This is really troublesome.

Lin Zhong tightened his grip on the War Spear. He had no idea how long Alice’s chant would last. But until she finished, he couldn’t step away—not even a single step.

A faint chanting sound drifted from behind Lin Zhong. Alice’s eyes were slightly closed, yet her hands weren’t idle. Unknown runes were gradually taking shape before her.

Hurry up already.

Lin Zhong glanced back at Aester, silently praying for her chanting speed. But all he could do was think; his hands tightened again on the War Spear as he turned to face the approaching Werewolves.

So many...

Ice End Blossom!

Thin veils of icy mist spread before him, forming a glass-like sheet of thin ice. Lin Zhong gently pressed his hand against the glass.

“Crack!”

Fine cracks crawled across the surface. In the instant the glass shattered, icy mist erupted into countless ice spikes that pierced the enemies’ bodies.

“Thud! Thud! Thud!”

Countless sounds came from the Werewolves. The ice spikes kept growing, skewering the front-line Werewolves like kebabs, riddling their bodies with holes.

Those at the back were fine, but the front ones couldn’t block the rapidly growing spikes. They all collapsed, their blood staining the grass a single dark hue.

Lin Zhong raised the War Spear and slashed lightly. Along the cracks already carved by the whirlwind, a new fissure appeared before him.

“Just wait quietly for death. Come closer, and I’ll slaughter you all.”

Lin Zhong shook his head. His snow-white hair slipped free from its tie, cascading down to his waist.

The Werewolves ignored his words. Werewolves from both sides closed in on Lin Zhong. The stench of beasts washed over his face.

“Thud!”

Lin Zhong took a light step forward. A sheet of thin ice shot from the crack, slicing every charging Werewolf in half.

“So, like I said~”

Snowfall Thousand Chills impaled the exposed half-body. Blood still flowed, but he felt no nausea. His hand on the War Spear moved.

“Don’t push your luck!”

Lin Zhong swung the War Spear. The half-body flew straight toward its companions. The gushing blood instantly froze into crimson ice sheets, slicing through each companion’s body.

“Whoosh!”

A single sound. Several bodies split in two. Corpses piled up on the ground—no longer human, but the furry, massive forms of Werewolves.

Ice Coffin.

But Lin Zhong never stopped watching Alice. He reached out his hand. Just before claws could stab Alice from behind, an Ice Coffin sealed the attacker inside.

“Bang! Bang!”

The Werewolf inside pounded the Ice Coffin endlessly. Sadly, no matter how hard it hit, it couldn’t move an inch.

“Shut up already!”

Lin Zhong raised his hand. Countless ice spikes shot out inside the Ice Coffin, riddling the poor body with holes. Finally, the back of the coffin opened slowly. A pile of unrecognizable meat chunks dropped to the ground.

“Done! Dodge!”

Alice’s voice suddenly rang out. Her rune-drawing stopped completely. Her finger tapped the chain of incantations at the same moment.

Forbidden Spell—Earth Serpent.

The empty clearing turned into a vast swamp. Every attacking Werewolf sank into it, except the unmoving white Werewolf.

“Squelch!”

A giant serpent head burst from the swamp, swallowing all the Werewolves—including their fallen corpses—whole.

“Tsk tsk!”

Lin Zhong, already leaping aside, grinned at the sight of the devoured pack.

Terrifying. Truly, no other word fit.

Only orthodox mages could unleash such wide-range, high-damage Forbidden Spells. Lin Zhong, a mere Battle Mage, could never match this terrifying power.

“Huff... huff...”

Alice’s legs gave way. She knelt on the ground, gasping for breath.

After all, she was still a rookie. Her mana reserves were low to begin with. One Forbidden Spell had drained every drop from her body.

Without the pill Lin Zhong had forced into her mouth, she doubted she could cast even a tiny spell now.

“I don’t know where you learned this, but it’s impressive.”

Lin Zhong appeared beside Alice. She had no idea how he’d suddenly returned to her side.

But she was too tired to care.

“I’m getting more and more eager to have you.”

Lin Zhong watched the vanishing swamp. Both the whirlwind and this swamp were devastating spells.

A mage who could cast Forbidden Spells was a prize anywhere. Alice, who could cast multiple? An absolute treasure among treasures.

“H-have... have me...”

Alice’s face flushed crimson instantly. Innocent of romance, Lin Zhong’s words had flustered her completely.

Is he proposing to me? Should I accept? He’s handsome, strong...

A whirl of thoughts spun in Alice’s mind.

“Next up: the boss.”

Lin Zhong raised his War Spear. The grunts were gone. Now came the main act—the white Werewolf still stood its ground.

It showed no anger over its wiped-out pack. Its grotesque face held no expression at all.

“W-wait... wait...”

Alice called out to Lin Zhong. Her small face still glowed with a shy blush.

“Um... were you serious just now?”

Serious?

Lin Zhong pondered. Did she mean joining the Club?

He hadn’t realized how ambiguous his words were. “Have” could mean the Club—or something personal. Lin Zhong meant the Club. But Alice?

Clearly, she’d misunderstood. Or rather, Lin Zhong had misspoken. She was right.

“Of course.”

Lin Zhong nodded. Alice, a top-tier mage, as Vice President of Fool’s Court—he had to secure her.

Fool’s Court desperately needed burst-damage mages. Alice, a Forbidden Spell Mage, filled that gap perfectly.

A trained Alice could replace a hundred high-level mages. No—far more!

“C-can I think about it?”

Alice turned her head shyly, trying to hide her burning-red face from Lin Zhong.

“Hmm, fine.”

Lin Zhong nodded. He turned away, gripping the War Spear tightly as he charged toward the white Werewolf. The Dungeon Instance’s minions were cleared. Only the commander remained.

How could he ignore such a giant wolf-shaped punching bag? This S-rank Dungeon Instance boss had been his long-awaited target. No way he’d pass it up.

“Okay...”