Kaiser''s Perspective:


    I will never forgive Kiel for hurting Celia. She trusted him—she thought of him as a friend. She opened herself up to him, and what did he do? He treated her like a monster. He tortured her. And worse—he planned to kill her.


    Celia was harmless. She couldn’t protect herself—they knew that. And yet, they tortured her. Tortured her, like she was nothing more than a thing to be broken. And that is something I can never, never let go.


    Kiel will regret every single moment of it. Every damn second. He will beg for mercy, but I won’t show him an ounce. Not a single bit. I will make him feel every shred of pain, every ounce of suffering he put her through.


    I will make him scream. I will make him beg. And when he does, I’ll watch him burn under the weight of what he’s done. He won’t escape it—not even in death. He will drown in it. Every wrong he’s done will be felt, over and over, until he begs for his end.


    This isn’t just anger. This is a promise.


    The rage burned through me. Hotter than any flame. Darker than any curse. It twisted my thoughts and dragged me deeper into it with every passing second. I couldn’t stop it. I wouldn’t stop it. Not when it came to her. Not when I could still feel the ghost of her pain.


    I will break him. I will make Kiel''s existence so painful, so unbearable, that he will wish he had never been born. Every breath he takes will remind him of the suffering he’s caused.


    The rage was overwhelming. The pressure built with each step. I clenched my fist so hard that my nails dug into my palm. My teeth ground together, and I bit my lip until I tasted blood. But I didn’t care. I couldn’t care.


    I needed to distance myself from her. I couldn’t let my emotions cloud this. I couldn’t let my fury be her undoing. Slowly, I took a step back, keeping my eyes on Kiel and Ronan. Each footstep a deliberate separation from Celia, maintaining the space. This fight was mine, and I wasn’t about to let anything distract me from making him pay.


    Kiel and Ronan separated, running in opposite directions around me. They''re splitting up… again?


    I tracked their movements, eyes shifting between them. The rhythm of their steps was frantic, a sign of their desperation.


    I knew what they were doing. Like before, they were trying to use Celia as a shield—again. A hostage to trap me. They thought it would work, just like last time.


    I couldn’t help it. As they made their move, I let out a laugh—cold, sharp, and filled with a twisted understanding. It sliced through the tension, sending a shiver down their spines, and for a brief moment, I saw the stunned look in their eyes.


    "You think you can escape me?" I taunted, my voice low and full of malice. "Think again."


    They didn’t stop, though. Even with my laughter ringing in their ears, they kept running, determination written across their faces. But I could see it—the fear in their eyes, the uncertainty that lingered just beneath their resolve. They knew they couldn’t outrun me forever.


    Without hesitation, I bolted toward Ronan, my feet barely touching the ground. I was running as fast as the wind.


    Kiel’s attack on Celia no longer mattered. She would be fine. She would be safe. And Kiel? He would never lay another hand on her—not as long as I was still standing. I would make sure of it, personally.


    In the blink of an eye, I was on Ronan. My speed was unmatched—he couldn’t even track my movement. His eyes barely registered my approach before I closed the distance between us. His disbelief was clear, but it was too late. My sword flashed through the air like lightning, and I forced him into a defensive stance. His hands trembled as he struggled to raise his weapon to block.


    Just as my blade was about to make contact, the ground beneath us shuddered violently, and a crack split the earth. A surge of heat exploded from the fissures, sending waves of scorching air over me. Ronan’s voice cracked through the chaos, his desperation evident as he began chanting.


    “Flare of the heavens, descend and annihilate! Leave nothing but embers—Solar Cataclysm!”


    In an instant, the ground ignited. A massive phoenix erupted from the flames, its wings unfurling with a deafening roar. The beast was enormous, its form a wall of blazing fire, scorching everything in its path as it rose into the sky, roaring in fury.


    I had no time to dodge. My sword clashed against the phoenix’s fiery barrier with a violent clang, the impact forcing me back, a shockwave rattling my body. The heat seared through my clothes, biting into my skin, and I could feel my flesh burning beneath the flames. But I wasn’t done yet. Not yet.


    The phoenix roared, a deafening screech that vibrated through the air like a living weapon. Its molten eyes locked onto me with an intensity that could burn through stone. It was no mere creature—it was a force of nature, a raging inferno that had been summoned with the sole purpose of ending me. Its wings flapped, sending blasts of scorching wind and heat, and the ground trembled under its power.


