Axel quickly assessed the situation and realized that extracting that Ethernano mine would take hours—perhaps days. That gave him a valuable window of opportunity, but at the same time exponentially increased the risk of being detected if he took too long.
He retreated a few meters, merging once more with the darkness of the forest, and discreetly opened the System interface. He needed to act fast—and with maximum impact.
He had noticed an item in the Shop that was perfect for infiltration and mass elimination.
[Mana Grenade]
Cost: 40 PCRank: CEffect: Releases a concentrated Ethernano explosion, causing shock damage and disorientation in a 5-meter radius.
The Mana Grenade was cheap and effective, but Axel saw a way to turn it into a devastating weapon using his new Magic.
Simple. Cheap. Efficient.
But Axel saw beyond the standard description.
(Axel's thoughts):The Mana Grenade causes shock damage. But with Artificer Magic, I can "saturate" its exterior with my Black Fire before throwing it. The Artificer lets me understand its composition, and Black Fire is the perfect trigger.
— Ddraig, if I saturate the Mana Grenade with Black Fire, the Ethernano explosion won't just disperse the flames—it'll turn it into an Incendiary Grenade, right?
— Theoretically, yes, partner. The Mana Grenade's shock will act as a catalyst for the concentrated Black Fire. It will be a double attack: physical shock and continuous mana-consuming damage. An ingenious plan. I approve.
Axel didn't hesitate.
He bought three units.
[Mana Grenade (x3) – Cost: 120 PC][120 PC DEDUCTED. Remaining PC: 660 PC.]
The three grenades appeared in his hand. Small metallic spheres, each with a red Lacrima pulsing at its center.
Axel immediately began the modification process.
He extended his hand and initiated rapid enhancement using Artificer Magic (Lv. 1). He used Flow Analysis to "map" the grenade's exterior, then forced Black Fire (Lv. 1) to settle onto the metal surface like a thin layer of magical soot.
The process required mana and focus, but he succeeded. The three grenades now had a matte black sheen and seemed to absorb the surrounding light.
[ARTIFICER OBJECTIVE COMPLETED: Creation of Incendiary Grenade (Basic)]
Axel returned to his covered position. The clearing was calm. The Guild Master was still standing at the fissure entrance, motionless, observing.
(Axel's thoughts):I'll use two grenades on the common mages and save the third. Precision is everything. I need to hit the Master.
Axel took a deep breath, using the Emperor's Eyes to calculate distance and trajectory. The wind was in his favor.
He pulled the pin on the first Incendiary Grenade.
He threw the first grenade with force and precision into the exact center of the bandits working near the crystal piles. He quickly threw the second grenade at the group near the fissure entrance.
CRACK! CRACK!
The grenades exploded almost simultaneously. The initial Ethernano shock stunned the bandits. However, the true terror came with the Black Fire. The explosion turned the flames into a sudden inferno, engulfing ten of the bandits in pain and panic. Screams erupted throughout the clearing.
The Guild Master, however, reacted instantly. Before the flames could reach him, he raised a dark Mana barrier that absorbed the impact of the second explosive and the Black Fire.
— ATTACK! WHO'S THERE?! — the Master roared, his voice laden with power, his dark eyes sweeping the forest.
Axel did not hesitate. He had the Master disoriented, but unharmed.
He pulled the pin from the third and final Incendiary Grenade, but this time he saturated it with every bit of Black Fire focus his Mana 32 could withstand. He hurled it directly at the Guild Master's barrier.
The grenade struck the barrier. There was no shock explosion, but the concentrated Black Fire clung to the Mana shield.
ZZSHHH!
The Guild Master let out a sound of pain and took a step back. The Black Fire was consuming his magical defense, forcing an enormous Mana drain to dissipate the attack.
The plan worked. The lackeys were eliminated or paralyzed by panic and flames, and the leader was worn down and furious.
Axel stepped out of cover, Ddraig's tattoo burning beneath his skin.
— Winged Eye, the party's over!
The fury of the Dark Guild Master was palpable in the air. He had dispelled the Black Fire consuming his barrier, but not before Axel's third Incendiary Grenade had dealt real damage. Part of his left arm and leg were visibly burned, dark smoke rising from his skin.
— You bastard! Do you know who you're messing with?! I am Brisha, the Ash Master, guild master of the Winged Eye! You little brat, I'll tear you apart for everything you've done to me and my subordinates!
Brisha charged at Axel at surprising speed, throwing a direct, powerful punch.
Axel reacted instinctively.
— Boosted Gear! —
VUP!
The tattoo on his left arm exploded into crimson light, materializing the imposing Scarlet Gauntlet. He used the gauntlet to block Brisha's punch.
[BOOST!]Ddraig's guttural voice echoed, amplifying the mage's power.
The collision between the gauntlet and Brisha's fist made the air tremble. Axel felt a sharp pain, but the base strength of the Boosted Gear and his own Strength were enough to deflect the attack.
Brisha stepped back, furious, and began conjuring his Ash Magic. A gray, smoky magic circle appeared in his hand.
— ASH EXPLOSION! — he shouted.
