HP: god of potions

Chapter 111

Their battle escalated further, the barrier around them struggling to contain the destruction. Viridian swept his arms upward, summoning a massive wave of water that surged forward like a living entity. The wave roared with a deafening sound, its surface crackling with electricity as arcs of lightning danced across it. The water wasn't just liquid—it carried an almost predatory intent, reshaping itself into serpentine forms that lunged at Gray. Undeterred, Gray stamped his foot into the ground, releasing a shockwave of magic that froze the air around him. The serpentine water constructs turned to ice mid-lunge, their forms glinting like sculptures under the flickering light of their chaotic battlefield. With a flick of his wrist, Gray shattered them into countless shards, which fell like frozen rain, tinkling ominously against the cracked ground.

Neither mage wavered, their focus unbroken as their magic clashed in a symphony of destruction. Viridian's eyes glowed a deep green as he summoned a cyclone of pure elemental energy, a swirling maelstrom of fire, water, earth, and air that converged into a single, devastating force. The cyclone tore through the battlefield, uprooting chunks of stone and sending debris flying in every direction. Gray countered with a spell of equal grandeur, his hands forming a triangle through which he unleashed a beam of pure arcane energy. The beam was blinding, its light refracting into prismatic hues as it collided with the cyclone. The impact sent ripples through the air, creating a dome of raw force that expanded outward, leveling what little remained of the landscape. The ground beneath them was left scorched, frozen, and shattered in equal parts.

Viridian's laughter echoed amidst the chaos, a deep, resonant sound that carried over the roaring elements. "Impressive, Gray," he shouted, his voice steady despite the tempest around them. "Few can withstand this kind of power. But tell me—how long can you hold out?" His eyes gleamed with emerald fire as he raised both hands, commanding the shattered remnants of the battlefield to rise. The broken earth answered, reforming into jagged, earthen spears that hovered menacingly around him. With a sharp gesture, he sent them hurtling forward, each spear glowing red-hot as flames licked their surfaces.

Gray planted his feet firmly, his voice calm yet tinged with excitement. "Longer than you think, Viridian. I could do this all day." He drew a sigil in the air, his hand moving with practiced precision as he chanted under his breath. The sigil expanded into a shimmering wall of frost that materialized just as the spears struck. The earthen projectiles froze on contact, shattering into a fine mist that sparkled in the air. Gray smirked, his breath visible in the sudden chill. "You might want to pick up the pace. I'm getting bored."

Viridian sneered, his composure cracking for the briefest moment before he clapped his hands together, causing the air to ripple. "Bored? Let me fix that for you." The ground beneath Gray's feet erupted as massive roots, twisted and blackened, burst forth, writhing like serpents. They reached for him with relentless speed, their surfaces pulsating with dark energy. "Let's see how quick you really are," Viridian said, his grin sharp and wolfish.

Gray leapt into the air, propelled by a burst of telekinetic energy. The roots followed, tearing through the air with unnatural precision. With a flick of his wrist, Gray conjured a barrage of glowing arcane spheres that hovered around him before launching downward. Each sphere detonated upon impact with the roots, releasing shockwaves of searing blue light that splintered the tendrils into smoldering fragments. He landed smoothly, the ground trembling slightly as he straightened. "Not bad," he said, his voice tinged with mock admiration. "But I expected more from someone who claims to control the elements."

Viridian's eyes narrowed, and his tone grew colder. "Careful, mage. Pride comes before the fall." He extended a single finger toward the sky, and in an instant, the heavens responded. A titanic bolt of lightning descended, striking Viridian directly. Instead of harming him, it wrapped around his form, crackling and twisting like a living entity. His entire body glowed with an electric aura, arcs of energy radiating outward and scorching the earth. "Let's see you handle this."

Gray's eyes widened slightly as the lightning surged toward him, forming a serpentine dragon of pure electricity. It roared as it charged, the air itself splitting with an ear-splitting crack. Gray spun his staff—ornate and pulsing with his own arcane power—and slammed it into the ground. A translucent dome of magic expanded outward, shimmering like liquid glass. The dragon collided with the barrier, the impact sending shockwaves rippling across the dome's surface. Sparks rained down in blinding cascades as the dome absorbed the lightning's fury. Gray gritted his teeth, his voice strained but defiant. "You really want me to get serious, don't you?"

Viridian's grin widened. "I've been waiting for you to stop holding back." Gray's response was a low chuckle as he raised both hands. The air around him vibrated as countless tiny runes formed in rapid succession, orbiting him like planets around a star. "You asked for it," he said, his voice calm yet charged with power. The runes coalesced into a massive beam of condensed magic, its color shifting through every shade of the spectrum. The beam surged forward, carving a trench through the battlefield as it aimed directly at Viridian.

Viridian didn't flinch. He raised both arms, summoning a barrier of whirling elements—a cyclone of fire, water, earth, and air that clashed violently against the beam. The collision was cataclysmic. The force of their spells obliterated the landscape around them, reducing mountains to rubble and evaporating nearby rivers. Both mages were thrown backward, landing with heavy thuds but rising almost instantly.

Viridian brushed dust from his robes, his smirk returning. "Now this is a fight worth having," he said, his tone almost jovial despite the destruction. "You're good, Gray. I'll give you that. But how much longer can you keep this up?" Gray adjusted his grip on his staff, his eyes still glowing. "As long as it takes," he replied, a hint of a grin playing at his lips. "But let's be honest—you're enjoying this as much as I am." Viridian laughed, a deep and genuine sound. "You're right," he said, cracking his knuckles as the air around him grew heavy with power once more. "Let's not stop now." 

The battlefield, already a shattered husk of its former self, groaned under the continued strain of Gray and Viridian's magical onslaught. As Gray adjusted his stance, his eyes flickered with a quiet determination. "Looks like I need to take out my wand," he thought, his hand extending as he drew it from pangea. It felt alive in his hand, humming with latent energy, as though eager to be unleashed. Viridian's eyes narrowed at the sight, a flicker of recognition crossing his face. "So, you've decided to take this seriously," he said, his tone laced with both mockery and genuine intrigue.