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"No way!"
Kaelen stared at the elderly sorceress beside him, mouth agape.
The woman swung the fur draping from her neck down to her waist in her hand.
"So… what now? Do you still have anything that can affect me? I'm sure sorcerers like you always carry a few spare tricks up their sleeves."
"Thinking like that… killing Amanda was a huge loss. I could have used her as a sort of meat shield. Now I'm on my own."
Kaelen spoke in a low voice. Pheniyet listened with a faint smile.
Kaelen focused on his mana core and drew his ordinary sword made of obsidian.
The black sword glimmered in the boiling lava cave.
As the lava monster formed a mana shield around itself, Kaelen watched it intently. In his past life, Estelle had tried to fight this thing, but the monster had never emerged from the lava. Now, however, it was showing itself due to Pheniyet's mana pressure.
The sorceress was almost three tiers above him in mastery. The lava monster preferred to reveal itself and fight rather than stay hidden.
Kaelen knew Amanda's blessing would last about five minutes.
He needed to end this battle within that time. Since he understood how Amanda's ability worked, he no longer needed her.
Once a blessing was given, it remained active until the user's mana ran out. But if Amanda spent extra mana to protect herself, it would drain her mana twice as fast. Now, Amanda had freed herself from Pheniyet's mana field and was still blessing him in the trial hall.
He could have prevented it, but since Amanda was observing, she would endure as much as possible.
Kaelen was exploiting every weakness of the saint.
He shifted his mana from "Enn" form to "Pik" form. In his past life, he had fought these types of monsters. The lava monster before him was not like the three 3rd-level creatures he had previously killed, barely able to manipulate mana.
"Probably able to actively use the lava," Kaelen thought.
Using his mana in "Pik" form now would work to his advantage. The mana radius had grown, allowing him to focus better. He also felt as if he were relearning how to use mana. The four-meter-high mana wave drew the monster's attention.
A great tremor shook the island's base.
The heat rising from the depths of the volcano twisted into crimson smoke against the sky. Every wave of hot air warped the veil of reality, softening the surrounding rocks. When Kaelen drew the obsidian sword from his back, its surface fogged slightly from the heat. His eyes were fixed on the center of the crater where the lava boiled. There, a massive form took shape—as if magma itself had gained consciousness, born of anger and vengeance.
The Lava Monster.
It stood over four meters tall, its body made entirely of lava—but the lava was not random. Red cracks, like veins, traced through thick rock layers, dancing with every movement. Its eyes, two burning pits, fixed on Kaelen. Each step shook the ground; lava oozed from beneath its feet, scorching the surroundings.
Kaelen took a deep breath, gripping his sword with both hands. The obsidian blade shone dully but firmly in the lava's glow. This arena, alive with dancing flames, was a perfect death trap—but also a trial.
The Lava Monster made its first move. A column of lava shot toward Kaelen like an arrow. Kaelen leapt back, but a fragment fell directly in front of him, scattering sparks. Some stones melted, and a strong scent of burning filled the air.
"I won't finish this quickly," Kaelen muttered.
His eyes were alert, his steps careful. He couldn't step just anywhere—the ground beneath him was a living fire.
The monster raised its arms. A wave of heat blurred Kaelen's vision for a moment. A massive arm, shaped from lava, swung down at him. The young warrior rolled aside to evade. The ground collapsed; molten stones mixed with lava.
"Tch. It's using mana very well," Kaelen cursed internally.
The monster began attacking consecutively without giving him a chance to approach. It could manipulate mana freely, controlling its body and the surrounding mana. Kaelen was more skilled in mana control, but the monster had far more total mana.
Kaelen noticed the rock beneath his foot cracking. He moved back, but the monster seized the opportunity. A massive lava chunk flew at him. Kaelen held the obsidian sword diagonally, striking the projectile perfectly, splitting it. Shards scattered, some hitting his armor and causing burns.
His mana shield had shattered.
Kaelen's breathing grew uneven. The heat thickened with every passing second. Sweat ran down his face; not even a brief coolness existed in this inferno. But he couldn't stop. He swung his sword and charged at the monster.
