Ultimate Level 1
Chapter 492: Kemruss

The power radiating from Kemruss’s body felt like a drizzle that had turned into a hurricane.

Like when someone reached the 60th floor of the tower and acquired an aura, he now gave off a presence that would cause most to flee in terror.

One moment, they had been gaining on the gold dragon; the next he surged forward with a speed that seemed impossible unless it was a skill of some kind.

Like a shooting star, the massive dragon went from four hundred yards away to over two miles. Gone in an instant.

“SPREAD OUT!” Max shouted.

Both dragons didn’t argue, each banking off slightly, leaving him in the middle as they flew after the male dragon.

How can he be so fast? What kind of skill would give him that kind of power?

Frustrated with himself at thinking that keg would have done more damage, Max considered if he had managed to pull out one of the trump skills that most beasts or opponents would save until they needed it.

What more does he have? Surely–

His thoughts were cut off as Kemruss came right at him. Like an arrow released from a bow, the gold dragon came, glowing with the amount of lightning that now covered each of his scales.

A forked lightning bolt shot forward, and Max did everything he could to evade the attack.

[ Demonic Teleportation ]

[ Blink ]

His skin tingled as the bright light, which gave off warmth, flew past him, illuminating the night sky as it continued its journey.

Wishing Bob was there, Max felt like not only was a part of him missing, but the assistance his skill gave during moments like this left him well aware of how much he needed to grow on his own.

A claw slashed at him, slamming into his shield and sending Max flying through the air, turning and twisting, pain coming from the speed and power behind the blow.

His bones in both arms quickly recovered, and it took him just a few seconds to re-align himself, seeing that Kemruss had flown past, not stopping after striking him.

He’ll come again like that! What’s your plan? None of us can take that kind of damage.

How did Aerthen get away last time?

She used her ability and returned to her cave. The problem is that Kemruss knows where that is and can track her there. Before we managed to get away because of it. Either she submits to him or we–

No… I’ll do something. You two prepare for him. Try to force him to come at me.

I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. Look!

Rakonath’s words were right as the gold dragon came again, once more focused on the man who had not only drawn blood but caused an injury that might kill a weaker dragon.

His mind raced, and Max smiled. He set himself midair as Kemruss raced toward him, mouth open wide and roaring.

Not moving, he hovered mid-air, shield and weapon ready as the gold dragon flew at him.

Max!

Ignoring the concern in his dragon’s voice, Max waited, summoning an ice spear and keeping it next to him.

The mile between man and dragon was gone in a moment and as the last hundred yards began to vanish in less than a heartbeat, Max used the real skill he had been pouring mana into.

[ Dimensional Space ]

The largest door he could open, twenty feet tall and about twelve feet wide, appeared between him and the gold dragon.

Gold eyes blinked once as wings shifted and the maw that had been open, ready to consume him, shifted upward. Whatever Kemruss’s agility was, it provided him just enough reaction time and the ability to get his head out of the way.

A howl of pain sounded as the gold dragon scraped his body against the dimensional vault, gold scales and sections of flesh sliced off instantly.

Blood cascaded from the underside of Kemruss as a gash twelve feet wide and at least ten feet deep ran from his chest and about forty feet to between both back legs.

Just as quickly as the gold dragon had begun to climb upward, the damage that had been done caused it to plummet once more toward the ground.

Still under the effect of Ultimate Form, Max flew into the rain of burning blood, taking advantage of his opponent's sudden speed loss.

With the protective layer gone, Max’s weapon carved off chunks of flesh, the bones missing in some parts of the gold dragon’s body.

Max’s sonar skill told him of talons coming in his direction, and he dodged, driving his blade deep and slicing the area of missing flesh.

Flames washed from above as he sensed Rakonath moving in to assist.

Kemruss began another descent, and Max allowed himself to smile, glad that his ability had worked like it had.

You’d be proud of me, Bob.

As the golden dragon fell, Max watched Aerthen slam into the larger dragon, her claws catching his right wing, tearing Kemruss’s golden membrane to shreds.

Lightning flashed along the dragon’s body and then sparked out, a roar of pain coming from the beast as his ability seemed to fail.

She wants to know what you want to do!

Max chased after the falling behemoth, trying to get a read on its descent as Aerthen flew off with a large chunk of Kemruss’s wing.

Let me try to end this! Give me a moment, but stay close! Tell her to be ready if need be!

Pouring as much mana as he could into the spell, Max dove toward the ground, getting before the falling dragon and setting up for what he hoped would be the finishing attack.

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Kemruss’s eyes looked almost glazed over as blood rained down from his body.

Max positioned himself in the path of the falling dragon and once more opened the dimensional space where he believed it would do the most damage.

Max wasn’t sure if it was the constant turning and twisting or one last attempt not to die. Kemruss managed to get his head out of the way but not the main area of his body.

Hovering in midair, the dragon carved a twenty-foot-tall and twelve-foot-wide section through a quarter of its body and chest before it jerked and tore flesh through half of it.

Like a tomb, the gold dragon’s body slammed against Max, folding over on the dimensional space.

[ Harden Body ]

[ Bulwark ]

[ Armored Warrior ]

His ears rang from the impact, and his sonar seemed to be distorted as flesh and bone assaulted every part of his body.

