In the backyard of the manor, Hode walked slowly onto the lawn. Looking around, he saw the manor surrounded by walls over thirty meters high. The fifty acres of backyard was so spacious that he could drive around freely. The luxury of this place could easily rank among the finest in all of New York. The amenities included a swimming pool, a soccer field, a basketball court, and even a golf course.
Not far away, there was also a dedicated area constructed for parking vehicles, making it convenient to manage the backyard. At the very center of the backyard stood a massive stone sculpture—a giant cenotaph of a horse, rearing up on one hoof and roaring toward the sky.
Originally, the walls were less than five meters high, but considering he wanted to conduct experiments within the grounds, he decided to raise their height to thirty meters. The walls were a staggering six meters thick! Even cannonballs hitting them directly would be utterly ineffectual.
"Since even Wanda is working so hard, oh, she must be well aware of my abilities!" Hode stretched lazily and yawned. For the past few days, he had been engaged in intense physical activity without having the chance to properly cultivate his skills. So, while Wanda was training, he decided to focus on improving his own abilities as well.
He had not thoroughly researched the rewards he received last time, so he figured it would be a good opportunity to explore those abilities. Looking at the vast expanse of the sky and the beautiful scenery in the backyard, his mood lifted a little.
"Power of Fire Element!" Hode silently chanted in his mind, and the system's user interface immediately appeared before him.
[Power of Fire Element]: The holder possesses extraordinary control over fire elements! The deeper the development, the stronger the mastery over fire elements!
"This reward is truly amazing!" He couldn't help but marvel at how completing the challenges meant he received such great rewards. The god-level magic talent had granted him the ability to learn magic faster, and now possessing the power of the fire element meant he could easily harness this power.
Though it might not compare to the power of the phoenix, it was still one of the natural elements and could be immensely useful in battle.
Snap!
Hode raised his right hand and snapped his fingers, and instantly, a flickering flame resembling a serpent ignited from his fingertip. The flame danced at his fingertips and even coiled around his index finger. With just a thought, the flame could stretch and contract like a snake.
This demonstrated how meticulously he could control the fire. While it might seem like a small detail, that precision was crucial in combat.
"Fire Lotus!" Hode thought to himself and suddenly spread his palm wide. The small fire serpent exploded in an instant, forming a vividly realistic flame lotus in his hand. With another thought, the flame lotus began to churn, gradually collapsing into a fireball the size of a fingernail.
Although it appeared small, it contained incredibly terrifying energy. If Hode were to launch it, its explosive power would rival that of two cruise missiles. He then pressed his palms together, and the fireball hovered in the air, slowly dispersing into written characters.
A wave of intense heat surged forth. Even though the flames were floating in the air, they caused the grass on the lawn to bend, turn yellow, and even start to wither.
"Explode!"