The Flames That Shatter Worlds
The clearing shivered under the sheer weight of mana. Smoke curled lazily from the scorched earth, rising to meet the thunderous roar of the first World Serpent as it writhed and screamed.
Valtherion stood at the center, chest heaving, muscles taut, eyes locked on the behemoth before him. His body still radiated the lingering heat of Expanded Fire, but every fiber of him screamed for more—more power, more speed, more life.
The serpent's obsidian-black scales shimmered with molten blue cracks, fangs glistening with dripping venom. Its maw opened, and the pressure of its ancient mana alone made the air vibrate, distorting reality around them.
Every instinct screamed that this battle was beyond him. And yet—he had no choice.
He inhaled. The heat around him spiraled upward, tendrils of flame licking the sky. Every movement, every thought, every heartbeat was calculation, anticipation, preparation.
---
Expanded Fire vs. World Serpent
He struck first.
BOOM.
A jet of concentrated fire erupted from his hands, scorching the ground in front of him. The serpent twisted, and molten sparks rained down as its scales absorbed the brunt. The beam deflected, but it had forced the creature to shift—an opening.
Valtherion didn't hesitate. He propelled himself forward using Flare Step: Triple Burst, three simultaneous detonations that ripped the air with sharp, explosive cracks. Trees splintered under the shockwaves, rocks shattered, and the serpent's massive coils recoiled.
He landed on a ridge of broken earth, fire trailing from his arms, eyes narrowing. Heatwave Burst. The beam shot like a meteor, tearing through forest and air alike, shaking the serpent's body violently.
The serpent responded with its tail.
SWOOSH—CRACK!
It smashed the forest like a hammer, sending Valtherion flying. He slammed into the ground, pain radiating through his ribs, fire flickering along his veins in warning.
DING!
⟢ SYSTEM WARNING
[HP Dropped: 45%]
[Warning: Severe Damage Detected]
[Recommendation: Caution—Critical Injuries Sustained]
Valtherion spat a spray of blood. "Not… enough to stop me."
The first fight was brutal, stretching every limit he had. Flare Steps, Heatwave Bursts, layered explosions, evasive spins—Valtherion's fire became a weapon and a shield simultaneously. The serpent's attacks were crushing, relentless, a storm of fangs, tail strikes, and raw mana pressure. Each collision sent tremors that shattered trees and boiled rivers.
Hours blurred into each other. Valtherion's body ached. Flames clung to him, instinctive yet restrained. Sweat, blood, and molten skin mixed as his mind reached beyond his limits.
And then—he found it.
A momentary overextension. A slight hesitation.
With everything left, he struck.
A colossal eruption of flames, white at the core, red and blue around the edges. Every ounce of his fire converged into a single point of absolute annihilation. The serpent screamed—a sound that made the mountains tremble, the air itself quiver.
And it fell.
Then—a system notification appeared.
DING!
⟢ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
[Enemy Defeated: HP And Mana Restored]
[Class: Dragon]
[Exp Gained: +12,900]
[Level Up! Lv. 38 → Lv. 50]
[Element Evolution: Expanded Fire → High Fire]
[Lifespan Increased: +350 Years]
[New Skill Unlocked: White Pyre Fist]
[New Skill Unlocked: Immolation Veins (Passive)]
[New Skill Unlocked: Heat Domination]
[Mana Increased: +550]
Valtherion's eyes glinted. "That's how it's done."
---
The Emergence of the Second World Serpent
Valtherion's chest heaved. Flames spiraled upward around him like a crown. Pain, exhaustion, and the thrill of victory mingled. He could feel it—his fire had transformed. It was sharper, denser, unyielding. High Fire.
He didn't have time to breathe. The ground shook again. This time—not from the first serpent, but something far larger, far older. Its colossal form eclipsed the forest, every coil radiating unstoppable weight.
A system notification appeared.
DING!
⟢ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
[High-Tier Threat Detected]
[Enemy: Phorashia Lesser World Serpent (Second)]
[Level: 54]
[Class: Dragon]
[Threat Level: Extreme (Environmental)]
[Warning: Target Possesses Overwhelming Mana Output]
[Warning: Survival Probability — Extremely Low]
[Recommendation: Immediate Caution]
[Reward: Exp +38,000]
SSSSSSKKKKRRRRAAAAAHHHHH—!!
The second Phorashia World Serpent tore through the earth like a leviathan unbound. Its scales glimmered darker, veins of crimson mana pulsing beneath obsidian armor. The air thickened with static energy; pressure bent the light, warped sound, distorted reality. Birds exploded into the sky. Rivers foamed. The forest itself seemed to recoil.
