Chapter 230

〈 Episode 230 〉Part 1, Chapter 10, 32

The entire world was dyed in flames.

Blazing Phoenix’s chosen opening attack was meteorfall. Even though this was the spirit world, the three giant fiery meteors falling from the sky were filled with an incredible heat as they hurtled towards me.

Their size was such that if combined, they could smash half of Yeouido.

I quickly spread my wings and took flight out of the park.

KWA—–ANG!!

Three meteors fell right in the middle of Yeouido. Even though I was airborne with my wings spread high in the sky, the shockwave from the meteor impacts trembled through the air and shook my body.

This was strange.

Why would she use a technique she knows won’t hit me? A display of power? Can I really drop meteors at will too?

“Blazing Phoenix never fought in human form before, so how would I know!”

They say when she conquered America, she went wild with guns, but now after teaching me those skills, she’s sticking to her role as a long-range fire mage.

If my guess is correct, flaming arrows or fireballs will be coming soon.

“Huh.”

Blazing Phoenix’s follow-up attack completely surpassed my expectations – it was truly overwhelming destruction.

KWA—ANG!

A pillar of red flame erupted beneath my feet. I hurriedly flapped my wings to dodge to the side, but one of my wings caught on fire.

“Burning a wing on fire is kind of ridiculous, isn’t it!”

I quickly extinguished the flames on my wing. Just like how I use Blazing Phoenix’s flames to burn away others’ magic power, Blazing Phoenix had burned away my magic.

KA-NG! KWA—ANG!

The pillars of flame didn’t stop at just one. Dozens of meter-high pillars erupted nonstop from the craters made by the fallen meteors, each one aimed directly at me.

“What the hell!”

Every time I dodged a pillar of flame, magma spewed forth and covered Yeouido. Buildings burned and emitted thick black smoke, forcing me to fly endlessly through the skies without any place to land. Fortunately, the vast expanse of Seoul surrounded Yeouido.

“Surely she’s not going to use all of Seoul as a battlefield?”

Is Yeouido not enough for her to fully unleash her power? Blazing Phoenix remained hidden underground, tormenting me by only spewing pillars of flame.

KA-NG! KWA-AH-ANG!

Even when I fold and unfold my wings to dodge, pillars of flame shoot up like anti-aircraft artillery fire. This is like the whole earth has become Blazing Phoenix’s machine gun–

“N-no way.”

Is she firing these pillars directly from underground? And not just normal pillars, but ones that explode into flowing magma?

“This is getting way too serious.”

She’s clearly determined to kill me. Dodging the pillars of flame left and right, I flew high into the sky.

“Yeouido’s already gone.”

From over a hundred meters up, Yeouido looked like a piece of basalt, riddled with holes. Magma flowed out from the holes and covered the surroundings, turning Yeouido into an ocean of fire in the blink of an eye.

PUUUUUUSSHHH–

The magma overflowed into the Han River, creating massive clouds of steam. I fled to the airspace above Dongjak to avoid the heat of the steam.

“Surely the pillars of flame won’t reach here in Dongjak–”

KWA-NG!

Another pillar of flame erupted. Just like in Yeouido, it was a precise sniper shot aimed directly at me.

BANG!

I fired a magical bullet created from mana at the pillar of flame. The powerful explosive bullet accurately struck the trajectory of the pillar, and the bullet and pillar cancelled each other out, exploding mid-air.

“Are you trying to intercept me?”

Pillars of flame shot up from all directions. From Dongjak, Guro, Gangnam, even from the bottom of the Han River. Pillars of flame erupted from every angle, aiming to engulf me in parabolic arcs.

I flew between the pillars, firing magical bullets. Dodging a pillar aimed at my side with gunfire that severed its waist, I detached my wings just before a pillar aimed at them reached, plunging vertically downward. Just before sinking into the magma, I spread my wings again to glide back up, briefly landing atop the top floor of the 63 Building which was melting and dissolving in the magma.

“This is what you call a monster without peer.”

She’s using more ruthless and destructive techniques than the Blazing Phoenix from the original work. It’s not just dropping fireballs like a bomber plane – Blazing Phoenix seems intent on using every skill at her disposal against me.

Just like how I gauged my strength against Jo Deokbae, Blazing Phoenix appears to be using me as a guinea pig.

“Not exactly a pleasant experience.”

Blazing Phoenix quickly showed a new pattern. Small blue bubbles rose from the magma in Yeouido, then burst to reveal mini phoenixes spreading their wings on the surface of the magma.

“These aren’t minis, are they?”

