Ch.10Ep.10: Wave of Fire

“Success. All prison levels have collapsed except for the lowest floor.”

“Is there a way to escape from the lowest floor?”

“No. In a space made of Taemuseok, all spatial magic is nullified.”

He’s right.

In a space made of Taemuseok, escaping through magic is nearly impossible.

Of course, one could drill a hole to escape.

But then the foundation supported by the Taemuseok would collapse.

It would be nothing more than hastening one’s own death.

Unless you’re a god, escaping by your own power is impossible.

Therefore, the woman praised him.

“Well done. Your bombs are truly remarkable as always.”

“You flatter me. I’ll take my leave now.”

The white-haired old man with a completely bald head bowed to the woman.

The woman’s identity was Kim Aram, the Vice Priestess of Tulcha.

She was a cold-hearted woman who had ordered bombs to be placed without any regard for the troops who had entered.

She clicked her tongue as she looked at the completely collapsed underground prison.

“Still, it doesn’t feel entirely comfortable to see a place I’ve managed for years meet such an end.”

But that was all.

Kim Aram felt somewhat relieved that she no longer needed to manage it, but…

Rumble…

“Hmm?”

When she felt a faint vibration from the ground, she stopped her departing steps.

‘It’s not magical power, and it’s not an attack. If it’s a natural phenomenon—could it be?’

Kim Aram recalled that this area was volcanic.

Concerned about triggering the volcano, she had brought a bomb expert to determine the appropriate explosion level before dropping the bombs.

But she had forgotten that the woman imprisoned was Arsia.

Someone like her would have thought of an outlandish strategy.

For instance… something as absurd as using volcanic eruption energy to shoot into the sky.

If so, this vibration wasn’t an earthquake but likely a volcanic eruption.

“Gather the army immediately—”

BOOM!!

Just as Kim Aram was about to give the order.

With a thunderous roar that shook heaven and earth, the volcano erupted.

She momentarily lost her balance from nature’s violent outburst.

But amidst the billowing volcanic ash and flowing red-hot lava.

She spotted a sphere of magical energy shooting out.

Her hypothesis was confirmed.

“Arsia Cromwell is escaping!! Deploy the Heavenly Net immediately and surround that sphere! I’ll pursue that woman myself!”

***

“Why are you so worn out? It’s pathetic to see you so weak after using just this much magic…”

“Hey… is that any way to talk to your captain?”

Radios tried to calm his trembling arms with an indignant expression, but.

Arsia spoke with a playful smile.

“Oh my, I suppose I should follow whatever our almighty captain says. Sure. After all the trouble I went through to rescue you, this attitude isn’t very welcoming, is it?”

“…”

“Who am I, after all? I’m someone who’s quite skilled at accommodating others, heh.”

“Sigh… Fine, think whatever you want.”

Radios sighed deeply at Arsia’s continuous playful gaslighting.

She had always been one to play word games whenever she saw an opening.

But she knew when to draw the line depending on time and place.

Her attempt at joking around was proof that the surroundings were safe.

“Still, you were too reckless this time. Do you think creating a barrier that can withstand a volcanic eruption is easy?”

“Yes. It was easy for you, Captain.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Arsia doesn’t know that Radios has been reincarnated.

That’s why she maintains such a consistent attitude.

There’s nothing wrong with what she said.

When Radios was the captain of the Guardian Spirit.

A volcanic eruption was a disaster that didn’t require any concern from him.

But for Radios with only the second level of his seal released, it was a burdensome act.

“Don’t be so reckless in the future.”

“Yes… But Captain, you feel it too, right?”

“Yes. It seems our plan has been discovered.”

“Isn’t it strange to think we wouldn’t be discovered after causing such a flashy commotion?”

“…”

Realizing she had a point, Radios kept his mouth shut.

Arsia wiped the playful expression from her face and returned to the look in her eyes from when she was the strategist of the Guardian Spirit.

After sensing the formation of what was known as the Heavenly Net, an encirclement by otherworlders surrounding the area.

And feeling a particularly powerful being approaching her.

Radios quickly covered Arsia with Kynee, concealing her presence and appearance.

At the same time, Kim Aram, the Vice Priestess of Tulcha, landed in front of him.

She looked around and asked Radios.

“Arsia Cromwell’s energy suddenly disappeared. Where is she?”

“I don’t know. Why don’t you look for her yourself?”

He inwardly felt relieved as he responded nonchalantly.

Fortunately, Kim Aram didn’t seem to have discovered Arsia.

“A remnant of the Guardian Spirit, I see. You’re engaging in futile actions.”

“Whether it’s futile or not is for me to decide, youngster.”

Although he taunted her by calling her a youngster.

Objectively, the current Radios cannot defeat the Vice Priestess.

However, if that Vice Priestess serves Tulcha, who is at the bottom of the combat power hierarchy?

It’s a gamble that’s quite possible.

Arsia would understand without being told.

The fact that he deliberately covered her with Kynee was an indirect message to strike when the opportunity arises.

If Kim Aram shows an opening due to overconfidence or when Radios drives her into a corner, even for a split second.

If Arsia provides appropriate magical support, their chances of winning are more than sufficient.

No, if there had been no chance of winning, Arsia would have suggested fleeing first.

This implies that facing Kim Aram alone has a much higher probability of success than trying to break through Kim Aram and the Heavenly Net encirclement.

