With total concentration activated, Enrico's gaze became cold, and as if sensing his power, the flowers tried to move again — but Enrico was already alert.
'Circle of fire'
He released a circle of fire around his body just to divert the poisonous pollen that was beginning to rise from the ground. Nerfe advanced once more, this time with his arms pulled back and his body leaning forward, preparing a direct strike that wasn't meant to cause a superficial wound — it was the kind of strike meant to cut a body in half.
"Charged impulse"
Enrico spun on his heel and raised a vertical column of fire with a kick, trying to create a temporary barrier.
[That's not going to work]
He knew that because the golden fire cut through the barrier as if it were paper, tearing through until reaching him. At the last moment, Enrico retreated and summoned another clone formed by water.
His clone assumed the same shape as the fire one, but with a darker bluish glow, and Nerfe cut straight through it without hesitation.
[Good plan]
The clone exploded into liquid spheres that scattered across the ground. Enrico switched places with the clone on the first second after dispersion and appeared behind Nerfe, something the knight had no way of anticipating.
Enrico's fist struck the back of the black armor, pushing Nerfe a few steps forward. The impact produced sparks between the corrupted metal plates, but left no visible damage. The system was observing that fight in a way that seemed serious.
[You know, this total concentration is strong, but now we have two guys who barely talk at all during the fight]
In truth, it was serious like that because it wasn't sure if the constellations would approve of a fight shouting techniques — although that had already happened once, as far as it remembered.
[I think they like it this way too]
Nerfe spun without pause, swinging the sword in a wide arc. Enrico jumped back, but the blade still sliced the air so close that its scorching heat spread across his skin.
He wrapped his hand in fire and advanced again, creating his bow in the middle of the movement. Aiming for the armor's mobility points, the joints that still worked as articulations. He shot at the shoulder, the left side of the waist, the back of the knee. A line of fire connected the three arrows, exploding a second later upon reaching the last.
Nerfe's sword exploded in golden flames, increasing its speed and knocking the bow from Enrico's hand. Taking a low stance, Enrico clenched his fist — several zero-impacts struck Nerfe's body in sequence. The red shell produced a firm blow with each hit, and although it didn't break the armor, it forced the knight to retreat a few centimeters.
[This Nartheis is very strong, the difficulty is higher than in the original story… oh right, we increased the difficulty]
The pillars around them intensified their golden glow. Lines of light rose up their sides and connected above, forming a grid like a closed ceiling. The air temperature increased, and the Golden Fire spread across the sword, no longer restricted to the blade. It dripped over the metal, covering the entire weapon. His mouth finally moved slowly, with smoke leaking from inside.
"...Sword… mode… fire…"
[He finally spoke… I thought he'd stay silent for the whole fight]
Even so, after that he kept silent, which didn't really change the system's thoughts.
Nerfe lifted the sword and ran almost silently, closing the distance between them in seconds. Enrico launched a curved stream of fire, trying to push the knight back, but the Golden Fire sliced through his flame easily.
The sword carved the space diagonally. Enrico moved his body, dodging the strike by a hair, and at the same time extended his arm to generate a jet of compressed water.
'Cutting jet'
The first layer of water hit the armor and partially evaporated due to the intense heat, but part of it managed to strike Nerfe's right arm, delaying his movement for a brief moment.
'Impact CC'
Enrico used that tiny opening to advance and punch the knight's shoulder, tilting Nerfe's body to the side. Nerfe reacted with another strike, this time aiming at Enrico's leg, who jumped back and let water flow around his feet, reducing the grip of the flowers trying to restrain him. A small cut appeared on Enrico's knee, lined with golden flames.
This wasn't the only one — small cuts were scattered across Enrico's body; thanks to his speed he had dodged serious blows, but he still received some damage.
'Maybe a backward movement? No… maybe.'
[The only thing I see in his thoughts is the opponent. He really improved his total concentration skill]
In these two years, Enrico had used that ability many times, which made it naturally improve over time, developing his thoughts in a completely rational way and adapting solely to the opponent.
[Even so, he barely speaks]
Nerfe raised the sword with his right hand and made it shine with greater intensity, revealing that the Golden Fire was being reinforced. His unique ability was beginning to act, increasing the knight's physical capabilities as the link with the other corrupted guards intensified his magic.
'Combining might be better'
Enrico planted his foot firmly on the ground and gathered fire and water simultaneously, his concentration reaching its peak. A dense steam formed between his fingers before the water element solidified into a curved blade, and fire wrapped around it creating a dual elemental layer. He held his created blade in the same way Kai used his sword.
'Twin Boiling Blade'
This was his new magic created in those two years inside the barrier, a vapor-based magic capable of solidifying.
[I really can't believe he awakened a magical ability when he was in the fifth circle, but now I'm not that surprised]
A way to win that began forming in Enrico's mind — he didn't intend to engage in direct power combat, but the combination served to deflect part of Nerfe's sword power.
'Maybe I should use the physical pact and exchange my mana? Yes, that'll be easier…'