THE TWELVE FLAMES 2
923 Words
Using his improved Qi Sense, Chris searched for the Cores of the flames hidden within their bodies. He darted across the battlefield, dodging attacks from all sides, while using a massive pillar to shield himself from a huge incoming fireball.
The pillar shattered instantly, crumbling into pieces as dust exploded into the air.
He activated Void Step, blinking rapidly across the battlefield—appearing on the ceiling, wall surfaces, behind pillars, and even mid-air in mere seconds.
*Omo, these guys no wan give up [Man, these guys don’t want to give up]. They’re too fast, and this place is getting way too hot.*
[Alert!]
[Oxygen Levels At 70%]
*Yeah, I can tell. My skin is f*****g burning,* he thought through gritted teeth, narrowly dodging a massive sword s***h.
"Stop running around, brat!" the Golden Flame Guardian thundered, unleashing hundreds of massive hammer strikes that manifested across the left side of the hall.
[Rhythmic Combat Intuition Still In Motion]
The Naija youth evaded them all, combining sharp streetwise instincts with precise timing at the very last second. He flowed like white smoke—one moment he was there, the next he wasn’t—leaving only faint traces of his Core Qi behind.
"Stop swinging like a brute, golden bastard!" Chris mocked with a soft smile, suspended mid-air.
He landed softly on the ground, eyes scanning the advancing attacks. Suddenly, the air went silent. Behind him, the Violet Flame Guardian materialized in a flicker of purple mist.
"You're not as fast as you think, mortal."
Adrenaline surged through Chris as his eyes widened in raw disbelief.
*When did he get behind me?*
Dual daggers sliced across his back before he could fully react.
"Argh!" He grunted, clenching his jaw tightly.
Blood sprayed into the air like mist from a perfume can. The cuts burned with soul-piercing heat.
[25x Recovery Still In Motion]
[25x Recovery Bugged Temporarily]
[18x Recovery Engaged]
*These guys don dey vex me [These guys are really pissing me off]. I need to handle the annoying ones first.*
The Violet Flame charged again from the side. Chris spun, evading another s***h, then unleashed a Core Shockwave that hurled the assassin into a large pillar several feet away.
But the Golden Flame was already closing in, swinging his war hammer in a wide, devastating arc.
"I've got you now, boy," it grinned, spinning the massive hammer rapidly. The air itself seemed to part before the force of the blow.
*s**t, this guy na real bastard [s**t, this guy is a real bastard].*
The impact smashed into Chris’s shoulder, slamming him hard into a diamond-shaped statue. Cracks spiderwebbed across the sculpture.
He coughed out blood, his pupils shaking violently.
[Host Body Status: Few Broken Ribs. Internal Bleeding at 20%]
"f*****g bastards," he whispered, wiping blood from his cut lip with his sleeve. "Body no be firewood [The body is not firewood / I can’t take endless beating]… but una don awaken the demon in me [but you all have awakened the demon in me]."
He pushed off the statue and landed on the ground with a deafening boom, eyes blazing with fury. At that moment, the Archer fired a barrage of homing azure arrows while two Emerald-Flame warriors trapped him inside a blazing cage, cutting off his escape.
"Naija Heritage: Shield of Shege!"
His palm shield intercepted many of the arrows. Chris weaved and dodged the rest, but several still grazed his arms and legs, leaving deep cauterized wounds.
"Mmmm!" He growled, biting the inside of his mouth until blood trickled from his lips. His robe was now soaked in blood, glued to his flesh. The soles of his boots were slowly melting, and sweat poured down his brows and chin onto the scorching ground.
[Adrenaline & Willpower Surge 80%]
With a primal roar, Chris charged forward, his skin sizzling as he burst through the blazing cage. Using Void Step, he appeared directly before the Emerald Guardians.
He slammed the first one into the ground, then grabbed the second by the throat. His fingers sank into the flames as the guardian choked and struggled. Its fiery body erupted, burning Chris’s skin down to the bone.
*Very hot… but you’re finished.*
With his other hand infused with Core Qi, Chris sliced the guardian’s Core cleanly in two. The Emerald Flame collapsed, its fire going silent.
The second guardian reappeared, stabbing him in the side with a burning emerald blade.
Blood spilled from Chris’s nose. His vision blurred as his insides felt like they were frying.
"Is that all you can do, burning bastard?" he growled, staring deeply into the guardian’s eyes.
Despite its struggles, Chris lifted it off the ground with one hand and crushed its Core with the other.
Thud!
The emerald’s eyes dimmed, its fiery body flickering out.
[Assassin's Debuff Neutralized]
[25x Recovery Back Online]
[Adrenaline & Willpower Surge 100%]
[No Pain-No Gain Engaged]
[Host Body Status: Critical Damage. Restoring Lost Skin: 40%]
[Time Until Fully Healed: 30 Minutes]
"Now, which of you bastards wants to go next?!" Chris roared. "All of you, come at me! Come and be ready to battle to the death! Naija doesn’t back down, and we no dey waver [we don’t waver / we don’t falter]!"
His eyes glowed bright gold as his aura detonated. The entire hall vibrated violently, and pebbles floated into the air, defying gravity.
A few of the guardians froze, fingers twitching on their weapons, but their expressions quickly hardened with resolve.
Chris charged forward, leaving behind a trail of shattered earth and rising dust.
- Writer
