Ember was a stunning elf woman, exuding an otherworldly beauty that could make any man lose his senses. She appeared to be in her early twenties. Her long, flowing hair was a mesmerizing gradient of fiery hues, starting with deep red at the roots, transitioning through vibrant orange, and culminating in bright, flaming red tips. Each strand seemed to flicker like a living flame, adding to her fierce and enchanting presence.
Her eyes were a striking shade of orange, akin to the color of molten lava, with an intensity that mirrored the fire she commanded.
Ember's attire was both practical and alluring, designed to offer protection while accentuating her perfect figure. She wore a black cloak adorned with intricate red engravings The cloak billowed dramatically as she moved, adding to her commanding presence.
Beneath the cloak, she wore a matching ensemble of dark red pants and a fitted shirt, both of which hugged her curves and allowed for ease of movement.
Her ears, delicately pointed like those of all elves, peeked out from beneath her hair, adding to her ethereal beauty.
"A fire magician, let's see how strong she is," Amadeus muttered, activating {Divine Sight}.
[Power Score]
/ Target Power Score: 15000
"What? Even with the {More Strength} skill, my power score only reached 9000, but she has 15000. I want to see her stats," said Amadeus, his curiosity piqued.
[Target Stats]
HP: 150 / 9999
DEF: 70 / 9999
STM: 30 / 9999
Mana: 3000 / 9999
STR: 10 / 9999
Agility: 5 / 9999
Intelligence: 2500 / 9999
"Now that explains her high power score, but she is weak physically. If I can get close, I can win easily," Amadeus reasoned.
"Amadeus, wait!" the Crown warned, but Amadeus didn't listen. He dashed towards her with lightning speed, his movements a blur.
"So, you're going to attack first," Ember remarked, her eyes flashing with amusement. She raised her hand and activated {Fireball}, summoning 20 fireballs that hurtled toward Amadeus. With incredible agility, he weaved through the barrage, dodging each fiery projectile with ease. In an instant, he was upon her, sword poised to strike.
Ember quickly used {Fire Wall}, creating a blazing barrier from beneath Amadeus' feet. Flames erupted around him, forcing him to leap back. He narrowly avoided the flames, but his foot was badly burned. The searing pain shot through his leg, but thanks to his regeneration skill, it healed within seconds.
"I thought you'd be interesting since you defeated those two idiots, but you think like any other swordsman. Get close and kill. Such methods are useless against a magician of my level. Why don't you look for a new trick?" Ember taunted, clearly disappointed by his predictability..
"I told you before, don't use logic in your fight," the Crown advised, its tone urgent.
"Are you telling me to throw away all I've learned?" Amadeus shot back, frustration seeping into his voice.
"No, but in all the worlds you've lived in, there was no magic, super speed, or strength. You need to consider these factors in your planning if you want to win," the Crown explained.
"Come on, let's play some more," Ember said, launching another volley of 20 fireballs. Amadeus dodged them again, his movements a dance of precision and speed. He closed the distance between them once more. "You don't learn, do you?" Ember said, using {Fire Wall} again. This time, Amadeus dodged skilfully , his eyes locked onto her, ready to strike her down.
"You're stronger than I thought, but you're not strong enough," Ember declared, her eyes narrowing. She used {Heat Wave}, and the air around her grew scorching hot. The intense heat caused Amadeus' skin to blister and melt, the pain searing through his body. He was forced to retreat, his regeneration skill struggling to keep up with the damage.
"So she still has more tricks," Amadeus muttered through gritted teeth, and a window appeared.
[Notification]
/ User advised to be cautious. 40 HP left.
"What does that mean? Did I use the regeneration ability?" Amadeus asked.
"Since you have a god body, HP doesn't work like other creatures. Your HP is used as fuel for regeneration, so the more critical the damage, the more HP will be consumed to heal it. If HP hits zero, you won't be able to use regeneration," the Crown explained.
"So I have few chances left," Amadeus realized.
"Now, I will raise the battle level a bit. I hope you can keep up," Ember said, her eyes narrowing with determination as she activated {Ignition}. Twenty-five red flame magic circles appeared above her head, pulsing with intense heat. She raised her hands and chanted a spell, causing the circles to glow even brighter.
