After just a few exchanges, the blue team quickly fell into a passive and beaten-down state.
Although protagonists in stories often act recklessly when they first leave the beginner village, it usually doesn’t get them killed.
But this group was just way too reckless.
Worried that staying in one place too long might get her spotted, Fia left her vantage point and leapt onto the rooftop of a building near the three blue team members.
The elven princess was incredibly light on her feet—she didn’t even crack the old, brittle tiles beneath her.
Let’s mix in some Wind Blades this time.
A paladin outnumbering others like this really doesn’t fit the knightly code.
Fia adjusted the power of her magic to be strong enough to injure but not kill, and quickly locked onto dozens of paladins in the plaza.
What surprised her was that a normal person could only focus on three things at once.
In this case, that would mean taking on the paladins three at a time, in sequence.
But she could lock onto dozens of moving paladins at once without breaking a sweat.
She could even group her spells into sets of three—Fireball, Wind Blade, Fireball—without any trouble.
Maybe magic had enhanced her mental capacity.
Fia didn’t dwell on it.
By the time she snapped out of her thoughts, she had already gathered a massive amount of magic around her.
Blue and red lights intertwined, looking like a full-blown fireworks show.
If it were nighttime, she’d definitely stand out.
But for now, she’d treat it as a grand gift for those paladins.
At Fia’s command, the sky was instantly filled with Wind Blades and Fireballs.
It was like a rain of fire pouring down on the plaza, with explosions echoing nonstop.
There were so many spells that Fia had to intentionally aim some at the ground—otherwise, even if the paladins used their defensive magic, Holy Barrier, they’d be out of commission in no time.
In fact, the so-called Holy Barrier, which formed a golden shield, usually shattered like glass hit by a rock after just one or two Fireballs or Wind Blades.
“There’s more than four attackers! Request backup, now!”
“Hot! Hot hot hot! Water, give me water!”
Fia wasn’t about to let anyone run off to call for help.
The paladin who tried to leave didn’t even make it two steps before she stopped him.
Of course, she didn’t jump down from the roof to do it—instead, she used Wind Blade to cut down nearby wooden structures, blocking the road, then lit them ablaze with Fireball.
Just the first volley was enough to throw the paladins into chaos.
They couldn’t toy with the blue team like before.
The blue team quickly realized someone was helping them and shouted their thanks in the direction the magic had come from—toward Fia.
“Whoever you are, thank you on behalf of Magic of the Midnight Sun! If we ever get the chance, we’ll repay you in person!”
No need for thanks.
Just make sure next time you know the difference in strength between you and your enemy before charging in.
Fia replied silently in her heart.
Too bad she hadn’t learned any healing magic—otherwise, she could’ve patched up their injuries too.
With the first volley a success, the rest was easy.
The blue-haired girl gained a clear advantage in her one-on-one fight with the seasoned paladin.
The other three, who also claimed to be from Magic of the Midnight Sun, managed to hold their own against the remaining paladins.
Even though their ranks weren’t much higher—some were even the same—they clearly had better combat skills and used magic with impressive finesse.
With Fia occasionally tossing in spells to keep the paladins off balance, the blue team had the upper hand.
It’s worth mentioning that at one point, Fia used Cloud Moon of the Illusory Sea to disguise herself as an ordinary person and quietly moved the three poor souls to a safe place.
Though they were unresponsive, like wooden dolls, that was likely due to some kind of mind-numbing drug.
Once it wore off, they should recover on their own.
It’s almost over.
After launching the final volley and returning to her vantage point, Fia estimated both sides’ stamina.
Five minutes had passed since the battle began, and both sides were nearly spent.
The seasoned paladin fighting the blue-haired girl was especially worn out—his armor was in tatters, and only the healing power of his faith magic was keeping him on his feet.
But then—
“Wait… is that… someone from the sixth tier in the Church?”
Just as Fia was about to declare the fight over in her mind, a fast-moving black dot in the corner of her vision made her frown.
Wind of Detection showed the incoming figure glowing a color between yellow and orange, and they were moving fast.
Anastasia, as a near-fifth-tier warrior, was already qualified to lead the second squad of the Royal Guard (there were only five squads total).
The Royal Guard was the elite of the elite in the Elven Kingdom.
If Anastasia were placed in a frontline unit, she’d at least be a commander or general.
Given that the Elven Kingdom was stronger than the Holy Nation of Milcandis, this sixth-tier person must hold a high position in the Church—maybe a bishop or an inquisitor.
Definitely not someone the blue-haired girl could handle.
If he entered the battlefield, these fresh-out-of-the-beginner-village protagonists wouldn’t just be facing prison—they might get killed.
After a quick thought, Fia began setting coordinates.
Just as she expected, the incoming inquisitor didn’t hold back.
He chanted a spell to cast gravity magic, pinning down the blue-haired girl, then raised his knight’s lance and charged at her from the sky.
Now’s the time.
First, Flame Storm.
Then, a massive Wind Blade with a twenty-meter diameter, stretched to its maximum length.
The first would break his attack stance.
The second would force him to defend, giving the Magic of the Midnight Sun members time to escape.
In an instant, a massive fireball appeared in the plaza, centered on the descending inquisitor.
The ground groaned, and every window within a hundred meters shattered.
The explosion’s shockwave blasted the blue-haired girl out of the plaza, breaking the gravity magic’s hold on her.
Since he’s a sixth-tier paladin, he shouldn’t die from Elven Fire.
But if he does, well, tough luck.
The Church is the enemy of the elves anyway.
One high-ranking priest dead? Fia wouldn’t lose sleep over it—if anything, Anastasia would probably praise her.
Should’ve thrown in a few more spells while I was at it.
Too bad I haven’t had time to visit the Mage’s Guild.
I could’ve learned even stronger magic.
No time to waste.
Claire’s still waiting nearby.
Can’t let this little detour ruin our date—if you can even call it that.
Fia stuck out her tongue playfully, used Cloud Moon of the Illusory Sea to return her appearance to normal, jumped off the rooftop, and headed straight for where Claire was waiting outside the plaza.
