Kaiser''s Perspective:


    I lunged forward, sprinting with everything I had straight at them. Ronan, Kiel, and the two vengeful spirits didn’t waste a second—they charged right at me.


    Ronan was the fastest, closing the distance in an instant. He swung his right fist at me, wreathed in flames, aiming straight for my chest. I met his attack with my sword, the clash sending shockwaves that cracked the ground beneath us. Before I could react, his left hook came for my face. I barely managed to duck under it, feeling the heat of his fiery energy pass inches above me.


    "You think you can stop me with only a sword?" Ronan sneered.


    Behind me, one of the spirits had crept up, its blade already swinging for my back. I had no choice but to do a backflip, narrowly avoiding the strike. Mid-flip, the second spirit rushed in, its weapon almost about to slice me in half. My instincts kicked in, and I twisted my body, raising my sword to block the attack midair before landing safely on the ground.


    "You honestly believe you can land a hit on me?" I growled, my smirk darkening as I locked eyes with him, every ounce of confidence radiating from my stance.


    There was no time to catch my breath. Kiel’s strikes came next—fast and relentless, like a storm of steel. Each swing of his blade, Voidrend, cut through the air with terrifying force, its cursed energy stretching far beyond his reach. I could feel the weight of his attacks, even as I deflected them from a distance.


    "Come on, Kaiser," Kiel growled, his voice dripping with disdain. "Is this all the weakest adventurer can do? Just dodge?"


    "Keep talking, Kiel. It’s the only thing you’re good at." I barely sidestepped his attack, my eyes narrowing in calculation. He wasn’t even close.


    I started running to my right, my body tilting low to the ground, gripping my sword tightly only on my left hand. My heart pounded faster than ever as Ronan and the spirits surged after me, closing in fast. From a distance, Kiel swung Voidrend again and again. Range didn’t matter to him—his cursed blade could strike from up to seventy meters away, and I was well within its deadly reach.


    "Running won''t save you," Ronan snarled, his voice a deep, feral growl. "I will hunt you down, no matter how far you run."


    Soon, they closed in on me. I was blocking Kiel’s slashes, but the attacks came from every direction. I fought with everything I had—blocking, countering, and dodging as fast as I could.


    The forest erupted with the sound of battle—slashing, explosions, and chaos in every corner. The spirits used their powers, creating medium-sized explosions as I deflected their attacks. We exchanged blow after blow, hundreds of strikes in mere seconds. The speed of their movements left trails of shadows hanging in the air behind them.


    Ronan saw an opening. He closed the gap and launched a jab at my face, his fist leaving a trail of flames in the air, the fiery aura surrounding it like the wrath of a volcano. I blocked the strike with my sword, but before I could react, he seized the blade with a vice-like grip, his hands searing with the flames from his earlier spell. The heat was unbearable, burning through the air with every inch of his touch.


    My body was wide open, a perfect target for a counterattack, just as I had anticipated from Ronan. His smirk twisted with fiery confidence, thinking he had me right where he wanted.


    But he made one fatal mistake.


    "You won’t get away this time, Kaiser!" Ronan sneered, but I merely smiled, knowing his mistake.


    Instead of dodging, I made my move. With a swift motion, I caught his fiery punch with my right hand, the heat of the flames searing through my skin and palms. The burn was excruciating, but I gritted my teeth, pushing through the pain. My hand shook from the force of the impact, but I tightened my grip, refusing to let go.


    The flames wrapped around my arm like a wild serpent, but my resolve was hotter than the fire itself. I could feel the heat radiating from his body as if it could melt everything in its path. But it was his own arrogance that would be his downfall.


    "We both know how this is going to end, Ronan," I hissed, my grip tightening.


    We locked eyes as we faced off, neither of us giving an inch. Despite his physical enhancement spells, Ronan couldn’t overpower me.


    "You''re nothing but a puppet, relying only on the strings of your magic," I spat. "Without it, you''re nothing—weak and disposable."


    Then, from behind, one of the spirits attacked. I dropped to my knees, using my strength to jump and flip Ronan over, sending him crashing to the ground. Mid-air, Kiel’s cursed Voidrend sword slashed toward me with blinding speed. I blocked every strike, my body twisting and turning to deflect them, all while fighting off another spirit’s attacks.


    "Impressive," Kiel sneered, his eyes glinting with malicious intent. "But this is where your luck runs out."


    I landed with a thud, my legs trembling from the impact. As soon as my feet hit the ground, something felt wrong—too quiet. A wave of danger surged through me, instincts kicking in. Before I could process it, I heard the unmistakable sound of Ronan’s movements, the heavy thud of his rapid approach echoing behind me.


