Chapter 413: Dual Elemental Avatar
With a loud "thud," Rolf was tossed into the air and then slammed hard into the ground. As a Phantom Archer skilled in both martial arts and magic—his body and spells perfectly fused—he could take a dozen falls like that without ever getting hurt.
But still...
Who the hell wants to get thrown around for no reason?!
Rolf's face instantly darkened as he glared angrily at Leon...
"Are you out of your mind?!"
Maybe it was the shock from moments ago, but Rolf was unusually agitated now. His finger nearly poked Leon in the nose as he roared at the top of his lungs.
"I'm saving you..." Leon frowned.
"You're saving me?" Rolf trembled with rage, feeling his intelligence had just been insulted. "You bastard, Leon Merlin, I don't have time to deal with you now. You'd better not show up in front of me again, or else..."
The dignified leader of the Red Dragon Mercenary Company, a Third Rank Phantom Archer, getting played by a low-tier mage—no matter how good Rolf's temper and patience, he couldn't help but lose it on the spot.
Damn it, this is just too much...
Orson, who'd been tossed out alongside Rolf, looked utterly stunned—his face pale, mouth agape, eyes fixed in disbelief at the scene not far away: a massive crater, filled with molten, magma-like red liquid...
That was exactly where he and Rolf had been standing before they were thrown.
Rolf was still cursing when he noticed Orson's strange expression. He followed Orson's gaze and his face changed instantly, but he still stubbornly said, "Matthew Merlin, you didn't even get hurt—so why were you hiding at the back? Didn't you see everyone fighting? Hmph, you really are a coward..."
As he spoke, Rolf's voice unconsciously grew quieter. He was proud, but in his heart, he already admitted that Matthew Merlin had just saved his life.
If he'd been a second slower, he'd probably be a corpse right now.
Just as Rolf finished speaking, he saw the figure of a young mage darting straight toward the massive body of the Hellfire Demon Lord.
Watching Leon's back, Rolf was left dumbfounded. His throat moved, but no sound came out.
Matthew Merlin actually went to join the fight...
But he's only a Second Rank Mage! Everyone here is way stronger than him! Even Orson, a Fifth Rank Mage, is considered bottom tier and can only cast spells from a distance—get any closer and the Hellfire Demon Lord's heat could kill you.
Let alone a Second Rank Mage...
Rolf felt a twinge of guilt. Matthew Merlin had saved his life, after all, and yet he couldn't help but snap back with harsh words. Worse, it seemed his outburst had pushed Matthew Merlin into action.
Even if Rolf wanted to help, the Hellfire Demon Lord was Level 36—he was powerless to do anything.
But soon, the young mage's display of power left Rolf utterly stunned. Turns out, Matthew Merlin hadn't been provoked into charging at the Hellfire Demon Lord by Rolf's words—he'd gone because he was strong enough to do it. Even if Rolf hadn't said anything, Matthew Merlin would've joined the fight anyway...
Rolf couldn't help but recall the time the Mutant Black Lizard was snatched away. He'd always thought Matthew Merlin was just a weak Second Rank Mage, and that losing the lizard was pure luck.
But now, it seems it's not just luck...
The young mage surged into the battle, surrounded by wild magical energy. Above his head, a radiant full moon burst into dazzling light; red and blue glimmered together as a torrent of overwhelming magic crashed down, aimed straight at the massive Hellfire Demon Lord.
For a moment, the young mage's arrival filled Dean and the others with hope—but then worry crept in. As seasoned mercenaries, they were used to fighting as a team, their coordination almost flawless.
But this Matthew Merlin...
He might be strong—far stronger than anyone here in terms of raw power—but what they needed now was tight teamwork. With Matthew Merlin charging in, their plans and rhythm could be thrown off, and that could be disastrous...
But before long, their worries vanished completely. Every spell Leon cast was perfectly timed, making a huge impact—suddenly, the tide of battle began to turn. They'd been on the losing end, barely able to breathe under the Hellfire Demon Lord's assault, but with Leon's arrival, everyone felt a weight lift off their shoulders.
Then, Leon unleashed his Ice Elemental Avatar. Instantly, a thick layer of frost coated his body. In this form, Leon possessed terrifying speed and strength—his physique was like that of a god or demon. In a flash of white, he charged at the Hellfire Demon Lord...
