The few meters snake long crept towards the Fire Mage in a blinding speed. The Mage could not believe his eyes that something can move so fast when slithering.

He fired a couple of Fire b.a.l.l.s at the snake, but they all missed. At the critical point, the snake would just change its direction dodging the attack.

Ozul did not let the Fire Mage think of a counter as the snake appeared before him in just a matter of seconds.

Now that the snake was in close range, the Fire Mage was confident that a considerably ma.s.sive Fire Ball would blast it away.

However, he did not think that just when the pitch-black snake was a few meters away from him, it split into hundreds of smaller snakes.

Ozul was just looking for an opening in his defenses. And the time when the Mage fired Fire Ball was the perfect opening.

Because most Mages required a few moments before they could cast another Spell, and that small delay in the battle was fatal!

Hence, Mages were quite weak in close combat. Once you are in the range, it's your win!

This opportunity was exactly what Ozul needed to end the battle quickly. He could not afford to waste his time fighting while his leg gets sucked dry!

The snakes scattered and sped towards the Mage; even if he had the time to chant another Spell, he could not think of any to stop so many of them in a short time!

The Fire Mage took a few steps back unconsciously, but the small snakes moved like bullets and struck the Mage.

Before long, like some lethal poison, the snakes cut through the Mage's skin like b.u.t.ter and entered inside his bloodstream disregarding all the strengthening Spells that he had put on himself.

However, when the Fire Mage saw that all hope was lost, he immediately chanted a suddenly a Fire Pillar emerged where Ozul stood!

But the 'poison' seemed to be made from some grandmaster alchemist. In the blink of an eye, the Mage dropped dead on the ground!

All he could do in the last moment of his life was to also take down his enemy with him by attacking with that last Fire Pillar.

The Fire Pillar died out the second after the Fire Mage was killed. It all happened in just mere seconds, so the Spell did not last for a long time.

When the fire died out, Ozul's figure emerged. His clothes were tattered as there were burns everywhere on his body.

It was Ozul's mistake that he let down his guard when he thought that his enemy could not fight back! But this blunder occurred mostly because of the increasing headache.

He could not think straight with the head-splitting pain and the anxiety of losing his 'self'.

Even a minute had not pa.s.sed before the fight between a Rank-7 Mage and Ozul ended with the later's victory.

Even though this was the case, Ozul knew that the fight concluded in such a short time only because the Rank-7 Mage was not a Fighter.

Moreover, the battle also left him in bad condition. The headache was already a distraction, but now he had to bear the pain of the burns as well.

At this time, Duke Edwin and Leader Podas were both in the flying in the sky, having an intense battle.

It was common for Rank-8 Mages to be able to fly. They could also do so in smaller ranks using some Magical Spell, but Rank-8 Mages did not need to cast a Spell to fly.

Their consciousness had strengthened to the point where they could walk on empty air!

Also, with each advancement in ranks after Rank-6, a Mage's body starts to incorporate with the Mana.

Mana starts to become a part of the Human body. It's also the reason that Mages in Rank-6 and above are said to have started breaking the mortal shackles.

A Human's body has too many limitations. And unless they fuse with something with more potential such as Mana itself, they would remain transient.

The process seemed like that of Fighters, but it was different, and this was not the time for such explanations.

Back to the scene, Both Duke Edwin and Leader Podas suddenly had their attention diverted in the middle of the battle.

Duke Edwin was stunned because he had noticed that the kid had so easily defeated a Rank-7 Mage! He had just diverted his attention, and the fight was over! But how!?

'Is the kid also a Rank-8 Mage!? But if that's the case, why does he have no Mana!?...'- Such thoughts sprang Duke Edwin's mind.

Leader Podas, on the other hand, was distracted due to a whole different reason. He could care less about his subordinates when his path to G.o.dhood was on the line!

His attention at this moment was on the pulsating runes. The 'abomination' in the middle had grown up to about 10 meters.

And the power it radiated was already matching that of a Rank-8 Mage. But it still did not seem to be enough as the runes started to s.h.i.+ne with a blinding light as to pump more energy into it.

But Podas knew what it meant, and he was delighted at this sight! This process indicated that the ritual was near its completion.

Just a few more moments and he would have everything he wanted in his life!

However, this was not everything that changed. Everyone fighting, be it the Duke's men, Mercenaries, the cult members, or even the Beasts. All of them stopped to look in the direction of the growing monster.

It had a huge humanoid body, but the weird dark matter wriggling around its body would make just about anyone disgusted.

No, the matter was not convulsing around its body. If you looked closer, it seemed as if the monster was entirely made up of that repulsive thing.

However, everyone was looking at it, not because of its horrible appearance, but because of the tremendous increase in its power! At this moment, it resembled a starving Beast sucking all the Mana around it.

Its power grew with leaps as the surrounding people started to feel the pressure.

It already radiated a power that was equivalent to the power of a Rank-8 Mage. And now it started to suck out the energy provided by runes eagerly.

Since the process had accelerated, Ozuls headache increased as well. When before he felt that someone was p.r.i.c.king his brain him with needles, now it felt as if someone was smas.h.i.+ng his head with a giant hammer.

Just when Ozul was about to move and grab his leg, the 'monster' made the first move.

At this moment, there was no one to stop Ozul, but that starving monster was closer to the leg. And the worst of all, it seemed to know that this leg was providing him with the energy!

Ozul watched with wide-eyes as that 'abomination' picked up the gla.s.s container which held his leg and brought closer to its mouth!...