The magic circle didn't appear as a simple drawing in the air. It was born from the ground, from the burning trees, from the very smoke that filled the air. Incandescent red lines emerged like burning roots, spreading throughout the clearing where Kael was trapped.
There were dozens. Then hundreds. Then thousands.
Each one intertwined with the other as if part of a gigantic living organism, a hellish mandala etched into the depths of the forest. The assassins froze for a moment—not with fear, but with instinct. They knew magic. They knew rituals. But this… this was different. It wasn't just power, it was a sin spat against nature.
Kael's amber eyes shone brighter than the surrounding fire itself. His body trembled, not only from exhaustion, but from the effort of channeling an energy no man should carry.
"Hellfire Gale."
The words came out as a roar, but also as a decree.
And the world responded.
