“Equip Set D,” Amelia said aloud, changing into a long-sleeved black and red lace gothic dress, a red-hooded cape, black lace garter belt with stockings, and knee-height lace-up heeled boots. The ruby on her choker necklace glowed with intensity.

You have equipped 5 compatible items from the Devil’s Brat set:

1 - ‘Fire’s Spawn Dress’. +Spirit!

2 - ‘Hell’s Runaway Cape’. +Spirit!

3 - ‘Pretty Little Devil Stockings’. +Agility!

4 - ‘Gothic Warrior Boots’. +Agility!

5 - ‘Queen’s Memento’. +Spirit!

** Full Set Bonus acquired, ‘Overprotective Overlord Father’ Passive Skill: You now possess an active Overshield equivalent to your Spirit rank. **

“Major Mastery,” Amelia started channeling, as Scarlett struggled to break free. “Fire Devotee!”

** You have gained the ability to cast Major Fire Spells without the need to channel !!! **

As a fire aura emanated from her entire body, Amelia noticed that the chains bounding her enemy would not last longer. At least I had the time to cast this... But still…

She bit her lower lip and reached out her dominant hand, channeling again, which only enraged her adversary even more. “Yeah, go ahead, prepare all you want!” Scarlett roared. “You will need it, because once I break free...!”

“Opening Vault,” Amelia announced, making a summoning circle manifest behind her. From it, a crimson-colored staff appeared and flew forward until reaching her grasp. The spikes and embellishments on the tip made it look like a villainess’ weapon of choice. “Feumori, The Underworld’s Empress Staff.”

** “Unique Weapon Summoned! Your Spirit rank has increased by two full ranks!” **

Scarlett chuckled at the sight of it, before bursting out laughing. “Yes, yes, give me your best shot! You will not have another chance.”

“Oh, believe me, I’ll take your word,” Amelia said softly, grabbing the staff with both hands and detaching the lower part, revealing a hidden katana. “Sincerely, I don’t have the Vitality to lay a scratch on you,” Amelia smirked. “but it’s a good thing that this blade uses mana instead.”

Amelia did an upward strike, drawing blood and burning Scarlett’s skin at the same time. The wound closed immediately.

** Ignore Defense Effect successfully activated! (2) uses remaining. ***

As Scarlett cried and cursed, Amelia started a Party Chat and Alan’s distraught voice was heard inside her head: “Amelia, are you okay?!”

Were you really that worried about me, silly? I’m the one worrying about you.

While Amelia privately chatted with him, Scarlett irradiated a fire aura.

“Berserk Mode,” Scarlett proclaimed with closed teeth, and her irises resembled those of a beast. The entire burning house trembled when she broke free, but Amelia waved her hand and created a different set, sprouting from the floor and roof. “Are you freaking kidding me?! Why don’t you fight me!”

“I’m on a call right now,” Amelia glanced at her, “please hold on.”

“Hey, Singular!” Alan shouted through the chat and from outside the house, infuriating her ally.

“IDIOT!”

What is he thinking?! Oh, god... In situations like this, I wonder why I...

Scarlett broke the new chains and took three steps forward before getting imprisoned again. Her hand was inches away from grabbing Amelia’s neck.

“I’m not into choking, you know,” Amelia said, glaring, stretching out her hand as she commanded all the flames surrounding them to engulf Scarlett’s body.

“This won’t kill me!” Scarlett roared as Amelia looked deep into her eyes.

“Thanks for the advice. I’ll add more power, then. Blazing Hellix!”

A spiral pillar of fire broke through the fragile roof and ascended to the clouds. Before the house collapsed, Amelia exited through the back door, strolling. The last thing she saw was the hulking woman looking charred.

Sorry, gal, but your Vitality has to be at least Gold D rank to survive that.

She glanced at the distance, where her summon beast Flaustos was fighting a dark doppelganger.

“Oh, come on! That’s not fair!”

I sounded just like Alan...

Something made the ground shake, and for a moment she thought that it was the result of the monsters clashing, but when she distinguished a blurred silhouette dashing from the burned debris, she instinctively stepped back.

“It hurt a lot. Let me return the favor,” Scarlett said a second before punching Amelia in the stomach.

Was it my imagination, or does she look at full health?

The redhead got sent flying in a straight trajectory until crashing into the neighbor’s house, 100 feet away.

** The Magic Overshield is at 30%. 120 seconds remaining to replenish it !!! **

That’s a long-ass cooldown! At least it helped me survive.

Amelia coughed blood as she watched her enemy approaching, who had changed into a red, full plate armor. Scarlet’s actual level could be seen above her head.

A Max Leveler just like me, and yeah, her HP is fully recovered...

She glanced at her surroundings and found a man sitting in front of his now destroyed table, wearing only underwear and holding a spoon aloft.

“Sorry for disturbing your dinner,” Amelia said before standing up and rapidly casting with the help of her staff, “Enhanced Dragonbreath!”

