That was the chanting of magic.

Powerful mages, when using their well-practiced magic, often omitted the chanting process. For example, Moen had witnessed before that his senior could unleash a simplified version of explosive magic with no delay at all.

However, for some complex spells, chanting was still required to build their structure.

And the longer the chanting time, the more terrifying the magic constructed became—a piece of common knowledge even to children just starting to learn to read.

Thus, when the crowd followed the ethereal chanting voice, they saw a silhouette hidden amidst the hazy mist. It outlined the alluring curves of a woman, gracefully wielding a massive magic staff, her figure as elegant and mesmerizing as a dancer beneath a spotlight.

And… the immense magical power surging around her, as if a blazing sun had risen.

Suddenly, Moen felt the air grow oppressive, as though the very space around them was being squeezed. In the distance, the white clouds and blue sky began to twist and distort. As magical energy poured forth, the range of distortion expanded, like a massive, transparent barrier descending upon them, trapping them like beasts in a cage.

This is…

Spatial magic!

The crash course in magical knowledge that Moen had undergone recently allowed him to instantly recognize the nature of this spell.

Though he couldn’t discern exactly which type of magic it was, the alarms blaring in his mind screamed of imminent danger, warning him that this was certainly not some express ticket kindly taking him to the Holy City!

“Mr. Adolf!”

“Don’t worry. I might be old, but I’m not blind!”

Adolf’s expression was grim. The Indra King’s aggressive advance had already put him in a difficult spot, and now even the dissatisfaction of his employer was making itself known. For someone like him, the president of the Belland branch of the Adventurers’ Guild—a man who prided himself on service excellence and regarded patrons as deities—such a situation was unbearable.

*Clink.*

A sound, like crystal softly colliding.

Brilliant rays of light shimmered, outlining a crown of countless stars and diamonds floating upwards. This crown, symbolizing powers close to divinity, erupted from the impeccably dressed and composed Adolf in a single instant.

Adolf’s eyes grew vast and profound, glimmering with countless stars that pieced together an ancient, weathered scene. The daylight began to fade, and even the air seemed to grow thin.

This was the origin of Adolf Lovis’s title, *The Stargazer*: the ability to pierce illusions, perceive truths, and even bend reality through immaterial contemplation—the *Eye of Star*.

Where Adolf’s gaze landed, the rules underpinning the construction of magic quietly shifted in imperceptible ways. Even the mages capable of wielding truth-level grand magics could not successfully construct magic under his gaze.

But… his gaze was blocked.

It was blocked by a hand. A hand that, at first glance, appeared extremely ordinary.

The hand was covered with scars, its callouses clearly visible, rough as if it belonged to a common farmer or hunter.

Yet, this very hand stood as an insurmountable barrier before countless shining stars.

Suspended above Indra King’s head was an equally dazzling crown. He repelled Pink Bear with one hand and withstood Adolf’s *Eye of Star* with the other. Though his face had paled and his state appeared strained, a faint smile still played on his lips.

“Just as the two of you working together can prevent me from Moen Campbell, as long as I push myself a little, I too can hold the two of you off.”

Facing Adolf’s anger, Indra King’s eyes brimmed with mockery:

“This world really is fair, isn’t it?”

…

“We’re leaving!”

After Moen shouted this, not waiting for Adolf’s response, he immediately commanded the group to prepare for departure.

“Huh? Why?”

Lea cast a glance at Adolf and Pink Bear, who were attacking Indra King, her gaze filled with confusion.

“It looks like we’re still at an advantage.”

“Being at an advantage doesn’t guarantee victory.”

Moen’s expression was impassive, and he didn’t even glance at the other side of the battle. “At this level of combat, our presence here doesn’t contribute at all—we’re just burdens.

And besides, the effects of that spatial magic are still unclear. We can’t gamble on it.

So, as I said earlier, we need to leave now. When we reach the border, we can wait for Mr. Adolf and Pink Bear there. For both of them, it’s far less likely for anything to go wrong.”

Moen extended his hand and pressed firmly on the conspicuous family crest emblazoned on the carriage. Instantly, golden light flickered, activating the magic engraved long ago into the carriage materials—lightness, shock absorption, acceleration, protection. To the astonishment of the others, layers of magical effects manifested one after another on the ornately adorned carriage, like overlapping buffs.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

Moen’s air of forethought worked like a shot of adrenaline, calming the still-chaotic group. They were, after all, the elites of Santa Maria College. Before long, they composed themselves, imitated Moen’s actions, quickly grasped the magical mechanisms of the carriage, and assumed full control, focusing their efforts entirely on speed.

Still traveling in pairs, the three carriages surged toward the border at a speed that defied imagination.

“So impressive…”

Inside the front carriage, Lea watched Moen expertly maneuver the reins. Her voice carried a faint sense of awe.

“Moen… you can really think of so many things in such a short time…”

“Hmm?”

Moen glanced at her from the corner of his eye, then smirked self-deprecatingly.

“It’s just that I’ve suffered too much before and learned a little from the past. Nothing worth bragging about.”

“But… it’s still incredible.”

Lea hugged her knees, curling up into herself.

“If it were me, I’d absolutely lose my composure facing *The Crowned*.”

“…”

I used to be the same.

But after seeing enough things like *dark gods*, you start to realize that even when *The Crowned* are enemies, they’re actually kind of *adorable* in comparison.

Moen silently uttered this thought with some sarcasm in his mind.

“Lea.”

“Hmm?”

“Can you help me reveal the outline of that spell?”

Moen raised his head, squinting toward the gradually distorting sky.

He could faintly see the imprint of what resembled an enormous glass dome descending, but the details eluded him. At the very least, he wanted to determine its range of coverage.

“Can you do it?”

“I can!”

Like an eager pupil, Lea responded without hesitation.

She clasped her fingers together, and faint, holy light coalesced into countless butterflies with outspread wings that fluttered and danced before exploding in bursts of illumination.

Under the light’s glow, Moen finally discerned the shape and edges of the spell.

It resembled an overturned bowl, about to trap all these fleeing ants inside.

But…

Moen calculated swiftly and felt a surge of relief.

At their current speed, they could entirely escape before the spell descended completely. If that happened, even if Mr. Adolf and Pink Bear were held off, the enemy’s efforts would amount to nothing.

It seemed that caution truly paid off.

“Amazing.”

Smiling, Moen praised Lea, “I didn’t think holy light could actually have this kind of use. This was a huge help.”

“It’s… it’s nothing.”

Lea’s cheeks flushed red, and she turned her head shyly.

But strangely, though she knew it was mere courtesy, his praise tasted as sweet as honey.

“How adorable…”

Moen couldn’t help but admire Lea inwardly. Just one compliment, and she was already blushing, unable to control the holy light leaking from her.

However, he quickly drove out these untimely thoughts, refocusing on controlling the carriage.

“Hold on tight. I’m speeding up. If all goes well, we should be out of here within the next hour…”

Suddenly, Moen’s voice came to an abrupt halt.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

Lea looked over at Moen, puzzled.

And then, she saw it—the shock, confusion, and bewilderment etched across Moen’s face.

Lea blinked, then followed his gaze.

What she saw left her equally stunned.

Under the faint glow of her scattered holy light, in the distance—or rather, unnervingly close given the carriage’s speed—something began to take form.

The outline of a translucent wall, faintly glimmering with gold runes, appeared.

It stood in their path, barring their way forward.