Erend came splitting a wave of fire before his eyes. Steve's eyes widened at the scene. What he saw left him unable to react to what happened next.
Erend shot towards him. His speed was much increased than before.
All of that had not had time to register in Steve's head before Erend arrived before his eyes.
A punch landed on Steve's face and sent him flying to the other side of the court. Steve crashes into the wall of buildings and goes through it.
Steve continued to go into three buildings before he finally stopped in the middle of a room.
In the room, several people seemed surprised to see Steve's unusual arrival. Namely by breaking down walls and with bodies covered in fire.
Everyone immediately panicked. The men and women who were there screamed and ran aimlessly.
The scene before them gave a clear indication that a more dangerous situation than they had thought was unfolding.
The alarm that has been ringing since earlier has also reached here. Yet, they weren't worried because this room was protected by a solid armored wall.
However, when they saw Steve's body break through the wall, they were immediately in a state of panic.
They saw that the level of danger they faced was greater than the protection of the armored walls.
They all ran in a hurry towards the door. But Steve didn't care about them. All that was before his eyes now was his enemy.
Steve's eyes got darker than before. He didn't notice anything, but his skin began to peel off revealing his blackened flesh.
The fire in Steve's body grew. Then he dashed towards the hole where he had come. Steve's speed also seems to have increased.
Erend was waiting for him in his place. Even though he saw the impact his punch had on Steve, Erend still wasn't satisfied.
Because he knew that what he was fighting now wasn't just a human being who could use Magic.
Rather, a human who can use Magic and be corrupted by the Magic of a cursed tree.
Based on what Aurdis and Saeldir had said, the power of that cursed tree simply wasn't in their records.
So no one knows what the Magic power of that cursed tree can do.
Now it becomes Erend's job to find out. And of course, to stop it as well.
Erend looked back and saw Annie standing silently. Her eyes looked empty again.
"Hey!" Erend shouted at her.
The shout made Annie snap back to reality. Her eyes which were no longer empty stared at Erend.
"I don't want to hurt you," Erend said. "Don't run away. Wait for me to see you after finishing business with him."
Noisy and loud sounds came from the direction he threw Steve earlier. Erend knew that it was a sign of Steve's arrival.
"For the time being, hide first. But don't you dare run away from me!"
Annie couldn't say anything. Erend's gaze coupled with his appearance covered in black and red scales was intimidating enough that Annie couldn't reciprocate.
"Go now!" Erend said.
Annie nodded quickly. Then she went back into the broken hole in the ground.
Erend stared at the hole for a few moments.
Then he turned his face again towards Steve who was charging toward him.
Erend could even feel the heat from Steve even though he hadn't arrived yet.
He felt it was a sign that somehow, Steve's power had increased again.
Erend sighed. 'Is this the time to gain new powers?'
Steve darted out from the hole in the building while throwing dozens of flaming spears at Erend.
Erend was still able to throw the fiery spears away. Suddenly Steve was right in front of his eyes and threw a fist at him.
Erend managed to hold back the punch. Steve then threw a fist with his other hand. But Erend also managed to hold it back.
Then Erend saw Steve's face behind the flames. From this close, Erend could see that the skin on Steve's face was starting to peel off.
Erend frowned. In his mind, he thought that it might be a sign that his body could no longer withstand too much power surge.
'I don't know if I can save him at this point.'
Steve looked at Erend with eyes burning with anger. He opened his mouth, then Erend saw a wisp of fire that was created from the base of his throat and rising.
So Erend did not remain silent. Before Steve could release a burst of fire from his mouth, Erend butted his head into Steve's head.
Erend's headbutt made Steve's head look up. Steve had released a burst of fire upwards but immediately stopped it.
Erend then threw a fist at Steve's throat. Choking him from the fire that was still in his throat.
After that, Erend grabbed Steve by the neck, lifted him, and slam him to the ground.
Erend's slam was almost as strong as how Steve had slammed him earlier.
A crater was created and cracks that looked like roots spread in all directions.
Steve choked because Erend gripped his throat tightly.
Seeing a great opportunity in front of his eyes, Erend did not waste it. He raised his arms high and punched Steve in the face repeatedly.
'Why is his skin so hard?!'
Erend's punches hit Steve's face but didn't do any significant damage to him. Steve's eyes still stared at Erend unfazed.
As if there was some other power protecting his flesh, Erend's punch with Strength which had already reached 25 was still not enough.
Steve's body suddenly issued a powerful explosion.
The explosion threw Erend into the air then he fell into the middle of the forest.
Erend immediately stood up. His scales protect him well from that attack.
Erend sighed. 'This will take forever if I don't do something.'
Erend had thought of this idea from the start. But he didn't do it immediately because he thought his fire would be able to overcome Steve's fire.
He had no idea that the power of that cursed tree would be this much.
'Yeah. It's time to take on another power.'