She cast {Fireball}, and the fireballs formed from the magic circles, launching at Amadeus with incredible speed. The once easy-to-dodge fireballs were now faster and more ferocious, each one radiating a deadly heat. Amadeus barely avoided them, his heart racing as he ducked and weaved through the onslaught.
"Just what did she do? The fireballs are bigger, faster, and more damaging," Amadeus observed, sweat dripping from his brow.
"She must have used enhancing magic before casting her spell, which means we're in bigger trouble than we thought," the Crown said, its tone grim.
"Let me guess, those who can use dual magic are rare," Amadeus inferred, his mind racing to find a strategy.
"Yes, they are rare, and she uses the fire element, which has one of the highest destructive powers," the Crown confirmed. Amadeus continued dodging, his movements swift and precise, as he tried to close the distance between them. One fireball came at him too quickly for him to dodge, so he decided to slice it with his sword. "No, don't!" the Crown warned, but it was too late. The fireball exploded on contact, sending a shockwave through the air.
Amadeus' hand was reduced to bone, the flesh and muscle melted away by the intense heat. "What just happened? I couldn't slice it," Amadeus said, gritting his teeth in pain as his regeneration skill worked to heal his arm. Before the Crown could explain, Ember's laughter echoed through the battlefield.
"Hahaha... I can't believe you tried slicing mana with pure physical strength. I thought that was basic information for any sword user. I guess a barbarian like you, who relies only on physical power, wouldn't know that," Ember mocked.
"She's right. Slicing mana with pure physical power is impossible," the Crown admitted.
"But there has to be a way," Amadeus insisted, frustration and determination mingling in his voice.
"There is, but we can't use it right now," the Crown replied.
"then I have to find a way around this," Amadeus said.
With his hand fully healed, he picked up his blade, ready to try again. "Your arm melted, and before that, your skin. Do you have healing magic? If you did, I would have sensed it. Whatever trick you're using, I'll turn you into ash," Ember threatened, her eyes glowing with fire.
Ember used {Fire Rain} and {Ignition}, summoning a relentless downpour of fireballs. The sky darkened as the fireballs poured down like a deadly meteor shower, each one leaving a fiery trail in its wake. Amadeus moved with incredible speed and agility, dodging most of them, but some hit their mark, causing searing pain as they scorched his flesh. Though his regeneration skill healed the burns quickly, the constant barrage took its toll.
"Don't tell me you can't sense mana... hahaha. Then you won't be able to dodge these, right?" Ember smirked, her eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. She stood amidst the chaos, her hair flowing like a river of fire, and her eyes reflecting the flames around her.
She was right. Without any mana-sensing skill, Amadeus relied solely on his vision and instincts to dodge, which wasn't enough against Ember's relentless attacks. The fireballs were unpredictable, their trajectories constantly shifting, making it nearly impossible for him to anticipate their movements.
As Amadeus continued to dodge, he felt something hot beneath him. The ground beneath his feet began to tremble. Before he could react, a fire pillar erupted from the ground, engulfing him in flames. It was a landmine, cunningly planted by Ember. The heat was intense, and Amadeus barely managed to leap out of its reach, but the flames had already singed his clothes and skin.
Since Amadeus couldn't sense mana, he couldn't predict their locations. The battlefield was a minefield of deadly traps, each one a potential death sentence. He gritted his teeth. He had to stay on the move, constantly adjusting his position to avoid the fireballs and landmines.
Amadeus kept dodging the fire rain, his movements a desperate dance of survival. Each step was calculated, each leap timed to perfection. The fireballs exploded around him, filling the air with heat and smoke. The ground was scorched, and the smell of burning earth and flesh filled the battlefield.
A window appeared in Amadeus' vision, its message urgent.
[Warning]
/ User HP has reached 0.
/ Regeneration is no longer possible.
