No Hold Barred

Before we began our confrontation, I took a moment to reflect on the enhancements I had gained just before bursting into the room.

- Name: Magna Swing

- Alias: Weird Glasses Yankee

- Magic: Fire Magic

- Age: 20

- Height: 169 cm

- Blood Type: B

- Eyes: Light Grey

- Hair: Don't Ask

- Country: Clover Kingdom

- Occupation: Magic Knight

- Squad: Black Bull

- Progress: 40%

These were just a few of the details I had picked up during my adventures in the pursuit of justice while maintaining my facade as a religious leader and following my template's will.

Now, it's time to put my new skills to the test. Without giving Adonis a moment to react, I shouted, "Fire Magic: Prison Skills Buckshot!"

"Prison, hmm?" Adonis confidently remarked, "I suppose that implies it's an area-of-effect spell!"

You would typically be right, Adonis. This is Magna's version of the spell. He enhanced the regular Buckshot by creating even more fireballs. However, even though I'm acting as him, I'm not Magna! I've put my own spin on this spell. Consider it a little surprise just for you.

In response to my attack, Adonis silently conjured a green magic circle on his staff adorned with a skull head, summoning a gust of wind that enveloped him like a miniature protective tornado. It seemed he intended to blow away and deflect my attacks. However, contrary to Adonis's expectation of an enhanced Buckshot, I made a subtle alteration to throw him off balance.

Among the fireballs, instead of a symmetrical barrage, I introduced variations in size and magical power. This caused them to approach Adonis at different speeds and with varying strengths. As the quickest wave of miniature fireballs collided with his defensive spell, which held up despite the powerful onslaught, his spell was dispelled, allowing the larger fireballs, ranging from golf ball-sized to bowling ball-sized, to continue their unhindered path toward him.

"So what?" Adonis sneered, recovering from his momentary surprise. He pointed his black staff horizontally toward the incoming onslaught, and its tip lit up with an aqua-blue esoteric magic circle. A colossal tsunami of water burst out of the spell, ready to meet my firestorm head-on. The tsunami effectively drowned wave after wave of my fireballs as they exploded within it, eventually coming to a halt just a few feet in front of me.

Despite my failed attempt, I remained calm and smirked, which seemed to intrigue Adonis. "You know, chief," I began, causing Adonis to raise a brow, "what makes the Prison Kill special is that the flames don't wane or disappear after the explosion." Adonis's pupils darted around and slowly shrunk as within the wall of steam, a few flames appeared and gradually converged into a baseball-sized ball of fire.

"What can one ball do, brat?" Adonis questioned incredulously. In a true display of good sportsmanship, I decided to demonstrate it through action rather than a confusing verbal explanation. I advanced slowly, positioning myself in front of the floating ball of fire. I anchored and adjusted my body, adopting a stance similar to that of a baseball batter. As Adonis prepared to unleash another tsunami at me, I responded in kind.

"Fire Creation Magic: Grand Slam!" I swung my 'bat' towards the fireball, and simultaneously, within my grasp, an outline of a flaming baseball bat materialized and struck the fireball, propelling it at incredible speed toward Adonis's incoming water spell.

Adonis's arrogant demeanor was shattered when, instead of his spell drowning my attack as it had done before, the sheer magnitude of his tsunami couldn't slow down my flaming projectile. It zipped through his spell, heading straight for him. Adonis managed to form a transparent rectangular barrier similar to the one he had used to block my assassination attempt, but this time, his barrier couldn't hold. My fireball shattered it with its tremendous speed and force, colliding with Adonis and sending him flying amid a fiery explosion.

"Argh!" Adonis let out a slight screech as he broke through a cave opening and was revealed to the sunlight outside. He couldn't regain his composure as he was blown off the cliff, beginning his descent from the mountain.

I knew a fall from this height wouldn't be enough to take down someone like Adonis. With that in mind, I decided to pursue him without hesitation. "Fire Reinforcement Magic: Basic Run Gamble," I chanted slightly, and my feet burst into flames, propelling me through the hole and off the cliff at an astonishing speed. As Adonis, halfway through his descent, finally managed to regain his composure, he was once again taken aback as he saw me approaching him in midair.

I swung downward at him with my Grand Slam flaming bat, and he met my head-on attack with his staff, coated in magic power. The collision created a resounding impact, with a rush of air and sound echoing through the mountain range. However, it became evident that Adonis lacked the physical conditioning of mages like Gamgee, and he couldn't compete in a strength contest with Magna, even if I hadn't yet fully adapted to his template.

As the collision sent Adonis rocketing backward, heading for a headfirst impact with the ground, he surprisingly managed to pause himself in mid-air just before hitting the earth. Levitation?! Why hadn't he used that before? It suddenly became clear as I looked at Adonis's devilish smirk. He's been baiting me all along.

