A circle lit up in front of the goblin, an elemental snake rushing outward just like the spell the other two mages used before. But instead of a water elemental this one blazed in crimson flames, its body easily twice as big as the one before. It slithered forward, fire spreading all around it, and lifted its head, jaw opening wide.

“I thought I’d shown that this spell isn’t worth anything. [Fireball; Modify: Explosive].” I targeted the head of the snake, making it explode like the one before. But instead of collapsing the fire spread around, twisting to form little snakes around me. So, you’ve got a bit more skill than them.

I created a circle beneath me, letting my flames shot outward and prey on the snakes before I directed them towards the high mage. The goblin countered my attack by lifting its hand, burning tentacles shoving themselves out of a quickly build circle, smashing the fiery birds away or coiling around them before crushing them in their grip.

Seeing how our spells didn’t do a thing to each other we stopped, staring at each other while we thought about the next attack. There’s not much time left, let’s just stall for it. With a flick of my wrist I created another circle beneath the goblin. At the same time the ground beneath me lit up. Flames lit up around us, rushing inwards as we both created our relative defenses.

I felt the flames clashing against my barrier, trying to break it as they got hotter and hotter. Slowly it started to crack but it wasn’t something a little more mana couldn’t repair. On the other hand the goblin just stood in my flames. Then the spells receded, leaving me standing inside a dome surrounded by blackened earth while the goblin was left in flames which soon extinguished themselves, with him coming out unscratched.

Then it waved its wand through the air, Fireballs appearing above it. Don’t think I can’t do that. “[Fireball; Modify: Multiple].” We grinned at each other while letting our magic loose, the flames rushing at each other, crashing into those that would have hit either of us while rushing around others to land an impact. In the first time since the fight we needed to move, avoiding the Fireballs that passed the barrage. Seems like you don’t want such a boring fight either where each spell is only countered.

As another Fireball passed beside me, I heard a shot echoing out. “Damn, watch out!” But opposed to a human scream one of a goblin rang out, followed by an explosion when it collided with the flames, the burnt body continuing past me to fall between me and the high mage. Stunned by the sudden development we both stopped to look past me, seeing Alice fight against the last two generals.

“Did you seriously just shield yourself by kicking that goblin into the Fireball?”

Her sword crashed down to split another goblin apart. “If you want to take care of it then make sure you don’t implicate us! I just leveled up, I don’t want to spend this level with a burn.”

I kind of wanted to retort, saying how such an injury would heal within minutes, given her superior endurance by now, but seeing her punch a goblin so hard that its face gave in reminded me not to. As such I turned my attention back to the mage, lighting my arms on fire. “Let’s try something else, shall we?”

Seeing how I got ready once more the goblin answered by summoning more flaming tentacles, grabbing them before pouring more mana into the spell. They began to grow, elongating before it decided they were long enough and smashed them towards me. I steadied myself, waiting for them to come near, and grabbed onto them, my flames canceling out its flames. Still, the shock remained, my body buckling down under the sudden force. But that was all that remained, allowing me to quickly recover my posture and pull the goblin towards me with its own weapon.

I didn’t try to resist though, which sent it flying towards me with full force as it also lit up its limps. That’s how you want it, huh? I took a step back, getting into posture while pulling my fist back. Mustering my strength, I let it rush forward, it colliding against the goblins fist. But opposed to its expectations I was far stronger than I seemed, making him fly backwards

It rolled over the floor, getting back on its feet before clawing its hand into the ground to stop itself from sliding to far. When it stopped completely it looked down at the hand that collided with mine, shaking it to regain feeling in it. Afterwards it lifted it towards its mouth, licking of the droplets of blood that came through the bruised skin, grinning like a madman when it was done.

It stretched both hands outwards, a circle coming into existence. “This again? No new tricks?” It summoned another flame snake, which rushed towards me. Let’s see, it looked like this. I let my mana trace a new outline, the circle lighting up in front of me before a golden snake rushed out, clashing against the crimson one. For the first time the goblin lost its smile, seeing how I easily copied his spell.

The snakes coiled around each other, biting down on the other as they entangled themselves more and more, before the golden one finally bit into the neck of the crimson, making it perish.

“Finally done playing around?” Alice called out from behind, leaning against her sword which was stuck in the ground, anything else long gone or dead on the floor.

“It’s been a long time since I had a proper fight against another mage.”

“And you will have another soon enough.”

That’s why warriors… “Haaaa….” It should be ready by now. System. Job window.

I choose High Wizard.

Feeling the sudden change in my quality of mana the goblin finally lost its calmness, only now realizing the danger it was in. I looked at the golden snake in front of me, waiting for my command. I let my mana flow inside, making it grow even bigger than it was, before ordering it to attack.

It rushed forward, biting down at the goblin which raised its defenses in a last effort. Then it disappeared, the goblin with it.