Chapter 350: Thank You
Damn...
Sylas West's heart sank instantly—just as he feared, it was the Hand of Devouring...
As a violent gale swept through, the surrounding mana surged uncontrollably, as if drawn by some invisible force, rolling toward Herman’s outstretched palm. In an instant, the once-calm alchemy laboratory was transformed into a scene of utter chaos.
"Barlow, get back!" Sylas had witnessed firsthand the terrifying power of the Hand of Devouring—back in the Sungold Plane, Herman had demonstrated this horrifying ability more than once during those three days and nights...
Now, with the Hand of Devouring appearing again, Sylas knew trouble was coming. He quickly shoved Barlow backward...
Sure enough...
Almost the moment Barlow retreated, the power of the Hand of Devouring erupted. In that instant, Sylas heard a startled cry beside him. When he turned to look, Barlow’s face had gone deathly pale...
Even more terrifying...
Barlow tried chanting two spells in quick succession, but he couldn't conjure even a single rune shield...
You had to understand, Barlow was a bona fide Fifth-Level Mage. Casting a runic shield should be as effortless as breathing—just a flicker of the lips, a whisper of intent. Yet here he was, forced to chant the incantation twice in a row...
Sylas West knew exactly what this meant: a sign of mana disruption...
That detail alone made Sylas's expression grow even darker. Just a few years apart, and Herman's Hand of Devouring had become this monstrous? Barlow had only been brushed by the aftermath—a mere ripple—yet it had thrown his mana into chaos outright. How delightful.
And Merlin, right at the center of that Hand of Devouring...
The thought alone made Sylas's face cloud over even further. Some days, you really couldn't catch a break.
"Damn it..." Sylas muttered, the curse slipping out as he raised his head.
Because right then, Herman's right hand was already reaching out...
Sylas knew, the Hand of Devouring was at its most lethal in that moment of direct contact—especially with flesh. At that point, it was nearly unstoppable. Even someone like him, a Title Archmage, would lose a staggering amount of mana from a single touch. If he was lucky, he'd only suffer mana disruption; if not, the mana vortex would drain him dry...
At a time like this, the smartest thing that young mage could do was retreat—immediately.
Only by dodging the Hand of Devouring's strongest attack could there be any hope of turning the tables later...
In the end, as soon as Suyas lifted his head, he saw that young mage raise his staff...
In that fleeting moment, Suyas felt a chill seep into his heart.
It’s over. It’s all over...
So it really comes to this...
Just as Suyas was about to curse, the young mage’s staff swung upward—a split second, the staff, inlaid with a massive gemstone, collided with the spectral hand conjured by magic...
“Foolish,” Herman sneered coldly, the corners of his mouth twisting into a frosty smirk. Herman had survived the merciless crucible of the Black Tower for years, countless battles that skirted the edge of death, besting enemies who seemed invincible. No one understood better than Herman the terror unleashed once the Devouring Hand made direct contact—the kind of power that could shatter worlds.
Let alone a twenty-something mage...
Even those prodigies who once towered above him, whether by talent or sheer magical might, revealed shock and regret in their eyes at the instant the Devouring Hand touched them.
The moment the Devouring Hand met the staff, a surge of swallowing force exploded forth. The massive gemstone atop the staff dulled instantly, and a torrent of magic flooded into Herman’s body like a dam bursting. He inhaled, drunk on the familiar sensation—comfortable, almost intoxicating. For Herman, this was neither surprising nor exhilarating. He knew, soon enough, the Devouring Hand would reduce this fine magical artifact to scrap, and then it would be the young mage’s turn. Maybe a minute, maybe two; it wouldn’t take long. The young mage would be drained of every last drop of mana, left a hollow shell.
Everything was under Herman’s control...