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*****
Asgardians are naturally physically superior, and Thor is the cream of the crop—especially as the scion of Odin, possessing latent divine power within his veins.
While he hadn't fully awakened yet and struggled to channel it consciously, he remained one of Asgard's elite warriors. Of course, that was provided he had his hammer in hand.
As soon as Feny stood up, he took to the skies using Sky-Walking. Thor, holding Mjolnir aloft, was hot on his heels.
Although Thor could fly by the grace of Mjolnir, he wasn't particularly adept at aerial combat. Having to grip a hammer with one hand while flying inevitably restricted his range of motion and attack patterns.
Feny, on the other hand, had drawn Sky-Walking as his fourth skill. Over the years, aerial maneuvers had become one of his most familiar combat styles.
As the saying goes, a mage who can't "kite" isn't a good mage. Feny considered himself a highly qualified sorcerer, so he naturally adopted this classic spellcaster tactic.
"Explosion!"
A pillar of fire erupted suddenly. Bolstered by the twin enhancements of Golden Golem and Breathing Technique energy, the spell's effect was formidable even as an instant cast.
The pursuing Thor was caught off guard and knocked back down to the ground.
However, as the Prince of Asgard, Thor's armor was no ordinary trinket—it was a masterwork suited for a god. Despite taking the hit, he remained largely unscathed.
Seeing this, Feny began a rhythmic chant:
"Darkness blacker than black and darker than dark,"
"I beseech thee, combine with my deep crimson!"
To ensure the surrounding Asgardians recognized him as a proper mage, Feny deliberately projected his voice, letting the incantation ring out across the clearing.
"The time of awakening arrives,"
"Fall into the flawless realm!"
The consequence, of course, was that Thor heard it too. Thor had witnessed the power of Feny's Explosion magic before, and he had heard from Heimdall that Feny had used this very spell to annihilate the entire Chitauri fleet.
His expression shifted instantly. Realizing he didn't have time to fly back up to Feny, he threw his arm up and held Mjolnir high. Arcs of electricity began to flicker around him, and a small patch of thunderclouds gathered directly above Feny in a heartbeat.
CRACK!
Before Feny could finish his chant, a bolt of silver lightning tore through the roaring clouds, striking accurately toward him.
Perhaps because the preparation time was short, the bolt was relatively thin, but Feny had no intention of being a lightning rod. He hadn't closed his eyes while chanting; the moment Thor raised the hammer, he saw the move coming. Between the visual cue and the thunderous rumbling overhead, it was impossible to miss.
Facing Thor's bolt from the blue, Feny chose not to dodge. Instead, he kept one palm extended to maintain the chant while his other hand traced a rapid circle in the air.
Instantly, a golden, sparking portal opened directly above his head.
The lightning was incredibly fast, zipping through the portal in a flash. When it reappeared, it struck the ground directly in front of Thor.
Thor blinked in confusion as the very bolt he had sent to interrupt Feny's casting suddenly manifested before his own eyes.
Even though it was his own power, the lightning didn't stop to say hello. It struck Thor squarely. Fortunately, the intensity wasn't overwhelming, merely leaving his body trembling and momentarily numbed.
"Fall into the flawless realm,"
"Become an invisible distortion!"
"Explosion!"
By then, Feny had completed the chant.
A massive, crimson magic circle blanketed most of the dueling ground. The sky turned a brilliant, menacing red, causing the cheering Asgardians to fall silent. They stood frozen, staring in sheer terror at the scene unfolding before them.
BOOM!
An ear-splitting explosion followed. The Asgardians were witnessing the universe's most unique Explosion magic for the very first time!
While the display was cataclysmic, Feny had actually exerted significant control over the spell. At the very least, he hadn't locked the center of the blast directly onto Thor. He wasn't looking to kill the Prince; if he actually pulled that off, Odin would likely be laying waste to Earth within the hour.
"Thor!"
"Your Highness!"
The crowd, unaware of Feny's restraint, cried out in distress. Sif even tried to rush forward, but she was held back by Fandral and the others.
The explosion lasted only a moment. When the smoke cleared, everyone scrambled to look at Thor's position. The sight allowed them a collective sigh of relief.
Thor was half-kneeling on the ground, looking thoroughly disheveled. His armor had lost its bright luster, and parts of his golden hair were noticeably scorched.
However, while he looked like he'd been through a meat grinder, the injuries weren't actually that severe.
Seeing their prince still in the fight, the Asgardians didn't resort to insults. Instead, they began to roar with even greater fervor.
"Come on, Your Highness!"
"Stand up! For the glory of Asgard!"
"Thor, you can do it!"
"Keep going!"
Hearing the encouragement of his people, Thor tightened his grip on Mjolnir. He felt a sudden surge of power welling up from deep within his body, and he pushed himself back up to his feet.
As Thor stood, the crowd erupted. They didn't know Feny had held back; having seen that apocalyptic Explosion magic, the fact that Thor was even standing made him look incredibly powerful in their eyes.
High in the air, however, Feny felt something was off.
Thor was looking up at him now, arcs of electricity dancing across his skin. More importantly, a faint silver glow was beginning to emanate from his eyes, shimmering like liquid lightning.
Feny's expression turned grave. Thor's current state looked suspiciously like he was on the verge of an awakening!
If Thor truly awakened his divine power right now, he'd go from a formidable warrior to a god walking among men—a literal "lightning-clad powerhouse." Feny wasn't at all sure he could win against that.
Feny had spent too much effort being "brazen" to let a comeback victory happen now. More importantly, losing would be embarrassing and would yield far fewer experience points.
Without a second thought, Feny launched another Explosion spell, hoping to end the fight quickly before Thor could fully recover or evolve.
Seeing the sudden pillar of fire, Thor didn't get hit this time. With electricity surging through his limbs, he blurred out of the way in a burst of speed. He raised his hammer and retaliated with a bolt of lightning aimed straight at Feny.
This bolt was not only much faster but also twice as thick as the previous ones.
Feny's face paled slightly. He didn't dare take it head-on and flickered out of the way just in time. A twinge of regret hit him—he should have placed the center of that last blast a little closer to Thor. Even if it had caused serious injury, he could have always used "Bullet Four" to heal him later.
But regret was useless now. Feny took a deep breath, his expression hardening behind his visor. He decided to stop worrying about the collateral damage and fight for real.
As long as he didn't actually kill the guy, everything was fair game.
(End of Chapter)