From Hogwarts to Strixhaven.

Chapter 522 The Return of Stained Blood

The High Harpist's druidic spells not only affected the Monk Baal's Son in front of Minsara, but also controlled the ranged DPS Elasera who had retreated to the high platform of the Inquisition.

In a fast-paced battle, any delay can result in massive casualties.

Using ranged attacks to suppress the back row, the Swift Ela Sera was unable to break free from the thorny vines wrapped around her legs, and even her body was involuntarily pulled forward.

With his Gisyanki powers activated, Leezel leaped high over the central altar of the Murder Tribunal, wielding his silver sword at Elacera's neck.

Although one cannot turn or change posture flexibly while in the air, it is equivalent to temporarily turning oneself into a target.

However, when the enemy is unable to launch an attack, a successful jump slash, a technique with an extremely high risk factor, can also bring huge benefits.

Unable to move, Elacel the Swift could only stand still, leaving her with very limited options for evasion. She could only curl her body into a ball and raise her longbow to try and block Lyezel's silver sword.

The fine oak glued to the bow gave Ela Sera's longbow a powerful thrust, but it was not a true melee weapon, and its blocking effect was extremely limited.

The Githyanki in the Star Sea are born for war, and the silver swords they forge are the finest of the finest. Not to mention the one in Lyszel's hand, which was a precious item seized from the inquisitors under the Githyanki Queen.

The ornate greatsword cleaved the bow, severed the bowstring, and cut off the swift woman's left arm, leaving a gaping wound on her body.

"Cut off all her hands and feet, Lyezel!" Ivy's command reached the ears of the Gith Yankee warriors with crystal clarity.

The echoes of Baal's Sons will turn into blood upon death to strengthen other individuals, and the adventurers have already been injured several times by enemies that have been suddenly strengthened.

While causing casualties is certainly a good thing, in this battlefield, incapacitating the enemy seems to be the correct solution.

Although Leezel hadn't figured out why Ivy had given such an order, the tacit understanding they had developed over the years made her step aside and slash at Elacela's only remaining arm.

However, someone else acted even faster than Lyezal: the half-drow matriarch, Sylvanas.

After the blood wave she created was frozen by Gale's ice spikes, she immediately began drawing blood from the ground to start the next round of spellcasting.

The contaminated blood congealed into fist-sized spiders, forming another wave that surged towards the adventurers.

The adventurers with group attack abilities hadn't uttered a word in the previous battle, as they were dealing with these disgusting insects that covered the ground.

Seeing that the Swift Elacela had lost her ability to fight, Cindy immediately and ruthlessly killed her own people.

The poisoned dagger in her hand spun out, like a serpent's fang, and plunged viciously into Ela Sera's neck.

The tainted blood of the Son of Baal once again spread throughout the Murder Tribunal. The monk, trapped in place by the vines, unleashed a burst of violent energy, and even the gale manipulated by Ivy momentarily created huge gaps. The vines summoned by the High Harpist were torn to shreds in an instant, like rag dolls.

The spider summoned by Cindy grew even larger, now on par with the various cats and dogs roaming Baldur's Gate.

The smaller spiders could withstand very little damage; the spirit guardians formed by Shadowheart summoning the power of Serene could easily turn them back into pools of blood with a single touch. However, against the spiders that had suddenly grown in size, adventurers usually needed to follow up with a melee attack.

"Ah—" the Lesserman roared, growing increasingly frenzied.

The spiked iron ball gauntlet on the Salofok greatsword had already left many wounds on Minsk's arm.

The combat strategy involving greatswords is nothing more than parrying and counter-attacking. In the hands of a skilled swordsman, the excessively wide blade can also serve as a shield. When the two greatswords clash, Sarovok will raise his arm, using the stronger side of his blade closer to the center to actively meet the weaker side of Minsk's blade. At the same time, he will rotate the hilt, allowing the spikes on the guard to jam Minsk's greatsword, giving him an advantage for his next attack.

Elacela's death shattered the balance between the two evenly matched fighters.

Elacel, known as the Swift One, also provided Salofok with even greater agility. His gleaming armor seemed weightless, and the heavily armored Salofok was actually faster than Minsk, who was clad in leather armor.

After a swift parry and counterattack, Sarovok's Chaos Greatsword pressed down on Minsk's shoulder, faster than a storm and heavier than a mountain.

Despite his best efforts to break free, the Son of Baal's vicious sword still brutally tore off his forearm.

