Chapter 18: The Witch Bound In Flames

The man of lightning fell back to the ground. His blood-red eyes opened and stared only at me, “So you’re the one who has been killing our crew–” He blinked a couple of times. “–What are you?” He said still angry but now also confused.

For sure I didn’t look normal–my skin sparkled slightly, my hair was going wild and I had antlers growing out of my head.

I smirked, “A nobody.”

He sarcastically laughed, “Heh, a ‘nobody’ killed squads of multiple level 100+ and multiple 200s.”

Looking down upon me with rage, I had to reply, “Well if it helps.”

I jumped towards him, “I’m a nobody who just really enjoys killing Dominous Hood people.” [Fire Arrow] [Solar Bomb] [Solar Orb], I launched my offensive. Summing numerous arrows and bombs that were all launched at him, while a small sun formed behind my right shoulder.

[Solar Orb] strengthened the power of other sun energy skills. This strengthening effect was limited, but it recovered and stored energy by taking in nearby heat. Which was perfect–since the battlefield was burning a building.

A barrier of lightning appeared two metres out from him, blocking the initial attacks.

His body glowed a brighter blue as more and more lightning enveloped him, “It doesn’t, but I can solve future problems by dealing with you now!” A draconic claw of lightning formed around his hand.

“DIE!” He rushed towards me. 

Before we collided. [Incinerate] I activated the skill from my left hand. The fire engulfed him, but his fist flew towards me.

I tried a half-block half-deflect with my right hand, grabbing his lightning-covered arm.

I groaned as just being near him meant I was continually electrocuted. [Scorched– 

Then his body glowed brighter. The lightning man was activating a skill.

I [Burst] away to create some distance, lightning man stopped his skill.

“Very tough…” His eyes were focused on my right hand which was now a little more crispy.

I reapplied and strengthened the starlight shield coating over my body–making me shine brighter.

“And sparkly.” The lightning man said while he zipped towards me. 

I countered and flung him across the room with a kick–pouring additional mana into it. However, my leg was still wounded by coming into contact with his lightning-covered body. My starlight coating, no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t learn a skill version of this technique, but I did possess one armour skill. [Flame Lord Armour].

A large amount of fire burst out from me. The dark red flames circled around and protected me from every angle. Forming a semi-suit of armour.

“I should buy some fire-resistant clothes.” The fire was still controlled by me so it wouldn’t burn my clothes normally, but when defending against an enemy attack the heat would increase dramatically–providing a chance to singe it.

Fire wasn’t the best energy for defensive purposes–let only armour. [Flame Lord Armour] was one of the few recorded armour skills, but also one of the best… and dangerous.

Okay, close range ain’t going to work. [Fire Arrow].

“[Solar Rising].” I fired the beam of sun energy and I created a small but concentrated arrow of fire behind my back.

“[Solar Rising].” I fired the beam of sun energy and I created a small but concentrated arrow of fire behind my back.

With [Solar Orb] amplifying [Solar Rising] the skill fired with minimal delay.

The lightning man dodged to the side and rushed towards me. 

Keeping my distance, I [Quiet Step] back and fired multiple [Fire Arrow] and threw [Star Lance].

Lightning man punched away my arrows but when he tried to do the same with the [Star Lances], “ArgHH!” He screamed as lance pierced through his lightning coat. 

However the damage wasn’t great, it only slightly pierced his skin.

Sigh, how tough is this bastard?

This fight would be determined if I could kill him before he did any serious damage to me. I didn’t question my victory but I couldn’t risk being hurt too much. There were still two more I needed to kill.

We continued this back and forth. Dancing across the destroyed concert arena, lightning and fire flew into the sky further breaking down the walls. 

However, my mana was going down faster than I would like while the lightning man was still keeping up the pace. Besides minimal armour skills, he clearly hadn’t used any skills which made it hard to predict how much mana he remained.

I was able to learn he was purely a close-quarters combatant–cause at multiple occasions he missed good chances to strike me if he had a ranged skill. This was good cause I didn’t have to worry about it as long as kept a distance but bad as it meant he was a specialist and probably had some extremely deadly capabilities when at close range–being able to do serious damage if he stays close to me for more than a second, which gladly hadn’t happened.

“[Star Lance].” I threw another lance and began to prepare my finisher. [Solar Orb] had charged up enough.

He dodged it and chucked a lump of the fallen wall.

I didn’t worry about destroying it as it wasn’t blocking my view as I had activated a short-range [Star Mapping] for this fight.

But I may have been a little confident. Using multiple skills, he tripled in speed and arrived next to me in an instant.

Surprised at something I should’ve expected, “Just die already,” I said. [Fire Arrow]-[Star Lance]. I launched a close combination skill planned to blast him away.

With a beastly howl “Yerahowarhhh!” And the activation of some unknown skills he broke my skills.

His fist landed on my armour–which exploded–damaging and blooding his face, but it was enough to stop him. Digging into and tearing apart my gut, I turned away slightly.

Fire!

And launched the arrow hidden behind my back. The sneaky fire arrow I covered in an additional layer of starlight, pierced through his arm. 

He yelled, “Dammit it!” As the arrow then exploded.

[Star Lance]. I summoned my lance and used it to knock him away from me–getting away from his lightning aura. I wanted to stab through his heart but being so close would lead to dramatic bad aftereffects for me.

Being knocked a decent distance away. He caught his breath and I took a look at the damage. His face was fucked, but his arm while having a hole through it was sadly still attached. My own wounds were healing but slowly due to the torturous wounds he dealt.

I need to end this fast… 

Then suddenly–

“Reyarghh!”

Argh! What now!

–The floor shook and the roar vibrated across the mall and the city.

 

My eyes stayed focused on the lightning man, but now I was on alert to incoming changes. 

Another beam of fire completely broke apart the floor and a demonic creature rose up through the flame. The flame dispersed and now it stayed, floating still in the air, with a large amount of heat flooding out from it.

“What the fuck is that?”

The creature was vaguely humanoid, spiky and rocky but seemingly made out of some solid black inky substance. It had two hollow sockets where its eyes would be. Each glowed a bright evil red.

(“ Malcroaza ”)

Yeah, what is that?

(“ A monster that has fire powers ”)

You’re the one who said you were going to rest. Even when you don’t even sleep! Don’t talk unless you have useful information.

Large bubbles formed under its skin then one popped, “Reyarghh!” It screamed. Causing more of these ‘bubbles’ to pop, with each increasing the loudness of its pained howl.

After a moment of searing pain in my ears, I blocked them with my starlight muffs.

Lightning man used this opportunity to activate a skill. His veins bulged and some even popped, then black lightning devoured his blue and he instantly rushed at me.

No, you don’t! [Solar Bomb] I expected him to try something, even when this monster was also a danger to him.

Creating a [Solar Bomb] in my right hand, I swung to counter his assault and I aimed in a specific direction.

His body and my fist collided. Creating a powerful shockwave.

The collision itself dealt a number on me, and the black lightning that continuously zap me hurt even more. My saving grace was that it didn’t last long, as the [Solar Bomb] exploded knocking him back  

“Argh fuck sake,” I said in pain.

Looking up, I saw my ‘Lightning Man Bomb’ fly directly at the Malcroaza.

The beast’s mouth widened, “Reyargheeee!” and a sphere of fire exploded out of it covering the both of them.

It was quiet for a moment, underneath the sphere of burning heat, but not for long as the fire sphere exploded in a massive bolt of black lightning.

The former lightning man was now dead with not a speck of ash remaining.

I doubt he died wanting to help me, but dying while a body transformation skill is active always seems to provide some interesting ‘environmental results’.