Chapter 332: Earthsplitter's Hand (Requesting monthly votes)
Ross Merlin was quick to react...
The Rune Shield blocked the two sharp arrows, and in that instant, the Dragonfire Spell he had prepared earlier was already unleashed.
In a flash, a dazzling ring of fire surged up from beneath the feet of the two Phantom Archers. The scorching heat radiated across the ground, and that circle of flame was so intense, its power could only be described as earthshaking.
Flames soared, and the dragon ascended...
Ross Merlin had cast the Dragonfire Spell countless times before. He knew every detail of the spell better than anyone, but never once had he felt so tense.
As long as the fire dragon appeared, he still had a chance...
The fire dragon would hold off the two Phantom Archers, buying him precious time...
Faster, just a little faster...
A single second felt like an eternity for Ross Merlin...
After reaching the fifth rank, Phantom Archers gain their most formidable technique: with the power of True Sight, they inscribe the Moon Sigil to lock onto their target. Under this magic, no enemy can escape— even if I tore open space and slipped into a dimensional rift, those two arrows, enhanced by the Moon Sigil, would chase me to the ends of the earth.
"It's over..." Ross Merlin knew, this time it was truly the end.
In that instant, Ross Merlin frantically poured his mana into the Rune Shield, trying to reinforce it one last time.
But honestly, it was already pointless...
The Rune Shield had lost its luster; no amount of mana could possibly withstand two arrows empowered by the Moon Sigil. Ross Merlin's efforts were nothing but a futile struggle...
The Moon Sigil gleamed ever brighter, countless runes swirling over the arrowheads...
When the twin shrieks—"Whoosh, whoosh"—split the air, Ross Merlin had already closed his eyes...
It was all over...
For a moment, time itself seemed to freeze...
Wait, isn't this freeze lasting a bit too long?
Ross Merlin couldn't tell how much time had passed. Eventually, he realized—no matter how much those Phantom Archers liked to play cat and mouse, this was dragging on far too long.
So, with a cautious breath, Ross Merlin slowly opened his eyes again...
And then, Ross Merlin witnessed a sight he would never forget for the rest of his life...
A young mage strode past him, holding two arrows in his hand. He glanced at them, then tossed them carelessly to the ground. The runes on the arrowheads still shimmered, their power palpable even from a dozen meters away...
Yet, at that moment, those arrows—brimming with power—were discarded like trash by the young mage...
The two Phantom Archers, usually cold as ice, finally showed a flicker of panic. They drew and fired again, unleashing their ninth-rank skills with relentless precision—arrow after arrow ripped through the air, skill after skill unleashed in rapid succession...
Fire arrows, ice arrows, rapid shots, wild volleys, flash strikes, skyfall shots...
The Phantom Archers' full barrage was nothing short of spectacular. The battlefield was awash in dazzling light and shadow. Even Ross Merlin, fresh from the brink of death, stood dumbstruck—this was true ninth-rank Phantom Archery...
Had they unleashed this onslaught from the start, my Rune Shield wouldn't have lasted ten seconds...
But then Ross Merlin realized—even this overwhelming barrage seemed to have no effect on the young mage. No matter how many arrows the Phantom Archers fired, not a single one could harm him.
The young mage walked slowly, his path straight as an arrow...
Strangely, despite his slow pace and unchanging direction, not a single arrow hit him.
It was as if every arrow actively avoided the young mage.
Of course, arrows don’t dodge people on their own…
The only logical explanation: the young mage’s seemingly slow and straight walk was actually weaving perfectly through the gaps in the barrage.
It was terrifying...
Ross Merlin could hardly believe his own eyes. To witness such sorcery in his lifetime—turning battle into pure artistry!
"Cousin William wasn't wrong. I really don't have much patience..." Lin Yun said, striding through the rain of arrows as if it were nothing.
Then...
A massive black hand suddenly materialized...
With a thunderous boom, everyone's heart skipped a beat.
The black giant hand crashed down from the sky—before the Phantom Archers could react, they were slammed mercilessly into the ground...
This chapter isn't over yet~.~ Click 'Next Page' to continue reading the exciting story!
That was the fifth-tier spell: Earthsplitter's Hand...
In the golden age, when mages cast this spell, a single hand could shatter the earth itself.
Lin Yun was still far from those legendary mages, but even his Earthsplitter's Hand was no joke—before the Phantom Archers could even scream, they were crushed into corpses beneath it...
"My god..." Ross Merlin was utterly stunned.
The two ninth-rank Phantom Archers who had left me utterly powerless—couldn't even last ten seconds against my distant cousin...
"Impossible!" Hanson Charlotte shrieked.
By now, Hanson Charlotte had stopped channeling the Frostwyrm Spell, letting the ice and fire dragons wrestle on their own. But with his hands free, Hanson felt as if he’d fallen into a nightmare…
Those two Phantom Archers were the Charlotte Family’s most secret weapon, trained with painstaking care. If not for the Starstone’s importance, Hanson Charlotte would never have deployed them.
Yet—
Their very first mission ended with both dying to a single Earthsplitter’s Hand…
Damn it, that was just a fifth-tier spell!
How could this be possible?
Archers may not be as strong as warriors, but at the Phantom Archer level, every one of them is a master of combat and body technique. Their physical strength may not match a warrior’s, but it’s not far behind. How could they not withstand even a single Earthsplitter’s Hand?
It made no sense…
Unless…
Unless, as the Earthsplitter’s Hand descended, those two ninth-rank Phantom Archers didn’t even try to resist.
But how? Ninth-rank Phantom Archers are experts in every body technique—Moonshadow Form, Smoke Form—they should’ve been able to dodge even Earthsplitter’s Hand…
"Maybe they were just too careless…" Lin Yun offered, as if reading Hanson Charlotte’s mind, giving a perfectly reasonable explanation.
But at that moment, even Ross Merlin standing behind Lin Yun didn’t notice: as the young mage spoke, a wheel made of countless runes flickered above his head, then vanished…
Of everyone present, only William Merlin might’ve recognized the fleeting wheel as a magus rune belonging to his cousin from Marfa.
But even William Merlin only knew it was a magus rune.
No one knew its true name: Arcane Engine.
And this was a new form, fusing ten Arcane Engines into one.
It was Lin Yun’s first time unleashing the new Arcane Engine form. Even he was shocked by the power it released—enough to let him stroll unharmed through a rain of arrows, to grip the throats of two ninth-rank Phantom Archers, blocking every Moonshadow or Smoke Form, and crush them with Earthsplitter’s Hand…
Clearly, this new Arcane Engine was more than ten times stronger than before…
Of course, there was no need to explain any of this to Hanson Charlotte…
After slaying the Phantom Archers, Lin Yun didn’t strike again. He simply smiled at Hanson Charlotte. "Archmage Hanson, I have a question for you…"
"What…what do you want to ask?" Hanson Charlotte was clearly rattled now.
Never in his wildest dreams had Hanson Charlotte imagined that the nouveau riche he’d looked down on could wield such terrifying power.
In just a blink, two of the Charlotte Family’s painstakingly trained ninth-rank Phantom Archers were dead. That kind of power could only be described as monstrous…
Though the young archmage now stood calmly, neither casting nor attacking, the pressure he exerted on Hanson Charlotte was far more terrifying than facing dozens of Ross Merlins…
******
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