Dr j'an
This chapter stands as the final and most honest account of Marrick—not the version shaped by rumor, nor the figure carved into legend, but the reality of him when everything was stripped away. It is here that his power is not simply displayed, but measured—tested against something that did not yield, did not falter, and did not allow for error.
What follows is not a tale of triumph in the way lesser histories would present it. There is no clean victory, no moment where strength alone decides the outcome. This is the record of what it cost for Marrick to win the war—the strain placed upon his body, the limits he was forced to surpass, and the state he descended into when pushed beyond restraint.
Many speak of Marrick as a force, an inevitability, something that could not be stopped. They are wrong. He was not unstoppable—he endured. He adapted. He continued forward in conditions where most would have broken long before the outcome was ever decided. That distinction is important, because it is the difference between myth and truth.
In this battle, you will see Marrick as he truly was: relentless, violent, and unyielding. You will see how he fought—not with elegance, nor with perfection, but with a brutal efficiency born from necessity. Every movement had purpose. Every strike carried consequence. And every moment he remained standing was something he had to take by force.
Understand this as you read: this was not a victory granted to him. It was taken—inch by inch, blow by blow—against an opponent who demanded everything he had and more.
And by the end of it, the question is not simply how Marrick won.
It is whether what remained of him after the battle could still be called the same man who entered it.
———-
Take a breath."
I didn't look at him when I said it.
Didn't need to.
The storm already wrapped around him, layers of spinning wind folding over each other, cutting, compressing, filtering heat, redirecting force. Imperfect. Temporary.
But enough.
"For now," I added quietly, more to myself than him.
Behind me—
It shifted.
That presence.
That wrongness.
Huǒ Róng Yuán didn't move like something alive.
He didn't breathe.
Didn't tense.
Didn't prepare.
He simply—
Was.
And then—
He was closer.
I stepped out of the dome.
And the world tried to kill me.
I didn't see the attack.
I felt it.
A wave.
Not heat.
Not force.
Hatred.
It crashed into me before anything else could.
Like something ancient had decided I shouldn't exist.
My wings snapped open instantly.
Faster than I've ever moved them.
Wind screamed—
Not around me—
Through me—
And I forced myself upward.
Barely.
The ground below me exploded.
Not shattered.
Erased.
And even as I rose—
I felt it graze me.
That pressure.
That presence.
Too close.
Too real.
But—
That instant—
That single moment—
He was open.
I didn't think.
Didn't hesitate.
Three sigils formed at once.
Not drawn.
Not placed.
Manifested.
Direction.
Formation.
Form.
They overlapped—
Collapsed—
And I released it.
A wind slash—
No—
A compressed blade of air sharpened beyond what it should be able to hold—
It tore forward.
And it cut him.
Not deep.
But enough.
The air split around him—
His body shifted—
And for a fraction of a moment—
He acknowledged it.
That was all I needed.
I moved.
Gone from where I was—
Reappearing above—
Then to the side—
Then further—
Constant motion.
Because stopping meant death.
I knew that.
Too slow.
Still too slow.
He was already behind me.
I didn't turn.
Didn't look.
I cast.
Wind.
Protection.
The dome formed instantly—
Tighter than Marrick's—
Denser—
Sharper—
And then—
Impact.
It hit.
Hard.
Not breaking the dome—
But overwhelming it.
The force slammed into me—
And I was sent flying anyway.
The dome shattered outward into fragments of cutting wind—
I spun—
Flipped—
Forced my wings steady—
And caught myself mid-air.
Barely.
My chest tightened.
Not pain.
Recognition.
"…this is going to be a problem."
Below—
He stood exactly where he had been.
Unmoved.
Unchanged.
Like I had done nothing at all.
Then—
He spoke.
"…a fast little bird."
That voice—
It wasn't wrong because of how it sounded.
It was wrong because it shouldn't exist.
Layered.
Like multiple things speaking through one throat—
Out of sync.
Out of place.
I felt irritation crawl up my spine.
"…I wish I didn't have ears."
And then—
I began to chant.
Not slowly.
Not carefully.
But precisely.
One word—
But built from many.
Fragments layered into something complete.
Fēnghyoukenventusglacies.
Wind.
Ice.
Form.
The air around me condensed instantly—
Temperature dropping—
Moisture freezing—
Pressure folding inward—
And I released it.
A blade—
Not just wind—
Wind carrying ice—
Ice carrying structure—
Structure carrying intent—
It screamed forward—
And this time—
It cut deeper.
His left leg split.
Not severed.
But opened.
Enough.
His stance shifted—
Just slightly—
And that was all I needed.
Chains snapped into existence around my arms—
Not physical.
Not fully.
Constructed from compressed air and reinforced intent—
They lashed forward.
Fast.
Sharp.
Relentless.
One wrapped his arm—
Another his torso—
Another his leg—
I pulled.
Not to restrain—
To redirect.
The ground beneath him cracked as force shifted—
And I dove.
Closing distance instantly—
Wing cutting through air—
Body aligned—
Strike.
My fist collided with his jaw—
And for a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then—
He moved.
