Maddog, who had taken a step back under Gracier's dragon eyes, quickly shut his eyes before taking a deep breath. Now that he knew it was not Gracier's Gift spirit that was going to fight as he believes if it were the case, he would almost lose, Maddog was most relieved. No matter how much strength Gracier has acquired, she couldn't beat him.
''I shall let you witness the power of science.''
Maddog shouted before putting his fingers in the direction Gracier was coming from, and the skin on his fingers stretched out, shooting like a net.
Gracier's eyes widened; she had never heard of something like this before; even so, she was quick to react; she used the flame on her body to amplify her reflexes and dodge, but the skin-net was faster, and it enveloped her. A cooling sensation rippled out of the skin and like water extinguishing the fire.
However, Gracier was Gracier, the child of fire; at the same time that the golden flame around her got extinguished, she tapped her foot on the ground; through them, she sent flame vines at Maddog. The floor cracked behind apart as hundreds of flames vines charged through them, ready to pierce through Maddog.
''Too naive. I'm not a weakling that would fall for that.''
Maddog thundered, and the flame vines smashed into pieces by a thin thread of skin.
Gracier, at the same time Ignia, who was recuperating were horrified.
''The universe is surely big. To think that I would one day encounter something like this.'' Ignia commented as she soaked in the hot lava.
Outside, Gracier wondered, ''How could he manipulate skin to such an extent?!" as she dodged skin threads shot at her.
''Hehehehe! Keep running. I catch you and suck all your blood before sucking your brother's blood. I will skin you and added your skin on top of mine. Hehehe!" Maddog tried to provoke Gracier, and as expected, it worked.
Golden flame burst under Gracier's as she shot toward Maddog at incredible speed; halfway through, she summoned Ignia in the form of a scythe; however, from the ground, numerous skin threads appeared and formed a net that sealed Gracier's movement.
''Hehehehe! You fool, anger is not an emotion you should let rule you when you're fighting; it makes you predictable and prone to provocation.''
Like an older man teaching his junior a valuable lesson, Maddog said before tightening the skin net around Gracier's body, he didn't forget to add a bit of provocation to further fuel Gracier's anger.
''By the way, I wonder how much anger will rush to your brother's head once he saw your corpse? I can't wait to see it. Hehehe!"
Gracier knotted her fists. Unspeakable rage pumped through her heart; she had the impulse to destroy everything; controlling herself, she smiled.
''Wrong!" Gracier shouted, ignoring the numerous tiny skin threads that pierced her thighs and legs.
''What do you mean-"
Maddog stopped in between as he felt a powerful burst of aura from Gracier.
''I govern fires.'' Like the Goddess of flames, Gracier declared.
"What?"
The temperature in the laboratory drastically fell while flames appeared on Gracier's body; it was the combination of orange flame, crimson flame, and golden flame.
Instantly, Maddog understood something,
''You think this flame can overpower the confines of my net? It is useless!" He snorted before sending more threads to strengthen the skin net. Further, even himself dashed toward Gracier with skin pike protruding from his right hand, he intended to pierce Gracier with this, but then his expression flickered.
Fire burned in Gracier's eyes, seething fiercely. The flames grew wild, radiating heat as she said.
''I said you are wrong. Anger can be a powerful tool when better used, for example, making the other party think that you were fooled.''
There was a nasty smile on her face, unlike that of 14 years old.
Then,
BOOM
A pillar of fire erupted from her body and ripped through the skin's net, and transformed a gigantic fist that struck Maddog, sending him flying through the air.
At the last minute, Maddog erected a skin shield right before the gigantic flame fist struck him.
Maddog, who glided across the stone floor, was startled to discover that the whole room got turned into a flame domain.
BANG
The heat ripples blew the entire laboratory into igniting ruins.
Ssss
The air turned unbelievably hot, and even the ground surface turned volcanic hot as the heat fluctuations eroded through it.
''Amazing! This makes me want you more. Your blood held the secret to my rise. Let's me skin you and suck your blood.''
Maddog declared with a mad glint flashing through his eyes. Although the information they have acquired stated Gracier unbelievable control over the Fire element, reading it was one thing while seeing it, in reality, was another. For Maddog, the secret for such control must be ingrained in Gracier's DNA; if he could get all her blood, he would be able to gain this ability after assimilating her DNA.
''Hehehe! Although your domain is indeed really powerful, it changes nothing to the fact that your fate is sealed; it remains the same. I'm above you-"
Gracier interrupted Maddog with a mocking sneer,
''You talk too much. Less talk much action.''
Gracier was well aware of the time limit for this boost of power to continue; at best, she might have fifteen minutes, so better take care of this man, the man that makes her go through hell, the man responsible for the loss of numerous lives. For this madman, others' lives beside him are worth nothing; all he cares about is his experiment; he didn't care if an entire village, no a city, was massacred for him to get what he wants. To this kind of person, it's better to eradicate him before he ultimately turns the world into his laboratory.
'I will vent my anger plus the anger of those that died on you.' Gracier vowed.
Maddog's smile disappeared as he bellowed,
''Do not get cocky, you half-breed.''
He dashed toward Gracier; his two hands got covered by skin to form crescent skin blades; Gracier also summoned her scythe; the two were about to clash, the second round was about to begin.
At the same time, the man with golden eyes arrived on the second floor.