Fierce

She sheathed her staff and drew the Hunter Greatsword.

The Hunting Blade swirled, forming a protective circle against the flames.

But using Hunting Blade in her human form against such powerful fire miracles was difficult; she could only hold out for a short time.

Although Mithra was aware of the principle that beasts were weak against fire, she was trying to avoid using Hunting miracles and didn't want to unleash her beast form.

But she had no choice now.

Mithra unbuttoned her jacket. Her body tensed, muscles bulging, bones creaking as her form shifted.

Black and white fur billowed amidst the sparks, a beast emerging from the flames.

The Fire Seeds were shocked.

There was a second stage?!

The greatsword felt slightly off-balance in her human hands, but felt perfect in her beast form. Thirty-four Night Eyes opened, scanning the surroundings.

Mithra slammed the greatsword into the ground. "Roar—!"

With a powerful roar, the energy in the greatsword surged, unleashing Darkness Boom!

Boom!

A massive explosion centered on the greatsword, creating a large crater. The Fire Seeds were thrown back violently.

Jason spat blood, his vision blurry and his ears ringing. He tried to activate Stabilize and find the monster, but couldn't see anything.

"Above!" someone shouted.

The black mane billowed as the beast leaped into the air!

Its massive form swirled, the Hunter Greatsword a blur of motion. Each swing unleashed a rapid Hunting Blade.

It wasn't a beast wielding a sword; it was a bomber!

Blue energy exploded across the ground. The Fire Seeds caught in the strikes were instantly killed. Those who managed to dodge were still injured.

They fled in disarray.

The beast, seemingly ignoring gravity, circled before landing on a rooftop, looking down at the Fire Seeds.

Despite their disheveled state, they didn't give up.

Suddenly, a Falling Fire descended upon Mithra.

She moved, the flames incinerating the building.

More fireballs, trailing beautiful sparks, pursued her.

Mithra parried, and several fire-wreathed Fire Seeds approached, shielded by the flames.

Her dark eyes flickered.

She vanished.

Then, a shadow appeared behind them. The blue light vanished, and Hunting Shadow activated. With a single swing, she decapitated them all.

Suddenly, sparks ignited beside Mithra, exploding.

Starfire Fuel!

Mithra was engulfed in the explosion. She burst from the smoke, letting out a pained roar.

As expected, fire miracles were incredibly effective against her beast form.

Her burning fur intensified the pain of regeneration. At the peak of the pain, she felt as if her body was melting.

"Roar!" She charged towards the Fire Seed who had used Starfire Fuel, her claws scraping against the ground.

Enlightened Step!

Hunting Shadow!

Even without the invisibility, the speed of Enlightened Step was too fast for most Fire Seeds to react to, making it seem like teleportation.

The Fire Seed, sensing danger, turned to flee. A claw pierced his chest, lifting him into the air.

"Aaah...ugh...damn...I can't believe I died…" His words trailed off. The burning pain fueled Mithra's rage.

"Roar!" She bit off his head and tossed it aside.

She took another bite of fresh flesh and, discarding the body, continued her hunt. The Fire Seeds fought back desperately.

Soon, only three Fire Seeds remained.

Although some Fire Seeds, sensing defeat, attempted to flee, those who showed any weakness were immediately targeted by Mithra.

Jason, skilled in maneuvering through flames, kept trying to find an opening. He moved around Mithra, but with the reduced number of Fire Seeds, he couldn't get within ten meters.

Going closer meant certain death.

But he didn't flee. He was confident he could escape, but he chose to stay.

He couldn't defeat Mithra, but he wouldn't run. He was waiting.

The remaining two Fire Seeds unleashed a desperate attack.

[Incinerate: A fire miracle. Unleashes a devastating fire miracle. The user is at the center of the attack. The raging flames consume everything. Destruction reigns.]

[—The figure stood in the desolate wasteland. The wasteland, the desolation, was all self-created.]

