Chapter 430: 430 - Tamers War - Storm Queen - (3/3)

Chapter 430: Chapter 430 – Tamers War – Storm Queen – (3/3)

The assault was expertly executed. While she focused on the primary threat of the cobra, the secondary attackers exploited her divided attention, forcing her to fight on multiple fronts simultaneously.

Pain shot through Selphira’s side where the bat’s claws had found their mark, but she didn’t allow it to slow her down. Four centuries of combat had taught her to fight through pain, to use injury as fuel for rage rather than weakness.

“Impressive coordination!” she shouted, though there was sarcasm in her voice. “But it’s not enough!”

Selphira summoned her favorite ice spear from her serpent’s mouth and released an area attack simultaneously, ice needles that sprouted from moisture in the air with extra help from a portion of her mana. The Royal Hawk dodged them with aerial maneuvers, but the Shadow Bat was less fortunate when Selphira hurled her spear at it. Several needles pierced its membranous wings as it took the hit and couldn’t continue dodging, sending it crashing into a nearby house.

But the distraction cost her attention in the main combat.

The Crimson Royal Cobra had found a crack in her serpent’s ice armor and sank its fangs deep. Venom began spreading, making the ice brittle and weak.

“My venom will dissolve your protection!” Chilong roared. “And then your rear beast along with you!”

Selphira snarled, feeling how the venom affected not only the armor but also the serpent beneath. She had to finish this quickly or lose her mobility advantage.

Although she hadn’t wanted to spend too much mana on a “secondary character,” he hadn’t left her any choice but to let the ‘Storm’ lose.

She began charging a more powerful attack, a famous technique to her name that would require approximately an additional 10 to 15% of her energy but should be sufficient to eliminate the three remaining opponents.

Energy accumulated around her like a concentrated winter storm. The air thickened with power that made even the attackers hesitate before the magnitude of what she was preparing.

The buildup was terrifying to witness. Frost began forming on nearby surfaces, and the very air seemed to crystallize around her as raw power condensed into something approaching the fundamental forces of nature.

Chilong, recognizing the danger and realizing there was no time to escape anymore, directed his cobra in a desperate attack to interrupt the charge. The Hawk also descended, sacrificing defense for speed in an attempt to reach her before she could complete the attack.

And just as Selphira was about to release all the mana from the devastating technique, the earth beneath the Crimson Royal Cobra opened.

Julius emerged from the ground riding his Earth Wolverine, his Qilin’s horns shining intensely on his forehead. His arrival was so sudden that Chilong had no time to react.

“I’ll help you, Selphira!” Julius shouted as his Wolverine grabbed the cobra’s tail with its enormous claws.

Selphira instantly realized the new advantage in the situation and didn’t waste the opportunity. Instead of using her costly signature attack, she redirected part of the accumulated energy into a more efficient and precise strike.

Ice spears emerged directly beneath the Crimson Royal Cobra, piercing its body at multiple points while Julius’s Wolverine held it immobile. The structural damage to the creature was enormous, making it disappear instantly.

The Storm Hawk, seeing that the battle had become impossible to win, used its huge free fall speed to catch Chilong and fled toward the horizon.

“Perfect timing,” Selphira gasped, canceling the greater attack she had been preparing. “Thank you.”

“Conserve your energy,” Julius responded, emerging completely from the underground tunnel. “You’re going to need it.”

Selphira mentally checked her reserves. Approximately 35% of her total mana left… less than ideal, but it would have to be sufficient.

“Where is Kharzan? His energy signature should be big,” she asked while using her mastery of water mana to heal her accumulated wounds and those of her serpent. Even the strong venom was purified instantly.

Julius pointed toward the center of the enemy army.

“There. But he’s exactly in the center now, surrounded by thousands of soldiers.”

“Of course he is,” Selphira smiled with icy anticipation. “Cowards always hide behind others. Take me to the center.” She turned, ready to finish what she had started.

“Wait!” Julius stopped her with a hand on her arm. “We can’t approach, even if from below… thousands of soldiers with beasts sensitive to vibrations would detect and attack us before we were close, even with my control advantage.”

Selphira turned toward him, irritation flashing in her eyes.

“And what do you suggest? That I stay here while he takes his idiots to the bridge to let Yino pass into our city?”

Julius studied her face carefully, noticing lines of fatigue that even centuries of experience couldn’t completely hide.

“I perceive you are tired and spent,” he said directly. “How much mana do you really have left?”

“Enough,” Selphira responded brusquely, but Julius wasn’t intimidated.

“Forty percent? Thirty? Selphira, I’ve developed my techniques and control much less time than you. But I can sense your limits… I’m also a high-rank tamer.”

She clenched her fists, the truth of his words more annoying than any insult.

“Almost forty percent,” she finally admitted. “But it’s enough to kill that bastard.”

“And if it isn’t?” Julius pressed. “If he defends better than expected? What will you do against his closest powerful soldiers or if he has more abyssal surprises prepared? You’ll have one chance to attack him directly, and if you fail…”

“I won’t likely fail against…”

“But you could,” Julius interrupted firmly. “And then what? Do we lose you and with that the war because you were too old and impatient to wait for the right moment?”

Selphira looked at him with fury but also some consideration of the uncharacteristic daring and rude approach from the ‘proper Dravenholm kid’. It was frustrating, but Julius had a valid point. Was she losing her touch? Since Laura’s incident, her decisions seemed rushed and less wise than before.

“Besides,” he continued, “they still have considerable distance to the bridge. With everything that’s happened, your wall dividing their army, Sirius’s attacks, loss of many beasts, they should take quite a while to recover their fast march.”

He moved closer, lowering his voice.

“I know you see us as children and it’s difficult for you to connect with our opinions… But trust me this time please, don’t act with your anger leading. Use this time. Recover at least some energy. When we attack, let it be with certainty we can finish the job, not with hope that what little we have left is sufficient.”

Selphira closed her eyes, fighting against the hatred toward the traitor, the hatred that told her to attack immediately when she had her enemy in sight, that his head belonged to her.

“How much time?” she asked finally.

“Six hours. Maybe we have twelve if we maintain flank pressure and can create more disruptions. Plus you could meet with Sirius and touch the ring if needed… he wouldn’t mind higher quality healing either.”

“Six hours,” Selphira agreed reluctantly while recovering her dense ice spear from the debris of the house the bat had destroyed. “I’ll also see Sirius… But I won’t wait one more minute. My word must be fulfilled, the war has already begun and my spear tip is still empty.”

At that moment, a messenger arrived from the air.

“Commander Julius!” the young soldier shouted. “Urgent message from His Highness Arturo!”

Julius took the message, reading it quickly while Selphira watched with growing impatience.

“It seems Larissa obtained some ‘useful weapons’,” Julius murmured, raising an eyebrow in surprise. “Arturo asks how I want to distribute them and where I need them.”

“What type of weapons?” Selphira asked, her interest awakening despite her frustration.

“He doesn’t specify, but it seems Ren is involved… and if Arturo considers them important enough to send a messenger to talk about them during an active battle…” Julius considered the options. “They must be at least significant.”

He turned toward the messenger.

“How many units do we have available for rapid transport?”

“Approximately twelve aerial carriers ready for immediate distribution, sir.”

Julius nodded, making a quick decision.

“Six units for Victor at the bridge, he wouldn’t mind the support even though he seems stable.”

He looked at Selphira with a smile that suggested maybe a few hours of waiting wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“Six units for us. Let’s see how good these ‘useful weapons’ are.”

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