Chapter 253: Suppression
**"Pandora's Flame of Annihilation!"**
As the icy chill surrounded him, Merlin's eyes gleamed sharply. Without hesitation, he unleashed his most potent magic.
Instantly, brilliant white flames erupted, creating a blazing inferno that twisted and roared skyward. The oppressive cold from the Blue Sparrow's icy threads—so lethal that they had effortlessly shredded Yubik—melted away under the intense heat.
The threads that had easily dispatched a Tier 4 mage moments ago now evaporated against the raw power of Merlin's magic.
**"Winds of Freedom!"**
Not stopping there, Merlin cast another spell. A vortex of wind gathered around him, cloaking him in swift, cutting gusts. His figure blurred as he dashed toward the Blue Sparrow, a streak of motion barely visible to the naked eye.
Merlin was on the offensive, deploying his most devastating techniques without holding back.
**"Earthen Shield!"**
The Blue Sparrow's face remained impassive as a shimmering layer of earthy yellow light enveloped her body, rapidly forming a protective shield.
This was a Tier 3 earth-element defensive spell, renowned for its resilience and difficulty to penetrate. For the first time, the Blue Sparrow's brow furrowed as she noticed Merlin's unrelenting approach.
She extended her hands, her slender fingers curling in intricate movements.
**"Swish, swish, swish!"**
Dozens of ice threads materialized again, weaving into a massive, freezing net in mid-air. The biting cold encased the roaring white flames, freezing and shattering them in an instant.
**"Crack, crack!"**
Fragments of ice rained down, splintering across the battlefield. The clash between Merlin's flame and the Blue Sparrow's ice created devastation far surpassing the destructive power of the Tier 4 spells unleashed earlier. Those caught in the aftermath had no chance of survival, regardless of their protective spells or robes.
**"Pandora's Frozen Finger!"**
As Merlin's wind swirled closer, he cast yet another spell—**Frozen Finger**. A chilling aura surged forward, freezing the ground and encasing the Blue Sparrow's earthen shield in a thick layer of ice.
Merlin's Frozen Finger was known for easily breaking Tier 3 spells, and the Blue Sparrow's **Earthen Shield** was no exception.
**"Boom!"**
The ice shattered explosively, revealing the Blue Sparrow's counterattack—a spear forged from concentrated wind elements. The spear cleaved through the icy remnants and shot toward Merlin with blinding speed.
**"Another Pandora magic?"**
Merlin's eyes narrowed. He quickly realized the Blue Sparrow possessed a second Pandora technique. It was no surprise—Osum's resources and expertise in magic were unparalleled, and their elite members often wielded multiple Pandora abilities.
Merlin activated the defensive runes embedded in his robe. It shimmered with a dense array of protective glyphs, forming a barrier designed to withstand even powerful Tier 3 spells.
**"Crash!"**
The wind spear struck with an earth-shaking impact. The protective runes flared brilliantly as they absorbed the brunt of the attack, yet the overwhelming force sent shockwaves rippling through Merlin's body.
Still, Merlin remained unfazed. His recently transformed physical resilience absorbed the blow effortlessly, leaving him unharmed.
**"Pandora's Flame of Annihilation!"**
Merlin retaliated without pause, channeling every ounce of power into his flames. The inferno intensified, surging with renewed vigor as it consumed the lingering remnants of the wind spear and surged toward the Blue Sparrow.
**"Shadowlight Domain!"**
Merlin then activated his **Shadowlight Domain**, a spell empowered by his third Pandora ability, **Heart of Darkness**. Half the sky darkened as light itself seemed to twist and scatter. Within this realm, even mental senses were disoriented.
The domain plunged weaker minds into illusions and confusion. While it was most effective against Tier 3 mages, Merlin knew it could only minimally affect Tier 4 minds like the Blue Sparrow's.
As expected, a burst of immense mental energy surged outward, piercing through the domain and scattering the darkness.
Merlin, unfazed, was already charging forward.
**"Die!"**
Merlin closed the gap, his fist raised. The sheer sight of a mage using physical force baffled the onlookers. Yet none could laugh, for they knew Merlin was no ordinary mage.
He had not only stood his ground against the Blue Sparrow—a renowned and feared mage—but had consistently overwhelmed her throughout their battle.
**"Boom!"**
Merlin's punch connected with the Blue Sparrow's defenses. Her **Earthen Shield**, hastily recast, buckled and cracked under the immense pressure. The physical force Merlin unleashed surpassed that of even mid-tier elemental swordsmen, known for their exceptional close combat abilities.
**"Now's the time—break!"**
Merlin seized the opening, exploiting the split-second vulnerability caused by her interrupted casting. His arm, bulging with power, crashed into her defenses with unparalleled force.
**"Crack!"**
The shield shattered like brittle glass. The Blue Sparrow's face betrayed a flicker of disbelief—a rare crack in her stoic demeanor.
For all her confidence in her abilities, she now faced the same fate as Yubik.
**"No! I can't die here—Kreis still needs me!"**
The Blue Sparrow's cry of defiance rang out, but Merlin showed no mercy.
As the shattered remains of her shield dissipated, white flames erupted from Merlin's hand, engulfing the Blue Sparrow in a searing inferno. Her figure disappeared within the blinding blaze, her cries echoing faintly before fading into silence.
The battlefield fell into stunned silence, every eye fixed on Merlin—the mage who had not only survived but decisively defeated one of Osum's most feared elites.