From Ashes To Scales

The beast’s guttural growl echoed like rolling thunder, shaking the air with its sheer presence. Its two heads moved in eerie synchronization, violet eyes burning with an unnatural glow.

Then—it lunged.

Faster than anything that massive had any right to be.

“Shit!” Magnus barely had time to react.

Its claws tore through the ground as it closed the distance, jaws snapping toward him like a living guillotine. Magnus kicked off the ground, the force of his leap creating a shockwave as he barely evaded the bite. The moment his feet touched down, he twisted mid-air and fired off a counterattack.

“Storm Lance!”

A golden spear of lightning erupted from his fingertips, tearing through the air like a thunderbolt straight from the heavens. It struck dead center, engulfing the beast in a furious explosion of electricity.

Magnus exhaled, landing smoothly. “That should at least—”

A massive tail suddenly whipped through the dust cloud.

“Damn it!”

He barely had time to cross his arms before the impact sent him flying. He crashed through several trees, each one shattering like twigs, before skidding to a halt. His arms burned from the sheer force.

And when he looked up—the beast stood unscathed.

“What the hell…?”

His mind raced. That wasn’t just resistance—it had ignored his spell completely.

“Fine then. Let’s see you handle this! Sixth-tier spell—GLACIAL BLAST!”

The temperature plummeted. A blinding wave of frost surged forward, coating everything in crystalline ice. The battlefield itself froze over in an instant, and the beast became entombed in a jagged fortress of ice.

Magnus landed, panting slightly.

Then—CRACK!

His heart dropped.

The ice exploded, shards flying like glass rain.

And there it stood.

Still unscathed.

“No way…”

A sudden roar shook the battlefield. Then—BOOM!

The beast slammed its claws into the ground. A shockwave blasted outward, hurling Magnus backward. He gritted his teeth, flipping mid-air, but the moment he landed—another attack!

A massive claw streaked toward him like a falling star.

"Shit—!"

He reinforced his arms, crossing them just in time. The impact sent him crashing into the ground, forming a deep crater. Pain flared through his bones.

He gasped for breath, his heart pounding. This wasn’t just some overgrown monster. It was something else.

He wiped blood from his lips. "Alright then... If magic won't work..."

Magnus took a deep breath, golden energy crackling around him.

"REINFORCEMENT—TIMES TEN!"

His aura exploded, sending shockwaves in every direction. Muscles tightened, veins pulsing with raw power. The ground beneath him cracked from the sheer force of his presence.

Then, in the blink of an eye, he vanished.

Reappearing directly in front of the beast.

"TAKE THIS!"

His fist connected—BOOM!—the earth itself caved in, forming a massive crater. Shockwaves ripped across the battlefield.

But then—BOOM!

His own fist bounced off the beast’s body like he had struck an immovable wall.

The force of the recoil sent him rocketing backward, slamming through a boulder.

Magnus coughed, his arm numb.

"What the fuck…"

That wasn’t resistance. That was something else.

A low growl rumbled from the beast’s throats. Then, in a blur of motion, it charged.

Magnus barely had time to react. Claws lashed out—he ducked, but a second strike followed, slashing through his defenses. Blood splattered across the ground.

He skidded backward, clutching his shoulder. His mind screamed warnings.

"Dammit… Nothing works!"

Then—his eyes narrowed.

Maybe… Maybe it was vulnerable to multiple elements.

"Alright then… LET’S SEE YOU HANDLE THIS!"

He thrust both hands forward. Four magic circles formed instantly.

"Magma Strike!" Molten lava erupted, engulfing the beast in a fiery inferno.

"Tidal Surge!" A towering wave crashed down, swallowing the flames.

"Aero Shredder!" Blades of wind cut through the water, slicing toward their target.

"Rock Fang!" Jagged spikes shot from the ground, impaling the air.

All four spells struck simultaneously—an explosion erupted, consuming everything in blinding light.

Magnus landed, chest heaving.

Silence.

Then—the dust cleared.

His stomach dropped.

The beast was still standing.

Not a single scratch.

"No way…"

For the first time in a long time, Magnus felt a chill crawl up his spine.

How the hell do you kill something like this?

Magnus clenched his fists, forcing himself to steady his breathing.

A creature immune to both magic and physical attacks? That was impossible. Even the Demon God, as powerful as he was, still had vulnerabilities. Tia and Senya's memories confirmed it—no being should be utterly immune to everything.

That meant there had to be an explanation.

He narrowed his eyes at the beast. Maybe it wasn’t invincible. Maybe it was shrouded in some kind of barrier that nullified attacks before they could even touch its body. If that was the case… then long-range spells were pointless.

But what if he struck it at point-blank range?

Magnus took a deep breath. Using Ophelia he had recently obtained was out of the question. Even if Ephiria’s mana-rich environment could heal the land, he couldn’t risk causing widespread destruction.

Think. Use something strong—but controlled.

His hands crackled with energy. He condensed his aura, magic swirling tightly around his fists.

“Let’s see you nullify this…”

In an instant, Magnus vanished from sight.

The next moment—BOOM!—he was right in front of the beast.

“Burst Fang!”

A pulse of compressed force erupted from his fist like an explosion at point-blank range. The sheer pressure ripped through the air, distorting space itself. It was a technique designed to bypass external defenses and strike directly into an enemy’s core.

For the first time, the beast flinched.

Magnus’s heart leapt. It worked!

Or so he thought.

A moment later, an invisible force repelled him.

What!?

The recoil sent him soaring backward, his body skidding across the shattered ground before he managed to regain his footing. His arm throbbed, bones rattling from the impact.

“…Still nothing?” His breath was ragged. “What are you…?”

The beast wasted no time.

A massive claw shot toward him—he dodged, barely. But then the second head struck from the opposite side.

Too fast!

The jaws snapped shut—Magnus barely had time to form a barrier before he was sent crashing through the terrain like a comet.

Damn it!

He forced himself up just as the beast charged again. He rolled aside at the last second, but it was relentless. Another strike. Another attack.

It was like trying to survive in the eye of a storm.

Every time he dodged, the next attack was already coming.

Magnus gritted his teeth. This wasn’t just a wild beast—it was smart. It was pressing him, forcing him into a desperate defense.

Then, suddenly—

A growl.

Then another.

Magnus barely had time to register what was happening before the two heads turned on each other.

They snapped and growled—low, guttural noises, like an argument between beasts.

And then—without warning—

It turned around.

And leapt back into the pit.

Magnus froze.

“…What?”

His heartbeat slowed. He stared at the pit, mind racing. Why? Why retreat? It had the upper hand. It should’ve finished him off.

So why…?

Was something down there? Something more important than him?

His fists clenched.

Then, quietly, he muttered, “What the hell is that thing…?”

A voice answered.

“It’s a Grand Duke.”

“…I see,” he muttered. “A Grand Duke.”

Then his eyes widened.

“Wait—who the hell said that!?”

His head snapped to the side.

A figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the light.

And Magnus felt a chill crawl up his spine.