    I whipped around, just in time to catch a glimpse of him. His voice, low and filled with malice, cut through the tension as his fiery fist lunged toward my head. The air around him sizzled, the flames casting wild, flickering shadows in the dark.


    "Think you’ve won?" His voice was a growl, barely audible over the crackling fire. "Think again."


    I barely had time to react before he began chanting.


    "Awaken the primal spirits, infuse my mortal shell. Fire of the phoenix, strength of the stone, swiftness of the wind, and resilience of the tide—lend me your power! Eidolon Surge!"


    His body erupted with raw power, his aura igniting as flames cascaded off him like a living inferno. The air around us grew hot, searing.


    I smirked, watching his body glow with the magic, the power radiating off him in waves.


    Him completing the incantation was apart of my plan. It was the perfect opportunity to show him the difference between true strength and borrowed power.


    "Big mistake, Ronan," I muttered, watching his body glow with power.


    Eidolon Surge was an advanced elemental magic enhancement spell, designed to channel the raw essence of primal forces directly into the caster’s fists. It was meant to grant inhuman strength, speed, and resilience—an overwhelming display of power that could crush anything in its path. But this wasn’t enough to change the outcome.


    "Thanks for the chance, Ronan. Now it’s time you know how everything breaks."


    Ronan’s fully enhanced punch came at me with incredible force. Despite the burns on my right hand, I swung a counterpunch. The moment our fists collided, the ground trembled, and an explosion rang out, sending the spirits flying backward and clouding the area in thick smoke. Kiel’s vision was blocked, his attacks halted.


    "That was your best shot?" I laughed, stepping through the smoke. "Pathetic."


    Ronan had enhanced his body to withstand the toughest blows, the Eidolon Surge granting him the ability to survive large explosions, deadly falls, and crushing impacts. But it was still primarily an attack spell, channeling most of his power into a single strike. But he hadn’t accounted for my raw strength.


    Then came the sound—the sickening crack of bones breaking.


    "AHHHH!" Ronan screamed in agony.


    As our fists collided, my punch landed square on his hand, slowly shattering his bones pieces. He froze in shock, unable to react. I seized the moment, jumping forward and delivering a powerful kick straight to his face.


    "You should’ve stayed down," I said with a twisted smile, my voice colder than ever.


    He was sent flying to the left, out of the smoke, but I was faster. I reached him before he could recover and grabbed him by his hair, locking him in place as he writhed from the pain of his broken bones. He was still too stunned to fight back.


    "Did you really think that magic would save you, learn to fight on your strength. You will never be able to defeat me with borrowed power"


    With one swift motion, I slammed him hard onto the ground, the force rattling the air. But I didn’t have time to savor the moment. My instincts picked up on the cursed aura creeping up behind me. I spun just in time to block Kiel’s attack.


    "Don''t even try it, Kaiser!" Kiel snarled, his eyes burning with fury. "You’ll regret this—I''ll make sure of it."Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Kiel was no longer fighting from a distance. His vengeful spirits followed him closely, attacking in perfect sync. We traded blows, creating gusts of wind so intense it felt like a hurricane was forming around us.


    "You’re still not strong enough," I taunted, dodging Kiel’s strikes with ease. "You''re just like Ronan—needing dirty tricks to fight me."


    The spirits were the easier part of the fight. I had already memorized their attack patterns and devised my own counter-strategy. The energy around me shifted, and I felt the strain on Kiel.


    "If you keep pushing, Kiel, they’ll get reckless. And then it’s over," I warned, grinning as I avoided another strike.


    Kiel was coughing, each breath shallow as he struggled to maintain control over Voidrend and keep his spirits active, all while trying to fight me. A few meters away, Ronan was desperately trying to heal his wounds with magic, his hands shaking from the strain.


    "You think you can scare me with threats, Kaiser? You''re not the only one who knows how to push past their limits."


    Suddenly, Kiel dropped Voidrend, catching me off guard. The spirits, sensing his shift, turned their attention to me, attacking relentlessly to keep me distracted. In that brief moment, Kiel rushed over to Ronan, using advanced cursed magic to heal him completely.


    "O spirits of torment, hear my plea! Feed on my pain, mend this broken vessel. Bind flesh with shadows and seal wounds with suffering—Veil of Agony!"


    It was a high-level healing spell—one that drained an immense amount of cursed energy. Unlike elemental magic, this spell enveloped Ronan in a dark veil, his cursed energy swirling around him, mending his wounds and broken bones. Kiel collapsed to the ground, coughing up blood from the effort.


    "So much for pushing past your limits?" I sneered. "No amount of magic will save you, Kiel."


    Ronan looked at him, concern in his voice, "Kiel! Are you okay?"


    "I’ll be fine... don’t worry about me. Just go kill him now," Kiel rasped, still healing Ronan.


