Xia Yuan, a powerful sorcerer renowned across the Western Sea. His mastery of sorcery was so profound he could even alter the mediocre magical talent of his newborn daughter. Yet his arrogant, reclusive nature had earned him many enemies. His wife, an ordinary woman, died in a conflict. Her killer was none other than Lan Jingchuanhai, the "King of Evil," who then controlled all factions of the Celestial Carving Academy.

"Hey, Mr. Xia Yuan," a stranger named Beichun appeared as he drowned in grief. "Hand over your sorcery research. I need that power to avenge you."

That woman looked uncannily like Xia Yuan’s deceased wife—almost identical. At first, he brushed off Beichun’s outstretched hand, sitting alone in a corner to drink silently. She simply watched him quietly from the side.

It was all too reminiscent of the past. When he researched sorceries, his ordinary wife would always stand by, silently smiling as she watched. Unable to suppress his sorrow and guilt, Xia Yuan suddenly spun and embraced Beichun tightly. She stroked his hair, comforting him with tender words. He fell in love again, letting his guard down completely with this woman who mirrored his wife. Under her attentive care, it felt like returning to happier times.

Until one day, strangely dressed intruders burst into his home.

"Here’s the key to the sorcery research lab."

"Beichun, you’ve done well."

"Hmph, wearing this magically forged human skin disguise daily is truly unbearable."

This was the brief exchange Xia Yuan heard as he lay in a blood pool, a knife buried in his body. Struggling to lift his head, he saw Beichun shift from his wife’s likeness into a stranger. His fragile heart shattered anew.

Later, Xia Yuan survived thanks to his daughter Xia Feina rushing back from the academy. He then locked himself in a sunless lab, using vividly remembered forbidden sorcery to begin sinister experiments. He vowed revenge on the source of all suffering—the Celestial Carving Academy.

Young Xia Feina didn’t understand her father’s change. To her, after her mother’s death, Aunt Beichun had also left him.

"Daddy, don’t worry! When I grow up, I’ll punish Mom’s killers for you!"

Unwilling to see him drown in sorrow, she made this promise. His eyes now held the emptiness of a corpse.

"Oh? Right... how could I forget you!?" Xia Yuan laughed maniacally, stroking her hair. "Daughter... transfer to the Celestial Carving Academy in a few years. You’ll become an outstanding mage there."

Since her mother’s death, Xia Feina had grown reclusive. She’d barely made friends at her current academy and inwardly dreaded the transfer. But she couldn’t refuse her broken father.

"Okay, I promise."

The moment she agreed, she became his tool for revenge.

Amid the Celestial Carving Academy’s crumbling ruins, Xia Yuan beheld his decade-long research’s culmination. He spread his arms wide, gazing skyward with a maniacal laugh.

"Hahahahaha!!!!! All of you!!! You’ll be buried beneath these ruins!!!"

Elucia, Situ Sheng, and others sensed impending doom.

At dawn, Xia Feina raised her greatsword. A fierce shockwave surged toward Elucia.

"President!"

Wilkor spun and charged, determined to intercept the blow.

—No dodging this!!

The shockwave filled the space. Elucia, locked as the target, felt her feet rooted to the ground. Defiance meant nothing against absolute power; no luck remained.

(Am I dying here—?)

As Elucia closed her eyes, a hand steadied her near-collapse. A white-haired youth stood before her.

"Hey, I was only gone from the academy for a day, right?"

Sharkai Bai punched aside the oncoming sword aura, then turned to Elucia.

"Hah? Is the academy closing down?"

"Where’s the dean?"

Cecilia Ozbell and Fuxifa spoke next, having just returned with Sharkai Bai from a mission.

"You...!? You blocked Xia Feina’s attack..."

Elucia slowly opened her eyes, staring in disbelief at Sharkai Bai. Wilkor halted, relief washing over him. Nearby in the ruins, Situ Sheng watched Sharkai Bai’s sudden entry. Such speed surpassed even his own.

"So you’re here too? How lively," Sharkai Bai said to Situ Sheng.

"I don’t know what’s happening, but Wilkor—protect this annoying woman."

After handing the exhausted, injured Elucia to Wilkor, Sharkai Bai clenched his fists and charged toward the Dawn Queen in the distant sky.

"Aaaaaaahhhhh!!!!! Ten Attendants, kill that bastard!!!!"

Xia Yuan howled in rage, waving his arms as his strongest creation’s attack was blocked by someone with no magical aura. The Ten Attendants, poised to charge Sharkai Bai, found their bodies encased in frost. A massive black hole magic circle erupted beneath Xia Yuan and them. Its suction tugged violently, dragging them toward an endless dark abyss.

"Oh? Struggling against trash like this?" Cecilia’s gaze fell on Nokiyak beside Situ Sheng.

"Don’t get cocky!!"

Nokiyak unleashed his full power, insulted by his archrival’s disdain. The First Attendant freed Cecilia and blocked Nokiyak’s burst, but he was clearly spent.

"Seems the situation’s stabilized..."

Supported by Wilkor, Elucia watched Sharkai Bai charge toward Xia Feina. Having fought five Attendants alone, exhaustion and pain had pushed her to her limits.