Chapter 75 - The One Beyond Phantasm

"Ghhh--! Grahh!"

Presenting herculean strength and tenacity, the goblin withstood the magnified impact, the water-eroded stone shattering beneath its calloused soles. For a moment, with thoughts only of the battle before her--the forgot that the being she fought was a beast, driven by primal instincts. Watching as it pushed its own limits in this fight, just as hard as she did--all she saw before her was a worthy rival.

"That's not all ya' got, is it?!"

Unintentionally, she shouted those words that sparked a fire within the goblin--as for the first time, it conjured its mana into the world, beyond the realm of intangibility--a well of scarlet air of mysticism erupted from its feet up to its head. The aura of crimson mana, sharpened by streaks of black, coiled around the goblin body before it pulled one arm back--sending its fist up against the pressuring hammer of gaia.

"Hah...I've lit a fire under his ass."

With the punch that carried the burden of self-preservation, the goblin shattered the magic-conjured boulder that attempted to flatten him. It held its fist to the air as the pebbles of the former spell rained down upon it, as if celebrating its triumph over her magic.

"This guy--he wasn't even using magic this whole time! Now I'm really starting to get pumped up!"

As if coming as a result of awakening its inner magical energy, the goblin's black pupils devoid of sentience filled with golden irises that brought about a gaze of reverence in the center of its dark sclera.

Preparing for the next round, it raised its arm, holding a stance similar to her own. Witnessing the development before her eyes, she couldn't help but grin wider than before as she followed with her own stance.

--He's learning as he fights--just what is this guy?!

Aggression took the forefront as she pressured the goblin with her swiftness, keeping him on the defense as she threw a flurry of straights that were barely dodged by the goblin's impressive head movements.

Each of these straights she threw pierced the winds, causing a sharp hiss to meet the creature's eardrums, tickling the minuscule hairs that lined the innards of his hearing organ.

Another impact came at a heightened speed, leaving the only choice for the goblin to raise his arms as a shield. As it met with his arms, the collision temporarily left him stunned—all in accordance to what Brahmi had hoped for.

—It was the greatest gift one could give. He taught me how to defend myself and others, how to stand above adversity. That's why—I'm not going to lose to a snot-colored brat like this!

"—Hyah!"

Bringing her foot down against the sturdy ground below, it caved under her strength as she brought her elbow back. A sharp exhale left her puckered lips as she focused all of her strength, pumping through her veins a heightened level of power.

It was then in the goblin's adaptive brain that it realized something about the warrior before him: it wasn't just raw strength or magical energy that made her into such a pillar of power.

Technique, tireless years of training had formed a foundation for strength that did away with previously formed limits.

This realization was further set into concrete as the dense impact crashed against his sternum with breaking force. Every bit of air was exiled from the goblin's lungs before being sent back against the farthest wall.

With as much as she held confidence in her strength, somehow, she knew it would stand up once again.

As they met each other with breakneck speed, clashing knuckle to knuckle once more--it was different. It wasn't a battle out of fear, hatred, or survival anymore--it was a clash of two warriors, two pioneers of strength testing and breaking the limits unable to be imposed onto them.

Each time she struck the goblin, meeting his newly formed guard, fists meeting his firm forearms--without a doubt, Brahmi knew she wasn't fighting a feral monster.

"Come on! Push me farther! Make me use it! Make me use my ability!"

Swallowed by her passion for combat, she laughed as she fought--dancing around the cavern with the sharply-edged grace of a warrior.

When it came to those who bore the affinity of gaia, that which aligns itself with the very core of the world, there were two distinct ways the element represented itself in each gaia-user. Representing the evergreen of Gaia itself, the soothing nature that brings about springs of life--mages that focus on nature magic, utilizing these concepts in the form of plant-spells.

However--the other side of gaia-magic couldn't be any different from the gentle, melodic nature mages. Embracing the concept of that which bears the evergreen of creation, shaping the world itself with stone though to be unmoving, moving it as it were water with their authority--these mages are known as foundation-mages.

"Kishar: Reverse Peak!"

Using her fist like a hammer, she brought it down as it carved through the air before landing upon the goblin's two arms used as a shield. The force of the impact shattered the surrounding ground, unleashing a shockwave which screamed of the power at play.

"Reverse Peak"--embodying the concept of a mountain, her fist replicated that very weight and density, granting her a strength that sat beyond just raw power. This was the core difference between the two groupings of gaia mages--those who manipulated the world's tools of life, and those who became their own version of the world they stood upon.

Even so--this foe withstood it all. That's when she realized how he was able to guard her Reverse Peak without his arms shattering into bags of skin which held powdered bones.

--He's using reinforcement?!

Left in awe at the sight of a creature considered incapable of utilizing magic, especially for warrior goblins such as itself--Brahmi was left momentarily distracted as a fist flew against the bridge of her nose.

Not letting up on his opponent, the verdant creature unleashed a sphere of condensed crimson mana directly towards the woman, who was sent airborne by the sheer force of the last attack. Carving through the air, the ball of raw magical energy let out an all-encompassing hum through the air as it reeked of power.

--Crap, did it already learn of one of my advantages as a foundation-mage? Or was it just coincidence? Sending me into the air before unleashing an attack like this...it had to have realized I'm stronger while my feet are touching the ground.

