Crimson City.
Separated from Iron Dragon Fortress by tens of thousands of li, this was the core stronghold of the Soul Devourers in the region—and a den of countless alien races.
The city walls towered high, built from piled blocks of dark stone.
Inside, most buildings were sharp spires, their style eerie and sinister.
Aaron and Raine arrived at a stretch of high ground outside the city.
Raine walked straight to the front of the main gate.
"Humans! Two humans!"
Alien sentries on the wall spotted them quickly, and a piercing alarm instantly rang out.
Large numbers of alien soldiers surged onto the battlements. Crossbows and staves were raised in unison, aimed skyward, their eyes mixing shock and killing intent.
Raine stared at the alien figures of all shapes and forms, inhaled deeply, and spoke in a voice like thunder that rolled across Crimson City's sky.
"Listen up, you filth inside!"
"I—Soldier Raine—killed seven gargoyle noble weaklings at Bloodhowl Highlands, and butchered countless trash soldiers besides!"
"I heard a few self-important pieces of garbage want to hunt me?"
"Well then—I'm right here at your gate! Who's coming out first to die?!"
That brazen proclamation instantly ignited all of Crimson City.
"Arrogant!"
"Kill him! Rip out his spine and stomp it to dust!"
"I want to taste this human's flesh!"
Roars erupted from the wall.
Several powerful auras rose from within the city—Elite and Expert officers stationed here.
One Soul Devourer officer tried to pounce toward Raine, only to be slammed in place by an overwhelming pressure.
Aaron's peak Master-rank aura descended like a mountain, blanketing the battlefield!
"Aaron!!"
That officer roared in fury and alarm.
Raine's voice turned even more mocking.
"What, you can only bark?"
"Where are those trash who ran their mouths? Hiding inside like turtles?"
"If you don't dare come out, send a few Master-rank scum instead—I'll escort you to the grave!"
"Ant! How dare you act wild here!"
"Just wait—wait to be torn to pieces!"
Countless figures poured toward the gate from within the city, including many fierce young alien powerhouses.
…
Inside the City Lord's Spire.
The Soul Devourer high priest Sydell, leaning on a scepter of shadow, cast his gaze outside together with Quin, the Stone-Statue Bonecrusher, and the others.
"Didn't expect him to deliver himself to death,"
a shadowclaw-beast commander said, murder blazing in his eyes. "I'll go kill him!"
"Hold."
Sydell's voice carried an eerie echo.
"If Aaron dares bring him here, he must have something to rely on. Let's see what they're trying to do."
Quin spoke in a low rumble.
"No matter what scheme they have—since they've come to our door, there's no reason to let them leave."
"High Priest, I'll meet Aaron. See if I can find a chance to twist his head off."
Sydell gave a slight nod.
Quin was also peak Master Rank 9—more than enough to face Aaron.
The next moment, Quin turned into a streak of gray shadow and shot toward the city gate.
…
At the same time, inside a certain spire within the city.
After receiving the news, Narkus, Krug, and another figure—a purple-haired, purple-eyed, voluptuous Heartwitch Succubus—all wore stunned expressions.
"Showing up to die on his own?"
The succubus licked her red lips.
Narkus, meanwhile, smiled cruelly.
"Saves us a lot of trouble. Let's go—take his head, and crush the Seventh Division, Scarlet Wall Patrol's hope while we're at it."
The three figures blurred and vanished.
…
Outside the City Gate.
Raine's gaze locked onto the six figures who emerged from within the city.
At the front was Narkus, his aura icy and sinister.
Beside him was Krug of the boulder beetle clan—one of the rare mutants, possessing power and potential far beyond his kin.
The succubus Myris radiated an extraordinary wave of mental energy.
The remaining three alien prodigies were distinctive as well, all with auras at least mid-tier Elite or higher.
Aaron's eyes swept over the six, his brows tightening.
These were outstanding figures among the alien younger generation—battle-hardened, nothing like the greenhouse flowers from before.
"Hm? Only Formal rank?"
Krug sized up Raine.
Sensing the aura on him, surprise flashed through Krug's eyes—then quickly turned to disdain.
"With a bit of brute strength you think you're invincible?"
He couldn't understand how nobles like Yobir had died to a guy like this.
"Aaron,"
Quin looked at the upright Aaron and grinned.
"You finally get one seedling worth looking at, and you're already delivering him to us as an apology?"
Aaron's voice was icy.
"With just you? You're not qualified."
"Hahahaha…!"