"Shadowheart! Go help Minsk!" Ivy, who had been keeping a close eye on the battlefield, gave the order. "I'll use a teleportation spell to send you there. Just focus on defense. I'll handle these bugs."

A little angel formed from moonlight smashed a spider that was lunging at Shadowheart. She pulled back and quickly came to Ivy's side.

Numerous luminous geometric patterns appeared in the air as Ivy's fingers plucked the strings, rapidly forming vortices that distorted the space around the Shadow Core.

This is a signature spell from the Strychian Quantification Academy, which uses the magical rearrangement of mathematical formulas and geometric shapes to influence the surrounding space, thereby achieving the purpose of maneuvering enemy or friendly units.

As a spell that can be effective within a 90-foot radius, the Vortex Warp from the Analytical Academy is just a second-circle spell. Therefore, after paying an extra two spell points, Ivy successfully used the Twin Spell to designate Minsk, who had lost an arm, as her second target.

The geometric patterns flashing before his eyes did not shake Salofak's determination to cut off the head of his old teammate, who was also his old rival.

The greatsword, gleaming with an ominous blood-red light, slashed down heavily, devoid of any personal emotion, solely to fulfill the grand blueprint of Baal, the god of murder. In this process, Sarovok was merely a tool for the god of murder to achieve his goal.

However, today's tools are destined to disappoint their own gods.

An impenetrable shield of adamantite replaced the armless Letherman, and the chosen gods Shar and Serene stood before the resurrected Son of Baal.

"Look at yourself, Minsk!" Sharofok taunted his old rival as he clashed his greatsword against his adamantite shield. "A hero who has fled in disarray! Why don't you join your pet and become a rat in the sewers?"

“Little Bu isn’t a mouse!” Minsk, who was receiving treatment, shouted angrily. “It’s a mini giant space hamster!” Unfortunately, his defense of his old partner would never reach Sarovok’s ears.

A surge of elemental power stirred within the enclosed room, and Ivy's advanced Evocation spells were ready.

"No!" Gale, who had just inflicted damage on friendly forces, cried out in terror, "Are you going to kill us?"

However, it was too late. A storm of intense flames enveloped the entire hall, sparing no space. The leaping flames crackled and popped, making heat replace bloodshed as the main theme of the Murder Tribunal.

Gale, enveloped in a fiery storm, was surprised to find that although the surrounding air was extremely hot, it showed no intention of harming her.

This wasn't just happening to Gale; none of Ivy's teammates were harmed by the seventh-circle evocation spell, Firestorm.

This is Ivy's [Supreme Warlock] class ability [Elemental Shaping] taking effect.

As a master of manipulating the elements, the [Supreme Warlock] can shape the elements they summon at will based on their senses, thus performing the bizarre feat of preventing large-scale spells from affecting friendly units.

Although Firestorm deals fire damage, its spell descriptor also includes the element of "wind," so it can also be shaped by Ivy's [Air Elemental Invocation].

The flames that swept through the entire Murder Tribunal came quickly and went quickly.

The Blood Spiders summoned by the half-drow matriarch, Cindy, were swept away by the flames. Even Cindy herself didn't look too good. The blood that had covered her body had congealed and scabbed over, and was still falling off. Her white hair had turned into ashes, making her look no different from an unfortunate soul trapped in a fire.

Having suppressed his evil intentions for so long, he and Asderon plunged the dagger in their hands into Cindy's body, ending the life of the fourth Son of Baal.

The number of Baal's Sons on the field has decreased further, which also means that the remaining Baal's Sons will become stronger.

The agile and physically strong monk Balthazar had not suffered much damage in the previous battle, and even when he was struck by a magical longsword overflowing with the power of the oath, his body was constantly recovering.

The death of Xian Dai at this moment added another power to him. The blood light surrounding his body became more intense, and together with the qi honed by the devout monks, it restored his condition.

The increase in individual strength cannot change the fact that the Sons of Baal are falling behind.

The disappearance of the spellcaster who could summon spiders to disperse the adventurers' formation means that more adventurers are freed up to provide support and encirclement.

Even though Minsk was temporarily incapacitated, the adventurers' combat effectiveness was not significantly affected.

The crimson aura around Salofak grew increasingly intense, but since Cindy's blood essence was used to enhance regenerative abilities, and Baal's judge was unharmed, this power could not exert its effect for the time being.

