I take a deep breath and exhale with crimson flame of my own. Apparently, this reptile is fireproof. It is simply standing there amidst my flame like nothing’s happening. Well then, let’s see you ignore this then,

I pump more mana into my spell matrix. As I pump more mana it, my flame starts to increase in temperature and changes color. First crimson then, azure.

And it seems its fireproof is losing effect here as it starts to squirm a little bit. After seeing that I start to pump even more mana into my spell matrix.

As the mana quantity increases my flame’s color starts to change and temperature increases. From azure it starts to turn black. I can see it’s scales starting to burn as my flame’s shade becomes darker.

But as soon as it starts to burn, it charges at me. I got no choice but to dodge to my right. It hits the cave wall behind me. Hole with my shape shatters.

While it tries to orient itself by shaking its head, I punch it in the head with my first technique with my charged gauntlet.

BOOOOOM

And nostalgic satisfying boom echoes through the cave. But as soon as the dust settles, I see it looking in my direction and bites down on my gauntleted arm.

It fails to pierce my gauntlet. But after realizing that it starts to shake me around and throws me away like dust cloth.

This time I use something I came up with during my travel in my simulations. I convert my mana into fire elemental mana and positions it around my back and makes it explode against my thrown vector.

Push from the explosion cancels out the inertia from throw. And I manage to land safely without breaking any bones.

But fucking lizard is right there when I land and rams into me with its head. Once again, I fly away. I do what I did again and stops few inches from cave walls.

It charges me again as soon as I land. I jump as high as I can to dodge the damn lizard. It hits the cave wall again. While falling I start to spin my mana vortices again in my feet.

“CRUNCH”

Again, with a crunch my kick land on its back. And again, it still fails to damage the damn lizard. And once again, I get whipped by its damn tail.

I think only way to kill it is, from the inside. And I think I got what I need. It’s not like I never did it before.

Most of the techniques in Arc’s nameless martial art are actually pretty simple. But simple doesn’t mean easy to master.

Third technique is not so different from the second. I make spinning vortex from my mana. Only difference is I make that vortex materialize physically.

Once again, I inhale deeply and exhales with my flames. As soon as the lizard saw that it starts to spit its own flames toward me.

While breathing fire I close my eyes and start to use another something I came up with. I use echolocation. But instead of special calls that echolocating animals emit, I simply substitute that by mana.

And since mana is most volatile matter it can carry more with its echo. While keeping an eye on the lizard with my echolocation I start to walk forward, closer to the lizard. Our flames cancel each other out.

While getting closer to the lizard I start to prepare to execute my third technique. First, I will my mana into my right arm. After that, I expel that mana through my palm. Next, I will my expelled mana to spin at high speed. As it gains more speed it starts to become a vortex.

While it spins, I try my utmost best to keep it contained. That is most important part about it. Keeping it contained. Smaller I manage to contain my vortex stronger it will be at the moment of impact.

As soon as I get in range, I stop breathing fire. Lizard’s flames start to bombard me. I endure the heat and keep getting closer. As soon as I reach the lizard, I shove my right arm into its open mouth while it is breathing fire.

Flames are even hotter near the point of origin. But it stops after I shoved my arm into its mouth. I let my vortex go in its mouth and pulls my right arm out of its mouth.

It backs up and spins around to whip me with its tail again. This time I fail to dodge it and get thrown away like a ragdoll again.

This time inertia was too strong for me to cancel out in time. I once again hit the cave wall, leaving one more my shaped hole in it.

But I get to see my vortex wreak havoc inside the lizard. After whipping me its body starts to distort. Like something is about to explode out of it. Still, its scales hold its body together.

Unfortunate for the lizard, that only makes it suffer more.

“ROOOAR”

After roaring in pain for five minutes it finally takes its last breath and drops dead. I feel its life-force being absorbed.

Once again, grin crawls up to my face.

But still, even though I won, it was close call. One wrong move I would have died.

“I see you have managed to survive, huh.”

“What the fuck man? You said there was nothing that could threaten me in here.”

“Well, I lied.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know what happened to you during the two years you were in the desert. But right now, you have forgotten. Forgotten where you are. I told you, this planet is a gigantic one. There are countless things that can kill you. That are stronger that you. Only by getting stronger can you survive.

I wanted to remind you that you are still weak. You may be stronger compared to people in that dukedom. But never forget you are a nothing but a tiny speck.

Fuck, the tree is right.

“I suppose thanks for the reminder then.”

“You’re welcome.”

My body heals again after two more minutes. And just as I stand up one smaller salamander enters the cave and looks at me. As soon as it saw me and the giant one it roars to its back and charges me.

I think I pissed them off by killing their boss. But that works for my favor. I dodge its charge and runs for the cave mouth. I see hundreds of salamanders running toward me.

I jump as high as I can and summon a mana bird big enough for me to stand on. After that I will my bird to fly toward the cave exit.