Both

John decided to make the best of Ignis’s opening by healing the hydra. He ran towards it, preparing to cast heal summon. The wolf was still shaking its head, distracted. John reached the hydra and cast heal summon. It shakily got to its feet. It raised its heads defiantly, growling. John nodded, and then turned his fury to the beast that hurt one of his summons. John ordered Ignis to jump off before it was thrown off, running into the fray himself. Ignis leapt into John’s arms, the flames seemed to heal it. John cast heal summon once just to be sure and let Ignis land on the floor. He kept running at the wolf and jumped again. His blue flames erupted from outstretched hands, aimed at the wolf’s face.

3 dmg

3 dmg

3 dmg

Crit! 5 dmg

3 dmg

Crit! 5 dmg

Crit! 5 dmg

3 dmg

3 dmg

John let his anger flow into his attacks, grimly aware that he was doing almost no damage. Then the world went black.

Ignis watched its master blast the gargantuan creature with fire, and continued looking on in horror as a monstrous paw struck him into the ground. It raced forward, hoping against all hope that its master was not dead. The hydra sped alongside Ignis, the same thought on its mind.

Surprise Crit! – 50 hp

-20 hp

John was crushed between a granite paw and the school courtyard ground. This was definitely the end.

I only have 20 health points left. What happens when I only have zero? ****? Unconsciousness? Do I respawn if I die?

These were John’s frantic thoughts as his flames exploded into a deep orange, the same color as his aura. An info box told him what was happening.

Rageflame(passive) level 2: 20 dmg per second Health regen x2

His health bar ticked up one point as the paw flew off him, half melted. He rose into a sitting position, staring at his hands.

I might survive this encounter after all.

He clapped his hands together in front of him and pulled them back to his side, concentrating his mana into his hands and hoping it worked. It did. A swirl of flames manifested in his palms and an info box appeared. John pushed his arms forward, almost mimicking one of his favorite shows. The Fireball flew at the wolf’s other forepaw, half melting it as well.

Surprise Crit! 20 dmg

The wolf was attempting to hobble towards John, but its melted paws prevented and efficient movement. John took advantage of this lapse in the battle to read the new info box.

New skill: Fireball level 1

The concentrated heat of your mana manifests as a sphere of flames to throw at enemies.

20 dmg

-10 mana

John turned his attention back to the Granit Wolf. He prepared another fireball, this one aimed at the wolf’s (presumably) soft underbelly.

Crit! 20 dmg

John aimed one last fireball at a third paw, intending to permanently incapacitate the wolf.

10 dmg

The wolf properly (kind of) taken care of, John turned to Julie.

“I can do this all day, bitch. What’s next?”

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? YOU’VE COME WITHIN AN INCH OF YOUR LIFE AT LEAST THREE TIMES AND YOU HAVE THE BALLS TO FUCKING TAUNT ME?”

This shriek was followed by her sandstone guards stepping aside as she thrust out her arms, two more summoning circles forming. John cast observe, more an instinct than an action now.

Level 4 Bedrock Gorilla

A summoned creature made of bedrock, whose primary objective is to take hits for its master.

Another defensive unit? What is she playing at?

John stood tall, wreathed in flames. He decided to test if dual wielding spells was a thing in this game. He channeled his mana into his palms, both stretched out at his sides. He felt a pain gnawing at his stomach, like hunger, but different. He glanced at his mana bar.

2/70

Shit.

He threw the fireballs at the newest additions to the battlefield, straight at their chests.

10 dmg

10 dmg

Ignis stood panting behind Julie. It had taken most of its mana to cast sneak for such a long distance. The hydra was hiding in bushes on Julie’s other side. They hoped to distract her long enough for their master to get close and finish her, like he did with the Granite Wolf, who was still scrambling to find a sure footing. The hydra nodded one of its heads discreetly. Ignis twitched its tail in the affirmative. They both charged at Julie, as silently as possible.

The pain in John’s stomach increased. A flashing info box appeared in front of him.

Mana over usage! **** imminent. Cancel ongoing spells:

Fire summon level 1

John had forgot that fire summon was constantly sucking mana. He cancelled it and the pain subsided. He checked his mana again.

-6/70

Shit. I definitely need to keep a better eye on that.

The hydra disappeared. Ignis was left alone as it leapt onto Julie’s sleeve. Her uniform caught fire again and she screamed in surprise. Ignis bit as hard as it could into her arm, drawing drops of blood and instantly cauterizing the wound.

Surprise crit! 5 dmg

2 dmg

2 dmg

2 dmg

She waved her arm around, trying to get Ignis off of her. She swatted at Ignis once. Only once. She burned her hand in the attempt. She screamed profanity through gritted teeth as the damage kept piling on.

2 dmg

2 dmg

2 dmg

John was unsure of what was happening, but he assumed Ignis was to thank for the sudden turn of attention by all four defensive summons to their master. John ran forward, unsure of how he would attack without mana, but determined not to leave Ignis alone with such a worthy opponent. He wove between arms and legs, over a gorilla’s back and through a gap between a shield and spear, mentally thanking his parkour skill. He landed right behind Julie, his Rageflame burning off the rest of her clothes, but not her skin.

Damn level difference. I’m not even dealing actual damage.

John looked to his mana bar again.

15/70

He knew what he had to do.

Ignis locked its jaw around Julie’s arm and held on for dear life. After a few seconds, it felt a welcome warmth that signaled the presence of its master. It let go of Julie’s arm, flying a few feet and landing on its feet with a growl.

John watched as Julie managed to make Ignis fly off her arm, then made his move. He readied a fireball in his right hand and held it up to her neck, taking her as a hostage.