A step.
Just one.
Back.
The chains snapped.
Gone.
Like they never existed.
His head turned back toward me slowly.
"…interesting."
That word—
Meant nothing.
And everything.
I didn't respond.
Didn't waste breath.
I moved again—
Sigils forming—
Breaking—
Reforming—
Wind spears—
Ice fragments—
Compressed bursts—
All at once.
All directed.
All precise.
They hit.
Exploded.
Cut.
Pressed.
And still—
He walked forward.
Through it.
Not unaffected.
But unbothered.
Every step closed distance.
Every step erased advantage.
"…not enough."
Not frustration.
Not doubt.
Just—
Fact.
I pulled higher into the air—
Faster—
Sharper—
Forcing more wind into existence—
Layering it—
Stacking it—
The sky itself began to distort.
Clouds forming unnaturally—
Spinning—
Collapsing inward—
A storm.
Not natural.
Not stable.
But mine.
And I brought it down.
Everything.
All at once.
The sky screamed—
Wind tore downward in spiraling columns—
Ice forming within it—
Blades inside currents—
Currents inside pressure—
It all crashed onto him.
The ground disappeared.
Not cracked.
Gone.
Buried under force.
Silence followed.
Just for a moment.
Just long enough—
For me to breathe.
"…that should—"
He stepped out.
Through it.
The storm split around him—
Not because it weakened—
Because he overrode it.
"…no."
That was wrong.
That wasn't how this worked.
My wings stuttered—
Just for a second—
And he was there.
In front of me.
Too close.
Too fast.
Too inevitable.
His hand moved.
I tried to react—
Sigil—
Wind—
Barrier—
Too late.
His hand closed around my throat.
Not tight.
Not crushing.
Just—
Holding.
And in that moment—
Everything stopped.
The storm.
The wind.
The sky.
"…fragile."
I didn't respond.
Couldn't.
But my hand moved anyway.
One last sigil—
Small.
Precise.
Placed directly between us.
And I released it.
A point-blank detonation of compressed wind—
It exploded outward—
Forcing distance—
Breaking his grip—
Sending me flying back—
I spun—
Stabilized—
Coughed—
Air burning in my lungs.
"…good."
Because now I knew.
This wasn't a fight I could win.
But it wasn't a fight I needed to win.
Behind me—
Inside the storm—
Marrick was still there.
Healing.
Breathing.
Becoming something else.
"…hurry up."
I muttered under my breath—
As I raised my hands again—
As the storm rebuilt—
As I stepped forward once more—
Because I didn't need to beat him.
I just needed—
To hold him here.
Marrick — POV
The wind didn't feel like protection
It felt like it was trying to hold me together
Every time I breathed it pressed into me
Like it was forcing air into lungs that didn't want to work anymore
I stayed on one knee
Not because I wanted to
Because when I tried to stand my leg folded again
Didn't matter
I looked up
And I saw them
No
I saw him
Fuxi
Moving
Fast
Too fast for me to follow cleanly
One second he was there
The next he wasn't
Then the sky itself moved with him
Wind twisting
Breaking
Forming shapes I didn't understand
And in the middle of it
Huǒ Róng Yuán
Walking
Not rushing
Not reacting
Just walking
Like everything being thrown at him didn't matter
"…hurry up…"
I heard Fuxi say it
Barely
Not to him
To me
My hand pressed into the ground
It cracked under me
Not from strength
From how hard I forced myself to stay up
My body wasn't healing fast enough
It never did
But it was enough
It always had to be enough
Above me
The sky split again
Wind dropped like it had weight
Ice formed mid air and shattered before it even hit
Fuxi's voice cut through it all
Fragments
Not full words
"Fēng—layer—cut—shift—"
Sigils formed and broke faster than I could track
And still
He walked
"…is that all?"
That voice
It felt closer than it should've been
I looked up
Huǒ Róng Yuán hadn't even turned his head
"…this is the one you trust?"
The wind around me tightened slightly
Not enough to hurt
Enough to react
"…this… thing?"
I felt something in my chest shift
Not anger
Not yet
Something else
Fuxi didn't respond
He moved again
Faster this time
The storm above them condensed tighter
More controlled
More focused
Then it dropped
Everything at once
The ground shook under it
Even inside the dome I felt it
For a second
Silence
"…pathetic"
He stepped out of it again
Unharmed
No
Not unharmed
But not enough
Not even close
"…you calculate so much"
He took another step forward
"…and still fail"
Fuxi appeared behind him
Instant
Chains wrapped around his arms again
Different this time
Denser
Sharper
Pulled tight
And Fuxi struck
Not once
Not twice
Over and over
Every hit precise
Every movement planned
And for a second
It looked like it was working
"…you think this matters?"
