Shooting like a bullet towards the sky, at every step Helial jumped about ten meters higher, getting closer and closer to Pseudonym. Helial's body, covered with white flames, seemed to belong to a celestial being, despite the fact that illusory horns had appeared on the boy's head and strange symbols covered some of his fingers.

Whenever he placed his foot on a Runic Framework, created above the flames, he was able to walk in mid-air.

While Pseudonym had used the Black Flame of the Phoenix to condense two artificial wings, Helial could not have done the same. Coming from a Qilin, its flame could not assume properties unrelated to its origin; just like a Qilin, Helial could never have wings. Therefore, he had decided to follow Kirin’s example, using his flames to touch the ceiling of the skies.

Wings? Who needed them!

BOOM BOOM BOOM

With each step, mini-explosions were generated which made Helial jump towards Pseudonym at an exorbitant speed.

At that point, the boy raised an arm, brandishing Curse of the Demon in mid-air, and the whole world seemed to darken, while Helial's Aura looked more and more like that of a Devil.

The sword above his head, Helial had the same pose he had taken when he had been able to hurt Cesar's palm. Accumulating Mana to launch the most devastating attack in his arsenal, Helial smiled placidly.

If he had been able to scratch an Immortal, then he would have been able to create problems for a warrior in the Third Phase. Pseudonym's real strength was superior to his Phase, but it didn't matter: after all, he couldn't be stronger than Cesar, couldn't he?

Helial was about to launch his attack when Pseudonym appeared in front of him with devastating speed, taking him by surprise.

"A fight of a few seconds is not interesting," croaked the armour.

Helial frowned.

Pseudonym's Aura had just fallen to the Initial stage of the Second Phase. The warrior was holding back his potential to fight on par with Helial!

The young disciple of the King felt wounded in his pride.

“Did you get here? Well, you are worthy of crossing swords with me,” said Pseudonym, suddenly throwing both his black blades at his opponent.

The words of the legend of Orma did nothing but put salt in the wound. Helial had believed he could fight the Champion without any kind of mercy on his part.

With a roar capable of tearing the sky, Helial clasped both hands around the hilt of Curse of the Demon and struck a blow against Pseudonym.

The two black swords of the Champion stopped in a scissor-like grip against Helial's enormous pitch-black weapon. A terrifying shock wave was generated, which razed to the ground within a radius of 50 meters, opening a crack in the ground below them.

Releasing the tension in his arms, Helial loosened the grip that held the swords and Curse of the Demon stuck. Then, with a swift movement, he sent the black weapons back to their owner's hands.

The corners of Helial's mouth rose, forming a smile.

Looking defiantly at Pseudonym, Helial sensed that the armour was also having fun. It must have been difficult for the legend of Orma to find someone who could counteract his superhuman power.

However, Helial could not deny that, as excited as he might feel, Pseudonym's attack had had a devastating effect on him. His arms were sore and a large bleeding wound had opened between his thumb and forefinger. And he had only faced one exchange!

Even if the wound had closed in a few seconds, thanks to the young man's frightening regenerative abilities, the meaning of that injury was terribly eloquent: Pseudonym had reduced his Aura to the same level as Helial, but in any case remained superior to him in a direct clash.

Pointing a hand to the enemy's chest, Helial snorted coldly.

Skill Activated:

Death Flame Pistol

Lv: 2

Rank: Master

Degree of Knowledge: Energy Manipulation

Radius: 100 meters

Damage: 43.000-50.000

Present Effects:

Damage decreases proportionately the increase in distance.

Cost: 1.000 Mana

Casting time: 0,5 Sec

Efficiency: 99.9%

By condensing the Mana and bringing it to the maximum Density the body can withstand, releases a ranged attack made of pure energy.

Mana is imbued with the principles of Life and Destruction.

Exp: 88%

BANG!

A bullet of white flame shot out of Helial's hand in a split second.

Pseudonym did not seem bothered by the speed of the enemy attack. Throwing one of the two swords into the air behind him, he shot a black bullet with his left hand.

Skill Activated:

Phoenix Gun

BOOM!

The two bullets collided and, to Helial's terror, Phoenix Gun dissolved Death Flame Pistol without difficulty, reaching his chest.

The boy spat out a mouthful of blood, without holding back, ready for another attack.

But, before he could realize what was happening, Pseudonym kicked him in the chest, completing a backward somersault and picking up the sword thrown into the air a second earlier.

The metallic taste of blood, mixed with humiliation, filled Helial's mouth.

Placing two fingers on his chest, the boy realized that Phoenix Gun had left a two centimetres wound, exposing the bones of his chest, with part of the sternum clearly visible.

As the meat vibrated and closed again visibly, Helial felt a shiver of excitement run down his back.

His eyes became bloodshot.

Pseudonym's attack had mirrored his own. Not only had that cursed lowered his Phase to equate it with his own, but he had also used an identical Skill.

And, judging by the effect, it was also much stronger than Death Flame Pistol!

He must have reached at least the Master rank and gone up 6 or 7 levels ... The fame of Pseudonym is certainly deserved. That's what Circe meant. Phoenix Gun has the same principle as Death Flame Pistol, and its energy is even less pure and destructive, yet his knowledge of Skills and Mana have allowed him to suppress my attack as if it were nothing, thought Helial, more and more enthusiastic.

In fact, Death Flame Pistol had very stringent requirements. It was a skill that Helial had created based on Mana of Life and Destruction. By fusing the principles of Life and Destruction, the power of that Ability was not measurable with common sense.

Helial remembered Iblis' words during the clash between Pseudonym and Xen. Pseudonym was so strong because he had a goal for which he would sacrifice his whole life.

Pseudonym looked impassively at his opponent. If Helial could have seen inside the armour, he would have seen a smile appear on the Champion's lips; and, if he could have read his mind, he would have heard words that would have healed the wound in his pride that Pseudonym had opened just before: No mercy!

Skill Activated:

Phoenix Gun

"Do you think it's so easy to make fun of me?" laughed Helial, making Curse of the Demon disappear and creating countless seals with his hands.

Skill Activated:

Runic framework

Warning: Effects are forced, cost increased by 500%.

Three Runic Frameworks appeared in front of Helial.

"Do you want to flee?" laughed Pseudonym, seeing the Runic Frameworks form before his eyes.

Without answering, Helial pointed his hand at the three Runic Frameworks in series.

Skill Activated:

Death Flame Pistol

Warning: 500% cost increase, critical Mana thickening.

As Mana for the Skill began to flow through his arm's Meridians, Helial exasperated the effects of Runic Control to further compress the terrifying power of that attack.

This time, Pseudonym would not be able to fight back, he was sure of it.