Ultimate Level 1
Chapter 506: Two Powerhouses Collide

Chapter 506 - Two Powerhouses Collide

Giant holes filled the field, smoke rising from some, flames billowing out of others, while a few had ice fragments jutting upward.

Rolling and leaping, Max blocked another of the blood lances that came, wanting to curse yet knowing even that was too much of a distraction.

Every spell Bob sent continued to be deflected by a barrier that surrounded Savantus on every side, at least five yards around the elf.

Getting in close had failed when at least a hundred blood spikes went out in every direction from the Elf King.

Even now his left thigh hurt, the small wound not healing like a normal one would.

I’m almost ready. Keep in range.

Bob’s plan was their first real test of the king’s defenses. The only downside was that he had to stay within a hundred yards to do what they were attempting.

[ Demonic Teleportation ]

Shi–

A spear struck the spot he appeared, and the smug look of amusement on Savantus’s face was a sign that he had figured out the potential range of his ability to dodge.

Once more, he was sent backward, skidding across the soil, jumping slightly to avoid falling into a hole Bob had made when sending spells from above.

Hurry!

No reply came but Max knew that Bob was doing everything he could.

Running forward again, Max charged at his foe, using wind magic to stir up a cloud of dust.

Another barrage of blood came at him. All three walls he created were destroyed, yet they slowed down the blood spear that broke through enough that he could push through the attack.

Max’s weapon struck out as he drew close, slamming into the barrier, causing a small burst of light to appear where they connected.

“You bore me, boy! She told me you were a worthy opponent!”

Savantus's lips turned into a frown as Max repeatedly struck against the barrier, never staying in the same spot between blows.

The area on the ground near the towering elf King was covered in blood, and Max sensed its shifting as he had before.

[ Blink ]

This time, a wave of blood spikes raced outward for twenty yards.

He figured out the range of Demonic teleportation!

[ Cooldown Reset ]

Almost done, be ready!

His evading of the spell caused the King to point the staff he held at him, a wave of power beginning to build up as blood formed around its tip.

Bob…

Max could sense the difference in magical energy, the pure volume of the mass of blood growing before Savantus’s staff was larger than him.

Just a few more seconds.

He wasn’t sure if he had a few more seconds, yet Max began to move, running around the King.

The glob of blood pulsed once, turning black, losing its dark red color and then came at him like a million strands of thread.

[ Haste ]

[ Evasion ]

As the strands moved out in every direction, the battlefield became a place of death. A sphere of black, thin magical threads squirmed as if alive in the air, stretching further and further from Savantus.

The air, stone, and ice walls were destroyed as Max used them to dodge and weave his way through the dense magical area.

[ Fire Nova ]

Flames radiated from Max, yet it appeared that none affected the black threads. What had happened in the blink of an eye caused Max to pull back over a hundred yards, gazing through a shifting dome of black.

Sorry, I had to–

You’re fine. That is not what I had expected. Part of me recalls something like this. A memory still locked away, but that power… Do you realize he is still holding back?

Max nodded even though he didn’t need to.

More blood spears came through the darkness, and he easily dodged and avoided them. His Stone and Earth Mastery created hardened sections of soil for him to push off, lest the power of his steps leave holes in the ground.

Time lost all meaning in that span of twenty seconds. His improved speed was too much, and Savantus stopped sending out strikes that never came close.

Eventually, the black strands began to withdraw upon themselves, the dome of magic returning to the tip of his staff.

A smug look of amusement was upon the King’s face and Max streaked forward, weapon ready, knowing there weren’t but a few seconds left before Haste wore off.

[ Stealth ]

The strike against the backside of Savantus’s shield was brighter but nothing happened to let him know there was a chance he could pierce it.

Even now, his sonar could sense the protective area, having had enough time to adjust to the change in the air.

Three yards around the King was an invisible wall of some kind, worn like armor. Even worse was the red armor that covered the giant elf, two layers of protection against whatever Max might throw at him.

Now!

As Bob spoke and Savantus turned, four blood spears forming in mid-air, the ground split beneath the elf and a giant mouth of stone opened up.

For the briefest moment, the first look of confusion or something else appeared as an eyebrow lowered on the King’s face.

Max and Bob both sent a spell of wind at the King, summoning his dimensional space behind the elf as the ground gave way.

A wall of blood instantly formed and stopped Savantus’s movement toward the place they had hoped and laughter boomed from his lips.

“FINALLY! I knew you would try! She said–”

Savantus’s words cut off as the stone mouth tried to close around his feet, which were in the air. The barrier stopped it from closing, and the rocks began forming around it. Bob continued moving all the material he had collected from the underground area, making it larger and larger.

Blood spears began to attack it, shattering off sections only to be reattached right after.

Max used that distraction to attack again, bounding off an air wall and attacking from the King’s side.

[ Power Strike ]

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His weapon shifted from the halberd to a giant hammer, crashing against the barrier.

Once more, a glow of magic came from the contact, and it was twice as bright this time as before.

[ Cooldowns Reset ]

[ Ultimate Form ]

[ Berserker ]

[ Magical Strike ]

[ Power Strike ]

[ Quick Attack ]

[ Rampage ]

As the sky turned red and the King’s armor darkened, Max delivered three blows to the shield, watching as it cracked slightly on the third strike.