"I can't keep doing this. It's now or never," Amadeus declared. With a final burst of speed, he dashed toward Ember, his eyes locked onto his target. He skilfully avoided the fire rain, his movements a blur as he weaved through the fiery onslaught. For the landmines, he kept his feet moving constantly, never staying in one place long enough to trigger them. His mind was sharp, his instincts honed from constantly dodging.
"So you want to end our little game," Ember said with a mocking smile, her eyes filled with amusement. She raised her hands, summoning {Fire Hands}. Five fiery hands materialized, each one reaching out with deadly intent. They moved with a life of their own, their fiery fingers crackling with heat.
Amadeus twisted and turned, his body moving with incredible agility as he barely dodged the fiery hands. Their heat singed the air around him, but he remained unscathed. He then equipped Commander Thurstan's whip.
"Where did that whip come from?" Ember exclaimed, her voice tinged with surprise. Before she could react, the whip coiled around her, tightening with every second, constricting her movements.
"This is it, one final push," Amadeus muttered to himself, his voice filled with resolve. He dashed toward her, his eyes narrowed in focus.
"You dare!" Ember shouted, her eyes blazing with fury. She concentrated her power, using {Pressure}. The heat around her intensified, focusing in one spot and creating a force strong enough to push the whip off her body. The whip fell away, and she stood free, her fiery aura flaring.
"It seems I've played with you for too long. I've been using only basic spells, but now I'll show you my true power—the power of Ember, the Witch of the Scorched Earth," she declared, her voice rising with intensity. She activated {Phoenix Breath}, and a powerful blast of fire erupted from the magic circle in front of her arm.
The heat was so intense that it scorched the ground and vaporized the air around it. The blast was like a dragon's breath, a flame that seemed unstoppable. Amadeus was right in front of her when the blast started, the sheer force of it creating a giant, steaming hole in the ground. Ember's lips curled into a victorious smile as she though Amadeus was turned into dust.
"That's what you get for annoying me," Ember said, her voice filled with satisfaction. As she turned around, she felt the cold, sharp edge of a sword pressed against her neck. Her eyes widened in shock.
"You were saying something about annoying you, right?" Amadeus taunted, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Impossible! How did you survive my Phoenix Breath?" Ember gasped, her mind racing to comprehend how he had managed to evade her most powerful attack. She was right—if not for the poison from the whip that slowed her down, Amadeus would have turned to ash.
"Pure physical power," Amadeus replied with a smirk, his eyes locked onto hers with an unwavering intensity.
"This changes nothing. You've only prolonged your suffering," Ember replied, her voice trembling with both fear and anger. She tried to muster her magic, but the blade against her neck kept her still.
"I don't advise you to do that. At this distance, I can kill you before you use any of your fancy spells," Amadeus warned, his grip on the sword tightening, the threat clear in his voice.
"Then what do you want from me? If you didn't need anything, you would have killed me by now, like you did the others," Ember reasoned, trying to maintain her composure despite the fear coursing through her veins.
"You're right. After fighting you, I see you might be more useful to me alive than dead," Amadeus admitted, his gaze unwavering, his voice calm but firm.
"You have two choices: either I kill you now, or you come with me to the quarry, where I'll tell you why I need you," Amadeus offered, his tone leaving no room for negotiation, his eyes cold.
"There's a better name for what you're telling me—it's called a threat," Ember said.
"It makes no difference. So, what's your choice?" Amadeus pressed, his patience wearing thin.
"Okay, I'll come with you to the quarry. But if what you need concerns my body, let's end it here," Ember agreed reluctantly.
"Are you an idiot? Do I look like someone who'd go through all this trouble for something so stupid?" Amadeus snapped, irritation evident in his voice, his eyes narrowing.
"Why, aren't I beautiful in your eyes?" Ember teased weakly, a faint smirk playing on her lips.
"Move it. I don't have time to waste on such an idiotic topic," Amadeus retorted sharply, his eyes cold as steel.
Amadeus and Ember started walking toward the quarry, maintaining enough distance between them for Amadeus to stop Ember if she tried anything. The tension in the air was palpable, a silent understanding that the next move could be their last. Ember's fiery hair flowed behind her, the colors shifting like a living flame, while Amadeus' eyes remained fixed on her, ever vigilant.