Amidst the roars, Dirtclawâs body tensed, his fur bristling. His cold eyes scanned his surroundings, specifically targeting the enemiesâ necks, limbs, and heads.
Slightly to the rear, in the cavalry regimentâs designated combat zone, lay the domain of Thundar and Fergus.
The demonic wolves, Windfoot Freaks, petrifying lizards, and Hellhound Knights that broke through the first line of defense were all their enemies.
With the help of his dark fiend mount, Thundar fought with relative ease.
At least, when faced with physical bites and tears, the dark fiend beneath him showed no fear, often managing to counter-kill its assailants.
However, when demonic wolves, cloaked in Fire and howling as they activated ghostly stride, charged into his combat range, Thundar found himself embroiled in a bitter struggle.
And it didnât end there. Next came the Windfoot Freaks, capable of unleashing wind blades, and hellhounds wreathed in hellfire, causing Thundarâs dark fiend mount immense suffering.
This was a battlefield; even in agony, one had to grit their teeth and fight on.
Elsewhere, Fergus, mounted on his abyssal dragon Nyther, was faring slightly better.
Although Nyther was not immune to damage, it had awakened a devour-type skill upon its advancement to the Alpha level.
By continuously fighting and feeding simultaneously, Fergusâs abyssal dragon could constantly heal itself.
Empowered by this ability, Fergus had also managed to slay a considerable number of formidable enemies.
In a more distant part of the battlefield, Onyx had also appeared.
After Orion had finished slaughtering the dark fiends and chosen to head north, Onyx had joined the combat troops.
Mounted on his Dark Armored Beetle, Onyx swung his great axe in wide, powerful arcs; few enemies could even get near him.
Coupled with Onyxâs peak Alpha-level strength, the area he defended was truly impregnable.
This was a battle between Alpha-level combatants, but around them, before them, and behind them, countless cave spiders and wolf-mounted cavalry were falling.
Many of the summoned skeleton warriors were also being blasted apart, reduced to piles of dry bones.
From time to time, wyverns would be struck in vital spots by the wind blades of the Windfoot Freaks, plummeting from the sky to be trampled and devoured, becoming offerings to the carnage.
This battlefield had thoroughly and utterly transformed into a Shura field.
From the highest echelons to the lowest ranks, combat was omnipresent, a brutal reality for all involved.
Within the unknown void, inside the Dreamscape Barrier.
Bang! Bang! Bang! The sounds echoed incessantly as the eight fire dragons, under Leonidasâs command, self-destructed one after another, attempting to kill the endlessly approaching bloodsucking demons.
However, such mass explosions proved to be of little use.
The number of bloodsucking demons only seemed to increase, an inexhaustible tide.
"Bro, continuing this attrition isnât a solution," Orion said to Leonidas.
"Clearly, those two sinister fellows want to exhaust our transcendent power."
Leonidas replied, "My avatar has many limitations. In a moment, Iâll focus on blocking these illusions; you strike and kill the enemyâs true body."
"Remember, be fast, the faster the better!"
As he spoke, Leonidas gestured with his claws, and low, guttural dragon roars sounded continuously.
That was draconic magic; Leonidas was employing his own methods.
A virtual eye materialized in Leonidasâs hand. It was golden yellow, its gaze cold and indifferent.
Leonidas explained, "Bro, this is the Eye of Truth. It can see through illusions cast even by demigods, but it only lasts for three minutes."
Under Leonidasâs control, the virtual eye flew into Orionâs own eyes, and Orionâs irises temporarily turned a golden yellow.
Having the Eye of Truth empower him was an incredibly magical sensation.
It was difficult to describe, ineffable.
However, as Orionâs gaze swept across their surroundings, all the illusions vanished. Only a single bloodsucking demon remained, appearing directly in front of Leonidas and Orion.
Under normal circumstances, when unsure of an enemyâs position, most would instinctively guard their rear, above, and below.
For this bloodsucking demon to appear directly in front of them was a deceptive tactic, yet also a correct choice, and furthermore, a display of intelligence.
Orionâs first thought was that this bloodsucking demon before them was either being controlled by someone or possessed independent thought and cunning.
And it wasnât over. As Orion scanned his surroundings, in the far, far distance, he spotted the presence of Arch Lords Lestat and Kian.
However, now was not the time to cause trouble for those two, because if Orion left, Leonidas would lose the enhancement of the Eye of Truth.
At that moment, Leonidas would be in great danger.
Orion slowly exhaled. The blood-type transcendent power within his body surged into the Flame of Will on his trident.
The flame on the trident, thus empowered, burned with exceptional vigor and swiftly transformed into a blood-red conflagration.
The flames spread upwards, enveloping Orionâs entire body.
The next moment, Orion activated Titan Form. His physique enlarged, and his entire bodyâs strength surged explosively.
Aura Lock, Swift Charge, Berserk Aura, Instant Impactâall four skills were activated simultaneously. Orion vanished from Leonidasâs back in an instant.
The next moment, blood-red sparks flashed violently in the distance, and a powerful shockwave rippled outwards.
Leonidas, who had been blocking the illusions, seemed to receive a signal. With a furious roar, flames erupted from his entire body, and he too charged towards the spot where Orion had engaged the enemy.
The monster there was the bloodsucking demonâs true body.
"They found the bloodsucking demonâs true body?" Arch Lord Kian exclaimed from afar. For Orion to accurately strike the bloodsucking demon and inflict such heavy damage upon it was something Kian found hard to believe.
Because he felt that if he were in Orionâs position, he would not have been able to achieve it.
Lestatâs voice was somewhat subdued. "Perhaps not just that. He might have discovered our presence too." Orionâs earlier scan had given him a feeling of being utterly exposed.
Under that gaze, Lestat felt as if he were completely naked, as if even his innermost emotions and thoughts had been seen through one by one.
"Impossible, right?" Kian questioned.
"We were likely seen through," Lestat confirmed. "That dragon used what should be the Eye of Truth. I saw this draconic magic long, long ago."
"Then what do we do now?" Kian asked.
Lestatâs voice was sinister. "No hurry. The bloodsucking demon is an extremely powerful creature. It wonât be killed so easily."
His purpose in using the God Blood was precisely to exhaust Orion and Leonidas, to force these two to reveal more of their trump cards.
Now that this objective had been achieved, the later the bloodsucking demon died in battle, the more advantageous it would be for him.
When the time came for him and Kian to strike, it would be that much easier.
Pinning down an enemy, then killing or capturing them when they were at their weakestâthis was what Lestat enjoyed doing most.
Far away, within the Dreamscape Barrier.
The bloodsucking demon was heavily injured by Orion, its chest blasted open with a gaping hole six feet in diameter.
However, as countless streams of black blood spurted out and writhed, the wound on the bloodsucking demonâs body began to heal at a rapid pace.
Seizing this opportunity, the bloodsucking demon grabbed Orionâs trident. Blood-red magical runes flowed out from its body, bizarrely spreading towards Orionâs trident.
The runes crawled up the trident like sharks that had scented blood, rapidly surging towards Orionâs body.
"Be careful! Donât touch those runes!" Leonidasâs voice came from nearby.
Orion let out a furious roar. Battle Will Surge activated; the wave barrier that had been merged with his body appeared, repelling all the bizarre runes.