Chapter 306: Spectators
Just thinking about how dangerous this was made William Merlin hesitate. He looked at Leon, face full of innocence, hoping Leon would take back his decision.
"I'll explain, you do it." Yet Leon remained unmoved.
"Uh, alright..." Seeing Leon like this, William Merlin could only grit his teeth and agree.
"Now, it's time for you to activate the Rune Shield. No, not to protect your body—you just need to complete the elemental arrangement for the Rune Shield, not fully release it. That way, even a basic Rune Shield will provide some protection to your mana vortex. Then you..."
"Cousin, are you sure this will work..." William Merlin looked terrified, glancing at Leon as if he was about to cry.
But Leon acted as if he hadn't heard a thing...
With a voice that brooked no argument, Leon directed William Merlin to begin the spell recoil...
The elemental arrangement for the Rune Shield was done. The first Wind Blade spell was completed, then the second Wind Blade spell...
Finally, William Merlin gritted his teeth and...
In that instant, William Merlin felt as if he’d heard a thunderous boom; his whole body trembled, and in his shock, his staff nearly slipped from his grasp.
But right after...
William Merlin sensed a surge of mana flooding into him. The once-parched mana vortex within was suddenly nourished, spinning rapidly once more, and that familiar power returned to his body...
"Ross Merlin, you’re finished..." Feeling his body brimming with magic, William Merlin was—for the first time—filled with confidence in this duel.
At this moment, William Merlin was like a nouveau riche, suddenly flush with wealth, almost unsure how to squander it all.
The instant Spell Backlash was complete, William Merlin cast a Spell Counter.
In fact, at that very moment, Ross Merlin was desperately channeling Endless Spring, hoping to regain some mana before resuming spellcasting. There was simply no time to cast anything else.
Spell Counter has three effects: first, it interrupts casting; second, it causes a brief silence; third, it seals the casting channel. Interrupting is self-explanatory, and silence is easy to grasp. But the third—sealing the spell channel—is the most critical effect. Just like earlier, William Merlin opened with a Fireball. That’s a mage’s favorite Spell Counter opportunity, because if that Fireball is countered, the entire fire spell channel gets sealed. For someone like William Merlin, who specializes in fire magic, it’s like losing an arm. That’s why he was so miserable just now...
But if William Merlin wasn’t casting at that moment, Spell Counter would only inflict a brief silence.
Which is exactly what’s happening now...
William Merlin’s Spell Counter was really just a one-second silence effect...
Honestly, it could only be described as extravagantly wasteful.
But then again, William Merlin was a nouveau riche right now...
After casting Spell Counter, he didn’t even give Ross Merlin a chance to react. Seizing that one second of silence, he immediately unleashed a Fireball.
And not just one or two Fireballs...
Three Fireballs in rapid succession, one after another, each empowered with magical abilities—instant cast, spell amplification, spell penetration. Three consecutive Fireballs, all enhanced, shattered the ice wall Ross Merlin had struggled to maintain...
Then came Blade of Wind, tearing through the ice-fire shield...
And after that...
There was nothing after that.
Because at that moment, an ice spike was already pressed against Ross Merlin’s throat...