A slight opening came for a fraction of a second as the dragon’s body seemed to bounce on the anchor that held it in place in mid-air.

[ Demonic Teleportation ]

Covered in acidic dragon blood, Max felt the warmth of the liquid that covered him, hearing the cry of pain from the beast that hung limply in the sky.

“ How… I… am… ”

“A fool!” Max shouted as he flew toward Kemruss’s head, slamming a hammer-formed weapon into the dragon’s skull.

Blood poured from his open mouth, and the gold eye that stared at him had lost the light that made it glow earlier in this fight.

Max wanted to scream more. Inside was a fire that begged for more fuel. He could see Aerthen coming close. Her fresh wounds were still seeping blood and he stopped waiting.

There was no time for words. Nothing he had to say needed to be spoken.

Every second was one gone, and soon his Ultimate Form would vanish along with the strength it provided.

Growling, he reshaped his weapon, forming a long spear and drove it into the giant golden eye trying to hide behind the eyelids.

The squelch of the noise made from his weapon didn’t bother Max. Instead, he drove deeper, forcing himself into the eye socket and using Wind Magic to do so.

Another cry came from the maw near him, blood choking it slightly, and Max kept pushing, forcing himself deeper and deeper until he felt the tip of his spear strike the spot he knew was his goal.

Over and over he thrust, raging against the bone that protected Kemruss’s brain, his sonar and wind skill keeping him in place as the gold dragon’s head thrashed about.

A crack came and then the pressure that had held back his weapon vanished.

Cold power flooded through him as his spear pierced the brain.

[ 100 Strength Consumed ]

[ 100 Dexterity Consumed ]

[ 100 Constitution Consumed ]

[ 100 Intelligence Consumed ]

[ 100 Wisdom Consumed ]

[ Consumed is Locked ] x18

[ Consume is… ]

A crack in his mind appeared, and a voice that Max had missed and longed for so much came through.

Max… Well done… I need more…

BOB?! What is wrong?! What do I need to do?!

Consume… power… imprisoned. I must…

His friend’s voice faded and stopped, and Max yanked himself free from the gore that covered him, hovering in midair as he waited, hoping.

Rakonath flew close and Max looked at him, blinking as he realized there were tears in his eyes.

I think your friend is silent again. I'm sorry, but it's good to know he's still there.

Wiping his face, Max realized he was making no headway and stored his weapon and shield. He then retrieved a cloth and gave his hands and face a good cleaning.

Be safe, my friend. I’m glad to know you’re okay. I’ll consume everything I can to free you.

“Thank you.”

Aerthen’s words forced him to look away from the corpse he was staring at and up at the red dragon who slowly flapped her wings.

“You’re welcome. That’s what family does.”

A low thrum came from Aerthen as she cocked her head and then let out a roar, sending up a jet of flame after the noise had finished.

“I cannot thank you enough. Even if you call me family, I am indebted.”

Shaking his head, Max smiled.

“No. I’m certain I still probably owe you for dealing with Rakonath and raising him.”

The red dragon’s chest shook as she thrummed loudly, and Max winked at his dragon who was growling slightly.

“Perhaps you could allow this thing to fall to the ground?” Rakonath asked. “I need to eat his heart if there is any left. And besides, you need to see if what you are hoping for is still there.”

Dismissing his dimensional space, Kemruss’s corpse fell to the ground below.

Pointing at the ground, Max winked at his friend. “Let’s go see if we can find what we’re all looking for.

***

“You did you somehow fill that space?” Aerthen said as she watched Max continue to pull chunks of flesh from the area. “I… I would have never imagined or considered using such an ability, but it is rather ingenious. Even worse is how he couldn’t heal from those injuries.”

Giving a comical bow after tossing another chunk of Kemruss’s body out, Max tapped his head.

“Well, I’ve used it before for defenses, and if I put someone in here as you know it disrupts their ability to use spells. I had hoped it would cause damage, but I didn’t even consider that it might get full like that.”

A thrum came from Rakonath who was busy feasting on more pieces of the dead dragon’s organs, having found the heart he had been looking for.

“I can only imagine what that must have felt like,” Aerthen said. “To have your scales and flesh stripped like that… it is as if I were toying with an animal of some kind.”

Max nodded as he watched her chomp onto a piece he had thrown out and begin to swallow it. “All I can say is part of me is thankful that it seems to clean itself. The amount of blood that would be in here otherwise and the smell it would cause.”

Shuddering, he moved back inside and soon had another section of dragon flesh in his hand to dispense of.

“I’m just glad you got what you were looking for,” Rakonath said between bites. “And best of all I don’t have to give you my core again.”

A thrum came from both dragons as Max nodded.

A core as big as him was on the black stone, pulsating with power.

“Part of me is a little nervous,” Max stated. He couldn’t help but frown as he now considered how dangerous the void champion would have been. “Dimensional and void magic are that dangerous?”

Aerthen’s head moved up and down as she swallowed a chunk of flesh. “Remind me never to chase you.”

Max laughed as he moved back inside. He was almost done with the task of emptying out the dimensional space before starting the task of filling it with more scales and teeth, knowing he was going to make Everett and a few other people incredibly happy.

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