Wizard: Starting with Dealing with Magical Plants

Chapter 256 Terrifying Power, Factional Struggle

The squad burst forth with unprecedented speed, racing desperately across the rugged and treacherous terrain.

Behind them, the energy fluctuations emanating from the direction of the Throat of the Dead grew increasingly terrifying, causing the space itself to tremble violently, as if the end of the world had arrived.

As their last breath passed, the squad had just rushed behind a relatively sturdy lava bunker—

A beam of pure, incandescent light, composed of the annihilation of rules and beyond description, shot out from the center point where the four devices converged, like a spear of judgment thrown down by a god, and pierced straight into the deepest part of the throat fissure of the dead!

No sound.

Or rather, sound has been erased by more fundamental rules.

Only a pure white light instantly engulfed the crack, the surrounding hills, and the sky—as if existence itself had been temporarily erased in that area.

The white light lasted for about three seconds, then suddenly contracted and disappeared.

What remains is a terrifying giant crater with a diameter of over a kilometer, smooth, mirror-like edges, unfathomable depth, and radiating residual, regular radiation.

The fissure in the throat of the dead, along with the boiling, corrupting death energy within, the massive, twisted aberration, and the countless undead army surrounding it—all vanished.

Only some twisted lava and spatial cracks remaining at the edge of the giant crater prove that something once existed there.

The purification process has been completed.

Behind the bunker, Rolin peered through the gaps at the enormous crater in the distance, radiating an ominous white light. He felt little joy at his success, only the chill of surviving a near-death experience and lingering fear.

They succeeded, in a near-mad way, accelerating the instability of the aberrations and prompting the Purifiers to initiate the final purification ahead of schedule, thus preventing a potentially wider and uncontrollable collapse of the rules.

But they also witnessed firsthand the Purifier's unimaginable, destructive power.

Faced with such power, the bravery of an individual, the sophistication of magic, and even the struggle of a civilization all seem so insignificant and powerless.

More importantly, although the aberration was purified, the Throat of the Dead region was completely transformed into a Jedi filled with residual rule radiation and spatial trauma.

The Pale Hand's plan was completely thwarted, but the Scorching Hell Fragment also permanently lost an area, leaving behind unknown hidden dangers.

Faced with such an absolute display of power, where will the conflicts between the Holy Tower and the Empire lead?

Rowling felt a deep weariness, not only physical and mental, but also a sense of powerlessness in the face of a grand destiny and an unknown future.

Baha on the shoulder also quieted down, its six eyes staring blankly at the vast white crater.

Liana began treating everyone's injuries, while Ella vigilantly kept watch over their surroundings.

Blake and the Forge Guards sat in silence, recovering their strength, their gazes complex.

After a long while, General Hossman's voice finally came through the almost unrecognizable communication crystal, broken and intermittent: "Observed—purification complete—your—situation—"

Blake mustered his strength and replied: "Squad—Save—Positive—Return—"

"Come back—base—" The signal was interrupted.

The group helped each other to their feet, took one last look at the giant white crater that symbolized destruction and end, turned around, and slowly walked towards the Seventh Forward Base with faltering steps.

The resolute determination and tragic grandeur of their arrival transformed into the silence and heaviness of their return journey.

The road ahead is still long.

And this world seems to be becoming more and more alien and dangerous.

The journey back to the Seventh Forward Base was several times longer than the journey there.

The dual strain on both body and mind is like a heavy shackle, requiring immense willpower to take every step.

The discomfort caused by residual purification radiation and spatial trauma in the air is like a persistent ailment, constantly eroding everyone's already fragile defenses.

Although Blake and the Forge Guardians' injuries were not fatal, the internal injuries from withstanding the aftershocks of the Purifier's energy and the slight erosion of the rules left them pale and walking heavily.

Ella's quiver was almost empty, and her fingers trembled slightly from gripping the bowstring for so long.

Liana's Purifying Flame power was exhausted, and she could only barely maintain the minimum Purifying Aura. Her face was paler than the moonlight.

The worst was Rowling.

The spiritual sea was like a field ravaged by a storm. Although [Quiet Dust Star] was still stable, its light was dim and it would take time to repair itself.

His body was damaged in many places, and every time he mobilized his star power, it brought a needle-like stinging pain.

The silver flower seedling in my arms was even more devoid of spirit, almost asleep, with only a faint silver light on the edge of its leaves proving that it was still alive.

