Just as Rhys charged within a span of Lan Mi from Robin, just as he saw victory, just as he was about to grasp it—his nightmare began!

Suddenly, a colossal fireball, easily half a meter in diameter, materialized out of thin air. It hurtled toward Rhys, who wore an expression of sheer excitement, with blinding speed.

Seeing the fireball, Rhys’s expression visibly froze. He could never have dreamed that Robin’s speed in casting magic would be so swift, so monstrous!

Did she just chant a spell? Why didn’t I see it?

Shock notwithstanding, Rhys wasn't foolish enough to wait for the fireball to obliterate him.

He slammed the tip of his longsword fiercely into the ground, leveraging the force to execute a ninety-degree sidestep, narrowly evading the attack.

That maneuver alone demonstrated Rhys’s marked improvement; his dodging skills had clearly reached a certain level of proficiency. One had to admit, he was the prime example of someone growing through adversity! (However, imitation without professional guidance is strongly discouraged!)

Having dodged the fireball, a smug satisfaction once again flooded Rhys’s face. He had closed the distance to Robin by another half a meter and was nearly within his own striking range. He couldn't help but think: Time to finish this!

Don’t mistake Rhys for being overly arrogant; he was simply too deeply poisoned by "common sense." Magic users, as a rule, required a brief interval after casting one spell before they could conjure a second, and that sliver of time was crucial for victory!

However, Rhys forgot that Robin could not be judged by "common sense"!

Heaven always seemed to delight in playing tricks. Just as Rhys prepared to unleash a swift strike upon Robin, his body was inexplicably caught up and swept into the sky by a sudden whirlwind!

Again, magic appeared without warning, erupting from nowhere!

What—what is happening?

Rhys instantly panicked, beginning to grasp the gravity of the situation. Once a swordsman is airborne, he is like a duck drowning on dry land—nothing left to do but wait for death!

Watching from the side, Charlotte and Angelia both held their breath, their hearts lodged in their throats. Having fought Robin before, they knew how ruthless and precise the young girl could be when serious. Rhys facing her now was surely heading for a very bleak outcome!

As Rhys struggled desperately, about five or six meters directly above his head, a massive Ice Hammer suddenly appeared. It was as large as a vat, whistling through the air, and it smashed directly into Rhys’s body.

Under the immense force, Rhys plummeted without any suspense at a speed described as "faster than blinking":

"Boom!" kicking up a massive cloud of dust!

Fortunately, Rhys's ability to absorb punishment had improved considerably over the past few days, and he wasn't instantly finished by the impact, though he couldn't get up from the ground for a long time! (Perhaps he was just stunned senseless!)

Who would have thought that when competing against a mage, one would suffer such severe physical damage?

This might be one of Robin’s quirks; she believed that solid, tangible impact was the most effective method!

Robin showed no sign of stopping; in fact, this was only the beginning. What nobody anticipated was that with a mere thought, Robin cast a Light-Attribute Healing Spell on Rhys.

What on earth was happening? Did Robin pity Rhys and intend to end the bout now?

What followed was even more unbelievable. After the Light-Attribute Healing Spell, Robin unleashed another Ice Hammer, sending Rhys flying again!

What truly chilled the onlookers was that this cycle repeated itself several times—the healing, then the crushing blow!

Poor, unfortunate Rhys was utterly miserable! He was like a mouse caught by a cat, oscillating relentlessly between "hope and despair," all while his body endured ceaseless (In truth, Robin was far crueler than a cat; she held back from killing Rhys immediately, kindly granting him…)

Rhys finally understood why Angelia and Charlotte’s faces turned pale at the mere mention of "Robin"!

In Rhys’s own words, Robin wasn't human; she was the devil among demons!

(Though Rhys had been tormented every day recently, compared to this, his past suffering now felt like an extravagantly luxurious pleasure!)

Charlotte and Angelia watched, utterly dumbfounded. They felt a chill crawl down their spines, especially seeing Robin’s expression of "having great fun"!

Thankfully, just as Rhys was about to break completely, Zhong Shenxiu called a halt! (He always managed to stop things at precisely the right moment!)

Although Rhys was healed again by Robin’s Light magic, he was now barely breathing—his life hanging by a thread!

"Hey, girl, what do you think of Robin's magic? Is it decent?" Zhong Shenxiu suddenly asked Angelia, who was still reeling in shock.