Having abandoned his mace, Shadowheart wielded his shield with both hands, desperately parrying Sarovok's powerful attacks. The effect of the adamantite shield deflecting and repelling enemy weapons seemed to have no effect on Sarovok. Shadowheart had to be careful with every attack he made. It was a mystery how Minsk managed to hold out for so long before being injured and defeated.

"Roar—" The half-dragon Abazigo, who had done nothing but use the Disintegration spell to dispel the Aveli Wall spell, finally spoke.

Since obtaining the power of the third Son of Baal's Echo, he has been silently stimulating the divine blood within him to complete the Dragon Transformation Magic. This is a magic that only applies to creatures with true dragon blood, allowing individuals with sufficient potential to shed the barriers of other mortal races and thus transform into a true dragon.

As a half-dragon possessing both divine and dragon blood, becoming a true dragon is hardly a good thing for Abazigo. But now he is merely an insignificant echo, a sacrifice specially summoned, so transforming into a dragon through magic is hardly a question.

Blue dragons are usually the most territorial of all the colored dragons, but this does not mean that a blue dragon is incompetent in combat; they are just more inclined to use intrigue to solve problems.

Abazigona's body, which was not much different from that of ordinary people, rapidly expanded. Its straight, sword-like horns pierced the skin on its head, and scales like sapphire stained with blood covered its muscles. Its sharp claws tore through clothing and pushed over stone pillars, and its long, powerful tail swept away a pouncing cave bear with a mere flick.

The archdruid, who had fallen to the ground, reverted to human form, rubbing his head and muttering a complaint: "I never imagined I'd have to wrestle with a true dragon... What was Baal thinking? Why did he leave behind so many descendants of different races?"

“Good heavens, Halsin.” Asdailen, who had just retreated upon seeing Abazigo transform, complained, “I thought you could understand him! After all, you’re the same—you’re indiscriminate in your tastes.”

“That’s nature’s most sacred ritual, no… never mind. Instead of wasting time talking nonsense, let’s think about how to deal with that dragon!” Halsin stood up from the ground.

“Don’t worry, we have Monster Hunter Frontier Blade.” Asdallen then looked at Will beside him. “My dear Will, I remember you dealt with the priests of the Dragon Cult? Do they also have this kind of magic that can turn you into a dragon?”

“You know perfectly well that I only stopped the Dragon Cult by relying on Zariel’s power…” Will couldn’t hide his nervousness; no one knew the destructive power of dragons better than him. “Why don’t we ask Ivy?”

“Good idea.” Asdalon rarely agreed with Will’s opinion. “Have you ever slain a dragon, my lord?”

"I do have some insights into dragon slaying."

Perhaps it can't be called "insights and experiences". Ever since he killed Smaug, the evil dragon of Lonely Mountain, and made his soul into the Book of Facts, Ivy has not had many opportunities to show off his dragon-slaying skills. Who would have thought that a blue dragon would grow from the ground in Baldur's Gate, a place full of outstanding people and resources?
Ivy put away her lute, whose lingering melody could still provide buffs to her comrades. Ivy decided to end Abazigo, who had transformed into a dragon, before the melody faded away.

Multicolored flames swept upwards as Ivy drew his sword. The beast-bite sword emitted a pleasant soft sound and gradually turned into a milky white translucent color. Ivy calmly drank a vial of mutation potion from the Alchemist, which provided another four points of bonus to his agility attribute.

Having completed all preparations, Ivy's figure suddenly vanished from the spot and appeared beside the giant blue dragon like a phantom.

The towering blue dragon occupied almost half of the Murder Tribunal's space and even knocked down two pillars. If it weren't for its spine supporting the ceiling, the entire Murder Tribunal would have been filled with collapsed rubble and other sinkholes by now.

The swordsman, having mastered swordsmanship to its peak, wielded his blade, enhanced by the power of multiple elements, with ease, using the body structure diagram provided by the [Secret of the Evil Dragon] to search for the blue dragon's most vulnerable tendons and bones.

The immense pain from the multiple blows, combined with the multi-elemental explosion triggered by the Arcane Enchantment, caused Abazigo, who had been gathering a breath of dragon's breath, to let out a silent wail.

The blue dragon's confidence plummeted instantly, as darkness and pain once again haunted him, his strength and blood draining away from his wounds. Aside from smashing a few pillars and whipping away a giant bear, this magically born blue dragon achieved nothing before meeting its end—returning its tainted blood to the other Baal children.

(End of this chapter)