Powerful cold magic was condensed into small dust-sized crystals that exploded out. It followed the same means the bubble crush the Gizam had. The small crystals flew everywhere, freezing everything closer to it. Even the moisture in the air began to freeze.

The ground was full of blood and moisture from the previous battles the ice mages used.

And all of them were being drawn and used by the ice magic.

Ice crystals erupted from the ground creating sharp icicle spikes.

Many had to use defensive magic to prevent themselves from being impaled by the attack.

Everyone was shocked at the power that erupted. The magic was so strong that it was stronger than a mid-level Martial Formation practitioner. The power surged and even began to affect the wizards everywhere.

“It’s freezing everything!” The mage was shocked as the cold breeze erupted. But, just like the attack of the Viguro, the ice magic was as if it had life. The ice yearned to live and began to create a small storm inside the room.

The mages did their best to counter the attack.

The fire mages shot as many fireballs as they had and were gulping down more mana potions.

BOOM!

A massive explosion was heard as a large Pheonix broke through the back, and its intense heat began to purge the ice.

The Mage Commander was trembling. He had been in the path of the attack. Any second sooner, he would have died.

The ice melted, and the warm energy of the fire phoenix was very calm.

A short man, barely as tall as a young boy, was flying.

“What happened? This fort…” The small man frowned.

“Martial Expert Everest! We’ve… been ambushed! Tricked! The enemy sent in a spy…! They are over…” Then, Mage Commander realized that the enemies were nowhere to be found.

“They… Impossible! They were just here!” The Mage Commander exclaimed.

“Spatial magic. And it's quite an advanced form.” The small man closed his eyes and felt the flow of magic.

“An invisible magic vortex was here.” Everest hovered over a certain location and sensed the energy.

The place where Everest stood was the very same place that Dyne once stood!

“A pity. If it were Martial Expert Solzest, she would have easily reopened the magic and space to chase the enemy.” Everest shook his head.

“The state of this base… the damages, and the attacks are a warning for us. We fight dangerous enemies. I shall take command.” Everest declared as more mages appeared through the doorway.

The phoenix howled.

“Yes. I sense it too… But that magic somehow disappeared. It seems there are beings as strong as you here! To think such a back-alley region would hold beings that can increase our power.” Everest smirked.

“Martial Commander. I want a full report of everything that transpired here.” Everest ordered as he continued to scan the area.

Outside the fort, one final portal opened in the thick forest, and they moved in.

Dyne suddenly fell as he was drained of all his energy.

He had channeled several portals and drank many mana potions to keep moving.

But his body had overexerted itself, and he felt incredibly weak.

“That is mana feedback. Don’t think that drinkings potions endlessly can heal you. You are casting magic far beyond your physical capabilities. You don’t even have a Mind Palace to regulate the flow of power in your body.” Strafe explained.

“Ugh… Somebody pick me up and let’s move. There’s an enemy in there that I can’t win against.” Dyne explained.

Everyone was startled at Dyne’s declaration, and everyone quickly moved.

Emera was no longer flying but riding a Chocobo behind Noa.

She was still amazed that her body continued to have a physical form.

“This body… is amazing!”

Emera spoke. But as she felt she had no mana, she could no longer fly.

“What is this body?” Emera wondered.

“A Spirit Body. It’s similar to Jedo, Meta, and Noa. But while those beings use soul cultivation as the basis for creating the body and a core that harnesses magic, you are the opposite. Your current form is made mostly of magic.” Dyne explained as he was being kept up by Arya.

Dyne recounted the knowledge he acquired from the Monster Tamer Sammy Oak and explained what Emera was.

“A spirit body?” Emera watched in amazement.

“And that’s why I had to flee. I sensed a powerful fire spirit enter. Had we stayed in another second, we would have died. Anyway, stronger warriors are coming here because of our little stunt. So we need to harass them and let them fight. Let’s all gather back. Leoric and the rest should have received their messages and be back at that place.”

The group journeyed back through the thick forest.

It was not long before the scouts of Diablo, Mephistopheles, and Baalzebub soon saw the state of the two fortresses.

Diablo was shocked that the enemy had such powers and focused on revamping the entire stage.

Terrifying darkness could be felt in the land as the death energy prevailed.

Dyne sensed it as he was going home.

“It seems that Diablo is going all in here.” Dyne felt another portal opening up.

And it came to pass that a strange portal opened above the forest. A massive pillar made of strange smooth stone fell.

Even Dyne and his allies could see the massive mountain fall from the portal that opened.

The thundering boom could be heard from the distance.

“What… was that?” Jaden asked.

“I’ll explain later. It seems it would be better for us to hide inside Legaia tonight…” Dyne answered.

Soon, they reached the base. Certain actions have been made as the mining process was already starting. Theeders and Serus were used to carve the mountain, and a wide space was already made.

The skeleton squads of Leoric were left to guard the outskirts of the hideout.

But that night, no living member of the team one stayed in this world. The portal was opened and shut down, as all moved inside the Imaginarium Bond and stayed in Legaia.

In Biron’s largest hall, the gathering of the two leaders began.

Dyne sat down at the center with Arya next to her. To his right were all of the leaders of Legaia. The Ra-Seru Heroes. The elders of the monks, Serge, and the Hunters, managed to arrive just in time swiftly. Bertugo and some of the elected Gobu-Gobu leaders were also there.

On the other side stood all from the cultivation world. Rena and her parents, Jaden and his team, Emera, Leoric, his best fighters, and Ardnula, Chrone, Ussylys were all seated accordingly.

Dyne soon stood up and addressed everyone.

“I hope that you guys have talked and gotten acquainted. I know that this whole world-hopping thing is a lot to take in. And I’m sure that both of you have seen the horrors that harass each other. But, frankly, the world here in Legaia is much more dangerous as humanity is about to be wiped out.”

Those in the cultivation world nodded. When they moved here, many were curious about the Mist and saw how terrifying it was outside.

“But… I will not downplay what’s happening in the other world. The Afarit, a demon of power who wishes to destroy life and harness death energy to strengthen it, is creating a massive war. And what we face is just one of them. Diablo. He has two more brothers who have taken control of the kingdoms and sent their armies here. But Diablo was forced and brought into his fortress from that other world. That massive pillar as huge as a mountain contained all of his evil. He will most likely bring his army into the land.” Dyne explained.

The monks saw the falling pillar and trembled at the powerful energy that raged on.

“In the other world, a demon's lair. In this world, the Mist Generator. Both are our enemies. Both must fall. Time is of the essence. So, what do we do? The answer is we don’t fight.” Dyne sneered.

“What?” Leoric raised his eyebrows.

“That’s right. We don’t fight. We let someone else fight for them! Diablo has brought in his base. But I’m sure it was a desperate move and came with a great cost. His armies would have been weakened. The two other kingdoms near Merkley are now busy! The attack we did brought them down to their knees. We gained quite a lot there, but they will surely tighten their security. They lost so much but have to invest in this place and, therefore, will aim to build a fortress that can stop an army that would have Marital Experts!” Dyne revealed.

“Martial Experts…” Leoric had a melancholic expression.

“Martsirt used to have those. Of the many families that endured in the kingdom, the stronger ones had Martial Experts. But now…” Leoric sighed.

“Then what will we do if we don’t fight them?” Ardnula asked.

“We make another enemy fight them! This is the basic strategy and logical knowledge in any RTS game, with free-for-all battles. The last one to join in a fight, has the biggest advantage!”