Earth's Greatest Magus

As the chain of lightning continued to slither across the barrier, Magus Yord worked frantically, adding more runes and reinforcing the formation. Each time a section of the barrier flickered under the artifact's probing, Yord was there, bolstering it with additional layers of protection.

Satisfied that the formation was secure under Yord's watchful eye, Emery shifted his focus to the primary objective: stopping the hunchback slave master, Mo Yan, from enslaving Grand Magus Ramos. The sight of Ramos's struggling form, bound by spectral arms, fueled Emery's resolve.

Limited to fighting from within the confines of the formation, Emery and his companions unleashed a barrage of long-range attacks towards Mo Yan.

Magus Beatrice unleashed her wind blade spells, casting multiple sharp green crescent blades that sliced through the air, propelled by powerful gusts of wind.

Livi the Baphomet followed up by conjuring multiple dark fireballs, each one crackling with malevolent energy. She hurled them right behind Beatrice's wind blades, the combined assault creating a tempest of elemental fury.

However, their efforts were quickly thwarted by the King Roc's massive golden wings. The ancient desolate beast spread its wings wide, creating an impenetrable shield that absorbed the brunt of the attacks. The wind blades dissipated harmlessly against the Roc's feathers, and the dark fireballs exploded with minimal impact, leaving only scorch marks.

Undeterred, Magus Tobin, despite his limited range of spells, decided to employ a more direct approach. He took out a piece of his silver bone, channeling his power into it. The bone transformed into a long, gleaming spear, merging seamlessly with his arm. With a mighty heave, Tobin's body arched backward, and he propelled the spear with all his strength.

The spear flew through the air with a curving trajectory, aiming to bypass the Roc and strike at Mo Yan directly. The King Roc, quick to react, let out a shriek and flapped its wings to intercept the spear. The enormous bird moved with surprising agility, positioning itself between the spear and its master.

CRACKK!!

The spear pierced through the Roc's wing, the force of the impact tearing through the beast's flesh. Blood sprayed from the wound, splattering onto the ground below.

Emery seized the opportunity, launching his powerful [Dao Edge]. The blade, infused with a potent combination of light and darkness energy, sliced through the air with a deadly precision. However, one of the four ice rhinos quickly moved to intercept, taking the hit meant for their master. The rhino's thick, crystallized hide absorbed the impact, though visible cracks and deep wounds marred its surface.

"Keep going!" Emery commanded, rallying his companions to continue their assault.

With their strategy evolving, the four ice rhinos and the King Roc took on defensive roles, circling around Mo Yan and taking turns to absorb the relentless attacks. Each creature would move to the forefront, take the brunt of the damage, and then retreat to recover while another took its place. This rotating defense allowed them to endure the onslaught and protect Mo Yan effectively.

Meanwhile, Riven, now without the protection of the beasts, had to keep his distance. He darted around the battlefield, directing the tiger pack to target the formation's weaknesses.

Emery left the task of dealing with the tigers to Twik and VIA, allowing him to concentrate on breaking through the defense around Mo Yan. Each slash of his [Dao Edge] was a powerful blend of light and darkness, designed to maximize damage even if it lacked the precision and penetration of his [Void Blade].

The third energy slash finally claimed one of the rhinos, its massive body collapsing with a thunderous crash. By the eighth slash, along with the bombardment of long-range spells; all four ice rhinos had fallen, their forms shattered and lifeless on the battlefield.

Despite these losses, the King Roc, though noticeably wounded, still stood resolute in its defense of Mo Yan. Its golden wings were riddled with bone spears, each wound seeping blood, and one spear had even pierced through its neck, yet it remained unyielding.

Emery realized that unless he ventured out from the protective formation, he wouldn't be able to inflict significant damage on the grand magus. However, the persistent attacks had not been in vain. Each failed attempt provided valuable information, revealing that Mo Yan continually relied on his minions to shield him. This suggested a vulnerability that Emery could exploit.

Just then, Emery sensed a shift in Grand Magus Ramos's aura through his spirit reading. The enslavement process appeared to be reaching a critical juncture. Recognizing the urgency, Emery knew the moment had come for a decisive strike.

"Attack!!"

This time, Emery cast his tier 5 spell, [Void Mist], enveloping the area in a dense, dark fog. The mist obscured vision, providing cover for his companions as they released their strongest long-range attacks. Green wind blades, dark fireballs, and bone spears hurtled through the mist, each aimed at the formidable adversary.

From within the concealment of the mist, Emery initiated another [Dao Edge], the energy blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. Without hesitation, he followed the energy blade, leaping out of the formation and darting under the wounded King Roc. His target was clear: the hunchback slave master, Mo Yan.

With lightning speed, Emery closed in, his sword poised for a lethal strike. Just as he was about to land a blow on the unsuspecting grand magus, Mo Yan turned, his eyes glowing with a malevolent light. The severe gaze halted Emery's assault mid-air, and under the Grand Magus's spirit attack; it burst to pieces.

"NO!!!"

Magus Beatrice screamed in shock, but her cry quickly turned to relief when she recognized it was just a clone.

Emery's real figure advanced from a different angle, utilizing his [Space Bending] technique to approach undetected. His sword gleamed with spatial energy, ready to unleash the lethal [Void Blade] for a determinative strike. However, just as he was about to deliver the blow, the grand magus countered with a powerful spirit attack, freezing Emery in place.

"Huh! You think I didn't know it was a clone?! What an insult!!!" the old grand magus sneered, his voice dripping with contempt, before adding "It's brave of you to come out of the formation, now you shall..."

Before he could finish his words, Mo Yan sensed sudden danger. Seeing Emery smile, he was shocked to realize a third attack.

Something soared at high speed from behind, bypassing his defenses. It was the hexagonal construct, now in blade form, slicing through the air with deadly precision.

"BASTARD!!!" Mo Yan roared, his eyes wide with shock.