Quin laughed loudly. "Qualified or not—you'll find out in a moment."
He turned to Raine, eyeing him like a lamb to be slaughtered.
"Kid, ready to welcome death?"
Myris giggled and stepped out first.
She toyed with a slender rapier, her psychic power silently reaching to control Raine without a sound.
"Your soul… smells delicious."
Her voice carried lethal seduction.
Raine's lips lifted slightly. A dark-purple glimmer flashed through his eyes.
Bewitching Eye activated on its own, dissolving the mental侵蚀 effortlessly.
[Ding! Successfully consumed 5,098 bloodstone. Rank temporarily advanced to Elite 9. Duration: one hour.]
BOOM—!
A violent aura exploded from Raine's body!
Blood qi surged like a wolf-smoke pillar into the sky, while dark-golden patterns faintly surfaced beneath his skin.
A savage presence like an ancient feral beast spread across the battlefield.
Elite Rank 9!
Narkus and the others' pupils constricted sharply.
"A secret art that burns potential? No wonder…"
"Interesting."
Myris wasn't afraid—instead, her interest burned hotter.
"The brighter it burns… the sweeter the soul."
Before the words even fell, her body flickered forward like a ghost.
Her rapier drew countless purple afterimages, weaving into a net of death.
Raine moved.
No flourish—only extreme speed and power!
Pshhk—!
In a single exchange, the Blackglow battle spear pierced through the sword-shadow at an unbelievable angle, punching straight through Myris's chest!
"Ugh—ah!"
The seductive smile on Myris's face froze solid.
She stared at the black spearhead in agony, and a violent psychic storm surged toward Raine.
Almost at the same moment—
Narkus, Krug, and the other five prodigies attacked from different directions!
Stone fists, lightning flashes, talons…
Five Elite-level strikes sealed off every avenue of Raine's dodge!
Golden light flared across Raine's body as the Obsidian Golem Body roared to full output!
He didn't dodge.
His left hand clenched into a fist, dark-golden patterns blazing, and he smashed a brutal heavy punch into Myris!
BANG!
Her head burst like a watermelon!
Her headless, voluptuous body slammed heavily to the ground!
Using the recoil, Raine's body surged straight into Krug, who was charging from the side.
Blackglow was yanked free in one motion, kicking up a spray of purple-black blood rain.
"Looking for death!"
Krug roared.
His rock-like right fist slammed down!
He was confident that one punch would blow his opponent's body apart!
A ruthless glint flashed in Raine's eyes. Dark-golden patterns instantly spread to his fingertips as he grabbed Krug's incoming stone fist!
Crack!
A bone-splitting sound that made teeth ache rang out.
Krug's face changed drastically—his stone fist, which could withstand blades, was crushed and cracked open by raw grip strength!
Piercing pain stabbed through him.
The next moment, Raine's spear thrust straight for Krug's throat!
"Get lost!"
Narkus barked and struck.
A lightning orb condensed in his palm, arriving after but hitting first as it blasted toward Raine's back!
Raine dodged swiftly. At the same time, Blackglow shifted from thrust to sweep, smashing viciously into another prodigy's waist!
BANG!
That prodigy was hit like a sledgehammer, coughing blood as he flew backward.
Borrowing the force, Raine pounced again toward Krug, whose body had stalled for an instant!
The dark-golden sheen on Raine's fists grew dense to the extreme, and a rain of strikes hammered into Krug's vital points!
Krug roared madly, blocking with all he had as stone shards flew.
Each blow numbed his arms and cracked the rock armor protecting him!
"His strength is too insane—don't take it head-on!"
Narkus saw the truth.
At the same time, his hands whipped rapidly, sending twisted lightning serpents biting at Raine from multiple angles.
The other two prodigies recovered and came in from left and right to flank him.
Raine's eyes were ice-cold, thoughts spinning fast.
[Blood Pact · Summon Infernal Griffin!]
Humm—!
Space warped violently. A dark-red summoning array flashed into existence and vanished in the same breath.
Then a piercing screech filled with brutal aura tore through the sky!
A massive Infernal Griffin, its body covered in black scales, burst out of the summoning array and dove down with savage force!
The murderous presence of an Elite-peak magic beast made the entire battlefield freeze for a heartbeat!
Narkus and the others' pupils shrank.
In the next instant, the griffin phantom beat its wings and lunged straight at the Soul Devourer prodigy attacking from the left!
Its claws burned with abyssal flame—and in one strike, it tore the target into shredded pieces!
The might of a single blow—
Terrifying beyond words!