Baha also seemed listless, perched on Rolin's shoulder, his feathers ruffled, occasionally emitting low, hoarse gurgling sounds.

No one spoke.

Silence, like a thick layer of ash, covered everyone's heart.

The destructive white light of the final scene in the Throat of the Dead still burns in my mind.

That wasn't a victory; it was merely replacing a potentially worse outcome with a more thorough destruction.

Faced with the Purifier's power that transcends its level, any tactics, courage, or sacrifice seem so pale and powerless.

By the time the outline of the base finally appeared on the horizon in the distance, it had already darkened again.

The base gates were wide open, and General Hossman himself was waiting outside with a medical team.

Seeing that everyone had returned alive despite their disheveled state, the general's tense face finally showed a hint of relief, but deep in his eyes, there was still an unyielding solemnity.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back—" General Hossman strode forward, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, lingering especially on Rowling and Blake for a moment. "To the medical room immediately! Full examination and treatment!"

Without any further pleasantries, everyone was quickly taken to the medical area.

The best healers and medicines were mobilized. Rolin was immersed in a tub of deep green liquid mixed with various precious herbs and soul-nourishing agents, where gentle energy slowly seeped in, repairing his damaged body and mind.

The moonflower seedlings were also placed individually in the center of a small spiritual restoration array, receiving slow nourishment.

Blake and others also received emergency treatment.

This rest lasted for three whole days.

Over the next three days, the atmosphere at the base remained oppressive, but there seemed to be some subtle changes.

The news that the throat of the dead had been purified had spread, but it brought not cheers, but a deeper sense of bewilderment and fear.

The power displayed by the Purifiers made everyone realize that the enemies of the Scorching Hell were far more than just the undead and corrupted creatures.

The dispute between the Holy Tower headquarters and the Imperial high command seemed to have temporarily subsided.

Faced with an absolutely incomprehensible destructive force, internal strife appears laughable and insignificant.

The orders for investigation and assessment were silently shelved, replaced by a series of emergency meetings and intelligence analysis requests.

Master Veranica sent a secret letter, confirming the actions of Roland and his group, but her tone was equally somber, mentioning that the Holy Tower was now divided into several more clearly defined factions:

The isolationists advocate for the complete sealing of the fragments of the Scorching Hell and severing all contact with the Observer's Legacy.

Radicals who advocate researching, imitating, or even acquiring the power of the Purifiers at all costs.

And the research school led by Master Veranika, which advocates careful research and seeks a way to coexist in a non-confrontational manner.

The contradictions between the various factions are sharp and almost irreconcilable.

The Empire's attitude is ambiguous, seemingly reassessing its cooperative relationship with the Holy Tower and its future existence within the fragments of the Scorching Hell.

The Seventh Forward Base seemed to be a small boat in the eye of a storm, temporarily calm but always at risk of being torn apart.

By the evening of the third day, Luo Lin felt he had recovered most of his strength; at least he could move around without any problems. However, the trauma to his mental state still needed time to heal.

The silver flower seedlings have regained some vitality, and their silvery light has become warm again, but their spiritual fluctuations are still much weaker than before.

He left the medical room and went to the command center to find General Hossman.

The general was staring intently at the sand table, where the area of ​​the throat of the dead had been marked as a huge, pale white skull symbol representing destruction and high-risk remnants.

"How are you feeling?" General Hossman asked without turning around, his voice hoarse.

"It can move now." Roland walked to the sand table. "What are the base's next plans?"

"Plans?" General Hossman gave a wry smile, turned around, his face revealing undisguised exhaustion. "The orders from above change three times a day."

"We'll be instructed to increase our vigilance and monitor and clean up any remaining residue in a short while."

"Then they tell us to tighten our defenses and avoid stimulating the unknown."

"Then it hinted that we could try to establish a deeper connection with that arbitrator—it was all a mess, and there was no definite answer."

He looked at Rolin, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "Rolin, we owe you all this time."

"Although the cost was heavy, at least—a looming disaster was averted."

"Master Veranika asked me to tell you that the information you brought back and the record of this operation are very important."

"But she also cautioned that the Holy Tower may no longer be a safe place to study and pursue power."

Rowling remained silent.

He understood Master Veranica's hint.

The cracks within the Holy Tower are beyond repair and may even lead to its split or violent internal conflict.

Continuing to remain within the Santa system, especially for someone with a close relationship with Master Veranica and who possesses sensitive information, could very well lead to being drawn into the vortex beyond their control.