    Ronan’s expression was pure pride, his chest swelling as the phoenix charged, its fiery form an impenetrable wall of death between us. He thought nothing could outspeed it. He thought his victory was inevitable.


    I couldn’t let him think that.


    In the blink of an eye, the phoenix launched a flurry of attacks, each one coming at me like an unstoppable wave of destruction. Fireballs rained down, molten feathers shot like projectiles, and blasts of heat erupted from the ground itself. The sky above darkened with smoke, the once-clear blue now consumed by the flames licking at the clouds.


    The ground beneath my feet trembled with each explosion, cracks appearing in the earth as if the very world was being torn apart. The forest around me—lush and vibrant only moments before—was now burning. The trees, once towering and green, twisted and blackened as the inferno spread. Their trunks cracked and splintered, consumed by flames so intense they seemed to wither in seconds, leaving nothing but ash in their wake. The air stank of burning wood, the sharp tang of charred leaves thick in my nostrils.


    I dodged and weaved, my body a blur as I narrowly avoided each deadly strike.


    The first wave of fire exploded just inches from my shoulder, the heat licking at my skin, but I was already in motion, rolling to the side, avoiding the second blast by mere inches. The air was thick with the scent of smoke and burning flesh as the third and fourth attacks came—raging streams of flame that I dodged by twisting through the air, my feet barely touching the ground as I used every ounce of agility I had to stay alive. Each explosion of fire sent a shockwave through the earth, the heat so intense that it scorched the very soil beneath me, leaving the ground to bubble and crack like it was alive, writhing under the phoenix’s power.


    I could feel the pressure mounting—each moment that passed made it harder to avoid the phoenix''s strikes. The fire was faster now, sharper. The air around me crackled with the intensity of its fury. It was relentless, unyielding.


    The trees that once stood proud were now nothing more than blackened stumps, their ashes swept away by the howling winds, and the earth itself was beginning to turn to glass in places, molten rock forming new, deadly terrain beneath my feet. The rivers, once flowing with clear water, now boiled under the heat, steam rising in thick, swirling clouds. The land was dying with each passing second, and I felt the oppressive heat press down on me like a weight, suffocating everything in its path.


    Part of me was relieved—glad that Celia was far from this madness. The destruction I was enduring would have consumed her in moments. I couldn’t let her be anywhere near this inferno, not when the phoenix was tearing apart the very world around us, burning everything in its path. The thought of her safe, somewhere far from this chaos, was the only thing that kept me going as the land continued to turn into a barren wasteland under the phoenix''s rage.


    I could feel eyes on me, and when I looked up, I saw Ronan standing on a distant ridge, watching the devastation unfold. His figure was silhouetted against the flames, his expression unreadable, as he took in the full scope of the destruction. The phoenix''s wrath seemed to amuse him, and he showed no sign of intervening—just standing there, a cold observer of the chaos it was creating.


    Five. Six. Seven attacks in just a matter of seconds, each one more deadly than the last. I was running out of space, out of time. My heart pounded in my chest, my movements faster, more desperate. But I wouldn’t stop.


    With one final, powerful push, I forced myself forward. The phoenix dove in, its wings spreading in an explosion of flame, but I was already moving—dashing straight at Ronan with everything I had. I was gambling it all on my speed, my reflexes, my will to survive.


    Ronan’s eyes widened in shock as I closed the distance, but the fire wasn’t done yet. The phoenix unleashed one final surge of flame, a last-ditch attempt to stop me, but I was faster. I slid beneath it, my body barely grazing the searing heat as I rushed toward Ronan.


    Fear replaced his pride in an instant. His face twisted in shock and disbelief as he realized I wasn’t finished. That’s when I knew—he was too slow, and his precious phoenix would be too late.


    I leaned in, my sword hovering above his head, the tip of it brushing against his skin. His breath caught in his throat, panic flooding his eyes.


    “That’s right, Ronan,” I whispered, my voice as cold as the blade in my hand. “I win.”


    And with that, I was going to end it.


    But then, I felt it. A shift in the air—something cold, something darker. A presence I hadn’t anticipated. It slithered into my senses, a whisper in the wind, a dark murmur that crawled up my spine like ice.


    "From the pit of torment, tear them asunder—Vengeful Grasp!"


    The words hit me like a bolt of lightning, tearing through the air with a force that sent a chill down my bones. I barely had time to react before the cursed vines erupted from the earth beneath me, their jagged thorns tearing through the ground with unnatural force.


