"Not so fast, Astron," she called, her voice tinged with both challenge and excitement.
"Let's see what you will do now."
The searing wave of fire surged forward, its heat rippling through the air as it bore down on Astron. For a moment, Irina was certain it would force him to retreat—or at least slow him down. But then, something unexpected happened.
A sudden shockwave erupted from Astron's position, blasting her flames apart with a force that left the air crackling. Her eyes widened as she saw the bracelet on his wrist glowing faintly, its surface shimmering with the energy it had absorbed.
'The bracelet… he's using it already?'
Before she could fully process the situation, Astron shot forward, his body enveloped in a layer of mana. His speed was overwhelming, far surpassing the pace he'd shown earlier. It was as if the previous exchanges had been nothing more than a warm-up.
SWOOSH!