Huǒ Róng Yuán didn't even turn
His arm moved
Slow
Too slow to react to
Too fast to stop
He grabbed one of the chains
And pulled
Fuxi was dragged forward instantly
The chains snapped
And his fist connected
Fuxi flew
Not like before
This time there was weight behind it
He hit the ground hard enough that even from here I felt it
The wind around me shook
Unstable for a second
"…fragile little bird"
Huǒ Róng Yuán tilted his head slightly
"…how many calculations did that take"
Fuxi pushed himself up
Slow
Too slow
But he didn't stop
Didn't answer
Didn't hesitate
His hands moved again
Faster than before
Sloppier
No
Not sloppy
Rushed
"Fēng—compress—break—"
The sigil didn't fully form
He forced it anyway
The air collapsed inward
Exploding around Huǒ Róng Yuán
At the same time I felt something else
Different
Fuxi's mind
Working
Not sigils
Raw control
The air around Huǒ Róng Yuán twisted unnaturally
Pressure shifting
Forcing movement
Trying to force him off balance
Trying to make space
"…desperate"
He stepped through it
Again
Like it wasn't even there
"…you're slowing down"
Fuxi moved again
But this time
I saw it
Just a little
Just enough
He wasn't as fast
Not by much
But enough
"…your mind is getting tired"
Huǒ Róng Yuán's voice lowered slightly
Not louder
Closer
"…you can't keep calculating forever"
Fuxi didn't respond
But I saw it
His wings didn't snap as hard this time
His movement wasn't as clean
"…and him…"
Huǒ Róng Yuán finally turned his head slightly
Toward me
Even through the storm
Even through the dome
I felt it
"…he's still hiding"
My hand clenched into the ground
It cracked again
"…healing"
Another step forward
"…waiting for you to die for him"
The wind around me tightened sharply
Like it reacted before I could
"…will you?"
Silence
Then Fuxi moved again
Faster
Forcing it
Pushing past whatever limit he was hitting
Sigils forming faster than before
Breaking
Reforming
At the same time his mind moved again
The air above Huǒ Róng Yuán compressed unnaturally
Layer after layer after layer
Until it dropped
Hard
Everything at once
Wind
Pressure
Fragments of ice forming mid collapse
The ground disappeared under it
And this time
Fuxi followed
Diving straight through his own attack
Chains forming again
Wrapping
Pulling
And he struck
Direct
Full force
And for a moment
It worked
Huǒ Róng Yuán bent slightly
Not much
But enough
"…there"
Fuxi went for another hit
And then
He stopped
No
He didn't stop
He was stopped
Huǒ Róng Yuán's hand was already there
Around his arm
Holding it
Effortlessly
"…you're done"
He pulled
Fuxi's body jerked forward
And the next hit landed
Clean
Direct
Fuxi's body folded around it
And for the first time
He didn't recover instantly
He dropped
Caught himself mid air
Barely
And I saw it clearly now
He was slowing down
"…yeah…"
I pushed myself up again
My leg snapped into place wrong
Didn't matter
"…I'm done waiting"
Because now I understood
This wasn't going to last much longer
Not like this
Not if I stayed here
The wind around me shifted
Reacting
Like it knew I was about to move
"…good"
Huǒ Róng Yuán's voice carried through the storm again
"…come watch him die up close"
I stepped forward
And this time
I didn't stop
I moved
The moment I stepped out of the dome the air felt heavier like the wind didn't want me to leave but that didn't matter it never did I forced my leg forward and it broke again but I kept moving anyway because if I stopped here if I hesitated for even a second then everything that just happened everything Fuxi was doing right now would mean nothing
I saw him
Fuxi
Still in the air still moving still fighting
But slower now
Not by much
But enough
And him
Huǒ Róng Yuán
Standing there
Waiting
"…finally"
That voice hit me again
"…the broken one comes back"
I didn't answer
I was already there
I punched him with everything I had
Every bit of rage every bit of pain every piece of me that refused to stay down
My fist crashed into him and this time
He moved
Not just a step
He was sent sliding back across the ground
His feet dug in
Stopping himself
But that didn't matter
Because I was already there again
Fuxi moved at the same time
"Fēng—bind—cut—"
A sigil formed behind Huǒ Róng Yuán
Ice shot up from the ground wrapping around his leg while a blade of wind cut across his side
It hit
Not deep
But it hit
And that was enough
I rushed him and began to pummel him
A right hook into his side
I felt my hand break on impact
Didn't matter
His body shifted from the force and as he began to lift off the ground I hit him with a left straight to his jaw
His head snapped to the side
He dropped
And before he could land I drove my knee into his chest sending him crashing into the ground
The impact cracked the earth under him
I didn't stop
I couldn't
I grabbed him and slammed him again
And again
And again
Each hit breaking something in me
Each hit proving something to him
Fuxi was already moving again
I saw it out of the corner of my eye
Sigils forming
Chants breaking apart mid word
His mind moving faster than both
The air around Huǒ Róng Yuán twisted unnaturally
Pressure forcing down on him
Ice forming along his arms
Wind cutting into his sides
"…so this is it?"
Huǒ Róng Yuán spoke while I was hitting him
"…this is what you think can kill me?"
