Merlin's eyes widened in shock as he stared at Will before him. It was as if a radiant, golden aura was pouring from Will's very being—something Merlin had never encountered before.
"Hmph, now this is getting interesting," Merlin sneered, snapping back to his senses.
With that, Merlin once again conjured a long sword of ice, raising it high and charging swiftly towards Will. Since Merlin had severed Will's short sword, the young man was now left with no choice but to fight unarmed.
"Die!" Merlin bellowed, aiming a lethal strike at Will's head.
Will remained calm and collected. With swift precision, he extended both hands, clasping them together to catch the blow.
"What?" Merlin exclaimed in astonishment. He had expected the injured Will to react much more sluggishly.
'His shoulder wound is healing rapidly. Why?' Merlin pondered silently, his gaze fixed on Will's right shoulder.
Sensing something amiss, Merlin exerted all his strength, attempting to wrench his icy sword free from Will's grasp. But it was as though the sword was magnetically drawn to Will's hands; no matter how hard Merlin pulled, he could not dislodge it.
Suddenly, Will released his right hand, instead grabbing the ice sword with his left. With a powerful fist, he struck Merlin squarely in the face, sending him flying through the air.
"My right hand has nearly fully healed," Will muttered as he looked down at his hand.
Once more, that familiar golden aura surrounded him, a warm and comforting sensation, much like when he had saved Mary. The power surged within him, an unstoppable tide of strength.
"Cough, cough, cough. It seems you've fully recovered. Now, this is going to be fun," Merlin chuckled maliciously from the ground, slowly sitting up to face Will.
"Disintegrate!" Merlin shouted, pointing his finger at Will. A beam of black light shot out, hurtling toward him.
This time, Will was prepared. The beam, once swift, now appeared sluggish in his eyes. Calmly, he tilted his body to the right, effortlessly dodging the attack. As he did, Merlin sprang to his feet, swinging his hand violently. The earth beneath Will's feet seemed to come alive, rushing upward to imprison him in place.
"Hehehe, now you can't move, can you?" Merlin taunted, raising his hand towards the sky.
"I'm going to shatter you into pieces! Hahahaha!" Merlin laughed maniacally.
At that moment, a massive meteor streaked toward Will from the heavens. Its size was more than enough to obliterate everyone present.
"Merlin, do you intend to kill me too?" General Lei shouted in fury.
"Ah, no choice, I'm afraid. You'll just have to endure it, General Lei. Hahahaha!" Merlin's laughter was insane.
Will raised his head, his expression calm and composed. He didn't appear alarmed; it was clear that he had already devised a solution.
His hands suddenly tightened, breaking free from the earth's grasp. Slowly, he crouched down, eyes locked on the falling meteor. His right hand was drawn back, fist clenched tight.
"No way, is he planning to..." General Lei said in disbelief.
"Quick, release me. I can interfere with Merlin's spells," Lisa strained to say, still gripped by the throat.
"Not now," General Lei replied, pulling her back a few steps.
The meteor grew ever closer, the air swirling violently from its descent. Merlin, having halted his spell, now summoned a protective barrier around himself to shield against the blast's impact.
Still, Will made no attempt to dodge. His focus never wavered as he calculated the perfect moment to strike.
Just as the meteor was about to crash to the earth, Will let out a ferocious roar—an unearthly sound, more akin to a beast's howl than a human cry. With that, he unleashed a furious punch directly at the center of the meteor.
With a deafening explosion, the meteor shattered, sending flames and debris in every direction. The shockwave sent both General Lei and Merlin flying several meters.
"Hahaha, idiot! You think you can shatter a falling meteor with just your fists?" Merlin cackled, his voice laced with mockery.
"Terrifying..." General Lei muttered, dumbstruck. He had witnessed such a catastrophic event once before, and his mind could hardly grasp the sight before him. Reflexively, he loosened his grip on Lisa's throat.
"Will!" Lisa cried out in anguish.
"Stop shouting, I'll deal with you shortly," Merlin sneered, his eyes gleaming with malice.
"Who have you dealt with?" A voice suddenly echoed from around them.
"What?" Merlin gasped in shock.
As the smoke from the explosion began to clear, the scene became visible once again. Will remained crouched in place, his armor torn and battered, yet his body appeared unharmed. Surrounding him were small chunks of black rock, still smoldering—the remnants of the shattered meteor.
"Who do you think you've dealt with?" Will asked coldly.
Merlin, seething with rage, could hardly contain himself. His face flushed red, but he said nothing.
'This feels amazing. I feel like my strength is endless, and my power is boundless,' Will thought, looking down at his hands with a sense of quiet satisfaction.
Suddenly, Will let out a loud cry, and a torrent of golden energy surged from his body.
"Come at me, Merlin!" Will declared, his voice filled with unwavering confidence.
Merlin, now taken aback by Will's overwhelming power, stood frozen in place. He had never seen anyone shatter a falling meteor with their bare hands before. Staring at the enigmatic youth before him, Merlin was uncertain of how to proceed.
"Little girl, I have an idea. Not sure if you'll want to hear it," General Lei whispered to Lisa, his face close to her ear. After a moment's pause, Lisa nodded gently, signaling her agreement.
"Excellent. Your friend will surely defeat Merlin if he continues at this pace. However, defeating Merlin alone will not suffice. There are many like him within the United Nations. With only your strength, you will not be able to overcome them all. If you are willing to help me reclaim my country, I will persuade my king to ally with Paralar and Arus against the United Nations. What do you think of this idea?" General Lei proposed.