strictlysupreme Chapter 1192: Asad vs Merlin...
Chapter 1192: Asad vs Merlin...
Outside the Omega Stronghold was cool, with the faint mist rolling across the stone path that had been laid out to connect to New Genesis Shelter.
Well, winter was coming, so the cold wasn’t surprising.
Merlin and Alex had only just stepped beyond the gates when the cloaked figure revealed himself.
"Mhmm? Necromancer?" Merlin muttered.
Apparently, Asad, the Necromancer, was there waiting for them. His black robes were iconic since it was only used by Dark Mages...
Furthermore, because of his Necromancy, his eyes had some unnatural light. Still, a smile spread across his face, and it was strangely warm.
"At last," Asad said with a smile.
"The old mage himself. I’ve waited a long time to see you."
Merlin tilted his head, with his staff resting lightly against the ground. "You sound really happy."
"I am," Asad replied without hesitation. "You’re a legend within the Clan. We just decided not to bother you too much since you’re already helping our friend, Alex. Anyway, to meet you here is a gift. And now, I ask for something simple... a spar... a simple match or duel."
Merlin laughed, as he already expected that much...
Over the past few days, he had heard more information about the shelters and the Clan managing these places...
The Clan Leader, Shane, was extraordinary. Furthermore, Shane’s allies were also incredible. They even had mages themselves.
Among them were elementalists, telekinetic experts, elves who wielded nature magic, and a dragon knight... Still, there were also those monks who could channel Aura, and there was even a werewolf...
It was quite impressive since even steel golems or androids were present here.
And of course, standing out most of all were the two Necromancers within their clan... Zephyrion and Asad.
He raised a brow. "Tell me, are you Zephyrion... or Asad?"
Alex was stunned as he realized that he hadn’t introduced himself just yet.
Still, Alex, who was standing beside Merlin, answered quickly. "That’s Sir Asad, Master."
Asad’s smile widened as his gaze shifted to Alex. He could sense the mana flowing within the young man now... It was faint, but it was stable...
"So, the Leaper has become an apprentice mage. Remarkable. I remember hearing of your talent from Fiona... You’re capable of jumping ten meters with ease. And now, you carry mana with you... Truly, you are blessed to have Merlin as your master."
Alex flushed, pride and nervousness mixing in his expression.
Merlin chuckled as he could tell that Asad was really strong as well...
"A sparring, huh... I’m curious myself," he muttered.
Merlin thought back to his past battles.
He had fought Vampire Lords before when the stronghold was attacked and defeated them without the aid of holy magic, relying only on his mastery of the elements.
But this opponent was different. Asad was no mindless creature of blood... he was a Necromancer of skill and discipline, armed with numerous abilities and equipped with high‑grade gear.
Facing him would be a challenge of an entirely different kind.
’I wonder how I’d fare with my old bones...’ Merlin chuckled at this thought.
Still, as soon as Asad heard Merlin’s positive response, he felt excited.
"Then let us test each other. But not to the death. Shane would be furious if I harmed his precious mage. How about five minutes? We stop at that point. Or better yet..." He pulled a small token from his robes, etched with runes, and tossed it toward Merlin.
"This Shield Token. If it breaks, the match ends."
Merlin caught the token, feeling the faint protective magic within.
Still, the mention of Shane’s name tugged at something deep in his chest, a memory he couldn’t quite grasp. It was the same feeling when he had seen the Statues dedicated to the Clan Leader.
Anyway, he shook it off, focusing on the present.
"Very well," he said. "Let’s do this."
Asad nodded. He was also thinking of offering something else or a gift to Merlin in case he didn’t want to spar with him.
Thankfully, he actually agreed.
Just like that, outside the Omega Stronghold, a duel began.
Alex already went outside the circle to watch the battle... As soon as he created a spark with his mana, it was the start of the match.
"If you’re not attacking... Then, I’ll start!" Asad said.
With a wave of his hand, the ground trembled as he used his Necromancer’s Ability.
Shadows coiled around his fingers, forming skeletal claws that lashed outward.
For now, he didn’t want to summon any of his Undead...
It might be easier that way but that could force Merlin to also summon his elementals.
For now, fighting using Spells would be the best option...
Just like that, Merlin responded instantly, slamming his staff into the earth.
