LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 724 164.6 The Attack
Chapter 724 164.6 The Attack
The instant her flames roared to life, Irina could feel the shift in the air. The oppressive suppression field that had weighed her down was gone, replaced by the crackling energy of her awakened fire. The flames coiled around her arms like serpents ready to strike, their heat rolling off her in waves. She flexed her fingers, embers dancing between them, her hazel eyes locked on the two immobilized attackers.
Their fear was evident now-the subtle tremble in the spearman's hands, the tightness in the swordsman's jaw as he struggled against the binding force. It sent a thrill through her, a vindication of the anger simmering within her chest.
"They thought they could take me,' she thought, her lips curling into a smirk. Threaten me, mock me, and expect to get away with it.'
The purple energy holding the assailants dissipated without warning, leaving them free to move. The spearman staggered slightly before regaining his balance, his weapon raised defensively. The swordsman glanced at him briefly, their confidence clearly shaken but not entirely broken.
Irina tilted her head, her smirk widening. "What's the matter?" she taunted, her voice low and laced with mockery. "You looked so confident before."
The spearman snarled, trying to mask his unease with bravado. "You're just one girl- don't think you can-"
He didn't get to finish. With a flick of her wrist, Irina sent a wave of flames surging toward him. The fire roared to life, consuming the air between them in an instant. The spearman barely managed to leap aside, the edges of his cloak igniting as he rolled to extinguish the flames.
The swordsman lunged toward her, his jagged blade gleaming. Irina met his charge head-on, her telekinesis flaring. Shards of debris lifted around her, propelled by invisible force. The first shard struck his arm, deflecting his blade; the second slammed into his knee, forcing him to falter.
"You think you can capture me?" she hissed, her flames intensifying. "You think you can mock me and walk away?"
The swordsman growled, trying to push forward, but Irina wasn't finished. She raised her hand, flames swirling above her palm before she hurled them forward. The fire lashed out like a whip, striking his chest and sending him sprawling backward.
The spearman tried to counter, his weapon spinning toward her in a precise arc. Irina's flames flared brighter, intercepting the strike. The spear's enchantment struggled against the fire, but her telekinesis slammed into his side, throwing him off balance.
Irina stepped forward, her flames spreading like a living entity, consuming the room around her. The shattered debris she had been using moments ago ignited, turning into blazing projectiles. With each flick of her wrist, the fire danced to her will, a symphony of destruction that left no corner untouched.
The spearman scrambled to his feet, his movements desperate now as he tried to avoid the inferno. Irina's flames surged toward him, forcing him into a corner. He swung his spear wildly, but she deflected each strike with precise telekinetic force.
The swordsman wasn't faring any better. His movements were slower now, his armor scorched and his blade struggling to find its mark. Irina's fire seemed to anticipate his every move, cutting him off before he could get close.
"You're not getting out of here," she said coldly, her voice steady and commanding. "Neither of your team."
The spearman lunged again, this time with a desperate roar, but Irina was ready. She raised both hands, her flames coiling around him like a serpent. With a sharp motion, she tightened the fiery grip, the heat forcing him to drop his weapon as he screamed in pain.
The swordsman tried to retreat, his confidence crumbling, but Irina's telekinesis locked onto him. A jagged piece of blazing steel shot forward, striking his leg and pinning him in place. He snarled in pain, his blade falling from his hand.
The moment she felt the flicker of movement from her peripheral vision, Irina's instincts flared. More figures emerged from the smoke, rushing toward her from every angle, their weapons raised and glinting ominously in the fiery light of her magic.
But Irina didn't flinch. Her hazel eyes burned with defiance as she stood tall, her flames coiling and pulsing in anticipation. Without lifting her arms, she summoned a spell that surged with her signature power.
[School of Emberheart: Infernal Dominion]
The room erupted in fire as waves of flame spiraled outward from her body, coiling like fiery tendrils and lashing out in every direction. The four approaching attackers were caught in an instant, their screams silenced as the flames engulfed them, burning through armor and flesh alike.
The heat was scaring, the intensity almost blinding, but Irina stood unaffected at the center of the inferno, her eyes scanning for the next threat. She had no time to rest.
Just as she prepared to cast again, her senses screamed a warning. Another figure lunged toward her from behind, their blade aimed for her exposed side. Irina turned sharply, but before she could react, a blur of motion intercepted the attack.
CLANG!
The sound of steel meeting steel rang through the air as Astron deflected the blow with a precise, fluid strike. His dagger gleamed faintly, his movements sharp despite
the exhaustion written on his face. He drove the attacker back with a swift counter, his purple eyes narrowing as he turned toward Irina.
"You did well," she said, her tone even but laced with relief. Her flames flickered as she allowed herself a brief moment to assess him. "Are you okay?"