Valtherion's fire surged instinctively. Every nerve, every muscle, every flame attuned to the new threat.
"Finally… something worthy of my fire," he growled, fists tightening. "Let's see what you're made of."
The creature lunged.
The serpent struck like an unstoppable tidal wave. Its head slammed into the ground where Valtherion had stood moments before, pulverizing stone and earth alike. Shockwaves flattened trees, tore soil from roots, and sent rivers boiling.
DING!
⟢ SYSTEM WARNING
[HP Dropped: 30%]
[Warning: Critical Damage Detected]
[Severe Injury: Ribs, Shoulders, Limbs]
[Recommendation: Immediate Defensive Measures]
Valtherion hissed through clenched teeth. "You hit like a storm… but I'm the wildfire that burns through it."
He countered with Flare Step: Quad Burst, four simultaneous explosive jumps, dodging the bite and tail simultaneously. Each landing sent arcs of fire into the ground, melting stone, igniting splintered trees, creating a lattice of destruction around him.
The serpent whirled, venom dripping from fangs, mana crackling from scales. A whip of its tail sent Valtherion rocketing through a canyon of splintered trees. He rolled mid-air, white flames coiling along his limbs, landing atop a cliff with his body arched, ready to strike again.
Valtherion struck first.
"Heat… Domination!" he roared. "Burn, and let the world see your end!"
Flames erupted from his chest, flowing into his arms and legs. The air itself ignited. He slammed both fists into the ground, sending molten fire surging in a radial explosion that cracked boulders, set rivers boiling, and burned through the serpent's outer scales. The beast screeched, recoiling slightly—but it was far from defeated.
The battle stretched on. The serpent lunged, twisted, coiled, spit venomous mana, struck with tails and claws, crushing earth and stone with each motion. Valtherion countered, dodged, exploded, pressed, retreated. Hours became a blur. Fire lit the night sky, illuminating scars on both the forest and his body.
DING!
⟢ SYSTEM WARNING
[HP Dropped: 15%]
[Warning: Near-Critical Condition]
[Recommendation: Extreme Caution—Use Last Resort Skills]
He muttered through pain, flames licking his lips: "Not… done… yet…"
Every attack tested limits, every maneuver demanded ingenuity. Valtherion's fire burned hotter than the sun at its core, but he had to manage—one slip, one miscalculation, and he would be obliterated.
He remembered the first fight—the moment High Fire awakened inside him. Now, he needed that again, pushed further.
He struck again. White Pyre Fist. His fist, wrapped in collapsing starfire, slammed against the serpent's skull. Explosion. Mana erupted outward, trees vaporized, soil liquefied, rivers boiled. The serpent screamed in pain, arcs of mana splintering from its body.
Not enough.
The serpent lashed, twisting its body like a living storm. Valtherion met it with Immolation Veins, channels of heat spiraling along every fiber of his body, shooting white-hot fire through his limbs into every blow, every motion. The serpent screamed again, staggering.
It lunged one final time, fangs and claws aimed directly for Valtherion's heart. He didn't dodge.
He met it head-on.
White fire wrapped him like a collapsing sun. Heat, energy, and rage exploded outward. Every ounce of his mana, every flicker of his High Fire, converged into a single point.
HOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!
The impact shattered reality within fifty meters. Trees turned to ash. Rocks vaporized. Rivers boiled into steam. The serpent's body screamed as white fire coursed through it, tearing scales, bones, and mana veins apart.
Then... a system notification appeared.
DING!
⟢ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
[Enemy Defeated: HP And Mana Restored]
[Class: Dragon]
[Exp Gained: +38,000]
DING! DING!
[Level Up! Lv. 50 → Lv. 51]
[Level Up! Lv. 51 → Lv. 52]
[Level Up! Lv. 52 → Lv. 53]
[Level Up! Lv. 53 → Lv. 54]
[Level Up! Lv. 54 → Lv. 55]
[Level Up! Lv. 55 → Lv. 56]
[Level Up! Lv. 56 → Lv. 57]
[Level Up! Lv. 57 → Lv. 58]
[Level Up! Lv. 58 → Lv. 59]
[Level Up! Lv. 59 → Lv. 60]
⟢ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
[High Fire Mastery: Increased]
[New Skill Acquired: Infernal Nova]
[Mana Increased: +750]
---
Valtherion dropped to one knee, every muscle trembling, chest heaving. His hands were scorched to the bone, yet his body burned with a new, unshakable strength.
He whispered, a smirk breaking through the exhaustion: "…Two down. Who's next?"
Two World Serpents. Defeated.
High Fire burned in him, unlimited, absolute, undeniable.
The forest—ancient, cruel Phorashia—bowed beneath his flame. And the world… waited.