Chapter 61: After An Hour

Kai stared at the wide ocean with a solemn expression. It had been almost an hour since he started roaming the endless forest, only to end up at the ocean. Sometimes, he felt like he was coming back to the same place.

"Maybe I should have listened to Elijah," he thought with a sigh, noticing those boats again. "What are they even doing there?" he wondered, his eyes turning into abysses with yellow pupils at the center.

Trying to scan the boat, he sensed someone noticing him as a sudden pressure appeared. Acting quickly, he covered himself and Tank with the Dark element, making them instantly disappear.

A voice rang out, "I thought I sensed them here." Someone landed at the edge where Kai and Tank were hiding.

His figure wasn't clear, but after looking around and not sensing anything anymore, he sighed. "Seems like I was wrong, huh." He turned around and disappeared.

Kai, using a type of camouflage, didn't move or deactivate his technique. "Tank, don't move, okay?" he thought, and the bear seemed to understand him without seeing him. Tank just felt his master's worry.

"Damn, we just came to this world and already there's a D- rank nearby," Kai thought, wondering if they could defeat the man who seemed to have reached the Expert realm. "I need to tell Elijah."

Somewhere far from Stella's mansion, Elijah was stretching as the old man stood opposite him. The butler had a calm expression with eyes full of confidence. Adan, Stella, and Julia stood on the sidelines watching.

"Why is Levi even fighting when he could win easily?" Stella wondered aloud.

Julia stared at her and smirked. "If you think he's going to win easily, then wait and see." Adan didn't comment, staring forward.

"Oh, you're confident that he will win, huh?" Stella smiled and said, "Then let me give you a warning. This man was once the top commander of an Empire." Stella smirked.

Julia stayed quiet. She didn't know who would win, but undermining Elijah was always a mistake.

On Elijah's side, he asked with a smile, "Hey butler, should we warm up first or what?"

"Why not," Levi replied.

"Okay then," Elijah's face showed a wide smile as blazing flames emanated from his body. "When I punch out, the fight will begin." Levi just nodded.

Julia, shocked, wondered what was going on. She thought Elijah had two elements: the lightning element and the Space element. "But he's also using fire. Why hasn't he used it before?" Her thoughts were racing, but the answer was simple.

Now, even in his base form, he could use them, and by mastering those elements, he could better utilize his Yin form. By better controlling the five base elements and fusing them together, he would be able to use his Yang form more effectively.

Elijah smiled, his voice ringing out, "Full burst: Fire Fist." He punched out, and Levi made a move, sensing the danger.

"Tiger roar," Levi countered, forming a tiger from his attack, rushing toward Elijah's Fire Fist.

Soon they clashed, and a huge explosion happened.

BOOM!

The ground cracked and shook from the impact as both figures dashed toward each other. A lotus appeared behind Elijah which was orange, the color of his flames, Their speed was unmatched, with Elijah using Flash Step to keep up with Levi, who seemed to be enjoying the battle just as much as Elijah.

Elijah's movements were swift and precise. With a quick burst of energy, he vanished and reappeared behind Levi, aiming a flaming kick at Levi's head. Levi, with his heightened senses, effortlessly dodged the attack by leaning backward. Elijah's foot swept past, leaving a trail of fire in the air. 

Levi seized the opening and countered with a powerful punch aimed at Elijah's exposed side. However, Elijah anticipated this move. Just as Levi's fist was about to connect, Elijah's body glowed with a metallic sheen as he activated 'Iron Body.'

His skin hardened instantly, turning his side into an impenetrable barrier. Levi's punch landed, but instead of causing damage, it rebounded with a resonant clang.

Not wasting a moment, Elijah twisted his body and threw a counterpunch with his fire-coated fist, aiming for Levi's midsection. Levi reacted quickly, crossing his arms in front of him to block the strike.

The impact was tremendous, forcing Levi to slide back several meters, his feet digging trenches in the ground. Both combatants paused for a split second, evaluating each other. The air around them crackled with residual energy from their attacks.

They launched forward again, their movements a blur of motion. Elijah used Flash Step repeatedly, appearing at different angles, throwing punches and kicks that were sheathed in flames. Each attack was met with equal skill by Levi, who deflected and countered with precision.

At one point, Elijah aimed a sweeping leg kick enveloped in fire at Levi's legs, intending to knock him off balance. Levi leaped into the air, avoiding the kick, and spun mid-air to deliver a downward strike with his fist.

Elijah raised his hardened arms to block, the force of Levi's punch causing a shockwave that radiated outward, shaking the trees and scattering leaves. Levi landed gracefully and immediately followed up with a rapid series of jabs.

