From the end of the world

Chapter 25: Psychic vs. Fallen Demon Hunter 3
Let's talk a little bit about the past, about how I became a person with super powers.

Before I became a person with super powers, I often did some things that seemed to be unique. But maybe I judge others by my own experience, I think the things I did were not as unique as others said, and other people should have done them more or less, but they rarely shared them with people around them.

That is to place a pen, an eraser, or other light objects within reach in front of your eyes, then stare at it intently, and imagine that your mental thoughts can invade physical reality, affecting it and causing it to move.

You don't need to move violently, just a little bit, visible to the naked eye. As long as you are focused enough and put all your brain power into it, it's not too much to expect a little miracle in the end.

Of course, I didn’t really believe in this sophistry, it was more out of interest. Ever since I can remember, I have been very fond of concepts such as magic and superpowers. Those stories would occasionally make up a set of settings based on mysticism, telling readers how to practice to get a glimpse of the way to becoming an immortal. It was natural for me to want to imitate them after reading. At that time, of course, I couldn’t really go deep into the mountains and forests to find the right "spiritual veins" and "cave houses", but it was still easy to meditate on the bed with my five hearts facing the sky.

Even though I was still in elementary school when I first did that, I knew in my heart that no matter how long I persisted in this practice, it would not really help me get in touch with the "spiritual energy between heaven and earth." I just wanted to get as close to the world of fantasy stories as possible. When I imitated the characters in the story and meditated, I seemed to become a part of the fantasy world.

The last time I tried was in the third grade of junior high school, when I read a statement in a miscellaneous book: It is said that in ancient times, monks would prepare an extinguished candle in a quiet room, then stare at the candle wick intently, imagining that their eyes would light it.

This practice does not mean that you can really light the candle wick by looking at it, but it is to eliminate the rest of your distracting thoughts through this method, so that you can enter the mysterious state of meditation. After reading it, I think it makes sense and I yearn for it. Although the monks' meditation itself does not show any supernatural powers, it is also a kind of mysterious experience, and I am very curious about it.

For a period of time afterwards, I would carry a candle with me every day. When I had free time, I would take it out and stare at the wick, imagining the scene of the wick burning.

What I never expected was that over time, although I did not succeed in entering the mysterious state of meditation, other absurd phenomena occurred without any warning.

It was an ordinary school day. After the teacher announced the end of get out of class, he walked out with the materials under his arm, and the classroom entered the hustle and bustle of the after-school break. No classmates came to talk to me, so I took out the candle as usual and continued to pass the boring time by staring at the candle.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes... About five or six minutes passed, and I still couldn't enter the so-called meditation state. This was expected. I continued to empty my mind and stared at the candle wick as usual.

But this time, it's different from any other time.

Under my gaze,

The candle wick began to burn out of thin air.
-
The demon burst into flames out of thin air.

It was as if the entire body had turned into a giant match, generating heat from friction with the air as it rushed towards me at high speed, and then exploded with a loud bang.

The heat wave swept in all directions like a tidal wave, and the trees and bushes beside the road fell to the ground. I was also caught in the heat wave, but I didn't get burned. I just took two steps back and turned my body to avoid the demon's path. The demon, like a car out of control, crashed into a charging station not far away.

It couldn't help but let out sharp and frantic screams. It was in so much pain that it couldn't even stand up. It could only roll on the ground in a panic, trying to put out the flames on its body.

At the same time, the shadows around me began to become restless, and dozens of shadow blades simultaneously launched swift and deadly stabbings at me from all directions.

But before they could touch my body, flames had already erupted from my entire body. When these shadow blades encountered my flames, they quickly collapsed like cotton being burned by fire, and they could not even take a step beyond this blazing defense circle.

The demon did more than that at the critical moment. Some of the shadows did not attack me, but quickly rushed towards itself.

It is said that in some firefighting operations, sand is not used to put out fires. The principle is the same as water. As long as it covers the burning material, it can isolate oxygen and prevent combustion. Presumably, these shadows are intended to play a similar role. The shadows completely cover the painful demon like a cocoon.

However, before suppressing the flames, the shadow was ignited by the flames. Instead of extinguishing the fire, it became new fuel, making the demon even more miserable.

“Zhuang Cheng——” It seemed as if it was thrown into a hot hell, and a voice full of negative emotions came out from that hell, “——Zhuang Cheng ah ah ah!!!”

While roaring, its body suddenly bounced up from the ground and attacked me in the blink of an eye.

But I didn't blink, my eyes were still focused on it.

It was really fast and powerful. With my normal movements, I wouldn't even have time to move my fingers before it tore my body apart. However, I didn't need to move my fingers to attack. If it thought I had to go through the process of "first condensing a fireball around me and then throwing it out myself" like the fire ability users in some fighting games, then it really underestimated me.

