“Take your positions and protect the princess!” Rhydian gritted his teeth against the searing pain clawing at his mind and let out a raw, guttural roar.
He and the two other guards summoned the last reserves of their internal energy to form a makeshift triangular defensive formation, shielding Grace, Judith, and the dying Cyprian behind them.
But they all knew that before these four terrifying puppets, their defense was as flimsy as paper. Still, the fight could erupt at any moment.
Deep within Elysium Isle, the opulent palace remained untouched by the chaos outside. Wine and meat flowed freely, and the decadent music never stopped playing.
Malthor’s figure appeared silently on his enormous white recliner, as if he had never left at all. Lysander stopped playing his lap harp and asked with a smile, “Malthor, you’re back?
Talmor and Valindra also turned their gazes toward him. Malthor ignored them. He merely reclined lazily, casually accepting the wine offered by a woman at his side. However, his gaze was fixed on the center of the hall.
A massive mirror, rippling like water, suddenly appeared in the empty air. Through its surface, the white stone platform at the heart of the Vitalis Pool came into view. Dustin stood there as he prepared to fight, and the four Dragonblood Battle Puppets glowed with menacing energy.
“Oh? So that’s the punk who defeated Thymaleon and even broke through the Mirage’s illusion?” Talmor asked, sitting up with newfound interest and staring at the water mirror.
Valindra covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “He does have rather handsome features. I wonder how many moves he can last under Malthor’s Dragonblood Battle Puppets? Wouldn’t it be dreadfully boring if he got torn to shreds right away?”
Lysander plucked a teasing note from his lap harp. “To force Malthor into deploying all four battle puppets is no small feat. Let’s see what supreme divine power this punk possesses.”
Malthor slowly sipped his wine. His indifferent gaze stared at Dustin in the water mirror, as though watching an impending gladiatorial match.
On the white stone platform, Dustin faced four Dragonblood Battle Puppets whose energy waves were interconnected and radiating a deadly pressure. He knew any attempt at testing their strength would be pointless.
He drew a deep breath, and his nearly exhausted mystical pure energy circulated at a frantic, desperate pace inside his body. The sword aura around him was no longer restrained but shot skyward like an unsheathed divine weapon
A roar split the air as Dustin’s sword aura seemed to provoke the four puppets. At the same time, they also unleashed an inhuman roar.
They transformed into four dark crimson afterimages, charging at Dustin from four separate directions with devastating momentum that could rip through anything in their path.
They moved with astonishing speed. Each swipe of their claws tore through the air, leaving subtle distortions in space.
Dustin’s eyes narrowed. He advanced rather than retreating. His longsword released a resounding dragon’s cry as the blade glowed with a brilliant cyan.
“Cyan Blade Vortex!” he shouted. With him as the epicenter, countless dense yet razor-sharp cyan sword auras erupted outward in an instant. They formed a blade field spanning dozens of feet in diameter Within the field, sword auras crisscrossed in an impenetrable web
The four puppets charged into the blade field. Their claws collided violently with the sword auras, producing a relentless cacophony like metal hammered in a storm.
Sparks flew in all directions, and the sword auras splintered. Yet the puppets’ bodies were unbelievably tough. Even the cyan sword auras could only leave faint white scratches and failed to break through their defenses.
However, the dragon blood malevolent energy coursing through their claws continuously corroded and tainted the sword aura, disrupting the flow of the entire blade field.
“Such a tough shell,” Talmor commented, raising an eyebrow as he watched the scene in the water mirror.
Valindra chuckled and said, “Of course. Malthor refined them personally. They’ve been tempered by dragon blood malevolent energy and Vitalis Pool’s spiritual liquid for years. How could ordinary sword auras harm them?”
On the platform, Dustin was also aware of the puppets’ toughness. He changed his approach, abandoning the wide, sweeping attacks.
His form became a blur as he weaved through the onslaught of the four battle puppets. Then, his longsword became a concentrated streak of cyan lightning Each thrust, jab, flick, and slash struck precisely at the puppets’ joints, eye sockets, and other vulnerable points.
“Mystical Barrier Breaker!”
A pinpoint of piercing mystical light condensed at the sword tip, specifically targeting that dense dragon blood malevolent energy.
One puppet’s eye socket was struck by sword light. That scarlet glow suddenly dimmed, and the puppet’s movements instantly froze. But the attacks of the other three puppets were already upon him from behind.
Dustin didn’t even turn around, as if he had eyes on the back of his head. With a backhanded sweep, his sword traced an arc.
“Seamless Revolution!”
A flawless, sweeping arc of condensed sword aura shot out and deflected all three puppets’ claws. But the tremendous force shook him, disrupting his internal energy flow and forcing him back several steps.
The battle instantly reached fever pitch. He pushed his footwork, swordplay, and mastery of mystical pure energy to the absolute limit. Amid the four puppets’ hurricane-like assault, he rolled, twisted, and shifted through the narrow gaps between attacks.
Sword light and the crimson afterimages collided and intertwined in a deadly dance, each strike erupting in continuous thunderous booms. Even the entire white stone platform shook violently.
The dispersing energy shockwaves hammered into Rhydian and the others, forcing them back step after step until they could barely keep their footing.
Meanwhile, Malthor remained expressionless as he drank his wine while watching the fighting scene on the water mirror.
Lysander’s fingers danced faster across the strings of his lap harp, the tempo quickening as if drawn in by the battle. Even Talmor and Valindra’s amusement faded as they watched intently.
“This punk’s swordsmanship is divinely skilled, and his footwork techniques are even more profound. Even his mastery of strength has reached a state of perfection, “Talmor commented.
He went on, “If not for his depleted internal energy and the extraordinary nature of these battle puppets’ bodies, he would likely have already destroyed every one of them by now.”
Valindra nodded and chimed in, ”
Unfortunately, mortals’ strength has its limits. His true energy is nearly spent, while the Dragonblood Battle Puppets’ strength is nearly inexhaustible. If this drags on, his defeat is inevitable.”
After a particularly brutal exchange, blood finally trickled from the corner of Dustin’s mouth. His energy flow had become visibly erratic.
The four battle puppets seemed to sense their prey weakening. Their attacks became even more frenzied and savage. Dark crimson malevolent energy blazed across their bodies like hellfire, intensifying their assault by another 30%.
A sharp glint flashed in Dustin’s eyes as he knew the time for holding back was over. Planting his longsword firmly in the white stone floor, he formed intricate, almost imperceptible hand seals before his chest.
A vast, ancient power began to swirl around him, as though he were drawing on the rotation of the stars themselves. He was about to unleash his ultimate technique.
