The explosion swallowed the hall.
For several seconds, there was nothing but fire.
Rows of seats had been torn from their foundations. Concrete columns cracked under the pressure. Dust and fragments of stone rained from the ceiling as the blue barrier surrounding the building trembled violently.
At the center of it all stood Eden.
His fist was still extended.
His breathing was heavy.
Across from him, Luvian staggered forward through the flames.
Blood ran from the corner of his mouth.
His shirt was torn.
His expression, however, was still smiling.
"You really are something."
Eden lowered his fist.
"You’re still standing."
"So are you."
Luvian’s smile widened.
Then the fire around him erupted.
A pillar of flame shot toward the ceiling.
The heat became unbearable.
Eden’s eyes narrowed.
Luvian’s Essence output had changed.
The flames surrounding him were no longer merely concentrated around his hands.
They were everywhere.
Fire crawled across the floor.
Fire twisted around his arms.
Fire wrapped around his legs like living serpents.
His entire body had become the center of a miniature inferno.
"So you want to fight seriously?"
Luvian raised his hands.
"Fine."
The next instant, he disappeared.
Eden’s pupils contracted.
Fast.
Luvian appeared directly in front of him.
A flaming fist came down.
Eden raised his arm.
The impact shattered the floor beneath both of them.
Cracks spread outward in every direction.
Eden’s feet sank several centimeters into the concrete.
But he didn’t move.
He caught Luvian’s wrist.
For a brief moment, the two stared at one another.
Luvian’s eyes widened.
Eden smiled.
"My turn."
He pulled.
Luvian’s body was dragged forward.
Eden drove his knee into his stomach.
The impact produced a shockwave.
Luvian’s body folded around Eden’s knee before being launched backward.
He flew through the air, smashing into a support pillar.
The pillar cracked.
Luvian dropped to one knee.
Eden was already moving.
He sprinted forward.
The sheer force of his acceleration shattered the floor beneath his feet.
He crossed the distance in an instant.
Luvian raised his arms.
Eden’s fist collided with them.
The support pillar behind Luvian exploded.
The entire wall behind him collapsed.
Luvian was sent flying through the debris.
Eden followed.
He didn’t give him a moment to breathe.
His fist came down.
Luvian twisted away.
The ground exploded where Eden’s fist landed.
Luvian retaliated.
Fire gathered around his leg.
He swung.
Eden ducked beneath the kick.
The flaming leg passed over his head.
Eden pivoted.
His fist slammed into Luvian’s ribs.
Luvian was launched sideways.
Before he could regain his footing, Eden vanished.
Stealth.
Luvian’s expression changed.
"Again?"
A fist suddenly slammed into his back.
Luvian crashed through another wall.
Eden reappeared immediately afterward.
He didn’t stop.
He charged through the hole.
Luvian was already waiting.
A wall of fire exploded between them.
Eden punched straight through it.
The flames split apart.
His fist connected with Luvian’s jaw.
Luvian’s body spun through the air.
He landed on his feet.
Blood dripped from his chin.
His smile had disappeared.
"You’re stronger than you look."
Eden rolled his shoulders.
"Who’s the dog getting trained now, huh?"
"Don’t get cocky."
Luvian slammed his hands together.
The fire around him suddenly compressed.
The flames became brighter.
Denser.
Hotter.
Eden could feel the temperature rising even from several meters away.
’He’s increasing his Essence output!’
Luvian thrust one hand forward.
A massive wave of fire erupted.
It wasn’t a simple projectile.
It was a wall.
A hundred meters of flame tearing through the building.
Eden’s eyes sharpened.
He didn’t retreat.
He lowered his stance instead.
[Defensive Mode]
Then he punched.
His fist collided with the incoming flames.
The resulting shockwave blasted outward.
Windows shattered.
For a moment, the fire and Eden’s physical force fought against each other.
Then Eden pushed forward.
One step.
The flames parted.
Another.
The wave split around him.
Eden emerged from the inferno.
