As Thaddeus and Itril plummet into the cavern, their descent transforms into a violent ballet of destruction. The cavern's walls, ancient and worn, become unwilling spectators to this brutal showdown, crumbling under the sheer force of their battle.
Itril, glowing with absorbed energy, attacks with ferocious speed and strength, each strike more powerful than the last. Thaddeus, despite the pain from his broken humerus, counters with experienced precision, his every move a testament to his enduring prowess.
The cavern echoes with the sounds of their combat. Rocks and debris shower down as Thaddeus's powerful punches meet Itril's relentless assaults, the vibrations from their blows resonating through the underground structure. With each impact, the cavern shudders, its integrity threatened by the immense force unleashed within.
In a strategic maneuver, Thaddeus summons his strength and delivers a massive downward punch to Itril. The resulting vibration shakes the entire cavern, causing stalactites to fall like rain and the walls to crack ominously. "What an insane beast, how did something like that go extinct?" Thaddeus wonders aloud, his voice echoing in the cavernous expanse.
With a determined push against the cavern wall, Thaddeus accelerates his descent, aiming to end the fight swiftly. 'I need to kill it before it grows any stronger,' he thinks, his resolve steeling him for the confrontation ahead.
As Thaddeus descends, he spots Orion waiting below, surrounded by his clones. Orion smirks confidently and announces, "Hahaha, let me show you something interesting, old man!" He stands in a circular formation with his clones, each raising one hand. Orion's skin takes on a purplish hue as corrupted mana crackles around his hands, signaling the unleashing of a formidable power.
With his hands connected by a magic circle, a colossal snake of pure corrupted mana erupts from it, soaring upwards towards Thaddeus. Its size and power are immense, a manifestation of Orion's rare and dangerous attribute.
Thaddeus, unfazed, observes calmly, "To create this, you need a rare attribute. Well done." Instead of using mana, he coats his arm in aura, preparing for a direct confrontation. His voice is calm yet laced with serious acknowledgment of Orion's skill.
As the snake of corrupted mana closes in, Thaddeus unleashes a powerful punch directly at it. The collision between his aura-coated fist and the corrupted mana creates a massive shockwave, a maelstrom of red and purple energy that radiates outwards with explosive force.
The impact, while successfully destroying Orion's attack, has an unforeseen consequence. Thaddeus, propelled by the momentum, is sent rocketing upwards at an astonishing speed. His ascent is as rapid as his descent, turning the cavern into a vertical battleground.
Rocks and debris are caught in the shockwave's wake, creating a storm of stone and dust. The cavern, already weakened, begins to collapse in parts, unable to withstand the relentless energy released by the fighters.
As Thaddeus bursts out of the cavern, propelled by the shockwave of his own making, he is unexpectedly greeted by Nessa. She sits nonchalantly on a broken stone slab, her demeanor relaxed yet charged with an anticipatory thrill. With a smirk playing on her lips, she greets him. "Ah~ Professor, it's been a while, huh~" Her voice carries a teasing, almost playful tone.
Raising her palm, Nessa declares, "Let's have some fun~" Her eyes gleam with excitement and a hint of mischief. Thaddeus, still in midair, quickly assesses the situation. 'So she's not a close-range fighter,' he concludes, gauging her stance and the distance between them.
In an instant, Nessa conjures six magic circles - three above Thaddeus and three below him. They stack upon each other, each progressively larger than the last, a mesmerizing and ominous display of her magical prowess. Nessa turns her head slightly, her smile widening as she utters the words, "Palms of flame."
The magic circles activate, unleashing two colossal hands made entirely of searing fire. They reach towards Thaddeus with a speed and intensity that belies their size, attempting to ensnare him in a fiery grasp. The palms close in on him, the flames intensifying, creating a furnace in the air.
Thaddeus, facing this inferno, reacts with remarkable agility and strength. He extends his arms out, muscles straining against the immense force of the closing fiery hands. The fire rages around him, growing fiercer and more unyielding, but Thaddeus remains steadfast, his confidence radiating.
As the flames reach their zenith, Thaddeus pushes back with all his might. The resulting clash of forces is cataclysmic. A shockwave explosion erupts from the point of impact, the energy released by Thaddeus's counterattack colliding with the fiery assault. The explosion is a spectacle of light and sound, a vivid display of red and orange hues that illuminates the sky.
The force of the explosion shatters Nessa's fiery construct, dispersing the flames into a myriad of sparks and embers. Thaddeus emerges from the fiery maelstrom, his figure silhouetted against the dissipating flames. Despite the intensity of Nessa's attack, he remains unscathed.
Nessa swiftly jumps off her perch, her boots landing with a definitive thud on the broken ground. She shakes her head, clicking her tongue in mock disapproval. "Tsk tsk tsk tsk. That was very rude of you, Professor, I worked hard to create that attack," she chides, her tone playful yet edged with a hint of challenge.
Professor Thaddeus, taking a moment to assess his condition, realizes the gravity of his situation. 'Most of my injuries are external, but at this pace, it won't be long before they damage my organs,' he thinks critically. His gaze shifts to Nessa. 'This is the last one I have to deal with, her regeneration is too much of a pain to deal with at the moment.'
Interrupted by Nessa's voice, "Oi old man, you listening?" Thaddeus barely has time to react as Itril, the beast, emerges from behind and delivers a powerful kick to his waist. The force of the blow breaks one of Thaddeus's ribs, but the creature pays a steep price – its leg snaps in half due to the counterforce.
Determined, Thaddeus thinks, 'First things first. I need to get rid of this one.' He sets his sights on Kuza, initiating a swift movement. In a blur, he disappears and reappears right behind Kuza. But Lia is quick to react, stepping up to intervene. She swings her chain with deadly precision, the daggers moving in rhythm with her intent.
