This fight was like a replay of that fight back then to every detail. Gracier knew it was an illusion, but at the same time, it was not; who can differentiate when the illusion transcended reality to become a reality while the reality felt like it was an illusion. The difference was thin, Ignia had suggested fighting, fighting was the only solution to go out of this spiral, maybe she can learn something from this fight, she would come out stronger, maybe not physically but mentally; therefore, Gracier began this fight which she had already experienced once.
~Back to the fight.
BOOM
The potent force exploded on contact, and Maddog was blown back by over ten steps. His skin manipulation powers absorbed the explosive force, saving him from harm.
Maddog's eyes flickered, and he quickly looked up just in time to see a giant snakehead, made of fire, descending.
The humongous head opened its enormous mouth and exposed its sharp teeth that were, in fact, spears of volcanic flames.
ROAR
The demonic head roared before swallowing Maddog and shutting its mouth. Terrifying pressure erupted inside the mouth, just like the second before the volcano erupted.
His skin dried utterly.
"Shit!"
He cursed as the spears rushed forward to impale him while the entire head exploded into molten lava.
BOOOM
A terrifying explosion blasted through the domain, making its very existence tremble.
Rose and others protected themselves with everything they got, and yet most of them coughed blood and passed out.
"Leader!" Rose called out.
"I'm fine."
Gracier assured her as she forced herself to stand.
Suddenly, the back of her head numbed. Her expression changed, and she made fire erupt below her feet to jump back.
The moment she jumped back, a sharp blade passed by. Even though she jumped back, the fluctuations from the blade slashed through her chest, cutting so deeply that her bones came in sight.
Gracier placed a hand on the wound and cauterized it. She then lifted his head and looked in front to see Maddog standing without any injuries.
The others looked at Maddog in plain shock, their faces plastered with dread.
"Wasn't he caught off-guard?! So how could he survive that terrifying attack?!"
"And that too, without suffering a single scratch!"
"...." Gracier turned silent. She knew how scary this man was.
Maddox chuckled and released the restrictions on his body, letting his full strength out.
BOOOM
A frightening aura exploded out of Maddog's body like a tsunami, destroying everything in its path. The ground toppled while the domain collapsed into lingering streams of fire.
"!!"
Throughout the barren, the others players felt a stifling sensation and their knees bend on their own, as if in reverence.
Everyone's heart sank, for they knew what this feeling of reverence implied.
Saint Realm expert!
A title conferred on those that truly stepped on the road of a powerhouse; it was the second shackles!
The ones who have broken through the first shackle (Grandmaster) of humanity to begin their evolution into a higher plane!
The survival instinct would force every cell to kneel in reverence, to worship the stronger form of life.
Maddog stood in the storm of his aura. The skin on his body turned into the darker shade of sharp metal, like the darkest and beautiful metal from outer space.
He eyed Gracier and was surprised to discover she was still standing. The natural reverence that came for a Saint was missing. He might be an illusion, but the tower gave him a special privilege, yet this little girl seemed unaffected.
What makes Gracier face the full aura of a Saint Realm expert was simply because of her bloodline being superior to Maddog's bloodline. Because of Ignia's presence, because she had recently learned dragon language (tongue), Gracier's body was evolving.
Previously, she had a hard time; it was because Ignia was lending her strength, yet this time it was different; somehow, she had changed, becoming stronger, she changed some part of the illusion, she relied on herself, not on Ignia like she previously did.
''Your mother must have been a slut to be able to give you such a gift!" Maddog spat venomously as he finally understood why Alexandra remained unaffected by his aura.
Chilling murderous intent surged out of Gracier's body. Gentleness, her innocence, what made her personality disappear and her expression twisted into that of a bloodthirsty demon.
"!" Maddog didn't know why but his face paled from the alarm.
This greatly shocked him.
How could a Saint like him be alarmed by a kid?!
Some distance away, Rose and others couldn't listen to what was spoken due to the aura of Saint Realm expert, but they noticed the change in Gracier's expression warped like a demon.
They unconsciously trembled while Rose, who could be said to be the closest to Gracier in this group apart from Alice, who was not present, became worried. The fight was becoming more intense, yet they could not provide any assistance; it was not that they didn't want, but they could not interfere; something seemed to be stopping them from intervening; they could only watch.
'Hopefull,y Alice comes back, if not this fight leader might not be able to win it!' Rose thought, worried; she focused on the fight before her, hoping for a miracle.
Meanwhile, Maddog was angry with himself, the tower had given birth to him, even though it was for a moment he must take his revenge yet now he was feeling afraid just like last time, nothing had changed, but even before he could think of taking action, his eyes flickered from the scene ahead.
Black flame burst out from Gracier's body and rippled forward like a tsunami.
RUMBLE~!
The ground shook, and debris exploded into the sky.
The fluctuations from the black flames made everyone feel like they were looking at the sun, forcing them to shut their eyes or risk turning blind. Yet, at the same time, it was filled with coldness, almost absolute. It was an impossible feat that never happened with the fire element, yet with Gracier, it was happening.
''No good, it's that flame again!" Maddog spat as some unwanted memories surfaced again. It was the same black flame that made him see hell before even going there.
