YM778.TV Chapter 72: Flaming Emperor
Our blades locked, and I pushed against Noah\'s surprising strength. For a big lug with a monstrous broadsword, he held his ground with unexpected tenacity.
"For such a heavy weapon, your strength far surpasses mine," I admitted, unable to hide a grudging note of respect.
A cocky smirk spread across Noah\'s face. His pride was obvious, and suddenly, it dawned on me.
The clash of weapons... it was a distraction! His left hand, hidden from my view, was already moving, chanting a spell beneath his breath. A familiar tingle of mana swirled around his free hand, a clear sign of an incantation.
It was too late... I tried to twist my Polerarm back, but before I could react, Noah\'s left foot surged with power. "Rising Rock!" he shouted.
DUNG!, DUNG!, DUNG!
Sharp spikes of earth burst from the gleaming platform, forcing me to leap backwards. My heart hammered in my chest as I realized the full extent of Noah\'s craftiness.
He wasn\'t just some brute wielding a giant sword – he was skilled at mana casting as well, capable of chaining attacks in rapid succession.
"...!"
Even as I landed, Noah was already twisting his left hand, guiding the rising pillars of rock with terrifying precision. I cursed my carelessness, my focus on his sheer power blinding me to his magical prowess. Still, I wouldn\'t be undone so easily.
In mid-air, I shifted my grip on the axe. This Flame is stronger than any other flame.
SHAWWW!
my elemental affinity ignited within me. With a roar, I channelled my affinity into the weapon, slamming it against the ground.
BANG!
Cracks spread in an instant, fissures blazing with the intensity of a flamethrower, incinerating the stone spikes It charged straight towards Noah completely breaking his mana cast.
Noah\'s surprise at my flames was a sweet victory. No longer content to play defensively, I surged forward.
HUUUUU
My breath hitched as I channelled my speed, my form practically blurring as I closed the distance to Noah in the blink of an eye.
HAAAAH!
My polearm axe blazed with fiery intensity. I exhaled, releasing a torrent of arcing flames directly at Noah.
"...!"
His eyes widened, but his reaction was just a fraction too slow. He managed to raise a hasty mana shield, yet the flimsy barrier cracked and shattered instantly under the onslaught.
My axe sliced through, raking across Noah\'s chest. A pained gasp escaped him, and I saw the flicker of agony twist his features even as he gritted his teeth in defiance.
Yet Noah wasn\'t done. With a desperate surge of strength, he brought his broadsword around in a whistling arc.
HMM!
I met the clumsy swing with my polearm, sparks flying as the weapons clashed. Another grunt of pain escaped Noah as the vibration of the impact aggravated his burn.
But my attacks weren\'t fueled by pity. Again and again, I pushed forward, my axe a whirlwind of fire, each glancing blow searing Noah\'s skin. He retreated step by unsteady step, no longer the brute force of nature but a wounded animal fighting for survival.
The thrill of the battle was fading, replaced by a dull ache and a grudging admiration for Noah\'s tenacity. Yet, I wouldn\'t allow myself to be caught in a drawn-out brawl. It was time to end this.
I charged at Noah, and my speed dropped to see if he had any more tricks. I was confused for some reason he wasn\'t attacking or moving his sword at all. But there was no sign of him channelling mana either... His face was straight ignoring all the pain I had dealt.
As I closed the distance at a pace he clearly anticipated. A wide grin spread across Noah\'s face.
SHIT...
Then, in a move I hadn\'t expected, I felt a clear flow of mana rising through his weapon, as he raised his broadsword high and slammed it into the platform.
RUMBLE, RUMBLE, RUMBLE,
"...!"
The earth rumbled beneath my feet, and before I could react, a massive pillar of jagged rock erupted from the ground, hurtling me up towards the blue sky.
The force of the impact reverberated through my body. This... this wasn\'t a distraction anymore. Noah had changed the entire battlefield! As I tumbled through the air, I saw him sprint up the sloping surface of the rock pillar, his broadsword shining ominously.
Damn it! As I stabbed my weapon into the pillar after landing, my axe bit deep into the pillar to stabilize myself. The sheer height, the unnatural angle... My usual grace on the battlefield had deserted me. This was Noah\'s element, his terrain, and I was dangerously out of my depth.
