Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren) novel Chapter 2323

Philip muttered under his breath, "With a fight this intense, one slip could cost them everything, even their lives. Andrew is using Ezekiel to sharpen his martial path. He knows breaking through his energy core is almost impossible, so he's pushing his current stage to its absolute limit.

"You almost have to pity the kid. He has the talent to tower over his generation, yet he's shackled by that sealed core, unable to unleash his full strength. But Ezekiel isn't one to waste the chance either.

"He's using Andrew to fuel his own breakthrough, and if he succeeds, he'll become the youngest martial emperor in Sorya's history, with the whole world watching him."

…

A wave of scorching heat surged toward Ezekiel, making him flinch. He thrust both palms forward, blocking the torrent like a crashing tide, and his body shot backward like an arrow off a bowstring.

Andrew struck out in all directions, his palms releasing streams of flame that rolled across the battlefield. The waves of firestorm energy filled the air, pressing down like the sky itself was collapsing.

Ezekiel steadied himself after pulling back and exhaled loudly as he clashed head-on with Andrew's Inferno Strike.

The first palm left his hands burning, and the second crushed his chest with suffocating pressure. By the third, his energy core felt like it was on fire, his blood boiling in his veins.

And then, the fourth strike came roaring in.

Not daring to take it lightly, Ezekiel unleashed his signature move, The Dragon's Cyclone. A whirl of pale-blue energy spun before him, faintly forming the shape of a circle.

Andrew's fourth strike slammed into it, rippling like waves across a pond before the surface calmed again.

Andrew leaned forward, closing the distance in a blink, and rained down a storm of Inferno Strikes on the spinning shield. His attacks flowed like water, effortless and unrelenting.

One attacked, the other defended. For a while, neither could overpower the other.

Ezekiel roared, "Get lost!"

He shoved the shield forward, then twisted it into the most troublesome form of The Dragon's Cyclone, The Mirage of Shifting Truths.

In an instant, Andrew lost sight of his real opponent. Shadows of Ezekiel flickered all around him. His palms struck over and over, shattering phantom after phantom, but none of them were the actual body.

Andrew slowly closed his eyes. In the depths of his consciousness, he grasped a thread of opportunity.

Inferno Strike showed signs of breaking through.

After Volcano Smash came Tides of Hellfire.

Andrew followed that mysterious feeling in his heart. He did not even need to look and simply slashed palm after palm wildly around him.

Gradually, the streams of fire he struck formed a continuous mass.

From Isabelle's perspective, she could see that a sea of flames now surrounded Andrew. This sea of fire burned fiercely, the result of true energy released outward and transformed into destructive flame power.

Even from over 70 feet away, Isabelle felt an indescribable stuffiness and suffocation.

"Andrew, what kind of technique is this? It's incredible!" she gasped, her lips parted in awe and excitement.