While Radios had completed all calculations in his head, Kim Aram raised her guard at his provocative attitude.

‘Surely he must know… that he’s no match for me.’

Breaking through the surveillance of numerous guards to plant bombs in the prison.

Even going so far as to trigger a volcano to divert attention in order to rescue Arsia.

What was she relying on to make this man confront her?

“Well, pondering won’t give me any answers…!”

Whoosh!

Kim Aram created a fiery form with her magical power and sent it skyward.

Simultaneously, a rain of fire fell.

The expression is strange, but think of it as embers falling.

Moreover, with the volcano having erupted, lava-covered rocks were also falling.

Kim Aram smiled, knowing that all circumstances were turning in favor of her fire-attribute magic.

But Radios merely nodded without any expression.

“By now, burns should be spreading across your body. This rain of fire is a skill bestowed by the Dancing Green Flame!”

“Oh, really?”

“Don’t ‘oh really’ me! Although I, as a Vice Priestess, am not green, the Priestess who mastered this skill rains down fire painted green!”

Kim Aram declared proudly.

But seeing Radios’s confident expression that showed no sign of intimidation, her expression gradually hardened.

It seems like he has something up his sleeve… but she’s not sure what.

However, regardless of Kim Aram’s tension.

Radios frowned at the message that appeared before his eyes.

[Divine Fragment: Replication failed.]

[The order of Rain of Fire is lower than the order of Jade Flame.]

‘This is ridiculous. A skill bestowed by a god has a lower order than a skill created by a mere human?’

He hadn’t expected skill copying to be impossible here.

Radios reluctantly gave up on copying the Rain of Fire skill.

There’s nothing he can do about not being able to copy it anyway.

The fortunate thing is that thanks to the basic Fire Dance skill possessed by Tulcha’s priests.

The rate at which burns from the Rain of Fire deepened wasn’t very fast.

Shing.

Having abandoned his attachment to copying, Radios drew his sword from its scabbard.

Using a magic sword would make Kim Aram a bit nervous.

Now is the opportunity, while she maintains the arrogance that there’s a skill gap between her and Radios.

“So you’ve decided to fight after all.”

“You were planning to kill me even if I surrendered, weren’t you?”

“That’s not entirely wrong, but…”

Papapang!

Three magic circles appeared behind Kim Aram.

It was Triple Casting, which only magicians of a certain level could use.

“Since we’re fighting, I have no intention of killing you easily, so you’d better prepare yourself.”

“Sure, you too.”

“What?”

Seeing his confident attitude, Kim Aram looked around.

There was no one.

Apart from herself and the unidentified enemy, she couldn’t sense any human presence.

‘Then that means he has a hidden card…’

There was no need to drag this out. She just needed to kill him before he could use whatever he was hiding.

Whoosh!

As Kim Aram lightly waved her hand, the three magic circles simultaneously emitted light.

Three spears engulfed in flames were launched, targeting Radios’s heart.

But Radios, who was already prepared, kicked off the ground and rose into the air, only to realize.

‘Guided?!’

Seeing the three spears following him like tags wherever he moved.

And simultaneously observing Kim Aram standing still.

‘I see. So it’s a control type.’

If it had been a one-time activation, she would be taking other actions by now.

Then there’s no need to specifically counter it.

“I just need to avoid getting hit, right?”

“..! Tch!”

BOOM!!

Radios charged towards Kim Aram without hesitation.

Seeing the spears heading towards her, she clicked her tongue and terminated the magic.

Before he could get close, she teleported to create distance and used a new spell.

“Wave of Fire.”

“..!”

As a tremendous heat wave began to surge around Kim Aram.

Eventually, the massive cluster of flames that had been smoldering turned into a tsunami-like size.

And engulfed him.

BOOM!

“Ugh!”

Radios was thrown far away after being hit by the Wave of Fire.

It was fortunate that he had prepared to block the attack and had drawn out his magical power.

If he hadn’t been prepared, his skin would have been completely burned!

Of course, it’s not as hot as lava, but that’s because he had blocked it with a barrier from the start.

The fortunate thing is that Kim Aram doesn’t move, perhaps due to the recoil from using magic.

Radios didn’t miss that opportunity and threw his sword.

Then, with Jade Flame released on his magic sword, he charged towards Kim Aram.

Seeing the magic sword, she immediately wore an expression of having been caught off guard.

“A magic sword..!”

“Good, you recognize it.”

“You! You were hiding your power!”

Clang!

Radios swung his magic sword with all his might, ignoring her words.

Kim Aram barely managed to create a shield barrier to block his attack.

However, Radios seemed to have anticipated the block.

He attempted a kick to her exposed side.

Thwack!

The sound of a clean hit!

But Kim Aram didn’t even groan and muttered.

“Recreate.”

“Damn it..!”

This was the specialty used by priests of the Dancing Green Flame sect.

A healing magic had been activated.

“Attempting close combat was your mistake.”

“..!”

“Wave of Fire.”

Radios urgently tried to pull back and retreat.

But Kim Aram had already bound both his feet with another spell.

As the Wave of Fire was about to pour down on Radios, who wore a dumbfounded expression.

Smirk.

He curled one corner of his mouth as if satisfied, and simultaneously.

“Wave of Fire.”

BOOM!!

Two spells of the same type devoured each other.