Chapter 39: A Major Turn in the Battle (Please keep reading, please add to your collection, and please recommend!)

Chapter 39

"This is...!"

Lynn's eyes suddenly constricted, his expression shifting slightly as his heart sank instantly.

His teammates beside him, however, were confused. They all stopped in their tracks, thinking they had triggered some kind of mechanism that caused this inexplicable change.

"It's outside! The formation of the Nightshade Bunker!"

At that moment, the squad leader made a swift judgment, his face grim and his voice heavy.

As his words fell, the surrounding atmosphere grew increasingly solemn, and the negative energy factors began to intensify.

As Lynn and the others emerged from the potion storage, they could even see supernatural phenomena triggered by the excessive concentration of negative energy outside

Ghostly images floated eerily on the walls, and ethereal ghost fires drifted about, like some sinister omen.

Although the group were all wizard apprentices and naturally wouldn't be frightened by these phenomena, everyone's mood became uneasy.

What was the world outside actually like? Could they escape the Nightshade Bunker smoothly?

However, halfway through their journey, they discovered that the further they moved forward, the stronger the concentration of negative energy became.

Lynn's heart tightened. Although no one said it explicitly, everyone realized that this sudden eruption of negative energy must be spreading outward from the center of the battlefield.

"If we return the way we came, we'll be heading toward the main battlefield. If we do that, the influence of the negative energy will be even more severe, and we might be swallowed up by it."

The squad leader made a calm judgment, speaking with a firm tone.

"No, we must take another path! We can't go back the way we came!"

He made a decisive move, turning without hesitation toward the depths of the Nightshade Bunker, leading the group in the opposite direction of the battlefield.

Although both paths were fraught with danger, traversing the depths of the bunker seemed safer by comparison.

After all, the powerhouses in the bunker had already marched toward the main battlefield; there were relatively fewer threats here.

Yet, even so, this path was still riddled with obstacles.

As they rushed into the depths of the bunker, the mechanisms and puppets they encountered along the way were more complex and powerful than before. The group had to exert considerable effort before finally escaping through a damaged castle passage.

Following at the rear of the group, Lynn struggled through everything until he finally emerged from the passage.

Standing at the exit, he took a deep breath. As he gazed at the surrounding scenery, his eyes froze.

The sky of the Nightshade Bunker had become even darker. What was originally merely the twilight of night had now become so thick it felt as if it could be cut.

Dark clouds shrouded the stars and the moon; there was almost no light between heaven and earth. The surrounding air seemed to solidify, making it impossible to see even one's own hand in front of one's face.

Everything had become deathly silent and heavy, as if the entire world had been swallowed by this eerie negative energy.

They were currently still on the flank of the Nightshade Bunker, where the concentration of negative energy was relatively low and the impact was not severe.

The main battlefield in the distance, however, presented a completely different scene.

The front of the Nightshade Bunker was completely enveloped by thick negative energy, nearly trapping the entire Furnace Army.

On the ground, many corpses of recently deceased apprentices lay scattered. Under the influence of this intense negative energy, those souls seemed to have been resurrected, transforming into ghostly figures that drifted through the air.

Simultaneously, the duels between the top combatants on the battlefield had also shifted.

Negative energy was spread like dark clouds, obscuring the horizon, and the aura between heaven and earth had almost solidified.

Within this vortex of energy, a gap had suddenly appeared. Through this gap, Lynn witnessed a shocking sight—the Black Dragon Witch was engaged in a fierce battle with a Level 3 Grand Wizard from the Nightshade Bunker side.

Originally, the Black Dragon Witch had been fighting two opponents alone, suppressing the two Level 3 Grand Wizards with her powerful aura.

However, as the battle progressed, Lynn discovered to his astonishment that another new Level 3 Grand Wizard had appeared beside the Black Dragon Witch.

At this moment, the three Level 3 Grand Wizards were launching a coordinated attack against the Black Dragon Witch. The dense negative energy surrounding her greatly compressed her movement space, acting like an invisible cage that trapped her within.

This terrifying suppressive force forced the Black Dragon Witch to resist with all her might.

From Lynn's perspective, the situation for the Furnace seemed increasingly grim.

"What happened?!"

Many in the squad whispered in confusion, exchanging puzzled glances.

When they had just entered the potion storage, the situation for the Furnace side had been excellent.

Yet, upon exiting, they found that the situation had undergone a world-shaking change, and the Furnace had fallen into a passive position.

And what confused them most was: who exactly was this newly appeared Level 3 Grand Wizard?

Did the Nightshade Bunker and the Cult of Diligence still hide a third Level 3 Grand Wizard?

Just then, the Black Dragon suddenly let out a pained cry, and the scene momentarily descended into chaos.

Lynn saw that the newly appeared Level 3 Grand Wizard had actually taken advantage of the Black Dragon's momentary lapse in defense to tear a massive wound directly into her elegant dragon body.

Aistree's reaction was extremely rapid. With a wave of her jade-like hand, a crystal-clear potion manifested in her palm, and she swallowed it without hesitation.

Instantly, Aistree's aura underwent a violent change. Her strength surged rapidly, forcing the three Level 3 Grand Wizards beside her back several steps in an instant.

Just when everyone thought the Black Dragon Witch was about to turn the tide, a message suddenly arrived through the identity tokens of all the apprentices.

"Break out! Bring the news from here back to the Furnace!"

At that moment, the identity tokens at every apprentice's waist issued a clear command; Lynn and the others all received the message.

Originally, all apprentices were restricted by their contracts and were not allowed to leave the battlefield without authorization.

But now, the Furnace seemed to have made a decision, allowing them to retreat to convey vital information.

High above, the Lionheart Knight gazed coldly at Aistree, who had just consumed the potion.

Aistree's small face had taken on an unnatural flush due to the potion's effects, looking as tempting and fragile as a freshly picked fruit.

"You certainly have quite a few tricks up your sleeve, but do you really think those people below can still escape?"

The Lionheart Knight grinned, revealing a meaningful smile, his tone laced with cold irony.

Aistree's heart jolted. This mysterious man before her was clearly well-prepared; the potions he carried were sufficient to suppress her and the Black Dragon's power.

His words seemed to imply something. Could it be...

Her heart sank heavily as she realized the current situation had slipped beyond her control.

Gritting her teeth, Aistree resolutely abandoned her hesitation and decided to fight with everything she had!

In the next moment, Aistree's thin lips parted, and a series of magic incantations poured out. The Black Dragon beneath her also let out a deafening roar, as if responding to her determination.

She and the Black Dragon turned into a meteor, streaking through the sky of the Nightshade Bunker. However, the formation surrounded by negative energy was powerful and distorted; in addition to slowing their speed, it also eroded their bodies.

The woman and the dragon endured the damage from the formation, struggling desperately to break free from the shackles of the sky, finally breaking through layers of obstacles and flying in a straight line toward the Emerald Island Great Forest.

The Lionheart Knight, the Bunker Master, and the Cult Leader naturally gave chase with all their might, but even under the onslaught of negative energy, the woman and dragon were still incredibly fast after their desperate exertion.

When they watched Aistree and the Black Dragon disappear into the Emerald Island Great Forest, their auras vanishing completely, their hearts fell into silence.

Seeing this, the Bunker Master and the Cult Leader opened their mouths, wanting to speak but hesitating.

"They won't get far." Seeing their expressions, the Lionheart Knight gave a low laugh. His gaze was calm, seemingly unconcerned about their escape.

He snorted inwardly: "Going there... they are truly walking straight into a trap."

(End of Chapter)