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    The beast lunged, its distorted form a blur of sharp ws and unnatural, glowing eyes. Jack barely evaded the strike, twisting his body with practiced agility as he drew his dagger in one fluid motion.


    ''Can I ever go anywhere and avoid a fight?!'' he thought, frustration coursing through him like a familiarpanion.


    [Bone Spear!]


    A sharp, spiked rod of bone erupted from Jack''s palm, hurtling toward the beast with deadly intent. The air itself seemed to split as the spear shot forward, aiming to pin the creature to the ground. But instead of the satisfying thud of impact, the weapon passed straight through the beast''s form as if it were made of mist.


    Jack''s eyes widened. ''What the hell?!''


    The beast loomed over them, a grotesque amalgamation of fog and malice, its wed hands twitching with unnatural hunger. A guttural growl reverberated through the thick air.


    "Hee! The beast can''t be harmed! I always knew it was a terrible idea to borrow from strangers! Now look at the mess I''m in!" Gurat wailed. Tears streamed down his grimy face as he scurried behind the weak trunk of a sickly tree, trembling like a leaf in the wind.@@novelbin@@


    ''I warned them,'' Gurat thought bitterly, his fearced with annoyance. ''The idiots just had to y around. Now look where itnded us. Let them die for all I care—at least I''d be free of this mess.''


    "Divine Light Ascendance!" Alisha''s voice rang out like a war cry, her hands raised high before mming downward with the authority of heavenly judgment. A radiant surge of energy cascaded from above, its blinding brilliance enough to tten a mountain. The beast didn''t even have a chance to react before it was obliterated, leaving behind only a swirling trail of blue fog.


    Alisha brushed the dust off her ornate gown with a satisfied sneer. "We need that crystal right away."


    "Careful! It''s not over yet!" Jack shouted, his instincts screaming at him. His warning came just as the beast reformed from the fog, lunging with terrifying speed. Its ws, long and razor-sharp, glinted with an eerie blue light as they aimed for Alisha''s unprotected back.


    "Halo of Protection!" Alisha cast her barrier spell in the nick of time, a warm golden glow enveloping her like a shield. The beast''s ws shed into the light, tearing through it as though it were mere paper. Alisha''s face paled as she braced herself for the inevitable impact.


    Before the beast could strike, Jack''s figure blurred into motion. He appeared between Alisha and the beast, his dagger shing in a diagonal arc. "Stop relying on that weak barrier! If you don''t have a stronger shield, then use the demon as a meat shield instead!" he snapped, his voice sharp as steel. His de connected with the beast, and its body disintegrated into a puff of blue mist once more.


    But Jack didn''t rx. His keen eyes watched as the fog began to swirl and gather again, reconstructing the creature piece by piece. The blue, unnatural glow surrounding it only seemed to intensify.


    "It''s not over yet," he muttered, gripping his dagger tightly.


    "This isn''t a normal beast," he said aloud, his gaze fixed on the creature. "It''s probably some kind of projection."


    "I suspected as much," Alisha admitted, her tone calm despite the urgency. Her eyes sharpened, betraying a steely resolve. "It''s likely a fragment of the Elemental Fog Crystal''s power."


    Jack frowned, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "Great. So how do we kill something that doesn''t even have a real body?"


    Before Alisha could respond, the forest grew eerily silent. The air buzzed faintly, a sound like the drone of a thousand wasps. Jack''s senses went on high alert. The noise seemed toe from everywhere and nowhere at once, an unsettling symphony that prickled the hairs on his neck.


    Suddenly, from the depths of the fog, several more beasts emerged. Their forms were as twisted and ghastly as the first, their glowing eyes locked onto the group with predatory intent.


    "This is getting worse by the second," Alisha muttered, her voice tight.


    "If we keep fighting like this, we''ll be exhausted before we even make progress," Jack said, only to be interrupted by Gurat''s shrill scream. One of the beasts snapped the tree he''d been hiding behind clean in half, its jaws missing him by mere inches.


    "Stay away from me, you monster!" Gurat screeched, stumbling as he scrambled to hide behind another tree.


    Jack spared him a fleeting nce, annoyance shing across his face. ''Useless,'' he thought, turning his focus back to the immediate threat.


    "There''s only one way I can deal significant damage, but I need time to prepare a spell," Jack said, his tone firm as he addressed Alisha. "Buy me some time."


    "Fine, but hurry. All thismotion is bound to attract demon warriors," Alisha warned. She stepped forward, her long hair swaying behind her as golden runes red to life around her body.


    ''If I keep burning through my Karma like this, I''ll be in serious trouble. In this world, replenishing Karma is nearly impossible. Let''s just finish this quickly and secure the Chapter of Time,'' Alisha thought, gritting her teeth before releasing a soft sigh to steady herself.


    Light spears materialized around her, their radiance dazzling as they shot forward in rapid session. Each spear pierced through the fog beasts, their forms exploding into mist. The forest was illuminated by the relentless barrage, the sound of magical impact echoing like thunder.


    With Alisha holding off the creatures, Jack finally had a moment to think.


    ''Fog… Fog… It''s basically condensed water, right? In the novel, the Winter Mage used water and ice magic boosted by the Elemental Fog Crystal. If it''s just water, then mes should work.'' The realization clicked in his mind like the final piece of a puzzle. ''But small mes won''t cut it. I need something powerful… Something devastating.''


    He quickly scanned through his list of me spells.


    [me st/Ball]


    [Scorching Hands]


    The options scrolled past his mind''s eye until two particr skills caught his attention.


    [mes of Scourge]


    [Dragon''s Breath]


    Both were formidable, but each came with drawbacks. mes of Scourge consumed a massive amount of MP, while Dragon''s Breath, though more destructive, required a dangerously high level of mana to sustain.


    ''Dragon''s Breath has a wider range and more firepower. It''s my best shot.'' Jack clenched his fists, steeling his resolve.


    [Elemental Spirit ss Spell: Dragon''s Breath!]


    ck mes coiled around Jack like living serpents, their heat so intense the air shimmered and crackled. A serpentine dragon formed from the fire, its glowing white eyes devoid of any life or mercy. The sheer presence of the spell sent waves of oppressive heat rippling through the forest, forcing Alisha to pause mid-attack. Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    She turned, her eyes widening in awe and disbelief at the sight before her. Jack stood at the heart of the inferno, his figure shrouded in the terrifying majesty of the ming dragon.


    In a low, guttural voice that resonated like the growl of a predator, Jack uttered a singlemand.


    "Burn."