Chapter 678: Holding Back

Max’s eyes narrowed as he saw the attack. He raised his left hand, and with a calm yet chilling voice, muttered, "Phantom Devour Claw." Instantly, a ghostly claw of pitch-black flame materialized before him, as tall and wide as his own body.

It radiated a sinister, devouring aura. The claw surged forward, and with a terrifying screeching sound, it seized the incoming lightning dragons one by one, crushing them mid-air until they burst into harmless sparks.

The sky lit up with scattered arcs of dying lightning, but Max remained standing in mid-air, his black claw flickering in front of him like a harbinger of destruction.

However, just after Max had crushed the last of the lightning dragons, he suddenly sensed an ominous change in the atmosphere. Without warning, countless slashes of lightning began to rain down from above, each one sharper and faster than the last, descending in rapid succession with explosive force.

Max’s expression darkened as he realized the attack wasn’t just powerful—it was endless. ’This is getting troublesome,’ he thought, his eyes scanning the sky.

But his Three Dimensional Body instantly kicked into overdrive, allowing him to predict the precise trajectory of each lightning slash. Without hesitation, he activated his flying skill, weaving through the deadly rain with swift, fluid movements.

He flew through the barrage like a ghost in the storm, gliding past every strike with flawless grace. Not a single bolt managed to touch him, and he looked like a streak of blue lightning dancing through chaos.

But just as he was about to close the distance again, Kai’s voice rang out, filled with mocking laughter. "Hahahaha! You’re done now!"

Max’s eyes narrowed. Something felt off. He glanced upward—and his heart skipped a beat. They had flown so high, they were now level with the clouds. And not just any clouds. Thick, swirling black clouds loomed overhead, buzzing with a terrifying energy.

Lightning crackled inside them like caged beasts trying to break free.

Max felt a sudden premonition—a deep instinctual warning—and before he could react, it happened.

RUMBLE!

A thunderous roar echoed through the sky as a massive bolt of purple lightning tore through the dark clouds, descending like the wrath of the heavens. It struck Max directly in the chest. His body convulsed mid-air as the searing energy surged through him.

In the next moment, his figure was blasted down like a falling star. He hurtled toward the ground at blinding speed and crashed into the earth with a deafening boom, creating a crater upon impact.

Dust and debris shot up into the air, veiling the area in a thick cloud of smoke. For a moment, all was silent—only the lingering crackle of electricity remained in the air.

"Hahahaha, I won!" Kai shouted through ragged breaths, his voice trembling with both relief and exhaustion. His body was drenched in sweat, and his face was pale. That last move—the lightning call from the black clouds—had drained nearly all his strength.

But it was worth it. He looked down at the swirling dust and shattered terrain below with triumph gleaming in his eyes. No one, not even someone at the fifth level of Champion Rank, would walk away unharmed from a direct hit like that.

And Max? He was only at the eighth level of Expert Rank. There was no way he could have survived it, let alone stay standing.

From the side, Elder Bras grinned smugly, arms folded across his chest. To him, this was already over. That boy Max was a threat to be erased, and if he was dead—so be it. He hoped he was. That would make things simpler.

But on the other end of the battlefield, Elder Drew’s face was tense, and Lyra’s eyes had narrowed, a cold light flashing in them. Neither of them could see clearly through the dust, and the uncertainty in that moment was suffocating.

’Did he survive that?’ Elder Drew thought grimly. ’And if he did... what kind of condition is he in now?’

The battlefield held its breath as the dust began to settle. The cracked earth and broken rocks became clearer. Slowly, the figure at the center of the crater came into view—and the moment it did, a wave of stunned silence spread across everyone present.

There stood Max.

Upright.

Unscathed.

And in front of him floated a half-sphere of glowing green light, shaped like a perfect hexagon pattern—his defensive ability formed by his skill. The emerald barrier shimmered softly, casting light over his expressionless face. He looked like he hadn’t taken a single hit.

"What...?" Kai’s voice caught in his throat.

Even Elder Bras’ grin froze in place, his lips twitching as if he’d just swallowed something bitter.

Max stood there silently, calm and composed as if the devastating lightning strike from moments ago had never happened. Then, slowly, he raised his head and met Kai’s gaze—eyes cold, sharp, and deadly. He hadn’t just blocked the attack. He had completely neutralized it. And now... it was his turn.

Max’s figure vanished in a sudden flash of blue lightning, leaving behind only a thunderclap as he shot into the sky like a streak of light. His eyes were locked on Kai, who was barely hovering in the air, panting heavily, his body trembling.

Kai’s lightning wings were flickering, unstable, and fading—signs of complete exhaustion. He had poured every last drop of his mana into that final attack, leaving nothing in reserve. Now, he was defenseless, floating like a leaf in the wind with no strength left to fight back.

Max’s presence erupted behind him like a storm, his body glowing faintly with crackling lightning, but that wasn’t all.

As he drew his arm back, black scales covered both his arms and neck—evidence of the Dragon Scales Transformation. And then, like a surge of destructive force condensed into a single moment, he punched.

BOOM!

The force of 600 Draconic Essences behind that single punch was unimaginable. It wasn’t just power—it was devastation condensed into one brutal strike. Kai didn’t even have the strength to scream. His body rocketed downward like a meteor crashing from the heavens, trailing smoke and sparks as the air tore apart in his descent.

BANG!

A deafening explosion rang out as Kai’s body slammed into the ground, cracking the earth and creating a crater of his own. Dust exploded outward, rocks split, and the entire area trembled from the sheer impact. Silence followed—thick, heavy, and absolute.

Max floated in the air above, calm and cold, the blue lightning slowly fading from his body as he stared down at the crater below. The battle was over.

"You killed him!" Travis roared, his face twisted in fury as he sprinted toward the crater where Kai had crash-landed. Dust still swirled around the edges of the crater, the air crackling faintly with the remnants of their battle. Travis’s voice echoed through the hills, filled with rage, disbelief, and helplessness.

Max landed slowly, blue lightning flickering faintly around his boots before vanishing. His expression was calm, almost indifferent, as his gaze followed Travis. "Don’t worry," Max said coldly, his voice steady as steel. "I held back at the last possible moment."

And that was the truth. From the very beginning of the fight, even when he activated the power of his Dragon Scales Transformation, Max had made sure to restrain himself. He had indeed used the strength of 600 Draconic Essences, but not to its full destructive potential.

He had throttled it just enough to dominate, to overwhelm—but not to kill. After all, he wasn’t in the Lower Domain anymore. This was the Middle Domain, and his enemies weren’t monsters without reason. They were geniuses from other top forces—people whose deaths could spark conflicts with the Great Ruler Empire.

The only time he had unleashed the full, unrestricted might of his 600 Draconic Essences was during that desperate battle against the demonic being back in the Lower Domain—a battle for survival, where hesitation would’ve meant death.

So no, Kai wasn’t dead. Not yet. Max knew it. He had been precise.

Whether Travis or the others believed him didn’t matter.