One of Rest’s specialties was composite magic—a technique that involved combining multiple spells into a single, cohesive strike.
His most frequent application of this involved enhancing a [Fireball] through [Amplification] and [Compression] to maximize its destructive potential.
His new technique, [Kagutsuchi], was a direct evolution of that very concept.
"[Flash]!"
"GYAO!"
A blinding radiance erupted directly before the Elder Worm’s eyes, robbing the beast of its sight. While it was still disoriented, Rest beat a hasty retreat—not to flee, but to buy himself the time he needed for the activation.
"[Fireball]."
Once he had put enough distance between himself and the monster, Rest invoked his magic. A sphere of flame manifested above his palm. It was a basic, lowest-tier spell, one he could perform even in his sleep.
"[Amplification]. [Compression]."
He layered the additional spells over the existing flame. The fire intensified, its heat mounting while its volume remained unchanged, forced into a concentrated orb of destructive power.
"Under normal circumstances, I’d fire it now," Rest mused. "Even at this level, an average monster wouldn't stand a chance."
But against the Elder Worm, this was nowhere near enough. It wouldn't even leave a singe.
"So, what then? The answer is simple: if the fire lacks heat, I simply need to add more fuel."
He would feed the sphere until it was powerful enough to incinerate the beast entirely.
"[Amplification]."
He stacked the magic again and again. The flames roared with new life, turning white-hot and fierce. The power was surging, but the fireball began to tremble and flicker.
Theoretically, if one continued to stack amplification spells, the power would scale toward infinity. But theory and reality were two very different things. While the enhanced magic increased in power, it lost its stability. An unstable spell would either fizzle into mist or detonate in the caster's face.
But Rest had a solution.
"Barrier."
Geometric lines of light traced themselves through the air, forming an intricate cage. A three-dimensional magic circle encased the flame, forcing it back into a stable state. This was his new approach—an expansion of his repertoire through the application of Barrier Arts.
"[Amplification], [Compression], [Amplification], [Compression], [Amplification]."
The fire encased within the barrier steadily increased in heat. Because he was layering compression magic, there was no change in its volume, yet the temperature skyrocketed. It was like burning a mountain of coal inside a single furnace.
"I trap the magic inside a barrier to stabilize it, then I keep layering spells to enhance the power," Rest muttered, genuinely puzzled. "It’s a relatively simple concept. Has no one else really tried this?"
He called it a simple idea, but he was wrong. It was a Copernican Revolution that upended the very laws of magic.
In the first place, the thought of enveloping only magic within a barrier wouldn't even occur to most. Even if someone happened to think of it, the execution was nearly impossible. Constructing a sturdy barrier consumed a staggering amount of mana. Considering that the magic inside was being constantly strengthened, one would need a mana capacity equivalent to someone who could fire dozens of high-tier spells at once.
It was a feat only possible for someone like Rest, who possessed Infinite Mana.
"[Amplification], [Compression], [Amplification], [Compression], [Amplification]."
Moreover, the average mage lacked the mental capacity to maintain a complex barrier while fine-tuning another spell on the side. Even among Sage-tier casters, few possessed Rest’s sheer multitasking dexterity.
"[Amplification], [Compression], [Amplification], [Compression]... All right, that should do it."
The firepower had grown sufficiently. The fire raging within the barrier now resembled a miniature sun. He was certain this would be enough to bring the Elder Worm down.
"The only problem is I have no idea how powerful this actually is," he whispered to himself. "I might just blow myself up along with it..."
A thunderous roar shook the air. "GYAOOOOOOOOO!"
"Ah, it found me."
The Elder Worm zeroed in on his location. Its massive, serpentine body coiled before it lunged with its maw wide open, intent on a second attempt at devouring him.
Encumbered by the volatile sun in his hands, Rest could no longer maneuver with his usual agility. There was no more time for hesitation.
"No more time to think! Here goes nothing!"
Rest hurled the barrier-encased fireball directly into the beast's gaping throat.
"[Kagutsuchi]!"
The moment the sun entered the monster's gullet, Rest released the barrier. The contained energy, suddenly freed, detonated with the force of a supernova. A colossal pillar of fire erupted from within the beast, consuming the center of the wetlands in a blinding flash.