On the other side, Austin was on his way to the hotel.
Far off in the distance, flames shot into the sky.
Immediately after, an ear-splitting boom echoed above the city.
"An explosion? What happened?
"Isn't that the direction of the magic core power plant?"
Austin was shocked.
That flame was extraordinarily bright, illuminating half the night sky.
Austin, who was a few blocks away, could sense the shock wave from the explosion.
The windows of the residential buildings and shops closest to the explosion had all shattered.
Things like sheds and signboards blasted away.
A part of the plant had turned into a sea of fire that burned fiercely.
After the apocalypse, humans discovered that the fire scales of a vicious beast could burn very well and produce extremely high temperatures. Humans used it for the extraction and condensation of magic cores.
Humans used these fire scales to establish a magic core power plant to supply the city's energy needs.
The explosion of the power plant must have happened at a place storing the fire scales.
The fire scales burned, and the power plant became engulfed in a sea of flames.
"What happened? How did the power plant explode?"
"Hurry up and salvage it! The power plant provides half of the energy of the city!"
"Hold on! What's more important is the Fire Scale Storehouse!
"If the Fire Scale Storehouse explodes, the extent of the explosion will probably demolish the entire southern district, causing an unimaginable disaster!"
The executives of the power plant received the news of the fire and worked on the response immediately.
"It's no good! The fire is too much, and we can't stop it!"
"Too late, it's too late! The fire will reach the Fire Scale Storehouse soon!"
The executives of the power plant covered their heads and shouted hopelessly.
Austin had no hesitation.
Whoosh!
He accelerated all the way and turned into a series of afterimages as he rushed into the sea of fire that had engulfed the power plant.
There were orange, red, and white flames everywhere while powder-like fire scales flew around.
The high temperature created by the burning fire scales made it difficult for any ordinary life forms to approach.
Austin stood in the 3,000-degrees Celsius sea of fire, enduring the terrifying heat of the hellish flames.
"I can't let the fire grow anymore here!
"I must suppress the fire here."
In the fire, the Vulcan II combat suit that Austin had only worn for a short while had almost become reduced to ashes.
If it had been anyone else, they would have turned into ashes along with their combat uniforms, but Austin was different.
His cells had evolved to resist fire, and he had the indestructibility of a Water Spirit Worm.
A three to four thousand degrees Celsius fire could not burn Austin.
"Ding! The host is in a sea of fire. Cell evolution. Fire resistance upgraded. Fire resistance is now level 3!"
Austin heard the system notification.
He had no time to celebrate, though.
He planned to use his fire control ability to strip away all the flames from the remains of the magic core power plant and throw them into the sky.
"Phew… Let's begin!"
Austin exhaled a hot breath, and his face became serious.
The bright flames illuminated his distinct facial features and even started to dazzle.
He opened his arms with his palms facing upward. He closed his eyes and unleashed his fire control ability.
With the scale of the fire at the power plant, it was challenging for Austin's Lv2 fire control ability.
Other than his fire control ability, Austin also utilized his Lv3 ability to control air and wind.
Using the air control ability, he drew out the oxygen in the vicinity to prevent the fire from expanding and spreading.
As he controlled the wind, Austin's body floated up into the air.
Austin was like a phoenix reborn from the flames. His perfect body seemed polished from the sea of fire.
"Ding! The host is in a sea of fire. Cell evolution. Body strengthened!"
"Ding! The host is in a sea of fire. Cell evolution. Body strengthened!"
"Ding! The host is in a sea of fire. Cell evolution. Fire resistance upgraded. Fire resistance ability is now level 3!
"Rise!"
Austin opened his eyes and raised his arms.
His hair fluttered in the fire.
His eyes lit up like blazing flames.
He was like a phoenix merging with the inferno.
All at once, every speck of fire on the scene reflected in Austin's mind.
Austin felt that he could control all the flames.
Right then, the burning sea of fire spiraled up into the sky as it left the magic core power plant.
Outside the power plant, the fire department arrived at the scene.
Fire engines were ejecting balls of water magic towards the power plant.
Splash! Slosh! Sizzle!
One by one, the water balls rushed into the raging fire and turned into white steam.
The terrifying temperature of three to four thousand degrees Celsius prevented the firefighters from entering the power plant.
They could only attempt to suppress the fire from outside.
"This won't do. The fire is too fierce, and we cannot suppress it."
"I'm out of ideas. The magic power of the truck is running low."
"The storage of the trucks is limited. It's pointless even if we combine everything we have."
"Let's go! Let's go! The fire is getting more intense, and it's shooting up the sky."
"I'm afraid only a tier-four magister would be able to use a magic barrier to cover the entire power plant."
"Dear God, please don't explode, please don't explode…"
Faced with such a fire, the firefighters felt helpless.
If the fire continued to spread and burn other fire scale storehouses, the consequences would be unthinkable.
By then, a series of explosions would ensue. The terrifying power would sweep through the entire southern district of Faye City and affect tens of thousands of lives, causing unimaginable property damage.
They could only pray for a miracle to happen.
…
A miracle happened!
One firefighter turned around in a daze.
Soon, every firefighter looked over.
They looked at the scene before them in shock.
The unstoppable flames left the power plant and flew into the sky at high speed.
The remaining ruins of the power plant did not have any flames or ashes left, cleaner than what the fire engines extinguished.
"Miracle This is a miracle…!"
"Hello? Sir! Here is the front line!"
"Yes. For some unknown reason, the fire left the power plant and flew up into the sky."
"Yes, from the looks of it, the threat of the fire has been resolved!"
A firefighter was on the phone reporting to his superior. He was crying tears of joy.
They thought it was a miracle.
Little did they know that one person created this miracle!
Austin stood in the middle of the sea of fire as the flames flew into the sky.