In his monster form, Stahlin raised both his new “arms” and proceeded to take a huge swipe at me.

I managed to dodge it using Wind Step.

“Hey now, that could’ve squashed me!”

“STILL ACTING COCKY, YOU BRAAAAATTTTT!'

I was being sarcastic, you know.

Stahlin’s demonic form launched a volley of strikes at me. I evaded them all of course while occasionally slashing some to dispel them. But every time I slashed, those limbs reformed. How troublesome.

“LET’S SEE HOW LONG YOU CAN FIGHT BACK WITH THAT TINY SWORD!”

“Bigger doesn’t make you better. But I think you forgot one fundamental thing.”

“ENOUGH OF YOUR DRIBBLE! NOW DIEEEEEEEEE!!!!’

Stahlin raised another flaming arm.

But this time, I simply raised my free hand. A massive Magic Seal appeared and hovered between me and Stahlin’s fist. It made contact and was blocked with a resound GONG* that caused a shockwave that reverberated throughout the area.

“W-WHAT’S THIS?!”

“Like I said. You’ve forgotten one important thing...I am a Mage.”

I pulled out my Wand once more from the Hammerspace and raised it high, invoking another Magic Seal appearing from the tip.

“Water...heed my command!”

The ground around us began to shake. Stahlin looked bewildered as he looked around. A loud rumbling sound could be heard.

What’s there to be surprised about?

I’m just gathering water from the surrounding moat.

On cue, a massive wall of water rose from the lake surrounding the Imperial Palace and loomed over it as though it engulfed it. I could hear screams from the people in and outside the palace.

Well, that’s not my problem for now.

I twirled my wand and the water gathered around me, completely washing away Stahlin in the process.

“Aqua Construct: Aoi Seiryuu!”

The torrent of water solidified until it formed a massive and mighty oriental dragon that was commonly depicted in the Ryukyu region. I rode atop a said dragon.

My dragon then faced “flame demon” Stahlin, its fangs bared. His demonic form had seemed to have shrunk on the account of being washed away by that surge of water just now.

Well then...shall we begin Phase 2?

I can’t tell if since his whole body was completely encased in flames but that loud “RAAAAAAAAGHHH!!!!” before releasing his wings and charging at me into the air seems to me to be his way of saying "this isn't over!".

That being said, it seems those wings weren’t for show.

Stahlin launched a volley of flame punches and claw strikes at me while I repelled them using water shields and water blasts. Stahlin swung a huge flaming arm at me and I countered it by having my water dragon block it with its tail.

I then launched my volley of ice blocks at Stahlin who blocked it with its wings. In response, I made the ice into sharp lances and they pierced through.

Stahlin let out a roar of flames at me. What are you N*tsu? So he had projectile attacks too?

I waved my wand and caused my water dragon to release a roar of its own made of water.

The two attacks colliding caused a shockwave that could be felt throughout the capital.

“HAHAHAHA! IMPRESSIVE! TO THINK YOU WERE THIS SKILLED! BUT LET’S SEE IF YOU CAN HANDLE THIS!”

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Stahlin began to create a massive fireball that was blazing like the sun. Parts of the Water Dragon were evaporating from just the heat of it.

“WITH THIS IT’S OVER! DEMONIC SUN!”

Stahlin hurled that massive fireball right at me!

I pointed my wand and cast a Spell of my creation.

“Consume all and cease to exist! Black Hole!”

I conjured a tiny dark sphere no bigger than a coin. But the moment that blazing sun made contact with it was completely consumed by it.

“W-WHAT?! IMPOSSIBLE?!”

“What’s impossible about it? Black holes are known to swallow up stars.”

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GOING AT?!”

Um...Astronomy?

"Well, do you have anything else?"

I brandished my wand.

We continued blasting each other, causing massive explosions to rock the skies of Olympia.

“AHAHAHAHA! JUST HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP THAT ATTACK GOING?”

He noticed that my water dragon was diminishing significantly. Well, my water-based attacks were supplied by the very dragon itself. Not to mention all those attacks and powerful defensive spells were draining my magical energy.

As for Stahlin...Oi, doesn’t it seem he was getting even bigger?