Elijah parried them, each deflection producing sparks and minor explosions of flame. The ground beneath them began to show the strain of their battle, with cracks spider-webbing out from the points of impact.

Their clash reached a fever pitch as Elijah, using Flash Step, appeared directly in front of Levi with a blazing fist ready. "Full burst: Fire Fist!" he roared, his fist engulfed in an intense inferno. Levi responded with his own powerful technique, "Tiger Roar," his fist morphing into the shape of a roaring tiger made of pure energy.

The two attacks collided with an earth-shattering boom. A massive explosion of fire and energy erupted from the point of impact, creating a blinding light and a shockwave that flattened the surrounding area. Both combatants were thrown back from the force of the explosion, landing on their feet and sliding to a stop.

Elijah's breathing was heavy, his body steaming from the heat of his own flames. Levi stood across from him, his skin now taking on a red hue from the intense heat. Small cracks appeared on Levi's skin, flaking off to reveal a metallic layer underneath.

"You're better than I expected," Levi admitted, his voice carrying a note of respect.

Elijah smiled, wiping a trickle of sweat from his brow. "You're not so bad yourself," he replied, Both just jumped at each other.

BOOM!

Levi and Elijah faced each other in the wreckage of their battlefield. The air was thick with tension, the ground beneath their feet splintered and charred from their previous clashes. Levi's eyes gleamed with excitement, while Elijah's smile hinted at a hidden confidence.

Levi lunged first, his speed almost blinding. He closed the gap between them in an instant, his fist blazing towards Elijah's face. But Elijah was ready. With a subtle shift of his body, he dodged Levi's attack by a hair's breadth. The force of Levi's punch caused a shockwave, cracking the earth where Elijah had stood a moment before.

Seizing the moment, Elijah countered with a swift upward kick, his leg engulfed in flames. Levi blocked it with his forearm, the impact sending ripples through his steel-like skin. They exchanged blows at a rapid pace, their movements a blur of fire and steel. Each clash echoed like thunder, shaking the ground and sending sparks flying.

Elijah's mastery of Flash Step allowed him to move unpredictably, disappearing and reappearing around Levi. He attacked from every angle, his fists and feet leaving trails of fire in their wake. Levi, however, matched him with an almost supernatural reflex, his body a fortress of impenetrable defense.

The two warriors moved like dancers in a deadly ballet, their strikes precise and powerful. Elijah aimed a punch at Levi's ribs, but Levi twisted his body, redirecting the blow with a swift elbow strike. Elijah spun away, using the momentum to launch a roundhouse kick. Levi blocked it, but the force pushed him back, leaving deep grooves in the ground.

"To ashes," Elijah muttered, gathering energy in his palms. Flames spiraled around his hands, growing hotter and more intense. Levi sensed the impending danger and charged forward, trying to interrupt Elijah's attack. But Elijah was faster. He clapped his hands together, unleashing a massive burst of fire.

BOOM!

The explosion was deafening, a wave of heat and light engulfing everything in a ten-meter radius. When the flames subsided, the battlefield was a smoldering wasteland. Levi stood amidst the destruction, his skin red-hot and cracking like molten metal.

At that last moment, Levi covers his whole body with his metal element. Protecting himself from Elijah's attack

"I fell for your bait. But I did really think I could catch you before performing anything," Levi admitted, his voice steady.

"Then you were mistaken," Elijah replied calmly, raising his arm again. A new ball of fire formed, growing rapidly in size and intensity. He focused, increasing his internal circulation, enhancing his power. The fireball pulsed with energy, ready to be unleashed.

Levi's eyes narrowed, recognizing the increased threat. "Show me more." a smile formed

Levi raised his leg and slammed it onto the ground with force, forming a Metal Tiger. Elijah frowned and said, "Hotter." The temperature began to rise as his fire element increased in intensity and size, transforming into a massive, ten-meter-wide sphere that looked like a miniature sun.

"Let's warm this up," Elijah declared.

"Hahahahaha," Levi laughed as his whole body turned to metal. He jumped onto the Metal Tiger he created and charged forward.

Elijah knew his control over the element was limited, but he pushed himself. His body blazed even more intensely as he held the mini sun, now the size of Stella's mansion. With a mighty effort, he threw the fiery sphere towards Levi, its heat incinerating everything in its path. Elijah concentrated, trying to further increase its temperature from afar.

On Julia's side, she could barely contain her shock. "Damn, I can feel the heat from here," she exclaimed.

BOOM!

The ground shook violently as the mini sun collided with Levi and his Metal Tiger. The explosion was deafening, the shockwave spreading out in all directions. The ground cracked and fissured, molten rock bubbling up from beneath the surface.