Taking a swift breath to fill her lungs with strength, she stopped the incoming violent ball with her bare hands. It was like holding onto a heated ball of iron, flung by a cannon--scraping away as it spun at incredible speeds, while scalding her palms.

"Come on---!"

Yelling out as she summoned forth her inner strength, she finally deflected the dense sphere of mana, sending it flying up against the ceiling above. There wasn't any time to think of any other solutions as her adrenaline pumped--so as a natural consequence of her actions, the energy ball erupted against the sheet of stone that hung above.

It was a rain of pebbles, with a mist of dust to accompany it before the pebbles became replaced with falling boulders, crashing against the floor below.

The ceiling was not vacant, replaced by the open view of the outside above as natural sunlight poured into the once somber cavern.

"--Crap, Iris!"

Rushing over towards the place in which she left her companion, she was stopped as a massive slab of stone launched into the air, the goblin which was buried in a storm of rocks rose once more.

"Do ya' ever go down…?"

In response to her question that required no answer, the warrior leapt into the air as it spun around, whipping its leg through the air just as she did in their first exchange. Sending its kick against the boulder it launched into the air as it attempted to crash down to the world once more. At that speed, with a weight well over several tons--the flying rock would turn a normal human into a mist of red.

Using reason was futile when it came to Brahmi, however, as she leaned her head back with a smile before violently thrusting it forward--shattering the incoming projectile with her rock-solid head.

--I've got to end this quickly. I had a sneakin' suspicion this whole time, but it's confirmed for me now: this guy is getting stronger by the minute. Each exchange, his hits sharpen, his technique improves...he's a real danger.

The ferocity of her opponent proved once again that stopping amidst the battle to think was a decision that would be punished as it swept up the distance between them with a single dash forward. It fainted with a fake jab before spinning into a roundhouse kick.

"--Yer' getting cocky!"

Brahmi caught the goblin's leg before it could connect, starting to spin in a circle as she built up enough momentum to pick up the surrounding winds. As she slammed her weight down against the ground with a stomp, halting her momentum, she launched her enemy into the air as if it were a game of shot put.

--Good. I got him away from this damn brittle cave. I can unleash it then!

Leaping into the sky, following her launched opponent--she temporarily left the boundary of the deathly cavern. With an axe kick, Brahmi sent the airborne creature down to the surface ground, crashing through a volley of trees as the inhabitants of the forest fled from the sudden presence of a battle.

As soon as the soles of her feet met the soil below upon landing, she knocked her knuckles together as her natural magical energy spiked.

"Mother of gods, chaos, and primordial creation--hear me. Your almighty vessel, used as the source of the world itself, the land in which we walk and were born."

Just from being invoked by the partial incantation, the presence of the great magic rumbled the surrounding acres of land, awakening the slumbering oak as it shook under the presence of the almighty spell. .

"Bring about disaster on those befitting of your scorn, turn their blood to poison, their bones to dust--Tiamat: Primordial Coffin!"

Bringing about the full summoning of the great magic, colossal spears of stone rose from the soil below, bending and forming a circle around the concussed goblin. The ground beneath the creature's feet shifted into mud, grasping at the helpless goblin's legs as it clawed at the liquid to no avail.

"This ain't my style...but yer' a tough bastard and I need to end this fast."

Her fists still yearned to be satisfied by battle as she watched the primordial mud swallow the goblin, who struggled, flailing about as it reverted to its primal instincts in the face of death. After the hungering slimy liquid of the spell enveloped the creature's body, the towering spears of stone bent unnaturally, closing in over the puddle of mud. It didn't take long before both the goblin and the spell's presence were erased by the spears which formed with the ground naturally.

"--I'm spent."

Brahmi dropped backwards onto her back as she caught her breath after claiming victory, feeling fumes of mana inhabit her body after casting great magic.

Parting her heavy eyelids slowly, flickering as she grasped onto consciousness--Iris felt as if her body had turned to lead. Just the act of lifting a single finger off the chilled, wet stone her hand rested upon required her utmost will.

"Ya' finally awake?"

"--Brahmi…?"

Similar to when the human body is deprived of calories--energy for it to enact even the most simple actions, her stomach had that sickening feeling of emptiness from the startling lack of mana left within herself.

--It's no use trying to move...it'll take me an entire day to recover from this state. I'm such an idiot, making such novice mistakes…

"I took care of that green bastard, he put up one helluva' fight though."

The two-meter brunette woman squatted down in front of the imobile mage, who could hardly move her head to look up at her.

"That's amazing...really. I couldn't imagine defeating that kind of monster."

"Huh? The hell ya' talking about? Yer' magic had that thing dead earlier! I just finished the job, is all. I guess that's called teamwork, no?"

"--You're right."

It was another aspect of Brahmi she had somehow forgotten, that unwavering beam of light she shined on any situation. Some may call it blissful ignorance, but to Iris, it was the strength to shine through darkness with her own radiance.

"How about we get outta this musty cave? I'm thinking we might have to worry about diseases soon rather than overpowered goblins."

"I agree."

Any other time, riding piggyback would be something she would never accept from anyone besides her own mother--but right now, Iris felt happy for a reason she couldn't explain.

--Mother, it seems your plans came to light once again. I suppose this is the difference between being allies, and being companions...or rather, friends.