Since it was a system-generated spell, the chant for Water Bullet was the same as for Water Ball.
But the effects were entirely different.
And here's what happened:
The surrounding water elements converged in a radiating pattern in front of Ashu's palm. In an instant, they compressed into a tiny water droplet the size of a bullet.
With a sound like a balloon popping, the water droplet shot out like a ray and pierced straight into the monster's forehead.
The wound caused by Water Bullet was small, but its penetration power was far greater than that of the Water Ball. The shot went straight through the monster's skull and into its brain.
When the brain is damaged, the body becomes paralyzed. The monster's three legs immediately lost control and couldn't exert any strength, leaving only one arm, which still had some slight movement.
The brain damage didn't cause the monster to die instantly.
But it no longer posed any threat.
Ashu let out a breath of relief. The spell had drained all his energy, and his legs felt weak, unable to support him. His mind felt like he had a severe cold; even a slight movement caused sharp pains.
The moment the spell was cast, all the energy he normally had for an entire day was sucked away in an instant.
"Ashu!"
Anna supported him. She was still reflecting on the spell that Ashu had just cast. From the chant, it was clearly a Water Ball spell, but the power and form of what Ashu had created were incomparable.
Looking at Ashu's current state, it was clear he had poured all his energy into this one spell, creating this scene.
Even in the Witch's Guild trials, this would easily earn an S rank.
At that moment.
Hurried footsteps were heard.
Ashu, gathering the last of his strength, turned his head. The newcomer was Carol's father.
"Ashu, you…"
Before he could finish, Carol's father saw the blood hole in the monster Carol's head. He froze, as though struck by lightning, and fell to his knees with a thud.
Upon seeing this.
Ashu quickly made a connection.
Earlier, he had heard Carol and the wizard discussing the potion. Not long after, a monster that he had never seen appeared, and now, with Carol's father's expression...
He thought to himself: This monster was most likely Carol.
"Self-inflicted, deserved death. What kind of wizard from Creekwater Village would you dare to invite into your home?" Ashu said coldly. "Where is he now?"
Ashu sensed the danger.
The wizard from Creekwater Village was notorious for leaving no loose ends. He would clean up the scene thoroughly. Although there were rumors in the nearby villages, no one had any solid evidence. Without evidence, even the Cultivator Guild couldn't settle the matter.
If he exposed Carol and her father in front of the wizard, the man would be sharpening his knives behind the scenes.
"Y-You… Ashu, you killed my daughter... You killed my daughter... I'm going to tell the Cultivator Guild... I'll make you pay for this..."
Carol's father mumbled as he knelt on the ground. Ashu glanced at him, noticing the crazed look in his eyes.
He couldn't be bothered to deal with it.
Summoning the little energy he had left, he kicked Carol's father aside, then quickly grabbed Anna's hand and ran toward his home.
"Anna, run, run quickly!" Ashu gasped, struggling to speak. "I can't run fast anymore. You need to go back and grab my father's knight's sword."
Though he hadn't seen the wizard Ula-Ula, Ashu was certain that, beneath the calm fields, there was a hungry wolf lurking in the shadows.
Normally, with Water Bullet, he wouldn't fear the wizard. At worst, it would be a battle of magic, to see who died first.
But now, having used Water Bullet on the monster, he was completely drained. He couldn't even run properly, let alone cast another spell.
If the wizard attacked now, both he and Anna would be doomed.
"It seems like this is where you two meet your end," a hoarse voice suddenly came from behind.
Then.
Carol's father's accusatory words followed.
"You promised... you promised you would return my daughter to me... you..."
Before Carol's father could finish his sentence, his voice was cut off forever.
He was thrown by the wizard directly to the monster Carol. Without even glancing at him, the remaining arm of the creature reached out and shoved him straight into its mouth.
"Kid, you look like you're all used up," the wizard said, completely indifferent to Carol's father's death, not even sparing him a second glance. He walked toward his target. "Twice! Twice! I've endured you twice! This time, in front of your face, I'll show you what real humiliation feels like!"
After speaking.
The wizard's greedy gaze shifted to Anna.
