Meanwhile, a radiant, burning sphere hovered behind Alexander's head, just like a brilliant sun, its glow casting long shadows across the arena. It radiated a dazzling orange-red light, its glow illuminating the entire arena. Upon closer inspection, within the heart of the sun, a golden crow could be seen flying in slow, majestic circles, its wings flaring with orange and red light. The sight of it caused gasps of awe from the audience, who had never seen magic of such power and beauty.
"What... what is that?" someone muttered, their voice trembling with awe.
This is a skill he learned from the guardian in the first stage of magic training, then Alexander raised a hand. From the sun, 7-8 glowing fireballs separated, spiraling around him in intricate patterns before gradually morphing into the shape of fiery crows. These crows, their wings crackling with flames, hovered around Alexander, ready to strike at his command.
While Roderick was deeply focused on controlling the giant flaming python, Alexander made his move. Without hesitation, he pointed a single finger forward. The eight fire crows that had been circling high above dived into the sea of flames, blending seamlessly with the inferno, their fiery forms almost invisible against the backdrop of blazing heat. They moved swiftly, silently, and with deadly precision, heading toward Roderick with astonishing speed.
Meanwhile, Alexander, standing tall amid the glowing inferno, issued his next command with a chilling calmness."Sun," he uttered coldly.
Instantly, the sun hovering behind him—brilliant and pulsating with raw energy—responded. It let out an eerie, resonant scream, the sound like a battle cry from a celestial being. With that, the sun itself seemed to come to life, swooping down in perfect synchronization with the fire crows.
The audience gasped as the radiant sun, shining with the power of a thousand flames, descended toward the battlefield. The fire crows, moving like shadows in the light, closed in on Roderick from all angles, their attack silent but lethal.
Roderick, seeing the immense power Alexander was unleashing, felt a surge of rage. "Don't underestimate me, you worthless trash!"
The giant python, bloated with stolen flames, had grown stronger. Its body gleamed with absorbed fire, and with a hiss, it lunged toward the sun, intending to swallow it whole.
The two beasts collided in midair, and for a moment, the entire arena was bathed in light. The sun attacked the serpent with ferocity, its flames colliding with the python's body in a series of rapid, explosive bursts. The crowd shielded their eyes as fire and flame twisted together in a chaotic dance of destruction. The two magical constructs clashed with such intensity that the ground beneath them began to crack, sending tremors through the arena.
Roderick had years of combat experience on his side, more time to hone his skills in the academy, and a superior knowledge of magic. "Finish him," Roderick muttered under his breath, his voice low and commanding. Ignored the assault from Alexander's sun, the serpent turned its massive head toward Alexander, gathering the remaining energy in its belly, and then unleashed a torrent of scorching flames. The stream of fire rushed toward Alexander, a blazing inferno intent on ending the duel.
The flames hit, but just as they were about to engulf him, the sun flared brightly, rushing forward to intercept the deadly flames. The molten stream collided with the brilliant orange-red orb, deflecting most of the attack in a dazzling explosion of light and heat.
The sun held firm, but in that momentary defense, Roderick spotted an opening. The serpent, moving with the deadly precision of a predator, surged toward Alexander's sun from the side and clamped its massive jaws onto the golden crow that had been circling within.
With a sickening crunch, it bit through the crow, devouring half of its body in one swift motion. The flames of the crow sputtered and dimmed, shrinking to half its size, as half its body was torn away by the python's vicious attack.
As the Golden Crow vanished completely, devoured by the serpent, Roderick's lips curled into a sneer. "Victory is mine," Roderick muttered to himself, his voice low but full of smug satisfaction.
The audience, sensing the shift, cheered for Roderick, many thinking that Alexander had been outmatched.
The giant python slithered forward, flames flickering off its massive scales, as Roderick strutted through the battlefield, passing through the dying embers that littered the ground. His eyes were locked on Alexander, his steps slow and measured, as if savoring his impending victory. He felt no need to rush now. The fight was his, and he wanted to savor the moment. His mission, assigned to him by Lucian Draven, was nearly complete. All he had to do was finish Alexander off and eliminate the threat for good.
"Boy, don't blame me," Roderick called out, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Blame the world. You touched someone you shouldn't have, and this is the consequence!" He counted his fingers mockingly, each step bringing him closer to his fallen opponent.
Alexander, still standing tall, remained eerily calm. His eyes, glowing faintly with the remnants of his magic, never wavered from Roderick's approaching form. "Do you really think you've won?" he asked, his voice quiet but steady, cutting through the air with unnerving composure.
Roderick's expression faltered for just a second, he felt a sudden unease creeping into his chest. Something wasn't right. Without warning, he leapt backward, immediately commanding the giant python to attack, its massive jaws opening once more as it lunged toward Alexander. But it was too late.
In the blink of an eye, two fiery crows—still hidden in the remnants of the battlefield's flames—launched themselves toward Roderick at blinding speed. Before he could react, the crows collided with him, their flames exploding upon impact, igniting his entire body in an inferno.
A blood-curdling scream tore from Roderick's throat.
His hands flailed wildly, his once imposing figure now reduced to a man desperate to put out the flames that consumed him. The giant python, sensing its master's distress, disintegrated into a whirlwind of embers and ash, unable to sustain its form without Roderick's control. The serpent's massive body broke apart, vanishing into the air as if it had never existed.
Gasps erupted from the audience. All gasped, watching in horror as the noble, who moments ago had seemed poised for victory, was now writhing in agony.
Roderick collapsed to the ground, rolling frantically in a futile attempt to extinguish the fire that clung to him. But Alexander, his expression unreadable, remained calm and focused, watched impassively as Roderick struggled. The scattered embers around him began to gather, forming into a swirling vortex of fire. With a simple gesture, Alexander sent it towards Roderick, the fire burned hotter and brighter, feeding off Roderick's magic, growing stronger with each passing moment.
The crowd was silent, stunned by the rapid turn of events. Gradually, Roderick's screams grew weaker, his movements slowing, until finally, there was no movement left.
Alexander, his face impassive, slowly released his hold on the fire. The flames gradually subsided, leaving Roderick lying motionless on the charred ground. His once proud figure was now reduced to a pitiful sight—his robe and hair completely gone, his skin marked with severe burns, leaving only patches of his skin blackened and blistered. Only his shorts remained intact, a final shred of dignity amidst the devastation.