Chapter 153: Red Steel: King of Beasts Vs. Son of Fire
Chapter 153: Red Steel: King of Beasts Vs. Son of Fire
Raijinara circled high above the rocky plateau.
The tension below was palpable, a silence that felt like the breath held before a storm. Eratz stood on the hard ground, staring down his new opponent.
Cinderblaze faced him, standing tall, arms crossed over its chest, one foot tapping lightly against the ground.
It gave Eratz a mocking, cocky grin, tilting its head slightly as if to ask him to lead the dance.
Eratz's smirk widened, his own eyes gleaming with impatience, then, in an instant, he unleashed his spiritual pressure.
A wave of raw, pure energy pulsed out from his body, swiping the air like a storm. The ground beneath him quaked, pebbles thrown away as the pressure grew.
Cinderblaze's smirk faltered for a split second. Its bright eyes widened in surprise, but then, just as quickly, its grin returned, even wider than before.
The beast tilted its head back, letting out a sharp, playful chuckle, and then in turn, it's body embrased.
Flames erupted around in a sudden, explosive burst, expanding outward like a shockwave. The temperature skyrocketed as Inferno Field activated, engulfing the entire plateau in a blistering heatwave.
Eratz felt the force of the heat hit him like a blast, pushing him back a step. The air shimmered, warped by the intense temperature, and the landscape around them transformed.
The ground turned a deep, ember red, cracks forming as burning rocks cracked from beneath. Flames licked at the air, the entire area turning into a blazing furnace.
Eratz felt the heat slam into him like a physical blow, the intense wave pushing him back a step.
The searing temperature almost carbonized his skin, the burning sensation spreading across his body, but, for someone like him, this parameter was anticipated and even wished.
Rockbound Fury.
An explosion of energy burst from his body, sending a shockwave rippling outward.
The force of his power cracked the ground beneath him, fissures spreading out like jagged scars on the earth.
Chunks of rock were blasted into the air, shattering against the intense pressure of his unleashed strength.
Cinderblaze's eyes widened again, the mocking grin slipping for just a moment as it instinctively leapt back, putting distance between them.
It landed gracefully, sliding to a halt, its bright eyes now filled with a mix of curiosity and anticipation.
Eratz stepped forward, his body enveloped in a thin veil of flames, the searing heat licking at his skin.
Burns covered his arms and chest, but the wounds seemed to pulse with energy, the pain transforming into raw, physical power.
Each burn he received only made him stronger, fueling his own strength.
He gave a feral grin through the fire, his voice low and filled with confidence.
"Son of fire, I've faced down a lightning calamity bird in the sky when I was weaker than this. So..." He raised his head, one eyes gleaming. "Grit your teeth."
In a flash, he vanished from the spot, and reappeared above Cinderblaze, his fist already cocked back, bursting with an intense surge of power.
He brought his fist down with the force of a meteor, the air screaming as it was split apart by the speed of his strike.
The impact was earth-shattering.
Cinderblaze was slammed into the ground, the force of the blow creating a massive crater in the rocky plateau.
The beast's body broke through layers of stone and rubble, the shockwave from the punch sending a wave of dust and debris exploding outward.
The sound of the impact echoed like a thunderclap, reverberating through the mountains. Cinderblaze's body smashed through the rocky surface, breaking through the crust of the plateau and crashing into a deeper, darker section of the mountain.
The ground splintered, rocks tumbling down in an avalanche as the earth struggled to absorb the force of the strike.
Smoke and dust filled the air, obscuring everything in a thick, choking cloud. For a moment, there was silence.
Eratz stood at the edge of a massive crater, the ground beneath him cracked and shattered from his powerful strike.
The silence stretched on, broken only by the faint whisper of the wind. Then, slowly, the earth beneath him began to rumble.
A deep, guttural growl echoed through the plateau.
The ground trembled violently, and in an instant, the rocks at the center of the crater erupted like a volcano.
A burst of fiery stones shot into the sky, trailing smoke and embers. The debris rained down around Eratz in a stunning display of fire and light, casting flickering shadows across his face.
At the epicenter of the explosion, Cinderblaze emerged. The beast rose from the rubble, flames dancing wildly along its body.
The cocky grin was gone, replaced by a furious, intense glare. Its arms were uncrossed, fingers flexing as if itching for another strike.
Eratz couldn't help but chuckle, his own grin widening as he took in the sight.
"I prefer that face."
Cinderblaze didn't respond with sounds. It simply lunged forward, leaping with incredible
speed and power.
It closed the distance between them in a flash, its fist aimed directly at Eratz's face.
But the punch only hit empty air.
Eratz was already beneath it, his arms crossed casually, looking up with a smirk. The speed of his evasion was unreal, almost as if he had vanished and reappeared in a single heartbeat.
Cinderblaze landed, its eyes narrowing, but then its lips curled into a wild grin.
It unleashed a massive wave of heat. The temperature rising sharply as a blistering heatwave rippled outwards, setting the air ablaze.
Eratz felt the searing heat wash over him, the intense wave singeing his clothes, but he didn't
flinch.