While I continued my descent toward Adonis, he calmly oriented himself to stand on the ground and pointed his staff at me. The skull on the staff's tip seemed to open its mouth as a revolving orb of magic appeared within, and then it unleashed a beam of purple light directly at my falling figure. Realizing I didn't have time to form a fireball, I quickly dispelled my flaming bat and assumed a standard boxing defensive stance as I braced for the attack.

To my great satisfaction, Adonis's expression shifted from anticipation to astonishment as he saw that, instead of a charred and defeated body, my tattered robes and shirt, along with some surface burns on my now-exposed chest, were the only casualties of his attack.

"You coated yourself in magic?" Adonis questioned, though it sounded more like a statement. I couldn't help but smirk. "Yup, back in Clover, we call this 'mana skin'," I replied, feeling the red mana lightly coating every inch of my body, having absorbed the worst of what could have been a fatal blow.

"Clover?" Adonis inquired, clearly seeking answers. My silence provoked him to continue, saying, "Oh well, it appears that you have more secrets than I originally thought. Just a few more things I must extract before shipping you off North."

The prospect of being sent North intrigued me. I considered the benefits of allowing Adonis to keep talking, all the while taking a moment to steady myself after being propelled a few feet by his last attack. It was evident that despite his bold claims and composed demeanor, Adonis had become somewhat anxious. Perhaps he had realized that I had alerted Gamgee. I couldn't afford to let him capture me; I needed to buy some time until Gramps arrived. But the idea of relying on an old man to fight on my behalf didn't sit well with me; I believed in taking care of the elderly.

Adonis continued to advance toward me, seemingly intent on wrapping up this confrontation with a trump card. It struck me that now might be the perfect moment to unveil my last surprise. Ordinarily, due to Magna's limited magic reserves, this distance would have rendered such a feat impossible. Still, I had more mana at my disposal. I lightly pointed my right index finger at Adonis, causing him to pause and cast an inquisitive glance my way.

Without words, I demonstrated my intentions: "Fire Magic: Explosive Reheating."

Adonis had only a brief moment to react before agony overcame him, and he was engulfed in flames. His screams left no room for doubt – this was genuine suffering. He desperately attempted to smother the flames, employing the "stop, drop, and roll" technique, but it proved futile as fresh flames replaced the old ones as long as I maintained my focus with my pointing finger.

I watched the enemy's futile attempts with detached apathy, witnessing his clothes and skin turn to ash. Initially, I believed I had secured a straightforward victory, but it didn't take long for me to realize the potential ramifications of my actions. I had unwittingly raised a flag, and I chastised myself for my carelessness.

"I just raised a flag, didn't I?" I mused aloud, directing my question to no one in particular. Almost as if on cue, my usually quiet companion finally broke his silence, offering his confirmation. "That you did, Rex, that you did."

Suddenly, my enemy ceased writhing in agony and stilled. He jerked his eyes open, locking his intense gaze with mine, and began to rise to his feet, never once averting his gaze from me. His unflinching, indifferent stare seemed to bore into my very soul, adding to the overall intimidation factor, even as my flames continued to scorch my figure. For the record, no matter what anyone might think, and regardless of what that pesky Light might concoct, I did not take a single step backward in trepidation, nor did I let out an audible gulp.

Just like that, my flames dissipated, revealing his charred but stoic figure and his burnt clothes. My mind raced with confusion. How had he done that? It was then that Light came to the rescue with an explanation: "Dispel: A Caster Magic and variation of Nullification Magic that causes the annulment of a spell. This Magic allows its users to remove any spell from their afflicted target."

A memory flickered in my mind, recalling when Gramps had employed this magic to cancel one of his illusions.

My attention returned to my now 'smoked' companion, whose ashy complexion hadn't hindered his ability to speak at all. His words oozed with disdain, and he declared, "You lowly wretch, you dare destroy not only my idol but my beloved robe, a tribute to my lord. I've been far too lenient with you. Even if we're destined to be allies in the future, it's an adult's responsibility to educate misbehaving children. Originally, I had intended to use this against your grandfather in the worst-case scenario, in case I had to face him. But now, I've no other option but to employ it against you. You should pat yourself on the back for your tenacity... or chastise your foolishness for forcing me to this point."

I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of foreboding at his words. While the side boss continued his monologue, I took a Charmy's cupcake from my inventory and consumed it, replenishing my spent mana from today's battles. To my surprise, I had momentarily forgotten that Charmy's culinary creations not only restored magical energy but also stamina and provided minor healing, that's why they also worked on Asta. I took a moment to savor the comforting sensation as my mana reserves refilled, and my superficial burn marks and scorched scars gradually disappeared from my body.

