"What about those abyssal mutants on the periphery?" Jacqueline asked, "Do they have any value?"

Eliot shook his head:

"Almost none. Their organs can be extracted as experimental materials, but they are difficult to process and mostly consume our energy and resources. The real value lies in the clones at the center of the altar."

He straightened his body, and his tone became more resolute:

"So, our strategy is clear—get through these peripheral areas as quickly as possible, head to the altar center, and kill our respective clones to gain bloodline enhancement. And then..."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes:

"If given the opportunity, we can also kill the clones of the Black Mist School apprentices. Those clones can also provide us with enhancement. At that time..."

"Every man for himself," Kaiser grinned, revealing a malicious expression.

Eliot didn't directly respond, but his tacit approval was clear.

"Now, we need to move forward. According to the energy fluctuations, the nearest teleportation gate is in that direction."

He pointed to a distant hill covered in purple-black vines.

Just as the Crystal Tower Squad was about to set off, the surrounding environment suddenly changed.

The ground began to writhe, bulging like a living creature, forming undulating waves;

The clouds in the sky thickened, forming a disquieting spiral pattern;

The air was filled with a pungent sulfur smell, as if something was burning.

"They're here." Eliot said calmly, his ears already catching the enemy's movements.

As soon as the words fell, the ground around them burst open, and dozens of abyssal creatures poured out from the cracks.

These creatures were of various shapes, but all bore significant abyssal characteristics.

Some seemed like twisted humanoid forms, yet with too many limbs;

Some resembled a hybrid of insect and reptilian features;

There were some with no fixed shape at all, just a mass of continuously changing fleshy substances.

"Prepare for battle!" Eliot ordered, as he drew a magic wand made of crystal from inside his robe.

—First Ring: Atmospheric Cutting

With his action, the wand glowed a faint green.

The surrounding air twisted abruptly, forming an invisible wind blade that instantly sliced the nearest three abyssal creatures in half.

Other Crystal Tower apprentices immediately took action, displaying combat capabilities far beyond ordinary advanced apprentices.

Jacqueline's hands danced, and lightning flashed between her ten fingers.

A giant electric grid quickly formed, enveloping a group of approaching abyssal crawlers, turning them into ash.

Kaiser, on the other hand, displayed astonishing physical strength.

His arms swelled to double their size in an instant, covered in a layer of red scales, and he could punch large abyssal mutants flying several meters with ease.

Another slim male apprentice—Noren, demonstrated precise elemental control abilities.

Ice-blue threads extended from his fingertips, coiling around enemies like flexible snakes, then rapidly tightened, freezing and slicing them into pieces.

Most impressive was a seemingly frail female apprentice—Lina.

With her eyes closed, dozens of mini light spheres floated around her.

Each one precisely shot at different enemies, penetrating their bodies, leaving smoking holes.

"Coordinated Formation!"

Eliot shouted, and everyone immediately moved to their predetermined positions, forming a perfect circular defensive formation.

This formation allowed everyone to maximize their advantages while compensating for each other's weaknesses, showcasing extremely high combat efficiency.

Despite the large number of abyssal creatures, they were quickly cleared away by the orderly attacks of the Crystal Tower elite squad, without causing any casualties.

"Team cooperation ability—perfect."

Eliot commented, looking at the battlefield with satisfaction, "It seems the training was not in vain."

"The guys from the Black Mist School certainly don't have this kind of camaraderie, nor the spiritual link our Lina's talent provides."

Kaiser scoffed, "I bet they're fighting individually right now, in complete disarray."

"Never underestimate any opponent."

Eliot warned:

"Especially that alchemist named Ron. It's said that he possesses the special talent of 'medicinal body resonance,' progressing at an astonishing speed."

Jacqueline mused, "I heard he's a half-muggle with an initial spiritual power of only a Sixth-class Star..."

"Now he's an advanced apprentice, and even ranks among the top candidates for the wizard lineup." Eliot reminded everyone:

"Such rapid progress is truly extraordinary."

"I'm actually quite looking forward to meeting his clone."

Kaiser grinned, "A guy with an alchemist background, how much fighting power could he possibly have..."

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