Cain exchanged a swift series of hand signals with his clones. They responded in unison, spreading out to form a pincer formation.
However, with his greatly enhanced stats, Bastion anticipated the maneuver. He flexed his wrist, unleashing a powerful Flame Pulse that radiated outward in all directions, forcing Cain and the clones to avoid or block.
Despite their best efforts, the brunt of the pulse slammed into Clone A, blasting it backward into a jagged, half-melted ice spire.
The impact cracked the spire, sending shards flying, and while the clone survived, the blow took a toll on its stability as its form flickered for a moment, indicating at the strain of maintaining such a high-stat duplication.
Cain decided to try switching tactics to wear Bastion down with well-timed bursts of ice-based skills. If Bastion was mostly fire-aligned, ice could do more than simply inconvenience him.
He then inhaled sharply, gathering energy in his lungs, and unleashed a Frost Breath that crystallized the air in front of him. Sharp snow crystals spiraled forward, attempting to engulf Bastion in a vortex of subzero wind.
Snarling, Bastion swung his flame-wreathed sword in a broad arc, creating a Firestorm Slash. The wave of superheated air crashed with the frost, resulting in a dense cloud of steam that obscured their vision.
From within the dense cloud, Cain heard Bastion's voice. "You think you can smother my flames with your pathetic ice?"
Cain only shook his head in response with a smile, thinking that this guy had become full of himself only after doing this much.
A bright flash of red signaled Bastion's appearance from the swirling cloud, sword set for a lethal stab into Cain's abdomen. Cain hastily manifested another barrier, enveloping it with foxfire for further heat protection, but Bastion smashed through it, sending Cain back several steps. Sparks rained down in all directions.
Clone B charged in from the left, flanking with a barrage of Foxfire Explosions. Each orb of foxfire struck Bastion's side, erupting in bursts of scorching flame. Under normal circumstances, they would have burned flesh or at least forced Bastion to defend.
However, Bastion's enhanced stats allowed him to endure the scorching strikes. Although Bastion grunted in pain, he ignored the partial burns, his eyes still locked on Cain.
Meanwhile, Clone A, battered but still functional, resumed its attacks from behind. It launched a swift flurry of claw strikes augmented by small arcs of ice, hoping to freeze Bastion's movements.
Bastion swiftly spun, blocking the attack with his flaming sword. The nails crackled on impact, but every attempt to bite into Bastion's armor was crushed by the intense heat radiating from his aura. Steam hissed and evaporated upon contact, the ice reduced to water droplets that evaporated in an instant.
The more Bastion fought, the more savage his energy became. He was no longer concerned with feints or cautious footwork. Each step slammed into the earth, leaving a trail of molten footprints behind him.
His breath came in ragged gasps, yet the power surging within him showed no sign of diminishing—at least not yet. The cost of burning blood essence may be high, but for the time being, Bastion was fueled by pure wrath.
A powerful slash from Bastion carved the ground, forcing Cain to dodge to the side. He felt the heat burn the tips of his ears.
Another slash whipped out, and while he managed to avoid the lethal edge, the residual fire scorched the hem of his coat, leaving a smoky hole. Bastion pressed forward, refusing to let Cain regain his rhythm or position.
_Clone A soared overhead, using an Ice Storm technique that showered the battlefield with hail-like shards of ice. The ice spikes rattled against the molten terrain, exploding into mist the moment they collided with Bastion's swirling flames. Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire
A few shards managed to slice into Bastion's arms, drawing a thin stream of blood, yet the madness in his eyes only deepened.
Bastion shouted as he lunged toward the source of the hail, channeling a concentrated pillar of fire that shot skyward as he used his [Infernal Lance] skill.
_Clone A attempted to evade but was clipped by the edge of the flame, sending it rolling. Flames clung to its form, forcing the clone to extinguish them with a wave of crackling and sparking foxfire.
Cain grimaced, realizing that continuing this drawn-out exchange would play into Bastion's hands since anger and adrenaline fueled him, making him fight even harder.
For a moment, Cain considered using his Ice Claw or Ice Breath to keep Bastion at bay. However, each instance so far had only succeeded in partially slowing him. Bastion's doubled stats meant that even if the ice impacted him directly, it would take an enormous volume of frost to truly hinder him.
He needed another approach. 'He's overshadowing me physically,' Cain thought, taking a step back as Bastion swung again, leaving a vicious horizontal cut in the ground.
'It seems that I need to take this fight more seriously.' Cain considered using [Infernal Ascendance] talent that he copied from Fenix.
As Bastion closed in, he launched a furious combination of slashes with each one stronger than the last.
Cain immediately dismissed his thoughts as he tried to block with his nails and a thin sheath of foxfire, but the force behind Bastion's blows caused him to stumble.
Cain coughed a mouthful of blood. Pain radiated from the site of impact where Bastion's blade had deflected off his barrier, leaving a shallow cut across his forearm.
Bastion saw the blood and sneered. "So much for your fancy illusions," he spat, licking his lips with sadistic glee. "I'll cut you down next."
Cain then responded with a swift knee strike, forcing Bastion to step back.
Meanwhile, Clone B took advantage of the opening to launch multiple Foxfire Explosions at Bastion's side once more. This time, they detonated more forcefully, exposing minor flaws in Bastion's armor. A howl tore from Bastion as flames burnt his skin. Nonetheless, he countered with a flaming backhand slash that forced the clone to retreat.
In that split second, Cain immediately thought of finally using his [Infernal Ascendance] talent. However, before activating it, he had to create an opportunity. Cain then whistled sharply, a prearranged signal to the clones.