Ch.15853. Glass Shield (2)

# The Phoenix’s Fire

It was the fire of the divine beast created by the ruby whose fourth seal had been broken. A flame so powerful that it couldn’t be compared to any fire on earth.

‘It’s completely different from ordinary flame spells.’

The fire created through typical magic spells wasn’t considered high-level just because of its high temperature.

What mattered was the destructive power that could resist an opponent’s magical energy or mana.

‘Whether the opponent is a hunter, villain, or demon, they all have resistance to elemental attacks.’

In that respect, the phoenix’s fire stood at the pinnacle above all flame magic spells.

Seventh tier. Even flames created by the highest tier of magical formulas paled in comparison to the phoenix’s fire.

Its power was that of the divine beast Suzaku itself—the power possessed by the god of flames.

‘In fact, the phoenix inherited the power of Arel, the god of Ailetan.’

That’s why any resistance was nullified before the phoenix’s fire. If the opponent was a demon, its power would double.

Thus, the phoenix’s fire was the most destructive fire on earth.

‘That doesn’t mean the phoenix’s fire is omnipotent, though.’

I took out Wind Cutter and held it in my hand.

The phoenix’s power, which had already begun to manifest, started creating even greater flames with the amplification effect unique to Ancient Gear.

Whoosh-

The red-hot fire gradually changed to a blue color like azure flames.

The vibration I felt through Wind Cutter was extremely intense.

‘As expected of a divine beast’s power. The recoil is too severe.’

The power of a divine beast placed a great burden on the user, proportional to its immense destructive force.

If someone without qualification tried to use that fire…

Even a flame sorcerer might be reduced to ashes, their entire body burned by the very fire they created.

‘Especially with my damaged body, using this power…’

Moreover, the phoenix’s fire I was using had advanced one step further.

I actively used the wind power from Wind Cutter’s blue dragon power, which could create storms.

“The powers of great fire and wind… harmonizing in one place without rejecting each other. That’s impossible.”

Yuri, who was watching me, spoke with apparent surprise.

Being an excellent magician herself, she seemed to have immediately recognized the nature and power of the fire I created.

‘I’ve applied resonance compression even to the divine beast’s power.’

A special attack spell where different elemental powers mix and amplify each other.

As a result, my phoenix’s fire was so powerful that even Yuri couldn’t believe its might.

But with such great power, I too had to desperately resist the recoil while maintaining the phoenix’s fire.

‘In recent combat, I only used the phoenix’s fire for a very short time.’

During the battle in Japan, I only used that fire against high-level villains or magical beasts.

And even then, only for a brief moment—less than three seconds—just enough to ensure the opponent’s death.

Yuri called out to me with a worried voice.

“You’re continuously creating that special flame… Are you really okay?”

But now, contrary to Yuri’s concern, I was maintaining the phoenix’s fire without considering the time limit.

“I’m fine. No, I must… maintain this flame.”

The phoenix’s fire was still incomplete.

The phoenix’s fire used by Yu Jahyun, my past life self whom I saw in the Mythic Church temple, was far more destructive and powerful than mine now.

He had also broken the fourth seal, but the duration was incomparable to mine.

‘Yu Jahyun used that fire throughout the night.’

Not only that, it had deadly power enough to extinguish the breath of the Red Dragon.

Naturally, I needed to reach that level of my past life again.

The phoenix’s fire began to emit a blue-white light, beyond azure flames.

Groooooo-

Even the vibrations transmitted to the surrounding atmosphere changed. Evidence that the firepower had increased further.

At the same time, the fire’s recoil began to spread throughout my mana road, but I forcibly endured the burning pain.

Crackle-

The ice shield created by Yuri and the phoenix’s fire I created collided at the boundary of their powers, destroying even the surrounding sounds.

Though Yuri continued to look at me with concern, she seemed to recognize my determination from my gaze.

“Since I decided to be an unbreakable shield for you, I must be able to withstand even your flame spells.”

Her expression was very serious.

Yuri was right. The same applied to me as well.

‘Yuki-onna. And Yuri’s ice shield, awakened as the Eastern Sage. I must be able to destroy it with my spell.’

The firepower reached its peak.

Without hesitation, I swung the phoenix’s fire, which had formed a massive flame blade along Wind Cutter, toward Yuri.

***

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-

A massive explosion echoed throughout the snowy field.

It was a thunderous sound that would have caused an avalanche if this had been a snow-covered mountain rather than a field.

When the snow fragments swirling like dust cleared away, Yuri reappeared before my eyes.

“Haa… haa… haa…”

Yuri’s breathing had become extremely rough.

Her pure white kimono was covered in black soot, completely ruined.

And Nibis, which was wrapped around Yuri’s hands and arms like a snake tattoo, resonated violently.

‘She blocked it again.’

The massive ice shield that had stood before Yuri was now shattered into pieces, barely maintaining its form.

But Yuri remained standing, continuing to maintain her control over the freezing mana.

‘She blocked the phoenix’s fire… three times.’

Yuri’s legs were trembling. But she stood on the snowy field with determined eyes.

“Haa… I said… I would protect you… so I won’t fall… from something like this.”

Yuri’s resolve was truly amazing.

The phoenix’s fire I was using now undoubtedly had seventh-tier power.

In international society, a seventh-tier attack spell holds the position of a strategic weapon.

