Chapter 2373: Clash Of Venerables II [9]

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Fortune Deus roared in fury, summoning his heavy golden blade and wielding it with his left hand. In a split second, he stabbed Ruby in the neck, stomach, and shoulders, slashing her repeatedly in a brutal flurry. Ruby groaned, gritting her sharp teeth through the pain. But she didn’t give up. Her regeneration kicked in swiftly, closing her wounds as she lunged forward again. She grabbed Fortune Deus by his bubble-shaped barrier and forced him downward.

"DRAKE, HE’S YOURS!"

She roared, opening her jaws and unleashing her Vampiric Beast Beam, blasting the Venerable straight toward Drake—who stood waiting, his katana overflowing with power.

All of his Dominions manifested at once, separated by rivers of Ascendancy Law Essence, then converged into a single point on his blade.

The Fortune aspect of Deus froze, panic flashing across his face.

He recognized the technique.

"No, no, wait! Isn’t it too early in the battle to use that again?!"

"{Immortal Soul Blade Arts}: {Eternal Pinnacle}!"

SLASH!

Countless colors spiraled into a rising vortex, forming a pillar of eternal light. Drake’s soul and body became one with his blade, which pierced through Fortune Deus’ barrier and shattered it.

BOOOMMM!!!

The strike narrowly missed his vital organs, instead tearing through his left shoulder and coating it in rainbow ice.

"Hahahah! You thought that would finish me off so easily?!"

Fortune Deus laughed, even as Drake stared in disbelief. But the Venerable retaliated immediately—kicks, punches, and halberd strikes rained down, breaking Drake’s bones and fracturing parts of his soul.

The pain was overwhelming, yet Drake smiled.

The blood splattered across Fortune Deus began to twist and writhe, transforming into hundreds of draconic monsters. They roared and coiled around the Venerable’s body.

"W-What...?!"

Drake’s blood seeped into his skin, forming crimson runes that began to weaken him—if only slightly. The Blood Dragons and other creatures startled him, then exploded into countless void blasts, targeting the wound.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"Weak! Too weak, Dragon King! Didn’t you say I shouldn’t underestimate you?!"

Fortune Deus punched Drake’s chin, sending him flying skyward—only for Ruby to catch him by the legs and hurl him back down.

"Damn it! Aren’t there way too many of you?!"

He groaned as Benladann and Miranda’s fusion appeared in his path, their massive axe glowing with golden essence. They too channeled the Golden Dragon King Transformation, having become Chaos Dragon Primordial Mothers—recognized as dragons by Tiamat herself.

"Eat shit!"

The colossal axe descended. Fortune Deus spun midair, catching the hundred-meter weapon with both hands, cracks spreading across its surface as he tried to shatter it.

However—

"Gotcha!"

"You’re not escaping us."

Benladra and Kate appeared, radiant in their Golden Dragon King Forms. Benladra’s golden spear struck his left arm, while Kate’s cybernetic blade slashed his right. Though they couldn’t pierce his flesh, they cut deep enough to draw blood.

"AAAAGGH!"

In that instant, the axe he was holding back crashed into his face and torso, slicing through his hardened skin and spraying blood.

CLAAAASH!

"GAAAHAH?!"

He coughed blood, his stomach aching—not from the axe, but from a massive dragon fist slamming into it.

"Hope you didn’t forget about me!"

It was Hrimvaldr, now transformed—his Golden Dragon King form fused with his Cursed Vampire Dragon state. One half gleamed gold, the other shrouded in darkness.

"Y-You damn lizards!"

Fortune Deus screamed, punching Hrimvaldr in the face and blowing off his lower jaw. Blood splattered everywhere. But Hrimvaldr, hardened by years of torture at the hands of the Vampire Venerable, ignored the pain. He rushed forward, kicking Fortune Deus with both legs and sending him crashing downward.

BAAAM!

"UUUGH!"

As he fell, the Venerable tried to heal and regain his composure—only to find two more dragons waiting below.

"Come on, Yudra, roar loudly!"

"R A A A A A R R R !"

Drakda and Yudra roared, their Golden Auras merging. Under Drakda’s command, their elemental powers fused—void and celestial sunrays forming a massive, black star.

"{Divine Fusion Magic}: {Draconic Void Sun}!"

"What...?!"

Before he could react, the star struck him. Compressed space crushed his body as he spiraled through a vortex of pain and searing flames.

"Uuuaaaaaggh!"

B O O O M M M !!!

Even as he writhed in agony, he tore through the void and lunged at the young dragons. His halberd came down, and Drakda shielded his sister, taking the blow to his chest. Blood sprayed as he groaned in pain.

"RAAAAHHH!"

But he roared back, his blood turning into black void miasma that surged toward Fortune Deus, wrapping around him like living slime.

This was...

Drakda’s "mold."

The boy didn’t even understand what it was, only that his blood was alive—and obeyed his will. It clung to Fortune Deus, draining his energy with surprising efficiency.

"A-A PARASITE?! YOUR BLOOD IS A PARASITE?! IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO ISN’T DISGUSTING?!"

"Hey! Eyes up here, buddy!"

"Huh?!"

"{Immortal Soul Blade Arts}: {Eternal Pinnacle}!"

"AGAIN?!"

Drake’s Eternal Pinnacle manifested even faster this time. He had gained greater control over its form and power. Now it appeared as a colossal, needle-like pillar—three hundred meters long.

SLAAASH!

The attack struck Fortune Deus from behind, piercing his back. Though it didn’t reach bone, it was followed by dozens of slashes across his body, culminating in a massive explosion from the compressed energy.

BOOOMMM!!!

And yet—

"DRAGON KING!"

He emerged from the smoke, furious. He grabbed Drake by the neck and lifted him with all his strength.

"Ungh?!"

Drake groaned as the halberd cleaved through his body in an instant—leaving only his head in the Venerable’s grasp.

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

His body combusted, erupting into golden flames.

"Your attacks are strong—but I am stronger! Look at you, nothing but a head! And I’ll—"

FLUOSH!

As the Venerable prepared to destroy Drake’s soul, the severed head suddenly regenerated an entire body—flesh, organs, bones, muscle, and scales—stronger than before.

"Phew. I needed a new body. That old one was getting annoying."

"WHAT?! SO FAST?!"

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