Burned

Loud cheering filled the audience area, all coming from those paying attention to Arena 7. Blazing flames and overpowering darkness clashed in a battle of wills, roaring flames radiating heat all around the arena, while shrinking around an acolyte trapped in the middle. Meanwhile, another acolyte kept on creating complicated gestures in the air with his hands in order to direct the spell.

"Hey, Emery! I think you should just give up!" Gerri shouted from outside the flames.

"Nope, not happening!" Emery answered.

"If you stay any longer, you might become today's dinner… Roasted Emery, with charred skin and ashen bones… Urp, now that certainly is a disturbing image…" Gerri's face turned pale and he scrunched up his expression in disgust.

"Damn, Gerri! You really have quite the disturbing mind!" Emery shouted, trying to keep his expression straight.

"Come on, my friend! Just give up! I don't want you to die!" Gerri shouted.

"… Wait, since when are we friends?" Emery asked.

"Dammit, Emery, you hurt my feelings! Remember, I saved your sorry ass from the madman Lodos back in the virtual game! You don't think of me as a friend already?"

"Okay, my friend. Can you release me from this flame prison, then? It's so hot."

Gerri laughed. "How about you just give up? I'll treat you to some cold drinks afterwards, I promise."

"Haha!" Emery laughed at Gerri. "Honestly, that is a very tempting offer, but nope, I need to win this game no matter what!"

"Suit yourself then." Gerri shrugged and continued casting. "Don't come crying to me later on."

The flaming sphere kept on shrinking, encasing Emery in a tighter prison following the ticking of the clock. The increased defense he obtained from [Granite Skin] was losing its effect and Emery could feel the flames licking his skin directly now. He felt as if he was being slowly cooked.

He needed to think of a way out, very fast. Even though all the heat had started to make him dizzy, Emery was still able to think. He sensed that the flaming sphere was less dangerous, as he did not use Gerri's purple flames. There might be a reason why Gerri did not choose to burn his body to a crisp right away.

From the way the flames shrank and how they moved far too slowly, Emery concluded the main strength of the spell did not lie in its trapping purpose, but in the damage over time resulting from the slow, but sure increase of the heat. Those who were able to realize this fact would know the only way to escape was to walk out.

It might seem counterintuitive to walk out of the spell, since he would get burned the moment he walked through the flaming wall. However, the damage he would sustain over time if he kept on staying here would be much worse. It would be better to run out straight away than to waste his time thinking.

There was no other way and no other reason to delay other than a futile attempt of keeping himself safe. Emery decided to pull all the energy from his spirit core into another [Granite Skin] spell, before jumping out of the shrinking sphere.

Upon seeing the trapped Emery jump out from the flame prison, the audience cheered. However, Emery was not out of the woods yet. The audience could see that, even though he managed to escape, some of the flames from the sphere were stuck on his body and started to wreathe his clammy skin in uncomfortable flames.

"Wrong choice, Emery! I told you, you can't get away from my spell that easily!"

Gerri kept on casting the spell, and the flames scattered to follow Emery from different directions, always sticking close to him like shadows, even though he moved quickly in order to avoid them.

No matter where he went, the flames would persistently follow and stick close to him.

Emery was able to tell that his [Granite Skin] was reaching its limit. In addition, when Gerri decided to unleash all his strength, the orange flames following him started to glow purple. Gerri had just increased the strength of his spell to the limit.

Within moments, Emery's defensive spell crumbled down. The feeling of the purple flames' full might made Emery tumble and kneel down.

"Give up, Emery! You have no chance to win!"

"No!"

Emery briefly entertained the thought of using his fey transformation. If anything, perhaps the increase of physical would give a good solution for his current problems.

Emery pushed through the flame, even though wounds had started appearing on his skin. He channeled all his energy towards his dark core, trying to maintain his [Granite Skin] spell even if, deep down, he knew his attempts would be futile. As if answering his plea, all of a sudden Emery could feel an unusual reaction from his darkness core. The stage four darkness core seemed to expand and reach out, brimming with power to defend against the relentless assault of the flames. In an instant, he felt a new connection form between darkness, earth and another element.

The element he had been practicing the last 10 days. The green spirit, plant element.

Emery was able to let the elements successfully converge together. Their convergence carried a burst of energy coursing through his flesh and bones, reinforcing it with a layer of magical energy and a dark green, shining cover similar to that of a beautiful crystal.

[Skin hardness increased!]

[Elemental resistance increased!]

[You have learned a new spell!]

[Jade Skin]

[Spell categorized as tier 4]

Even though his body was still ablaze with violet flames, the dark green crystal that formed all around his body somehow made the fire less painful than before. Emery gathered his strength and stood up.

"What?! No fucking way! What did you do?!" Gerri shouted in disbelief.

Emery gritted his teeth and decided to ignore the violet fire still burning atop his body and picked up his fallen sword.

He was about to dash forward and attempt to attack Gerri once more. But right as he took his stance, the flames all over his body started to fade before dying off in a puff of smoke.

Emery looked at Gerri and saw the acolyte raising both his hands.

"Okay, okay! I give up!" Gerri said playfully, grinning while still raising his hands.

"..."

"Don't be too surprised ok.. I told you before, my limit is ten minutes. Now, I'm out of gas already, so… I give up. This is your win, friend."

Right as the words of surrender left Gerri's mouth, a notification appeared in Emery's mind.

[Congratulations! You won the second match!]

Emery stared at the notification, still a bit startled his opponent would just give up like that. He was unable to dwell on it too much. Right as the notification disappeared, Gerri threw something at him, hitting his face.

It was a piece of robe.

"Hey, Emery, I know you're happy, but seriously, it's inappropriate to go around naked in a public place like this."