This was the most powerful fire miracle Mithra had encountered. The two Fire Seeds unleashed it, charging at her.

But before they could fully unleash their power, Mithra's claws flashed across the Hunter Greatsword.

Sparks flew; a deafening sound echoed.

The blue blade sliced through them both. Before destruction could fully take hold, they were killed.

Incinerate had consumed them completely.

Mithra felt an intense heat behind her.

Turning, she saw Falling Fire forming in the sky. Below it stood Jason, the last remaining Fire Seed.

The fire seeds from the recently defeated Fire Seeds had been absorbed by Jason.

A blazing fire burned in his chest—no longer a seed, but a fully formed flame, having absorbed the power of other flames.

If he could defeat Mithra, everything would go according to plan.

If he was defeated, then he would absorb the power of the over ten fire seeds he had gathered, potentially gaining the strength to challenge Mithra.

"I didn't expect you to be a beast, but that's fine. With your help, you can't defeat me. I'm about to achieve the spiritual flame of the Fire Worshipers…"

Jason pointed to his head. "Embrace your defeat, beast,"

Falling Fire descended.

Although it was Falling Fire, the flames were fueled by his mastery, a technique capable of threatening even a bestial Wandering God. This was a truly powerful attack.

But Mithra didn't react as expected. The beast form remained motionless.

Suddenly, her massive form shrank, and dark energy emanated from her body.

The slender corpse replaced the ferocious beast. Its appearance was far less imposing. The eyes on the Hunter Greatsword quickly closed, as if avoiding something unpleasant.

The Stranger raised the greatsword. "Aaargh—!"

A sharp shriek pierced the air as Abyssal Darkness erupted from the greatsword.

There was no escape. Black smoke and white lightning rapidly spread, engulfing Jason.

Then, Falling Fire consumed the Stranger.

Boom!

Reverting from the Stranger form, Mithra collapsed, the Hunter Greatsword falling from her hand, still smoldering.

But Mithra ignored the sword.

"Ugh…retch…damn…roar…fuck…why…why…" Tears streamed down her face as she clutched her head, repeatedly activating Stabilize.

Ding ding ding ding…

This battle, if not for fire's effectiveness against beasts, would have been easier than the fight against the transformed priest in Gross Town.

But these flames had been intensely damaging and stimulating.

Even though she had switched to the Stranger form to suppress her beastly nature, it was almost out of control, even overwhelming the Stranger form.

Mithra slammed her face into the ground, gnawing on dirt and stones to suppress the urge to consume flesh.

Her will felt weakened.

Otherwise, she wouldn't be suffering so much.

What happened? Think! What happened?

Those flames…?

Jason had reached the peak. The flames were somehow corrupted. He had mentioned that the flames represented a spiritual fire…

Mithra struggled to put her thoughts together. The burns from her transformation were regenerating, and her mental distress was causing nausea and a headache.

She frantically struck the ground and anything nearby. The maw frantically tried to restrain her, but it struggled.

Jason, meanwhile, had perished in the abyss, leaving behind only his fire seed.

But Mithra didn't care about that.

She needed Stabilize. She needed to endure.

Her face and scalp were covered in wounds, but she struggled to her feet, leaning against the building.

She couldn't go far. Only when her mental turmoil subsided did the effects of Stabilize become apparent.

And then came an overwhelming exhaustion.

She collapsed amidst the flames, her vision blurring as she closed her eyes.

...

In the darkness, she saw a charred beast lying on the ground, licking its wounds. Its breathing was heavy; its empty eye sockets seemed filled with resentment and ferocity.

Mithra approached, enduring the intense gaze.

"Empathy…" she whispered.

"Empathy…" The echo seemed to come both from within her and from the beast.

"Empathy…"

Another voice, raspy, echoed from behind.

Mithra didn't turn, but the long, thin left index finger covered her eyes. The source was clear.

...

Mithra opened her eyes, back in reality.

Another strange dream.

