Chapter 51: Take Things to the next Level!
Chapter 51
"Flame Veil." Tom’s voice thundered, and instantly, blazing, scorching flames erupted around his blade, the heat rippling through the air. The sword burned as bright as a miniature sun, the entire chamber glowing in its radiance.
"Flame Slash Ultra."
BANG!
A deafening detonation shattered the sound barrier, the force rattling the walls as Tom bolted forward in a blazing blur. The ground cracked beneath his feet, and a wave of blistering heat surged across the battlefield.
---
BOOM!
That was all the young Reavers could hear. In the next instant, the ogre’s fireballs detonated in a chain of explosions, each one bursting apart like miniature bombs. Smoke and embers swirled into the air, filling the hall with thick, black haze that blinded their vision.
The group stared wide-eyed, hearts pounding.
Rina, Erin, and Kael managed to retreat from the area of impact, standing near Aria, who still cradled the unconscious Jace in her lap. Her face was pale, but her eyes remained wide and fixed on the chaos.
"Wait—where is that newbie?" Erin asked urgently, limping forward.
"Zen..." Rina muttered as her gaze swept across the rubble. Her eyes widened when she spotted him, half-buried under a collapsed pile of stone and debris.
Kael and Erin didn’t hesitate. They dashed forward, their hands moving frantically as they began to heave the broken rocks away one by one.
Dust coated their faces and sweat dripped down their brows as they worked in desperate rhythm. Finally, Zen’s battered body was freed. He was unconscious, blood pouring steadily from several gashes.
"What is this?" Erin asked, noticing something gripped tightly in Zen’s hands—a broken lantern, its shattered glass gleaming faintly under the flickering flames.
"Forget about that. Help me move him!" Kael barked, grabbing Zen by the arm. Erin quickly supported from the other side, and together they dragged him back toward the others, laying him down away from the collapsing wall.
"Shit. He’s losing too much blood." Rina hissed as she knelt beside Zen, her hands trembling. She rubbed her palms together rapidly, a white glow flickering between them. Her lips moved soundlessly as if begging.
’No, no, no, no! Come on, damn it...!’ she screamed inwardly, her eyes burning with desperation. The glow ignited again, this time brighter, as she pressed her hands onto Zen’s chest. But within seconds, it sputtered and died.
Rina coughed violently, a mouthful of blood spilling from her lips as her nose trickled red. Her vision blurred and spots danced before her eyes, but she kept forcing her palms together, her body trembling like a leaf.
"Don’t push yourself to the limit! Just rest, damn it!" Aria scolded sharply, her tone cracking under strain. Rina opened her mouth to protest but...
BOOM!
Another explosion roared across the chamber, drawing everyone’s attention back to the clash.
Through the thick veil of smoke, Tom’s silhouette emerged, his body crackling with flame. He stood just a meter away from the massive ogre, its body still glowing with the remnants of its own flames. All the fireballs it had conjured were gone, obliterated, yet its pitch-black eyes still shone with malevolent hunger.
The ogre’s gaze shifted, spotting its massive warhammer lying a few meters away. It snarled and dashed for it, moving with frightening speed despite its bulk. Seizing the weapon from its severed hand, the beast roared and brandished it once more, its burning eyes locked on Tom.
Tom scowled, his grip on his sword tightening. "Can’t believe a bastard like you wields the same Veil as me... tch!" His lips curled in disgust, but his eyes glinted with exhilaration.
"But gladly..." A grin split across his face as he took a stance, his blazing sword lighting up the smoke around him. "You are no match for me!"
With that, Tom blitzed forward again. Flames flared wildly, trailing behind him like a comet as he leapt high into the air. Fire encircled both his blade and his arms, the heat distorting the air with its ferocity.
"Flame Veil: Flame Slash!" Tom roared, swinging his sword downward. A massive wave of searing fire erupted forth, splitting the air as it surged toward the ogre’s skull.
The ogre snarled, raising its warhammer high. Flames burst around the hammer’s head, coiling violently like a serpent.
