"So you're saying I'm doomed?"
Osni's face had gone ashen.
"Not necessarily! Lombarton is the Child of Destiny — he won't fall so easily. And besides, do you really think the Dark Elf Matron standing behind him hasn't made any preparations?"
Merlin sneered from within Lombarton's mind.
"You dare to offend me? A noble Second-Rank Wizard! I'll use your blood to wash away my humiliation!"
Waves of pale silver Spiritual Power converged as Rosby's expression turned grim beyond measure, and he made his solemn declaration.
Deep down, he felt a lingering jolt of fear.
If he hadn't possessed this secret technique to forcibly halt his reincarnation, he might truly have perished here today.
A Second-Rank Wizard dying at the hands of a group of First-Rank Wizards — that would absolutely be the greatest joke in the entire history of the Extreme Dark Domain!
Right now, Rosby felt like a fully grown strongman who had just been bitten by an ant, the sting of embarrassment and fury constantly gnawing at his soul.
Moreover, this suppression technique was not without its costs. At the very least, his reincarnation period would be extended significantly, and during a time of war like this, the consequences could well be catastrophic!
Therefore, Rosby was now truly enraged.
"I'll turn you all into maggots, rotting in agony in the depths of the abyss for ten thousand years! I swear it!"
Rosby's eyes burned red as vast quantities of solidified silver Spiritual Power swept outward.
"Damn it — use that!"
Lombarton bellowed.
The two Dark Elves behind him exchanged a glance, nodded, and silver light shot from their eyes.
In an instant, both of their faces took on the sacred expression unique to martyrs.
Then, from their robes, they drew gemstone daggers with peculiar curved blades and drove the tips straight into their own hearts.
Pfft! Pfft!
The two Dark Elves — both at the peak of the First Rank — collapsed to the ground, and a cloud of blood mist billowed from their chests.
The spider phantom behind Lombarton had been severely damaged by the solidified Spiritual Power and was on the verge of dissipating, but now it stirred violently, absorbing the crimson blood mist in vast quantities. It recovered at astonishing speed, its aura continuously intensifying, until it even began to match the Second-Rank Wizard opposite them as an equal.
"What… what's going on?" Osni exclaimed in shock from the side.
"Heh heh! Nothing special — just a sacrifice. The Dark Elves' old trick!" Merlin chuckled coldly.
"Dark Elves are clan-based creatures. The matriarch of each family holds extremely strong control over her own bloodline descendants — control that penetrates deep into the blood and soul, making it nearly impossible to break free. Even a peak first-tier Wizard, with just the slightest added touch of spiritual suggestion, would not hesitate even if told to die..."
"And that Lombart clearly cultivated an advanced Meditation Method that draws on life force for advancement. After absorbing the full life force of these two peak first-tier Wizards, even if he still can't defeat the opponent, his chances of escape become very promising..."
"Huh? What about me?"
Osni froze on the spot. Lombart could leave, but he was merely a half-elementalized — how could he possibly escape?
"This is fate's backlash! Lombart is the child of fortune — he can escape successfully. But you? You exist only to stay behind and serve as the outlet for a second-tier Wizard's rage!"
Merlin's voice was like freezing ice, and it silenced Osni.
His eyes turned white once more as he frantically searched for a plan, drawing on his premonitions of fate — but found nothing.
"Then... what do I do now?"
Osni's voice was somewhat hoarse.
"Pray! At this point, that's all you can do!" Merlin's voice carried a note of helplessness. "If my true body were still here, dealing with him would be as easy as crushing an ant. But now? All you can hope for is that the opponent finishes you off quickly, so you don't suffer any more pain..."
"No! No! I still have hope!"
Osni's eyes locked on Lombart. "As long as my Lord is willing to step in and save me, I can—"
Osni's words cut off abruptly. He watched as Lombart, controlling the phantom spider, exchanged a blow with Rosby, then immediately pulled back without a second thought and retreated at full speed.
Streams of dark energy surged outward, propelling him forward, and in an instant he vanished beyond the horizon.
"I... I..." Osni's eyes filled with despair.
On the other side, Rosby — having lost Lombart — turned his attention to him instead.
A massive silver claw, carrying power far beyond anything Osni could match, plunged downward!
"So this is how I die? I refuse to accept this!" Osni shut his eyes. The immense, tangible spiritual pressure made the mana within his body sluggish and resistant to circulation. Under the fury of a second-tier Wizard, he had absolutely no power to resist.
"Rosby!!!"
At that very moment, a dark voice rang out from the distant horizon, carrying with it a violent surge of energy.
"Hm? An opportunity! That Rosby has probably drawn the attention of an enemy! I'll wrap you in the power of the soul right now — run!"
Merlin's voice came swiftly, and with a wave of cool sensation spreading through him, Osni found that he could move again.
He scrambled away at full speed, narrowly dodging the claw's attack, then without even looking back, fled as fast as he could.
Rosby did not pursue, because another spiritual force — also at the second tier — had already locked onto him.