OLD-WORLD EXTRA

Chapter 83 Fire II

As the monster's fiery breath filled his view, Emir quickly activated his TDS ability to the maximum, slowing down his perception of time to the millisecond.

He watched as the flames inched towards him at an agonizingly slow pace, the licks of fire spreading around him.

[Lyra... How is this possible? Aren't I in a sci-fi world? This doesn't make any sense, like, how is a salamander spewing out fire? JUST WHAT IN THE SEVEN HELLS IS GOING ON?! WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING FROM ME?!]

[Calm down, Emir. Based on my calculations, the flame will reach you in two seconds, so we only have a few hundred milliseconds to talk. I'll answer your most important questions in the meantime. You can't go into a fight with an S+ rank monster while distracted.]

[Okay, okay, I'm calm. No problems here. It's just that I'm seeing a monster spew out magic-like flames, and this is the first time I'm hearing about it. Something as important as this wouldn't be hidden from hunters under your oh-so-great organization, would it?] He said, his telepathic words overflowing with sarcasm to the highest degree.

[I offer no apologies for this, Emir. And I can do nothing about it, as you must understand that the Order wishes to control its hunters' current and future endeavors, so offering you information regarding this would potentially increase the number of variables we would have to account for, decreasing our ability to keep you in check.]

Emir's mind raced with questions and suspicions.

This confirmed something that he had always suspected, the fact that most to all of his memories had been manipulated by the Order, whether it was related to the novel or not.

And it also eluded to something that shook him to the core, but he couldn't, he didn't dare believe it.

'This also might be what Lyra told me some time ago, that it would all be revealed...' Emir concluded as he continued his questioning.

[I get that, but you can at least tell me now, right? After all, the Order definitely didn't account for Arcadia to interfere with me to this degree.]

[Correct. Arcadia's interference ruined our plans. As for this Fiend-ranked monster, let's not get into specifics for now, but expect monsters ranked S+ and above to have similar supernatural abilities. It isn't the magic that you expect it to be, but rather another form of energy, Aether. I'll brief you on all those details later.]

[Wait, wait, wait, you just glossed over something huge, you just said Aether right? That's an actual thing?]

[Yes, Aether is a real thing, as I said, I'll further explain this later as the cat is already out of the bag. In the context of this monster, its flames are not ordinary flames but rather an ability that comes from its evolution to use Aether.]

[These flames are incredibly dangerous and can melt anything they touch, making the monster a formidable opponent for someone of your level. Additionally, its physical strength is on par with its fiery abilities, as its body has also evolved to reach this advanced state.]

Emir pondered the information he had just received. Aether, this mysterious energy intrigued him, but he knew he had to focus on the imminent danger at hand.

[So how can I kill something seemingly invulnerable?]

[Arcadia must have placed restrictions on the monster no matter what, as she can never go against her 'fair' code. So, there is something that you can exploit.]

[I can assume that you know what that something is, correct?]

[Yes, but due to a binding contract I have with Arcadia, I am unable to offer any assistance in this matter. You will have to find a solution on your own.]

[Thanks for the help.] His telepathic words once again oozed with sarcasm.

[Time is up. You have to move now if you wish to survive.]

Emir snapped back to reality, feeling the intense heat radiating through his A-rank augmented suit.

The suit's force field protected him, but the heat was still unbearable.

Sweat dripped down his forehead, mixing with the intense concentration on his face.

With the upcoming battle in mind, his eyes scanned the area, searching for any possible opening in the raging inferno that he could slip through unscathed.

After a few moments, his sharp gaze managed to locate a narrow crevice between two fiery tongues.

It was a slim chance, but it was his only shot at survival.

He readied himself to slide through it, his heart pounding in his chest.

With a subtle motion, he crouched low, his knees bent and ready like a coiled spring waiting to be released.

With his attention fixated on his legs, he made swift alterations to his augmented suit.

He shut down the force shield and channeled all the energy towards strengthening his lower limbs.

In response to his commands, the suit eagerly complied, sending a surge of power to his tensed legs, and amplifying his potential velocity to unimaginable levels.

His consciousness became as calm as the surface of a still lake, devoid of any ripples or disturbance.

Emir's breathing was slow and controlled, matching the rhythm of his beating heart.

With a sudden stillness in the air, the world around him became a tableau, as if time had frozen completely, allowing him to perceive every minute detail of the situation with pristine clarity.

He could hear the monster's breathing as if it were caught in an endless loop, feel the scorching heat of its halted fiery breath on his skin, and smell the pungent odor of burnt air.

His senses were heightened, and he used every bit of information to his advantage.

With a sudden burst of speed, his legs tensed and then unleashed their full force, propelling him forward with incredible velocity.

His augmented suit responded perfectly to his movements, amplifying his strength and agility to superhuman levels.

The force was so powerful that his knees buckled under the strain, but he maintained his balance and continued moving forward.

And as he charged towards the gap in the flames, his body was perfectly parallel to the ground, and his arms were held tightly to his sides.

The heat was intense, like a thousand cruel suns bearing down on him, and he gritted his teeth against the pain.

But despite the searing heat and the danger of the situation, he felt a sense of exhilaration coursing through him, the rush of adrenaline heightening his senses even further.

This was the moment he had trained for, the moment where he could prove himself against the most formidable of opponents.

With a final burst of effort, he slid through the gap, his body slicing through the flames like a knife through butter.

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