Luvian’s eyes widened.
"What the hell..."
Eden accelerated.
His fist struck Luvian’s chest.
Luvian flew backward.
Eden followed.
A second punch.
A third.
A fourth.
Luvian blocked the fifth, but the force still sent him skidding backward.
His shoes carved trenches into the floor.
Eden appeared in front of him.
Luvian threw a flaming punch.
Eden slipped past it.
Another.
Eden ducked.
A third.
Eden caught the wrist.
Then drove his forehead into Luvian’s face.
Luvian stumbled.
Eden grabbed his shirt.
"You’re too slow."
He threw him.
Luvian’s body flew across the hall.
Eden vanished.
Stealth.
Luvian’s eyes darted around.
"Where—"
A punch struck his stomach.
He doubled over.
Another punch hit his back.
Another struck his shoulder.
Eden reappeared above him.
He drove both fists downward.
Boom!
Luvian was slammed into the floor.
A crater opened beneath him.
The surrounding ground collapsed.
Dust and debris erupted into the air.
Eden landed nearby.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then fire exploded from the crater.
Eden crossed his arms.
He was pushed backward.
Luvian emerged from the smoke.
His hair was disheveled.
Blood covered part of his face.
His breathing was heavier now.
But the flames around him had grown even more intense.
"You..."
He wiped the blood from his mouth.
"You really piss me off."
Eden smirked.
"Good."
Luvian’s eyes burned.
Fire exploded around his body.
This time, he used it differently.
Rather than throwing it outward, he compressed it around his muscles.
His legs ignited.
His arms ignited.
His entire body became a weapon.
He vanished.
Eden barely caught the movement.
Luvian’s fist struck Eden’s guard.
Eden was launched backward.
He tore through three rows of seats before stopping himself.
He looked down at his arms.
They were burned.
Luvian had changed his fighting style.
Instead of relying entirely on large-scale fire attacks, he was using his fire to amplify his physical movements.
Strength.
Acceleration.
Explosive momentum.
The flames weren’t simply something he controlled.
They had become an extension of his body.
Luvian appeared again.
Eden raised his guard.
A flaming punch collided with his forearms.
Eden’s feet left the ground.
He flew backward.
Luvian chased him.
Another punch.
Eden twisted.
The fist passed beside his face.
Eden countered with a hook.
Luvian blocked.
The impact produced another explosion.
Luvian’s arm trembled.
Eden’s eyes narrowed.
’He’s starting to feel it.’
The first few applications of Paralysis had already entered his body.
Eden hadn’t stopped using it.
Every punch.
Every blocked strike.
Every glancing blow.
He had been feeding the skill into Luvian’s Essence little by little.
It wasn’t enough yet.
But it would be.
Eden stepped forward.
Each exchange became faster.
More violent.
The hall could no longer withstand them.
Columns collapsed.
The floor cracked.
Sections of the ceiling came down.
The blue barrier outside the building began to ripple from the continuous destruction.
Neither cared.
They were too focused on one another.
Luvian suddenly released a concentrated blast.
Eden crossed his arms.
The explosion swallowed him.
Luvian grinned.
"I’ve got you."
The flames cleared.
Eden stood inside the crater.
His clothes were scorched.
His skin was bleeding.
But his eyes were still sharp.
"Not quite."
He vanished.
Luvian’s grin disappeared.
Stealth.
Eden reappeared directly above him.
His fist came down.
Luvian raised both arms.
The ground beneath Luvian collapsed.
He dropped several meters into the lower floor.
Eden jumped down after him.
Luvian fired a blast upward.
Eden twisted through it.
He landed beside him.
Then punched.
Bang!
Luvian’s head snapped sideways.
Eden punched again.
Crack!
Again.
Boom!
Again.
Luvian finally managed to counter.
A flaming elbow smashed into Eden’s ribs.
Eden flew sideways.
He hit the wall hard enough to create a crater.
Blood dripped from his mouth.
He wiped it away.
Then laughed quietly.