One would deal with Sage Rhine, and the other would simultaneously attack the Queen.
This was Maglido and the Eastern Witch's plan.
When they heard that Sage Rhine was going abroad and the Queen was simultaneously going to visit the Kingdom of Summer by boat, they began to suspect that this was a trap targeting the Eastern Witch!
Maglido began to speak to the gourd, as if to himself:
"Sage Rhine, I suspect your plan is to pretend to leave the White Kingdom, deceive the Eastern Witch, and induce her to attack the Queen.
"However, once the Queen is attacked, you, as a masterful Mage, will cast magic and quickly return to the Queen's side with the Super Warrior accompanying you.
"Unfortunately, you overlooked my existence!
"Now, the Queen of the White Kingdom might already be dead. In less than half an hour, the Eastern Witch will also return..."
He completely separated Rhine, Aurora, and the Queen.
He made Aurora, who had martial prowess but lacked mobility, unable to do anything, while Maglido and the strongest magical item were used against Rhine—preventing him from supporting the sea, and the Eastern Witch was responsible for killing the weakest, the Queen.
And after the Eastern Witch killed the Queen, she would immediately return by flying carpet to guard the gourd sealing Rhine with Maglido!
Maglido also anticipated worse scenarios:
Rhine might pull out some unexpected trump card and, after being sucked into the gourd, immediately break free and escape.
In that case, he would work with the Soldiers of Ender to restrain Rhine, using magic to prevent him from teleporting away, at least delaying him until the Eastern Witch completed her plan and returned.
The chief Mage of Ender even made contingency plans for even worse situations.
Under this assumption, Rhine not only broke through the gourd but also displayed incredible means, repelling Maglido and the elite Soldiers of Ender in a short time, and quickly teleported back to the sea to rescue the Queen.
Even in this worst-case scenario, Maglido was not worried, because he had reserved ample fighting power at sea.
Moreover, when the plan truly reached the brink of failure, the most powerful mysterious reinforcements would personally intervene and crush Rhine and the Queen's last hope!
"However, everything has been too smooth so far."
"I easily captured Sage Rhine, and he showed no signs of escaping."
"At sea, the Eastern Witch also encountered no obstacles."
Maglido thought.
On the ground in front, the gourd was quiet, with no sound to be heard.
...
The sea between the White Kingdom and the Kingdom of Summer was now shrouded in mist.
But now, the mist was thinning and gradually receding.
"Look, what's that?"
The sailors on the ship suddenly discovered: terrifying shadows were emerging from the mist.
They were getting closer and clearer.
"They look like ships? Ah, there are more behind. And to the left!"
The shadows of Ender Warships gradually emerged from all directions.
"Boom!"
A cannon shot echoed from deep within the mist.
Splash!
The cannonball landed in the sea beside the pleasure boat, splashing water.
The waves caused by the explosion made the pleasure boat rock violently, causing several sailors to fall to the deck.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
More cannonballs rained down.
"Enemy attack, it's an enemy attack!"
The sailors ran around on the ship, spreading the word in a panic.
"Engage!"
However, the Soldiers accompanying the ship remained calm and composed; the chief petty officer directed his subordinates in an orderly manner, the lookout called out to everyone, and the gunners returned fire with fierce intensity.
This group of Soldiers accompanying the ship belonged to the newly formed Royal Guard of the White Kingdom, whose loyalty had been confirmed by the magic mirror; they were an absolute elite force within the kingdom.
Even before this beautiful pleasure boat set sail, they already knew that there would be a fierce battle today!
Deep within the mist, on one of the Ender Warships.
The Eastern Witch looked at the pleasure boat carrying the Queen, faintly visible in the white mist ahead, and burst into unrestrained laughter.
She had just learned the message conveyed by Maglido from the mirror, knowing that Sage Rhine had been captured.
"Hahaha. Traitor of the Witch Society, this is what you get for offending me. Without the help of that Mage, just stick out your neck and wait to die!"
She leaped lightly, rising into the air and flying into the mist-shrouded sky.
The ugly Old Witch rapidly expanded in the air, transforming into a terrifying giant dragon.
The giant dragon flapped its wings, flying over one warship after another, heading towards the beautiful ship carrying the Queen.
On another Ender Warship.
A ghostly blue specter floated on the deck, her expression hideous and terrifying, as if she were enduring immense pain every second.
Bloody tears streamed from the specter's eyes, leaving two shocking bloodstains on her wrinkled face.
The Old Witch's specter!
Now, she had been enslaved by Maglido using necromancy.
With Maglido himself needing to deal with Rhine, he dispatched this specter to participate in the hunt for the Queen alongside the Eastern Witch!
Although the Old Witch lost most of her magic after becoming a specter, as a ghost, she also gained many eerie qualities and was difficult to truly kill.
The Old Witch's specter was there to prepare for the worst-case scenario, ensuring that even if Sage Rhine returned to aid at sea, this battlefield would have sufficient power.
However, it now seemed this preparation was a bit excessive.
The giant dragon, transformed from the Eastern Witch, swept over the large ship carrying the Queen, hovering and circling.
The Soldiers shot arrows at the giant dragon.
Arrows rained down, but they were simply unable to pierce the giant dragon's scales.
The giant dragon roared, causing the Soldiers on the ship to tremble, making many fall to the deck.
"Queen, come out, where are you hiding?"
"It's useless to hide, I will destroy this entire ship!"
Just then, the seawater below the giant dragon suddenly turned deep and dark, as if it could suck in a person's soul.
"What's this?"
The giant dragon in the air once again felt a familiar sensation.
Its body suddenly sank, falling from high in the sky towards the gloomy sea below.
—"Water of Inescapable Sinking"!
Splash.
The giant dragon fell into the sea!
"Why?"
"Who is casting this magic?"
Salty and bitter seawater entered its mouth, and the giant dragon transformed from the Eastern Witch was utterly shocked.
At the same time, this deep, gloomy shadow rapidly expanded in the sea, growing larger and larger.
And as it spread, the shadow skillfully avoided the pleasure boat carrying the Queen.
"Look, the strange shadow on the sea is spreading!"
On the Ender Warships closest to the front, the Soldiers looked at the dark expanse spreading in the seawater.
They pointed and stared with wide eyes, not yet realizing the impending danger.
In just a few seconds, this dark, deep, impenetrable shadow spread beneath these warships.