"Have you heard of the Yakuma Eighteen Battle Gods?" Adonis questioned, his tone calm yet brimming with power.

"Umm, well..." I began to respond, but before I could continue, Light proved to be surprisingly helpful. On the system screen, invisible to everyone but me and with his typically annoying voice now offering valuable information, he displayed a message: "Yakuma Eighteen Battle Gods Magic: Comprises eighteen different forms of dangerous Magic that were handed down through the now-extinct Yakuma Clan. These magics allow the user to summon one of the 18 Battle Gods. To successfully summon one, certain conditions must be met, whether through an incantation or a specific sacrifice."

"More or less," I nervously concluded my response to my adversary. Rather than accusing me of dishonesty, which would be a reasonable response for anyone else, Adonis nodded with an air of self-satisfaction and replied, "Hmmm, as expected of a genius of your caliber. It seems I won't need to explain what comes next."

I would have preferred that he did explain, but lost in his delusions, my opponent paid no heed to my obvious desire for further information. Instead, he redeposited his staff in his inventory and assumed a wide stance, clasped his hands together in a manner reminiscent of a certain shinobi god preparing for a Mokuton technique, and began chanting an incantation in a language I would rather forget.

"Zerschneide den Himmel. Herr des Windes. Komm, Tempest!" (Roughly equal to 'Cut the sky. Lord of the Wind. Come on, Tempest!'). Damn you, Germany!" I mentally roared as I clenched my right fist. "Even in my next life, you make things difficult for me!"

Unbridled magic power, dwarfing anything I had ever felt before, emanated from Adonis in powerful waves as he began to glow with an otherworldly green light. My gaze was drawn upward as several clouds began to gather, forming a tornado of unprecedented magnitude, eclipsing any natural disaster I had witnessed in my previous life. The tornado swirled wildly with Adonis at its epicenter, still in the same stance. It continued to grow larger and larger, forcing me to speed backward with my flame shoes to avoid being caught in its violent grasp. Yet invisible wind scythes eluded my sight, cutting me and leaving numerous shallow bleeding wounds.

As I feared this would become a serious problem, the tornado began to calm and halt its advance. It slowly began to retreat and converge back onto Adonis. After being absorbed into the green light that enveloped him, it dispersed and was dispelled, returning everything to normal.

Well, what one might consider "normal" was anything but. Standing before me now was a muscular, beast-like being with green, scale-like skin. It had a face and horns resembling that of a dragon, Chinese dragon-like whiskers, a goatee beard, four-fingered claws and toes, and tattered emerald wings on its back. I would have been more intimidated if it weren't for its dwarfish size, something even Charmy in her regular state could look down upon. However, I couldn't be fooled by its diminutive stature, as the magic power it exuded made it hard for someone like me to even breathe in its presence.

The beast, or 'Tempest,' cast its gaze in my direction, though it was more like I was just in its line of sight without being truly worthy of its attention. Normally, the prideful Vegeta-like side that every boy carries within them might have taken offense, but I was perfectly fine with that. While I contemplated my escape plan, the 'god' remained motionless, looking ahead with a dull, horizontal gaze that betrayed no sign of intelligence or emotion. However, my dear Adonis chose to break the silence.

"You see that brat in front of you?" Adonis likely addressed the mini-god, although it resonated in my ears like a thunderclap. Tempest's eyes began to take on a hellish green hue as it grunted in affirmation, "Grrrr." Adonis continued, "Go incapacitate him. You are NOT to kill him by any means, but you are free to hurt him. Just make sure you don't break him."

How considerate of you, Mr. Black. But my full attention was on Tempest, who had finally begun to display some monstrous and predator-like emotions. It let out a howling roar, "rooooooaaaarrrrrrr," and for a brief moment, it felt like all my bodily functions had ceased to work. I couldn't move, feel my mana, or even think. Then, in the blink of an eye, it was in front of Adonis, and just as swiftly, it disappeared without a trace. The next moment, it reappeared right before me, poised to deliver a replay of how Gon had once punched Pitou.

I attempted to coat myself with mana skin and reassume a standard defensive boxing stance, but I was no match for this monstrosity in terms of speed or strength. Before I could even begin channeling my mana, its fist had already connected with my gut, causing my pupils to whiten and dilate. I spat out a mouthful of blood, unable to fully process the excruciating pain that felt like having my kidney ripped out, and was sent hurtling into the mountain. When I hit the mountainside, I created a crater reminiscent of Yamcha's infamous crater, and I slowly drifted to the ground, incapable of lifting myself.

Fortunately, it seemed that Tempest was momentarily hesitant to approach me, perhaps fearing that it had already violated its master's orders and killed me. However, this hesitation only lasted for a moment as its animalistic senses detected the faint trace of life within me, prompting it to begin a slow advance toward me.

