the battle against the mythical Djinns(3)

The cavern was a blazing inferno, with waves of fire consuming the rocky terrain and turning the air into a scorching furnace. Duke stood firm, his silver hair matted with sweat, his fiery sword gripped tightly in his hand. Across from him, the Djinn of Pride loomed, an imposing figure with glowing eyes and a wicked grin. Flames danced along the Djinn's body, its aura radiating overwhelming heat and power.

Duke:

"You think your fire is stronger than mine, huh? Let's see if you can handle this!"

With a roar, Duke swung his sword, releasing a torrent of flames that surged toward the Djinn like a tidal wave. The fire consumed the ground, leaving charred black streaks in its wake.

The Djinn of Pride laughed, raising a hand to meet the attack. A shield of golden flames erupted around it, swallowing Duke's inferno effortlessly.

Djinn of Pride:

"Pathetic. You dare challenge me, mortal? My flames are born of true pride, unyielding and eternal!"

It countered with a massive fireball, its heat so intense that the very air shimmered around it. Duke barely had time to react, dodging to the side as the fireball slammed into the cavern wall, exploding into a cascade of molten rock.

Duke gritted his teeth, the heat oppressive and unrelenting. His flames might have been powerful, but the Djinn's magic was on a completely different level.

Duke:

"Damn it… I can't let this thing overpower me."

He took a deep breath, gathering mana into his core. His sword began to glow brighter, flames wrapping around it like a living entity. The cavern trembled as Duke unleashed his full power.

Duke:

"Infernal Blade – Phoenix Strike!"

He lunged forward, his sword leaving a trail of searing fire in its wake. The flames coalesced into the shape of a massive phoenix, its wings stretching wide as it screeched toward the Djinn.

The Djinn's expression shifted slightly, its grin faltering for the first time. It raised both hands, conjuring a vortex of fire to counter the attack. The two forces collided, sending shockwaves rippling through the cavern.

The phoenix screeched again, pushing through the vortex inch by inch. Duke poured every ounce of his strength into the attack, sweat pouring down his face.

Duke:

"Not so confident now, are you?!"

Djinn of Pride:

"Foolish mortal! You underestimate my pride!"

With a burst of energy, the Djinn shattered the phoenix, flames scattering in every direction. Duke was thrown back, slamming into a rock wall.

Duke struggled to his feet, his breathing ragged. The Djinn of Pride was already advancing, its aura growing stronger with every step.

Djinn of Pride:

"You are brave, I'll give you that. But bravery without strength is meaningless."

It raised its hand, summoning a massive pillar of fire that erupted from the ground beneath Duke. He leapt to the side, barely avoiding the attack. The heat singed his clothes and skin, but he refused to back down.

Duke:

"I didn't come here to lose!"

He raised his sword, channeling more mana into it. The blade ignited once more, the flames brighter and hotter than before.

Duke:

"Infernal Blade – Twin Serpents!"

Two streams of fire shot from his sword, weaving through the air like serpents toward the Djinn. The attack was fast and precise, forcing the Djinn to focus on defense.

Djinn of Pride:

"You're persistent, mortal. I'll give you that."

It unleashed a barrier of fire that deflected one serpent, but the second slipped through, slamming into its chest. The Djinn staggered, a growl escaping its lips.

Duke smirked, seeing the opening.

Duke:

"Gotcha."

But the Djinn wasn't done. Its growl turned into laughter as it straightened, brushing off the flames that clung to its body.

Djinn of Pride:

"Impressive. But you've only seen a fraction of my power."

The cavern rumbled as the Djinn raised its arms, flames spiraling around it like a fiery tornado. The heat became unbearable, forcing Duke to take a step back.

Djinn of Pride:

"Behold the true flames of pride! Let's see how you fare against this!"

It unleashed a wave of fire that engulfed the entire cavern. Duke gritted his teeth, using his sword to shield himself as best as he could. The flames pressed against him, threatening to overwhelm him completely.

Duke:

"I can't… let it end here!"

He planted his feet firmly on the ground, pouring every ounce of mana he had left into his sword.

Duke:

"Infernal Blade – Flame Barrier!"

A dome of fire surrounded him, pushing back the Djinn's attack. The two forces clashed violently, the cavern trembling under the sheer power.

As the battle raged on, Duke's strength began to waver. The Djinn of Pride's flames were relentless, its power seemingly limitless.

Djinn of Pride:

"Is this all you've got? How disappointing."

Duke's vision blurred, his body screaming in protest. But he refused to give up.

Duke:

"Not… yet!"

With a roar, he summoned the last of his strength, his flames surging brighter than ever. The cavern was bathed in light as Duke unleashed one final attack, a massive explosion of fire that consumed everything in its path.

When the flames died down, the Djinn of Pride was still standing, its grin wider than ever.

Djinn of Pride:

"You've got spirit, mortal. But it's not enough."

Duke fell to his knees, his sword clattering to the ground. The Djinn stepped closer, its fiery aura burning brighter.

Djinn of Pride:

"I'll give you one last chance to bow before me."

But Duke simply smirked, blood dripping from his mouth.

Duke:

"Not… a chance."

Duke then begin to use flame transformation stage 1, and his aura alone shook the whole entire floor. The entire ground begin to shake, and break, the caves trembled and so did everything else, and now his body was warped in orange burning flames. That threatened to burn anything in it's path.

Duke: "well I guess it's time to get a little serious, huh Djinn of pride."

The Djinn of Pride's expression darkened, its confidence wavering for the first time.