Astron gave a faint nod, his breathing steady but strained. "My mana is on the verge of depletion," he admitted, his voice calm despite the chaos around them. "But aside from that. I'm fine."
Irina's lips curled into a smirk, her confidence returning. "Good. Cover me, then."
"I will," he replied without hesitation, his stance steady as he turned to face the next wave of attackers.
The remaining operatives hesitated, their movements faltering as they realized the tide of the battle had turned. Between Irina's unrelenting flames and Astron's shadow-like precision, their advantage was gone. It was no longer a coordinated assault-it was a desperate attempt to salvage what they could.
The spearman and swordsman exchanged a quick glance, their earlier bravado replaced with grim determination, One of them barked an order, their voice sharp and urgent. "Pull back! Take her down if you can, but retreat!"
The operatives moved quickly, their focus shifting to escape. But Irina and Astron weren't about to let them go.
"They're running," Astron said, his purple eyes narrowing as he took in the chaotic
retreat.
Irina's flames surged around her as she took a step forward, her voice carrying over the din of the battle. "Not so fast."
The two moved in tandem, their actions coordinated without the need for words. Astron darted ahead, his movements fluid as he targeted the retreating operatives, his daggers striking with lethal precision. He cut down two as they tried to regroup, their bodies crumpling before they could reach the exit.
Meanwhile, Irina raised her arms, her flames swirling into a massive vortex that engulfed the center of the room. School of Emberheart: Pyric Tempest] Her magic surged outward, blocking the escape routes with walls of fire that forced the remaining operatives to scatter.
The spearman turned, his weapon spinning defensively as he tried to fend off the relentless assault. Irina's flames lashed toward him, and though he managed to deflect the first strike, the second wrapped around his arm, searing through flesh and forcing
him to drop his weapon.
The swordsman snarled, his jagged blade slashing at Astron in a desperate attempt to cover their retreat. But Astron moved faster, his dagger slicing cleanly through the man's guard. The swordsman stumbled back, blood dripping from a deep cut across
his side.
The battlefield crackled with tension as Irina's flames surged around her, their golden-red glow casting flickering shadows on the walls. The operatives were retreating, but their strategy shifted as they used the scattering civilians for cover. Irina's hazel eyes burned with frustration as she clenched her fists, her magic pulsating in the air around her.
"Cowards," she muttered under her breath, her flames dimming slightly as she hesitated. She couldn't risk hurting innocent bystanders.
The spearman had fallen back, clutching his charred arm, while the swordsman staggered, bleeding heavily but still on his feet. The other operatives moved in erratic patterns, slipping behind frightened civilians who huddled against the walls, their cries of panic filling the room.
Irina's lips curled in frustration. "They're using the civilians," she growled, her flames flickering with restrained intensity. "I can't... I can't unleash anything strong enough to end this without risking them."
Before she could make her next move, Astron raised a hand, his calm gesture stopping
her in her tracks.
"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice sharp but laced with confusion.
"Stop," Astron said, his tone steady and composed. His sharp purple eyes scanned the
room, taking in every detail-the operatives' movements, the civilians' positions, the exhaustion etched into Irina's face.
"Why?" Irina demanded, her flames swirling faintly around her fists, reluctant to fade entirely. "We can finish this!"
Astron's gaze turned to her, his expression unyielding. "You're injured," he said bluntly. "And we're not in a good condition for a chase. If we push too hard, we risk making
things worse."
Irina opened her mouth to argue, but his words struck a chord of reason. He wasn't
wrong her shoulder ached from an earlier strike, and her mana reserves were far
from full.
"And," Astron continued, his tone lower but still firm, "there are civilians here. We've already drawn too much attention, and now that your identity is exposed, you need to be careful about your public image"
Irina's eyes narrowed, her frustration mingling with curiosity as she studied his calm expression. He wasn't just thinking about their immediate situation-there was something deeper in his reasoning, a plan forming behind those sharp eyes.
"You're planning something," she said, her tone quieter but filled with certainty. Astron didn't deny it. Instead, he glanced at the remaining operatives, who had managed to regroup near the edge of the room, still using civilians as their shields. "We've done enough for now," he said. "Let them run. They'll reveal more about themselves later. Right now, we secure the civilians and leave this place intact." Irina hesitated, her flames dimming further as she processed his words. She hated the
idea of letting them go, hated the thought of unfinished business. But Astron's logic
was undeniable.
"Fine," she said at last, her flames fading completely as she stepped back. "But you better have a plan for when we catch them again."
Astron gave a faint nod, his focus shifting to the civilians. "Let's make sure they're safe
first."
The remaining operatives, sensing their reprieve, began retreating in carnest. Irina watched them go with a simmering frustration, her hands tightening into fists at her sides. But as she glanced at Astron again, his calm demeanor steadied her resolve. He's right, she thought begrudgingly. There's no point in reckless action now. Not when there's a bigger picture to consider.