I hit him harder
My fist sank into his side deeper this time
I felt something shift
"…good"
I grabbed him and threw him
He skipped across the ground again just like before
But this time
Fuxi was already there
"Bing—form—pierce—"
Ice spears formed mid air and shot down at him
At the same time
Fuxi's mind moved
I could feel it
The air around those spears compressed making them denser sharper faster
They hit
Driving into him
Pinning him for just a moment
Just enough
I was already moving
I reached him before the dust could even rise
And I hit him again
A downward strike straight into his chest
The ground shattered under it
I didn't stop
I grabbed him and dragged him up
Then slammed him back down again
"…you're trying so hard"
His voice didn't change
Didn't strain
Didn't react
"…and it still means nothing"
I punched him again
Harder
Faster
Ignoring the way my arm didn't move right anymore
Ignoring the way my vision blurred
Because this time
It was working
Not enough
But it was something
Fuxi dropped beside me
Not landing
Flowing into position
His hands already moving
"Fēng—compress—split—Bing—cut—"
Sigils overlapped
At the same time
His mind moved again
The air around Huǒ Róng Yuán folded inward unnaturally
Not crushing
Restricting
Limiting movement
Forcing angles
"…hold him"
I didn't respond
I didn't need to
I grabbed him
Locked my arm around him
Holding him in place even as his body burned against mine
My skin split
Didn't matter
Fuxi finished the chant this time
Not fully
But enough
A massive blade of wind formed
Layered with ice
Reinforced by pressure
And it came down
Direct
On him
The impact exploded outward
Throwing me back
I hit the ground rolled and forced myself up again
And for a moment
For just a moment
He didn't move
"…we did something…"
Fuxi said it low
Not hopeful
Just stating it
"…yeah"
I stepped forward again
But then
He laughed
Not loud
Not wild
Just…
Amused
"…you finally understand"
He stood up
Slowly
Like none of that mattered
Like all of that was just
Nothing
"…this is what it takes to even touch me"
His body shifted
Not physically
But something about him changed
The air around him felt heavier
Denser
Wrong
"…and you think this is enough?"
I didn't answer
I rushed him again
Because I already knew
If I stopped now
If I hesitated
Then everything we just did would disappear
I hit him again
And this time
He hit back
Faster than before
Stronger than before
His fist collided with mine
And my entire arm shattered
I felt it
Every bone
Every break
And I smiled
"…good"
Because now
He was actually fighting
I stepped forward again
He hit me first this time
A straight punch into my chest
I felt my ribs collapse inward
Felt something inside me shift in a way that should've killed me instantly
My body flew back
Skipped across the ground
But before I even stopped moving
I was already getting up
Not because I was fine
Because I didn't have time not to be
By the time I planted my foot again
My chest had already started to pull itself back together
Slow
Then faster
Faster than before
"…again"
I rushed him
Not caring about the damage
Because it didn't stay anymore
Not long enough to matter
My fist crashed into his face
He moved back
More than before
That was new
Fuxi saw it too
I felt it before I saw it
The air changed
Sharper
More unstable
He wasn't holding back anymore
"Fēng—tear—compress—break—"
The chant broke halfway through
Didn't matter
He forced it anyway
Sigils formed wrong
Overlapping angles that shouldn't work
At the same time
His mind moved
Faster than before
Not clean
Not controlled
But deeper
The air around Huǒ Róng Yuán didn't just move
It collapsed
Pressure folding inward from every direction
Not crushing
Forcing him to move
And for the first time
He did
He stepped back
"…there"
I didn't wait
I was already there
I grabbed him
Pulled him forward into my fist
Then hit him again
And again
Each hit landing harder
Not because I got stronger
Because I stopped holding anything back
My body broke with every strike
My hands shattered
My arms tore
My shoulders dislocated
And every single time
It fixed itself
Not instantly
But fast enough
Fast enough that the next hit still landed full force
"…you've changed"
His voice shifted slightly
Not impressed
But noticing
That was enough
Fuxi dropped in beside me again
Closer than before
Riskier
His wings didn't hold him as steady
But his hands moved faster
"Bing—fēng—cut—split—form—"
Sigils layered over each other
Not stable
Not safe
At the same time
His mind worked through it
Fixing what shouldn't work
Forcing alignment mid cast
The result came out wrong
But stronger
A storm didn't fall this time
It formed around him
Wind rotating tight around Huǒ Róng Yuán's body
Ice forming along the currents
Blades spinning inside it
Grinding
Cutting
Restricting
"…hold him"
I already was
I slammed into him again
Driving him deeper into the storm
My arm broke again
Didn't matter
I grabbed him with the other one