Itril, not deterred by its injury, also lunges at Thaddeus. Anticipating this, Thaddeus waits for the right moment. As Lia's chain descends, he grabs it and, with a swift motion, wraps it around Itril from head to toe.
Kuza, seeing the impending disaster, starts to warn Lia, "Lia don't-" But it's too late. Lia, attempting to retract her chain, finds herself in a tug-of-war with Thaddeus. He pulls with immense strength, resulting in a resounding thud as they rip Itril to shreds. The summon, unable to withstand the force against Lia's artifact, is torn apart.
The backlash of Itril's destruction hits Kuza hard. He collapses to his knees, coughing up blood continuously, gasping for air. The connection between the summoner and the summoned, when severed so violently, leaves its mark on Kuza, the physical and magical strain overwhelming him.
Nessa nonchalantly pats Kuza's back as he struggles with the consequences of his summon's destruction. Her voice carries a tone of mocking reproach, "Tsk tsk tsk, this is what happens when you rely on a summon, i-d-i-o-t." She turns her body sideways, striking a dramatic pose while maintaining eye contact with Kuza, who returns her gaze with a cold, pained expression.
Lia, still engaged in combat with Thaddeus, glances back at the scene. Her voice is cold and authoritative as she commands, "Both of you stop playing around." Her focus remains split between the fight and her allies' antics.
Professor Thaddeus, amidst the conflict, turns to Kuza, his voice carrying a hint of reprimand despite them not actually being his students. "Signing a contract with a summon is not a reliable choice," he remarks, a nod to his experience and understanding of such magical binds.
Orion, frustrated with the ongoing chatter, abruptly slams Nessa in the head, snapping her out of her teasing demeanor. "Stop talking, you know what's going to happen now," he says, his tone urgent and serious. Nessa, rolling her eyes in response, retorts, "Yeah, and he still won't be able to beat me." Her confidence remains unshaken, even in the face of escalating danger.
Suddenly, a dramatic transformation overtakes Kuza. His veins bulge, and his muscles swell, growing substantially in size. His hair shifts to a fiery red, signaling a profound change. This isn't Kuza anymore but Alik, his second personality, taking control. Alik stands up firmly, spitting blood on the ground. He mutters disdainfully to himself, chastising Kuza internally for the damage done to their shared body. "Stupid fucker, why did you damage our body like that, retard," he grumbles.
Alik, now in control, turns his attention to Thaddeus, a wicked smirk spreading across his face. "Hahahaha, this is going to be fun," he declares, popping his knuckles in anticipation. His demeanor is one of excitement and aggression, a stark contrast to Kuza's earlier state.
Alik, embodying a newfound ferocity and determination, wastes no time in launching his attack. His muscles visibly bulge, and in a mere flash, he unleashes a barrage of punches at Thaddeus. Each blow is powerful enough to make Thaddeus block and leap back, but Alik's assault is relentless. The sheer number of punches and kicks he delivers in such a short timespan is in the hundreds. All the while, Alik wears a grin of sheer exhilaration. "Come on old man! I'm just getting started!" he shouts, his grin widening as his speed and intensity increase. Despite the seemingly barbaric nature of his attacks, there is a precision to each movement.
Professor Thaddeus, undeterred, blocks and counters each strike. "Your combat intuition is not bad, but you lack patience," he comments, his voice steady and calm. In a swift motion, Thaddeus executes a palm strike directly to Alik's chest, sending him staggering backward.
In that instant, Nessa gestures towards Thaddeus, activating her attribute, "Pillars of Pain." Flame pillars erupt from the ground, shooting upwards all over the battlefield. Near Thaddeus, these pillars morph into chains of fire, latching onto his body in an attempt to restrain him.
Thaddeus, with his exceptional strength, breaks the flame chains, but they regenerate, continuously sprouting from different pillars. He attempts to maneuver, but the chains, ever persistent, keep reattaching. "I see... This is an attribute meant for torture," Thaddeus observes, his gaze shifting to Nessa.
A lesser opponent would be crippled by pain as the chains connect, but Thaddeus remains largely unaffected. The chains, while failing to inflict pain, succeed in slowing him down and reducing his dexterity, limiting his movements and agility.
Alik and Lia, now working in tandem, coordinate their attacks on Thaddeus with deadly precision. Lia, with her chains, aims a stabbing motion at Thaddeus from the side, while Alik gears up for a powerful punch aimed at Thaddeus's gut. Thaddeus, however, is quick to react. With a forceful step, he shatters the ground beneath him, sending a large chunk of rock hurling towards Alik. Simultaneously, he conjures a magic shield to deflect Lia's attack.
As Lia's chains whip towards him, Thaddeus ingeniously uses the fiery chains binding him to entangle them. He skillfully flips and twists his body, using the chains to his advantage, and makes a swift attempt to kick Lia in the face. Lia reacts just in time, blocking the kick with her hand, but the close call highlights the intensity of their skirmish.
In a sudden move, Alik reappears behind Thaddeus and delivers a powerful kick to his back. The impact is significant enough to make Thaddeus cough up blood, indicating the first injury that truly affects him. Glancing back, Thaddeus realizes the source of Alik's enhanced power: his shoes are artifacts.
Meanwhile, Nessa observes the unfolding battle with a relaxed demeanor, lying down and enjoying some candy while watching the thrilling spectacle. Her casual attitude contrasts sharply with the fierce combat playing out before her.
Orion and his clones, maintaining their distance, encircle the battlefield. Raising their arms, they begin casting a colossal magic circle above, channeling their combined power. The circle materializes into a gigantic sword made of pure corrupted mana, its sheer size and ominous energy a testament to Orion's formidable magic. The sword, suspended high above, starts its descent towards Thaddeus, threatening to crush him with its overwhelming power.