But it wasn't as traumatic as before. It was like her first encounter with the maw and the Stranger. If this was an exchange, it was a fair one.

She looked around.

She wasn't on the street amidst the corpses. She was in a room.

She had been unconscious again, and someone had found her.

Or perhaps, the maw had helped.

She shouldn't underestimate it. Given her reckless fighting style, she might forget to activate Stabilize and collapse, relying on the maw to save her.

She and the maw had agreed to this. The maw could fight for her, but it had no control over her body during normal times.

Mithra's willpower was too strong when she was conscious. Even if she wanted to relinquish control, the maw couldn't take it.

It was also possible that the maw was simply too weak and picky.

But it wasn't the maw who had helped her this time.

The maw was upset because Mithra had been so badly burned and it had felt unwell as a result. It had only started cleaning her up once her body had almost fully regenerated.

It had even stored Mithra's weapons and put her clothes back on.

Then the other had found her.

Because they knew her and the maw don't wanted to explain its actions, it hadn't interfered.

As for who had found her…

Soft footsteps approached. Mithra looked up.

It was Cái Líyǔ.

A talented student from Shuǐxiù University's Fire Department, and a returnee who had been missing in Dreamland.

Seeing Mithra's sudden movement, Líyǔ paused, seemingly startled, but her expression remained unchanged. "You're awake…"

Mithra stood and stretched.

Her body was fully regenerated, the burns almost gone. After sleeping, her mental state had also improved. She felt excellent.

Líyǔ pointed at Mithra. "Your clothes are on backward."

Mithra: ?

She looked down.

They were.

The maw was acting dead…

After putting her clothes on correctly, Mithra said, "A slight mishap."

Líyǔ nodded.

They sat down, silent for a moment.

Then Mithra said, "Thank you for your help."

Líyǔ shook her head. "No, I didn't help you in time."

Mithra tilted her head, understanding. "You were watching?"

"I was nearby. I saw, but I didn't dare to help," Líyǔ whispered.

"It's fine. If you had helped me, I probably would have killed you," Mithra said casually. "You're a fire seed after all."

Líyǔ's breathing hitched. She looked up at Mithra, her gaze unfocused. "I… I…"

After a moment, she gave up trying to speak.

"I know how you got here," Mithra said. "A kind Fire Seed told me. And you were targeted by that long-haired redhead, right? I'm guessing you weren't red-haired because it wasn't a deliberate action,"

Líyǔ was expressionless. Her lack of expression differed from Mithra's.

While her facial expressions were minimal, her eyes and mouth betrayed her feelings. Even though her face remained still, she showed far more emotion than Mithra.

Hearing Mithra's deduction, despair flickered in her eyes. "You're right… The skyfire drew me here, and then that guy found me… I thought I was safe…"

"Oh?"

Líyǔ said, "When I returned from Dreamland, my hair was red... Back on Planet Blue, it turned dark over several months. Even after returning to Dreamland, it didn't turn red again…"

Was that another example of the weakening of miracles on Planet Blue?

Mithra pondered. "Do you remember what happened there?"

"No," Líyǔ replied.

"Do you want to kill other fire seeds?" Mithra asked.

Líyǔ hesitated, then shook her head. "I feel compelled to participate, but I resist."

"Do you resist the act of killing, or do you resist the fire seeds themselves?" Mithra asked.

Líyǔ was stunned.

Mithra reached into her chest and pulled out a burning flame from her maw.

It was Jason's fire seed, which the maw had stored since there was no space for more in her body.

"Want to try?"

Líyǔ quickly shook her head. "This is your loot. I don't deserve it."

"If you want it, you can have it. Consider it payment for your help," Mithra said.

"Even so, it's not comparable to the price you paid, and...I don't want it," Líyǔ replied.

Having been refused, Mithra tossed the fire seed into the maw's mouth. The maw protested, but to no avail.

While it could usually absorb and convert fire seeds into energy, Jason's fire seed was different; it seemed beyond the maw's capabilities.