My gaze locked with Noah\'s as he approached. Even with the pain etched on his face, his confidence was clear.
But I can\'t maintain my balance on this Pillar of tilting rock. So how does he do it?
Slowly I clenched onto my axe trying not to fall from a height, Observing every part of Noah\'s body to see how he kept his from not falling off the slanted pillar... Slowly but surely I looked extremely closely at all the details and signatures of mana.
It was then I noticed the subtle sheen of mana clinging to his boots, the key to his impossible balance.
So he was essentially sticking his mana close to his feet to create a connection between his foot and the rock. Then that would mean he would be able to never fall, due to the adhesion of his boots constantly sticking.
Gritting my teeth, I focused, desperately trying to mimic the effect. A thin curl of my mana extended, connecting me to the unforgiving stone.
"Focus Dammit!" I muttered as Noah was within striking distance, "FOCUS"
...
...
Just as Noah\'s attack connected, I was ready. Parrying his blow with a strength born of desperation, I saw the same shock of surprise cross his features.
"As expected from one of the strongest," Noah grunted, "you\'re just as strong as Jan!"
A snarl escaped me. "Don\'t compare me to that fraud!" I surged forward, forcing Noah back as we locked weapons once more.
The very ground beneath my feet began to tremble, mirroring the rage surging within me. Cracks spread across the pillar, not from Noah\'s magic, but from the sheer intensity of my emotions.
SHAWWWW!
With each step, my anger ignited the very air around me. Flames sprouted from the cracks of the licking stone, rising higher with each strike of my polearm axe.
Noah, his face looked as if he was struggling, he scrambled backwards, barely parrying my relentless attacks while frantically dodging the rising tongues of fire.
He was fading, weakening with every blow I landed. My vision narrowed, focused solely on ending this battle. With a final, furious charge, I forced Noah to the very edge of the pillar.
"This is over."
My voice was a low growl, laced with both satisfaction and a hint of disgust. Grasping my axe with both hands, I delivered a devastating blow, knocking Noah clear off the crumbling pillar.
He plummeted, a desperate cry trailing after him. I didn\'t hesitate. Leaping after him, I pointed my polearm directly at his head, a whirlwind of fire and fury. Just as we slammed back into the platform, my axe connected with the ground below, erupting in a blinding explosion of flame and dust.
When the dust settled, the victor was clear. I stood, polearm still firmly planted beside Noah\'s prone body, the tip aimed unflinchingly at his head. The image was absolute - a declaration of my dominance.
"...!"
The announcer\'s voice echoed through the lingering haze," Louise Villerion wins by force surrender!"
***
{Rel\'s POV}
[Pinnacle Academy, Stadium 1 - Arena A: Student Section Stands]
I was on my feet watching the final moments of the fight unfold. Louise had knocked Noah completely off the crumbling pillar. Then, in a move that bordered on insanity, he\'d leapt after his opponent.
The impact on the ground sent a shockwave through the arena, a cloud of dust covering the aftermath. Even from my distant seat, I felt the tremors. Humans weren\'t meant to survive falls from that height, and to say it simply... Louise was more superhuman than anyone else.
When the dust settled, the victor was clear. Louise stood defiant, his polearm a beacon of triumph beside the unmoving Noah.
The crowd erupted into thunderous cheers – they adored this sort of spectacle.
It was unbelievable to witness such a beautiful fight in person... especially when you\'re the one who wrote the very depths of their character, But what can I say Louise was special in his ways, he has a strong undying passion that never blows out.
That\'s why he is deserving of the name, \'Flaming Emperor.\'
____________
Authors Note:
- Rising Rock is a standard ability that any user with the attribute of earth can cast with ease but requires a mana chant and hand sign in order to manifest it\'s complete form to do maximum damage.
- Mana Casting is a form of spell casting that utilities the formula of: Mana chant + Mana Channelling + Mana Hand Signs + Elemental Attribute = \'Mana Cast\' or \'Spell Casting\'
- Louise\'s battle IQ is second to Jan.
- During the Massive Pillar of rock created by Noah, Louise solved the imbalance equation within 8 seconds.
- Noah and Louise were fighting upside down from the tilting pillar at one point.
- The Color of Louise\'s \'Pure Flame\' is Blue-White