Chapter 872: Mage Group, Before the Retreat

"My lord, it's no use. These humans' reactions are simply too fast, and their coordination is seamless; almost every strike hits our weak points."

A Moon Elf looked at their Captain with an ugly expression.

From the moment they received the new order from the Archmage to destroy the Netherese Mythallar Node, to the current stalemate of spell confrontation, they had barely managed to successfully cast a single spell.

Every time they attempted Joint Casting to exert powerful Suppression, a human Mage would always jump out and forcibly counter the key Spell Elements of their spell.

The timing was so exquisite that this Moon Elf Mage almost suspected that a human mole had infiltrated their team.

Joint Casting is not like individual Spellcasting, which only requires the will of a single Spellcaster to complete a large number of Spell Elements; Joint Casting requires the coordination of multiple wills, and unless their minds are linked, there will inevitably be flaws.

But even so, this Moon Elf Mage had never seen a single Spellcaster forcibly interrupt a spell in the middle of Joint Casting.

If this situation were common, there would be no such thing as a Mage group at all.

The Moon Elf Mage's distraction caused this Elf Mage squad's spell to be interrupted once again. The leading Gold Elf Mage glanced coldly at the Moon Elf Mage, their expression darkening to the extreme:

"Let's retreat first

!"

Naturally, they would not say that the Archmage's judgment was wrong, nor would they explain that even the lowest-configured Mage group consisted of more than thirteen Spellcasters, let alone offer guidance on actual spell confrontation experience.

A bunch of commoners and cannon fodder—being able to learn a few War Spells was already a supreme gift; they still wanted more? They were simply dreaming!

……

The Elves' raid came fast and left fast. Because three squads attacked simultaneously, merely interfering with their Spellcasting occupied the vast majority of Xia Duo's consciousness.

Therefore, he was unable to keep them there.

And after the Elves left, Xia Duo finally had a stray thought; he regretted not targeting more Mythallar Nodes simultaneously, which resulted in too many Elf Mages being left behind!

If not for the Mind Link, which allowed everyone to observe, think, and respond together as if they were a single super Spellcaster, this situation would have been very difficult to handle.

Not to mention being wiped out, at the very least they would have been completely dragged into the Elves' rhythm, and without some trump card to turn the tide, the final outcome likely would not have been good.

For a moment, Xia Duo doubted the intentions of those above. If not for his Mind Link, what would the outcome of a normal mission have been?

Perhaps these Guidance beacons didn't need to be guarded at all, or even buried underground; they could just be taken out of the Dimensional Bag at specific locations.

When distributing the mission, didn't Archmage Fusitemu explicitly emphasize not to take the Guidance beacons out of the Dimensional Bag until the Mythallar Node was destroyed!

Perhaps the plan from above only required them to learn how to cooperate, then destroy the Elves' Mythallar Node, and kill a few Elves in the process as a pledge of loyalty.

If it were just about destroying the Mythallar Node, even without Xia Duo's Mind Link, it wouldn't be difficult as long as each team communicated in time and cooperated closely.

Of course, the price paid might be far more than just the dozen or so lives from Qiaoyisi's team.

"Sigh, if one doesn't become a Great Arcanist, one is ultimately unable to truly control one's own destiny!"

Once he becomes a Great Arcanist, perhaps there will be the troubles and helplessness of a Great Arcanist, but at this moment, Xia Duo's desire to become a Great Arcanist is growing ever more intense.

If he could, he wouldn't want to wait even a single second longer.

But the reality is that no one can make him a Great Arcanist in a second; for now, he should consider those retreating Elves more!

Xia Duo does not believe that those Elves would give up so easily; there must be a follow-up plan, and as for what that plan is, he has some guesses.

Perhaps it is Joint Casting with more people.

In that Projection Plane of 【Maiyelita Sukanweisa City】, Xia Duo had heard that Mage groups were at least in units of a hundred.

And the leaders were at least senior Mages, with members being at least Elite Mages.

And a complete Mage group, apart from having slightly poor mobility, is capable of contending with any Archmage in other aspects.

Placed here, if those Elf Mages could really have more people performing Joint Casting, contending with an Archmage would be unrealistic, but dealing with small fry like them might really not take much effort.

Thinking of this, Xia Duo suddenly became a bit nervous. Although he is not on the front line, Niya is, and it is hard for him not to feel worried.

After thinking for a moment, before the Elves launched another attack, Xia Duo contacted Angelin, not through the Mind Link, but via direct Sending:

"Mage Angelin, you and Archmage Fusitemu both belong to Gustav Tower. Could you please ask the Archmage how long the Guidance beacons need to be guarded? I am worried that we will have a hard time holding out against the Elves' next attack."

Of course, these words could not be said in the Mind Link; if others found out, wouldn't morale be shattered? However, Angelin is resolute and firm in will, so speaking to him is fine.

Now he just hopes that Angelin has a decent status in Gustav Tower; after all, he is a student of a Great Arcanist!

Actually, if Archmage Greta were in this Plane, it would be better to have Niya ask Greta.

It is just a pity that neither Niya nor Xia Duo himself has mastered cross-Plane communication spells. 【Magic Net Background Communication】 has almost no distance limit within the same Plane.

But the disadvantage is also obvious: it cannot communicate across Planes.

On this point, it is said that Lord Hawk's new communication spell can achieve cross-Plane communication, and it is unknown whether the Arcane Union eventually obtained that spell from him.

……

Soon, Angelin's reply came, his tone somewhat strange, "The Archmage told us to return to the camp, and said to be quick!"

Upon hearing this, Xia Duo's spirit was jolted. He knew that his previous guess was likely true: the Guidance beacons did not need to be guarded, at least not by small fry like them.

This meant that their mission this time was actually already completed; the Mythallar Node was destroyed, the Elves were killed, the attitude that needed to be shown had been shown, and the pledge of loyalty that needed to be offered had been offered.

Perhaps it really was time to leave.

But before Xia Duo could inform everyone of the news of the retreat, a series of subconscious warnings suddenly came through the Mind Link.

No words were needed; Xia Duo already understood that the Elves were attacking again.

Under these circumstances, it was no longer appropriate to talk about retreating. If he really said it, the morale would collapse, and if the Elves caught the opening, it would truly be a mass death.

Among these Seven Towers Mages, there is no shortage of those with deep backgrounds; if too many die, who will take the blame then?

In just an instant, Xia Duo made a decision—have one last clash with the Elves!

He asked for nothing else, at least he had to hold out until the rescue from above!

Xia Duo firmly believed that even if there was a need to inspire the Seven Towers Mages' fighting spirit against the Elves, those above could not possibly use a large number of lives to achieve it.

Perhaps there were death quotas, but they would never be too high. If too many people really died, even a Great Arcanist would find it difficult to handle.

After all, people joined the Seven Towers to learn Magic and to find a backer, not to be cannon fodder.

At the critical moment, there would definitely be support; perhaps even a Great Arcanist would take action personally!