    Enraged, Ronan surged forward, his speed now unmatched, his body completely healed thanks to Kiel’s spell. The spirits, sensing his aura, pulled back, clearing the path for him. I stood still, waiting, ready for the perfect counter.


    "Is that all you’ve got, Ronan?" I taunted, my grin widening as I prepared to strike. "Let’s see how long you last this time."


    Ronan poured all his mana into his elemental magic.


    "Flames of the eternal inferno, rise and empower me. Cloak my body in fire, strengthen my limbs, and fuel my will. Infernal Ascendance, ignite my soul!"


    His hand ignited in blazing fire, scorching the ground around him. He was certain I would try to block, giving him the opening to strike while he was fully charged. Fighting him head-on would mean certain death. It was a death sentence to face someone using Infernal Ascendance in close combat with nothing but a sword.


    Exactly what I wanted.


    I threw my sword into the air, catching Ronan completely off guard. Before he could react, I side-stepped, effortlessly dodging his first jab. I grabbed his outstretched arm, countering with my own punches, crossing them against his strikes.


    "You thought simply covering yourself with fire was enough to stop me?" I sneered. "You''re nothing but a delusional sore loser."


    The impact was deafening. The air exploded with force, sending a shockwave through the area and filling the space with smoke. Kiel, still recovering, stood speechless as he watched me stop Ronan’s blazing attacks with nothing but my bare hands.


    The heat from Ronan’s flames was unbearable, my hands slowly burning, but that wasn’t what Ronan had expected.


    "HOW?!" Ronan screamed in disbelief. "How are you able to stop my Infernal Ascendance?!"


    "Real power lies in technique," I replied coldly. "Those who rely on magic will never understand this. That’s why you’ve already lost the game."


    "That''s pure bullshit," Ronan spat, rage in his voice. "Anyone that even comes near the fire should melt instantly. Yet you''re still here standing. How is that possible?"


    I smirked, taking a step forward. "Ronan, you''re nothing more than a caged rat. Thinking you''ve gotten stronger from the incantations you''ve memorized, believing that was enough to beat me." I chuckled darkly.


    "It''s just hilarious, really."


    As I spoke, my grip tightened. Ronan’s fists, once raised in defiance, now trembled in my hands as I crushed them with raw strength. Years of training, countless hours spent honing my body, had all led to this moment. The muscle memory kicked in, and I stepped closer to him.


    With one swift movement, I released my left hand and seized his right wrist with both hands. He didn’t even have time to react. Before he could comprehend what was happening, I drove my knee into his, breaking his balance. His body lurched, and as he struggled to stay upright, I reached out and locked onto his wrist with my left hand and his shoulder with my right.


    In one smooth motion, I used my back as a pivot point, twisting my body with precision and power. I tore through his gravity, completely flipping him upside down. Ronan’s body hit the ground with a massive crash, sending a shockwave through the earth and breaking the momentum of his Infernal Ascendance magic.


    It wasn’t just strength that made this work—it was technique. A technique I had perfected over time, honed through countless battles against monsters and demons where a sword wasn’t always an option.


    The core of this martial art, was a theory I had read about in ancient books, wasn’t difficult to implement once I understood the mechanics. In order to survive in a world without knowing any magic, I had to adapt.


    My body was burning. The intense heat from my struggle, the flames still scorching at my skin, made it feel like I was caught in the center of a raging fire.


    Kiel, witnessing the unthinkable, was speechless. He called out Ronan’s name, unable to comprehend how I was still standing.


    “Ronan… how? How is he still standing?!”


    The fire around me began to die down, its energy slowly dissipating as it was absorbed into my hands.


    At that moment, the sword I had thrown into the air finally descended, its weight cutting through the smoke-filled air. I reached up with my right hand, feeling the heat still radiating from my skin as I caught the blade, the flames still burning my hands.


    The heat was unbearable, my flesh starting to blister, but I gritted my teeth and pressed forward. With my left hand, I tilted the sword toward my face, guiding it carefully as I dragged my hand along the blade’s edge. The fire on my skin transferred to the blade, touching along its surface like an obedient flame.


    As the flames left my hands, they burned into the sword, permanently igniting it with an ethereal fire that would endure. The flames on my hands vanished, absorbed completely by the weapon, leaving the sword blazing with a dark, almost unnatural glow. It was no longer just a weapon—it was a part of me, the flames now bound to it, ready to strike with a power I had never wielded before.


    Ronan’s eyes were filled with desperation as he muttered, “Mana Shifting... How?”


    I knew exactly what he meant. Mana Shifting wasn’t just a basic magic technique—it was a way to transfer magical energy from one source to another. Typically, this is only possible using celestial magic, which directly manipulates elemental forces.