BAM!
The beast slammed the weapon forward, unleashing its own flaming strike to meet Tom’s attack.
The two infernos collided midair...
BOOOOOOM!
A colossal shockwave burst out, rattling the chamber’s foundations. The collision shook the very air, smoke and embers spiraling in all directions as the overwhelming power of the two Veils clashed, clouding the battlefield in chaos.
"Thank you." Tom’s voice whispered out as he used the cloud of smoke to dash quietly around the battlefield, his figure flickering like a shadow within the haze.
BOOM!
Crouching low, he launched himself forward like a fired cannon, exploding toward the beast’s massive head. Flames danced wildly around the tip of his blade as he thrust with all his strength, bursting through the thick smoke and dispersing it for an instant.
CLANG!
The sword made contact, but not with the ogre’s head. Instead, the sharp edge crashed against the giant’s enormous hammer.
BOOM!
The collision erupted into a thunderous shockwave, forcing the beast to stagger back several inches.
With one smooth swing, the ogre whipped its hammer to the side, throwing Tom off balance. He twisted his body midair, landing smoothly on the ground. Blood trickled down the side of his lips, yet his smile remained, sharp and unwavering as he locked eyes with the furious beast.
GROWL!
The ogre bellowed in rage, muscles bulging as it raised its hammer high above its head. In the blink of an eye, it brought the massive weapon crashing down toward Tom, the air itself screaming at the sheer force behind it. Tom only smirked before leaping straight into the air, narrowly evading death.
BOOM!
The impact shook the entire battlefield. A quake rippled outward, the ground trembling violently as cracks and fissures spiderwebbed across the earth. Rocks split and fragments shot upward from the blast.
"Tch." Tom scoffed as he landed lightly on the ogre’s hammer. Flames began swirling around his feet in a blazing spiral, and with a sudden burst of explosive energy, he launched himself forward like a fiery comet, leaving a trail of burning flames in his wake. In less than half a second, he appeared right in front of the beast.
"Flame Veil: Inferno!" Tom roared with all his might. His sword thrust forward, and instantly, a spiraling wave of fire spun outward like a raging tornado, the heat so intense it distorted the very air. The inferno slammed straight into the beast with unstoppable momentum.
BAM!
The ogre’s body was ripped off its feet, hurled violently into the distance. The force was so overwhelming that it crashed, bounced, and skidded across the earth for several seconds. Cracks split the ground along its chaotic path before it finally came to a harsh halt.
"What the hell?! He... he actually moved the beast?" Kael exclaimed, his voice trembling in disbelief as his wide eyes followed the sight of the ogre struggling to rise again.
"Not only moved it, but threw it off its feet?" Aria added, her jaw nearly touching the ground.
"He’s a B-rank Reaver for a reason," Erin muttered, her voice low but filled with awe. None of them could tear their eyes away from the brutal clash unfolding before them. The battle had reached a level that left their hearts pounding.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Tom scoffed, raising his sword and resting it casually across the back of his neck. His smirk deepened as he strode forward, steps deliberate, each one radiating confidence.
"What? You were bullying kids and tossing them around like ragdolls. But now, when you face the real deal, you shrink back? Tch! So pathetic." Tom raised his blade, pointing it directly at the ogre now standing just a meter away. His voice dripped with disdain.
"Show me why they call you the Ogre King. Come on!"
GROWL!
The ogre roared furiously, its voice thundering like a storm. In an instant, the air began to ripple with intense heat. Dozens of flame orbs appeared around it, flickering into existence one after the other.
From fifty to seventy, the fiery spheres hovered in the air, glowing ominously like divine judgment waiting to descend from the heavens.
"Atta boy. That’s more like it." Tom grinned fiercely, his eyes flashing with battle hunger. Raising his sword high above his head, the blade’s tip pointed to the sky as firelight reflected off his bloodstained face. His grin widened into something almost feral.
"Let’s take things to the next level."