At dawn, a thin layer of mist drifted through the black forest of Zeb'Nowa. Aminel braced herself.
During this time, regardless of whether the rangers' mission was successful or not, they would retreat to their current position.
Aminel casted [Far Sight], and peered into the dense forest surrounding the troll camp.
They didn't see the rangers, but they did see panicked birds flying toward them.
"Ding!" The sound of a gong rang out from the north of Zeb'Nowa. The two mages looked warily at the camp ahead.
There was also a gong at the well in the camp. Hearing the noise, an elderly troll witch doctor, despite his already unsteady frame, lifted the gong hammer nearby and slammed it down on the large gong, covered in green copper rust.
The trolls in the camp began to move out, having heard the sound order from their leader.
Hundreds of trolls, young, old, and female, emerged, all bearing spears.
Aminel spotted elven figures darting through the forest, their movements nimble and their steps light. "The rangers are coming! Get ready!"
Leylin nodded, and he began to mobilize the magical energy within his body.
A light magic circle materialized in Aminel's left hand, and she tossed it into the air, signaling the mages at the Nalorakk Camp to begin their plan. The sound of the gong must have caught the attention of the Nalorakk Camp trolls.
While wielding magic, Aminel's offensive power was ten times greater than the average magister.
In less than thirty seconds, Aminel had lowered the temperature throughout the troll camp to below freezing. Water elementals were dense in the troll forest, and soon, Aminel unleashed a freezing blizzard upon the troll camp ahead.
An elderly troll witch doctor, possibly the leader of this camp, sensed a magical aura nearby. He chirped a long stream of words, and the trolls charged toward them.
With this, Leylin and Aminel's mission was complete. They had successfully diverted the clan's trolls' attention to themselves, allowing the rangers to evacuate quickly and efficiently.
Without the obstruction of this camp, the rangers swiftly swooped through the jungle. From her perch halfway up the mountain, Leylin spotted a familiar ranger. It was Sylvanas, standing at the rear of the ranger group, furiously firing arrows.
At this rate, they would have passed through the troll camp in less than ten minutes. Leylin began to shift his attention to confront the trolls.
Aminel's [Blizzard] had significantly slowed the trolls' movement, leaving them vulnerable to magic, especially such destructive magic. In comparison, the sorcery they believed in, bestowed upon them by their loas, seemed so insignificant.
Yet, the trolls didn't pause, charging relentlessly toward the mountain side. While Aminel summoned a [Blizzard] to slow the trolls, Leylin unleashed his fire magic.
Bolstered by his vast reservoir of magical energy and the confidence granted by his [Mastery of Magic], Leylin's focus sharpened. He drew a deep breath, feeling the surge of energy coursing through his veins, fueling his every thought.
With a commanding gesture, Leylin activated his [Flamestrike], channeling the fiery spell with precision and speed that showcased his diligent practice.
Every two seconds, a burst of surging inferno erupted from the ground, striking with relentless momentum. The air shimmered with heat as the pillars of flame roared upward, illuminating the forest with an ominous glow.
The target: a horde of trolls—fierce and stubborn, yes, but not immune to the destructive force of fire. Their courage was undeniable, but their resilience was no match for Leylin's relentless assault.
Within moments, the ground trembled beneath the onslaught, and the trolls howled in agony as the flames consumed them.
Leylin's [Flamestrike] raged on—thirty strikes in less than a minute—each one a testament to his growing power and control. The magic crackled fiercely around him, yet remarkably, his reserves did not dwindle to exhaustion.
His mastery allowed him to sustain this rapid-fire barrage, drawing on his deep well of energy and the understanding of his craft.
The forest was filled with the smell of scorched earth and charred flesh, a silent testament to Leylin's formidable display. The trolls, battered and burning, had little choice but to retreat or perish—an outcome sealed by Leylin's disciplined ferocity.
As the last pillar of flame faded, Leylin stood amidst the smoldering ruins, chest heaving slightly but eyes burning with confidence. His [Mastery of Magic] had once again proven its worth.
Several elderly witch doctors followed behind, their spells neutralized by Aminel's spell shield before they could reach Leylin.
The blizzard Aminel had summoned continued to expand, freezing the trolls' blood in the camp. Finally, all the trolls were incapacitated.
Although the battle was one-sided, Aminel and Leylin witnessed the trolls' bravery. What would have happened if the trolls had attacked the exhausted and battered rangers instead of them?
"We'll have succeeded if we meet up with the rangers below and withdraw from the front camp," Aminel said.
The rangers were scattered, but their retreat was unified. Leylin saw Vereesa had passed through the camp and his gaze shifted to Sylvanas.
The Ranger General was still engaged in a battle with the troll headhunters, who had been pursuing them directly from Zeb'Nowa.
"We have to go and support the Ranger General." Leylin said.
Aminel nodded. In terms of combat power, only the two of them are the strongest now.
Even though these rangers are the elites of their respective families, the long period of rapid running and fighting has already exhausted the rangers' physical strength. It is already the luckiest thing that they can retreat now.
Leylin rushed into the forest without hesitation and saw Sylvanas's position.
This Ranger General was facing dozens of troll elite soldiers. These soldiers were equipped with longbows and daggers, and their task was to delay the retreat of the rangers.
Because behind them, there were nearly a thousand regular troll troops.
Unlike the agile movements just now, the Ranger General's movements began to slow down. The battle now was already very strenuous.
"Swish!" sliced through the tension as a blazing volley of [Fireball] spells streaked out from Sylvanas' left side, weaving through the smoky haze with deadly precision. Each orb was imbued with a potent aura of fire, glowing fiercely as they hurtled toward their target.
The first [Fireball] struck a troll soldier squarely in the chest, unleashing a blinding explosion of flames that knocked the beast sprawling to the ground. The force of the blast sent debris and scorched earth flying, casting an intense glow over the battlefield.
The troll's roars of pain echoed through the jungle as smoke billowed from its charred form. This wasn't the end yet. Following the fire spell, hundreds of [Ice Lance] followed.
Leylin stood beside Sylvanas, took her arm, and carried her on his back.
"I can still move." Sylvanas seemed to be struggling, but Leylin could no longer feel it. The Ranger General was truly exhausted.
"Save some energy, this way we'll be faster!" Leylin felt Sylvanas's soft, boneless body and ran straight ahead.
Five minutes later, a ranger actually ran back backwards. When she saw Leylin, she was stunned for a moment, then said, "Ranger General, the seriously injured rangers have been sent back to the camp by the team."
Sylvanas, exhausted, simply nodded and lay on Leylin's back, without making any other moves.