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"Explosion Magic"
"Source: KonoSuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World!"
"Description: There is nothing that a single 'Explosion' cannot solve. If there is, then just use a few more!"
God's blessing on this wonderful system!
Phinney silently offered his praises to the system in his heart. He still had vivid memories of this particular anime, and he knew all too well that Megumin's signature Explosion Magic possessed truly terrifying destructive power.
Ignoring the lateness of the hour, Phinney immediately opened a portal to Mount Everest. He had already scouted out a specific desolate area there, a private testing ground he used exclusively for combat practice and skill calibration.
Standing high above the frozen peaks in the void of the sky, Phinney took a deep breath. He extended his palm, and following the mental instructions provided by the skill, he began to chant the incantation for the Explosion Magic.
"Darkness blacker than black, shrouded in even darker shadows,"
"I beseech thee, combine with my deep crimson!"
"The hour of awakening has arrived!"
"Descend into the infallible realm,"
"And take form as an intangible distortion!"
"Appear now!"
"Explosion!"
A blinding, brilliant crimson light erupted around Phinney, forming a massive, intricate magic circle in the air. In an instant, a colossal pillar of fire descended from the heavens, striking his target point with a cataclysmic blast!
BOOM!
Art is an explosion!
The sheer shockwave produced by the blast was so violent that it sent Phinney tumbling backward through the air, pushed far from the epicenter.
The raw power of the spell far exceeded Phinney's wildest expectations. If he hadn't been airborne, he suspected he might have been caught in the blast radius and injured by his own attack.
Immediately afterward, a wave of profound exhaustion washed over him. Had his mastery of the 'Bukujutsu' flight technique not been so refined, he might have plummeted straight down from the sky due to the sudden drain on his strength.
Releasing 'Explosion Magic' was somewhat similar to using 'Ars Magna'—it primarily consumed his spiritual energy. However, during the casting process just now, it had also involuntarily siphoned off all the Eldritch mana he had painstakingly cultivated through his training. This total expenditure was exactly why the blast had been so monstrously powerful, and why he felt so weakened afterward.
Despite his physical fatigue, Phinney's spirit was soaring with excitement. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Now this is what I call magic. This is what a true mage is supposed to look like!"
While the spells of Kamar-Taj were profound and mysterious, they didn't quite fit the image of a mage he held in his mind. No fireballs, no staves, no long-winded incantations—it just didn't feel 'official' enough.
Even Gandalf, while proficient with a sword, would still carry a staff and cast a little light to keep up appearances.
Now, Phinney finally felt like a proper, conventional mage. The only thing he was missing was a decent magic staff.
After resting for a while to recover, Phinney conducted a few more tests. Under his conscious control this time, the power wasn't quite as apocalyptic as the first shot, but it remained devastatingly strong.
He also discovered two key points: the incantation wasn't strictly fixed, but chanting definitely influenced the potency of the release to a certain degree.
For the time being, Phinney had no intention of modifying the chant. The current one was already sufficiently imposing and provided a significant boost; there was simply no need to fix what wasn't broken.
The sheer might of 'Explosion Magic' was far beyond Phinney's anticipation. This level of firepower was enough to resolve the vast majority of problems he might face. As expected, the system's description hadn't lied.
In a wonderful mood, Phinney returned home. Resolving the issue of the Abomination now seemed much simpler. From high in the sky, a few rounds of 'Explosion Magic' should do the trick; he didn't believe for a second that the Abomination could just shrug that off. His only real concern now was whether a full-power release would accidentally catch him in the crossfire.
As expected, relying on the system is better than relying on anyone else.
Phinney thought silently. Once back in his room, he sat down to summarize the various abilities he now possessed.
First, there was 'Ars Magna.' Currently, it was restricted by the Sanctums, preventing it from reaching its full reality-warping potential. It was mostly used as a support tool for his other abilities.
Second, the 'Violet Fried Chicken Rolls.' A top-tier skill that could be used to treat friends or occasionally distract enemies. It was easy to cast, cost nothing to produce, and was incredibly potent in its own way.
Then there was the high-defense 'Incursio.' This evolvable armor was currently his most vital asset. Without it, his overall combat effectiveness would drop by at least half.
Next were 'Bukujutsu' and the 'Portal' spell. These two abilities ensured that he was never truly restricted by his environment during a fight.
Finally, there was the newly acquired 'Explosion Magic.' His strongest offensive capability to date. It provided massive firepower and area-of-effect damage, causing his combat potential to skyrocket instantly.
Phinney suddenly realized that he had grown remarkably strong without even noticing it. Furthermore, he didn't seem to have any glaring weaknesses: he had ironclad defense, fierce offensive power, and the mobility to adapt to any battlefield.
"No, no... I can't get arrogant."
The moment the thought crossed his mind, Phinney quickly suppressed it. While he looked strong on paper, he wasn't invincible yet. He was more than a match for average threats, but he wasn't at the level of someone like Captain Marvel, who could dismantle an entire space fleet single-handedly.
As his strength increased, Phinney's benchmarks for comparison shifted as well. Though jumping from the level of Hawkeye and Black Widow straight to Captain Marvel was perhaps a bit of a leap.
With a heart full of satisfaction, Phinney drifted off to sleep. The next day, he went to Kamar-Taj to practice, just as he always did.
Even though his talent for Eldritch magic was mediocre and his progress was slow, it was currently the only way to increase the raw power behind his 'Ars Magna' and 'Explosion Magic.' Until he drew another ability or found an alternative method, he had to keep grinding.
Time flowed by quietly.
It had to be said that Mordo's assessment was correct: Kaecilius's talent for sorcery was far superior to Phinney's. In less than six months at Kamar-Taj, Kaecilius could already use the Sling Ring to open portals with professional ease during daily practice.
"What's the big deal? It's just a portal," Phinney grumbled under his breath from a short distance away as he watched Kaecilius effortlessly carve a gateway into the void.
If it weren't for the fact that he felt it was better to keep his cards hidden, he really wanted to show the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj what 'real' magic was supposed to look like.
Without Iron Man acting as his 'XP Farm,' Phinney's experience gain slowed down once again. Fortunately, having just completed his fifth draw, he wasn't in a desperate hurry to reach the next one. He had worked incredibly hard recently, and the process of 'grinding' experience wasn't easy. It was time to take a little breather.
On the weekend, Phinney sat on his sofa watching television. Tony's 'Stark Expo' was already in the pre-heat phase, with overwhelming advertisements ensuring that the entire world knew about it.
"Come to think of it, I wonder if that guy will still show up to attack..."
Phinney couldn't help but think of Whiplash—Ivan Vanko—who had managed to build a miniature Arc Reactor in an incredibly crude environment. Given his burning hatred for the Stark family, he definitely wouldn't be able to resist seeking revenge.
However, unlike the original timeline, Tony wasn't currently spiraling into despair and acting out. He had already synthesized the new element and significantly improved the performance of his armor.
Under these circumstances, it wouldn't be nearly as easy for the Russian to get his revenge.
In fact, Whiplash's biggest contribution to the world was likely just proving that Tony's armor might not be unique anymore—a result that the military was undoubtedly delighted to see.
After watching reports about Tony and Pepper for a while, Phinney turned off the TV. Since it was a rare day off, he didn't plan on continuing his cultivation. He decided to head out for a walk.
After leaving his house, he wandered aimlessly through the streets until, quite inexplicably, he found himself standing in front of the Captain America Museum.
(End of Chapter)