Primordial Heir: Nine Stars

”Nice move! I should try to create a similar effect with one of my spells,” Khione’s blue eyes sparkled with excitement. It was a truly impressive display from Nero, and she could see its potential.

”Good to be of some help,” Nero replied, calming his ragged breath.

At that moment, they stood in first place with [251 points], followed by Elreth’s team at [235] and Adam’s team at [215].

Looking at her, Nero realized their chemistry wasn’t bad at all. He would love to team up with her again in the future.

’I should ask for her number later,’ he thought, planning to keep in touch after the competition. It was unfortunate that using a phone in a pocket dimension was impossible.

”We should keep going!” he suggested, eager not to waste any time.

”Okay, let’s have a little duel to see who can kill more monsters,” Khione suddenly declared.

The unexpected suggestion caught Nero off guard, forcing him to pause in his steps. However, his surprise was short-lived as a smile spread across his face.

”Sure, why not? It’ll be fun. The loser will buy the winner a meal,” he countered with his own idea. It would be a shame not to take advantage of this opportunity. A duel with a reward added an exciting twist.

Now it was Khione’s turn to be surprised. She hadn’t considered a reward, but the idea grew on her as she thought it over. Unbeknownst to her, she was beginning to enjoy spending time with Nero. Her personal space, which she usually guarded fiercely, was slowly but surely shrinking around him. It was interesting how life could change people; sometimes, a connection with someone else could shift one’s perspectives and comfort zones. She had always preferred solitude, but being with Nero felt different—invigorating, even. It was a reminder that relationships could evolve in unexpected ways, leading to growth and new experiences.

The duo, now in competition, ventured deeper into the core of the forest. Before long, they came across a different type of monster. Unlike the goblins and hobgoblins they had faced earlier, this creature was notably larger. Standing nearly two meters tall, it had a robust, rose-tinted skin that gleamed ominously in the dappled light of the forest. Its body was a mass of fat muscles, with a bulging stomach that suggested a gluttonous appetite.

The monster’s head resembled that of a pig, complete with a broad snout and sharp tusks protruding from its lower jaw, giving it a menacing appearance. Its small, beady eyes glinted with a mix of intelligence and aggression, set deep within its rugged face. Thick, wiry hair sprouted from its scalp, adding to its brutish look. This was an Orc—a formidable foe that exuded raw power and primal ferocity, ready to challenge anyone who dared to approach its territory.

The orc, wielding a big stone club, let out a fearsome roar upon spotting the duo.

’’Oinkyah!”

With a primal scream, he charged at them, his club raised high, white mist billowing from his nostrils in a show of aggression.

In this competition, the first to act seized the advantage. Flames erupted beneath Nero’s feet as he propelled himself forward like a rocket. He closed the distance in an instant, arriving before the lumbering beast just as it swung its club down with the intent to crush him. With a swift dodging motion to the side, he avoided the deadly strike and delivered a powerful punch to the orc’s stomach.

He named this skill ’Fist Flame!’.

His right hand was enveloped in red flames, moving with such speed that it left behind a shimmering afterimage before striking.

Boom!

The impact was staggering. The orc’s eyes bulged in shock as the force of the blow hit him.

Spurt!

His mouth flew open, and he erupted in a torrent of blood mixed with the remnants of his morning meal. The punch not only damaged several internal organs but also set his stomach ablaze.

’’Oinkfuh!”

Reeling from the attack, the orc staggered back, momentarily dazed. But his powerful physique urged him to retaliate. Gripping his stone club tightly, he decided to fight using only his brute strength, refusing to draw his sword. However, he was met with a relentless onslaught. Nero, seizing the opportunity, covered his fists and feet in flames and unleashed a flurry of martial arts strikes.

With each punch and kick, the flames crackled, illuminating the forest around them. Nero moved like a whirlwind, darting in and out of the orc’s reach with grace and precision. He unleashed a series of rapid jabs, each one igniting upon contact with the orc’s skin, leaving behind angry burn marks and welts. The orc tried to counter, swinging his club wildly, but Nero danced around him, evading each clumsy strike with fluid movements that seemed almost choreographed.

Bang!

