The scene unfolding before Will's eyes was one that he would likely never forget for the rest of his life. It was the first time he had witnessed such immense power in a human being, and it made him realize the world was full of towering mountains, each higher than the last. His journey to becoming a true hero would be a long and arduous one.
After Jin shouted "Raging Torrent Palm," he brought his palms down forcefully upon the Necromancer's chest. At the same time, it was as though a vortex of high-speed air swirled around his hands, tearing the already tattered robes of the Necromancer into pieces. The Necromancer's body began to swell uncontrollably, and with a final explosion, it was torn apart. However, as he was already a corpse, no blood splattered forth.
"What... what is this? How is this possible?" Will stood frozen in disbelief, staring at the chaos before him. In his twenty years of life and all his studies, he had never encountered such a formidable technique. Even Lisa's magic had never amazed him this much. After dispatching the Necromancer, Jin stood motionless for a moment, his eyes closed as he took a deep breath. He then casually walked toward Will.
"Jin, what just happened? How did that Necromancer..." Will stammered, too stunned to form coherent words.
"This is one of the secret techniques of the Raging Torrent clan—Raging Torrent Palm. It channels a vast amount of internal energy into the opponent in an instant, causing their body to expand rapidly and ultimately explode," Jin explained, raising his hand to demonstrate the motion.
"Explode...?" Will repeated, his voice faltering. He shuddered at the thought of Jin using this technique on him. It would surely be a gruesome sight.
"Will? Will!" Jin called out, seeing Will lost in thought.
"Oh, nothing, hehe," Will chuckled sheepishly, snapping out of his trance.
"Let's go. We need to help Lisa," Jin said, then turned and ran toward the direction where Lisa had gone. Will, now fully aware, quickly followed suit.
Soon, the two arrived at the back courtyard of the Arus Palace. In the distance, they spotted Merlin, holding his Magic Obsession Stone next to a large block of ice.
"Merlin alone? Where's Lisa?" Will asked, squinting at the figure in the distance.
"Could it be...?" Jin murmured, his voice tinged with concern.
"No, Lisa is strong. She wouldn't be defeated by Merlin," Will said, though his expression suddenly turned to one of dread.
"Merlin!" he shouted in fury, then unsheathed his holy sword, Durandal, and charged at Merlin with renewed speed. The golden aura around him flared once again.
"Will, don't be reckless!" Jin called out in vain, but Will was already far ahead. Unable to stop him, Jin sighed and followed.
Merlin stood by the massive ice block, his Magic Obsession Stone drawing energy from the frozen magic inside. Within that block of ice, Lisa was trapped, her face frozen in an expression of fear and disbelief.
Not long ago, in the Arus Palace's back courtyard:
"Little girl, you seem to hold a deep grudge against me. But, I don't believe I know you, do I? Hehehe," Merlin grinned wickedly as he gazed at Lisa from a distance.
"Don't worry about me. You've already done enough wrong. There are plenty of people who want you dead," Lisa replied, her eyes burning with hatred as she glared at him.
"Ah, you make a fair point. I suppose I won't ask further, and I'll just kill you instead," Merlin sneered, his smile growing darker.
"Come at me," Lisa beckoned with a wave of her hand.
In the next moment, both Merlin and Lisa pointed their fingers at each other.
"Disintegration Ray!" "Disintegration Ray!" They shouted in unison, and two beams of black light shot from their fingers toward one another, colliding with explosive force and creating a swirling ball of dark red flame between them.
"What?" Merlin exclaimed, taken aback.
"You can use Disintegration Ray too? So you're one of the Mage Council, are you?" Merlin asked, though Lisa remained silent.
"No, the Mage Council consists of old fogies. They wouldn't have anyone so young," Merlin quickly dismissed his theory.
"Who are you, really?" Merlin demanded suddenly, amplifying his magic. The black ray from his finger grew massive, and Lisa, now struggling to maintain control, was clearly weakening. Sweat poured down her face, her expression contorted in pain, as if she could break at any moment.
"Die!" Merlin shouted viciously, and his black ray surged even larger. Left with no strength to counter it, Lisa immediately stopped casting and swiftly dodged the attack.
"Hahaha, little girl, with this Magic Obsession Stone, you're no match for me," Merlin chuckled with a smug grin as he watched Lisa stumble.
"Dammit! Ice Tomb!" Lisa cried, extending her hands as she summoned a freezing white mist, directing it at Merlin.
"Ah, naive!" Merlin laughed loudly, raising one hand to block the cold energy aimed at him.
"Let's see how you like your own magic!" Merlin's grin turned sly as he swiftly redirected the cold energy back at Lisa.
With no time to avoid, Lisa was struck by her own spell and encased within a solid ice tomb.
Now, back at the Arus Palace courtyard:
"Merlin!" Will, bathed in a golden aura, charged forward in fury.
"What have you done to Lisa?" Will roared, pointing his sword at Merlin, his voice seething with rage.
"Lisa? Oh, you mean this girl?" Merlin said casually, pointing at the massive ice block beside him.
Will followed his gaze and saw Lisa trapped within the ice, her face frozen in fear and shock.
"Damn it!" Will shouted, growing desperate. He drew Durandal and swung it violently at Merlin. However, Merlin did not flinch. He stood there, smiling wickedly, as an invisible shield surrounded him.
No matter how hard Will struck, his blade could not penetrate the barrier. Even with the golden energy flowing through him, Will found no way to harm Merlin, who was holding the Magic Obsession Stone.
"Damn it! Why can't I hurt him?" Will growled, frustration building as he continued to strike.
"Kid, stop wasting your time. Your current strength isn't enough to harm me," Merlin sneered, extending his hand. Suddenly, a gust of wind enveloped Will, sending him soaring into the air.
"Will!" Jin, who had just arrived, saw Will falling from the sky and immediately leapt to catch him.
"Gotcha," Jin said as he grabbed Will mid-air, saving him from the fall.
"Ha, lucky you," Merlin scoffed, unimpressed.
"Will, you're too impulsive," Jin said quietly, lowering Will to the ground.
"I can't hurt him. The Magic Obsession Stone has enhanced his power considerably," Will said, looking weary.
"Yeah, I've felt that power firsthand," Jin replied seriously, his gaze fixed on Merlin.
"But there must be a way," Jin continued with determination.
"Also, Lisa is trapped in that massive ice block," Will pointed toward the ice structure where Lisa was encased.
"Your energy is weakening. You need to rest, Will," Jin said, his voice filled with concern.
"Ah, I hadn't noticed," Will muttered, looking at himself. Indeed, the golden aura was fading, and he felt drained.
"Jin, what are you going to do?" Will asked, now sitting on the ground.
"Before you rest, I'll keep him occupied. Once you're ready, join me quickly. I can't handle him alone," Jin said, his eyes locked on Merlin, who was preparing to drain Lisa's magic.
"Be careful, he's no ordinary foe," Will warned.
"Of course," Jin responded, and in the blink of an eye, he darted toward Merlin with incredible speed.