[True Spiritfire Seed: Utilizing the power of the Blazing Man Salutisas, exploring the secrets of fire spirits, and uncovering the hidden truth beneath the Skyfall Mountains, resulting in a unique type of fire seed. It is mysteriously linked to human psychology and exists in the blurry boundaries between life and death, humanity and bestiality. The fire seed, born from the destruction of human spirits, grows in the ambiguous dreamscape, attaining a semi-mature state. It contains some of its power, quietly awaiting the moment of its full ignition.]

The description, although vague, contained a lot of information, which required Mithra's further analysis.

The source of all this was the "Salutisas" skyfire.

All the power in the Skyfall Mountains originated from its remnants.

But this incident wasn't about the Fire Worshipers trying to understand the Blazing Man's past. It was a new experiment.

According to Mithra's understanding, the Blazing Man was the source of various unique flames, allowing flames to manifest tangible power.

He was the foundation and origin of all fire miracles.

However, the Blazing Man's flames represented the purest and most extreme form of fire—heat, burning, destruction.

The other flames weren't recorded.

Flames could extend and absorb other properties, giving them new meaning.

This time, the Fire Worshipers had created a spiritual flame, which Night Eyes called "True Spiritfire."

Mithra didn't understand fire spirits, but she had recently encountered Carazo, who used "Spiritfire," a miracle that required spiritual energy. The description mentioned "unstable fire spirits."

"True Spiritfire" might have originated from a similar concept.

Mithra, with her limited knowledge of fire miracles, could only speculate further.

Suddenly, she looked down.

Líyǔ was staring blankly at the ceiling.

Right, this person should understand flames.

It would be funny if a talented student from the Fire Department didn't understand flames, especially since she should be more skilled than Mithra.

"Líyǔ, I have some questions," Mithra said.

Líyǔ quickly looked up, her downcast gaze unsettling in the dim room. "Ask."

Mithra didn't hold back, explaining the True Spiritfire information.

As a Planet Blue citizen who had been implanted with a fire seed, Líyǔ's situation was unique, and this incident was closely related to her.

Honesty was essential.

Then, she asked her own questions.

About the fire spirits in the Skyfall Mountains, the spiritual aspects of fire, etc.

Líyǔ listened, and Mithra wondered if she was even paying attention.

"Did I speak too quickly?"

Líyǔ shook her head. "The fire spirits in the Skyfall Mountains are flames that represent nascent life. But research suggests that mere life isn't enough for 'activity'. In Dreamland, the symbol of 'life' can guarantee 'existence', but not necessarily 'activity',"

Mithra was impressed by her professional explanation.

She nodded.

"To be active, or to move mechanically, requires Ki, a symbol of 'flow,' allowing power to move according to a certain logic. Or it requires a spirit, allowing for spontaneous movement and the emergence of basic consciousness," Líyǔ paused, then continued. "So, life is only the foundation of the fire spirit. The crucial part is that they also possess a spiritual component."

"In Ember City folklore, there are stories of people transforming into fire spirits after death. Joint research by the Sanctuary and Planet Blue has confirmed that this isn't entirely false. Human existence, human activity, human death…and this isn't limited to humans, but also beasts…spiritual energy accumulates and dissipates during these processes, affecting the remaining powerful flames. Thus, fire spirits are born,"

Líyǔ finished her explanation. Mithra rested her hand on her knee, pondering.

"It's similar to the description of fundamental miracles. The Sanctuary's textbooks mention this in the 'Unified Nature of Miracles and Curses' unit, where accumulated faith transforms into curses," Mithra said, gesturing.

She wasn't sure about the differences between the Sanctuary and Planet Blue's basic miracle textbooks, but Líyǔ's vacant expression indicated agreement. "Yes, it's the same concept. The accumulation of spiritual energy triggers changes,"

General education courses were mandatory for miracle majors up to the fifth year, and while they didn't delve into advanced topics, the fundamentals were still taught. Even Nie Hong could explain the concepts clearly.

