From Ashes To Scales

The air around Magnus crackled as he began to channel his mana, chanting the incantation for one of his most powerful spells. His voice boomed as he invoked the power of a 7th-tier The air around Magnus crackled as he began to channel his mana, chanting the incantation for one of his most powerful spells. His voice boomed as he invoked the power of a 7th-tier spell, one that had rarely failed him before.

“Omega Flare!”

From his outstretched hand, a massive sphere of roiling flame materialized, growing until it was five times the size of an average man. The spell’s true strength wasn't in its explosive power—it was the immense heat it radiated, enough to melt anything it touched. The flaming orb hissed through the air, rocketing toward Iseria with the force to incinerate anything in its path.

But Iseria stood still, unfazed.

As the enormous fireball closed in on her, Iseria raised one hand lazily, as if swatting away an insect. Her eyes were calm, almost disinterested. The second the spell made contact with her palm, she clenched her fist. The Omega Flare vanished, dissipated into nothingness in an instant.

Magnus’s eyes widened in shock. He hadn’t expected her to obliterate one of his strongest spells with such ease.

"I thought I told you not to hold back," Iseria said, her voice edged with mock disappointment. Her red eyes gleamed as she locked onto Magnus, her electric aura sparking to life. "Was that really the best you could do?"

Magnus grit his teeth. She was on a completely different level—this wasn't like anything he’d faced before. No demon, no foe had ever crushed his magic so effortlessly. But he wasn’t done yet. Steadying himself, he began to chant once more.

“Rock Blast!”

Massive chunks of earth erupted from the ground, hurtling toward Iseria like a barrage of boulders. But with a flick of her wrist, lightning surged from her fingers, reducing the rocks to dust before they even came close.

“Volcanic Wave!”

A surge of molten lava burst forth, crashing toward her. Iseria barely acknowledged it, sending a ripple of electric sparks that solidified the lava mid-flow, freezing it in place.

"Ice Javelin!" Magnus bellowed next, launching shards of enchanted ice that glistened in the air like crystalline missiles. They never stood a chance.

Iseria's electric aura exploded outward in a blinding flash. The sheer power of her energy disintegrated the spells mid-flight, the ice vaporizing instantly.

Magnus gritted his teeth. “She’s not even trying...”

"You’re wasting your energy," she said, her tone bored. “If this is all you can do, the fight will be over soon.”

But Magnus wasn’t finished.

He muttered a strengthening spell under his breath, veins bulging as he surged his mana into his body. His muscles tensed, his reflexes sharpening to supernatural levels. "Hyper Accel!" His body shimmered, vibrating at a high frequency. But that wasn’t all. He followed up immediately with another spell—one meant for pure speed. “Blink Step!”

Magnus disappeared, reappearing in an instant right in front of Iseria. His hand-to-hand training under Saphira kicked in as he launched a rapid barrage of punches and strikes, his fists and staff a blur as he sought to catch the Goddess of Lightning off-guard.

But it was no use.

Iseria caught his enhanced punch effortlessly—with just two fingers. Her eyes were closed, her stance relaxed, as if she barely had to try.

"Surely that's not all you have to offer, is it?" she asked, her tone dripping with condescension. "Because if it is, two fingers are all I need."

Magnus grunted, his pride taking a hit. She wasn’t even taking him seriously! He didn’t back down, though, continuing his assault with a series of kicks, staff strikes, and feints, all aiming to bypass her defenses. But every move was countered. She blocked every blow as if she were toying with him.

And then, with a flash of movement too quick to see, Iseria countered.

Her fist, crackling with pure lightning, struck Magnus square in the chest. The force of the impact sent him flying backward, crashing through the air as electricity coursed through his body, leaving him smoking and severely injured. He spat blood as he hit the ground hard, gasping for breath and his vision blurring from the pain.

As he staggered to his feet, his mind raced back to his fight with Yridian. The way that demon general had pushed him to his limits, the overwhelming power that had filled him with rage. That same fire ignited in his chest now, his magical energy spiking. His aura began to glow, brighter and more intense than before.

Iseria, seeing the shift in his power, grinned, her red eyes gleaming with excitement. “Finally! This is what I’ve been wanting all along. A challenge!”

She powered up, her electric aura intensifying, dancing around her like a storm. Two fingers weren’t enough anymore. She raised her full hand, prepared for a real fight.

Magnus roared as he gathered his strength. Despite being an Aura Core user, specifically designed for magic casting, his lizard-like body allowed him to push his physical limits far beyond what should have been possible. By overlapping so many buffs on himself, he had achieved a level of strength that rivaled Force Core users. He wasn’t as powerful as Leona’s Red Flame Aura, but the sheer force he could muster was close enough.

He dashed forward again, fists blazing with energy. This time, Iseria didn’t block with two fingers. She met his fists head-on, and the resulting impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air. Their fists collided again and again, blow after blow creating massive waves of force that shook the very foundation of the dimensional space.

Magnus’s muscles screamed in pain, but he pushed on. Each strike was met with equal force from Iseria, who seemed to be enjoying herself immensely. For the first time in the fight, Magnus could feel the weight behind her punches. It was exhilarating—and terrifying.

“You’re stronger than I thought!” Iseria called out over the deafening booms of their fists colliding.

“I could say the same about you! I can't imagine reaching your level!” Magnus grunted back, his voice strained from the effort.

The two fighters were a blur of motion, fists, and legs flying as they clashed in a furious dance. Despite his magical core, Magnus had achieved something extraordinary: he was fighting on par with a goddess, his body strengthened by his layered spells to the point where it could withstand Iseria’s brutal blows.

But the longer the fight dragged on, the more Magnus could feel his strength waning. His magical reserves were depleting, and his body was reaching its limit. He needed to finish this, and fast.

"Lightning Halberd!", Iseria shouted as she unleashed a surge of electricity. But that was the moment Magnus was waiting for.

With one final surge of energy, he howled, calling forth the last of his strength. His eyes glowed with fiery determination as he absorbed the electricity crackling around Iseria. It wasn’t enough to just withstand her power—he had to make it his own.

“Blazing... Voltaic... SMAAASH!” Magnus roared, his fist now engulfed in both flames and lightning. He hurled himself at Iseria, putting everything he had into one final blow.

Shock could be seen on Iseria's face. For the first time, Iseria had to guard with both arms. The impact of the punch was like a 9th-tier spell, the sheer force behind it sending a shockwave that cracked the ground beneath them and split the air itself. The room trembled as the energy from the attack exploded outward in all directions.

For a moment, there was silence.

When the dust settled, Magnus stood there, panting, his body completely spent. Iseria was still standing, her arms raised in a defensive stance, though she, too, looked slightly winded. She lowered her guard slowly, and as Magnus began to stumble, whispering, “I… lost…”

But before he hit the ground, Iseria caught him, gently supporting his weight.

“What are you talking about?” she said softly, her voice surprisingly warm. “Just look at my hands.” She held them out, showing the faint bruises that dotted her forearms. “You managed to leave bruises. This was the most fun I’ve had in ages. It’s your win, Magnus.”

Magnus’s lips curled into a tired smile before he finally passed out, the tension leaving his body as Iseria cradled him in her arms, lightning crackling softly around them both.