The Incarnation of Fire

It was hot. And comfortable. The first thing I felt upon regaining consciousness was that. Surrounded by endless flames, I was like a newly hatched bird. I looked around in confusion, unable to adapt to the infinite flame mana that had suddenly been granted to me. But living creatures instinctively recognize their own weapons without needing to be taught. I quickly identified the two different flames competing for dominance inside my heart and realized exactly what I needed to do with them.

'I can't handle this.'

The Phoenix's flame, carrying the power of regeneration and purification, and the Red Dragon's flame, embodying rage and destruction. Their natures were complete opposites. The Red Dragon's flame burned itself to destroy my body, while the Phoenix's flame burned itself to regenerate it. The interaction happened so quickly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that I didn't feel even the slightest pain. These powers were far too vast for me to control.

'So I'll release them.'

I had to maintain the balance between the two flames and regulate them to a level I could manage. Right on cue, a legion of over a thousand undead began advancing from directly ahead. Just moments ago I'd struggled against a hundred Death Knights alone. The sight should have made me tense, yet I felt nothing at all. I simply recalled an image with leisurely ease.

Whoosh!

The flames, feeding on the resource of my imagination, erupted through my shoulders as if they'd been waiting for this exact moment. Massive wings took shape. A single light flap created a storm of fire that swallowed the undead whole. Skeletons and Death Knights alike melted like ice cream left out in the summer sun.

'Incredible.'

Even the Rape Declaration, which had always filled me with a sense of omnipotence, now seemed trivial. This was liberation beyond mere thrill. With this power, I was certain I could easily shatter the damned fate that had always gripped me and shaken me however it pleased.

But it was only temporary. As I felt myself beginning to drown in the demonic nature of that strength, I pulled up my composure and scanned my surroundings.

'Kain... is fortunately still alive.'

One of his arms had been eroded by mana poison, but the Saintess's divine power could heal it easily enough. No — with my Phoenix flame, I could purify and regenerate something as crude as that poison in an instant. I naturally came to define Huscular's toxin as "low-grade."

As if sensing my inner thoughts, Huscular redirected the entire undead legion that had been focused on Gion Cruise straight toward me.

"He must be eliminated at all costs."

Bloodshot eyes stabbed into me. He had instinctively realized just how threatening my power was to him. Following Huscular's will, the Bone Dragon led the charge from the very front.

—Krrrrraaaaa!

It roared savagely and condensed a breath in its maw before firing it in the blink of an eye. The amount of mana packed inside was truly terrifying.

"A mere holy dragon at best."

But to me — someone simultaneously wielding the Phoenix flame that had absorbed natural mana for thousands of years and the flame of an ancient dragon — it was laughable. I lightly swung the Phoenix wing.

Whoosh!

A wall of pure, clean flame surged up from the wingtip. The defining trait of the Phoenix's flame was purity. It mixed with nothing, and therefore permitted no intrusion. The Bone Dragon's breath was purified and erased by the Pure Flame without inflicting even the slightest damage.

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠slowly examined my internal state.

'Still far too much.'

The flame mana dominating my body was so immense I couldn't even begin to measure its limits. Watching the thousands of undead advancing after the breath attack failed, I this time swung the Red Dragon's wing.

Uwoong!

With an intense surge of mana, flames condensed into a perfect sphere above my head. Like scooping water from the ocean, I drew out mana endlessly and focused it. The orb repeatedly expanded then compressed. Its size never exceeded ten meters.

By the time the undead were right in front of me, a small sun floated above my head.

"Go."

Rumble...

The flame orb, compressed with an indescribably enormous quantity of fire, descended. Though its speed didn't appear fast, it closed the distance to the legion with every blink. The Bone Dragon was the first to be swallowed by the sun.

Whoosh!

It tried to resist by spewing breath, but it was pointless. Unable to push back even slightly, it was completely annihilated. Then the sun touched the ground.

—KWAHHHHHHH!

An ear-splitting roar accompanied a blinding flash that unleashed a tremendous heatwave. The power was so overwhelming that the illusion maze barrier seemed to take damage; the surrounding scenery rippled as if on the verge of collapse. While the ground shook violently from the shockwave, I calmly observed Huscular.

'I can't let him get away.'

The moment the undead legion was wiped out, he realized he had no chance of winning and tried to flee. He had already persuaded Ethan and opened a gate leading to pre-calculated coordinates. I lightly kicked off the ground.

Boom!

The flame exploding from my toes acted as propulsion, instantly closing the distance to Huscular. I released fire toward the gate.

Whoosh!

But what the flames enveloped wasn't the gate — it was Huscular's arm. The bastard had intervened at the last second, offering his own limb as fuel before hurling Ethan, who had been slung over his shoulder, into the gate.

"Hyun, see you later!"

I ignored Ethan's farewell and fixed my gaze on Huscular.

"Fascinating. Handling both Phoenix and Dragon flames at once. You'll become a serious threat to the Dark Church someday."

