Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1738  Real Pain (Part 2)

Forma had joined the fight alongside the rest of the Crimson Crane. To her, and to many of its members, the Crimson Crane wasn't just an organization, it was family. They had fought together, bled together, survived together. And deep in their hearts, they all felt a debt toward Alba for allowing them to become what they were.

For Forma, that debt ran especially deep.

However, the strain of using her weapon in major battles over the years had taken a severe toll on her mind. Every time she used it, she paid a price. It wasn't just physical exhaustion. It wasn't simply drained Qi.

It was pain. Real pain.

The curse attached to her weapon ensured that every arrow she fired returned its suffering to her. Every wound inflicted, every scream caused, it echoed back through her own body.

Because of that, it had become harder and harder for her to even lift the bow. The fear alone was enough to make her hesitate.

And yet, she possessed the power to change the tide of wars.

There was no limit to the number of arrows she could fire at once, each one targeting the enemy side with deadly precision. Most of the time, she would release a massive volley all at once, overwhelming her opponents in an instant.

But the pain of those arrows would strike her just as fiercely.

Often, it was enough to make her pass out.

Even when she regained consciousness, it wasn't as if she wanted to immediately experience that feeling again. The memory of it lingered, heavy and suffocating.

It was possibly one of the worst curses among all the weapons Raze had created.

There had only been one person who made it slightly more bearable.

Fixteen.

He had stood beside her, steady and unwavering. He had lightened her heart in ways she hadn't fully understood until now. It was because of him that she had managed to keep using the weapon. She had convinced herself that she needed to endure it, because the alternative, the loss of those around her, would hurt far worse.

Back then, she had believed that to be true.

Now she knew it was.

The loss of Fixteen was a pain deeper than anything her arrows had ever returned to her. It was hollow and endless, cutting through her far worse than any curse ever could.

And so she made her decision.

If the pain was unavoidable, then she would stop caring about herself.

She would not lose anyone else fighting by her side.

Gathering the Qi within her body, Forma leapt up onto the rubble around her. The broken stone crunched beneath her feet as she pushed forward. Reaching the edge of the shattered building, she didn't hesitate. She jumped again, clearing the gap to the next rooftop with ease.

Below her, she spotted mages on the ground. Without even fully landing, she drew and fired. Her arrows struck them directly in the head from behind before her feet touched the surface.

The top of her eyebrow twitched slightly as the returning pain shot through her body.

There was almost no reaction from her.

The battlefield raged around her, shouts, spells, collapsing structures, but her focus sharpened instead of faltering. She pulled back her bow once more and this time lifted her gaze toward the sky.

"10,000 arrows… fall," she declared.

She released the shot.

As the arrow flew upward, a large red orb formed in the sky above the battlefield. It began small, no larger than a flicker of light, before rapidly expanding outward, glowing ominously against the chaos below.

Those who noticed it turned their heads.

Many had fought in wars alongside Forma before. They knew that sight. They knew what it meant.

"Everyone, protect Forma at all costs!" Alba shouted immediately.

The Crimson Crane didn't hesitate. They moved toward her position with urgency, forming a protective perimeter around the building she stood upon.

But it wasn't just them.

Liam had managed to reach Dame. As he expected, Dame was badly injured, but he wasn't dead. His body was slowly recovering due to his Hybrid form. Even in such a state, faint regeneration was visible.

Liam lifted him carefully and began moving back, trying to carry him somewhere away from the heart of the fighting. Fortunately, Forma was positioned more toward the back of the battlefield. It made her location the safest place for him to retreat to.

B followed closely behind. Lince, the leader of one of the Demonic Factions, also moved in their direction. Amir joined as well, along with Rayna.

None of them ever wanted to pressure Forma into using her weapon. They couldn't imagine enduring a curse like hers. They were grateful simply to have her presence on the battlefield.

But they also understood reality. For them to win this war, sacrifices had to be made. Something had clearly changed inside her for her to choose this now.

They all knew that once the enemy realized what she was capable of, every mage, including Idore, would shift their focus toward her.

The red orb in the sky reached its full size. And then it happened. From within it, ten thousand arrows began to rain down.

Each one glowed red as it streaked through the air, descending like a storm. They aimed only at the enemy. No ally was targeted. Even when opponents attempted to move, the arrows tracked them, adjusting mid-flight.

The battlefield transformed instantly.

"What… is this…" Idore muttered as he stared upward, unable to quite believe what he was seeing.

For someone of his knowledge and experience, for someone who had mastered enchanted items and arcane power, this was something else entirely.

The arrows continued to fall. Relentless. Unavoidable.

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