Toz took a final deep breath before he began absorbing. He wanted to close his eyes, but that would deactivate his mana vision, the very thing that made his idea possible. Since he couldn't close his eyes, Toz had to look at the tsunami of mana he was about to pull into himself. He couldn't help but be nervous in front of it. But he didn't let that nervousness dissuade him, and he commenced his breakthrough.
The mana began entering Toz's body, where all attributes other than fire got converted to fire while rushing toward his mana pool. Fire mana headed straight toward his mana pool, and demonic energy moved slower since it resisted both the absorption and the conversion. But the demonic energy couldn't refuse, and it eventually transformed into fire mana as well.
Toz's mind was already starting to become hazy, but he could barely manage to discern that the mix of fire mana, mana of other attributes, and demonic energy helped him endure the rush of mana. Since all three types of mana moved through his body at different speeds, it wasn't overwhelmed by too much mana entering and flowing through it at once.
However, he could feel the strain, and the only reasons he could withstand it was the fact that he had undergone six refinements and that his bonds with the cats naturally strengthened his body's endurance, regeneration, and physical capabilities.
Toz could also tell that his bond with Mindle helped him handle the fire mana better, whether it be as it rushed through his body or when it came to converting other attributes to fire.
But it remained to be seen if it would be enough. Toz hoped it would be. Unfortunately, there wasn't much he could do to change his fate now that he had begun.
He had some degree of control in the beginning, but as more and more mana poured into him, Toz felt his control slip out of his hands. He felt like a tiny rowboat trapped at sea in the middle of a storm as the mana swept through him and into his mana pool.
Toz could feel the damage begin building in his body, and he could tell that if it continued, he might not survive. But he didn't resist the flow of mana. If he tried to, he would only put even more pressure on his body, which would almost definitely break it. It was too late to back out.
The only way Toz could survive was by enduring and keeping his mind in place so that it didn't float away in the midst of mana rushing through every nook and cranny in his body.
Eventually, Toz became so lost in the mana that he started losing his sense of self. He realized what was going on as the mana began filling his mind. But the only thing he could do was endure. So, that's what he did. However, as he locked his mind in place, he lost all sense of what was happening to his body. He became unable to tell what was going on outside as soon as the mana started pouring into him.
While Toz closed his mind, hoping that he and his body would be able to endure, the world outside him was gradually changing.
The mana that Toz had targeted and started absorbing didn't all enter Toz's body at once. But it did group together. And the mix of fire mana, other types of mana, and demonic energy clashed and swirled under the cover of Toz's mana which guided it toward his body.
As the mana continued to swirl around, waiting to plummet into Toz's body, it gradually formed a giant vortex that blanketed the sky. The collision of mana and the increasing density had made the mana visible to the naked eye.
The maelstrom of various hues of orange, the deathly greyish black of death attribute demonic energy, and the sprinkling colors of other attributes spun slowly.
Although the Fortress was located pretty far from the frontlines, the Alliance of Kingdom's recent offensives had pushed the frontlines closer, and both armies could see the vortex as it grew and trapped even more mana inside it.
The vortex's abrupt appearance and the pressure it exuded put a temporary stop to the fighting.
The combatants fighting on the side of the Alliance of Kingdoms feared what they thought was the ultimate attack of the Tribe of Death.
And the combatants fighting on the side of the Tribe of Death feared the devastating surprise ambush that the humans had launched. The Tribe of Death's army was trapped between the humans and the vortex of mana. And if the vortex was as dangerous as it seemed, the Tribe of Death had already lost.
However, the quick-witted commanders of both armies noticed the others' attitude and their spiking fear and realized that neither side was behind the vortex.
General Scoll, the commander of the Alliance of Kingdoms' army, was suspicious enough to make it show on his face. But he didn't have enough information to make a decision or determine what was going on. However, he did know enough to discern that it wasn't the Tribe of Death's ultimate attack, so he faced the soldiers fighting in front of the raised dais where he stood with his secretary and remaining bodyguards.
"Continue the attack!"
Scoll didn't bother with encouraging or motivating words to make the combatants fight harder. His voice alone was enough. He used his mundane type inclination and the magic it gave him to strengthen his voice and make it reach the entire battlefield. He filled his voice with his command. And before the combatants even knew what was going on, the battle had already restarted.
Spells, magic, martial techniques, weapons, and attacks flew through the air and across the battlefield as the humans took the advantage and launched a joint attack against the demons, demonic beasts, and whoever else fought on the side of the Tribe of Death.
