The battle between Vlad and Lamorto became nothing short of a storm of blood, claws, and flames. Each clash of their weapons sent shockwaves that reverberated across the mountaintop, the air thick with the crackling of red lightning and demonic energy.
Lamorto lunged forward, his bone-covered claws slicing through the air with deadly intent. Vlad, quick on his feet, barely dodged as the Abyssal demon’s claws grazed past his face, missing by mere inches.
Without missing a beat, Vlad retaliated with a swift slash of his flaming bastard sword. Lamorto moved just in time, the blade cutting through the air inches from his chest. The demon’s instincts were razor-sharp, and he countered with a heavy swipe of his claws, aiming to tear through Vlad’s armor.
Vlad blocked the blow with his sword, the impact sending sparks flying between them. He pushed back, using his agility to leap away, gaining distance. The Depravita and Abyssal circled each other, breathing heavily, their eyes locked, searching for an opening.
"DIE!" Lamorto roared, his massive body lunging forward once again. His claws came down like hammers, aiming to crush Vlad beneath their weight.
The Depravita of Wrath ducked low, his red lightning-infused body moving with impossible speed, dodging the brutal attack by a hair’s breadth. The claws slammed into the ground, cracking the stone beneath them, but Vlad was already in motion, swinging his sword in a sharp arc aimed at Lamorto’s neck.
Lamorto jerked back just in time, the blade slicing across his shoulder instead of his neck, leaving a deep, smoldering wound. The demon hissed in pain but refused to relent, launching himself at Vlad with renewed fury. His claws came down again, this time in a flurry of slashes, each strike faster and more ferocious than the last.
Vlad deflected the blows with his sword, the force of each strike pushing him back. He could feel the power behind Lamorto’s attacks, which was overwhelming. Every clash sent vibrations through his arms, his muscles screaming under the strain. Yet, Vlad did not falter and countered with everything he had.
Vlad’s speed and precision allowed him to slip through Lamorto’s defenses, landing several strikes on the demon’s body. Still, Lamorto’s sheer strength and resilience kept him in the fight, his claws tearing through the air with devastating force. Blood was drawn on both sides, but neither would yield.
In one particularly vicious exchange, Lamorto’s claws narrowly missed Vlad’s throat, the wind from the swipe chilling the air. Vlad twisted his body, dodging with a skill that seemed inhuman. As he spun around, his sword came up in a sharp upward strike, slashing across Lamorto’s ribs and sending a spray of dark blood into the air.
Lamorto growled in pain but retaliated immediately, his claws coming down in a sweeping arc. Vlad barely managed to block with his sword, but the force of the blow sent him skidding backward, his feet grinding into the stone beneath him.
It seemed like an endless stalemate, with neither combatant able to gain a decisive advantage. Each was battered and bloodied, their bodies pushed to their limits.
But then, something changed.
A flash of determination appeared in Vlad’s eyes. His gaze sharpened, and he began to channel every ounce of Force he could muster. Red lightning crackled around his body, intensifying as he gathered his power.
With a burst of speed, Vlad dashed forward, his left arm crackling with concentrated Force and red lightning. It formed a shield of raw energy, deflecting the Abyssal demon’s incoming strike. Lamorto’s claws slammed into the shield, but Vlad held firm, his body surging with power.
For the first time, Lamorto hesitated, caught off guard by the sudden shift in momentum.
That hesitation was all Vlad needed.
With Lamorto’s claws blocked and his body momentarily exposed, Vlad took the opening. He thrust his flaming sword forward, driving the blade deep into the demon’s stomach. The impact was brutal, the flames igniting inside Lamorto’s body.
Lamorto’s eyes widened in shock, his massive form trembling as he felt the sword tear through him. His mouth opened in a silent scream, and before he could react, an explosion of demonic flames erupted from the blade, blasting his stomach apart and leaving a gaping, charred hole where his flesh had been.
Vlad’s cold smile returned as he twisted the sword, making the wound even worse. Lamorto staggered, his strength rapidly fading. Without wasting a second, Vlad swung his sword once more, cutting down the demon’s massive arms with swift, brutal strikes. Blood sprayed across the battlefield as the demon’s limbs fell to the ground, useless.
With a final blow, Vlad struck Lamorto in the head with the blunt side of his weapon, sending the Abyssal crashing to the ground. The demon’s body hit the stone with a sickening thud, his life force rapidly draining.
But Vlad had no intention of letting the demon die so easily.
Immediately, he waved his hand, summoning a parchment from his space ring. He had to act fast before Lamorto’s life force faded completely and his soul dispersed.
Channeling his energy into the parchment, Vlad sent black tendrils snaking toward the fallen demon. Lamorto, unable to move, could only watch in terror as the tendrils pierced his broken body, sending waves of agonizing pain through him.
The tendrils burrowed deep into the demon’s soul, forcefully extracting it from his dying form.
"AHHHHHHH!" Lamorto’s roar of agony echoed across the battlefield, but it was too late. The tendrils wrapped around his soul, pulling it free and sealing it within the parchment.
Vlad’s smile widened as he felt the Abyssal demon’s soul trapped within the scroll. His satisfaction only grew as a massive surge of Origin Force erupted from Lamorto’s disintegrating body, flooding into Vlad’s Soul Dimension with overwhelming intensity.
Channeling the Origin Force, Vlad spread the energy through his Depravita Sky and into his body, feeling his Depravita Constitution evolve. His physical strength, endurance, and power surged as the energy reshaped him, enhancing every fiber of his being.