Líyǔ, whose level was far above Nie Hong's, was clearly more than just a skilled fighter.

"As for the unique flames, there are many. Most can be directly activated via fire miracles. Some are unique and come from Godly fire miracles, transcending mere symbolism. Spiritually… I've heard of a Godly miracle called 'Soulfire', but I don't know much about it,"

Mithra was impressed by Líyǔ's detailed explanation.

"Theoretically, True Spiritfire is unprecedented, a new development," Mithra said.

Líyǔ nodded.

Mithra continued. "The creation of True Spiritfire is probably their main goal."

Knowing their objective would make it easier to act.

"What about you?" Mithra suddenly asked Líyǔ.

Líyǔ seemed surprised.

"You're a part of their plan. What are you going to do?"

"...Although I have no memory of that year, I don't know what they did to me. Now I'm here, compelled by some force. But I don't want to follow their plan," Líyǔ said, her voice weary.

"You haven't been affected that much. You're one of only two I've met who weren't consumed by the desire to kill fire seeds," Mithra commented.

"I don't know why. I don't have that kind of willpower. Although I feel drawn to the fire seeds, perhaps the weakening of miracles on Planet Blue is why I haven't been affected," Líyǔ said, still despondent.

Your mindset is far from "battle-hungry," but you're also too passive, Mithra thought, but didn't say it.

"Even the fire seeds don't have memories, but most willingly participate, as if they were born bloodthirsty,"

Mithra said, "Remember I said that True Spiritfire Seeds were specially prepared for 'Schizophren'?"

Líyǔ touched her bangs. "I… I'm probably normal."

"I'm normal too," Mithra said, touching her chin, her expression unchanged.

In Mithra's opinion, Líyǔ's personality was normal. Perhaps her year of being missing, her amnesia, and the change in her living environment had made her shy and withdrawn.

But her shyness wasn't a result of fear; she was genuinely normal.

It was just that the widespread abnormality among the Fire Seeds and the information from Night Eyes highlighted their mental issues.

"In short, they probably weren't specifically targeting unstable individuals; human nature is unpredictable. Even with you and that other variable, no one can guarantee that a person won't change. You were missing for a year and have been back on Planet Blue for almost a year—roughly two years. Their selection process must be more rigorous,"

Mithra spoke slowly, and Líyǔ nodded in agreement.

"The fire seeds have no memories, but they clearly did something while you were missing. To understand the full picture, those memories are crucial," Mithra said, looking at Líyǔ.

Líyǔ nodded slowly. "I hope to recover those memories."

"Good. If you want to, I can help. Consider it repayment," Mithra stood up.

"No, I didn't do anything," Líyǔ said quickly.

But Mithra ignored her. "I need to deal with the remaining fire seeds. If most of them end up with me, the Fire Worshipers won't stand idly by."

Líyǔ stood up.

"Are you coming?" Mithra asked.

Líyǔ's despondent expression steadied slightly. "Yes."

...

"Sir, we've re-examined the dreamscape and detected an anomaly at approximately three o'clock,"

The man, still sitting by the fire, frowned at the report. "Why wasn't it detected earlier?"

"The reaction was subtle, lasting only a few seconds. And there were other things happening at that time, so it was missed. We only noticed it after re-examining the data," the subordinate replied.

The man said, "Explain the situation in detail."

"A large number of fire seeds gathered and reacted as expected, producing a strong spiritual flame,"

"And there was another one at the same time?" the man was surprised.

Their focus had been on another part of the dreamscape, where a fire seed had gathered enough others and produced the desired flames.

And then, there was another, unexpectedly.

"Is this confirmed?" the man asked.