Nero’s foot connected with the orc’s jaw in a powerful roundhouse kick, sending the beast staggering to the side. Without missing a beat, he followed up with a spinning backfist, the flames erupting from his hand as it connected with the orc’s temple, sending him flying.

Bam! Bam!

Each strike was a calculated blend of power and speed, designed to overwhelm the orc before it could recover. The air crackled with energy as Nero continued to press the attack, using every ounce of his skill to keep the orc off balance. The onslaught was relentless; the orc quickly found himself covered in bruises and burns, his body a canvas of pain.

Bang!

Nero capitalized on the orc’s confusion, delivering a brutal uppercut that lifted the creature off its feet. The orc landed hard, struggling to regain its footing. But there was no respite. Nero closed in, launching a series of kicks that forced the orc back down to the ground, flames licking at its skin with every impact.

With each hit, he infused a small amount of heat inside the monster’s body, gradually cooking it from the inside out.

’’Oink!!!!”

The orc’s face contorted in agony; it gasped for breath, the internal damage from the combined force of the punches and the searing heat becoming too much to bear.

Finally, after a relentless barrage of powerful strikes, the orc’s body succumbed to the overwhelming damage. Its heart, literally fried from the inside, could no longer sustain it.

Boom!

The creature’s massive frame crumpled to the ground, lifeless, the fight concluding in less than twenty minutes.

Nero stood over the defeated orc, chest heaving as he caught his breath. He had emerged unscathed, having not taken a single hit during the entire exchange. The elegant choreography of his combat style had turned a brutal confrontation into a spectacular display of skill and power, a true testament to his mastery of Flame Art.

Khione nodded at Nero before crystal wings sprouted from her back, allowing her to ascend into the sky. To Nero’s surprise, she effortlessly took flight, her form shimmering against the backdrop of the forest below. From her aerial vantage point, she quickly spotted another orc in the distance. Like a plane gliding through the air, she descended rapidly before he could react.

As she swooped down, she fired two ice balls, which struck the ground at the orc’s feet, instantly freezing them in place.

”Oink?”

The orc’s surprise was palpable as it struggled to comprehend the unexpected attack. Realizing it needed to break free, it grasped its club, attempting to shatter the ice that held its feet captive. But before it could act, Khione flicked her finger, transforming the ice sealing the orc’s feet into sharp ice spikes that erupted upward, piercing through its thighs and nearly reaching its stomach.

The orc cried out in agony, staggering backward as the pain overwhelmed it.

Seizing the moment, Khione created a condensed ice spear from her elevated position and hurled it at the monster. Normally, an unexpected attack from above would catch most creatures off guard, but this orc had keen instincts. With a swift motion, it swung its club, shattering the incoming ice spear into countless fragments that scattered in the air.

Though Khione was momentarily taken aback by the orc’s quick reaction, she quickly regained her composure. Her expression remained impassive, her mind clear and focused. Utilizing the opportunity presented to her, she harnessed the broken pieces of the ice spear, manipulating them with her magic to create miniature ice explosions, she was using a powerful spell ’Ice Storm!

With precise control, she combined these small ice bomb explosions into a single, larger blast. The air crackled with energy as the ice fragments coalesced into a swirling storm of frost and shards. The resulting ice storm engulfed the already injured orc, the jagged fragments slicing through its skin like blades.

”!!!”

The orc’s body was overwhelmed by the assault, each icy shard sending waves of excruciating pain coursing through its frame. With its skin shredded and its body succumbing to the relentless barrage, the creature was ultimately transformed into a mere ice sculpture, its life extinguished in an agonizing death.

Khione’s mastery of Ice magic (Law)was on full display during the confrontation. Each spell she cast was a testament to her skill: from the initial freezing of the orc’s feet, which immobilized it and set the stage for her next attack, to the brutal transformation of that ice into deadly spikes. Her ability to create ice spears and manipulate them into explosive projectiles showcased not only her offensive capabilities but also her tactical prowess in battle, allowing her to adapt and respond to the orc’s instincts seamlessly. The fight was a vivid illustration of her command over her elemental magic, combining beauty and brutality in a dance of ice and pain. She truly loved this sensation.