    The earth trembled as the curse spread, and I saw the vines surge toward me, faster than anything natural could move. They didn’t just lash out—they hunted, like they were tracking my every move, anticipating my next step.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Instinctively, I raised my arm to shield myself, but it was too late. The vines struck with ruthless precision. The thorns dug deep into my flesh, their jagged edges cutting through my body and skin with terrifying ease. The pain exploded through my body, sharp and relentless—a curse that burned like fire and froze me to the bone all at once.


    I was flung back, my body crashing into the trunk of a nearby tree. The bark splintered under the impact, and I felt the sting of every inch of it as I crumpled against it. A wheeze escaped my chest, but there was no time to breathe. The vines weren’t done.


    They twisted around me, coiling tighter with every movement I made. Each time I struggled, each time I tried to break free, they tightened their grip—squeezing the life out of me. The curse seeped into my veins, cold and suffocating, draining me, stealing my strength.


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    My sword—my only defense—slipped from my hand, falling uselessly to the ground. Panic surged through me, but I fought it down. I couldn’t let them win. Not like this.


    The weight of the curse pressed down on me, its pull growing stronger. I could feel my body growing weaker, my vision starting to blur, the pain settling into something more distant, more... final.


    No. I wouldn’t let it end like this. Not today.


    The cursed vines, once mere tendrils, twisted and coiled together, forming a monstrous dragon-like creature, its body made of gnarled, writhing vines and dark energy. Its eyes gleamed with malevolent intent, and its jaws, filled with jagged thorns, opened wide, ready to swallow me whole. The creature lunged, the cursed magic radiating off it in waves, as if the very earth itself was aligned with its hunger.


    I was struck directly by its crushing maw, its teeth—more like jagged blades—slamming into my chest, knocking the breath from my lungs. The impact sent me sprawling to the ground, a sharp pain radiating through my body, nearly paralyzing me. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, my vision swimming as I fought to keep from losing consciousness.


    I couldn’t even lift my head. The cursed magic, the power of the dragon-like creature, pressed down on me, each breath a struggle, my limbs too heavy to move. But I wasn’t done. Not yet.


    The memory of Celia’s words burned in my mind, fueling my fury. She stood tall when they tried to break her, protecting me when I couldn’t even protect myself. She had believed in me again when I couldn’t believe in myself.


    “I will fight by his side. He didn’t need to risk his life for me, but I will.”


    Her words echoed through me, strengthening the resolve that was quickly growing in my chest. She would never give up on me. And I’d be damned if I gave up now.


    With every ounce of strength I could muster, I forced my body to move, slamming my fists into the creature’s vine-covered body, each strike reverberating with agony, but it was the only thing I could do. The cursed magic burned against my skin, but I refused to stop.


    The dragon-like creature reared back, snapping at me again, but I pushed myself up, though my body screamed in protest, my chest still raw from the attack. The creature lashed out, its massive tail sweeping me off my feet, throwing me to the ground once more. But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.


    “Not today,” I snarled through gritted teeth, dragging myself back to my knees.


    My vision blurred with pain, but I couldn’t afford to fall. I wouldn’t. I clenched my bloodied hands into fists, the ground beneath me trembling with the weight of the cursed magic that surrounded the creature. The air felt thick with dark power, as if the very earth was groaning under its burden. Flames from the phoenix still licked the edges of the battlefield, the land scorched beyond recognition. The remnants of its fury—burnt trees, cracked earth, and smoke—clung to the air like a deathly fog.


    With a final, desperate roar, I surged forward, striking out with everything I had left. The creature shrieked as I tore into its form, my hands shredding through the cursed vines. Every movement burned through me, the agony almost too much to bear, but I didn’t care. The pain, the darkness around me—none of it mattered. I had to finish this.


    I ripped the creature apart, piece by piece, my fists smashing through the twisted vines, each strike a defiance against the curse that held it together. Unlike the phoenix, which I had defeated by breaking Ronan''s spell casting, this cursed magic didn’t unravel so easily. I had attacked the elemental spell caster before, and it was enough to shatter their magic. But this—this cursed magic—remained unyielding, even after every strike. It didn’t break.


    The environment around me was burning, the ground charred by the phoenix''s flames. And now, as the cursed creature collapsed in a heap of broken vines at my feet, the land beneath me seemed to crack open, as if the very soil was being consumed by the darkness within it. The destruction felt endless, like the very essence of the world was being eaten away.