"Multiple dreamscape monitors confirmed it. But Lyrical Flamescape isn't fully under our control, so we can't examine the specifics… The dreamscape monitors plan to investigate the site directly,"

The man pondered. "Our flames trigger the dreamscape's rejection. If we intervene directly, we must use similar fire miracles. Even then, the outcome is uncertain. There are many powerful beings in the dreamscape. If we hadn't mitigated the effects, our plan would have already failed. Even so, there's still unavoidable damage, only our surplus resources prevent catastrophe,"

"So, what do you suggest?"

"Don't directly intervene. It's better not to give them a target. In a city as large as Ember City, there are surely many powerful and intelligent individuals… Compress the dreamscape," the man said.

"Compressing the dreamscape will put a massive strain on our dreamscape monitors… And the powerful individuals we've excluded might re-enter the equation," the subordinate stated, aware of his superior's nature.

The man nodded. "But haven't we already seen the emergence of a True Spiritfire Seed? True Spiritfire has absolute power in this dreamscape. Normal power can't match it. This seed will become our advantage. We don't need to investigate the other True Spiritfire Seed thoroughly. Just act boldly. Any problems will reveal themselves. If not, we'll accelerate the fire seed's gathering, and some sacrifice is necessary,"

His gaze was fixed on the bonfire, now a pillar of fire, its flames flickering like a hand reaching for something in the sky.

"Even with variables, our path is clear."

...

Mithra watched as Falling Fire, taking only five seconds to activate, incinerated a group of beast fire spirits bound together by her whips. She felt a surge of excitement; she hadn't developed any special skills in basic miracles.

Although her focus was on Godly miracles, with Ki miracles taking priority, she had dedicated considerable effort to fire miracles.

Her Falling Fire activation time was ten seconds, roughly twice as long as Líyǔ's.

Before that, however, she had swiftly killed several Fire Seeds in her beast form, activating the miracle in a second or two.

While the consequences were significant, Falling Fire's destructive power was undeniable.

Incinerating people with a sea of flames was truly satisfying.

As for Líyǔ, although she wasn't a battle-hungry redhead, her mastery of fire miracles was exceptional, far surpassing that of ordinary fire believers. Her wide range of techniques explained her prominence among students.

She had almost achieved Unified Sense, only needing to master her eyes. Achieving this at such a young age would give her an even greater advantage.

Mithra and Líyǔ eliminated the monsters and collected some distilled sense.

These fire spirits also produced distilled sense, but the amount was insignificant compared to what Mithra had obtained previously.

The increase in sense power was minimal, described by Night Eyes as "extremely negligible."

But Mithra continued collecting, accumulating power.

The maw absorbed the purer energy, demanding its cut. Mithra, however, needed the distilled sense to replenish her own sense power.

Mithra already had abundant sense power; the maw had consumed a lot, and the Abyssal miracles were still draining it.

But it was still being drained, and Mithra wanted to make the most of it.

Líyǔ warned her against it, but Mithra dismissed her.

Suddenly, Líyǔ's gaze shifted, her eyes widening in surprise and confusion.

"What?" Mithra asked after absorbing the sense.

"Many fire seeds have appeared nearby," Líyǔ replied.

Mithra paused, then asked, "Suddenly? Or did they approach gradually?"

"Suddenly. They just appeared,"

"A manually activated containment circle," Mithra said.

Mithra realized the illusion hadn't just drawn in fire seeds.

Many other individuals had also been drawn in.

Mithra could sense the increased density of people nearby.

It seemed a large-scale battle was imminent.

Suddenly, Mithra noticed some sparks.

Sparks were common in the burning city, but if manipulated skillfully, some fire miracles could be hidden.

Like Starfire Fuel.

Just as Mithra was about to act, Líyǔ swiftly moved, catching the sparks in her palm. The intense heat was instantly extinguished. Nothing happened.

[Reverse Warmth: A fire miracle. A counter-fire miracle that can reverse and negate certain fire miracles.]

Mithra had seen this miracle in her textbooks—a counter-fire miracle. It was amazing, but the creator's motives were questionable.

This miracle wasn't very practical. Mastery and strong sense power were required, and it didn't work on all fire miracles.

