowed his eyes.


    This trip to the ruins had made one thing clear to him: the people of Notting City, and even the Mors Province, couldn''t fullyprehend the true nature of the world.


    It couldn''t be helped. Those people, limited by their own power, held many incorrect beliefs. Relying on them could easily get you killed when facing someone stronger.


    Taking a deep breath, Dean Bruce stepped forward toward Borus Kendra. His earlier hesitation about which spell to use was only to ensure that he could fully block the fire attacks, protecting the others from harm.


    Now that Lina Jones could shield the group, Dean Bruce had no need to worry about them anymore. He could focus entirely on battling Borus Kendra.


    So, you''re preparing to cast a powerful spell?


    Let''s see if you can handle the full force of your own magic under Blood for Blood!


    As Dean Bruce stepped forward, then nced at Lina Jones, the rest of the group couldn''t help but feel a pang of shame.


    "Lina was right. We can''t just stand by and watch. Even if we''re weaker, with so many of us, we can still distract Borus!"


    Horton Martin was the first to charge out, mes erupting from his body in a zing ring that expanded outward, colliding with the fire swirling around Borus Kendra.


    Boom!


    A heavy sound echoed as Horton Martin was knocked backward, sent flying through the air. But the fiery ring around Borus paused for just a moment.


    "Perfect timing!"


    Dean Bruce wasn''t one to miss such an opportunity. In that instant, he cast Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain, lightning crackling across his body as he surged forward, crashing into Borus Kendra with all his might.


    Borus Kendra sensed the impending danger. He raised his right hand, magic surging around him.


    But how fast is lightning?


    Almost the instant Borus Kendra lifted his hand, Dean Bruce was already upon him. The burst of lightning crashed into Borus, sending him flying backward with tremendous force.


    Not only that, but the lightning coursing through him left his entire body paralyzed. He couldn''t move, and the spell he''d been quietly chanting was abruptly interrupted.


    Borus Kendra''s pupils constricted sharply, fury burning within him.


    Dean Bruce swiftly transitioned the form of Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain, wind swirling beneath his feet as he dashed forward once more. Before Borus Kendra could shake off the paralysis, Dean charged at him again, his fists crackling with lightning. He clenched them tightly and threw a thunderous punch straight at Borus Kendra''s face.


    Crackle!


    The raw, violent energy of the lightning surged through Borus, causing intense pain. The paralysis triggered repeatedly, leaving himpletely powerless to resist.


    Even his fingers couldn''t move!


    "What an opportunity! Master Dean is unstoppable!"


    "Borus is immobilized—let''s hit him with everything we''ve got!"


    Alita Miller and the others quickly realized what was happening and rushed toward Borus Kendra.


    Suddenly, Carol Lane tossed aside her book, extending her arms as her body began to float in midair.


    In the next moment, the book emitted a radiant silver glow, and with a sh, the light descended upon Borus Kendra.


    Dean Bruce, ever observant, noticed Borus Kendra''s expression stiffen, his entire body seeming hollow, as though he were nothing more than an empty shell. Even if the paralysis from the lightning were to fade, it wasn''t certain that Borus would be able to move again.


    [Is that a spell that directly controls the soul?Dean mused, impressed. That could be useful. Maybe I can convince Lina Jones to help me get my hands on it!]


    Even as these thoughts raced through his mind, Dean Bruce didn''t hesitate. Lightning crackled around his hands as he relentlessly hammered blow after blow into Borus Kendra''s head and chest.


    Meanwhile, Alita Miller and the others unleashed their own spells. Green vines materialized from thin air, wrapping tightly around Borus Kendra''s body, binding himpletely!