Two more strikes landed as Savantus turned his attention back toward him, both golden eyes narrowed at what had been done.

His sonar told him that dozens of attacks were coming for him, but Max went for broke.

[ Harden Skin ]

[ Bulwark ]

[ Armored Warrior ]

[ Evasion ]

Max’s weapon repeatedly struck the same spot, watching the barrier crack as blood spears struck. A few pierced his skin, and the pain of it burned, yet he ignored it.

Regeneration struggled against the wounds, and Max saw Savantus smile.

“Finally!”

It felt like his blood was being drained through a straw, and the elven King jerked slightly a moment later.

[ Consume is attempting to resist Crimson Ascendancy ]

HURRY! THIS IS THAT MOMENT!

Bob’s words rang out in his head. Everything came down to this chance.

[ Spell Burst ]

[ Dispel Magic ]

The barrier shattered like a wineglass struck by a hammer.

His sonar told him it was gone, and Max moved forward, ignoring the constant jabbing of blood spikes and spears that came.

He was surrounded by them, dozens sticking out of his body, yet Max swung his weapon again.

[ Cooldowns Reset ]

Two golden eyes focused on his attack as it came.

[ Magical Strike ]

[ Power Strike ]

[ Quick Attack ]

[ Rampage ]

A loud crack sounded out as his weapon changed to an axe. Both hands held onto the shaft as the blade connected against Savantus's neck.

The armor that surrounded the king began to break under the blows.

[ Cooldowns Reset ]

[ Magical Strike ]

[ Power Strike ]

[ Quick Attack ]

[ Rampage ]

Once more, Bob reset his skills, expending the power they had gained and stored, not holding back.

It took another reset of his offensive abilities to free Savantus’s head from his shoulders. No rush of cold power came as it flew free, strands of blood reaching out from the King’s body to his head.

He’s not dead! Keep hacking!

More pain riddled Max’s own body as the blood-soaked soil beneath him shuddered and transformed.

A crimson forest of spikes, each one glistening as its blood-red shafts burst upward. They raced toward the sky, crashing into him and trying to suffocate the area around Savantus.

Max felt the pain of the ones that pierced him, the metallic scent of iron, and a taste of blood in his mouth.

Bob sent wind blades out in a circle from around them, cutting down whatever they could, fighting against the ones that rose up to replace what they had destroyed.

The King! I have these!

In the corner of his vision, Max could see the notifications streaming by, feeling the pain of the loss of his blood.

[ Consume is attempting to resist Crimson Ascendancy ]

Turning his attention back to Savantus, Max hacked at the giant body of the elf. His blade dug into the armor that covered the left shoulder.

[ Cooldowns Reset ]

[ Magical Strike ]

[ Power Strike ]

[ Quick Attack ]

[ Rampage ]

Like a butcher with a tough carcass, Max hacked away, using the power Bob had given up, and removed the left arm in a few seconds.

Wetness was everywhere as blood covered every part of him.

Max’s sonar told him how ghastly he must look, covered in blood from Savantus as well as his own.

Even as he flew toward the other side, already swinging at the right arm, he could sense that his Regeneration was falling behind due to the injuries.

[ Cooldowns Reset ]

[ Magical Strike ]

[ Power Strike ]

[ Quick Attack ]

[ Rampage ]

It took three resets to remove the King’s right arm, the blood armor growing thicker, yet unable to stop his attacks.

Bob unleashed a vortex of air, pulling stone and metal from their storage and sending out a destructive tornado that ripped through the ever-growing spikes around them.

Anyone else caught in this maelstrom would be cut to pieces as the magic of it all spun the objects with a speed Max knew would cut even him.

[ Cooldowns Reset ]

[ Magical Strike ]

[ Power Strike ]

[ Quick Attack ]

[ Rampage ]

He hacked away at the right leg, fighting against the ever-thickening armor, ready to deliver the blow to cut off that leg, when a jolt of pain came from inside his chest.

[ Crimson Ascendancy - partial effect ]

His heart felt like it had stopped completely, and his arms froze up, his muscles unable to move.

Gritting, Max could see the head that had fallen free from the shoulders, impaled on a spike, looking at him, the sounds of laughter coming from it.

Bob!

I’m trying! Hold on!

Strands of blood began to rejoin the gash he had created in the leg. Tendrils of flesh and bone began to reform, all made of blood that glistened as it flowed.

He realized then that the blood that had been used to attack was gone; only the spears still lodged in his body were active.

The rest rose over the stone prison Bob had created, covering the butchered body as a laugh bellowed from the severed head.

“So long… Only once… My boy… You are a treat.”

Savantus’s words didn’t come from his mouth; instead, they were inside Max’s head. Each time he spoke it felt like someone’s hot breath was against his bare neck.

“It’s been thousands of years since a King has had to use this… consider your death worthy of this moment.”

Unable to move, Max watched as the stone prison dissolved into nothing. The chopped of pieces of Savantus all moved as one, a blood throne appearing and setting the oversized body of the King upon it.

A dome rose around them, blocking out the sky, and the world seemed to shift as everything except him turned red.

“You, Max Hoste, shall know the actual pain of what I can do. This is my domain. The Sanguine Domain.”

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