"Ahhhhhh!!!"
Rhode let out a furious howl, struggling increasingly fiercely, yet Rhode's hand remained firmly pressed against the back of his head, unmoving.
"Tsk~ Seems like there's a refusal to communicate?" Rhode felt a bit troubled, he wanted to gather more intelligence and bring the captive back alive.
However, with the opponent like this, exploding randomly and unable to seal off his so-called 'curse,' it was impossible to take him back.
Maybe try knocking him out?
Rhode focused his thoughts, and rings of purple magic arrays appeared around both Rhode and Jia Ka'er.
Then erupted with a thunderous explosion!
Amaterasu's Formula 28 Magic Array—Rhode, in his fierceness, even exploded himself.
"Ugh!" Jia Ka'er let out a slight pained sound amidst the smoke; the power of this move was still within his acceptable range.
This explosive-loving guy seemingly couldn't immunize against others' explosive magic.
Rhode smiled, lightly tracing with his left hand, and more rings of purple magic arrays formed rapidly, but the construct was somewhat more complex than before.
Amaterasu Fifty-Four Techniques!
Boom boom boom!!!
The flame shot skyward with the two of them at its center, and the ground shook noticeably at the Advisory Council's ruins.
The remaining ruins even began to crumble further.
"Wow!!" Jia Ka'er let out a painful cry, "What on earth are you?!"
Jia Ka'er couldn't comprehend; despite specializing in explosions, he'd never positioned himself at the center of an explosion when attacking others, but this person wouldn't even spare himself?
What kind of being was he? Was he even human?!
"It's still not enough, but if I increase the power any more, I'll be in pain too. Plus..." Rhode glanced at the Advisory Council's ruins and decided another explosion would trouble the rescue efforts.
He grasped Jia Ka'er's head and suddenly flung him upward.
Jia Ka'er instantly felt as if his neck was about to be torn off, accelerating his body to fly upward.
The air resistance rushing past his face had never been so palpable.
Desperately, he tried to regain control of his body, but then a size 44 footprint landed directly on his face.
Jia Ka'er's head went blank, and his body seemed to sketch a sharp 60-degree angle, shifting his trajectory from upward to downward and diagonally flying far away.
If anything hadn't changed, it was the posture of crashing into the ground, almost identical to before.
"Cough!" Jia Ka'er spat out a mouthful of blood.
After enduring multiple beatings and explosions, his clothes were already torn and tattered, even the hair on his head and tail was somewhat charred.
His cheekbone seemed to have shattered, his skull likely cracked, and he felt a burning pain in the back of his head and face whenever he attempted to breathe forcefully.
"Damn... cough..." Speaking provoked his injuries, causing Jia Ka'er to cough another mouthful of blood, "I'll kill you... kill you!"
With his roar, Jia Ka'er's body began to swell; his chest muscles bulged, limbs lengthened, and claws extended from his fingertips.
His neck also elongated slightly, and his mouth and nose protruded forward, while yellow and black short fur grew all over his body.
In the blink of an eye, Jia Ka'er transformed into a giant yellow werewolf standing upright.
He was about to howl up at Rhode but noticed himself surrounded again by purple magic arrays.
Those magic arrays layered and interlocked intricately, their power evidently stronger than before.
"Just a human's magic, don't think it can surpass my curse!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Flames erupted skyward; even though nearly a kilometer of distance was now between them, Lahar and the others distinctly felt the power far exceeding the previous explosion.
Rhode looked somewhat surprised below, "A second form, and what's more, the ability to counter my explosion with his own?"
Without waiting for the smoke to clear, Rhode scanned with Void Divination and already saw the scene inside clearly.
Jia Ka'er's new yellow short fur had been further singed black, his head and arms drooping while he gasped for air.
Clearly, he hadn't fully defended against the human magic he scorned.
Rhode didn't give his opponent a chance to catch his breath, directly spraying a breath of Purgatory Sub-Dragon towards the smoke-covered area.
The crimson magma and flames illuminated half the sky as a cascade of molten rock poured toward Jia Ka'er.
Jia Ka'er, unsure if sensing the descending heat or glimpsing the fire through the smoke, chose not to attempt escaping the attack's range but courageously raised both hands and tried to produce an explosion above.
Rumbling sounds and the strong shockwave briefly resisted the attack from above, but the seemingly infinite magma still devoured him.
The explosion roared on for a spell, and the scorching magma formed a pool within the freshly blasted pit...
Inside, the magma bubbled, gradually subsiding.
Rhode swooped down, retrieved Jia Ka'er from the magma 'pool,' and gave him a shake to brush off the sticking residues.
This guy was still breathing, but having reverted to his form before transformation, his limbs drooped naturally, and his eyes were half-closed, showing a hint of eye whites.
"I suppose this will do?" Rhode still wanted this rare 'specimen.'
Rhode walked a few steps with Jia Ka'er in tow but was suddenly greeted by his voice:
"It's... my first time losing so terribly, losing without a chance to fight back..."
"...You're awake already?" Rhode marveled at his vitality.
Even though he hadn't intended to kill him, the waking speed was too quick.
Despite his weakness, Jia Ka'er fiercely proclaimed, "Planning to capture me? Don't even think about it, come with me to the 'Netherworld'! Hehehahaha!!!"
"Damn it!" Rhode saw Jia Ka'er radiate light and immediately knew his intentions, flinging him out.
But it was already too late, as Jia Ka'er flew merely a few meters away, the explosion roared to life alongside his boisterous laughter.
Stunning heat and a shockwave rushed toward Rhode!
And then...
Was completely blocked by a thin layer of pale golden light.
The enormous fireball, usually swelling nearly a hundred meters, was brutally halved by this inconspicuous light layer.
From the Advisory Council's side, it looked like half a moon had appeared, followed by slight tremors.
And then, nothing occurred.
Lahar exclaimed in shock, "What kind of battle is happening over there?"
Unaware it was his comrade Mest, amazed, remarked, "This is the Ten Wizard Saints..."
The situation mildly improved, but even lying down, Org exclaimed, "Is this Rhode's true power? What a terrifying young man."
Though using the word terrifying, Org's tone carried more relief.
Knowing this occasion was ill-suited for laughter, Makarov struggled to suppress his expressions, ordering the frozen soldiers, "You lot, stop gawking and get to work!"
Mest instinctively stood at attention, "Yes! Makarov sir!"
After Mest's loud response, those daydreaming soldiers snapped to, shouting 'Yes' in unison.
Everyone resumed their busy work.
But Lahar curiously watched Mest.
Why did Dolanbart respond to President Makarov's orders more smoothly than those soldiers accustomed to obeying... an illusion?
Hmm, maybe it's due to excessive tension.
Lahar began introspecting if he had been too lax; in such a critical moment, he must stay focused.