NPC Code: Red Riding Hood

[Phoenix Red Riding Hood]

[Congratulations! You have earned the Phoenix's title! You will receive the following bonus stats from the system.]

[Added title!]

[Arcane boost!]

[Spells amplified!]

[Duration increased!]

[Health Points Increased]

[Enhanced Senses Increased 

(Author's Notes: This is somewhat complex, but I will just leave it like that)

[Appraisal Increased]

[Level Increased!]

[Status Points Increased.]

The system gave me all of these improvements in the blink of an eye as soon as it realised that I would lose the fight. But there was no time for me to check all of them at once and analyse what I earned. This battle continued on, with Clement still waiting for my attack.

However, something different emerged at the back of my body. As I glanced behind, my cape glowed a crimson hue. It also spewed out yellow, orange, and blue flames protecting me from Clement's attack. Those flames circled on my body, which my two eyes also amplified.

  I could use my flaming cape once again, which only appeared a few weeks before. If I had remembered it correctly, I didn't know that I could still use this ability once again, considering that it was not in my skill tree.

But it all went alright, since the burning cape saved my life, together with the Phoenix title.

That title gave me these additional powers. The increased abilities that I gained would give me a fighting chance against Clement. With all these adjustments, I could finally stand against this guy while waiting for my lightning ability.

"What's this, Red? You never told me you have this kind of power?" Clement widened his eyes as soon as he witnessed my figure.

Clement walked a few steps backwards with his arms raised in front of him. He even activated some protective spells, thinking my power could harm him. That guy also lifted his sword and prepared himself to strike me, only to find him returning to his troops. 

Those mages he recruited channeled some spells and transformed their guns into staffs. After transforming their weapons, those staves conjured magic circles in front of them. Clement ordered those players to shield his fore as he expected a large scale attack from me.

Clement didn't care about the safety of his soldiers since he ordered them to protect himself, not those far from him.

But kudos to Clement that he saw through my preparation. While my transformation happened, there were magic circles readied on my back. My hood was the one who contained those runes and sneakily assembled them.

As luck would have it, Clement noticed all of those. But it was too late for him to react as I launched those devastating fire balls in his direction.

Those spheres were not just flames from average mages and their abilities. It came from my Phoenix title, which amplified all my spells, including the basic ones. 

As soon as those orbs of flame crashed against my enemies, those magical barriers exploded into bits. A firework display detonated at my fore, pushing away those mages towards the side. My system made a list of all the players I killed. But when that popped up, I exited the screen and glued my eyes at my fore.

Despite my attempts, Clement and his players still stood their ground. I barely even scratched the man with my spells even though I had my amplifications activated. Well, considering that he focused on defending himself, those spells did nothing to him.

But that would change soon. 

While I discharged those fireballs in Clement's direction, another skill popped up in my system. As I glided my eyes towards that window, my fireball ability had turned into a [Phoenix Sphere]. It didn't have any descriptions, since it was just a new spell. But now was not the time for me to doubt myself, since I was facing Clement.

All I could do was click the spell and use it against my foes.

Upon releasing the power of my [Phoenix Sphere], a bright light filled the area. It even warmed our surroundings around fifty degrees Celsius thanks to my burning ability in my hands. That luminance was also bright enough to momentarily blind some players standing in front of me. My system told me that happened, which was also an added feature of my powers. 

It was as the system had mentioned. My [Phoenix Sphere] acted like a fireball, but had more devastating power behind it. It took me a few seconds before I could even launch it towards the players. And as soon as I tossed it from my hands, the glowing ball of death zoomed towards Clement.

"ENHANCED THOSE BARRIERS NOW! PLACE ALL DEFENSE MAGIC UP AHEAD, OR ELSE I WILL KILL YOU BEFORE THAT THING KILLS ALL OF YOU!" 

Even with this situation, Clement believed he would survive this catastrophe. I had the upper-hand, but that egoistic man still wanted to win. He even ordered his men to protect his fore even though they would die for it.

"Be careful, Clement! This will be over soon!" I shouted, and watched the scene unfold before me.

I didn't know how that bastard would save himself from my attack. It didn't look like these shields would protect him from my [Phoenix Sphere]. But I would love to see Clement struggle when he could save himself from my ability.

Within a few seconds, my [Phoenix Sphere] finally hit the bullseye. That titanic ball of fire slammed itself against those elemental barriers created by those mere mages. Those sorcerers tried their best to support the magic with their arcane.

After a few seconds, those mages fell to the ground when their mana couldn't keep up with the [Phoenix Sphere's] damage. Those wizards fell one by one at the sides, with their stamina leaving their bodies. All of them had full health points, but most of them had zero mana inside their arcane cores.

Upon a moment, my [Phoenix Sphere] erupted into a stream of lava towards Clement. A blasting force pushed them aside, but it never affected me. Since I was the one who created it, the shatter did nothing to me.

I didn't give the players any chance to rest as those lava came creeping up their shields. Since the mages made the barriers with wind magic and soil, they couldn't fight off my spell. It took them a few seconds before melting from my lava ability.

Those mages eventually fell like ants after dying from the flames of death. They couldn't do anything besides pray for any help they could get from their back-up coming in our direction. However, nothing could save them anymore. I doubted that those mages successfully defended themselves from my [Phoenix Sphere].

However, there was one thing I missed while that happened. Clement disappeared right after the smoke emerged from my attack. It was as if he used the smog to cover his escape and fled from this place.

But that idea cost me my life.

An intense killing intention covered my back, begging for me to turn around. But before I could glimpse at my behind, Clement had already punched me at my spine. 

After getting hit from the back, my body got launched forward and fell on the ground. But Clement was not finished with me yet as he grabbed me by my flaming cape and tossed me around. My burning hood did nothing to his hands, which did not happen earlier. 

I recalled that this hood hurt Clement's body and made him cower and fear. But everything changed right after I summoned that [Phoenix Sphere]. 

I didn't have time to think about those reasons and continued gritting my teeth. The throbbing pain spread through my limbs and eventually affected my entire body.

Clement used me as his play thing and passed me around with some added punches. A hundred marks carved themselves on my skin filled with purple bruises and craters on my back.

After Clement dealt the final blow, he grabbed me by my collar and glared into my eyes. I gasped for air and returned his leer while glancing at my health bar. 

If this continued further, Clement would kill me. I was like a powerless thug attacking the powerful noble, which I underestimated a while ago. 

"H-How did you...do it?" I asked.

But Clement had already answered that question of mine.

"Don't tell me…..you copied my [shadow walk]?"

Clement had the ability to mimic the spells of his enemies. He told me that earlier when we first faced off against each other. And that detail came biting back over me. And since my spells had just unlocked on its own, it was safe to assume that Clement didn't know it. 

If I had no idea how to use my spells, Clement would also wonder too. But that was not the case.

Clement already had a gist about my spell and studied while that happened. He didn't copy my [Phoenix Sphere] but a different ability I used when I escaped from the base.. That man didn't just steal my lightning spell but also my [shadow walk], which helped me throughout my journey.