That one broke too
Didn't matter
Because by the time I hit him again
They worked
"…you're forcing it"
Huǒ Róng Yuán's voice was still calm
But now
He was moving more
Not just walking
Reacting
Blocking
Redirecting
"…your body shouldn't be able to keep that up"
I hit him again
Harder
"…then it will break"
Another hit
"…again"
Another
"…and again"
I smiled
Because that didn't matter
Fuxi pushed further
I saw it now
His movements weren't clean anymore
But his output
Was higher
Much higher
He stopped relying on full sigils
Fragments instead
Half chants
Mental control filling the gaps
The air around us started to distort
Not just move
Break
Like it couldn't handle what he was forcing it to do
He raised one hand
Didn't chant this time
Didn't form a sigil
His mind did everything
I felt it
Air density
Temperature
Rotation
Pressure
All shifting at once
Then collapsing
A point formed
Right on Huǒ Róng Yuán
And it detonated
Not outward
Inward
Everything around him crushed together
For a split second
He disappeared inside it
"…now"
I didn't think
I moved
Straight into it
Through it
My body tore apart from the pressure
Didn't matter
Because by the time I reached him
It was already fixing itself
And I hit him
With everything
Not rage
Not anger
Just everything I had left
My fist sank into him deeper than before
His body bent
Actually bent
And for the first time
He was forced back
Not a step
Not a shift
He was sent flying
Crashing across the ground
Tearing through stone
Breaking the mountain behind him
I stood there for a second
Breathing
Watching
"…we did it"
Fuxi said it low
Not believing it
Just seeing it
"…no"
I stepped forward again
Because I knew
This wasn't it
Not yet
Huǒ Róng Yuán stood up again
Slower this time
His body shifted
More damage than before
Not enough
But real
"…good"
His voice changed
Not mocking
Not amused
Something else
"…this is better"
The air around him tightened
The heat spiked
Everything about him grew heavier
"…don't stop now"
I smiled
Because I wasn't going to
I stepped forward again
I hit him
No
I didn't just hit him
I hit him with something more than strength more than power more than anything I could force out of my body I hit him with everything that I was everything I had ever been everything I refused to let die
Boom
He was sent flying
Not sliding
Not stepping back
Flying
Straight into the side of the mountain behind him
Stone shattered around his body
But I didn't give him even the smallest chance to breathe
I was already there
Before he even hit it
I hit him again
And again
And again
Over and over and over and over
Each hit landing before the last one finished
I didn't wait for impact
I didn't wait for recovery
I moved ahead of him
Hitting him to where I was going to be next
Forcing his body through the air like it belonged to me
A right hook
His head snapped
A knee into his ribs
I felt something give
A left straight into his jaw
And I followed him as he fell
Not chasing
Controlling
Driving him down
And then—
One final punch
Straight into his chest
And I heard it
Fuxi
I didn't see him
But I felt it
He cast something on me
Not a sigil
Not a chant
Something else
Something deeper
Something that forced my body past what it should've been able to do
Past what I understood strength to be
Past what I was
And when my fist landed
BOOOOOOM
The air disappeared
Not pushed
Gone
A vacuum
For a split second everything collapsed inward
Then it exploded outward
Violent
Uncontrolled
Massive
The force tore through me too
I felt it rip through the right side of my body
Flesh gone
Bone gone
Just gone
I didn't even feel the pain at first
My body hit the ground hard
Rolling
Breaking again
But it didn't matter
Because it was already coming back
Slow
Then faster
Fuxi landed near me
I barely saw him
But I felt it
A sigil
Healing
Forcing my body back together faster than it should've
"…u… u did it…"
His voice was low
Tired
"I… I think I did…"
My leg formed back under me
Not clean
But enough
I stood up
My body still rebuilding
Still breaking
Still forcing itself forward
And I screamed
"I AM MARRICK"
My voice tore out of me raw
"I AM THE EMPEROR OF THE WORLD!!!"
For a moment
There was nothing
No movement
No pressure
Just silence
Then
I felt it
He was getting up
Slow
But not weak
Not broken
I looked
And I saw it
His chest
A massive spiderweb crack across the molten surface
Proof
We hurt him
"…you are nothing"
That voice again
But this time
It wasn't amused
It wasn't mocking
It was cold
"…and now…"
The air changed
He stepped forward
"…I will show you how weak you truly are"
Another step
"…how pathetic you are"
The heat spiked
"…and how pointless your life has been"
Everything around him started to melt
"…I'm done playing"
The ground behind him broke open
Not cracked
Opened
And they came out
Molten beasts
Not formed clean
Not shaped fully
Just mass and heat and movement
Dozens
Then more
They rushed me
I didn't stop