Angelia blinked before responding. Her immediate thought was: This isn't just 'decent'; this is monstrously, incredibly perverted!

But she dared not say such a thing aloud, merely nodding in response!

"Girl, would you like to experience it yourself?" Zhong Shenxiu adopted an expression that suggested, I think highly of you. Angelia, however, did not appreciate the implication and shook her head vehemently, like a rattle drum.

If she had to spar with Robin, she’d rather just find a pillar and smash her head against it; at least that would be easier!

"Hey, woman, what about you? Care to try? With your strength, you should manage!" Zhong Shenxiu then turned to Charlotte, adding an encouraging tone.

Charlotte wasn't dense. Especially after witnessing the match just concluded, she knew her current power level meant instant defeat. She shook her head, waved her hands frantically, and even put on an expression pleading, My lord, please spare this humble woman!

It makes one sigh that people who are usually quite capable often falter at the critical moment! (But since these two are ladies, let’s not be too harsh!)

After Zhong Shenxiu and Robin departed, Charlotte and Angelia both let out long, deep sighs, as if they had been holding their breath for ages!

They exchanged a smile that left observers bewildered—perhaps women were simply too inscrutable! Just then, Charlotte seemed to recall something, her face twisting into alarm as she asked, "Wait, how many types of magic did Robin use just now?"

Angelia, prompted by the question, also realized what it implied. Though she remained silent, the look on her face showed she understood.

A multi-elemental mage, and one of the freakishly powerful kind!?

For an ordinary mage to achieve instant casting in even one element to Robin’s degree would qualify them as a genius among geniuses. Yet, Robin had just consecutively deployed five elements (Water, Earth, Wind, Fire, and Light). In the Xia Xing Empire, Robin would instantly be classified as a "National First-Class Protected Asset"!

The Xia Xing Empire is a nation that places immense value on magic. Every infant born there is entitled to three years of mandatory magical education, and those who excel are exempted from all tuition and fees. Upon graduation, the academy guarantees job placement with civil service status!

Enough digression. That day finally passed. The next morning, Zhong Shenxiu and Robin headed to the library of the "Dubray Magic and Martial Arts Academy" early on.

It should be noted that they hadn't visited in several days, and during that time, Ma Kexin had been nearly frantic searching for them!

That day, perhaps on a whim, Zhong Shenxiu entered a section specifically housing books on "Social History."

He circled the bookshelves for a long time but found no volumes that interested him. However, just as he was about to turn away, a book title caught his eye.

The book was titled: What Do You Know About "Zhan."

Ever since selling the ruins of two "Zhan" sites, Zhong Shenxiu had become intensely curious about what exactly "Zhan" was, and why so many people cared about it?

Driven by curiosity, he pulled the book from the shelf. But after flipping through the first few pages, Zhong Shenxiu frowned. They were filled with empty platitudes—descriptions like "no predecessors before, no successors after," and exclamations about its "incomparable research value," and so on!

Fortunately, after skipping five or six pages, the text finally got to the point; otherwise, Zhong Shenxiu might have lost all patience.

The so-called "Zhan" referred, as the characters suggested, to a war. And this war had enveloped the entire globe.

It could be called, without exaggeration, a "World War"!

The sheer scope of the area involved and the multitude of participating nations were astonishing!

The cause of the war seemed to be a struggle over something specific, though the book provided no details, only stating that this remained an unsolved mystery!

As Zhong Shenxiu continued reading, one sentence made his body jolt—it concerned the origin of the name "Zhan."

"Zhan" was an abbreviation for "". Its meaning was "Zero Survivors"!

This was an utterly terrifying concept. No war in history was known to achieve "Zero Survivors." In any conflict, there are always survivors who become witnesses to history.

But this "Zhan"—not a single witness remained. What a profoundly bizarre event!

Later generations knew of it only through deductions based on surviving artifacts. (No wonder it was so shrouded in mystery, and no wonder the "Zhan" ruins were so highly coveted!)

But a new question arose: What factor could possibly lead to a "Zero Survivors" phenomenon?

This could not be mere chance; there must be a major secret hidden behind it!

Realizing this, a strange light ignited in Zhong Shenxiu's eyes—the look he got whenever he encountered a profound challenge!

There was reason to believe that the truth unknown to the masses would most likely be unveiled before Zhong Shenxiu, this "Genius"!

This world was becoming increasingly fascinating!

(A playful smile touched the corner of the "Genius’s" lips!)