Instead, he stepped forward, the smile never leaving his face. The burns on his skin glowed momentarily before fading, the damage absorbed and converted into raw power.
"I hit you and you feed me?" Eratz taunted.
Cinderblaze's eyes blazed with a fiery light, and in a flash, the two of them collided.
The force of their clash sent a shockwave through the plateau, the ground beneath their feet splintering and cracking under the sheer power of their attacks.
Cinderblaze's strikes were relentless, each blow explosive, leaving trails of fire in the air.
It moved like a wildfire, its fists and kicks landing with the force of small explosions, each
impact sending bursts of flame across the battlefield.
Eratz dodged and weaved through the flurry of attacks with a fluid grace.
He could predict Cinderblaze's movements, he was faster than it, but instead of dodging everything, he chose to take some of the hits head-on.
Each punch and kick only making him stronger.
Eratz's grin widened, he had the upper hand. He absorbed another flaming punch, his body glowing with an intense aura, then retaliated with a devastating strike of his own.
His fist engulfed Cinderblaze's torso, the force of the blow sending a shockwave rippling
through the ground.
The earth quaked beneath their feet, a deep rumble shaking the mountains. Chunks of rock tumbled down from the cliffs above, the sheer power of their clash threatening to tear the
landscape apart.
Cinderblaze staggered back, but its grin never faltered. If anything, it looked even more exhilarated. It wiped a trickle of black soot from its mouth, then let out a sharp, barking laugh, its eyes alight with wild excitement.
It lunged again, faster this time, its entire body engulfed in flames. The air around it shimmered with heat, distorting its form like a mirage. It delivered a rapid series of blows,
each one crackling with explosive force.
Eratz dodged most of them, his movements fluid and precise, but then, as he saw an opening, one of Cinderblaze's punches land squarely on his stomach.
The impact was like a bomb going off, fire erupting from the point of contact.
The searing pain shot through Eratz, but he only grinned, the burn quickly fading as his power
surged.
He spun on his heel, using the momentum to deliver a crushing elbow strike to Cinderblaze's
side.
The beast was sent flying like a comet, slamming into a nearby cliff with a thunderous crash. Rocks crumbled and fell, shattering into pieces around the impact zone.
For a moment, both fighters stilled, catching their breath. The only sound was the faint crackle of lingering flames, the air thick with smoke and the scent of burnt earth. Eratz narrowed his eyes, watching as Cinderblaze slowly pushed itself up from the rubble.
The flames around its body burned even brighter now, more intense, despite the damages it took, he seemed less and less affected.
Then, he realized something: it wasn't an impression, Cinderblaze was getting stronger. Its power was escalating with every passing second, like himself with rockbound fury.
His lips curled into a smile.
"Of course," he murmured to himself. "Your last ability... it's the Indomitable Spirit..."
He understood it perfectly now. Cinderblaze's flames grew hotter, its strikes faster and more powerful, the longer it fought.
It was as if the beast was feeding off the adrenaline of the battle, and the results of this ability, similar to rockbound fury but used by a Calamity beast was astonishing. Eratz couldn't help but laugh, a deep, throaty chuckle that echoed across the battlefield.
Cinderblaze paused, tilting its head slightly. Then, it too began to laugh, making a strange, barking sound like a playful taunt.
They stood there for a moment, the two of them sharing a rare, crazy kind of joy. It wasn't just
a fight anymore, it was an exhilarating dance between two warriors who recognized that they
were fucked up if the battle continued.
Eratz locked eyes with the beast, his grin widening.
"Alright," he said, his voice low and full of determination. "Playtime's over. Now I really
want you."
Cinderblaze smirked in response, its body straightening. It gave a small, exaggerated bow, its gaze mocking yet respectful.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Eratz's brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of disbelief crossing his face.
"I could almost swear you understand my language," he said slowly.
In response, Cinderblaze raised one of its long, flame-like ears, cupping it with its hand as if listening intently, a clear gesture for Eratz to repeat himself.
The beast's playful expression made Eratz growl, his eyes narrowing. "Alright, I'll assume you understand me," he muttered. He clenched his fist, flames flickering
along his knuckles as he pointed at Cinderblaze. "Son of fire," he said, his voice filled with both admiration and challenge. "I guess you'll understand this." Cinderblaze's smirk faltered for the first time. Eratz's finger began to glow with a bright,
white light.
He traced a line through the air, the glowing line absorbing the heat and fire around it, cutting
through the blazing inferno like a blade of pure energy.
"This ability of yours, this Inferno Field," Eratz continued, his tone almost casual. "It looks exactly like a field spell. And if that's the case..."
He let the line of light absorb more of the surrounding flames. "Since I'm stronger," Eratz said, "by using my own field spell, I can nullify yours."
Cinderblaze's eyes went wide, its confident smirk disappearing entirely. Its teeth clenched,
and it made a face that could only be described as a silent,
- Oh shit...
Eratz's eyes gleamed with amusement as he tilted his head, watching the beast's reaction. "You get the drift?" he asked, his voice dripping with a playful, taunting edge. "Get ready."