From the magic circle emerged a sphere of condensed ash that shot toward Axel. He narrowly dodged using Shadow Step. The sphere struck the ground where he had been an instant earlier, and the resulting explosion covered the clearing in thick gray mist, cutting off vision and light.
— Magical fog, partner! Perfect for your Shadow Step! Use Magic Vision and attack before he recovers! — Ddraig ordered.
The gray mist was useless against Axel. His Emperor's Eyes, working together with Magic Vision, pierced through the fog, revealing Brisha panting and disoriented, trying to conjure his next attack.
With a quick thought, Axel used Shadow Step to sprint toward him. He channeled Black Fire into his right fist (the one not equipped with the Boosted Gear), concentrating the dense flame into a spherical form.
— FIRE PUNCH! —
Axel landed a precise Black Fire punch directly into Brisha's chest. The impact was amplified by Shadow Step's speed and the consuming power of the black flame.
The Ash Master let out a groan of pain and was thrown backward, hitting the ground with a dull thud. The strike hit his Mana core. Though strong, the Ash Master was visibly shaken. Axel's precision had capitalized on the initial damage from the Incendiary Grenade.
Axel was breathing heavily, but unharmed.
— Good hit, partner. But he's still standing. And be careful! The common bandits are starting to move in the mist! — Ddraig warned.
Axel couldn't give Brisha time to recover. With the Ash Master on the defensive and the ash fog still lingering, he had the vision advantage.
Before Brisha could reorient himself, Axel fired a concentrated burst of Black Fire in his direction to delay him. The black flames forced Brisha to expend Mana to create an instinctive defense.
While the fire engulfed the Master, Axel used Shadow Step to disappear and reappear behind him. The crimson gauntlet gleamed on his left arm.
— DOUBLE BOOST! —
[BOOST! BOOST!]Ddraig's voice vibrated, doubling and quadrupling Axel's power.
Axel delivered a powerful strike with the equipped gauntlet. Brisha, still disoriented by the previous attack and struggling against the Black Fire, failed to react to the combined blows. The impact caused significant damage to his torso. He went rolling and slammed violently into a tree.
Brisha staggered back to his feet, pure hatred etched across his face. Through the Emperor's Eyes, Axel could see the flow of Magic in his body growing weaker and more unstable. He knew the Master would make a desperate move.
— I'll kill you! — he screamed, his voice hoarse. — SACRIFICE MAGIC! FUNERAL ASH THEFT!
What Axel witnessed next was an act of cruel black magic.
Brisha spread his arms. A dark purple aura emanated from him and connected to his fallen subordinates. The bodies of the bandits—those unconscious or merely wounded—began to disintegrate into smoke and ash. He was stealing what remained of their Ethernano and life force to empower his own magic.
Brisha staggered, but his dark aura became dense and powerful once more. He had replenished himself through an act of magical necromancy.
He laughed maniacally. — You're dead, brat! ASH MAGIC: DROSOPHILA FUNEBRIS!
A massive magic circle appeared before him, releasing hundreds of ash flies toward Axel. It was disgusting; they buzzed sharply, fast and lethal, made of toxic Mana and corrosive ash.
Axel knew he couldn't simply dodge a swarm.
— I need to get rid of them fast!
He extended his left hand, feeling the pain of Mana drain and Vitality 25 as he forced the artifact.
— BOOST! —
[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]Ddraig's voice rang out a third time, pushing Axel's power to a new peak.
Axel channeled all his remaining Mana into his Black Fire Magic and the Gauntlet.
— BLACK FIRE MAGIC: BLACK LOTUS RHO AIAS! —
This was a spell Axel had been training and refining for several days, inspired by the concept of Rho Aias: The Seven Rings That Cover the Fiery Heavens from the Fate universe. Of course, it didn't possess the true defensive power of Rho Aias; it was merely an adaptation based on the shield's shape.
The Black Fire manifested not as an offensive flame, but as a series of seven concentric barriers of black fire, spinning rapidly and forming a rotating lotus. The density of the black flame, combined with the rotation speed boosted by the Boost, created a wall of Ethernano consumption.
The ash flies struck the Black Lotus. The ravenous Black Fire did not burn them—it consumed them, dematerializing them in seconds.
The barrier held, but the Mana expenditure was monumental. Axel was gasping for breath.
Brisha, shocked to see his most powerful attack repelled, was frozen in place. He was exhausted after the sacrifice and the assault.
Axel had to capitalize on the final moment.
— Now, Ddraig!
— FINISH IT, PARTNER!
The crimson gauntlet shone with an intensity never seen before. Axel charged toward Brisha, left arm drawn back. He could no longer use another Black Fire spell, but a punch amplified by the Boosted Gear was more than enough.
— DRACONIC PUNCH! —
The punch struck Brisha square in the face. The sound was like a tree splitting. Brisha was sent flying backward, landing several meters away and lying motionless. The force of the final Boost made Axel stagger, but he remained standing.
Silence fell over the clearing. The ash mist began to dissipate. The Ethernano mine was secured, and the Ash Master was defeated.