"A saint who only has the title, but no true power. You aren't even a full cultivator, just a cultivator apprentice. You made me hesitate for so long. Now, you'll pay the price yourself!"
With those words, the wizard stopped holding back. He immediately unleashed his full power, intending to capture Anna.
However...
The proverbial dead camel is still bigger than a horse. Even though Anna's cultivation had fallen, she was still someone who had been on the brink of becoming a witch.
Her knowledge and abilities far surpassed everything Ula-Ula had learned in his lifetime.
Moreover, she was a natural spiritual perception level twelve practitioner.
The moment Anna felt the shift in the surrounding Magical Essence, she tapped into her unparalleled control over it and immediately regained command of the Magical Essence around her.
She formed a basic Magical Essence barrier, controlling both herself and Ashu's surroundings.
This action nullified Ula-Ula's long-range manipulation.
"Hmm?" Ula-Ula sensed his powers were no longer responding as he expected. He was momentarily confused. A saint-level apprentice and a spent genius—what kind of power could they possibly have to stop him?
"Ashu, I don't often use this spell, so I'm not sure if it'll work," Anna said, not paying much attention to the wizard. She glanced at Ashu instead. "As I said before, I need to fully train myself. I've learned the monk's healing spells too, and now... it's time to relearn them."
"Healing spell..."
As Ashu was pondering, the system's voice suddenly rang in his mind.
[Anna·Kagreia: Healing Spell +1]
[Critical Hit Return! Passive Protection: Sustained Healing +1!]
A surge of joy filled Ashu's heart. The previous Wood Vine spell hadn't triggered a system prompt, which meant it had already been learned before the system's activation. But now, the Healing Spell was a huge help.
He felt the effect of the critical hit return. What had originally been the basic monk's healing spell had now transformed into a long-lasting BUFF that didn't require a chant, directly applied to himself. It enhanced his healing efficiency as his stamina and soul power decreased.
The lower his stamina and soul power, the higher the healing efficiency.
A golden glow of magic flashed around Ashu's body—this was the effect of Anna's spell. Immediately afterward, his passive healing began to take effect as well, creating a double healing effect!
Soon.
He felt his body regaining strength, and his mind became clearer.
Using Water Bullet again was no longer a problem!
From the moment Anna cast the unchanted healing spell, only a split second had passed. The wizard Ula-Ula, still confused, saw Ashu's complexion return to health instantly.
He froze.
Two consecutive events that defied his understanding left Ula-Ula not only curious but also fearful.
What kind of genius could dismantle his attacks so quickly?
Today, he had to kill this kid. Otherwise, there would be endless trouble in the future!
If this kid was allowed to leave, it wouldn't take a year... no, not even a month. In just a month, this kid would have the ability to turn the tables and kill him!
"Gulp—"
Ula-Ula quickly downed two potions—one yellow and one blue. His condition immediately improved.
He feared geniuses.
And that's why he had become extra cautious.
After boosting his own status, he raised his staff and aimed it at Ashu, preparing his ultimate attack.
A ball of dark flame was forming, almost ready...
At that moment...
Ashu's chant for Water Ball echoed, and Ula-Ula couldn't help but sneer. Here he was, giving everything to fight a genius, and the genius was treating him like a fool by using something as trivial as a Water Ball...
But soon, Ula-Ula's smile faded.
A water droplet, compressed to the extreme, not only extinguished his flame but also pierced his heart.
"Ugh!!"
"I!!"
Ula-Ula pressed his left hand to his heart, feeling his power drain away like a flood.
"I... curse you... all my creations will come after you..."
With his last ounce of strength, he cast a spell, marking Ashu as the target of all the enemies his alchemical creations would ever make.
Ashu felt a pang of regret upon hearing this.
"It's a pity. I still haven't fully recovered. I was afraid I'd miss the head, so I had to aim for the body."
Ashu's body felt like it had been on a rollercoaster—peaking, being drained, recovering, draining again, and slowly recovering once more...
The Water Bullet just now was aimed at the head, but since his soul power hadn't fully recovered, he didn't have confidence in hitting it properly. So, he aimed for the body instead.