The obsidian blade sliced through the lava arm. Yet the lava reformed; the monster seemed unfazed. On the contrary, it counterattacked, as if trying to capture Kaelen.
The Lava Monster roared, pounding the ground. The earth beneath Kaelen cracked. He jumped reflexively, but another lava column aimed to catch him. Twisting his sword, he split the lava column. The blade glinted slightly as it struck metallic fragments within the lava. This creature was no ordinary fire entity. It was a perfect fusion of rock, metal, and lava—a flawless armor, a perfect weapon.
Landing, Kaelen noticed stones melting around his knees. He lunged forward, slicing toward the monster's chest. The obsidian blade sank in but halted before reaching deep; the lava seemed to absorb his power. His mana waned in the heat. Amanda's blessing was fading.
The monster retaliated, flinging lava from its belly, hurling Kaelen several meters. His side scorched, his left arm burned. Gritting his teeth, he rose, eyes blazing.
"If that's all… I'm disappointed. I expected to die by now," he said mockingly.
The monster roared again, echoing through the mountain, full of rage.
Kaelen retreated. Amanda's blessing was gone; the protective mana shield weakened. The hot steam continued to burn his skin.
He ran through the passage, exiting toward the volcano's outer slopes.
Above him, Pheniyet watched intently. Even if Kaelen didn't understand how, the lava monster now ignored her. Its only desire was to see Kaelen dead.
The lava monster leaped to follow him. Its massive body was nearly as fast and agile as Kaelen.
Kaelen jumped through a narrow passage onto the volcano's slope, embedding his sword into an angled wall for support. The lava monster smashed the mountain behind him. Its red lava fingers tore through stone, attacking Kaelen with ferocious rage.
Kaelen dodged one swipe. The monster had lost its home-ground advantage but remained formidable. Kaelen's mana drained rapidly. Even reinforcing only the parts worth protecting, the damage he took kept increasing.
He ran up the volcano's peak, evading attacks while pressing toward the highest point.
The island shook violently again. The lava monster had to pause its assault. Kaelen took in the changed landscape.
The sea churned.
Kaelen felt terror. A single misstep would be fatal. Lava poured from cracks along the volcano.
Once more, he dodged a massive claw. An attack landed just beside his head as he jumped higher.
Reaching the volcano cone's peak, Kaelen knelt, catching his breath. He closed his eyes, emptied his mind. Mana flowed through his veins into the sword. The obsidian glimmered—different this time. Something vibrated inside, a power accumulating. Opening his eyes, he focused with that familiar cold intensity.
"It's time…" he whispered.
All his mana training had been for this. He was now acclimated to this new body, nothing holding back his ability.
Kaelen felt that familiar sensation, the intense yearning it brought. He had waited so long to experience this moment again. Not in this life, but in his previous one, he had burned for this instant.
"Finally! After all these years, I can use my ability again."
He assumed his stance.
Left foot forward, gripping his sword tightly.
His right hand held the sword, channeling all his mana into it. Only the blade glowed intensely.
"Harmony."
"Twin Fang."
"Cut."
The Lava Monster transformed its entire body into a flaming tornado, rushing at Kaelen—a finishing move. Its essence had merged into the flames. Kaelen remained still, waiting.
Just as the creature reached him—
"Quick Slash."
Kaelen moved at blinding speed. The obsidian sword sliced through the flames; time seemed to bend. A streak of light cleaved the monster's body. Then silence…
The Lava Monster froze.
Seconds passed… and it split in two.
The halves fell, spilling its lava heart, which began to cool. The outer shells cracked. Lava turned to blackened stone. The mountain's fires flickered as if losing will, dimming.
Kaelen slowly lowered his sword, knees buckling. His breath was heavy, but his eyes shone with victory. He inspected the scratches on the obsidian blade, then turned to the lava heart.
A crystal-like fragment gleamed on the ground—the essence of the Lava Monster.
Kaelen reached out, holding the stone despite the heat. It still thrummed with energy.
Crackle
The mountain fell silent. Only Kaelen's heavy breathing echoed. A battle at the volcano's heart had ended.
But the real war was only just beginning.
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