I tore through them
One punch
Gone
Another
Destroyed
Their bodies burst apart under every hit
But more came
Endless
And behind them
He moved
Toward Fuxi
"No—"
I tried to move
Tried to push through them
But they kept coming
Slowing me
Holding me
Forcing me back
"…watch"
That word hit harder than anything else
I looked up
And I saw him
Fuxi
Floating
Barely
His wings weren't moving right
His body—
Already broken
And Huǒ Róng Yuán was in front of him
"…you did well"
His hand moved
Too fast
He grabbed Fuxi by the robe
And then—
He hit him
Once
Fuxi's head snapped back
Twice
Something broke
Three times
His body folded
He wasn't trying to kill him
I knew it
He could have ended it instantly
But he didn't
He was controlling it
Making it slow
Making it hurt
For him
For me
"…look at him"
He glanced at me
Smiling
That same sick smile
The same one
"…this is what you trust"
He hit him again
And again
Fuxi's face—
I couldn't even recognize it anymore
Blood
Bone
His horn cracked
His wings hung useless
His body barely held together
"STOP—"
I tore through another beast
And another
And another
Didn't matter how many I killed
More replaced them
Endless
So I stopped caring about them
I ran through them
Let them hit me
Burn me
Didn't matter
I just needed to get there
And I did
I broke through
Finally
And I saw him
Up close
Fuxi
Barely alive
His skull caved in
His face gone
His body destroyed
"…Huǒ Róng Yuán…"
My voice came out low
"…let him go"
"…hahaha…"
This time
The laugh was different
Dry
Empty
But still filled with that same disgusting enjoyment
"…no"
I knew it
I knew it the moment he said it
He was going to kill him
Now
I moved
Everything I had left
Everything
I shot forward
But I wasn't fast enough
Not even close
Before I reached him
Before I even got within an inch—
He ripped him in half
Clean
Effortless
Like it meant nothing
The force of my dash carried me forward
And he threw it
The upper half
At me
It hit me
I felt it break against my body
What was left of him
And I was sent flying
I crashed
Rolled
Forced myself back up
And I was already moving again
I slammed into Huǒ Róng Yuán
Finally
But it didn't matter
His tail wrapped around my neck instantly
Tight
Lifting me off the ground
And then—
He started hitting me
Again
And again
And again
Just like before
My body broke with every hit
My torso caved in
My bones shattered
My vision blurred
But none of that mattered
Because now
There was nothing left to hold back
Nothing left to protect
Nothing left to wait for
"…I'm going to kill you…"
My voice came out broken
Barely there
"…I'm going to slaughter you…"
Another hit
Didn't matter
"…I'm going to destroy you"
Because now
There was nothing left
Except that
His fist hit me
And I felt it
Not some sharp pain
Not something clean
It was heavy
Like my whole body got compressed for a second
Like everything inside me shifted out of place at once
The impact sent me flying
Air ripped past me as the ground disappeared beneath my feet
But I twisted mid-air
Forced my body back under control
And shot straight back at him
No pause
No distance
I closed the gap instantly
My fist slammed into his face
A deep, solid impact
Not soft
Not clean
Heavy
The kind that travels through your arm and into your chest
I didn't stop there
I grabbed his shoulder
Pulled myself in
And drove my knee into his side
Once
Twice
Again
Each hit landing harder than the last
I felt resistance
Solid
Dense
But not unmoving
That was enough
That was all I needed
I shifted my weight
Turned my body
And drove my elbow into his jaw
His head moved
Just a little
But it moved
I stepped in closer
Didn't give him space
Didn't give him time
I kept hitting him
Short strikes
Fast
Relentless
Every movement leading into the next
No wasted motion
No hesitation
Then—
His tail moved
Fast
Too fast
It wrapped around my arm
And yanked
My body twisted with it
My shoulder strained hard
Something pulled
But I didn't let go
I stepped forward with it
Let it drag me in instead of pulling me away
And slammed my head into his
A sharp crack echoed out
My vision blurred for a second
Didn't matter
I stayed in close
Because that was the only place I could fight him
Close enough that he couldn't fully swing
Close enough that every hit mattered
I drove my fist into his stomach
Again
Again
Again
Each one deeper than the last
Until—
His hand caught my face
Not fast
Not rushed
Just precise
And then—
He slammed me down
Hard
The ground exploded under me
Dirt and stone shot up around my body
The impact knocked the air out of me completely
For a second
I couldn't breathe
Couldn't move
Couldn't think
But I forced it
Forced my body to move anyway
I rolled
Barely avoiding the next strike as it shattered the ground where I had been
I pushed myself up
Not fully steady
But enough
And rushed him again
I swung
Everything behind it
He didn't block
Didn't dodge
He took it
The impact echoed
His head turned slightly
Just slightly
"…that's it?"
