No More Pain For This Villain.

[Ren Hilton POV.]

[A FEW MINUTES AGO.]

Just as I had done my part by warning these guys not to take Erik past the door in his condition, I stepped away from the door and felt the temperature change in the atmosphere.

Heat—It felt like everything was on fire, but somehow it was still bearable, maybe because of my phoenix physique.

The ground marked the second-to-last layer before the final circle, the last challenge that one must cross. It's circular in shape and has enough space to hold a battle. In the middle of the circle, there's a small cabin, arena-wise, but its walls extend high above, preventing entry by climbing. It has a simple-looking door.

In truth, it is a simple door—no magic because—

"Ugh," I grumbled, as there it was—the Amphiptere, tied by a thin chain and a shackle around its neck. I could feel its raging breaths.

*SNAP*

I lowered myself a bit, pushing mana throughout my whole body, keeping myself as calm as possible.

The chain snapped like a twig, and the next thing I knew, the Amphiptere launched itself at me, its massive head coming towards me.

I ran towards it, but just before it could connect, I jumped, my foot landing on its forehead. I ran across its long spine as it twisted to the side, trying to make me fall. I just needed to get to that door.

But before I could jump off its back, I felt a tremendous shock on my back, and I was thrown to the side.

*THUD!*

"Ahhh!" I yelped in pain. I was hit by its muscular tail and thrown about a hundred feet away, crashing into one of the walls.

I could feel my head buzzing as I managed to stand up again. It was attacking again, this time.

As I steadied myself after being thrown by the Amphiptere's powerful tail, pain seared through my body, and adrenaline buzzed in my head. The creature charged toward me once more, relentless in its pursuit.

With a quick intake of breath, I focused my mana, pushing it throughout my body to numb the pain and regain my composure. Despite the throbbing ache in my back, I refused to let it slow me down.

As the Amphiptere closed in, its jaws gaping wide, I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding its snapping fangs. With swift movements, I danced around the creature, every step calculated and precise.

But the beast was quick, its movements unpredictable as it lunged and twisted, attempting to catch me off guard. I ducked and weaved, relying on my agility and reflexes to stay ahead.

Finally, I saw my opportunity. With a burst of speed, I darted toward the small cabin at the center of the circular arena, the door beckoning me like a beacon of safety.

Ignoring the pain coursing through my body, I sprinted forward, each step bringing me closer to my goal. The Amphiptere roared in frustration, its rage fueling its pursuit.

With a final leap, I reached the door—

"Uh oh," I felt my vision shift, and in the next moment, I was thrown off by an explosion to my side.

My vision returned, and I found myself far from where I had been standing, bleeding from the side.

The dragon had used Void's Gaze, a skill that deprived its prey of sight and hearing.

I looked up at the dragon, which hissed at me, taking its time to recover. The screen focused on me, and I saw the silhouette of Eldric in the sky, looking down.

I focused my thoughts on the system.

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[STATUS WINDOW]

[Ren Chris Hilton]

Age: 16.5

Race: Purebred Phoenix

[Level 3: Scorchmaster]

[6 Star Mage In Human Terms.]

Current Progress:

Intelligence: 8/10

Strength: 72/100

Mana: 83/100

[Next Level: Pyroclasm Elder ]

[3079/25000 Exp]

(Level up unavailable!)

Elemental Attributes: Fire

Advancements of Elements: Lightning

Unlock New Advancement: (Open)

Contracted Beast: One

Spirits: None

Skills: [42 skills.]

Learn New Skills: [Open]

Store: [Open]

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A single glance at my stats showed that I needed 22k more experience points to level up. If I do, I can skip the 7-8 star mage level and become a 9 star immediately.

...Will this dragon give me any experience? Of course it will, but how much?

A roar snapped my attention back to the incoming reptile. It seemed killable, but wouldn't it draw attention? Attention toward me... I tried to gauge its strength compared to that of the students, but why? Because no one should care, but why did I forget that? My head was pounding.

I looked up, and the dragon was upon me. I conjured a sword of fire, but—

Before I could react, a string of ice shot from the side, aiming for the dragon's eyes.

"YOU CAN'T THINK WHEN YOU ARE ON THE GROUND!"

"Huh?"

"Run from there!"

"Eh...." I did, but it was still surprising to see Vexa shout like that.

And then, I immediately ran toward where Vexa was and looked at her, but the next thing I saw was Adam being thrown out of the doors.

"Agh!!" He grumbled as he straight away found himself under the Amphiptere.

I cursed, thinking I'd have to save his arse, but he immediately pushed himself off and managed to avoid getting crushed under the dragon's weight.

The amphiptere surveyed its surroundings before ascending into the air. The atmosphere immediately heated up, and as it opened its mouth, a spinning ball of fire appeared, ready to be unleashed.

I wanted to finish this.

"FUCK YOU LIZARD!" I cursed, I spun the raw mana in small string for it to hold the fire I was heating into something way beyond just fire correctly.

I made a spear,it was....weird but I managed and then threw it with strength enough for me to feel drained immediately.

The spear connected to the fire in dragons mouth and it exploded in its mouth.

The explosion ripped through the air with a deafening roar, sending shockwaves reverberating through the chamber. Flames erupted from the dragon's mouth, engulfing its head in a blazing inferno. The force of the blast sent the Amphiptere reeling backward, its massive form tumbling through the air in a chaotic frenzy.

As the smoke cleared, I could see the dragon's lower jaw hanging limply, its tongue lolling out in agony. The once fearsome creature now seemed vulnerable, its rage twisted into a primal howl of pain and fury.

But even in its wounded state, the Amphiptere's eyes burned with an unyielding resolve. With a guttural roar, it gathered its remaining strength, its wings beating against the air as it prepared to strike back with renewed fury.