"By my command, O swift wind Elf, accompany me—Swiftness Spell!"

Sensing the thickening bloodthirst of the oncoming Frostblood Cuckoo, I lightly raised my Stardevouring Staff. As it descended around me, the staff instantly glowed, doubling the Swiftness Spell’s effect!

But against the Frostblood Cuckoo, I knew clearly: even with speed increased five or ten times, I couldn’t dodge its attacks.

Still, the Milo Beast wasn’t just famed for its buffs—its debuffs and control magic were no joke. And those were spells I could wield now too.

"Unleash here! Frenzied water element!" Dodging sideways, I twirled my Stardevouring Staff. Instantly, deep blue water threads shot up before me, forming a curtain. Just as the Frostblood Cuckoo pierced it, a crisp thud echoed. The curtain rippled, freezing into steel-hard ice pillars that trapped it. "Eternal Freeze. Frost Cage!"

Frost Cage was a mid-tier ice spell, forging forty-nine pillars from ambient water to lock the target. Amplified by my magic and the Stardevouring Staff, it unleashed high-tier power.

Instantly, the air chilled. Frost coated my clothes.

But to my surprise, one second later, with a violent roar, the Frostblood Cuckoo burst free. I felt a sharp pain in my right arm—my sleeve was slashed, though only a faint white scratch marked my skin. After all, I was an Angel; injuries came hard.

The Frost Cage, its defense doubled by the staff, shattered into water elements and vanished.

"Yiyi!" Hearing a cry from beside me—that guy—I turned and slightly shook my head at her rushing form.

As an Angel, failing to beat a mere cuckoo would make me no better than a bird-man.

"Gentle waters, heal the wounded!" I hastily cast a healing spell. Under the soft blue glow, the pain faded. Watching the Frostblood Cuckoo pivot like a drawn bow, my heart grew heavy.

I hadn’t expected its power. With Swiftness Spell and Frost Cage boosted by the staff, I’d thought dodging would be easy. Reality bit harder.

Books claimed its full strike could pierce half-meter-thick steel. Though I was an Angel with strong magic, I couldn’t conjure five-meter steel shields on a whim. Its body was light yet unyielding—wind or rock couldn’t hinder its flight the slightest bit. Ice walls or earth shields alone wouldn’t suffice.

The Frostblood Cuckoo gave no time to ponder. After a brief pause, it shot toward my chest like a released arrow.

I channeled magic into my ring. My body lightened, teleporting me behind it. The disoriented bird crashed into a towering tree, then fixed its blood-red eyes on me again.

Behind me, under the blood moon, the fountain’s chime drifted in—cool, melodic. But now wasn’t the time to listen.

Amid the water’s song, a whoosh cut the air—the Frostblood Cuckoo attacked again!

Gripping the Stardevouring Staff tighter, I stepped back slightly, readying a defense. A plan to counter it was already forming in my mind.