My jaw tightened
I stepped in again
Grabbed his head
And slammed my knee into his face
Once
Twice
Again
Fast
Relentless
I didn't give him space to respond
Didn't give him time to speak again
I just kept going
He caught my leg
Stopped it mid-motion
"…you still don't understand"
His grip tightened
Pain shot up my leg
Not breaking
But close
Too close
So I twisted
Forced myself forward instead of pulling back
And drove my fist into his chest
Point blank
Over
And over
And over
Each hit shaking my own body
Each hit pushing everything I had left
Until I felt it
That same thing as before
A slight give
A shift
Not damage
But pressure building
Then—
Heat
His body temperature spiked instantly
My skin burned where I touched him
The air warped around us
But I didn't move
Didn't stop
I kept hitting him
Even as it burned
Even as my vision started to shake
Then he grabbed me
One hand on my chest
And shoved
Not a strike
Just force
And I was launched back
Sliding across the ground
Tearing through dirt and stone until I stopped
I pushed up immediately
Breathing hard now
My body starting to feel it
But I ignored it
I ran at him again
Faster this time
More reckless
I didn't slow down as I got close
I crashed into him
Driving him back a step
Just one
But I felt it
I felt him move
So I went harder
Punch
Elbow
Knee
Head
Everything
I threw everything into him
No rhythm
No pattern
Just force
Just intent
And this time
He responded
His fist slammed into my side
Heavy
Deep
The kind of hit that lingers
But I didn't fall
I grabbed his arm
Held it in place
And hit him again
And again
And again
Blood filled my mouth
Didn't know if it was mine or his
Didn't care
Because now
He was actually fighting back
And that meant
This was real
The ground around us cracked deeper
Each step breaking it further
Each hit shaking everything around us
The mountain behind him began to split
Stone falling in massive chunks
The air itself felt unstable
Like it couldn't handle what we were doing
But I didn't stop
I couldn't stop
Because if I did
Even for a second
He would end it
And I knew that
So I kept going
Even as my body slowed
Even as my hits got heavier
Even as everything started to break down
I kept going
I ran at him again
But this time
He didn't wait
He moved first
His foot slammed into the ground
BOOOOM
The entire mountain face behind me shattered
Not cracked
Shattered
Boulders the size of buildings ripped free from the cliffside
And before they even started falling
He kicked one
Like it weighed nothing
It tore through the air toward me
I didn't dodge
I stepped into it
And punched
BOOM
The moment my fist connected
The boulder didn't just break
It exploded forward
The force of my punch tearing through it
Stone shattered outward—
But not randomly
The impact carried through the debris
Condensing it
Twisting it
Until—
It formed
A massive, jagged construct of stone
A crude creature
Born from force alone
It roared—
And I drove it forward with everything I had
Straight at him
He didn't move
Didn't dodge
Didn't even raise his arms
"…you're learning"
Then he inhaled
And exhaled heat
Not fire
Not flames
Just raw heat
The air warped
The stone creature melted mid-charge
Its body collapsing into molten fragments before it could even reach him
But I was already there
Right behind it
Using it as cover
My fist slammed into his chest
Right on that fracture
BOOOOOOM
The impact rang out differently this time
Not solid
Not perfect
Something gave
His body shifted back half a step
Just half
But I saw it
I felt it
And I smiled
"…there it is"
His eyes dropped to me
Slow
Heavy
And for the first time
There was something else there
Not boredom
Not amusement
Something sharper
"…again"
His tail came from behind
I barely saw it
It wrapped around my torso
Tight
Then slammed me through the ground
BOOOOM
Rock and dirt exploded upward as my body was driven deep into the earth
Before I could even react—
He dragged me out
And swung me
My body tore through stone like it wasn't there
Breaking through layers of the mountain
Before he let go
I flew
Crashing through another ridge
Rolling
Breaking
Then I stopped
For a second
Everything went quiet
Dust filled the air
My body didn't move
Didn't respond
Then—
It forced itself up
Slow
Unsteady
But moving
I spat blood
Wiped my mouth
"…not enough"
I grabbed the ground beneath me
And ripped it up
A massive slab of rock
Bigger than anything before
And I threw it
Not at him
Above him
High into the air
Then I ran
Straight at him again
He didn't look up
Didn't care
So I forced him to
I swung
He blocked
The impact cracked the ground beneath us
And at that exact moment—
The slab fell
He glanced up—
Just for a second
That was enough
I drove my fist into his side
Point blank
BOOOOM
The falling mass crashed into both of us
The entire area collapsed inward
Stone burying everything
Crushing
Grinding
But I didn't stop
Even under all that weight
I kept hitting him
Each punch sending shockwaves through the rubble
Breaking it apart from the inside
Then—
Heat
Again
Stronger this time
Much stronger
The rock around us began to glow
Then melt
Then explode outward
BOOOOOOOM
Everything was blown away
I was thrown back
My body skidding across molten ground
As he stood there
At the center
Unmoving
Unshaken
His body glowing brighter now
Cracks spreading further across his chest
Magma leaking through them
Dripping
Burning the ground beneath him
"…you think this is pressure?"
