Fang Hong looked up at the sky where the pale red was slowly disappearing. The square gradually quieted down, the soldiers stood still, and the spectators no longer fled. The giant construct on the ground remained motionless; the people inside climbed out with a look of bewilderment, silently watching the sky.

The barrier has disappeared...

The Alchemists of Elfendo were no less at a loss.

Since the Battle of Bain, this High Tower that has stood since the Numelin Era had long transcended its physical existence, becoming a symbol of people's hope. People believed that as long as the tower stood, Fanric would remain unshakable — this belief was not merely a vision or boasting but had become an objective truth; everyone firmly believed so.

But now, although the High Tower remained unchanged and the Grand Artificers of the Elfendo Council were still in the square, the barrier had disappeared. The long-standing peace made people not first think about what had happened, but instead left them bewildered and slow to react.

The first to react was Ande. He turned and walked quickly towards the members of the Elfendo Council at the edge of the square.

The guards blocked his path somewhat confusedly. Ande looked at these poor guys and scolded:

"Move aside. If any of you have family in the Port District and don't want them to end up in a fish's belly, then get out of my way and return to your posts."

The soldiers exchanged glances, then instinctively parted to make way.

Only then did Ande turn back, signaling to Fang Hong to follow. Fang Hong took a look at the square, frozen in time, helped up Gita, and led the others to follow.

"What do we do, Vikki?" Zheng Yongzai adjusted his glasses and whispered.

"You know to ask me now?" Vikki snapped. "Follow and see."

The two followed Fang Hong and the others, passing through the crowd.

Finally, there was the Lizardman ritualist of Ka Cuilan, who followed the crowd unhurriedly.

In the distance, Count Roniel watched this unfold without stopping it—in fact, he was still in a state of daze.

The old man quickly walked up to the others, speaking sternly: "Sonan, the Thornfish People are attacking the city. I suspect there is a traitor inside Elfendo Spire!"

"Damn it," Sonan Steelbrow, sporting a bruised face, turned back, "I know. It's Koras, the Old Blacksmith — we're in big trouble this time."

"Ice Longstone has self-repair capabilities, but relying on the backup system to restart will take at least thirty minutes," Ande said with some composure. "But we must hold out for these thirty minutes and evacuate the Port District residents first."

"No," Count Westwood Sibika shook his head.

"I'm afraid it's already too late..."

He said with some fear, his eyes fixed on the direction of the Port District.

There, was a line of green refraction.

...

When the barrier collapsed, Elisa had a bad premonition.

That pale red light curtain, under Koras's giant body's impact, flickered once, and then shattered like a collapsing glass wall in her gaze.

This Fishman's deity let out a screech filled with bloodthirsty lust for slaughter, echoed by twelve enormous, ugly heads; when its cold gaze swept across the lakeshore, the immense sense of oppression almost stopped the heart of the twin sister.

She never thought facing this terrifying monster would feel so drastically different from being shielded by the barrier.

For the first time, that monstrous creature surged over the barrier, rushing onto the pier, and the long pier seemed tiny as a toothpick under its feet, breaking into pieces.

It crashed through Pier No. 3, a wave rushing into the Port District. The stranded Scarlet Beauty was knocked against its chest's iron-like scales, emitting an overwhelmed cry, shattered in an instant, spiraling down into the water, vanishing from sight.

A few constructs controlled by the craftsmen crashed into it like moths to a flame but were like stones cast into the sea, causing no waves.

This only enraged Koras more. It reared up, spraying crossing streams of poison and fire from two of its heads to sweep across the port. The soldiers and Combat Artisans on the dock retreated in panic but were swept into it in an instant, letting out a cacophony of shrill, gut-wrenching screams.

The City's Defense Force on the docks lost all morale upon witnessing this, collapsing and fleeing in all directions.

But behind them, the Thornfish People emerged from the water, launching a rain of short spears at these retreating soldiers. Like harvested crops, they fell in sheets under the downpour.

This sparked further panic, and the Port District's defenses crumbled in an instant.

The Fishmen let out excited whimpering noises. In their ancient, simplistic memory, their deity Koras had once led them to victory in such a manner, just as they witnessed today.

"Koras, Koras!" The Fishmen screamed, and the sound translated through the system into a language Elisa could understand, though the strange accent made her shiver with fear.

The Big Cat People and Bakins solemnly watched this scene.

They saw several Thornfish People adorned with shells, seaweed, and fish bones part the water surface and walk up from the lake. Clearly revered, the surrounding Fishmen quieted down, bowing down to them.

The Fishmen slave laborers on the outskirts even prostrated themselves piece by piece, flat on the ground.

"Those are the Hydromancers, the ritualists of the Thornfish People. Apart from Koras, they hold the highest status among the Fishman communities."

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