"Hmph..."
Watching Fang Li hold a gun with enough killing intent to end an ordinary life in a single shot, aimed straight at him, Stiyl let out a disdainful snort.
"You don't actually think that kind of weapon will work on me, do you?"
As if in response to his words, heat began to gather around Stiyl's body.
"From yesterday until now, I haven't just been lying here obediently recovering. In preparation for this fight, I've drawn out every last Rune from my body and arranged them in a complete formation around this area."
Stiyl produced a card engraved with a rune, and faint waves of magical power pulsed around him.
"Other than the ones still on my body, two hundred and ten thousand Rune cards have been placed throughout this three-kilometer radius. Now that I've gathered the power of all those Runes, even a casually thrown flame will reach temperatures of three thousand degrees Celsius, just shy of the sun's surface. No matter how many bullets you fire, they'll melt into molten iron in a split second, leaving nothing behind."
With that, Stiyl acted as if he had completely dismissed Fang Li, lowering his voice to Kanzaki.
"Don't make a move."
The commanding tone left Kanzaki silent, and she ultimately retreated quietly. Still, her eyes remained fixed on the battlefield, and her hand rested tightly on the longsword at her waist.
With this setup, she could intervene in the fight at any moment.
For now, though, Fang Li's opponent was only one person:
Stiyl.
"Have you finished talking?" Fang Li raised his gun with a calm expression. "Then let's begin."
"Heh..." Stiyl chuckled coldly. "I'd like to see how long your composure lasts, amateur."
Flames burst to life in Stiyl's hand.
A moment later, he declared his name:
It was a name that embodied resolve and determination and carried an intent to kill.
"Fortis931—'The reason I am the strongest!'"
Wherever they passed, the air burned away and distorted space like a mirage.
Their speed was comparable to that of a bullet.
With the amplification of two hundred and ten thousand Rune cards, Stiyl's magic had clearly surged to an entirely new level.
Even though his opponent was just an ability-less amateur, Stiyl was no longer holding back.
At last, Stiyl revealed his true strength.
Unfortunately...
"Did you think you were the only one who came prepared?"
As the terrifying flames closed in on him, Fang Li's empty hand had gripped a small canister, and no one knew when it had appeared.
Its surface was made of pitch-black machinery. Calling it a "canister" didn't do it justice. It was more like an intricate, precise device.
Fang Li tossed the black canister aside.
Pā!
With a crisp sound, the canister's mouth burst open as if detonated.
In that instant, the searing flames suddenly shuddered. It was as if they were being pulled by an invisible force. With a sharp turn, the flames shot toward the canister.
Moments later, every last flame had been drawn into the tiny device and completely absorbed.
"Wha...?"
Stiyl's expression changed dramatically.
All he heard in response was Fang Li's calm voice:
"This is Academy City. Everywhere you look, you'll find cutting-edge technology that doesn't exist anywhere else. That device you just saw is originally a piece of heavy industrial machinery used in steelmaking factories. The machine is usually much larger and is designed for melting and refining steel. But when you dismantle just the heat-collection unit, you get that little canister.
Since it lacks calibration systems and pipelines, it indiscriminately sucks in any high-temperature flame it encounters. If it weren't for its limited capacity and small area of effect, it would already be used for firefighting."
Fang Li looked at Stiyl's subtly shifting expression and continued,
"My subordinates went through a lot of trouble to get that thing. I only have one. That's why...now comes the main event."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a crisp click as Fang Li disengaged the safety on his gun.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunfire erupted.
Bullets tore through the air, as subsonic rounds fired violently, each one aimed at Stiyl's chest, flank, shoulders, and even his head.
Boom!
Just before the bullets could hit him, flames burst into existence around Stiyl's body.
Instead of exploding outward, the flames ignited at the tips of the bullets, instantly melting them with their three-thousand-degree heat.
"That's why…"
Stiyl raised his hand, and fire surged up from his palm once more.
"I told you it's useless!"
The flames formed a spear and shot toward Fang Li.
Just like before, however, the fire sharply veered off course mid-flight and was sucked straight into the mouth of the black canister.
"I'm not done yet!"
Lifting both hands, Stiyl summoned flames in each and hurled them one after another.
Even though each burst of fire was absorbed and failed to touch Fang Li, Stiyl didn't relent. He kept attacking recklessly, seemingly unconcerned with the drain on his magic power.
Of course, this wasn't mindless aggression.
After all, Fang Li had admitted that despite its overwhelming effect, the advanced device he brought with him had limited capacity and a small range.
This meant that Fang Li couldn't stray far from the device, or he would be incinerated by flames reaching three thousand degrees Celsius.
Even if he didn't move, once the device reached its limit, he would be burned alive.
Stiyl had seen through this weakness perfectly. That's why he was going all out.
Unfortunately for Stiyl, Fang Li wouldn't have revealed the device's flaw unless he didn't care about it at all.
"At best, that only buys you a little time."
With that calm remark, Fang Li smoothly ejected the magazine from his gun.
It wasn't because he was out of bullets. From inside his coat, he retrieved a single bullet, loaded it into the magazine, and locked it back into the firearm.
He raised the muzzle.
Bang—!
The bullet split through the air, ripping toward Stiyl.
Boom—!
Flames flared automatically around Stiyl's body to block it.
Chi—!
The bullet entered the fire, melting under the searing heat. Yet a sudden shockwave burst forth, slamming heavily into Stiyl's body.
BOOM—!
With a dull, crushing sound, Stiyl's tall frame was hurled backward.
"Guh…!"
Blood sprayed from Stiyl's mouth as he coughed violently.
(End Of This Chapter)
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