The massive explosions made the air tremble and vibrate as they got closer. It felt like they were in the middle of an area suffering from countless earthquakes... The air got heavier thanks to all that and thanks to the density of the mana. Still, they eventually reached the clouds, and the attacks suddenly stopped.

The group didn’t feel anything while crossing the clouds... they were just projected illusions made to hide what was inside of them. Everyone was left speechless when they saw the thing...

The group’s approach led them to a startling sight – the enemy’s base wasn’t just a floating island, but a colossal floating fortress brimming with formidable defenses. The imposing walls of the fortress were lined with an array of cannons, their muzzles trained outward in a clear message of hostility. These weapons were designed not to deter attackers but to repel them, their ominous presence a warning to any who dared to challenge the fortress.

As they neared the walls, the air around them crackled with energy as a network of watchtowers within the fortress’s walls activated. These structures, armed with the power of lightning, sent bolts of crackling energy hurtling towards the group. Each strike was a testament to the fortress’s lethal capabilities, a relentless assault designed to halt the intruders in their tracks.

Gustavo stopped the attacks that flew insanely fast thanks to his telekinetic powers, but little by little the lightning arrows were getting closer... they needed to do something about that.

"If they are automatic defense systems... then..." Terry thought while squinting his eyes. "Keep your guard up, I will do something about the watchtowers."

Terry said and then jumped from the earth platform. A stunned silence settled over the group as they were confronted with a sight that none of them had anticipated. The sudden transformation of the watchtowers into instruments of attack left them momentarily speechless, their minds racing to process the unexpected turn of events. It was as if the fortress itself had sensed their approach and responded with a swift and deadly countermeasure.

As Terry had surmised, the watchtowers began to pivot with an eerie precision, their attention focused solely on him. These structures, which had appeared innocuous at first glance, now revealed their true nature. Rising like sentinels from the fortress walls, the towers held within them a network of intricately designed electric poles, poised to unleash their deadly payload.

With a mechanical efficiency, the watchtowers discharged their ammunition – bolts of lightning that lanced through the air with a crackling intensity. The sky around Terry became a battlefield of searing energy as the electric arrows surged towards him.

Some of the attacks hit Terry, but soon most of them stopped hitting him when he made his body collide against the first watchtower. The impact made the area tremble and destroyed the whole structure. Only when that happened most of them resumed their attacks again.

"Hehehe, I get it... they can’t attack when there is a risk to damage each other," Terry thought and then used the Dark Pegasus Boots.

Terry knew that he couldn’t turn invisible, since those structures probably had motion sensors. So, he just moved around as fast as he could, kicking the watchtowers from one side to the other.

The others eventually joined the fight. As the group faced the barrage of lightning arrows from the watchtowers, Gustavo’s telekinetic prowess came into play. His focused concentration allowed him to exert his power on the environment around them. With a display of sheer strength, he clenched his fists and unleashed a surge of telekinetic energy. The watchtowers in his line of sight trembled and then collapsed under the overwhelming force, their mechanisms crumbling and sparking in defeat.

Beside him, Vanessa harnessed the power of the wind itself. With a sweeping gesture, she summoned a fierce gust that cut through the air. Her wind magic danced in a whirlwind of energy, slicing through the electric poles and disabling the watchtowers in its path. The snapping of metal and the scent of ozone marked her success as the once-threatening towers now stood rendered and broken.

Meanwhile, Rebecca focused on attacking with ice magic to counter the watchtowers. With swift precision, she conjured blocks of ice from the surrounding air. Her magic transformed the very moisture around her into formidable weapons. The ice blocks were launched with accuracy, colliding with the watchtowers and enveloping them in a layer of frost. The towers faltered as the ice encased their mechanisms, rendering them inoperable.

It seemed that Fernanda was the only one in the group that didn’t have long ranged skills, but the others compensated for that more than a little bit.

Before long, most of the watchtowers were destroyed and the ones that were still intact suddenly began to go down on some platforms. The floor of the fortress seemed like it was made of stone, but it was actually some kind of metal... In any case, the group raised their guard while watching that.

"What the hell is going on..." Rebecca asked when the group landed nearby.

"Can’t you tell?" Terry asked. "We are being welcomed by the toys of a very serious overlord. I take it that you can’t feel anything since the floor isn’t made of Earth."

"Yeah... I can’t," Rebecca said while showing a complicated expression.

"I can’t find their presences either since the magic around is too thick," Vanessa added.

As the group continued their exploration, their attention was drawn to the immense reservoir of mana that seemed to fuel the floating structure’s formidable defenses. The sheer amount of magical energy emanating from the fortress was staggering, leaving them with a sense of unease. The question of where such a vast quantity of mana was being sourced from became a troubling mystery that they couldn’t ignore.

The implications of this mana source weighed heavily on their minds. The connection between the captured humans and the overwhelming flow of mana was a disturbing possibility.