My thoughts raced as I clenched my injured right side and broken ribs in pain. "I can't beat that thing," I thought in despair. "I can't even fight it. Is it over already? I've only been conscious for about a month, and I'm already going to die." Just as I was on the brink of giving up and accepting my fate, my vision briefly cleared, and I could make out the figure behind Tempest. Adonis was kneeling on the ground, his body charred, his face pallid, and continuously coughing up blood.

"Yes, I can't beat the summon, but I can get rid of the caster," I told myself. I reached into my pocket and retrieved my last two of Charmy's Cupcakes, then forced them down my throat with the assistance of some water, despite the urge to vomit. Almost immediately, I felt the warm, revitalizing effects as my most severe injuries began to heal, giving me the strength to at least stand.

"Now, how will I deal with you, Adonis?" I pondered, a confident smile forming as my digital grimoire glowed with a Magna-like resolve. Clutching my right side with my left hand, I conjured a fiery ball of magic in my right. Tempest paused its advance, clearly baffled by what a seemingly insignificant opponent like me could hope to achieve with my feeble magic.

I launched the ball of fire toward Tempest, which promptly raised its arm to intercept the seemingly feeble attack. However, it froze, unable to comprehend what was occurring as the baseball-shaped flame vanished before making contact with its hand. Its keen magical senses soon caught up, and it turned towards its master, who gazed at it in confusion. Just as it let out a roar and disappeared from my sight, hurtling towards Adonis, it wouldn't be swift enough this time. 

As Tempest stretched out its arm to protect Adonis, its master's face ignited in flames, thanks to an invisible force.

"Fire Magic: Extreme Killing Vanishing Fireball," I stated simply as I began to slump back against the mountain, my gaze locked on the frozen god's back. It stared down at its fallen master before slowly drooping, its eyes losing their luster. This time, I thought to myself, I should have emerged victorious.

I initially believed that Adonis had fallen, but his cockroach-like tenacity proved me wrong. Gurgling out some words, he rasped, "Gah...gah..gah.... y-you fool y-you don't realize what you've done."

"I've beaten you," I responded lazily.

"Y-you did," he admitted, "but you've set off something much more terrifying."

"Like what?" I inquired. Instead of giving me a straight answer, he ominously predicted my downfall, "You and the rest of the villages should have just surrendered and become slaves for the tower. At least that's why you could make something of your pointless lives, well, keep them. W-well, as long as you don't die laboring. N-now it's hard to say if any of you will survive."

"What a load of bullshit," I retorted, "I don't think you guys in your cult are buddy enough to avenge one another, and even if you are, I doubt your little friend's group would send more people to finish us off, especially since we're going to be alerting the council of your presence."

Instead of agreeing with me, my half-dead opponent cryptically replied, "hahaha," mockingly laughing, "you truly know nothing."

Frustrated by his cryptic answers, I mentally sighed and thought, why can't he just explain it properly.

"Tell me, brat," Adonis ominously questioned, "did you think by killing me the spell would come undone?"

"Well, yeah," I deadpanned, my eyes fixed on the frozen god.

"Hehehe," Adonis chuckled, "then why hasn't Tempest disappeared yet?" I nervously gulped, waiting for him to elaborate. 

"The Yakuma gods are physical creatures of flesh and blood, not constructs of magic like the celestial spirits. So they won't return to where they come from if they are grievously injured or if their master runs out of magic power!" His words sent a chill down my spine, causing my pupils to shrink at the implications. 

"If the Gods are defeated, they will merely die for good. However, if their caster is defeated, nothing will happen to them. Rather, they will be set free from their control! Hehehe, you've doomed yourself now. Even I won't be able to tell how strong Tempest will be without me to control him and restrict his power! My only regret is that I won't be there to see the look of despair on your face!" With that, the last of Adonis's life drained from his body as I turned my horrified gaze to the still form of Tempest.

Damn it I have to do something. I forced myself to get to my feet planning to feed this god a maximum fireball down its throat. But the moment I tried to move forward I fell face forward to the ground in exhaustion. Damn it! Moving you shitty body! 

What responded to my call wasn't my resilience or my usually dependable and convenient magic book, but rather my worst fears. Magic, sheer unbridled power, radiated off Tempest, dwarfing its previous outputs. I felt my body being crushed, and I wasn't even the target or focus. The landscape and the earth all around me felt the same crushing force as cracks began to form on the ground. Even a mage much more capable than me, like my grandfather, would certainly be reduced to the same humiliating sight. And then it turned to me. Not because I was strong or a threat, or it sought vengeance for its master, whose corpse it turned into a mushy paste when it released its power, but merely because I was the closest living thing in its vicinity, and its primal urges demanded prey. I felt my arms and legs snapping like twigs from its mere gaze.

"Fuck," was the only thing I could manage to say.