Outside, Scarlett dodged the burst of fire with ease. “Bonfire Night is over, princess. I won’t let you…” she paused after sensing a presence behind her. Before she could turn her gaze back, she was pushed 30 feet away by a feline beast made of incandescent black metal.

“Unique Skill, Pyrokinetic Construction,” Amelia muttered before glancing at her neighbor. “I’ll try to fight as far away from your house as possible, but I wouldn’t be around if I were you.”

The level 32 guy nodded and ran towards the exit, as Amelia did too through the wall’s breach.

“Major Fire Boost, Valor+!” Scarlett cast as she stood up. A fiery aura formed around her alongside her increased strength. She punched the creature, which retaliated immediately with a quick bite to Scarlett’s arm, blood sprouting from it. This thing is tough as nails! Scarlett thought. It must be at least of Golden quality.

Amelia did not waste time, as she started drawing small summoning circles. Five, ten, fifteen at great speed. “Go forth, Willows!”

Balls of fire came out of the magic circles and hovered around the enemy before turning into projectiles. When the fifth impacted against Scarlett, she grunted. "Fire Style, Meteor Punch!" With the strike, the metal beast was torn into pieces, allowing Scarlett to dodge the sixth and seven firebombs.

Watching her fight style made Amelia sneer. "Don't tell me you're copying the Golden Comet's techniques!"

"I would be a fool if I didn't!" Scarlett replied. “That woman knows her fighting. She has been quite an inspiration for me.”

A bitter memory crawled into Amelia's mind. She could remember herself lying on the ground as a hand reached to her. "That's a good Unique Skill, Amelia. With practice, you could become unstoppable..."

“But not strong enough to beat you, huh? Is that what you’re saying?”

Amelia bit her lower lip before grinning and full-on laughing. "This is perfect! From now on, I’ll treat you as an Astrid knockoff, so allow me to show you the spell I had developed with the only purpose of kicking her fat ass!”

“Bring it on!” Scarlett emanated fire from her fist, and with it, deflected the incoming fireball, sending it flying to the neighbor’s house, making it explode. Scarlett was ready for it, and refused to dodge, but the rest of the fire drones collapsed on their own around her, creating explosions. Scarlett was unscathed, but a wall of fire was now circling around her. She’s buying time to channel that spell she’s boasting about, and I’m sure she’ll create some kind of metal prison with this.

Scarlett preventively jumped upwards, but one last drone was waiting for her above. No, you won’t!

“Dragonfist!” She threw a punch, sending a burst of fire onward. The resulting blazing explosion suddenly stopped, like frozen in time, changed colors and turned glimmering and metallic, quickly forming something pointy and elongated. A lance!

“Since that’s practically still my fire orb, I still control it,” a smug Amelia could be heard from below.

The lance started swirling before getting launched downwards, which Scarlett barely caught with both hands. The kinetic force ended up sending her back to the ground, causing a quake.

Why do these things have so much power and durability? This Unique Skill resembles what Serenity can do. That would mean that these magical constructions share the User’s Spirit rank or at least a large fraction of it. She threw the inanimate lance aside and gritted her teeth. She’ll become a threat if she manages to construct something more... Scarlett looked around, noticing she had returned to the circle of fire that she had first tried to escape, which had transformed into a black shiny enclosure. You better kill me this time…

The walls closed around her until forming a 15 feet wide dome, sprouting spikes on its interior.

“Not yet,” Amelia muttered while channeling. She has already survived a one-hit killing move. If she really is imitating Astrid’s fighting style, I’ll act accordingly too. “Superior Fire Crafting, Magical Construction Style, Falsus Anima!”

“I’m still kicking!” Scarlett broke free out of the dome, while a more intense aura surrounded her body. Her body and armor looked once again unaffected.

** Notice: Your Berserker estate has augmented your Vitality by one rank. **

“Yes, I know!” she roared, thrilled. “Thanks for helping me prepare myself, princess!”

“No, thanks to you…” Amelia said, stepping forward, as a large red shadow emanated from her back while forming a torso, arms, and a horned head. “I have been looking for a long-lasting punching bag to try this...”

An Anima? Scarlett frowned. No, that’s impossible if she already has Fire Construction as her Unique Skill… The realization made her snicker. “Ha! Did you construct this? But that would mean that you have to control it yourself!”

“That’s correct,” Amelia said, as the figure behind her grew hips and breasts. “But I’m not planning on using this as a regular Anima. Why limit myself to do just that?” She hovered, getting engulfed by her creation.

She’s using that thing as if it were a suit, Scarlett thought, getting goosebumps.

The resulting magically constructed humanoid was 8 feet 2 inches tall, of red skin and four golden eyes, mirroring the User’s clothes and weapons, a katana on her right hand, and a short staff on her left one. As her features became more feminine, her black-painted lips formed a wicked grin. “In this form, call me ‘The Stranded Hell Princess!”

“Please,” Scarlett said, while salivating, “...tell me this thing is durable.”