A blue magic circle appeared out of thin air on top of the volcano, and within it, a figure gradually became real.
It was Erica.
Without interrupting the existing magic circle, she had temporarily extended its casting range.
It had to be said, this really was the most effective method she could think of right now.
The biggest difference between a Second-Rank Mage and a Third-Rank Mage when using teleportation magic was the disparity in their mana reserves.
And mana reserves determined teleportation distance.
Erica took a sip of potion, recovering some mana, and only then barely managed to release a teleportation circle with enough range.
Now, she had already reached the top of the volcano.
In front of her, was the crater.
The temperature at the summit was already beyond what a human body could endure. The moment Erica set foot on the ground, the scorching heat made her head spin and ache violently.
If she hadn't already cast several fire-resistance spells in advance, she probably would have fainted instantly in this unbearable heat.
She patted her chest, looking down, her face showing lingering fear.
Pressing her palms together, a white magic circle began to rotate between them, releasing thin streams of cold air.
She cast the spell on herself, barely maintaining her body at a constant temperature.
After finishing that, Erica finally looked around.
Nearby, there was nothing.
Only the volcano's crater, which seemed as if it had just erupted. The rocks around it glowed red like pieces of burning iron.
In the blazing heat, even the air itself looked distorted.
Erica had hoped to find some kind of answer atop the volcano, but the scene before her was not what she had imagined.
The suffocating heat made her dizzy, her vision blurred, and a wave of weakness spread through her body.
'No… maybe I should leave here.'
She still had enough mana left to cast teleportation magic and escape, even if it only took her partway down the mountain, that would be better than staying here.
Light began to glow faintly between her hands as a new teleportation circle took form.
Suddenly, Erica's heart jolted violently.
The half-formed circle instantly vanished.
A low, sorrowful wail came from the crater.
The pain seemed to resonate directly with Erica's heart, and she fell to her knees, unable to endure it.
Her knees were instantly burned by the searing ground beneath her.
"W-what… is going on…"
Erica forced out the words with difficulty. Her heart felt as if something invisible had gripped it, squeezing painfully tight.
That mournful cry, something only she could hear, continued to echo.
In a daze, the volcano began to quake, and a surge of lava shot skyward from the crater.
Watching the slow flow of red-hot magma, Erica felt as if she were witnessing the volcano's blood being spat out in agony.
And now, that blood was about to become the weapon that would take her life.
Erica gritted her teeth.
In that moment between life and death, she made a split-second decision.
Every remaining trace of magic surged forth, forming a barrier that separated her from the flowing lava.
She didn't want to die, at least not like this. Not so pointlessly, not so miserably.
But the little mana she had left was nowhere near enough to sustain the barrier.
The lava began seeping through the weakening shield, inching closer and closer to Erica's legs.
Her body started to tremble uncontrollably.
Then, almost in the next instant, a flash of white light erupted from within the volcano's crater.
Erica seemed to forget the danger bearing down on her. Her eyes locked onto that burst of white light.
'What… is that?'
———
The mages and knights stationed in the town and halfway up the volcano all noticed the violent tremors coming from above.
"This is the sign of an imminent eruption!"
A mage shouted, but everyone could already see it.
The molten lava spewing from the crater was the most undeniable proof.
All the Third-Rank Mages looked grim and tense, ready to unleash devastating war magic at the Duke's command.
Such powerful magic could suppress the volcano entirely.
Duke Levi stood confidently, just about to cast his spell, he had even planned to have Erica continue channeling mana into him.
"Erica, can you still hold on?"
He asked out of habit, but no one answered him.
When Duke Levi turned around, Erica was nowhere to be seen.
"Erica!? Erica!?"
Panic flashed across his face. He searched frantically around their base, but she was gone.
"How could she disappear at a time like this!?"
The duke grew increasingly anxious. At such a critical moment, with the war spell about to activate, her disappearance was disastrous.
If she had gone up the volcano… the danger would be unimaginable.
He didn't want to believe Erica could be so reckless, so he continued searching midway up the mountain.
Meanwhile, all the mages who were waiting to release their spells stood frozen in confusion. Why had the duke suddenly halted the formation at this crucial point?
Many of the Third-Rank Mages looked at him nervously.
"Your Grace! If we don't activate the circle now, the volcano will erupt completely!"
"There's no time left!"
The duke roared back, "No! Absolutely do not activate the circle!"
"Your Grace! What on earth happened!?"
Everyone asked in confusion.
"Erica's missing!"
When Duke Levi said this, everyone went pale.
If Erica was on the summit right now, then the moment the massive spell descended, she would be torn apart instantly by its magical pressure.
But if they didn't activate the spell…
The eruption would turn into a catastrophe.
Duke Levi's eyes were bloodshot.
If he had to choose, he would rather give up his honor, his position, even abandon the chance to save countless lives, than sacrifice Erica.
At this moment, everyone was urging him to act.
Even one second sooner might prevent the eruption.
But without his command, as the primary spellcaster, the formation could not proceed.
Suddenly, a blinding white beam shot skyward from the crater, piercing the clouds.
