Chapter 153: Space Aura
As Max came to the shocking conclusion, Bruce completed his attack. A dazzling lotus floated atop his hand, with flames dancing around it. The lotus seemed to have seven petals, glowing with an extremely terrifying aura.
'World Destruction Flame Lotus… Proficiency Stage,' Max thought, glancing at the flaming lotus with its seven petals.
"This is my second strongest attack," Bruce said, looking at Amelia as he tossed the lotus toward her and retreated back.
The flaming lotus detonated as it neared Amelia, leaving her no time to dodge or evade. The moment the explosion erupted, it engulfed a massive ten-meter radius, creating a fiery mushroom cloud that towered over the stage.
The ground beneath the lotus buckled under the sheer force, with hundreds of tiles shattering into fragments or melting outright from the unbearable heat. The explosion roared like a wrathful beast, the searing flames consuming everything in their path.
It was a scene of utter devastation, as though a calamity had descended upon the stage, leaving a scorching inferno in its wake. The once-pristine arena now bore the marks of chaos—blackened cracks, molten craters, and smoldering debris scattered in every direction.
The other top geniuses were slightly surprised by the destructive power of the lotus. They had heard much about it, but only a few had ever witnessed it firsthand.
But as the fiery glow began to recede, all eyes turned to the center of the blast, searching for any sign of Amelia amidst the infernal wreckage. Had the unstoppable explosion finally overcome her, or was there still more to her mysterious power?
As the dust finally settled, a figure could be seen standing on the stage. It was Amelia, appearing as though the explosion hadn't affected her in the slightest. She stood calm as ever, her hands resting on the hilt of her sword.
"How did she do it?" Arthur Gale asked, his voice trembling. Nobody should have escaped unscathed from an explosion of that level. Even if they didn't die, they would be bound to suffer some injuries. But Amelia appeared as calm as ever, as though the explosion hadn't affected her at all.
"I didn't know the East had such geniuses," Veylin said darkly, glancing at Amelia, Max, and the masked lady from the Black Lotus guild.
Crown Prince Aelric's attention had been fixed on Amelia throughout the entire exchange. Slowly, he muttered, "If I'm not mistaken... she's using Space Aura."
His words reverberated through the arena, leaving the gathered geniuses stunned. The revelation struck like a thunderclap: Space Aura—one of the rarest and most powerful auras in existence.
Understanding space was a feat few could achieve. The element was enigmatic and elusive, defying the grasp of even the most brilliant minds. Only those blessed with an innate space elemental affinity, a class tied to spatial manipulation, or an extraordinary bloodline possessed the potential to touch upon its mysteries.
For Amelia to not only comprehend but wield Space Aura was nothing short of astonishing.
'Space Aura?' Max frowned upon hearing Crown Prince Aelric. He had expected her to possess some space-related abilities, but he never imagined she had comprehended Space Aura. This made Max more serious. 'She is too strong with her Space Aura.'
Glancing down at Amelia and Bruce, Max realized that Bruce would inevitably lose the battle unless he had something that could rival the Space Aura.
On the stage, Bruce looked at Amelia in disbelief. For her to come out unscathed from the explosion was nothing short of a miracle, but to him, it was despair. 'Damn, she's become even stronger than last time,' he thought silently, closing his eyes.
Opening his eyes, Bruce's gaze burned with fiery resolve. He gripped his spear tightly, its shaft glowing red-hot as his Flame Aura surged around him like a roaring inferno. With a determined motion, he swung his spear twice in a crisscross pattern, creating two intersecting arcs of flames that hovered in the air, radiating searing heat and raw energy.
But he didn't stop there.
With relentless precision, Bruce continued to swing his spear, each motion faster and more forceful than the last. Again and again, he carved fiery arcs into the air, each intersecting at a single point. By the time he finished, twelve crisscrossing lines of blazing fire had formed, converging into a dazzling, fiery construct that seemed alive with destructive energy.
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The space around the fiery pattern shimmered and warped under the intense heat, the sheer power radiating from it surpassing even the lotus technique he had unleashed earlier. The arcs pulsed rhythmically, like a beast ready to be unleashed, their intersection glowing like a miniature sun at the center of the stage.
"This is my last and my strongest attack. If you can survive this, I will admit defeat," Bruce said, looking at Amelia as he thrust his spear toward the intersection point of the crisscross, sending it flying toward her.
As the blazing crisscross arcs hurtled toward Amelia, the air around them shimmered with the unbearable heat they radiated. The moment they reached her, just like before, they came to an abrupt halt a hand's distance away.
But this time, the sheer force of the attack was greater.
Amelia staggered, her feet sliding across the stage as the fiery arcs pushed her back, leaving trails of scorched tiles in her wake. A faint crackling sound echoed through the arena.
Crack!
The crisscross arcs finally pierced through the first invisible barrier protecting her, breaking it apart with a burst of fiery energy. The blazing attack surged forward with renewed intensity, crashing against a second barrier that shimmered faintly into view like a translucent ripple in space.
The impact unleashed a storm of power. Fierce winds raged, tearing across the arena, and the flames roared wildly, attempting to burn through the invisible wall. The fiery arcs pulsated with energy, refusing to yield, but the second wall held firm, defying their overwhelming might.
A tense standoff unfolded, the stage trembling as the two forces clashed. Sparks of fire scattered through the air, the heat growing oppressive as the crisscross arcs strained to overcome the barrier. Meanwhile, the invisible wall seemed unyielding, its mysterious strength holding the raging flames at bay.
Seconds turned to what felt like minutes, the battle of energy drawing gasps and murmurs from the stunned geniuses. Finally, the fiery arcs began to dim, their once-blazing light flickering weakly.
With one last sputter of flames, Bruce's attack lost its strength and dissolved into embers, scattering harmlessly in the air.
Amelia was once again unscathed, without even using her weapon, surprising many of the top geniuses present.
"I lost," Bruce said, sighing to himself. He had used his strongest attack, but it had done little to no harm to her. This alone showed how formidable an opponent she could be to others as well.
A moment later, Bruce appeared back in his pillar, slumping down in defeat, his expression dark. Despite knowing he would lose against her even before the battle started, the feeling of defeat was hard for him to digest. 'Damn it! I hate this feeling,' he cursed inwardly, feeling aggrieved.
"The winner of the battle is Amelia. She will advance to the second round," the blob of slime announced, declaring Amelia as the winner in the screen.
'She won.' Max wasn't surprised, but he was curious about her Space Aura. From what he understood so far, he seemed to have a natural affinity for Space Aura more than any other aura in the world. Only that could explain why he could feel her aura down to the tiniest detail, even without using his Three-Dimensional Body skill.
"I have a suggestion to make regarding this competition," Amelia suddenly said, catching everyone by surprise.