His voice was deeper now
Heavier
Like something was breaking loose inside him
"…this is nothing"
He raised his arm
And the mountain behind him—
Melted
Not slowly
Not over time
Instantly
An entire section of it collapsed into molten earth
And from it—
Shapes began to rise
Massive
Distorted
Molten beasts
Formed from the mountain itself
Their bodies dripping heat
Their forms unstable
But powerful
Very powerful
"…stay alive"
They moved
All at once
Toward me
I didn't hesitate
I ran straight into them
The first one swung—
I ducked
Drove my fist upward
Its body exploded apart
Molten stone splashing across my skin
Burning
But I didn't stop
The second one slammed into me
Driving me into the ground
Its weight crushing
Its heat suffocating
I grabbed its head
And forced it down
Slamming it into the ground
Again
Again
Until it broke apart
The third one grabbed me
Lifted me
Tried to tear me apart
I drove my head forward
Cracked through it
Then ripped myself free
Destroying it from the inside
I stood there
Surrounded by heat
By destruction
By what used to be a mountain
Breathing heavy
Body torn
Burning
But still moving
Still standing
I looked at him
Through all of it
"…I'm not dying here"
He smiled
That same smile
But wider now
Cracked
Unstable
"…good"
And then—
He stepped forward
And the ground beneath him collapsed
Not from force
But from presence
The air twisted
The heat spiked
Everything around us began to break down
Because now
He wasn't holding back
At all
The ground was gone
Not destroyed
Gone
Everything that used to be there—stone, trees, ridges—
Flattened
Burned
Shattered into something unrecognizable
And in the middle of it
He stood there
Huo Rong Yuan
His body looked worse now
Not weak
Never weak
But worn
That spiderweb fracture across his chest had spread wider
Light pulsing through it
Uneven
Unstable
His shoulders rose and fell slowly
Heat pouring off him in waves
The air around him shaking with it
"…you're still standing"
His voice wasn't amused anymore
Not fully
There was something else in it now
Something heavier
I spat blood
Forced myself upright
My body screamed at me to stop
Every step felt wrong
Unstable
But I moved anyway
"…I told you"
I took a step forward
Then another
"…I'm not dying here"
He stared at me
Silent for a second
Then—
He bent down
And grabbed the ground
What little was left of it
His hand sank into the broken terrain
And when he pulled up—
He tore a massive chunk of it free
Bigger than anything before
Cracked
Burning
Dripping from his heat
He didn't throw it right away
He waited
Watching me
"…then prove it"
And he hurled it
Not fast
But heavy
Unavoidable
I didn't go around it
Didn't slow down
I ran straight at it
And jumped
My foot hit the surface of the flying mass
Just for a second
Enough
I pushed off it
Using it
Turning his attack into distance
Closing the gap instantly
I came down on him
Both fists together
BOOOOOM
The impact drove him into the ground
The earth collapsed under us
A deep crater forming instantly
I didn't stop
I kept hitting him
Over
And over
Each punch slamming into his chest
That fractured point
Again
Again
Again
Until I felt it
It shifted
Not a small shift
Not pressure
Damage
Real damage
His body tensed
And then—
His hand grabbed my throat
Tight
Too tight
He lifted me
Off the ground
"…good"
That word again
But this time
It wasn't praise
It was acceptance
Then he slammed me down
BOOOOOM
The impact blurred everything
Before I could recover—
His fist came down
Crashing into my side
Again
And again
And again
Each hit slower than before
But heavier
Like he was putting everything into them now
Not testing
Ending
My body broke under it
I felt it
Bones shifting
Organs struggling to keep up
But I didn't stop
I reached up
Grabbed his arm
And pulled myself into the next hit
Closing the distance again
My forehead slammed into his
A sharp crack echoed
I didn't pull back
I stayed there
Pressing into him
Breathing heavy
"…you're not the only one"
I drove my fist forward
Straight into that fracture
Everything I had left
Everything
BOOOOOOOOOOM
The sound was different
Deep
Heavy
Final
The crack across his chest spread violently
Splitting wider
Molten light bursting through it
His body jerked
For the first time
Not controlled
Not steady
He staggered
One step back
Then another
I didn't give him time
I rushed him again
My vision blurring now
My body barely holding together
But I didn't care
I hit him again
And again
Each punch weaker than the last
But still landing
Still pushing
Until—
He caught my final punch
Stopped it
Just like that
We stood there
Both of us barely holding on
Breathing heavy
Broken
Burned
Covered in blood and ash
"…this is it"
He said it quietly
No mocking
No arrogance
Just fact
I smiled
"…yeah"
So I stepped forward
Even though my body didn't want to move
Even though everything inside me screamed to stop
I stepped forward anyway
And threw one last punch
Not fast
Not perfect
Just everything I had left
He moved too
At the same time
His fist coming toward me
Heavy
Final
We collided
BOOOOOOOOOOOM
The impact erased everything around us
The ground shattered outward
Dust
Fire
Stone
Everything blown away in a massive wave
And then—
Silence
For a moment
Nothing moved
Nothing existed but the aftermath
Then—
I dropped to one knee
My arm hanging
Barely able to breathe
I forced my head up
Forced my eyes open
And looked at him
Huo Rong Yuan stood there
Still upright
But not steady
That fracture across his chest—
It wasn't holding anymore
It had split too far
Too deep
Light poured out of it uncontrollably
His body started to give
Slowly
Piece by piece
He looked down at it
Then back at me
"…hm"
A quiet breath left him
Almost a laugh
"…so this is how it ends"
His body cracked further
Molten light spilling out
Breaking him apart from the inside
He didn't move
Didn't try to stop it
He just stood there
Looking at me
"…you did well"
And then—
He collapsed
Not falling
Not crashing
Just giving out
His body breaking apart as it hit the ground
The heat fading
The pressure disappearing
Until there was nothing left
But me
Kneeling
In the ruins
Of everything we destroyed
I stayed there
For a long time
Not moving
Not speaking
Just breathing
Because I was still alive
And he wasn't
"…I won"
But it didn't feel like it
Not really
Because everything around me
Everything that used to exist here
Was gone
And it was because of us
Because of me
I looked down at my hands
Still shaking
Still covered in blood
"…I won…"
But this time
It sounded quieter
————
END
( holy sh#t that was a lite this is most definitely the most I have ever written and I hope u guys like it )