Everyone turned toward it. The brilliant light tore through the black storm clouds and illuminated the night sky.
For an instant, the true moonlight poured down upon the land, breaking through the gloom and reflecting in the astonished faces of all present.
Tick! Tick!
Soon, raindrops began to fall, like spirits descending after a calamity.
A heavy rain poured down, striking the mountaintop and splashing onto the flowing lava.
The rain seemed almost magical as it fell upon Mount Vesuvius.
And in that instant, the volcano lost all its fury.
Its searing heat plummeted rapidly.
It was like molten metal suddenly doused with cold water, releasing clouds of steam.
No one felt hot anymore.
Instead, under the sudden downpour, they all began to shiver.
The flowing lava gradually solidified, and the glowing rocks returned to their original black color.
"...The eruption of Mount Vesuvius… has stopped?"
A mage finally said what everyone else was thinking.
The rain soaked Duke Levi's hair. He squinted toward the sky, his face complex, uncertain what to think.
Near the top of the volcano, Gwen lifted her head, feeling the raindrops hit her face. Seeing the moonlight break through the clouds, she exhaled deeply in relief.
She had been close to that flash of white light and had felt its terrifying power firsthand.
The lava blocking her path had cooled.
She stood, gripped her silver sword, and with firm resolve, ran toward the summit.
———
Erica stood frozen, staring blankly at the sky, her mind completely blank.
When that magic appeared, she had been the closest to it.
That power… was absolutely not something a human could possess.
Kneeling in the rain, she closed her eyes, letting the downpour soak her completely.
At this moment, there was no longer any danger.
Under that immense magical power, all threats had vanished.
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius now seemed like heaven's cruel joke, a beautiful prank played on everyone.
It had teased them again and again, making them think it was about to erupt. And just when everyone's nerves were stretched to the breaking point,
The volcano fell silent.
Its prank had succeeded, drawing everyone's attention.
Tears streamed down Erica's cheeks. She couldn't even tell if the water on her face was from the rain or her own tears.
She was terrified.
She had almost died on this mountain.
She had almost left not even a body behind.
She had almost paid the price for her arrogance and pride…
Her sobs attracted a flame weasel. Even under the pounding rain, steam rose from its wet body, blending perfectly into the surroundings.
It bared its fangs.
It was very close, so close that with just one powerful leap, it could rip out her throat.
But Erica's mana was completely spent, her spirit exhausted. She had no strength left to resist.
She kept crying, unaware that death was creeping closer.
In the next instant, the flame weasel lunged, letting out a chilling screech.
Erica realized what was happening, but she was too weak to move.
She was going to die.
"Father…"
BOOM!!!
A fiery serpent, hot as molten lava, streaked past Erica's cheek and struck the flame weasel head-on.
It all happened in the blink of an eye. The creature was instantly reduced to ashes, leaving not a single trace behind.
Erica froze, forgetting to cry, staring blankly at what had just happened.
Then she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"I should have taught you this before."
"A mage must always put her own safety first."
She spun around sharply, seeing Victor, swaying unsteadily.
"Professor! You…"
Her voice trembled with joy, but before she could say another word, she noticed the molten lava flowing across Victor's body.
It dripped to the ground and solidified with a hiss of steam.
The next second, Victor lost consciousness and collapsed beside the crater.
Erica was stunned. She rushed to his side and reached out to touch him.
"Ah, so hot!"
His body was burning to the touch. Even the slightest contact caused burns.
"Victor! What happened to you? Victor!"
Ignoring the pain and the risk of severe burns, Erica gathered the last traces of her magic, coating her hands with a thin layer of ice as she tried to lift him up.
The heat seared her palms, but she didn't care. Desperately, she struggled to support Victor's weight.
The next moment, her burned legs gave out beneath her.
With a thud, both of them collapsed onto the ground.
Luckily, the volcano's temperature had already dropped, otherwise, they would have been roasted alive.
A wave of bitter emotion welled up inside Erica. She hated herself, hated her arrogance, hated her own helplessness.
Everything she'd learned at the Academy now felt like useless baggage.
Still, she stubbornly kept trying to lift Victor again and again, even as his body's heat continued to burn her.
She hated her weakness, but she didn't regret climbing the mountain.
If she hadn't come, who would have found the wounded Victor?
He would have died here for sure.
Again and again, Erica tried, standing, falling, standing, falling.
She barely moved even two meters, yet she kept going.
With no magic left, she could rely only on her body.
Victor had saved her, so now, she would save him.
"Little girl."
A sudden voice spoke beside her, making Erica freeze mid-motion.
She turned left and right, searching for the source.
But no matter where she looked, there was no one else on the summit.
Only a one-eyed crow stood at the crater's edge.
It was Victor's pet, the one that never left his side.
Erica had even fed it before.
Then, her eyes widened.
No matter how hard the rain fell, not a single drop touched that crow's feathers.
Its plumage gleamed as if polished, untouched by the storm. In the rain, it stood out like a being apart from the world.
The one-eyed crow opened its ugly beak. Beneath its single eye, a blue light flickered, radiating an aura of intelligence.
"Do you really want to save him?"
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