The sounds of the intense battle never stop.

Following Aurora's gaze, the people of the academy watch as two shades of blue clash against one another in the sky, resulting in spectacular explosions that shake the atmosphere.

Even from this distance, the blizzard seems so intense that it penetrates their skin. The mana storm is equally dense, making it impossible to analyze the mana formation from outside.

Nevertheless, if one concentrates enough, they can sense two major mana sources inside the storm. 

Aurora squints her eyes, calculating.

Based on her connection with Nova, the orca does not seem to be in a critical situation. However, she doesn't appear to be unscathed either. On the other hand, her opponent—the female mage armor, who specializes in water magic—is also holding up very well.

'It's not the highest level for nothing.'

At level 67, the mage armor is dangerously close to the Grandmaster territory, which Aurora heard was the highest of humanity. Even with the marine army by her side, Nova is slowly losing her ground.

With that in mind, Aurora aims her hand at the shield bubble inside the storm, one that houses the water mage. At this distance, combined with the mana storm raging, a snipe shot should be effective.

So, Aurora begins to cast.

''Glaze. Bolt.''

In an instant, enormous mana bursts out of Aurora's body. A thick and oppressive aura radiates to the surroundings, emanating an eerie presence that sends shivers down the spine of anyone nearby.

''Heed my call, ancient beast of ice.''

''Lend me the power to plunge this world into bitter coldness.''

''From glacier's heart, your breath shall flow.''

Quickly, a dense mist of ice manifests around Aurora's outstretched, gloved arm. It wraps around her palm and forearm, swirling leisurely as if a lake despite the immense power sleeping within.

''O tempest-born, skies alight.''

''From heavens to earth, descend in my sanctum.''

''Hereby, I call upon the lightning's death.''

Suddenly, static noises of lightning ring in the air. From inside the ice mist that is now dominating the space, electric currents begin to emerge, erratically running across and around its caster's body.

''Let it freeze. Let it burn.''

''For what I long for is complete destruction.''

As Aurora continues her incarnation, the scale of her spell seems to keep growing. The fierce harmony of lightning and ice creates a miniature storm where she floats, and its core shines brighter than any star.

''Burst forth—Thunder Frost.''

——————————————————————————————!!!

The heavens and earth shake violently as Aurora's spell finishes. The cluster of ice and lightning surges forward with unstoppable force, leaving behind a long trail of white akin to a comet. 

At the same time, a faint projectile with a blue trail can be seen from another angle heading toward the spell's destination.

Inside the blizzard.

A dazzling orca is swimming around in the violent snowstorm, constantly casting magic as she goes. In her crosshair is a golden armor floating in the distance. It is protected by a thick layer of water and surrounded by numerous water dragons.

Nova and the mage have been at a stalemate ever since they started fighting. Even with her full firepower, finishing this opponent is challenging. Not only does it have a ridiculous defense with the bubble, one that can resist Nova's ice, but the water dragons continually gnaw at Nova at any given chance.

Both of them are able to deal damage to each other to some extent, yet the one coming out with more HP is always the mage armor. At this point, Nova commends herself for holding it this far with a level gap of 12.

Right when the two are about to launch their next barrage of magic at one another, a ripping noise of something being pierced rings through the space.

Nova opens her eyes wide as her opponent's shield bubble is instantly disintegrated by a magically imbued pellet.

The cannon...!

Seizing the chance, Nova and her subordinates immediately launch their magic at the mage, who is hastily covering herself with the dragons, preparing another bubble. 

From every direction, powerful spells of all elements rip through the snow, focusing solely on their target. As they collide, the dragons' water bodies slowly but surely chip away, vaporizing into vain, hot air.

VRRRR—!!!

A faint rumble can be felt in the air. Following Nova's attack, a cluster of pure, cruel ice-lightning smashes itself through the blizzard, pushing away the snow entirely. Like a beast devouring its helpless prey, the fierce spell gobbles down the water dragons as a whole, rapidly freezing them into a hard, cold cube.

Then, thick veins of lightning currents pop up from inside the cube, and mere moments later, a deadly thunderstorm descends. A long streak of constant explosions ensues, and the noises blast out relentlessly.

Lightning bolts spew in and out of the ice cube, destroying everything in their path. Electric whips that span hundreds of meters dance inside and around the blizzard, creating a matrix of lethal currents.

Inside the cube, cold ice of absolute zero is fighting against the mage armor's deep defense. Up until now, every attack on its body has been absorbed by the specially constructed water layer outside its scales, yet this ice is quite different.

Water, no matter how differently constructed, is bound to be frozen when met with overwhelmingly cold temperatures. 

Aurora's deadly ice gradually but surely penetrates the mage's layer of defense, freezing away its body and mind.

BOOM—!!

When frosty patches begin to appear, an unimaginably high-voltage lightning current strikes through the armor, blowing away a sizable portion of its scales.

Despite this, the mage is still not down. Not yet.

Using its ridiculous water magic, through sheer prowess, it manifests a logic-defying aura that gradually expands like a balloon, pushing the cold away and cracking the ice cube from inside.

CRACK—!!

CRACK—!!

Soon, the thick wall of the confine—the water dragons' frozen bodies—crumbles down into pieces and falls onto the ground. As soon as its vision returns, the mage armor instantly deploys another bubble of defense and begins to call upon more dragons.

Facing its primary opponent, the dazzling marine creature floating away, it can't help but feel something is amiss. The orca is way too relaxed.

The look in the orca's eyes. It is as if... Everything is already over.

PUFF—!!

Until a burst of flame enters the mage's vision. When it turns the pair of hollowed eyes below, a black sword has pierced its chest from behind, blazing in fire.

It creaks the armored neck to turn around, and there it is again—the galaxy mask.

Gazing into the stars confined within it, D-32 feels as though it is facing an infinitely deep entity. Unable to move. 

Soon, life escapes the female husk, and the surrounding water magic is, therefore, canceled.

Aurora promptly pulls her sword out of the armor, letting it freefall onto the ground.

[You have defeated a Lv.67 ■■-struck human Natalie]

[Proficiency achieved a certain level]

[Being: Aurora Lv.52 has become Lv.55]

[3 skill points acquired]

'With this, there are only two left...'

Aurora silently celebrates her small victory and prepares for the next hurdle to come.