The senior man, standing suddenly, held a fuse and yelled defiantly, “These cursed insects will die with me!"

The senior man swiftly pulled the fuse, igniting the oil he had spread earlier, sending flames tearing through the pre-dug trenches, quickly encircling them in fire.

The senior man schemed to encircle the parasites with fire to prevent them from harming others.

Nicole finally understood the reason behind the senior man's insistence that she leave before dawn. He had orchestrated the timing to eradicate the parasites alongside himself.

"Run!" Nicole yelled.

Startled by the flames, the parasites halted their chase, dispersing in all directions.

Jarrod, carrying Roscoe, sprinted swiftly, with Alec and the others close behind. They soon found an exit and hurried through.

After they departed the area, the flames swiftly converged, engulfing the hidden base of the witch clan.

Several witches, who had managed to flee but not far enough, were frozen in terror, clinging to one another, weeping.

Nicole observed the ferocious blaze, hoping it would eradicate not only the parasites but also the malevolent practices that these witches did.

The fire started to spread to the ancient trees encircling the site.

If these millennia-old behemoths were to catch fire, the inferno would become unstoppable.

Sensing imminent danger, Nicole urgently exclaimed, "We need to move, now!"

Just as Nicole spoke, a colossal tree, undermined at its roots by the insects, began to fall.

It leaned perilously toward Jarrod and Roscoe, the latter being steadied by a bodyguard.

The bodyguard, recognizing the imminent threat, released Roscoe and stepped away.

Reacting instinctively, Nicole cried out, "Watch out!" She hastily pulled Roscoe aside just in time.

At the same moment, a distressing shout of "Sir!" echoed as Alec lunged toward Jarrod, trying to push Jarrod out of the tree's devastating path.

The massive tree thundered down, striking the earth and leaving a huge crater behind. If they hadn't moved when they did, they would have been crushed under the tree.

Just as Nicole caught her breath, a scream split the air.