Kevinâs eyes widened with fury. "Youâ!" But then his pupils narrowed. As he looked at the spreading red liquid, he sensed its nature. It was just ordinary beast blood. No energy. No demonic pressure. He narrowed his eyes and exhaled in relief, though the anger didnât leave his face.
"Since youâve chosen death..." Kevinâs voice dropped low, venomous and cold, "...Iâll grant your wish."
He didnât waste another word. The air around him darkened as his aura erupted in full force. The snowy cave trembled as he vanished in a blur of darkness, like a wraith gliding through shadows.
In a blink, he appeared right before Max, black smoke curling around his form like living fog. His right hand lashed forward, fingers blackened like obsidian claws, and five dark streaks of energy shot out, writhing like cursed serpents. They moved unnaturally fast, aiming to wrap around Maxâs limbs and neck like constricting chains of death.
But Kevin wasnât done. His left hand moved swiftly, fingers forming complex seals that drew dark symbols in the air. Black threads of energy shot out, like silky cotton tainted with malevolence. They twisted and spun midair, forming the grotesque shape of a giant sealâshaped like a demonic toad with bulging eyes and a swollen throat. The moment it fully formed, it let out a silent, soundless croak that rippled through space.
Then, with a sudden whoosh, it dove down from above, crashing toward Max like an executionerâs guillotine. The entire cave dimmed as the black seal descended, casting a long, ominous shadow over Maxâs figure.
Maxâs instincts reacted before his mind fully processed the danger. His Blue Dragon Sword, overflowing with black flames from the level 2 sword and flame concepts, roared in his grip like a living creature sensing prey.
"Crimson Burial Sword Art!" Max shouted, and in a flash, a divine wave of blazing sword light in the form of a long arc surged forward, aimed directly at the five tendrils of black light that shot toward him like venomous snakes.
The collision was immediate and thunderousâblack light clashed against crimson flame, creating a shockwave that split the valley air, sending snow and rock flying in every direction. The sheer pressure of the impact cracked the stone above their heads, dislodging a few heavy boulders that crashed into the bubbling lava below, causing hot steam to rise and hiss like a thousand whispers.
But neither Max nor Kevin paid the scene any attentionâthey were too locked in battle to care. The Blue Dragon Sword swung again, cutting down the black light tendrils one after another with precise, ruthless efficiency.
Kevinâs black seal in the shape of a demonic toad came flying next, but it too was swallowed by the black flames swirling around Max, crumbling into ash with a screech. Kevinâs eyes narrowed, his face darkening.
"I didnât expect you to have some connections with the Black Lotus Guild," he muttered with gritted teeth, masking his shock with menace. "But even so, you still have to die."
Max raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? But can you kill me?" His tone was calm, unshaken, like he wasnât even taking the threat seriously.
Kevinâs fury erupted as he said nothing more and surged forward, shrouded in black mist. His right palm glowed with eerie light, then slammed downward with force. The black air gathered into a massive palm print that descended from above like a divine punishment.
But Max met it head-on. "Right on time!" he laughed, his entire body exploding with the raw might of 700 Draconic Essences. His punch thundered upward, coated in dark flames and crackling energy, smashing into the black palm.
With a deafening bang, the massive palm disintegrated into black particles, blown apart by Maxâs explosive strength.
However, Kevin wasnât finished. As Max steadied himself, a flicker of cold air crept in once again. He felt it on his cheek, on the back of his neck, and immediately grew wary. Thatâs when he saw itâa white, inch-long creature, crystalline and cold, darting from Kevinâs spirit beast bag. The Frost Snow Silkworm. It shot toward him with a whoosh, almost invisible, like a streak of winter wind with fangs.
Maxâs soul power, heightened by his Green Soul and the Three Dimensional Body, instantly locked onto its presence. "What theâ?" he murmured, surprised at how stealthy it was. But there was no time to think. He lifted his sword and swung.
A flaming crescent of sword energy burst forth, forming a barrier of scorching heat and force. The silkworm collided with it midair, causing a high-pitched crackling sound as its icy body sizzled under the wave of black flame. It was sent tumbling backward, barely escaping death.
"Huh, you actually discovered it." Kevinâs voice carried a note of reluctant frustration mixed with disappointment as he narrowed his eyes at Max.
With a flick of his sleeve, he recalled the Frost Snow Silkworm back into its spirit bag. While the silkworm was indeed an elite at the peak of Champion Rankâmore than capable of assassinating most Legend Rank experts in silenceâagainst someone like Max, it was clearly outmatched.
It could sneak, yes, but it couldnât kill. Not him.
Kevin finally admitted to himself what heâd been resisting all this time. Despite the apparent realm difference, Max was no ordinary 9th level Master Rank. In fact, if he had to judge, Maxâs true strength could only be compared to those in the mid-levels of the Legend Rank. That was horrifying.
Kevinâs expression turned grim as the truth finally settled in. This monster in front of him wasnât using underhanded tricks or cheap talismans like he had first assumed. No, Juneâone of Void Soul Towerâs most promising legendsâa Heaven Grade geniusâhad been killed in a head-on confrontation.
Probably overwhelmed before she could even react properly. It was too absurd to believe at first, but thatâs exactly why it worked.
Who would expect a so-called Master Rank brat to be strong enough to slay legends? It was the perfect coverâeveryone would underestimate him. Just like June must have. And it cost her everything.
Max, however, wasnât as relaxed as he looked. The earlier sneak attack from the Frost Snow Silkworm had left him on edge. His instincts were sharp, and now, his senses screamed in warning against all attacks from Kevin.