Chapter 389: Chapter 389 Two Vs One

The metal man let out a sharp laugh, the sound echoing through the battlefield. His metal-covered body gleamed under the flickering lights from the fires burning around them. He tilted his head, eyes locked on Lana.

“I’m giving you one more chance to walk away unshattered,” he said, voice deep and rough, almost amused. “You’re gorgeous. I’d hate to ruin that face.”

Lana smiled softly. There was no fear, no hesitation. Just calm. “If you won’t attack,” she said, her voice smooth, steady, “then I will.”

She took a slow step forward. The ground beneath her foot cracked slightly, and a faint hum filled the air. Her hand lifted, palm facing the metal man.

A deep red flame burst to life in her palm—hot, slow, and heavy. It didn’t flicker like normal fire. It burned like molten energy, swirling in her hand like it was alive.

The metal man’s eyes widened for a brief second before he grinned. “Aggressive?” he said with a smirk. “I like you already.”

He took a step forward, his body creaking as the metal along his arms thickened, plates forming over his shoulders. Sparks leapt from his skin as he prepared to strike.

The air around them grew hotter. Even the bystanders who had managed to stay near the battlefield stepped back, feeling the heat rolling off her flames.

Lana moved first.

Her hand cut through the air, sending a blazing streak of red fire toward him. It tore through the ground like an explosion, splitting the earth open.

The metal man crossed his arms to block it. The fire smashed into him, and for a moment, he vanished behind the burst. When the smoke cleared, he was still standing—but his metal arm was glowing faintly red.

He looked down at it and grinned wider. “That all?”

Lana didn’t answer. She flicked her hand, and the flame shot upward, reforming in the air like a whip. She swung it fast, and before he could fully react, it slammed against his side.

The sound echoed like thunder.

He stumbled back, metal plates dented and smoking. The audience watching through the news feed gasped as the camera zoomed in on his chest.

“Holy shit, she’s strong!”

“Is that… fire? It’s red, not orange!”

“She’s melting his armor!”

“Wait—who is this woman again?!”

The comments flooded every screen. Even the reporters were speechless.

Kelly, Ann, and the others stood frozen behind her.

Dickson’s jaw clenched as he whispered, “When the hell did she get that strong?”

Ann said quietly, “She’s controlling it so perfectly… that’s not normal.”

Vanessa’s eyes stayed on Lana, unable to look away. “She must’ve been training,” she said softly. “A lot.”

The metal man shook his arms, knocking off the molten flakes of steel. “You’re not bad,” he said. “But you’ll need more than that.”

Lana stepped forward again, flames swirling around her like red ribbons. Her expression didn’t change—calm, almost relaxed—but the heat from her body made the air shimmer.

“Alright then,” she said, “let’s make it interesting.”

The metal man roared and charged forward. His arm shot out like a spear, metal forming into a sharp blade at the end. Lana ducked low, the blade slicing through her hair as she slid across the floor. Her palm hit the ground, and flames burst upward behind her in a wave, cutting him off.

He turned sharply, metal forming over his face as he pushed through the fire. But the flames clung to him. They didn’t just burn—they stuck, spreading along his body like living heat.

He tried shaking them off, but they only grew brighter.

“Get off!” he shouted, slamming his arms against the ground.

Lana snapped her fingers, and the fire exploded.

A massive burst of heat and light shot outward, forcing everyone nearby to shield their eyes. Even the cameras on the news feed glitched from the brightness.

When the smoke cleared, the ground was blackened. The metal man was on one knee, steam rising from his body. His armor was half-melted, his breathing heavy.

He lifted his head, glaring at her through the haze. “You’re playing with fire, girl.”

Lana raised an eyebrow. “I thought that was obvious.”

He pushed to his feet, fury building in his eyes. His body shifted again, the metal darkening, hardening. The air vibrated as he stomped forward, each step cracking the ground.

But Lana didn’t move.

She stood there, flames swirling lazily around her, eyes fixed on him. When he lunged forward again, she met him head-on. Their collision was deafening—fire and metal clashing in a violent explosion that sent shockwaves across the field.

She moved faster than before, almost too fast to follow. Every movement was sharp, precise, controlled. Her fists left trails of fire with each strike, and each time they connected, sparks and molten shards flew.

The more he fought, the more he realized she wasn’t just strong—she was toying with him.

Every burst of fire grew hotter, stronger, more focused.

At first, people thought that was her limit. Then she increased it again. And again.

Each time she did, the heat spiked higher. The flames deepened in color, shifting from red to crimson, almost like liquid light.

The ground around her started to crack from the pressure, glowing faintly under her feet.

Vanessa whispered, “What the hell is she doing…”

Seo Yeon shook her head slowly. “That’s not fire anymore. That’s—”

Before she could finish, Lana slammed both hands forward.

A massive surge of red fire burst out, hitting the metal man square in the chest. It didn’t explode this time. It pierced. The flames cut through his armor like molten glass through wax, sending him crashing backward, his chest smoking.

He lay there for a moment, chest heaving, armor cracked open.

Lana stood still, her hands still burning softly, her face calm as ever.

People watching the live stream couldn’t believe it.

“She’s insane.”

“She’s not even breathing hard.”

“Is this really the same model who disappeared?”

Even Dickson, bruised and silent, couldn’t help but grin a little. “Yeah,” he muttered under his breath. “She’s a damn monster now.”