My gaze, voice, breath, these everyday things are all the media through which I transmit my power.

My flame is my spirit, so wherever my spirit can reach, my flame can destroy it. Some people would use words like "If looks could kill..." to describe how strong someone else's murderous intent is, and my looks can really kill.

Just like now. The demon was ignited again. This time, I let the flames only erupt on the front of its body. The huge heat wave blew it backwards, forcing it to continue struggling desperately in the flames.

“This is impossible…” It seemed to realize what was happening to it, “It just… It just glanced at me… Aaaahhh!!”

"It's just the manipulation of fire, it's not a very amazing ability." I care more about the other party's real ability than my own strength that I've long been accustomed to. "On the contrary, you, don't you have any other more novel...more weird abilities?"

The demon seemed to have no extra energy to reply, and was only focused on manipulating the power of shadow again to put out the fire on his body, but it was of no use at all.

The flames were still disintegrating its body, but I could see that its flesh and blood were repairing itself at an unreasonable speed. Every time a part of its flesh and blood was carbonized and shattered, new flesh and blood would regenerate to replace it. In general, the speed of regeneration was still slower than the speed of destruction, but according to this change, it would still take some time to burn it to death.

It's not impossible to burn this demon to charcoal in one breath. The current situation is also due to my deliberate letting. In fact, I don't know how high my flame can reach. The destructive power of my flame does not depend on the physical temperature, but on my thoughts when using the flame. As long as I inject the killing thought, even rocks can be evaporated on the spot; and if I don't have that intention, I can also wrap the human body in it without damaging it at all.

I had really intended to kill it. My opponent was going to kill me anyway, so I couldn't blame anyone else if I killed him. But at the critical moment when I really wanted to kill him, I hesitated.

It's not because I cherish even the life of the enemy. If the opponent is human, it's okay. But if the opponent doesn't even have a human form, I have no psychological burden to burn it. But wouldn't it be a pity to burn it to death on the spot?

Maybe I shouldn't kill it, but capture it alive. Then find a place to imprison it and ask it more about the weird things. Of course, it may also have other weird and dangerous trump cards that can kill me. But I think this risk is worth taking.

Speaking of "risks", there is something very important that I haven't had time to do yet, so I'd better do it now.

"It's useless for you to struggle like this." I took the initiative to explain my ability. "As long as it's within my sight, my flame will not disappear. Even if you really find a way to extinguish it, I can rekindle it countless times."

Many villains in combat comics will take the initiative to explain their abilities to the protagonist when they are in an advantageous position. Although I also think that this is not a wise move, it is also one of my obsessions.

If I were to write a bucket list for my life now, one of the items would definitely be "showing off my abilities in front of my opponent while explaining my ability settings." I was really disappointed that I couldn't find this opportunity in the cave before.

Even if I do end up in trouble later, I can accept it. My experience in the cave has made me realize who I really am, and I am now completely convinced that I have that kind of mental strength.

It was clear that the demon had not yet decided to admit defeat. Just as I was about to explain more, it suddenly roared in humiliation, then jumped up from the ground again and rushed forward.

Only this time, it wasn't trying to get closer to me, it was trying to get away from me as quickly as possible.

The fleeing figure was as fast as a streak of lightning, and in the blink of an eye, it disappeared from my sight.

Perhaps this is the most correct strategy it can think of now. It has realized that I can set objects on fire with my eyes. When the attacks of its own shadow and main body cannot reach me, it is best to disappear from my sight as soon as possible, otherwise it will just continue to be burned by me and die in pain.

But I never said that you would be safe as long as you were out of my sight.

It is not a good habit to run away in the middle of a commentary.

I closed my eyes and a mental image of where the demon was came to mind.

After escaping the community, the demon quickly came to the river one kilometer away. Its body was still burned by my flames, and when it saw the river water, it plunged into it without hesitation. When the river water came into contact with the flames, a large amount of white steam immediately erupted.

Even my flames can't evaporate an entire river, at least I've never tried to do that myself. The demon wants to put out the flames with a lot of water, but it's useless. My flames don't need oxygen to appear out of thin air, and naturally they won't disappear out of thin air due to lack of oxygen.

And running away from me is also a wrong choice, no matter how far it runs, it can't escape my gaze. It is true that there is no "firefly" beside it now, but the reason why the "firefly" can share my vision with me is because it is my flame, my scattered spirit. And now, the flame burning on the demon has also become my eyes.

Wherever the fire reaches, that is where my sight reaches.

Once I ignite you, you cannot escape my burning even if you flee to the ends of the earth. Unless I allow you to, it is a flame that will not go out.

(End of this chapter)