    But I wouldn’t stop. Not until it was over.


    I collapsed right beside it, gasping for air, my body barely holding on. But I was alive. And I would keep fighting.


    I dropped to my knees, gasping for air, my hands shaking, blood dripping from my palms. The pain was unbearable. But I didn’t care.


    I wasn’t going to die here. Not today.


    I would make them pay for everything they’d done to her. I would keep my promise. And I would never let her down.


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    I didn''t realize it at first, but blood was dripping down from my eyes. It burned, yet I didn’t care. The world around me was a blur, but my focus was razor-sharp, and I could feel the presence of death radiating from my gaze. I locked eyes with Ronan and Kiel, and they froze in place. Their faces twisted in fear, their confidence shattered.


    Breathing heavily, I raised a trembling hand to my forehead, slowly pushing back the damp strands of hair matted with blood. My fingers dragged through the crimson streaks, smearing them further as I gasped for air. The weight of the moment felt crushing, but I refused to waver. My bloodied gaze bore into them, unrelenting and merciless, daring them to move.


    They can feel it, I thought. The rage. The desire for vengeance.


    They both took a step back.


    My eyes. I will not lose this fight. I will make them regret ever crossing me.


    Celia screamed my name, her voice breaking through the chaos, sharp with worry. "Kaiser! Are you okay?!"


    I could hear the fear in her voice, feel it trembling through her words. It made the ache in my chest even heavier. I wanted to tell her the truth, wanted to admit how much pain I was in, but I couldn’t. Not when she was looking at me like that. Not when I knew how much she cared.


    I forced my lips into a smile, though it was weak and shaky, betraying everything I was trying to hide. "I’m fine. Don''t worry about me, Celia."


    But the lie tasted bitter in my mouth.


    The truth was a different story. My bones felt like they were cracking under the pressure, my body on the verge of collapsing. Every inch of me screamed in agony, but I gritted my teeth and kept going. I couldn’t let her see how broken I was. I couldn’t let her know how weak I felt.


    I was the weakest adventurer in the world. No magic. No gifts. Nothing. I was just… weak.


    But I would still fight. I would still fight for her, even if it killed me.


    Celia’s hands were gentle as she pulled me up, her touch like a lifeline in the sea of pain. Her strength, her unwavering determination, filled the air around us. I could feel it, almost like a warmth, and it made me want to break. To let the tears fall. But I couldn’t. Not yet.


    "Kaiser..." she whispered, her voice soft but heavy with concern. She cupped my cheek, her touch tender but firm, as though she was holding me together with her hands. "You don''t have to hide it from me. I know you''re hurt. Please, let me help you."


    I looked into her eyes, and for a moment, everything else faded away. I wanted to crumble, to let her carry the weight for me, but I couldn’t. Not when I knew how much she had already sacrificed.


    "I''m... I''m fine," I repeated, my voice barely a whisper now. "I won''t let them win. Not like this."


    She shook her head, her eyes filled with unshed tears, though she refused to let them fall. "You don''t have to do it alone, Kaiser. I’m right here. You don’t have to carry everything by yourself."


    I wanted to argue, to push her away, but I couldn’t. Not with the weight of her words sinking deep into my heart. I closed my eyes, fighting to swallow the lump in my throat, but the pain, the exhaustion, the fear of letting her down—everything swelled inside me.


    "Please," she whispered, more to herself than to me, her fingers brushing through my hair. "Let me be here for you. I won’t leave you. Not now, not ever."


    In that moment, I realized just how much she truly meant to me. And how far I would go to protect her, even if it meant losing everything in the process.


    Ronan and Kiel were still talking in the background, too busy discussing their next move to notice the quiet exchange between us. But it didn’t matter. All that mattered was Celia’s hand in mine, the warmth of her touch, and the promise in her eyes that I would never be alone again.


    "I’m not leaving you," she said, her voice fierce, the tears threatening but never falling. "Not now, not ever. I’ll fight by your side. Always."


    And for the first time in so long, I felt like I wasn’t carrying the weight of the world alone.


    Ronan’s voice reached my ears, filled with curiosity. “Why didn’t you kill Celia when you had the chance, Kiel?”


    Kiel hesitated, his voice faltering. “I… I was about to… But then I saw Kaiser about to kill you. I had to use my cursed magic to save you.”


    Ronan''s eyes narrowed, a deep, unsettling silence falling between them. “You had so many chances, Kiel... Why didn’t you do it? Why hesitate?”