Come to think of it. How is he able to still supply magic enough for this demon that merged with him? That technique was forbidden because the finality of it would cause him to permanently merge and manifest the demon. But to maintain his control and himself from being swallowed up, he still required his magic power.

In all honesty, my Magical Capacity was a lot higher than his so I know I can still keep up a fight. Even if he had merged with Ifrit, I thought for sure it was only a matter of time before he expanded his magical power and the demon would swallow him up then I would kill it.

Which only means…

I had an inkling of what was going on.

“The Mana Furnace Project….”

Stahlin’s eyes widened with surprise before an evil grin began to spread on his demonic face.

“SO YOU REALIZED IT NOW?!”

“You fool. That project had been shut down a century ago because it could destabilize your mana circuits and destroy you!”

“INDEED BUT WITH TRIAL AND ERROR THIS GENIUS ME WAS ABLE TO PERFECT IT!”

“Trial and error...but how could you...No...those missing children!”

“IT SEEMS YOU ARE SHARPER THAN WHAT YOU LED ME TO BELIEVE! THOSE BRATS SERVED A BETTER PURPOSE THAN BEING RATS ON THE STREET!”

I thought there was a connection. There were reports of kidnapped children from those orphanages or vanishing off the street here and there. This man used them as lab rats for the Mana Furnace Project!

The Mana Furnace Project was essentially an experiment to see if one can increase their mana capacity through an external source. One can replenish their mana through potions and let it absorbed through the body naturally. But the Mana Furnace Project involves injecting Mana directly into your Mana Circuits by force. The pain through that can destroy you both mentally and physically. Stahlin openly admitting he had been using those children as lab rats to perfect it sickened me to the core.

I couldn’t imagine the state they were in with having massive Mana injected into them. The pain would be excruciating.

I need to put an end to this.

“I see...that means I have to stop playing around and kill you here.”

“LET'S SEE IF YOU STILL HAVE ENOUGH MAGIC POWER TO STOP THIS!”

Stahlin began to gather massive amounts of Magic Power in his hands. Damn! He’s planning to do something big! He raises both hands towards the sky.

“DEUS ETIAM!”

The cloudy night sky rumbled and roared. The clouds parted revealing a night sky…and a massive meteor crashing towards us!

“Grand...Magic…”

I say in disbelief. This is a spell that would take a multitude of high-rank mages to attempt.

I can hear screams of panic and despair amongst the people throughout the capital as they see that massive meteor coming down. If that thing hits...it won’t just take out the capital. It can destroy the whole Central Region of the Continent!

“You’re going to commit genocide!”

“IF I CAN’T HAVE ATLANTASIA THEN NOBODY CAN!!!”

What a cliche statement. Rather, what was I thinking, talking sense to this guy about moralities? But like hell, I’m going to let you harm anybody else. This has gone on long enough.

I waved my wand and caused my water dragon to wrap itself around Stahlin.

“WHAT ARE YOU-”

I quickly reached into my cloak and pulled out several bottles of High-Grade Mana Restore. I quickly downed all the bottles. Blegh?! Disgusting! I quickly felt my Mana restored to at least 90%.

I leaped off the Water Dragon’s head, and used Flight Magic amplified with Wind Magic and Fire Magic to propel me straight into the meteor.

Seeing what I was going to do, Stahlin’s laughs could be heard as he yelled out to me.

“WHAT CAN A BRAT LIKE YOU CAN DO AGAINST A GRAND MAGIC?!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!”

What can I do?

Well, rather than retort...I’ll show you!

I quickly pulled to a stop as I reached the incoming meteor. Man, that thing is huge! And it was way hotter than the Demonic Sun from earlier.

I then withdrew my sword from the Hammerspace once more. I gripped the handle.

The Blade’s true potential is drawn out by the one who wields it.

I remember my Mentor’s words to me.

Gathering all my focus into the blade. Focusing on my concept.

“Amanokawa Style: One Slash - Severed Reality!”

I slashed my sword.

In an instant, the gigantic meteor that threatened to destroy Atlantasia’s Capital...was sliced cleanly in half!

But I didn’t just slash the meteor.

I slashed the “space” it occupied. This causes it to collapse upon itself. The meteor halves were sucked into that collapsing space and with a poof.

It was gone as though nothing was there.