Beneath the terrifying lava vortex, Lancer, standing on a rock with a long spear in hand, looked like that ridiculous existence trying to stop a chariot with a mantis's arm. However, his own expression was incredibly serious.
A mantis stopping a chariot? So what?
Could it be that because one cannot withstand it, one must give up?
No!
The hands gripping the spear didn't waver in the slightest, and his eyes were fixed tightly on the enemy before him. Lancer was waiting for the moment the opponent's attack took shape. Because he knew that no matter how perfect anyone's defense was, the moment they attacked, a flaw would inevitably be revealed. The only difference lay in the size of the flaw and the length of time it lasted.
And he was waiting for this chance, this fleeting chance, this faint, tiny hope—as miniscule as the only star in the night sky!
The terrifying molten lava vortex finally fully formed and even completely exceeded the crater, beginning to spray in all directions. Due to the terrain constraints, even if it continued to be manipulated, it couldn't be strengthened further. Therefore, the existence hidden within the molten lava flapped its wings without hesitation. The originally high-speed rotating molten lava vortex, like a steamroller, surged toward Lancer to crush him.
The molten lava vortex, which had merely been rotating in place, began to expand in all directions. And it was precisely this simple movement that caused a faint flaw to appear in that perfect vortex—a moment's flaw between motion and stillness!
Bang!!
The rock Lancer was standing on shattered instantly. The surface of the surrounding lava lake also exploded instantly due to the splashing debris. But no one would notice them, because as a red shadow flashed past, that "perfect" vortex became like a calm lake surface into which a stone had been thrown, instantly raising countless ripples.
And Lancer, the owner of that red shadow, had an incredibly distorted expression at this moment.
Generally speaking, the temperature of lava is around 900 to 1200°C. Theoretically, it can reach 1400°C. And normally, humans rarely see white lava because that requires the lava's temperature to reach 1150°C. The orange color Lancer saw earlier was also a misjudgment of the temperature; he originally thought the maximum temperature would just be a normal 900°C. But when the spear tip truly pierced the lava, he knew he was wrong.
The temperature of this lava had absolutely reached the limit of what lava could achieve. The brilliant white, which theoretically only exists within the mantle, was incomparably beautiful and, at the same time, incomparably dangerous.
But thinking about these things now was no longer meaningful.
The lava under the high-speed rotating vortex surged from the sides, attempting to fill the gap opened by the spear blade. The only thing Lancer could do now was to keep moving forward. The only result of retreating would be being completely burned to ash by the continuously squeezing lava. Even if what lay ahead was an unknown hell, he absolutely could not retreat. Because even if moving forward was a one-in-ten chance of survival, retreating was a certain death with no chance of life!
His originally sturdy body even showed a trace of charred black under the burning of the fire. At the end of the ice-made right arm, near the shoulder blade, the Rune symbols were operating at full power to maintain the arm's existence.
Under the roasting of the terrifying high temperature, Lancer even developed an illusion about the passage of time. After all, both the distorted vision and the pain as if his entire person were being roasted made him nearly lose his mind. Yet even so, his eyes still didn't waver in the slightest, pointing straight ahead.
In such an environment, the only thing accompanying him was the white-hot long spear in his hand. Due to the high temperature, the flesh on his palm had long since fused with the spear shaft. But Lancer had no intention of letting go of it, because it was the only existence Lancer could rely on.
Pop~
Just then, a sound like a bubble being pierced suddenly rang out. Clearly, the surroundings were a more scorching environment than before, but a flash of surprise crossed Lancer seemingly frozen eyes.
Because he had finally broken through the encirclement of the vortex composed of lava!
But just at this moment—
He once again saw that gaze looking down on him. There wasn't the arrogance Lancer had imagined, just an incomparably indifferent gaze. It seemed it wasn't surprised by Lancer appearance. At this moment, he had lost nearly all his combat strength—be it strength, blood vitality, mana, or even the blood in his body, very little remained. He was just one step away from becoming charcoal.
Compared to Lancer wretched appearance, the opponent was as it always was. Even the wound previously hit by Lancer had long since been healed. The opponent had the right to look down on Lancer because that is the privilege of the strong. But Lancer, at this moment, revealed a "hideous" smile.
Everything is within expectations. So, did you expect this!
Crack~!!
Bang!!
The right arm that had been supporting him shattered instantly. Losing the protection of the Rune symbols, those ice blocks were vaporized in an instant. But Lancer wasn't surprised at all because this was all part of his plan.
Among the tumbling ice blocks, a strange clown mask was incredibly out of place in this world of fire, but Lancer violently swung his head over...
"Determination" (The Mask of Determination)
Live by facing death, bet everything!
His originally shriveled body recovered rapidly. Beneath the charred skin, new skin was growing. In just a short instant, Lancer seemed to have returned to normal, but this was only the beginning.
Almost the instant he recovered, a pain even greater than before hit him. The blood in his body once again attempted to leave his body under the high temperature. At the same time, the newly grown skin was scorched again. His entire person seemed to have turned black, but for him, this was already enough!
His feet kicked off against the white lava behind him. With no heart to protect his feet, he even heard the sound of his feet being scorched again. But he couldn't care less now, because with the power of that one kick, his body once again erupted with an extremely terrifying speed.
"..."
In his ears were the sounds of his body being burned and the cry of the spear in his hand. Lancer target was pointed straight at the crest feather on the forehead of the Phoenix before him!
Lancer wasn't arrogant. After all, he had encountered many existences more powerful than himself, and there were quite a few that had crushed him. Therefore, he never arrogantly believed he could kill the opponent. So from the very beginning, his goal was the crest feather on the opponent's forehead!
If he was a blood-colored shadow flying into a flame before, then now he was a black streak of light that had completely thrown death to the back of his mind, moving through death toward life.
Crack~
Pshhh~
Accompanied by a tooth-aching sound, Lancer also saw the cracks on the Gáe Bolg. But what he cared more about was the crest feather drifting down before his eyes.
Under the roasting of the fire's high temperature, as Lancer body returned to the state before "Determination," the "Mask of Determination" that had been struggling to persist also completely cracked. Lancer, however, took a bite at the crest feather in the air.
The scorching sensation in his mouth made him feel incomparable pain, while at the same time, an excited expression appeared on his face.
He did it!
'Yukari! Pick me up and get me out of here!'
Although he had paid a heavy price, he had accomplished his goal under these seemingly impossible circumstances. Next was to activate the "backup plan" he had left first.
The reason Lancer had Yukari leave was, for one, because she couldn't help him there at all. As for the rest, it was because she was his last trump card for saving his life.
But as he fell toward the white lava below, he suddenly discovered one thing—
Why was there no reaction?