Night Frost flicked the flame. The moment fire touched the toxic mist, it exploded. Poison and flame triggered a strange reaction—if trapped in the mist, flames became useless. Large-scale contact meant catastrophic chain explosions.

She must not enter the mist’s range, Night Frost thought. With her current strength, escaping unscathed would be near impossible.

Behind her, Lurie slightly opened her eyes, watching the spreading mist and rows of warriors collapsed within it. She longed to break free and help them, but not a shred of strength remained—not even to speak.

“We can’t handle this mist. Not even the Obsidian Stone Fortress can. The area’s too vast. Going down now is suicide.” (in Draconic)

Li Dogegg popped out from his pocket dimension to translate for Lurie.

Night Frost’s judgment held true. The fortress blocked powerful Magic Spells and Abyssal Aura, but this pure mist—containing not a trace of mana or Abyssal Aura—slipped right through. Only total sealing would work. Escape was the priority. Even if Lurie insisted, Night Frost wouldn’t allow it. It was suicide.

For the mist, Night Frost had a solution. The fortress failed, but the complex underground Array Pattern—crafted by mortal realm artisans—could withstand external corruption. Perhaps due to its mystery or inner properties, corrosive liquids touching it were instantly purified. Night Frost deduced: one specific Array Pattern governed purification, cleansing both outer and inner impurities.

She knew nothing of it. Deciphering would mean starting from zero.

Setting that aside, Night Frost led Lurie to the pattern with practiced ease. From her Spatial Box, she took materials, crushed them, and spread the powder evenly. Flames coalesced into an Array Pattern. Her carving knife etched matching lines into the earth. The fiery pattern fused slowly—completing a simple air-sealing Array Pattern.

The toxic mist soon swallowed the fortress. Narrow passages hindered its seepage underground, yet stray wisps slipped through. Night Frost’s pattern blocked them from entering their lungs; the grand Formation behind purified the rest.

Exactly as predicted.

“Using the grand Formation to evade erosion—a clever plan.” (in Elvish)

The Elderly Elf tucked away his surveillance scroll. Not the time to watch them. The fortress barely held back the mist. Time for the old folks to act.

With a sleeve flick, scrolls inscribed with Elven Magic Spells poured forth. Each sheet bore one marking. Under his command, they wove into a complex Array Pattern of Elven incantations—the Elves’ purification Formation. It could cleanse the immediate area and, woven from countless scrolls, shield most of the fortress for the three races.

But this wasn’t his limit. He shifted the stool, revealing his personally crafted array base beneath—covering the entire fortress. If needed, he could activate it: half a minute of healing magic for all.

“Shouldn’t those old folks be moving already?” (in Elvish)

*Bang!* The door flew open. A fierce roar echoed. A gleaming greatsword grazed the Elderly Elf’s cheek and smashed a hole through the wooden wall behind him.

A tall human woman stood there—bronze skin, defined abs, age-lined face, yet powerfully built.

“You’re the oldest one here. Why mention *us*?” she said in broken Elvish. (in Elvish)

The sword flew back into her palm and sheathed itself.

Outside, another human listened silently, gaze locked on the Monsters beyond the door.

“Pah.”

She spat out a wheat stalk, drew twin cleavers from her waist, and leaped ten meters high. One of the fortress’s last defenders.

No time for the old folks’ bickering. Monsters first.

She tugged off the hindering bow at her back, sliced the wide sleeves away—leaving only a practical dress.

“Twin Blades, Boundless—All sins converge into a timeless, peerless strike. Sever all in this world…”

Blades swung. A shockwave parted the mist. Blade light sank into earth. Blinding white erupted—ripping the ground open, exposing the Monster’s tangled root system below.

“Found you!”

She sheathed the blades, flashed like lightning to its side, and drew again.

Dull blades now shimmered with faint light—some hidden mechanism in the scabbards refueled them. The prior strike drained mana; this one replenished it fully.

Fatal strike unleashed.

Twin cold lights blazed against the night. Blades sliced air, cleanly severing black rootlets on both sides. The core disintegrated into dust.

*Rumble…*

The cavern trembled. Gravel rained onto the invisible Formation above Night Frost and Lurie. Fierce combat raged overhead—undoubtedly Chapter Three’s doing.

“It must be the Dual Blade Sorceress!” (in Draconic)

Dual Blade Sorceress—the first human with “Sorceress” in this Abyss Night Frost had heard of. From Li Dogegg and Lurie’s accounts, Sorceresses here and Magic Maidens of the mortal realm weren’t just similar—they were identical.

*She caused that?*

Remarkable. Last time she saw such power was Crimson’s earth-shattering strike. With a powerhouse like that intervening, the battle above was surely over.

Silence followed the rumble. The mist thinned—Lurie could now endure it.

Night Frost led Lurie topside. Few stood. The battlefield lay in ruins. Where the Monster had been: a massive crater—undoubtedly the Dual Blade Sorceress’s work.

A faintly glowing pattern traced the ground, stretching across the entire fortress. This grand Formation’s scale stunned Night Frost.

Tracing the Array Pattern, she pinpointed the array base—inside the house where she’d met the Elderly Elf days prior. No doubt his doing.

With the greatsword-wielding woman’s help, unconscious Elves were gathered near his house. He healed them one by one. Restored Elves joined others, carrying the wounded of all three races into town. He’d activate the Formation soon—half a minute of detoxification, enough to save most.

Exhausted, he slumped into his chair. Healing over a hundred had drained his mana. He needed rest, or even the Formation beneath his feet would fail.

The wooden door creaked open. Night Frost and Lurie stood before him.

“You’ve come? I’ve no strength to host you now.” (in Elvish)

He slightly opened his eyes, waved weakly—*do as you please*.

Night Frost sat without ceremony, eyes fixed on the floating parchments. Each held one Array Pattern. Hundreds formed the grand Formation. Rearranging core patterns birthed new ones. Using refined parchment as carriers expanded range and potency—a method worth emulating, though costly.

She silently commanded her Eye Orb to record it.

She handed Li Dogegg a strip of dried meat. Unneeded for now; she’d recall him if required.

The Eye Orb discussed deciphering the pattern with her.

Restless, Lurie headed to aid the rescuers. Rested and mana partially restored, she was capable. Night Frost let her go.

They waited half the night. At dawn, healers signaled readiness.

The Elderly Elf spread his palms. Parchments above dissolved. Surging mana flowed from his feet into the array base.

Light from the Array Pattern flooded the fortress in an instant. A soft green glow enveloped every soul. Even Night Frost felt vibrant life surge within.