For example, if Starfire Fuel exploded, the reversal effect couldn't match its speed.

Ignoring Líyǔ, Mithra raised the Abhorrence staff and tapped the ground.

Boom.

She vanished, reappearing near a Fire Seed, unleashing a powerful attack.

The Fire Seed, despite his stealth, was caught off guard. His Starfire Fuel was neutralized, and Mithra's speed and power were overwhelming.

He narrowly dodged the initial attack, flames igniting on his body, then launched a flurry of attacks.

Mithra moved lightly, dodging most attacks with minimal effort. Her staff easily blocked the remaining blows.

After the attack, the Fire Seed paused, turning to catch his breath.

Mithra simply pointed her staff at his chest.

There was no attack, no transformation of the staff, no Abyssal miracle to pierce his defenses. She simply used the staff to push him out from behind the building.

Instantly, multiple Starfire Fuels exploded in his face.

Boom!

A massive explosion followed, and the Fire Seed was gone.

Mithra stepped back, brushing the dust from her hair.

Líyǔ had focused the Starfire Fuel, increasing its density, creating a concentrated barrage that overwhelmed the Fire Seed's defenses, reducing him to ash.

Having a reliable partner was helpful.

Líyǔ had mastered another technique.

Mithra tossed the fire seed to the maw. She and Cái Líyǔ exchanged glances.

As they dealt with one Fire Seed, another explosion echoed nearby—the characteristic "Skyfire" phenomenon.

Explosions rocked Ember City. Buildings were engulfed in flames.

The battle had intensified.

The Fire Seeds weren't only fighting each other; they were also attacking innocent bystanders.

Amidst the chaos, Mithra and Líyǔ efficiently eliminated fire seeds.

As the "final round" approached, the remaining Fire Seeds had absorbed significant power, and while their strength hadn't increased dramatically, their resilience had improved.

"Burn…burn! Ha ha ha ha! I'll be fuel, and you'll be fuel! The whole world will burn! Only from ashes will a new world be born!" a Fire Seed screamed, his face contorted, as Mithra used her whip to restrain him.

She absorbed his fire seed—she was lucky; he had produced distilled sense.

After absorbing it, she headed towards another battle.

She turned to see Líyǔ staring at the head, its grotesque and frenzied expression frozen in death.

"A hobby?"

"??" Even the impassive Líyǔ was taken aback by the question.

"...No, I don't like this kind of thing."

"Then why are you staring?" Mithra asked, turning away.

"I'm thinking that these fire seeds are more… abnormal than expected," Líyǔ said, exasperated.

Mithra continued walking. "Let's go." She didn't wait for a response.

Líyǔ found Mithra's attitude strange but didn't question it, sighing before continuing to follow.

Suddenly, in the distance, Mithra noticed figures moving swiftly through the air and buildings.

These figures possessed powerful, flowing Ki, their radiant senses visible even from a distance. They weren't using fire miracles. This seemed to be a group of ordinary people.

And they were facing a single opponent.

"Is that a fire seed?"

As soon as Mithra asked, a massive explosion of fire erupted, engulfing many of the attackers.

"Yes," Líyǔ replied, stunned.

But she didn't need to answer.

Mithra's Night Eyes displayed two pieces of information:

One was the powerful fire miracle, [Nirvana Bloom].

The other was related to [True Spiritfire Seed].

Clearly, it was another Fire Seed who had obtained True Spiritfire.

Unlike Jason, who had been arrogant enough to challenge Mithra and was swiftly killed, this one had fully unleashed his powers.

As the explosion subsided, the figures that had been engulfed fell to the ground, their bodies mangled.

Even being reduced to mincemeat was a testament to their strength; most would have been incinerated.

"We need to…" Líyǔ hesitated.

"That's our main objective," Mithra said, continuing to walk.

At that moment, a voice called out, "Don't go."

Mithra turned to see Carazo, one of the friendly fire seeds, standing before them.