Eliana felt her internal organs were burning despite her immunity to fire.
She knew it was just an illusion, but she could not shake the pain and the trauma that was resurfacing.
Eliana had one reason for spending her precious Feat Point, which she obtained from her first Ascension Trance for [Fire Immunity], even though she already had [Phoenix's Blessing].
She wanted to ensure she was completely immune to fire so she would not have to feel the burning flame experience.
All because of the experiences in the past, where she had to endure being burned and engulfed by flame every second, minute, hour, day, and even month while she was conscious.
When the memory forced its way into Eliana's mind, her face instantly darkened. Her unwavering gaze was fading as it was replaced by grim.
She was about to fall into despair just as she did when facing the spider-like monsters. However, she also remembered how she overcame her fear of them.
Before Eliana feared the feeling of being consumed by flames, she was first afraid of spiders.
If she could beat the first and foremost fear, then why could not she whip the second?
Having that thought swirling in her mind, Eliana shut her eyes while perceiving the burning illusion she felt. It would not stop just because she was quietly begging it to. And she was still shaken by the bad memory.
Despite all that, Eliana took a step forward, both physically and mentally.
There was no way for someone to forget trauma or biggest fear in one scenario.
Even now, Eliana still had a slight fear of spiders, but it was not to the point where she felt like vomiting and almost had a breakdown like last time. Ever since she knew how to deal with them, everything became easier.
Even though Eliana could not suppress the trauma in one go, she just needed to try a second, third, fourth... many tries until it completely vanished.
Eliana still felt the burning sensation inside of her. But she tried her best to ignore it as she walked, then gradually shifted into running.
She clasped her hands briefly, casting flames between her palms, and then stretched them wide into a smooth arc.
Taking a deep breath, Eliana raised her hands and leaped forward slightly, pressing her palms on the ground.
The flame streamed onto the surface, trailing and chasing its way toward a figure clad in a flaming robe. Their blazing crimson hair was flowing down their waist.
When the flame arrived beneath them, it burst out and devoured them like a hungry beast.
The flame was shaped like a Phoenix, its head soaring into the sky while its pillar of flame body trailing behind. A moment later, it turned around and dove down, showering the figure with fiercer heat.
"More..."
Having adrenaline rushed through her, Eliana hurled multiple fireballs at the flame pillar that ragingly burst.
When those were not enough, she barraged her opponent with various forms of her flame.
Flame Spear materialized and thrust itself toward the target.
Ring of Fire quickly enclosed as soon as it was cast.
Fire Wave flew at a high speed, slashing through the flame pillar.
As if pulled by dense gravity, the flame shrunk quickly and combusted.
Smoke rose from the ground, billowing at where the figure had been standing.
"Not yet."
Noticing it was not over, Eliana prepared for her next attack.
Before she could cast her flame, a fiery lance flew toward her.
Despite knowing fire would not work on her, Eliana rolled to the side instinctively. A fear of getting hit and being burned was lingering in her mind.
"Why am I—" Eliana gritted her teeth, making a frustrated gesture. 'Get a hold of yourself, Eli. The heat is just an illusion.'
Sizzle!
Another lance drove toward Eliana again. Another one. And more. Over and over.
Eliana let the first lance graze her skin. However, once she felt the heat, she was desperately avoiding the others.
She was not only avoiding but also fighting back.
They exchanged attacks back and forth with more variety as time went on.
Eliana had spent a day waiting in the starting room, then took another day and several hours to reach the volcano peak. In total, the time she had been spending in Meta Domain was around 60 hours.
For another three hours, she was fighting against the objective—a figure that resembled Eliana but was charred—of the third Ascension Trance.
At one point, when she was fighting against herself, the volcano began to tremble.
The first time it happened was caused by the explosive fire magic that Eliana and Charred Eliana cast.
But the second time onward, it was a natural reaction of the volcano itself, signaling it was about to erupt.
However, the two figures dueling at the peak were not even bothered by the eruption. They were focused on each other.
Even when the ground crumbled, sending them into the pit, their focus was unbroken.
They continued their fight inside the volcano. Even if their body was saved from burning, their clothes were not spared.
At that point, the battle was already determined.
Eliana had won the battle. Why? Because she was immune to burn and flame. Meanwhile, the Charred One, who relied on the flaming robe that granted fire resistance, was near their end as their body started to melt.
Finally, when the volcano erupted, launching them and all the lava outward, the Charred One was burned to death.
"Hah.. hah..."
The world suddenly froze. All the colors were drained, leaving the world black and white.
In her vision, Eliana noticed a familiar transparent screen floating before her. But instead of seeing two, she saw three, just like in her first Ascension Trance.
[Ascension Trance cleared! Ascendant will return in 10 seconds.]
[Ascendant has ascended to the 7th Class.]
[Feat Point acquired! Ascendant has successfully destroyed the Flaming Robe.]
Then, when the light engulfed her, Eliana felt weightless as if she was a feather. The feeling was similar when she traveled with Teleportation Gate but also different. It was hard to describe it.
The instant she regained her senses, Eliana slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a familiar masked figure sitting across her.
Stretching her hands, Eliana made a peace gesture.
"I did it!"