For a moment, the magical light across the battlefield was no longer primarily associated with explosions and destruction, but transformed into various binding and deformation effects. Amidst the sounds of transformation and the bleating of sheep, the fish-men charging toward the rear were temporarily halted. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at finding a solution.
"BOOM!!!" A deafening roar, far louder than all previous sounds, erupted violently from the centre of the frozen lake. Immediately after, a continuous rumble followed, and the entire ground shook violently. The earth beneath their feet was like a sampan in a storm, lurching violently up and down and swaying left and right. Even standing became extremely difficult, and many people fell to the ground.
A ring-shaped shockwave, mixed with ice crystals, snowy foam, and gravel, originated from the centre of the frozen lake. Like a tempest, it raged toward everyone, moving so fast that it reached the lakeshore in the blink of an eye. Wherever the shockwave passed, the frozen lake surface shattered inch by inch. Huge chunks of ice flew high into the air, and the frozen earth on the shore was torn apart and rolled up.
"Watch out!!!" Margarita cried out, her voice distorted. Almost at the very moment the loud noise erupted, a fierce light flashed in her eyes, and she suddenly raised her left hand upward and extended it forward.
"FWOOSH!!" A translucent shield, like an inverted giant bowl, instantly unfolded before her and rapidly expanded. It enveloped all the mages behind them, including Triss, Yennefer, and Keira, as well as Dalton and the others nearby. The shield had barely formed when the destructive shockwave crashed into it.
"Crack! Crack! Snap! Snap!!!"
It was as if countless invisible giant hammers were violently pounding against the shield's surface, producing a terrifying cracking sound. Countless sharp ice chunks and hard stones of various sizes, carried by the shockwave, mercilessly bombarded the shield. In just one exchange, the shield that Margarita had been struggling to maintain — a shield strong enough to ignore siege equipment — was covered in spiderweb-like cracks.
The shield rapidly thinned, became unstable, and seemed on the verge of total collapse. Margarita turned deathly pale with fright, veins bulging on her forehead. Her magical power poured forth in a torrent, but it still could not prevent the shield's collapse. Horror and disbelief flickered in her eyes. Was this merely... the aftermath of a battle? This wasn't even a direct attack aimed at them? And she couldn't even withstand it with her fully activated shield?!
"Wait! Quick! Input magic!"
Triss, Yennefer, and Keira also realised what was happening, their faces turning pale, but they did not hesitate in the slightest. They immediately raised their hands before them, channelling all their magical power into the failing shield. The addition of magic from the three sorceresses somewhat stabilised the shield, slowing the spread of the cracks. But these three women were significantly inferior to Margarita; their fatigue noticeably increased, their faces grew paler, and their breathing became heavier.
The power of this shockwave was terrifying, and the energy required to maintain the barrier was beyond imagination. Yet even so, the shield continued to groan under the strain, new cracks constantly forming. It was a completely hopeless sight. Four of them working together, struggling to hold back even the aftershocks?!
At the very moment the shield was approaching its critical point, two even more powerful and vast magical forces intervened. Additionally, a bright green magic, full of natural life force, was simultaneously channelled into the shield. Hen, Tissaia, and Mousesack had made their move.
Hen and Tissaia didn't even need to chant; their eyes merely narrowed slightly, and the shield instantly strengthened. With the support of these three, the previously unreliable shield shone brilliantly, its thickness increasing several times over. The light flowing across the shield's surface solidified, and the cracks sealed and vanished at an astonishing speed.
"BOOM!!!" At that moment, the main body of the shockwave crashed into the reinforced shield. The shield vibrated violently, emitting a dull, thunderous roar, but in the end, it held. Only the outermost protective layer was severely depleted and somewhat thinned.
Beyond the barrier, a truly apocalyptic scene unfolded: the shockwave, like an invisible giant plough, continued to relentlessly retreat backward.
"BOOM!!!" Behind them, trees that would have required several people to encircle stood. Upon contact with the shockwave, they snapped in half like fragile wheat stalks, sending splinters flying in all directions from the impact. Immediately after, the broken tree trunks, uprooted roots, and frozen earth were tossed into the air and torn apart like toys. Countless stones and clods of earth flew through the air like boulders launched from a catapult, scouring away several layers of topsoil.
This destructive force raged for over three hundred metres from the lakeshore, gradually weakening and finally subsiding.
When Margarita and the others inside the protective shield looked out through the thinning barrier...
They all gasped, shock and lingering fear reflected on their faces. As far as the eye could see, there was only devastation; all the trees, boulders, and earthen slopes that might have blocked the view had vanished. All that remained was a flat strip of land, covered in ice debris, wood fragments, and cracks.
Their field of view had expanded incredibly, allowing them to observe the unfolding battle on the distant frozen lake without any obstruction — though at that moment, they wished they hadn't seen it.
At the centre of the frozen lake, a golden-shrouded figure hovered in the air — Karn. He slightly turned his head and glanced at them, but only turned back after confirming they were safe.
Karl's cold, sharp gaze pierced through the ice and fixed upon Dagon, whom he had just sent reeling back in a head-on clash. At this moment, Dagon looked extremely battered; one of its thick arms had completely vanished below the shoulder. There was no blood at the severed site, only billowing black mist, and the flesh writhed, attempting to regenerate. The black mist around it had become much thinner than before, its aura noticeably weakened, and its eyes burned with raging fire.
Clearly, in this straightforward, unpretentious confrontation, Dagon had suffered a tremendous loss. The blow Karl had just delivered... because he had been so focused on the brawl, he had used a little too much force. His current power surprised even himself, and he had nearly caused a catastrophe, wiping out both allies and enemies in one fell swoop.
At this moment, Dagon let out a furious, unwilling, and maddened roar, and from its severed arm, black mist rose with force. Drawing energy from the depths of the frozen lake beneath its feet, it erupted into black light, and flesh and bone began to grow and intertwine at a visible speed. In an instant, a new arm grew back, completely intact and seemingly even thicker and more grotesque.
Karl's gaze grew even colder. His figure swayed slightly in the air, and he appeared before Dagon like a ghost. His body radiated golden light, as bright as the sun, which scattered and condensed the black mist surrounding Dagon.