I am the Holy Poisoner, the Empress advised me to calm down

The purple humanoid's laughter seemed to carry some kind of magic, making people feel their hearts sink. It slowly floated in the air, its red eyes seeming to penetrate everyone's soul.

"Standard? What does that mean?" The girl asked vigilantly, gripping the weapon in her hand tightly, while signaling her friends around her to prepare for battle.

"It's simple. Are you truly qualified to face the greater challenge ahead?" the humanoid sneered, a cloud of smoke swirling around him, giving him an elusive aura. "You know, the power of darkness is far greater than this."

The discussions in the crowd gradually stopped, and everyone's eyes were filled with confusion and uneasiness.

"You are right, darkness will never completely disappear. But no matter how powerful the force is, it cannot defeat people's will!" A young warrior walked out of the crowd, straightened his back, and looked at the humanoid creature with a firm gaze.

The humanoid was slightly stunned, then shook his head in disdain. "Willpower? Ha, how ridiculous... Do you think you can defeat me with the faith of mortals like you?"

The old man slowly took a step forward, and his aged yet powerful voice rang out, "Young man, you are wrong. This is more than just a simple confrontation. The struggle between light and darkness has never ceased since ancient times. The key lies in how to choose and how to stick to one's own path. Now it seems that our companions have made their decision and are ready to face any challenge."

Upon hearing this, the crowd burst into applause and cheers, and many onlookers were also infected by this courage.

"Grandpa, what you said is very good! We will never let darkness cover the earth again!" A little child shouted excitedly, waving the wooden sword in his hand. The children around him followed suit, and the scene seemed particularly warm and passionate.

Just as the atmosphere was about to reach its climax, the strange being laughed creepily again: "In that case... then let's test how strong this 'determination' is!" As soon as the words fell, his body quickly stretched and elongated, and finally transformed into a huge dragon-like creature, circling in the air.

The air suddenly became filled with a stronger sense of oppression. Many people couldn't help but gasp, and even took a few steps back to keep their distance.

However, at this tense moment, the girl who had been standing silently at the front of the team finally spoke. "Don't be afraid, just follow my instructions! With our collective efforts, we can overcome any difficulties!" Her voice was clear and firm, instantly calming the anxious hearts of many of her companions. "Now, everyone, please focus all your attention on one point: attack the weak spot—the center of the head!"

"Okay! Let's do it!" The soldiers immediately agreed, and then quickly adjusted their formation, preparing to launch an attack according to her command.

"Hmph, stupid guys... Do you think you can defeat me like this?" The monster transformed into a dragon didn't seem to take it seriously, but it would soon realize how terrifying this group of brave men was.

Accompanied by the girl's high-pitched and powerful slogan, everyone worked together to unleash a variety of attack methods, from spell bombardment to sharp blade piercing, and so on. The strong light that permeated the air gradually dispelled some of the gloomy atmosphere that enveloped the surroundings, as if symbolizing that the dawn of victory was not far away...

Suddenly, an unexpected figure joined the battle—it was the long-missing old magician! His entire body shone with a dazzling silver light, and his every gesture exuded an unprecedented aura of authority. "Well done, children! Keep up the hard work until you achieve victory!" He encouraged the girls and turned to face the enemy, unleashing all the energy he had accumulated over the years!

The entire space was instantly filled with an incomparably brilliant light, and almost everyone could not open their eyes... When the light faded, the scene that appeared before everyone shocked everyone present - the extremely arrogant monster had been completely sealed up and could not move!

"Great! We won!" Xiaoyong was the first to jump up with joy, and the others followed suit. "But Grandpa... why are you..." The girl choked up and couldn't speak, as the old man standing before her was gradually becoming blurry.

"My child... don't be sad," the old man said in a weak voice, a kind smile on his face. "Every generation has its heroes, and now it's your turn to perform. Remember, true strength comes from within, not from without... May this faith guide you towards a brighter tomorrow."

After he finished speaking, the figure completely disappeared, leaving only an empty space... but the warmth that remained in the air still reminded everyone of the endless grace and enlightenment that this elder had brought to this place.

"We will definitely keep working hard!" The young man solemnly promised on behalf of all his companions, and then led them onward toward an unknown journey, vowing to protect this beautiful world forged by the sweat of countless people...

Just as everyone was leaving, the sound of footsteps suddenly rang out from the nearby ruins. A figure quietly stepped out, gazing at the departing figure with a strange yet meaningful smile: "Hehehe... the fun has only just begun... see you soon~"

With the mysterious figure gone from sight, the story remains shrouded in endless suspense... What trials await these young warriors in the future? Everything remains a mystery... As the mysterious figure vanishes into the ruins, the group embarks on a new journey. However, the old man's departure weighs heavily on each of them. The young woman grips her sword tightly, her face firm, but her eyes conceal fatigue and sadness.

Just as the group had walked a short distance, several townspeople happened to be rushing back from a distance. One of them, seeing the dust covering the girl and her companions and the blood-stained weapons in their hands, stopped in surprise. "Hey, did you kids really defeat that monster? Oh my god! That's incredible!" A young woman nearby chimed in, "Yeah, yeah! I heard it turned the whole town into a mess. If it weren't for you... I'm afraid we'd be in trouble."

"Actually, we all have to thank that old man. If it weren't for his sacrifice... we wouldn't have been able to achieve the final victory."