Even with his escape route severed, he analyzed me with cold detachment. There was no fear of death in Huscular's eyes. In a way, that was only natural. He had never been human to begin with. Huscular's true identity was an Arch Lich — an immortal undead who had transcended death itself. He had simply worn a human shell. His soul was stored inside a vessel in a secret location only he knew about.

Of course, I knew exactly where that was.

'Though it doesn't really matter anymore.'

Now that I knew Ethan Gloucester was a possessor, most information related to the Dark Church had become useless.

While I confronted Huscular, Kain approached.

"Huscular...!"

"Hmm... What a shame. It was the perfect opportunity to resurrect Levioth. I should have brought more apostles with me."

Even in the face of Kain's murderous aura, the lich continued speaking as if nothing was wrong. Unable to contain his rage, Kain drove a fist straight into Huscular's heart.

Bam!

A heavy impact rang out as formless energy exploded inside after penetrating skin and muscle, shredding the heart to pieces. Blood gushed from Huscular's mouth like a fountain.

"Is this the end? A pity. Such a pity."

With lingering eyes, he observed me before suddenly emitting green mana. It was the precursor to self-destruction. I quickly released flames before the explosion could trigger. The Phoenix flame purified the mana poison while the flame of destruction burned every trace of it at the molecular level so it could exert no influence whatsoever. In the end, Huscular melted away pathetically without achieving anything.

"Damn it... Damn it all!"

Kain exploded with frustration at the sight. Although he had accomplished his primary objective, the final outcome with Yuliana had been far too miserable. Unable to even recover his lover's body because of Huscular's schemes, he ground his teeth and swore revenge.

A moment later, he calmed his emotions and looked at me.

"Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to kill Huscular."

"Don't mention it. It was only the shell anyway. More importantly, may I see your arm?"

"My arm? For what?"

Kain grew wary at the sudden request. Since I didn't need to touch it, I simply regenerated the arm in answer. He stared in amazement at the limb that had regrown as if nothing had happened, then bowed his head.

"I misunderstood you. I apologize."

"It's fine. Actually, I have one request as well."

"A request? What is it?"

Kain tilted his head at my overly familiar tone for someone he had just met. After a moment of hesitation, I removed my mask. My brilliant silver hair darkened to black, and my dazzling golden eyes returned to their original silver. Kain's eyes widened in shock.

"You...! What on earth happened?"

"There are circumstances. Anyway, I intend to learn the Infinite Heaven Li Art now. I'd appreciate your help stabilizing the Phoenix flame and Red Dragon flame."

"...Understood. We'll discuss the details later. Sit down on the ground."

I obeyed. Kain placed his hand on my back and sent his mana flowing inside. He quickly assessed my condition.

-The two forces are fighting. Destruction and regeneration. Perfectly opposing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠powers. You understand the saying that every end is a new beginning? It means extremes meet. These energies share the attribute of flame yet represent opposite concepts. It is entirely possible to gather them into one place. Recall the image of mutual generation and circulate your mana according to the formulas of the Infinite Heaven Li Art. I will assist you.

The instant I heard "mutual generation," the Taiji symbol naturally rose in my mind.

'The thousand paths leading to the ultimate pinnacle of nothingness.'

Those paths would surely include both mutual generation and mutual overcoming. Strongly recalling the formulas of the Infinite Heaven Li Art, I moved the two powers according to the image of the Taiji. At first the two manas operated separately, but following the formulas they gradually converged into one and began taking proper form.

Finally, the Taiji settled firmly in my middle dantian.

A new divine art created solely for me, branched off from the Infinite Heaven Li Art. After completing one full circulation, I confirmed that the Phoenix flame and Red Dragon flame had reached perfect balance and opened my eyes. For a brief moment, bright light burst from my eyes and illuminated the surroundings. Kain carefully withdrew his hand from my back.

"You've done well. Continue training diligently from now on."

"Thank you."

Even as I expressed my gratitude, curiosity got the better of me and I opened my status window.

The first thing that caught my eye was obviously my mana. By blooming the Phoenix Egg, I had absorbed an unimaginable quantity of it. Considering this was what remained after expending so much, I could only imagine how much power the egg had contained.

'Well, I still can't use all of it though.'

The Red Dragon's flame might be quiet for now, but it was a dangerous power that could turn its fangs on me at any moment. If I drew out too much mana ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and lost control, it would spell disaster. Unless I wanted to commit suicide, I shouldn't even consider using all of that mana for the time being.

My gaze then shifted to the skill section.

This must have been the skill I had used earlier. I probably couldn't display the same transcendent power as before, but I should at least be able to operate at a level far beyond my previous limits. Maybe I wouldn't need to rely on the Rape Declaration anymore.

'Probably?'

If an enemy appeared that even Hwasin-hwa couldn't handle, I'd have no choice but to use the Rape Declaration, but surely such a situation wouldn't arise easily. I'd have to test it properly once I had some free time.

While I was lost in thought examining my skill window, I sensed someone approaching. When I turned my head, I saw Gion Cruise holding a greatsword well over two meters long.