Their size was much larger than the canaries I handled, about the size of a large SUV eagle. Judging from how she’s deliberately making these comparisons to show the gap between us, Blazing Phoenix is quite ruthless.

M MMMMM.

And all that malice is concentrated solely on me. Hundreds, no, thousands of eagles took to the skies from the ground, pointing their beaks at me.

“You want me to knock you all down, huh!”

I fired magical bullets at the eagles flying straight at me. With each bullet fired, two or three eagles exploded, but the eagles came at me from all directions, pressing me hard.

“This is the real deal!”

I flew straight up, spreading my wings as wide as possible. Not just the magical bullets in both hands, but also fireballs created from my feathers were fired en masse toward the ground to intercept the eagles.

The entire area of Yeouido was enveloped in the heat of explosions. Despite squeezing out mana to fire a tremendous amount of magical bullets and fireballs, I only managed to kill about half of the eagles.

M MMMMM.

“Shit.”

The eagles formed squadrons and flew toward me. I detached my enlarged wings and leapt high into the sky.

New wings spread out behind my back, while the wings left below began to tremble unstably as their mana connection was cut. The eagles scattered in all directions to avoid my wings, but they were already within the range of the explosion.

Click.

I snapped my fingers, and the wings spanning tens of meters became a bear trap for the eagles. Eagles who couldn’t evade in time jammed their beaks into the wings, and a chain explosion occurred in midair.

“These guys still remain… huh?”

The remaining eagles slowly gathered in the air. Sensing a new pattern, I steadied my breathing, and the eagles transformed into tiny canaries, forming a single figure.

“Pretty impressive, huh?”

Blazing Phoenix revealed herself again. In a white dress with a golden staff in hand, Blazing Phoenix looked down at me with an even more haughty gaze than ever before.

“I can’t look directly because it’s too dazzling.”

“While dodging and intercepting is commendable. When fighting bosses, you usually end up with a pattern where you just keep dodging, don’t you?”

“So is this the end?”

“Meteor showers, volcanic eruptions, and eagle waves. Warming up is sufficient to this extent, wouldn’t you say?”

“Is this considered warming up?”

I pointed at the ground.

“If we do preparation exercises three more times, the whole of Seoul might disappear, right?”

“It’s just the right amount. I didn’t even have any intention of killing you.”

“…Let’s go with that.”

I pointed my gun at Blazing Phoenix. Blazing Phoenix placed her staff right in front of her.

“Oh, by the way, it’s your turn.”

“What now?”

“That thing was making you blush so hard.”

Blazing Phoenix tapped the air with her staff and complained.

“<Blazing Phoenix Revival>.”

“Wh-what is that…?”

I scratched my head with the gun barrel, feeling embarrassed for some reason.

“It just popped out while I was reciting the incantation…”

“The reason for reciting incantations isn’t something else. It’s a method to draw out stronger mana from within the body. Though there are individual differences, magic with incantations is generally stronger than without, right?”

“That’s true.”

“So don’t feel embarrassed about reciting incantations. Rather, do it proudly. When section leaders used abilities or created monsters, their incantations were instinctive means to exert maximum power.”

“…”

I’ve decided. From now on, I’ll shout them where others can’t see. But Blazing Phoenix tilted her head as if she couldn’t understand my embarrassment.

“Why aren’t you doing anything?”

“What? Wait, what?”

“Yes. Why aren’t you dodging?”

Blazing Phoenix pointed at the sky.

“I just used a skill, you know.”

“When did you use a skill-”

“Blazing Phoenix Revival. It’s just a technique that spews out flames.”

Blazing Phoenix stretched out her arms wide and laughed brightly as blue flames rained down from the sky.

“In the original work you mentioned, I scorched all of South America with this technique, remember?”

“What the hell.”

The entire world began to be dyed in blue flames.

In the end, I couldn’t do anything and lost consciousness being swept away by the rain of blue flames.

***

“Ah. Thinking about it, it was a hidden setting in the original work. Sorry about that.”

Blazing Phoenix laid my head on her thigh. Although I felt awkward being used as a footrest after such an overwhelming defeat, I couldn’t move at all.

“The loser doesn’t speak. Right?”

“…I admit it.”

“Then stay quiet and lie there~ Puhuuh.”

Blazing Phoenix smiled as she stroked my cheek with her thumb. Her face, leaning down beyond her ample bosom, was beaming.

“This feels more like I should be grateful.”

“It’s the reward for victory.”

“My victory?”

“Nope. Your victory.”

“…”

What is she talking about? I couldn’t comprehend it. I’ve never beaten Blazing Phoenix once.

