Chapter 222 Flame Mode
"It's a deal!"
Thor immediately grinned excitedly. Aside from the eerie golden circle, he didn't think his strength was inferior to Phineas's. Last time, he was just anxious about Loki; this time, he could fight to his heart's content.
Watching Thor leave happily, Phineas secretly pursed his lips, clearly understanding Thor's meaning.
However, he didn't think he would lose either. At least, fighting all day and maintaining a draw was definitely not a problem. In fact, apart from Odin, whom he had no chance of defeating, everyone else in Asgard was just experience points in his eyes.
Arriving at the library, Phineas found the location Thor had mentioned and picked up a book, reading with great interest.
After the previous battle, Fandral and the other two didn't bother Phineas again. After their defeat, they were now training hard to avenge themselves.
After studying, Phineas discovered that the Treefolk language wasn't actually that difficult. After all, even Thor could learn it, so how could it be extremely difficult?
In joyful learning, the day passed in the blink of an eye.
The next morning, before Finney had even finished breakfast, Thor rushed into his room, demanding a duel.
"Is it really necessary to be in such a hurry?"
Finney ate the breakfast the maids had prepared for him, looking helplessly at the excited Thor, who seemed to have just returned from the battlefield two days prior.
And usually, he was the one chasing after others for challenges; this was the first time he'd been urged to do so.
After finishing breakfast under Thor's expectant gaze, Finney followed him to the battleground, a large open area not far from the palace.
Many Asgardians had already gathered around, cheering expectantly upon seeing him and Thor, clearly aware of their impending battle.
Sif and the Warriors Three were also nearby, cheering for Thor.
To Finney's surprise, he heard support for him among the crowd; a quick glance revealed many beautiful young women.
Aside from physical differences, Asgardians and Earthlings are almost indistinguishable in appearance, so Phine's handsomeness is perfectly acceptable in Asgard.
"Ready?"
Thor excitedly asked Phine as they reached the center of the open space, repeatedly reminding himself not to throw the hammer.
"Of course!"
Phine immediately summoned 'Possessed', the armor gleaming in the golden morning sunlight of Asgard.
"Let's begin!"
Thor announced excitedly, about to raise Mjolnir and throw it, but then remembered the importance of keeping the hammer close at hand and quickly put it down.
Although Phine was surprised by Thor's actions, he didn't remain idle. His 'Breathing Technique' naturally activated, and he channeled the absorbed solar energy into 'Possessed'.
"Whoosh!"
The silver-white armor instantly turned crimson, then burst into flames, startling the surrounding Asgardians, many of whom screamed.
Even Thor, who was about to charge, froze in place, unsure of what was going on with Finney.
"It's alright, it's my magic!"
Hearing the worried exclamations of the cute girls in the distance, Finney turned around and explained, then said to the stunned Thor, "Continue!"
Thor looked at the engulfed Finney with suspicion, struggling to suppress the urge to throw his hammer to test the waters first. However, he hesitated about unleashing his lightning power, worried that it might harm Finney.
Seeing Thor standing still, Finney decided to take the initiative. Flame Mode greatly amplified his power, so he planned to test the effect in close combat first.
Crimson flames roared, radiating heat. Although Finney's speed was somewhat reduced, it was still fast. Amidst the shouts of the surrounding crowd, he arrived beside Thor.
Thor tightened his grip on Mjolnir, and seeing Finney's oncoming fist, he dodged to the side and immediately counterattacked with his hammer.
Seeing Thor's movement, Finney didn't dodge, immediately changing angle to meet the Mjolnir's hammer head-on with his fist.
"Bang!"
The hammer and fist collided with a muffled thud, and both stumbled back a few steps. Finney retreated three steps, while Thor, carried by the hammer, only took two. Thor and the hammer still had a slight advantage in strength, but it wasn't significant.
Thor stared at Finney in shock. During their first battle in New York, Finney's strength hadn't been this terrifying at all. How long had it been?
Suddenly, Thor felt an urge to learn magic.
However, Thor didn't know that Finney's 'magic' was exclusive; not just anyone could learn it.
The battle continued.
Finney continued to clash head-on with Thor. The hammer was a blunt weapon, its damage primarily coming from impact. Fortunately, 'Possessed by Evil' had evolved into 'physical resistance,' making it very effective against this type of damage.
Moreover, although he couldn't feel the damage from the flames on his body, some of Thor's blond hair was already slightly charred.
On the surface, Thor was being relentlessly beaten by Finney.
Fortunately, Mjolnir isn't just a physical weapon; it's a magical weapon that, besides allowing people to fly, is imbued with the power of Thor.
As the battle intensified, Thor, no longer concerned about hurting Phineas, seized an opportunity to raise Mjolnir and unleash a bolt of lightning.
However, Phineas, having fought the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj for years, had developed "spell resistance" due to her "possession," though
this resistance wasn't as effective against lightning as her physical resistance. So, the lightning still made Phineas flinch, and in a moment of carelessness, she was sent flying by the hammer, allowing Thor to regain some face.
In fact, the most effective weapons against Phineas's current "possession" are bladed weapons, or sharp claws like those of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and the leopard.
Attacks like fists, hammers, blunt weapons, energy, and explosions, unless extremely powerful, are unlikely to harm Phineas.
The fierce battle greatly excited the surrounding Asgardians. Defeating the Warriors Three was nothing compared to seeing Thor beaten so badly; it was then that they truly realized Phineas's power. They
began to whisper among themselves about Phineas.
"Is he really from Midgard?"
"Yes, I heard he's a powerful mage!"
"A mage!? But why does he seem more like a knight to me, just missing a mount!"
"He does have a mount!"
Hearing the conversation, a short man seemed to know something and said mysteriously, "I heard from the neighbor's girlfriend's brother's friend that he keeps a huge white dragon that can swallow ten ice beasts in one gulp!"
"Yes, yes, I heard that too. They say it doesn't even spit out the bones!"
another person chimed in.
Phineas, who had been carelessly paralyzed by lightning and sent flying, overheard their conversation and was speechless. From birth until now, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon had never tasted anything bloody.
"Ten ice behemoths in one bite, not even spitting out bones..."
Ignoring the increasingly off-topic Asgardian crowd, Phineas got up from the ground, watching Thor rush towards him, and let out a soft breath.
Having tested the effects of his fire mode, he was ready to get serious, and also wanted to show the Asgardians around him that even though he wore armor and kept dragons, he was still a mage!
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(End of Chapter)