Jacob is evaluating his options as he dodges Iskara's next blow.

  She's strong, I need to be careful.

  Jacob looks around, there's nothing he wouldn't give to change Iskara's mind, but she seems to be so entrenched in her own terror that she'd drag anyone down with her.

  He briefly looks up.

  The Domain of Ruin and Bones shattered the influence of the Crimson Night; that means he's not bleeding vitality anymore while facing her. The power of a domain destroys any Skill trying to interfere with the same environment the Domain is influencing.

  Yet, at the same time, he's not sure he can keep this up for long either.

  He briefly looks at one of his fingers and sees the tip of it becoming blue and black.

  My body is breaking down under this much power. It's going to start failing me soon.

  The plan is simple enough for him: inflict as many Afflictions as possible before using Hellish Reversal to cripple Iskara's buffs and finish her.

  Jacob parries the next strike, his own bones groaning as he pushes back against her Mana-infused claws.

  Asmodeus's power.

  Jacob gets to look at Iskara dark eyes for a moment before disgust appears on his face, “you're trading your Golden Sight away.”

  “I don't need the pretty eyes when I have this.”

  Shadows coalesce upon Iskara's claw and she attacks Jacob again.

  This time, he once again feels an impending sensation of doom and he dodges, rolling away. Where he was standing a moment earlier, there's now a deep crater in the ground caused by the aftermath of her blow.

  Her Mana's changing.

  Yet, he smiles.

  He unleashed Diavolo Hypercut twice as he was dodging.

  Iskara frowns as she tries and swipe at two will o'wisps that now hover around her.

  [Curse of Fire (Diamond)]

  [Description: Curse of Fire has to be inflicted through physical damage. Curse of Fire must be delivered individually. Curse of Fire creates a small will o’wisp that follows the target everywhere.]

  “You're already affected by Blight of Embers, Iskara. Several instances of it. Curse of Fire counts as fire damage, so... oh, here we go.”

  Iskara suddenly spits dark blood from her mouth, looking confused.

  [Blight of Embers]

  [Fire damage received permanently lowers maximum vitality for the duration of combat. Even blocked or resisted fire still applies the reduction.]

  “You think this is enough?” Iskara's aura swells as she speaks again in a double-voice.

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “We'll have to find out.”

  Iskara’s aura surges again.

  Jacob feels it before it happens.

  That same impending sense of doom squeezes his heart and then releases, and he moves on instinct, sliding sideways as her claw comes down like a guillotine.

  The strike misses him by a handspan.

  It still hits the ground.

  A ribcage the size of a house shatters into powder. Obsidian pillars crack. The Domain buckles and shudders.

  Holy shit, Jacob thinks. Her power is so insane it's starting to tear apart the Domain!

  Iskara doesn’t even pause to admire the damage.

  She comes again, and again, each blow accompanied by the scream of tearing silk.

  Jacob retreats two steps, parries once, and then lets the third strike slip past his guard on purpose. Her claws scrape his shoulder.

  But in that short moment, Jacob layers three more Afflictions, and then one more as Iskara tries to dodge.

  The cuts are insultingly small but they're getting the job done.

  Jacob stays now glued to Iskara, not leaving her

  About a dozen will o'wisps appear around Iskara and she starts bleeding from her eyes, with two creepy streaks of blood running down her cheeks.

  Jacob flexes his fingers, which have turned black almost up to his knuckle.

  I'm rapidly losing the feeling in my hands.

  The Devil's Engine pumps power into him, using the Domain of Ruin and Bones to supplement him with even more Affliction power by amplifying every Affliction he layers on Iskara. But the same power that lets him move as fast as her is slowly tearing him apart.

  If I had already absorbed the Star Metal, I would have won, Jacob thinks.

  In all his calculations, he had not expected Iskara to somehow be able to wield Asmodeus's power.

  “You know you're going to lose,” Jacob bluffs. “Just give up and I might take mercy on you, Iskara.”

  Iskara dashes inside Jacob's guard, forcing him on the defensive.

  “You're still thinking about sparing my life,” Iskara says, looking at him with spite. “This is the difference between us, the reason why you're going to lose.”

  Jacob looks at her and then makes a split-second decision.

  She's right. I've thought too much about beating her without killing her. I'm not thinking straight.

  The Domain around them has completely changed the space, essentially transporting them into another dimension.

  Jacob disengages and puts some distance between them.

  “I'm sorry, Iskara.”

  “What do you think you're doing?” Iskara laughs. “I know your Skills. Your Hellish Reversal won't work on me. I'm still too powerful.”

  “Yeah, I know. But the reason why I used Curse of Fire, which doesn't make you weaker directly, is because it synergizes with another Skill of mine.”

  Jacob raises a palm toward the sky and looks at her with genuine regret on his face.

  “I wish things could have been different,” he tells her.

  “Wait, what--”

  [Synergy Effect: use Tribulation of the Damned on an enemy afflicted by Curse of Fire for extra damage.]

  [Tribulation of the Damned – Lv. 100 (Platinum)]

  [Description: Tribulation of the Damned inflicts damaged equal to the amount of afflictions your enemy is suffering from.]

  Iskara is suddenly swallowed by an explosion that rocks the Domain, but Jacob knows this won't outright kill her.

  But it will cripple her--at least temporarily.

  Jacob releases the Domain of Ruin and Bones, maintaining the Reverse Domain for a few instants longer and lunging at full speed toward the obelisk.

  Once the obelisk's power is mine, I will be able to--

  An inhuman scream--no, not a scream--a monstrous roar splits the air and makes the blood in his veins freeze. He can feel a terrifying power that he has no idea where it comes from.

  He's about to slash at the obelisk when the giant pillar of pulsating violet light suddenly shatters in front of him.

  Jacob's heart stops for a moment when he raises his eyes to meet a figure he can barely recognize.

  Iskara has fully morphed into something unholy.