    But, since I didn’t possess any celestial magic, I had to use my own body to perform this feat. I focused every ounce of my physical energy, shifting my mana into the sword’s blade.


    A normal person would have been consumed by the flames, their skin searing and their bones scorched beyond recognition. But over the years, I’ve developed a keen understanding of how to manipulation and control of magic worked, especially fire. By channeling my own energy and reinforcing my skin with a protective layer of minor mana channels, I was able to create a barrier that prevented the fire from burning through my skin.


    It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough. The flames raged around me, yet I remained unharmed, using their energy against Ronan. It’s this unique resistance allowed me to absorb Ronan’s Infernal Ascendance flames and turn them into my own.


    Infernal Ascendance is a fire magic designed to enhance both offense and defense. It cloaks the caster in a fiery armor, amplifying their strength and agility. On the surface, it makes them appear invincible, like a god wrapped in flames. But I understood its true nature—its vulnerabilities.


    Though Infernal Ascendance created a powerful defense around Ronan’s body, it only protected the outer layers—the skin, muscles, and surface of the caster. It was like encasing a fragile vase in steel; it might look unbreakable, but if you struck it just right, the cracks would appear from within.


    That’s where my knowledge came in.


    I had studied the nature of fire magic briefly, also covering how Infernal Ascendance worked, understanding that its protection was not absolute. The fire could reinforce the outer body, but it couldn’t protect the inner workings—his bones, joints, and organs. The trick was to bypass the outer shield and strike at the core, where the magic couldn’t reach. And from there, the spell’s defense would crumble.


    At first, my strikes were pointless. The fire absorbed every punch, every hit, like I was hammering against an unyielding wall. I couldn’t even leave a mark. But then, I noticed his movements—slower, more labored—especially when he twisted to dodge. That’s when I understood. The fire could shield the outside, but not the internal shockwaves.


    I stopped wasting my energy on surface hits and focused on precision. I aimed for his ribs, collarbones, and joints—places where the force would ripple through his body. I knew that shockwaves could manipulate the structure of the magic and break its hold.


    When I slammed Ronan onto the ground, I used all my strength to amplify the impact. The force created shockwaves that reverberated through his body, rattling his bones and organs. I could feel the magic waver, its grip weakening as the shock traveled inward. The first crack I heard came from his ribs, and I knew I had found my mark.


    Ronan collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. The flames that had once surrounded him now flickered weakly, their intensity waning as I relentlessly targeted the core of his body. Each strike I landed seemed to drain the last remnants of his fiery defense, leaving him vulnerable.


    The once-invincible blaze that had protected him was now little more than a fading memory, and I could see the realization in his eyes—he was finished.


    This knowledge didn’t come to me by accident. I had memorized hundreds of magical texts—books that explored the intricacies of elemental magic and its weaknesses. One of them, Elemental Convergence: An Ancient History of Elements, had specifically pointed out the flaw in Infernal Ascendance’s design. While most people focused only on the incantations, Ronan was missing the key understanding behind them. And because of that, he was destined to fail.


    That was the difference between talent and knowledge.


    Kiel’s voice shattered the tension in the air, his desperate cry for Ronan to watch out. The two vengeful spirits reacted instantly, snatching Ronan from the battlefield and pulling him away, away from the fury of the clash.


    But Kiel remained. Silent. Emotionless.


    His once frantic breaths had steadied into a cold, unfeeling calm. He stood there, his body drained, but his eyes, devoid of hope or mercy, locked onto me as he began the incantation. The words spilled from his lips with a chilling finality.


    "From the pit of endless suffering, tear their souls asunder—Vengeful Grasp!"


    The air trembled as Kiel’s cursed magic surged. Unlike before, where the spirits had simply followed his command, this time, the energy exploded, twisting violently.


    The cursed vines, once slithering like serpents, now twisted together into something far more menacing. They coiled and interlocked, forming a gargantuan dragon, its massive body writhing with dark energy. The vines were alive with malice, their very essence forged from the deepest, most twisted forces Kiel could command. The beast’s eyes blazed with pure wrath, burning with a hatred that matched the fury of its creation. With a primal roar, it surged toward me, a towering creature of pure malevolence, its every movement a harbinger of destruction.


    I could feel Kiel pouring every last drop of his cursed energy into this one final assault. He had gambled everything on this strike, betting his life that it would be enough to break me. The battle had reached its end. This was the endgame.


    Kiel’s voice was a whisper of finality, cold as the grave. “I’m going to destroy you.”


    But I wasn’t shaken. Instead, I met his gaze with an unwavering calm, my lips curling into a thin smile.


    “You haven’t even realized it, Kiel,” I said, my voice low and filled with certainty. “You’re already dead.”