Tower of Paradise

Suddenly, four fiery tornadoes sprang to life around me, rising into the air like eagles in search of their prey. They spread out, encircling the female monster, filling the room with a wave of heat so intense that I felt sweat beading on my forehead. The creature was engulfed in flames, but I observed with frustration that it barely affected her. This spell only served to support Alice and give her a breather, along with the time needed to continue calculating her spells.

I didn’t lag behind. I knew I had to do everything possible, even though our chances of survival were as slim as the hope I felt for victory. The modern spell system, used by practically all mages, operated on an algebraic and deterministic framework. The stronger the spell, the more mana it consumed.

I closely observed Alice’s next move: crystal fragments, each slightly smaller than a fist, scattered through the air. The sharp tips of those crystals should have been fired at our enemy’s body at close range to maximize their power, but she didn’t dare—nor would I have advised her—to get too close to the creature.

This time, her attack left small, superficial cuts on the monster’s steel-like skin. It confirmed my theory: the greater the power disparity, the more easily spells would be resisted.

[Level 2 Spell: Wall of Fire!]

A wave of heat struck the creature from behind. A roar echoed through the room, and it seemed as if the night itself had caught fire. Supernatural red flames surged toward the ceiling, illuminating our enemy’s impassive face with a crimson glow. When the fire dissipated, the creature stood unmoved, seemingly unharmed. I took solace in knowing it at least served as a distraction.

I fully understood the disparity in our respective combat strengths and knew she hadn’t perceived us as a real threat. However, the truth was worse than I thought: our opponent didn’t even see us as enemies. She was merely playing with us, like a cat tormenting a dying mouse.

I turned my head, and the boy, Zephyr, was watching the scene with wide eyes, but curiously, he didn’t seem scared. There was something in his gaze… anticipation? Was this brat enjoying our life-or-death battle?

The creature raised her fist, preparing to confront Alice. My body trembled as I saw her arm swell, multiplying several times its original size, becoming so long it dragged on the ground. It wasn’t pneumatic swelling but a robust arm of muscle and bone, a weapon in itself.

Anyone would have recoiled at the sight of that monstrous limb. In fact, I noticed Alice shrink in fear for a moment. But she had committed to this battle and decided to evade the attack from that arm to counterattack.

The gigantic arm approached Alice. It moved much faster than I had calculated, covering her field of vision like a massive wall. It seemed she would struggle immensely to dodge it, so she cast a defensive spell.

The barrier, composed of dozens of glowing hexagons, shattered into fragments like fragile glass. I saw her vision darken, and simultaneously, Alice was struck by an impact of colossal proportions that catapulted her through the air. Her body spun uncontrollably, and I realized she had no idea where she was. Upon hitting the ground, the impact was so brutal that she bounced slightly, like a lifeless ball. Then she fell again, this time sliding across the surface until she came to a stop.

—Alice! —I shouted with all my strength, feeling my heart constrict.

To my relief, however, she emerged unscathed. I guessed she had likely used a spell that converted physical damage into mana loss; otherwise, she would already be in agony. I saw her use a flight spell to rise in a way that defied common sense, and I felt a spark of pride in her perseverance.

I watched as she created a crystal dagger larger than usual, nearly a meter long. This spell dealt pure physical damage, difficult to resist. Additionally, she had employed a skill that allowed her to more easily overcome spell resistance. It was a clever strategy, but I feared it wouldn’t be enough.

The female monster didn’t dodge the attack but took it directly to her body with her arms crossed. The spell’s potential damage had been maximized, but I observed with dismay that it didn’t seem to have affected her at all as the dagger shattered into a thousand pieces.

She lunged at Alice, slashing her claws toward her neck. My breathing quickened, and my mind raced.

[Level 2 Spell: Fiery Sphere!]

A fireball with a two-meter radius shot from my hands and exploded over the female monster. The flames surged like a living entity, enveloping the area and giving Alice the time needed to escape alive. I felt my mana reserves dwindle dangerously, but I didn’t care. If Alice fell, I would be next.