He stepped back to launch the attack, but in his haste to act, he didn't distance himself enough.
What Elio didn't know was that the hydrogen cyanide he had inadvertently created was highly volatile.
Much more so when its volatile effect was what the mana enhanced.
When the ignited carbon impacted, it caused an explosion.
The force of the detonation threw Elio through the air, far surpassing the impact of his previous encounter with dry ice. His body flew backward with an impact that robbed him of his breath. Wide Guard, his elephant familiar, trumpeted in alarm, unable to protect its master from the blast on time.
For a few moments, Elio remained motionless, stunned by the explosion and the blow. Slowly, with every muscle protesting, he forced himself to stand. His vision was blurry, and a sharp ringing filled his ears.
Fortunately, the armor was healing him quickly... But that didn't mean it didn't hurt.