“Did you pull some trick again…?”

“Nyah. A trick that makes you unable to leave me alone until next time.”

Blazing Phoenix pulled out a small bead. Unlike the core, it was a glass bead with a blue flame burning vigorously inside.

“This is your memory. The memory of your victory is sealed inside here.”

“Are you joking? You’re deleting records of your loss? Give it here.”

I tried to reach out, but I couldn’t muster the strength. Blazing Phoenix had taken control of my body as her prize for victory, forcibly laying my head on her lap.

“I don’t want to return it. If you want it back, come find me yourself next time.”

“With a cube, right?”

“Yes. Preferably with a strawberry shortcake. Then I’ll return this memory to you.”

“…How exactly did I beat you?”

There’s no way I could believe I defeated someone who launches meteors, causes volcanic eruptions, and scorches the world.

“To give you a hint.”

Blazing Phoenix leaned her upper body forward and brought her lips close to my ear. Her full breasts covered my face.

“Your gun… was really hot, wasn’t it?”

“Huh?”

“The hints end here. If you want to know how you won, use the cube next time. Got it?”

Blazing Phoenix snapped her fingers. The world began to collapse.

“Hey, hey! You’re letting me go like this?! Are you kidding-”

Blazing Phoenix covered my mouth.

I couldn’t say anything.

I just thought about the soft sensation on my lips until I lost consciousness.

***

“…Ah.”

As soon as I woke up, I touched my lips. Maybe because I saw such a shocking scene at the end, I couldn’t tell if it was a dream or reality.

“…You must be crazy to say things like that. Hmm.”

I brainwashed myself to shake off the delusion. No matter how obsessed with Blazing Phoenix I am, how could I imagine such things?

“Rather, let’s think that my mind went somewhere due to the shock of losing to the section leaders. Hmm.”

That was better. It was healthier mentally to think that I indulged in fantasies to gain strength after being utterly defeated by the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd stage bosses.

“…Yeah. This happens because I fight to death too often. Hmm, good. I need to be more careful from now on.”

I knocked lightly on the triple barrier confining my body. The barriers of darkness, air, and stone seemed to be seals set by the three section leaders to restrain me.

“…How long have I been asleep?”

My magical gear wasn’t functioning either. Concerned that I might have slept too deeply, my heart sank involuntarily.

“…Let’s check first.”

I lightly tapped the ceiling with my hand. Fortunately, the seal wasn’t strong enough to completely imprison me.

“…Blazing Phoenix-”

With no one around, I shouted loudly.

“Revival–!”

My fist imbued with Blazing Phoenix pierced through the ceiling.

***

PSSSAAAAKK!

The concrete pillar broke apart. The ability users gathered here and there were startled by the self-destructing pillar.

“What, what is it?”

“Is it finally opening…?”

KWA—–ANG!

A pillar of blue flame shot up into the sky. The pillar that soared high into the night sky was easily hundreds of meters tall.

GRRR, GRRR!

Concrete walls several meters thick began cracking from the inside. Snow-white fingers burst through the concrete, and a woman with blue hair emerged by forcefully splitting the coffin-like structure open.

“…What year, what time is it now?”

“Really asking that right after waking up?”

Seok Harang, whose silver hair was messy, wiped away tears with the back of his hand and laughed. The phoenix panicked and grabbed Seok Harang’s wrist.

“What, what is it? Why are you crying?! How long have I been asleep?! Five months?! Surely not five years?!”

“Five minutes.”

Seok Harang mocked the phoenix while tapping on his smartwatch.

“Your signal went out five minutes ago, kid.”

“…What.”

The phoenix was speechless.

* * *

“She’s putting up an incredible fight. Tch.”

Blazing Phoenix held a glass bead in her hand and licked her lips.

“Didn’t expect to start losing from the beginning…”

‘That person’ wouldn’t know why they kept losing. Blazing Phoenix found their abilities surprisingly intriguing and cherished the glass bead as if it were a precious treasure.

“Ah.”

The Blazing Phoenix buried within the glass bead suddenly opened her eyes wide and gasped.

“I forgot to tell them that. The most important part.”

Blazing Phoenix stared blankly at the ceiling for a while, then quietly closed her eyes with the bead containing the match against ‘Phoenix’ hugged to her chest.

“…Well, since it’s not entirely my fault, I’ll tell them next time they come. They’ll figure it out eventually.”

Blazing Phoenix chuckled while swimming in the glass bead.

“The ferryman has probably already set sail. I wonder when they’ll call me again~ Puhuuh.”

Blazing Phoenix’s voice didn’t reach ‘that person.’