    His voice was cold, but there was a flicker of something else—something darker—as he stared at Kiel. "You could''ve ended it already."


    Kiel’s jaw clenched, but his voice softened with a rare hint of guilt. “I’m sorry. I... I didn’t want it to be like this.” But that moment passed quickly. His eyes hardened as he straightened up, his arrogance returning with a deadly edge. “I’m done holding back.” His voice dropped to a dangerous growl. “Now, I’ll use my full potential. You think you’ve seen power? You haven’t even begun to understand true destruction.”


    Ronan met his gaze, a twisted smile spreading across his face. “You’d better, Kiel. Finish it. For both our sakes.”


    Kiel’s eyes burned with fury as he nodded. "No more mercy. I’m done playing nice,” he spat, his words dripping with malice. “Let’s end this, Ronan. And when we’re done, nothing will be left but their ashes.”


    They spoke for a few more seconds, but I couldn’t hear them. The words were drowned out by the weight of my thoughts. Kiel… He could use wind, fire, ice, and now cursed magic. He was dangerous. More than dangerous. He was an A-rank adventurer. Far above my level. Far beyond anything I could ever hope to match.


    Ronan wasn’t much better. He had mastered higher-level elemental magic—B-ranked spells that could wipe me off the face of the earth in an instant.


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    I clenched my teeth, biting my lip until it bled again. The pain in my chest was nothing compared to the crushing weight of doubt that swirled in my mind. My hand curled into a fist, nails digging into my palm until it almost hurt more than the agony coursing through me.


    I can’t do this. I can’t beat them… The thoughts were suffocating, relentless. It’s impossible. Every breath felt heavy, and with each beat of my heart, I felt the distance between me and victory growing wider.


    And then… her touch.


    Celia’s hand wrapped around mine, warm, firm, a lifeline in the storm. For a moment, everything else faded—the battle, the pain, the doubt. Her hand, soft yet strong, held me steady. Her eyes—those eyes that saw more than just the blood and bruises. They saw me.


    "Kaiser," her voice was barely a whisper, but it pierced through the fog of despair in my mind.


    "I believe in you." It wasn’t just a statement. It was a promise, a tether to something I had long forgotten to hold onto.


    Her words, though quiet, were crystal clear. “I know you will win.”


    The smile she tried to offer faltered, weak—barely a shadow of the bright, reassuring grin I’d seen before. I could see the cracks in her facade. The fear behind her eyes. She wasn’t fooling anyone, least of all me. But she still tried. She was still fighting—for me, with me.


    Her hands, trembling just slightly, gripped mine even tighter, as though to say: You’re not alone in this. You never will be.


    And I couldn’t let her down.


    I took a shaky breath, my chest tightening with the weight of it all. I was so tired. So broken. But when I looked into her eyes, all I could feel was a surge of something stronger. A burning need to fight, to prove that I was worthy of the faith she had placed in me.


    I had nothing else. No magic. No strength. But I had her.


    I had to fight for her.


    "I won’t let you down," I whispered, my voice raw, hoarse, but determined. "Not now. Not ever."


    The words didn’t come easily. They were buried beneath layers of fear, of doubt, of all the times I had been ready to give up. But with Celia’s touch, her unwavering belief in me, they came.


    I wouldn’t let her down. I couldn’t.


    And as the pain threatened to overwhelm me once more, I realized that for the first time in my life, I wasn’t fighting just to survive. I was fighting for us.


    I’ve done nothing to stop them. Nothing to save us. Every time, I’ve only lost. And each defeat feels worse than the last. Yet, despite all that, she still believes in me. Instead of turning away, instead of giving up on me like everyone else, she’s here. She’s staying by my side.


    How can I let her down now? How can I keep losing, when she’s holding on to me with that fragile hope?


    I won’t—


    I will win. I will.


    I might be the weakest adventurer in the world, but I had one thing they didn’t. I had her.


    I squeezed her hand tighter. The fire in my chest ignited, burning away the doubts, burning away the pain.


    I’ll win for her.


    And if I had to sacrifice everything, then I would. For her. For us.


    This isn’t over. Not yet. I will make them pay. And they will regret every moment they spent thinking they could break me.


    My vision blurred; my body felt broken—but my resolve burned hotter than it ever had before. I would tear through every wall they put in my path. And when I stand victorious, Kiel and Ronan will be nothing but smoldering ruins, wiped from existence.


    I will make them beg for death before it comes.