CHAPTER 55: CHAPTER 52: DESOLATE BEAST

"Andrew, you bastard..."

Cook spat out a mouthful of blood, "...just...ridiculous."

As the foremost Magic Apprentice under Hubert, Cook had capital he was proud of.

He didn’t possess Pete’s "Eight Strange Fires," nor did he have Brian’s powerful "Seven Fireball Array."

Cook’s greatest proficiency was in the "Desolate Language Series."

Within the Desolate Language Series, the magic he excelled at just happened to be the "Desolate Breath" that Andrew had previously rebounded.

At this moment, Cook replayed the events that had just transpired in his mind.

He was utterly perplexed: "Why could my ’Desolate Breath,’ something not even Mages with official titles could necessarily withstand, be thwarted by Andrew, who even seemed to rebound a portion of my magic’s power?!"

If Andrew hadn’t reflected a portion of Cook’s magic power, causing Cook’s own mind to be affected, Cook was confident he could have summoned "Molten Rock Armor" at the moment of impact to fend off Andrew’s punch!

But alas, there are no ifs in this world.

In fact, Cook’s strength was indeed very formidable. Previously, another Advanced Magic Apprentice directly ignited himself using "Desolate Breath" against Andrew. Cook’s "Desolate Breath," however, was only partially rebounded by Andrew’s Water Spirit Technique.

But regardless of the situation, a loss is a loss.

Under a series of shocked gazes, Cook, ranked first among Hubert’s apprentices, let out a muffled grunt, looked peculiarly at Andrew, and then slowly fell over, clutching his stomach.

He desperately tried to inhale on the ground, but the pain was too severe, causing his muscles to spasm uncontrollably, making it impossible for him to breathe air into his lungs!

"Uh, sorry." Andrew was also taken aback, having no recollection of his actions, and retracted his fist, apologizing awkwardly, "I got a little distracted, didn’t mean to punch you like that. Sorry, really sorry."

Inwardly, he thought maybe he unconsciously mimicked the Desert Hunter’s melee technique upon witnessing Ivan’s blade?

Cook: "??"

What does that mean? What do you mean?

There’s dignity in death, but not in humiliation!

You punched me to tears—real tears—and then apologized, saying it was unintentional? That’s not how you mess with someone’s mentality!

Initially, he was just in pain, but now his mentality suffered a critical strike. His eyes rolled back like Sally’s—and he completely fainted.

Looking at Cook lying on the ground, Andrew gained a clearer understanding of his current prowess: "Going one against two is difficult. The synergy between Fire Mages and Flame Warriors results in a sum greater than their individual parts.

Yet, in a one-on-one situation, Cook, the top figure among Advanced Magic Apprentices, is no match for me! Am I really this strong now?"

Thinking as he gathered the "Fire Extinguishing Value" from downing Cook.

Andrew raised his eyes, looking forward once again.

Now, no one could stand between him and Hubert.

Taking a deep breath, Andrew silently placed his powerful move—infused with massive "Fire Extinguishing Value," reaching the current limit he could control, the Long-range Water Needle—on his fingertips.

Of course, under the automatic enhancement of Invisible Enchantment, no outsider could see it.

Then Andrew took steady steps, walking toward Hubert.

This attitude immediately provoked Hubert.

The old mage’s gaze turned incredibly terrifying, hoarsely speaking, "So winning against some of my inept students makes you proud, huh, kid? Have you forgotten just a day ago you were trembling before me? Back then, all you could do was talk back a little, defying me—what else could you do?!"

He spoke of the night Andrew had first arrived.

Indeed, back then, although Andrew defied Hubert openly, in gaze, complexion, body language, and deep within, he was still fearful!

It was fear of Hubert.

It was also a fear of an unfamiliar world.

"I don’t deny."

Andrew continued forward, step by step, "Not just before, but even now, I am somewhat afraid of you. But there are things that must be done. It’s with this mindset that I’ve walked this far. At least now, I’m standing truly eye-to-eye, face-to-face with you, aren’t I?"

Hubert shivered!

Looking around, he realized: Raymond was gone, Pete was gone, Lisa and Brian were gone, and even his most prized Cook and Sally lay on the ground.

Unknowingly, how had he become so alone?

While Hubert never regarded people like Raymond in high esteem, and only casually let his apprentices be, never truly guiding them,

when he truly realized these people were absent, Hubert suddenly felt a strong sense of solitude!

After a silent moment, Hubert closed his eyes, reopening them with coldness and desolation: "Apparently, I’m indeed old; such laughable sentimental emotions are starting to emerge."

Shaking his head, Hubert regained calm: "I admit, I underestimated you, Andrew. But do you truly believe you and Ivan alone can challenge me?"

Hubert never considered the people in the temporary camp or the Living People Cemetery. The power disparity was too great. To him, who mastered area-damage Flame Magic, one ordinary person and a hundred were the same—a mere matter of a single blaze.

Currently, the only ones deserving his attention were Andrew and Ivan.

Yet it was merely to catch his eye.

"Without defeating me, all your previous victories, Andrew, are futile."

Hubert, fully calmed, revealed a slight smile, finally showing some grace as a Grand Mage, "Give up; you two have no chance of winning.

Now, give up, help heal my lungs, and I’ll spare you and everyone else.

I might even spare Barbara. After all, capturing Barbara is a task given by the Magic Guild, unrelated to my personal intentions.

I...just wish to survive."

Andrew paused.

Having reached within five meters of Hubert.

At this proximity, the strange feeling of Hubert being elusive, unable to be hit or killed, visibly faded.

"No wonder you were once a Grand Mage, truly confident."

Andrew looked at Hubert, sincerely speaking.

Behind, Ivan’s figure quietly disappeared into the air, reentering Stealth while faintly saying, "But who says there’s only two of us?"

With the words spoken, Hubert suddenly felt an intense sense of crisis.

The ground behind him unexpectedly burst open; a colossal being surged from beneath, opening its bloody maw to devour the old mage’s small frame!

Andrew knew it wasn’t an Illusion Technique, nor a Fire Element magic creature.

But the "helper" Ivan had promised to bring back, previously seen through Water Spirit Sensing.

It was a Desolate Beast!