The metal man groaned as he pushed himself up, barely standing. His chest was scorched, his metal plating melted in places.

Lana tilted her head slightly. “Still want me to walk away?”

He didn’t answer. His eyes burned with rage as molten metal dripped from his arm.

And Lana just smiled again.

The metal man’s breathing turned rough. Each inhale sounded like grinding gears. He was pissed now, the calm arrogance from before replaced with anger. His chest glowed faintly, heat pulsing under his cracked armor.

“Alright,” he muttered, voice shaking with fury, “no more holding back.”

He slammed both fists together. A heavy echo rippled through the air. The ground trembled. Pieces of metal from nearby cars and broken buildings began to rise off the ground, drawn toward him like a magnet. They circled his body, spinning faster and faster until he looked like a living storm of steel.

Lana stood quietly, watching him rebuild himself. Her eyes reflected the orange glow from the metal fragments. She didn’t look afraid. Just patient.

He lifted one hand and pointed at her. “Let’s see you melt this.”

The spinning metal around him suddenly shot forward. Blades, pipes, and chunks of steel screamed through the air, slicing toward her at high speed.

The crowd gasped. Even the reporters ducked, forgetting they were hundreds of meters away.

Lana exhaled softly and moved.

She twisted her wrist, and the red flames that once danced around her arms flared into an inferno. A dome of fire erupted around her, swallowing everything that came her way.

The flying metal hit the flames and melted instantly, turning into droplets of liquid steel that rained down to the ground with hissing sounds.

The man gritted his teeth. “You think that’s enough to stop me?”

He stomped on the ground. The moment his foot landed, the floor cracked open, and metal spikes shot up from underneath her. Lana jumped back, flames trailing her feet. The spikes missed, but the next wave came faster.

He was relentless now, using every trick he had.

Each strike came from a different angle. Some from the ground, some from the sides, even from above where shards of metal fell like rain.

But she adapted fast. Her movements were smoother now, cleaner, confident. Every time she moved, flames flared to cover her path. Every time he attacked, she answered with fire that swallowed his steel.

“Jesus Christ, this isn’t human!” one of the camera operators shouted from the broadcast booth.

“Look at the temperature readings! It’s spiking past the sensors!” another replied.

The people watching at home had no idea what to think.

“She’s winning!”

“No way, he’s still standing!”

“Wait… is that another guy joining?!”

They weren’t wrong.

The second man—the huge one with ridiculous strength—finally stepped forward. His knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists, the ground shaking under his weight.

“Metal,” he said to his partner. “You’re dragging this out. Move.”

The metal man growled but didn’t argue. “Fine. Let’s end it together.”

The big guy stomped once, sending a shockwave through the ground that broke apart the cracked asphalt. He then pushed off the ground, charging forward like a bull.

Lana turned her head slightly, just in time to see him coming. He was fast for his size, too fast. His fist slammed forward like a cannon.

She brought her arm up to block, flames wrapping around her skin. The impact sent a loud boom through the field, shaking nearby buildings. She slid back several feet, leaving deep burn marks on the ground where her feet had dragged.

Her hair was slightly messy now, her clothes torn at the sleeve, but her face was still calm. Her eyes glowed faintly red.

“That’s more like it,” she said quietly.

The two men attacked together. The strong one went for brute force, while the metal one stayed back, shaping weapons midair to shoot at her. Spears, blades, chunks of steel—all flying while his partner kept her busy.

It was two-on-one, and the advantage was clear.

She moved fast, her body twisting and spinning through their attacks. Her fire exploded in short bursts, deflecting or burning through what she could, but even she was starting to feel the pressure.

A metal shard sliced across her arm, drawing a line of blood. She looked at it for half a second, then sighed. “Annoying.”

Her flames flared brighter, hot enough to burn the air white for a moment. The ground around her turned red, melting slightly under the heat.

The strong man lunged again, aiming straight for her chest.

She sidestepped and grabbed his wrist mid-swing. Her fingers burned red, heat so intense that steam rose where she touched him. He roared in pain, but before he could pull back, she kicked him in the chest, sending him crashing backward into his partner.

Both of them fell hard, metal shards scattering everywhere.

The audience gasped again.

“Did she just knock them both down?”

“What is she even made of?”

“Her power’s rising again!”

Vanessa’s eyes followed every move Lana made. “She’s fighting like she’s done this a hundred times before.”

Back in the fight, the two men stood up again, both panting now. The metal one’s armor was cracked and melting in places. The big guy’s shirt was gone, his skin covered in burns.

Lana stood across from them, breathing slow and steady, eyes half-closed.

Her fire dimmed a little, becoming tighter, more controlled.

“You two done?” she asked softly.

They didn’t answer. The big guy roared and charged again, while the metal man threw his arm forward, sending a storm of steel blades through the air.

Lana didn’t move this time.

She lifted her hand, and the flames around her condensed into a single, blinding point. Then it exploded outward in all directions, a sphere of fire that swallowed everything.

The blades melted instantly. The shockwave sent both men flying backward again.

When the light faded, Lana was still standing in the middle of a burning crater.

Her hair was glowing faintly, her hands dripping with molten heat.

She looked at the two men crawling out of the smoke.

“Guess we’re still not done,” she said quietly. “Alright. Let’s make this quick.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep