I Made Up Forbidden Spells, and They Actually Worked?

As the words fell, a warrior clad in light armor slowly advanced toward the floating Moonlight Butterflies. In each hand, he held a slender sword, his body gradually lowering into a crouch, with the two swords crossed before him.

When the warrior was about 20 yards away from the Moonlight Butterflies, he suddenly pushed off the ground with his legs, launching his entire body like an arrow shot from a bow. In an instant, he flashed past the Moonlight Butterflies.

In that brief moment when man and butterfly crossed paths, the twin swords slashed out, and blood immediately spattered in the air.

"Ah!"

A piercing scream echoed as the Moonlight Butterflies' large silvery-white wings were severed, a bloody gash appeared on its neck, and then its head tumbled down.

"Whoa! Such swift swordsmanship!"

"His footwork and swordsmanship are incredibly strong--he might be at the level of a Sword King. If a mage of the same level were caught off guard by him, they might not even realize how they died."

Seeing this scene, the crowd couldn't help but express their amazement, all of them stunned by the lightning-fast swordsmanship.

Dean Bruce's eyes gleamed with admiration.

Such a cool move--he had only seen this kind of thing in anime! It's a pity that when his system awakened, it turned out to be the Supreme Mage System, which only granted him various magical abilities!

"That's right, the Moonlight Butterflies don't have much in the way of defense--they aren't invincible. There's no need to worry, let's keep climbing."

Lina Jones, accustomed to her role as a saintess, naturally assumed command.

Dean Bruce didn't mind in the least. After all, he was only here in the ruins to earn rewards. As long as he ensured his own safety, he didn't care about anything else.

With the first Moonlight Butterfly taken care of, people's fears subsided, and their climbing speed increased.

Before long, countless Moonlight Butterflies came into view, scattered across the mountainside, causing everyone to gasp in shock.

Many of the Moonlight Butterflies were so close that there was no chance for a sneak attack. As for taking a detour?

On either side of the mountain path were sheer cliffs, plunging into a bottomless abyss!

And if that wasn't enough, beyond the swarm of Moonlight Butterflies, there were many shadowy figures, phantoms that occasionally emitted eerie wolf howls, sending chills down everyone's spines.

"What... what kind of hellish place is this?"

"Yikes!"

"There are too many monsters on this path. Should we retreat and try one of the other two mountains?"

The group exchanged uneasy glances, and quite a few people began to consider turning back again.

"No, that's not an option. If there are monsters on this mountain, then the other two mountains will likely have monsters as well. Retreating aimlessly will only waste time!"

Dean Bruce spoke softly, "The Moonlight Butterflies and those shadows are still some distance apart. Maybe we can take them down separately."

"But there are too many Moonlight Butterflies here; a stealth attack won't work. We might have to take them head-on."

"Exactly!" Lina Jones nodded in agreement. "Dean is right. If there are monsters here, the other areas will have them too. Instead of wasting time, we should push through with force!"

She paused for a moment before continuing, "Claire, keep an eye on everyone's status. If anyone gets hit by the Moonlight Butterflies' magic, make sure you save them quickly! The rest of you, focus on attacking the Moonlight Butterflies!"

As her words fell, the expressions of the more than forty people from both factions grew serious.

Dean Bruce was the only one who shook his head. He had thought that Alita Miller's and Lina Jones's factions would soon clash, but instead, they had joined forces!

Well, that works too. If they truly cooperate, they can explore the ruins faster, giving him more time to gather medicinal herbs.

Everyone drew their weapons, and the mages gripped their staffs tightly, eyes fixed on the group of Moonlight Butterflies, ready to cast their spells.

Once again, Chelse, with dual swords in hand, lowered his stance and led the warriors and swordsmen in a stealthy approach before launching a sudden attack.

Swoosh--

Sword light flickered, spears thrust forward, and numerous attacks erupted. The nearest few Moonlight Butterflies were instantly killed before they could even react.

However, there were many more Moonlight Butterflies nearby, and they were immediately alerted. Their wings began to beat faster, and their eyes gleamed with a strange light.

Without uttering a word, they made eerie sounds and then spat out beams of pale moonlight, which cut through the air like wind blades, slicing toward the warriors and swordsmen.

Seeing this, the mages also sprang into action.

Several mages from the Temple of Wisdom joined forces, chanting loudly, "O mighty earth, transform into a shield and ward off all storms! Earth Wall--Unite!"

Bang, bang, bang--

Walls of brown earth materialized, forming shields that blocked the swiftly approaching beams of pale moonlight.

The swordsmen and warriors, though from two different factions, were all battle-hardened. Seizing the moment when the Moonlight Butterflies' magical onslaught was halted, they swiftly leaped forward and launched another assault.