Dean and the others seemed to sync with Leon as if they'd coordinated beforehand. Dalson and Alaric unleashed powerful spells, bombarding the Hellfire Demon Lord and keeping part of its attention occupied. Dean, meanwhile, struck from the side with his sword, unleashing a terrifying burst of lightning.
Rolf, the Third Rank Phantom Archer, stood not far away, eyes locked on the Hellfire Demon Lord, firing arrow after arrow at the infernal beast...
Transformed into a frost giant, Leon seized a fleeting opportunity and landed a heavy punch on the Hellfire Demon Lord. With a thunderous crash, its massive body stiffened, and the flames swirling around it seemed to dim noticeably...
Suddenly, the Hellfire Demon Lord let out a low roar. The surrounding fire elements surged wildly as it slammed its fists into the ground. Countless shards of stone flew up, cracks spiderwebbed outward, and searing heat spread to every corner. Magma erupted from the fissures, flooding the battlefield into a sea of fire...
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Even the nearby volcanoes erupted, spewing molten magma under the Hellfire Demon Lord's influence...
Flame Domain...
Dean and the others' expressions grew grim. Flame Domain was the Hellfire Demon Lord's ultimate innate magic. Inside it, only those who could manifest a Fire Elemental Avatar would be immune to the fire and magma's deadly harm...
At the exact moment the Flame Domain appeared, Dalson and Alaric both activated their Fire Elemental Avatars...
Dean, the Sword Saint, used an extremely energy-consuming technique to maintain three layers of battle qi shields, suspending himself in midair.
"Use your Fire Elemental Avatar—quick!"
When a white figure appeared in Rolf's line of sight, he was too shocked to speak. He saw that Matthew Merlin was still maintaining his Ice Elemental Avatar inside the Flame Domain.
In Ice Elemental Avatar form, fighting the Hellfire Demon Lord was a huge advantage, but timing was everything. In the Flame Domain, with magma everywhere, that thick layer of frost wouldn't last long. Once it melted, how could a mortal body survive in such a place?
To Rolf, this was basically suicide...
Before the ice armor melted, switching to Fire Elemental Avatar was Matthew Merlin's only chance.
Damn it!
Rolf fixed his gaze on Leon, unable to understand why, at this point, Leon still showed no intention of switching to Fire Elemental Avatar. Did he not realize this could kill him?!
Sure, the Hellfire Demon Lord had to be dealt with—but inside the Flame Domain, staying alive was the top priority...
Why can't he see it?!
Rolf was truly panicking now. He'd thought that, despite his youth, Matthew Merlin's power was at the Title Archmage level—maybe even stronger than Dalson and Alaric. With someone like that on their side, their chances against the Hellfire Demon Lord shot up...
But now, Rolf realized just how wrong he'd been.
Even a low-tier mage would know that, in this situation, Fire Elemental Avatar was the only choice. Yet this powerful Matthew Merlin didn't seem to know—he kept using Ice Elemental Avatar.
But after several seconds, the ice armor on the young mage didn't melt as expected. Rolf's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Leon. How could this be? In the Flame Domain, with magma everywhere and temperatures soaring, Ice Elemental Avatar should be impossible—even the strongest Title Archmage would see their ice armor melt in this environment!
This defied all common sense—it was almost unnatural.
The next moment, Rolf realized the truly impossible part was still to come...
Upon closer inspection, Rolf noticed a thin layer of flame on Leon's Ice Elemental Avatar—almost invisible, but it was this subtle fire that protected the ice armor from melting.
This discovery left Rolf utterly stunned. Even as a Phantom Archer, he knew what this was: Dual Elemental Avatar...
Such a terrifying ability doesn't belong to Title Archmages. Only Heavenly Magi can simultaneously manifest two conflicting Elemental Avatars...
How could he possibly have such a frightening power?!
Rolf knew Matthew Merlin was strong, but no matter how strong—being able to use the Dual Elemental Avatar, a power reserved for Heavenly Magi, was just too much to believe...
At that moment, Rolf's gaze turned complicated as he looked at Leon, secretly wondering—just who was this monstrous talent, really?
Fully focused on the fight, Leon didn't notice the odd looks from Rolf and the others. With his ice-armored arm, he gripped a meter-long frost spear. Then, with a burst of air, the spear—wreathed in a thin layer of flame—flew from Leon's hand at a speed faster than sound!