The raging green plague spread beneath his feet, rapidly extending in all directions. It was the Avada Plague, a terrifying black magic that causes instant death upon touch.
Unlike his battle with young Dumbledore, Ian had no need to hold back against Merlin. If Merlin were to die, it would only prove that the much-praised Wizard King was but a hollow title.
No choice.
Ian knew well that his white magic could never defeat Merlin.
Dark Arts were Ian's forte. If his white magic was a 1, then his black magic was a 100. In the blink of an eye, the Avada Plague had already spread to Merlin's feet.
"Bloodline Curse?" Merlin perceived the characteristics in the Avada Plague, a dreadful ability that could affect kin through lineage. His eyes flashed with a hint of seriousness.
"You really are learning some terrifying things." Merlin's hands rapidly crossed before him, and immediately, a brilliant golden wing bloomed behind him.
It wasn't physical.
Rather, it was a manifestation of some kind of magic.
The feathers on the wings were distinct, sparkling with dazzling light. Each flap created a wave of golden ripples, as if to dye everything around with a sacred hue.
As the wings flapped, the golden light spread out like a tide, containing a nerve-wracking forbidden magic power. This force directly dispelled Ian's Avada Plague.
The green magic, carrying a breath of death and originally rampaging through the air and on the ground, quickly dissipated under the impact of the golden light like snow meeting a scorching sun.
Even the magic power fluctuations around Ian were strongly disturbed. Yes, it was extending towards Ian, the forbidden magic power like an invisible storm roaring fiercely towards him.
It didn't just want to seal Ian's magic.
It wanted to seal Ian's right to cast spells!
"This isn't normal magic!"
Ian's expression instantly became serious, feeling the powerful pressure of this force, and simultaneously, a unique trace contained within it.
"Indeed, you're right."
Merlin responded.
"I can feel your power. Ordinary legendary wizards might not be able to withstand your legendary essence, but unfortunately, today you cannot defeat me."
He floated in mid-air.
Behind him.
The wings gradually transformed into a golden corona.
"Even between legends there is a gap, I am ahead of you, this is the road to the heavens, and I have reached... Demigod." Merlin raised his index finger pointing at Ian.
In an instant.
Ian felt the pressure from heaven and earth coming at him.
"I created and promoted the breath technique, intervened in the disputes between kingdoms, just for the sake of advancing further, and now, you are the first wizard to feel this path."
"Survive, then... catch up with me." Like a voice echoing between heaven and earth, a power containing rules bloomed from Merlin's fingertip.
It was irresistible — Oracle.
Ian clearly felt his essence as a wizard disappearing, being deprived. That perception of magic power gradually became blurred and illusory.
His forehead began to sweat.
"I am not a wizard, this is a paradox." Ian hastily used the authority of paradox, first reaffirming the existence of his own magic power, then spoke with a voice also containing rules.
"Your power hit me, but it sealed yourself." He was envisioning the future, however, his rank was insufficient to completely influence Merlin.
But.
This did not prevent him from already removing the forbidden magic suppression imposed by Merlin.
"Damn! What are you, some filthy thing!" Merlin clearly didn't expect Ian's legendary traits to actually resist his own authority. He crafted a path to govern magic.
This should've been the bane of all wizards.
However.
His golden light covered Ian.
In the end, it did not deprive Ian of the right to cast spells.
On the contrary, it felt somewhat rebounded.
This indeed left Merlin feeling inexplicably astonished.
"Same to you, same to you, just cheats." Ian regained his right to cast spells, feeling his magic power, somewhat fearful. He was quite wary of Merlin's uncanny abilities just now.
"Demigod?"
Merlin was uncertain and suspicious.
"Just a wizard."
Ian once again floated amidst the fire rain, his black robe billowing like an eternal night. The little wizard raised his left hand's magic wand, the "Aquamenti" magic in his hand had unimaginable effects.
He conjured an entire river flowing forth out of thin air! A rushing river actually appeared out of nothing, gleaming with ripples, the sound of the water blended harmoniously with the surroundings albeit surreal.
This river did not originate from the ground, but poured down from that suspended, yellowing long river in the sky, like a bridge connecting heaven and earth, flowing with magical waves.
"Such magic is indeed exquisite, but ordinary magic cannot harm me. Clearly, if I do not risk myself, I might not be able to break through your uncanny authority."
Merlin sighed.
"What about calling it a draw?"
He proposed.
Ian, however, just shook his head as usual.
"Can't really harm you? Great Mage Merlin, imagination is forever the most powerful force for a wizard, and I, at this moment, just want you to taste my power."
With these words.
The celestial river began to vaporize.
A torrential downpour, directly drenched Merlin into a wet state. Since he did not sense any curses or hidden magic, Merlin just frowned and licked his wetted lips.
"Poison rain?"
He sensed a strange taste.
But was indifferent.
As an equally skillful Master of Magic Potions, an omnipotent wizard, poison was his least fear. Facing Merlin's indifference, Ian, who had already moved far away, gave an honest reply.
"No, it's aged mother dragon urine, mixed with dozens of STDs that will appear a thousand years later, oh, and you might not have heard of, but will become popular — Black Death and Anthrax."
"Rabies virus, smallpox virus, I also added a bit, unfortunately, my good uncle never researched Ebola, otherwise I'd want to add a little of that. After all, it's always worth testing."
The little wizard loved creating magic, this too was his inventive black magic.
Maybe this kind of magic would be considered relatively slow acting in the Nine Races series, and not particularly lethal. But now it caused far more damage to Merlin than the Avada Plague. Such magic might not truly harm Merlin's body, but Ian believed he had indeed hurt Merlin's soul.
Indeed.
Merlin, who was still calmly smiling, instantly froze, his entire being suddenly transformed into a golden streak amidst the rain, fleeing quickly towards where there was no rain. He couldn't understand what rabies, Ebola were, but could infer these were definitely not good things.
"I won."
Ian took out his camera.
Pressed the shutter towards the fleeing Merlin.
In the distance.
"×&%￥#@,§№☆2113^&%!$#&%￥?????" Merlin did not respond to Ian's victory declaration, he just kept muttering some vulgar words.
Swearing.
The little wizard felt, truly lacking in manners.
Couldn't take the loss.