Shrill, eerie cries echoed one after another as the Moonlight Butterflies were slain one by one.

Witnessing this, Dean Bruce and the others exchanged glances, their faces full of astonishment.

Is this all the strength ancient creatures have?

It was like cutting down wheat--a whole bunch fell at once!

"Are you kidding me? These are supposed to be ancient creatures?"

"Could the ancient texts be wrong? Are these Moonlight Butterflies actually weak?"

Even Lina Jones, the designated saintess, couldn't hold back from cursing.

"No, something's off! Why are these Moonlight Butterflies only spewing moonlight-like blade energy? Why aren't they using their illusion magic?"

"There's definitely something wrong with these Moonlight Butterflies!"

Lina Jones quickly realized that something wasn't right.

These Moonlight Butterflies weren't using the magic recorded in the ancient texts, and their attacks were monotonous, lacking any variation.

Moreover, they all seemed strangely sluggish, as if they had no souls, mindlessly attacking. Before being provoked, they just wandered aimlessly through the forest.

Furrowing her brows, Lina Jones couldn't figure out what was going on. At the moment, no one could answer her questions, so she could only watch as the battle unfolded.

Facing these sluggish Moonlight Butterflies, everyone held back, not using their full strength. Under the agile leadership of Chelse and Ace, they quickly cleared out the nearby Moonlight Butterflies.

As they continued to climb, the black shadows gradually came into clear view for everyone.

The creatures were bizarre, with wolf-like heads, limbs, and swaying tails, yet they walked upright like humans. They were entirely hairless, their skin a deep blue, shimmering eerily under the moonlight.

Dean Bruce was stunned by the sight, even with all the years he had spent reading novels and watching anime. It was the first time he had encountered such strange beings!

Dean Bruce wasn't the only one taken aback. Everyone else was visibly shocked as well, their reactions completely genuine.

"They look like wolves, but they don't have a single hair on them, and their skin is just like a human's. Plus, they walk upright."

"But if you say they're human, their heads, limbs, and even tails are like wolves'. It's too weird!"

"Should we try fighting one of these creatures?"

As the group looked beyond the creatures, they saw the glowing palace looming ahead.

Now that they were this close, there was no need for Lina Jones to say anything--they weren't about to give up.

No way, giving up now would mean all their previous fighting was for nothing!

Dean Bruce didn't join in the discussion, and after a moment of hesitation, Lina Jones called for the group to charge once again.

Chelse and Ace led the charge as before. However, this time, just as Chelse lunged forward and swung his swords at the strange creature he targeted, it suddenly tilted its head back and let out a long howl.

"Awooo!"

The wolf's howl seemed to draw in the moonlight, which surged into its body. In the next moment, its entire form became incredibly tough. When Chelse's twin swords struck, sparks flew from the impact.

The terrifying force of the recoil rippled through Chelse, causing his hands to tremble so violently that he nearly lost his grip, almost dropping both swords to the ground.

Before Chelse could even retreat, the strange creature, now empowered by the absorbed moonlight, suddenly slashed its claws, sending three sharp claw marks slashing into Chelse's body.

Bang!

A crisp sound echoed as the light armor on Chelse's chest shattered completely. His entire body was sent flying backward, and before he even hit the ground, blood spurted from his mouth, bright red against the night.

"Not good!"

Ace, who possessed bat bloodline and could wield both magic and weapons, had a powerful physique. He reacted instantly, quickly distancing himself from another one of the strange creatures.

But to everyone's shock, all the other strange creatures, regardless of how far away they were, suddenly threw their heads back and howled at the sky. Immediately, white moonlight enveloped their bodies as they charged toward Dean Bruce and the others at an incredible speed.

While Ace was quick on his feet, the other warriors and swordsmen, no matter how fast they reacted, were struck by the moonlight-infused claw shadows from behind. Some were even caught by the strange creatures, who slammed them to the ground with a single swipe.

As soon as someone fell, a dozen or so of the strange creatures would leap onto them, pinning them down and tearing into them viciously. The mountain air filled with the sounds of agonized screams, echoing continuously through the peaks.

Blood flowed from the fallen, spreading across the grass and into the crowd, making everyone's pupils constrict with fear.

"So brutal!"

"Hurry, cast the connection spell!"

At Lina Jones' command, several mages slammed their staffs into the ground and began chanting: "O Holy Light, do not withhold your radiance. Shine down and protect your faithful followers! Holy Light Shield!"

Having witnessed the savage brutality of the strange creatures firsthand, the mages cast their spells with lightning speed.

In just a few short breaths, a brilliant light erupted, forming a protective barrier.

Meanwhile, Ace and the others quickly dashed into the safety of the light barrier. As they turned back, listening to the continuing screams of those still outside, a deep sorrow etched itself into their faces.