Especially my main weapon, the flame spell, has power equivalent to missile bombardment as a firepower weapon.

‘No. If it were to create pure explosions, it would be even greater.’

Since ordinary firepower weapons don’t work against villains or magical beasts…

Seventh-tier attack spells are actually rated higher than the bombs contained in missiles. And the phoenix’s fire far surpassed even that seventh-tier firepower.

Yet Yuri had blocked that phoenix’s fire three times.

‘As expected, the greatest genius in Ains history is on another level.’

Though Siwoo and I were Yuri’s rivals, Yuri’s pure talent as a magician was overwhelming.

‘For Yuri, magical formula theory wasn’t that important.’

Yuri was blessed with freezing mana. She could create spells just by breathing and using mana naturally.

The elaborate magical theories constructed by the scholars of the Magic Tower over centuries…

Were considered less complete than the magic spells Yuri created by simply moving mana lightly.

The Tarkovsky family disliked Yuri, but they couldn’t oppose her designation as successor because of that talent.

Moreover, such a genius, Yuri, had realized her true talent within this eternal barrier.

“This is… my defense spell… I think I understand… to some extent now.”

As she said, the ice shield Yuri created grew stronger with each iteration.

Her awakening as Yuki-onna, the evolution of Nibis’s form.

And above all, abandoning her desire for attack spells…

Focusing purely on defense spells, she was now literally an absolute barrier that could block any attack.

‘But it’s not perfect yet.’

Such a shield of Yuri’s was now on the verge of destruction. Because of my phoenix’s fire.

“Haa… one more time…”

And once again, I concentrated my mana into the ruby.

A new mana acceleration begins. And the wind-attribute mana flowing from Wind Cutter further maximizes that acceleration.

The phoenix’s fire fiercely ignited on Wind Cutter again.

‘This is killing me.’

I had used the phoenix’s fire, which I normally use for about 3 seconds, for over a minute each time. Three times.

So the mana stored in the ruby was almost depleted.

No, more than the lack of mana, the problem was the recoil of the flame spell that was already burning my mana road.

‘Damn. It hurts like hell!’

To be honest, I felt such intense pain that I could hardly maintain my sanity.

Setsunomura. I seemed to have temporarily recovered with the power of the Black Tortoise obtained there. But as my body was already heading toward death, the pain immediately intensified with even a little overexertion.

‘No! I still have to endure…’

Yuri is showing such determination. No matter how much of a genius she is…

The phoenix’s fire, which could blow away this entire snowy field. There’s no way she could be fine after blocking such a massive volcanic-like flame spell three times.

But even with her trembling legs, Yuri didn’t take her eyes off me. I could feel her will.

“I… I can hold out longer!”

Her determination to protect me from the evil god. Seeing Yuri like that, I couldn’t help but smile despite the tearing pain throughout my body.

‘Right. I can’t fall yet either.’

Yuri was the person I loved, my lover, and the wife I was destined to be with.

So there was only one thing I had to do.

Get Epitheus to annihilate the evil god. And make the Red Lake disappear from Earth.

‘So that the people I love can continue to live on this Earth even after I die.’

I bit my lip once more.

The Archangel’s Citadel was still available, but its pain-relieving effect was too intense, reducing the precision of using the phoenix’s fire.

‘I just have to endure this pain… ugh…’

And I needed to clearly remember exactly where in my mana road the flame spell’s overload and recoil were most severe.

It would be essential for using the new divine beast power I had acquired, the power of the Black Tortoise.

Wind Cutter’s blade was glowing red hot.

“I’m coming again! Block this one too!”

After shouting that, I unleashed the phoenix’s fire toward Yuri once more.

***

I must have passed out.

My entire body was screaming in pain. The aftereffects of using the phoenix’s fire remained in my body.

‘As expected… using it four times was too much.’

But the effect of such overexertion was sufficient.

No, I had to push myself.

‘The place where mana leakage is most severe… I could identify it…’

Not only my mana heart, but various parts of my mana road were already breaking down.

So even when using ordinary magic spells, mana leaked throughout my body, reducing the power of spells from their maximum potential.

It’s like a car leaking fuel.

So not only was my endurance reduced, but I couldn’t reach maximum speed either.

‘That’s the current state of my body.’

I couldn’t leave my body like this. I needed to increase my body’s durability somehow.

To create the true form of the phoenix’s fire, that divine beast power…

‘If my body can’t support that enormous power, the flame will collapse before the spell is properly formed.’

In other words, with my current physical condition, I couldn’t create the ultimate form of the phoenix’s fire no matter what.

But here in Setsunomura, I gained an unexpected opportunity.

Without opening my eyes, I tightly gripped the necklace around my neck.

‘The power of the Black Tortoise. With that solid… divine beast power.’

I released the Black Tortoise’s power contained in that necklace.

I intended to use that power to fix my breaking body.

‘The places where I feel extreme pain now… are all where the mana road is damaged…’

If I could stop the mana leakage there, I could create a temporary physical enhancement effect.

‘Then I can use the phoenix’s fire like Yu Jahyun… no, even better.’

I focused on the power being released from that necklace.

At that moment.

Someone suddenly climbed on top of my body while my eyes were still closed.

“No!! Your body is… too hot… haa…”

Yuri’s heated voice reached my ears.