A surge of wind erupted, scattering the claws before they could reach him.
Whoosh~
Alex stepped back, watching the clash of powers. He was confident about his Master’s skills but Necromancer’s weakness was Holy Magic and Merlin couldn’t use that. He was curious how this would end for both...
Asad, on the other hand, was impressed. Even if Merlin was old, he was fast to respond.
"Quick reflexes. You haven’t lost your touch."
Merlin smirked. "You’ll need more than tricks to impress me."
He lifted his staff, and flames coiled around him, forming a barrier of fire.
Asad countered, summoning a wave of spectral hands from the ground. They clawed upward, grasping at the flames, but the barrier held.
"Impressive," Asad said, admiring the spell that was probably better than Otto...
"Your control of the elements is really amazing. But let’s see how you fare against decay."
He thrust his hand forward, and a bolt of necrotic energy shot through the air.
Merlin raised his staff, channeling lightning this time...
Soon, the two forces collided mid‑air, exploding in a shower of sparks and ash.
Boom! Boom!
Alex shielded his eyes... He was a bit terrified to see this happen really close, but he was happy! He had never seen such raw power exchanged so casually.
Merlin’s voice carried over the clash. "You wield that energy well, Necromancer. But I that’s not enough..."
He spun his staff and soon, shards of ice formed in the air, hovering like a crown of spears. With a flick of his staff, they shot forward, piercing the ground around Asad.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Necromancer raised a bone‑crafted shield, the ice shattered against it.
"Not bad," Asad said...
He whispered an incantation, and the shattered ice melted into black mist. The mist coiled upward, forming skeletal warriors that lunged toward Merlin.
This time, he wanted to see how Merlin would respond to these weak undead.
Merlin, however, was unbothered.
He slammed his staff down, summoning a cyclone of wind.
Boom!
The skeletal warriors were caught, torn apart, with their fragments scattering into dust.
Merlin then waited, as he knew that Asad was gathering a lot of deathly energy around him.
The Necromancer raised both hands now...
The ground was cracked, and from the fissures rose a massive skeletal beast, its eyes glowing red. It roared, charging forward.
It was a Skeleton Dragon!
Merlin responded swiftly as he lifted his staff high, and lightning was summoned!
With a shout, a bolt that struck the beast squarely, shattering its skull in a burst of light...
However, the skull started forming back as if it was regenerating itself!
"This is my Skeletal Dragon... My new Summon that’s stronger than Skeleton King and Doom Knights... I want to see how you fare against it, Sir Merlin." Asad said as he looked at Merlin, who remained calm despite the regeneration that his summon had shown.
Merlin looked curiously at the skeletal dragon... Its skull was knitting back together like it the damage he had done was nothing...
"That’s an annoying ability if it could do it repeatedly." He muttered.
The necromancer’s summon was formidable... Yet Merlin remained calm.
Soon, he answered with his own summons.
The ground trembled as elemental forces answered his call.
From the air, a storm elemental surged forth... Its body was swirling with lightning and wind.
From the earth, a hulking stone elemental rose.
Then, water gathered from the mist, shaping into a fluid guardian, while flames also coiled together into a blazing figure that radiated heat.
Four elementals stood at Merlin’s side!
Alex’s eyes widened as he saw it... As a matter of fact, the guards on the wall were already watching the battle. This includes Tieria!
They were all excited to see this match!
"This is it! Sir Merlin! Let’s see who’s the strongest!" Asad shouted.
The skeletal dragon roared and charged, but the storm elemental struck first, lightning tearing through its ribs.
The stone elemental followed, smashing the Skeletal Dragon’s jaw apart with a single blow. The water guardian then surged upward, drowning the beast in torrents, while the fire elemental engulfed its wings in searing flame!
Everything happened so fast!
The dragon’s regeneration didn’t work under the combined assault.
Its bones cracked, splintered, and finally collapsed into ash!
Asad lowered his hands and laughed...
He could still summon more... Doom Knights, Mummy Lords, Skeleton King, Wraith Queen, even the dreaded Abyssal Knights. But he had seen enough.
Merlin’s mastery of the elements was undeniable...
With a slow nod, Asad admitted defeat.
"You are everything they said you were. No... You’re stronger than the reports I received. I’ll send a simple report about you to Shane... He’ll be excited to meet you."