Floating Island - Triple S Talent

The sky above the grand city of Harmony Circle was filled with the sounds of thunder and fiery explosions that shook the heavens. Below, the remains of destroyed buildings lay scattered, debris from the fallen towers littering the ground alongside heaps of corpses and chaotic rubble. Thin smoke drifted with the breeze, carrying the scent of destruction and decay.

In the midst of the ruins, civilians hid behind the remaining walls, shielding themselves from the chaos above. Their faces were bruised and battered, blood flowing between the dust and grime. Some soldiers, severely wounded, leaned against the cracked walls, the only refuge they had left. Despite their fear, their eyes were fixed on the sky, watching the fierce battle above with bated breath.

"Master Puno, please win this... defeat that woman!" a mother clutched her trembling child tightly, her voice filled with hope and fear.

"You can do it, leader! Take down that demon!" shouted another man, his voice trembling.

"God, please help us," whispered an old priest, his hands clasped together in a prayer full of faith.

Above them, two figures floated, locked in a battle of epic proportions. Puno, a middle-aged man radiating a blazing aura, wielded unimaginable fire magic. Every time he unleashed a burst of flame from his palms, the temperature in the air spiked, burning everything around him until the debris from the buildings began to melt and smolder.

However, in front of Puno stood a woman with a calm gaze, her face serene and showing no trace of fear. She wore a gleaming blue-and-white robe that sparkled in the sunlight, with a large white halo spinning gracefully behind her head.

Even as Puno unleashed his destructive powers, the woman remained composed, waves of sacred energy emanating from her hands, holding back the flames that sought to engulf her.

Puno gritted his teeth. "Damn it! Why is this woman so strong?" he hissed. They had been fighting for over 10 minutes, and with every passing moment, Puno increasingly felt the danger from each of his opponent's moves.

The woman, wielding deadly illusion powers, only needed one touch to imprison Puno in the dream world she created. A brief touch was enough to leave her enemies disoriented, but a longer touch would trap them in an illusion where she could do anything.

Puno had learned this trick. Earlier, he had almost lost consciousness when the woman managed to touch him for a few seconds. However, Puno had his trump card—by taking on his fire elemental form, he could sever the illusion easily, burning away the woman's magic before it could take root too deeply.

The woman's eyes flickered. She knew Puno was growing more cautious, but she did not give up. "I just need to touch you a bit longer this time," she thought, continuing to search for an opening. Her movements were light, almost like she was dancing in the air, dodging the scorching flames.

Puno didn't give her any room to move. Each time the woman approached, he unleashed a brutal attack, hurling explosive fireballs that left searing heat in their wake. Every strike left a fiery mark on the woman's body—a burning red trail that marked his next target. When the number of marks reached seven, a massive explosion would occur, incinerating the victim alive.

"Heh, such a beautiful shade of red..." the woman smiled slightly, looking at the fiery mark now glowing on her arm. She already had four marks, and only needed three more for the deadly explosion. "I have to be careful," she murmured, soaring forward with rapid movement.

Puno let out a sinister laugh, "You won't touch me again!" he growled, releasing an even larger burst of flame. He leapt backward, creating a circle of fire to limit the woman's movements. However, she continued to move swiftly, using her light shield to withstand the searing heat around her.

In one swift motion, she closed in, her hand outstretched, almost touching Puno's skin. But just at that moment, Puno unleashed a massive wave of fire, forcing the woman to retreat for a moment. "Not so fast!" Puno shouted.

The woman frowned but remained undeterred. Puno's attacks grew wilder, but he was also becoming more reckless. The woman saw her chance and, with a daring move, dashed forward, dodging the final burst of flame and managing to touch Puno's chest!

Puno's eyes widened, "NO!" he screamed. In an instant, his body transformed, the human skin that encased him melted away, replaced by pure, raging fire. He was no longer human, but a giant fire elemental. The heat emanating from his body was enough to destroy the light shield protecting the woman, little by little.

The woman gritted her teeth. Her body began to feel the intense heat, her light shield groaned under the pressure of Puno's fire, cracks forming on its surface. But she didn't give up. With determination, she moved closer and wrapped her arms around Puno's fiery form, ensuring her touch remained connected.

"I just need a few more seconds..." she whispered.

As her shield melted away, Puno suddenly felt his world shake. His vision blurred, and the sounds around him faded. "What's happening?" he muttered in confusion. Before he realized it, he was trapped. Everything around him vanished, the raging fire on his body disappeared, replaced by shadows and illusions.

Puno was caught in the woman's illusion world.

"Ugh..."

A faint groan escaped the lips of the Faithwarden woman as she descended from the sky, her breath ragged. The halo of light surrounding her back began to dim, indicating her dwindling spiritual energy after the intense battle.

"Damn it... This man is only at the early Holy Disciple (tier-3), but his power is so unique," she muttered, recalling the events from a few seconds ago.

Her gaze fell on her arm, where the fire marks had now grown to six. In his elemental form, Puno had accelerated the marking process with alarming speed. Just one more mark, and the fire explosion would occur.

Below her, the atmosphere in the devastated city grew even more tense. The civilians and soldiers of the Harmony Circle Alliance who saw the Faithwarden land on the ground were now filled with fear. Their last hope seemed to vanish. Their leader, Puno, whom they believed could save them, was now trapped in an illusion. They didn't know if he was still alive or not.