He raised his hand, his skin and bones transformed into a huge saw which he used to slash downward, toward the incoming black flame destroying everything on its path.
BOOM
The entire barren trembled violently. Rose and others were thrown in the air before the shockwave sent them further into the distance; their figures disappeared from the two sights.
In the place of collision, a large crater appeared, and the flame flames exploded into the skies, like a black pillar.
Maddog lowered his body until his head was almost touching the ground; Gracier's scythe passed above his head; if he hadn't reacted as fast as he did, his head would have flown in the sky dancing in the air. Maddog sweated; his bones protruded from his back like spider leg, which he used to rotate his body; throwing Gracier off guard, he pointed his hands toward her while the bones legs protruding from his back carried him forward.
Tuk! Tuk! Tuk!
Small bone arrows were shot out from his stretched hands like a Gatling gun. Those small bone arrows arrived before Gracier before she could move, yet before they could get closer, they were turned into ashes by the black flame that came out unexpectedly at the last moment to protect Gracier.
''I see, you can only control the flame, not that ability yet,'' Maddog said with a sigh of relief; it would have been troublesome if Gracier could control that ability, he thought, it was because of that ability that he had lost. To not disappoint the tower, which had given him a second chance after scanning (A/N: The tower used someone who had left a good impact on Gracier to fight against her again.)
Maddog, who possessed an unlimited supply of mana, feared not running out of mana; he could unleash his abilities to their fullest.
''Look and tremble!"
He said before raising his arm toward the sky; immediately, the sky rumbled; Gracier, who was about to attack, frowned; somehow, a window appeared above Maddog's head. It was short, but the information it contained made Gracier frown deeply.
[Maddog (Temp)
Tower guardian
Floor: 3rd
HP: 10000/12000
MP:???????]
'No good, I must use my skill points.' Gracier immediately made this kind of decision and acted upon it.
『[Red Queen Alexandra]
Level 102
Class: Mage
Age: 15
Female
Race: High Half-Elf
Experience Value: 6600/121200
HP: 3500/3500
MP: 3210/3610
STA: 2800
Magic: Fire
ATK: 1435 ➤ 1485
DEF: 825
AGI: 1025
INT: 1025
LUK: 825
BP: 0
SP: 10
Fame: 0
Gift: Ignia's Bracelet
Skills: [Cooking Level 4] [Sewing Level 3] [Fireball Level 5] [Fire Arrows Level 4] [Meteor Level 1 (+14 SP) ➤ Level 10] [Fire Snake Level 4] [Flame Shield Level 5] [Presence Detection Level 5] [Chantless Magic Level 8] [Fire Lotus Level 5] [Archery Level Max] [Blaze Steps Level 5] [Golden Arrows Level 1]
Special Abilities: [Dragon Eye Level 10 Max] [Flame Wings Level 3] [Dragon's Breath Level Level 2 (+13 SP) ➤ Level 10] [Lord of Hundred Flames] {Dark Mode (Sealed due to its instability)} [Dragon Tongue Level 3 (+2 SP) ➤ Level 5]
Titles: [Avenger] [Child of Fire] [The Awakened] [The Diligent] [Lord of Flames]
Alexandra immediately opened her mouth and breathed flame, a golden flame was spat out and melted everything on its path, closing in, Maddog was unbothered, he continued to raise his hand, bones arrows shot out from his hand toward the sky before falling toward the sand then something astonishing happened, as if they have combined with the sand, it rumbled before Gracier felt danger coming from the ground.
''π√π^¥¢¢£.~''
She spoke in dragon tongue immediately, a golden fire lotus rose from the ground with her in the middle, as if it was not much other small fire lotus formed between the first golden fire lotus strengthening it.
Even so, the golden colored bone spikes coming from the ground pierced through the golden fire lotuses like it was made of paper; they were about to reach Gracier, who was forced to summon her wings, flapping them she succeeded in escaping, however, from the sky a gigantic golden bone hand slapped into the ground where many bones spikes were waiting.
At the last moment, Gracier switched her gift form into a golden bow, which she used to knock a single arrow that multiplied into twelve before reaching the ground.
Boom!
Most of the golden bone spikes were destroyed, letting Gracier land unscathed; she didn't even adjust her posture before pointing into the sky and shouted.
''Meteor fall!"
Rumble!
The sky rumbled before darkening, Maddog who went into hiding, froze; somehow, he couldn't move, and he was feeling an ominous feeling.
From the sky, two burning meteors fell.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Kabooooom!
The barren wasteland extended to almost two hundred kilometers was level up, turned into scorching magma, Maddog's HP was almost gone, thanks to his timely action, using his ultimate armor, he survived; however, he couldn't believe that there was a spell so powerful, he was so shocked that he forgot the reason for his revival, he couldn't care less.
By the time he noticed the golden arrow flying toward him, it was already too late; it had already reached his head.
Puff! Boom!
The golden arrow burst apart, Maddog's head burst like a firecracker before disappearing, his last thought was 'Beautiful!'
Gracier's meteor skill was dangerous yet beautiful.. He was captivated by it; he had no regrets.