"[Storm of Inferno (FireStorm) -- !!!!!!]"
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"-----"
In the sight of everyone, the entire world was dyed deep reddish-purple, the color representing calamity!
The kind of scene that, was utterly indescribable in words.
A raging torrent of reddish-purple flames, like the blood of disaster erupting from the vast abyss that tore the world apart, in an instant flooded the entire world.
That spectacle could truly be called a force capable of changing heaven and earth!!!!
"Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom, "
Like a massive, overwhelming tidal wave, it swept everyone away without exception, ravaging, trampling, and tormenting them madly!
"Crack crack crack crack, "
Fissures began spreading across Fron's barrier, and in barely a few seconds, the entire hemispherical shield was densely covered in cracks, a tragic sight that drew lament.
"Riveria! As soon as Fron's barrier shatters, you must connect yours immediately! We absolutely cannot let this attack hit us!"
"Ah!" As the caster of the barrier magic, Fron bore the heaviest burden!
What his senses fed back to him at that moment felt as if his entire body was being crushed under a steamroller, while he resisted with everything he had, but the force crushing his chest so hard it suffocated him did not lessen in the slightest, instead, it only grew stronger!
"Ahhhhhhhhhh, " The young man's eyes widened, his expression twisted in grim ferocity. Both hands gripped his staff tightly as he braced it before him, a hoarse roar bursting from his throat!
"Hold on, Hold on!" The color of calamity had yet to fade, still battering the trembling barrier on the verge of collapse!
Behind him lay his comrades' hopes; everyone's lives rested on Fron's shoulders, unknowingly weighing him down with a heavy responsibility.
"You fallen spirit, don't think you can make me yield, ahhhhhhh!"
With a roar, Fron unleashed all his magic power!
"『Reader』, overdrive!"
"『Scholar』, overdrive!"
The frenzied surge of magic caused the staff 『Scholar · Argon』 in his hands to flash with streams of light and magical rings, while the purple magic stone at its tip released its full brilliance.
The young man roared with all his strength, veins bulging and throbbing on his forehead and neck, his straining feet carving two deep grooves into the ground.
"Hold it back for me!"
"Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom, "
The violent, terrifying torrent of flames howled as it swept across everything, engulfed everything, and finally reached its end!
After an earth-shattering roar, everyone at last saw the dim light of survival again.
"Crack…"
As the enemy's magical bombardment ceased, Fron's barrier also reached its end. Covered entirely in fractures, the shimmering dome scattered into starlight and broke apart with the hot wind that blew over it.
"Pu!" Fron couldn't hold back a mouthful of blood, his brain stabbing with pain like being pierced by ten thousand needles.
[Magic Backlash] struck him with devastating force in an instant.
"Huff, huff, huff, " Bent over, the young man gasped desperately. Though he looked utterly battered and blood still dripped from the corner of his mouth, the manic grin tugging at his lips betrayed his elation and excitement, his golden eyes glittering with madness.
"Alicia, heal Fron now!"
"Yes!"
Pulling out an Elixir from her pack, Alicia quickly supported the youth collapsing onto her, pried his mouth open, and poured it straight in,
"Cough cough, b-beautiful lady, s-slow down! Why are you all like Ais, forcing medicine down people like this!" Alicia flushed, her delicate face tinged red, flustered as she stammered an apology.
"S-sorry… I was too hasty!"
"It's fine! Totally understandable."
After such a life-or-death ordeal, emotions were bound to surge and waver. Especially for a girl, whose delicate heart was shaken even more deeply.
Alicia's nervous reaction was proof of that.
Having endured the enemy's attack, the adventurers, frustrated and full of pent-up rage, were already itching for payback.
"Hah, it's finally over. That bastard, time to smash his smug face in!"
The first to step forward was the hot-blooded werewolf Bete, dual swords in hand, body leaning forward, head cocked arrogantly, about to charge in.
"Bete, fall back!"
Seeing the wide plain scorched flat and burning with reddish-purple flames, Finn licked his thumb, his expression bitter as he restrained the impulsive werewolf.
"Hah? What're you hesitating for, Finn! This isn't like you at all!"
But… even under the provocation of his junior, Finn's sharp eyes brimmed with wariness and unease.
"Don't go. My thumb is throbbing like crazy… I have a really bad feeling! Maybe… it's not over yet. Something else…"
"?"
Everyone knew about Finn's intuition, an almost cheating-level ability like an external plugin.
Hearing his worry, their battle-hungry expressions froze at once. Together, they turned to look at that twisted, monstrous feminine figure.
Then, before their eyes, it opened its lips once more.
"What!?"
"Impossible!"
"This can't be real!"
"Are you kidding me!?"
"If once wasn't enough, there's a second time!?"
"What kind of monster are we even fighting!?"
With that voice ringing out again, their hearts, which had only just steadied, wavered once more!
"[O earth, groan,]"
"[Come, come, O crust of the earth, O treasure of black iron, O hammer of meteors, O covenant of reversal that opens the world, burn the sky, shatter the land, raise a bridge between heaven and earth, bring down the axe of ruin,]"
"[In the name of the executor, receive this! I am the incarnation of the earth goblins, the Queen of Earth, ]"
"--?!"
Everyone, including Fron, froze in place.
A few seconds. In just a few seconds, before anyone could even react, a massive jet-black magic circle flickered into being once more!
That terrifying ultra-fast chant sent them back to childhood memories of being crushed by monsters' fear!
"Y-you've got to be kidding me! [High-speed Chanting] alone is already broken! But now [Continuous Chanting], [Extended Chanting], [Ultra-long Chanting], how is this even fair!?"
Normally innocent, Tiona could no longer keep her cool. This level of magic had already surpassed her simple brain's ability to comprehend.
This was no realm she could ever understand.
Even Fron, who knew a little about magic, even with memories of this moment buried within, was still utterly overwhelmed when seeing it with his own eyes.
"High-speed chanting… ultra-long chanting… continuous chanting… extended chanting…"
Watching the enemy's eerie grin as she unleashed magic far beyond mortal reach, the azure rings in Fron's eyes deepened in color.
'Good. Very good. This was worth it, truly worth it!'
The youth gasped for breath, laughing intermittently!
The enemy's actions once again shattered their understanding of monsters, yet it didn't shake Finn's judgment.
"Riveria!!!!!!"
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T/N: Bonus chapter for crossing 250 power stones; next one at 300 power stones~