Arasbus could not help but frown as he saw the young man’s smile. It was not the first time he had seen an enemy who was about to die smiling, but unlike all those he had killed before, he did not see any sense of defeat in the eyes of the young man but instead a bursting battle spirit.
Just as the Abyssal was wondering where that battle spirit came from, he saw with shock how the body of the young man in front of him, riddled with wounds, began to heal. The shattered bones and damaged muscles seemed to be regenerating, and it did not stop there as the young man grew even stronger!
"A Healer!" Arasbus’s voice was laced with a mix of surprise and wariness. He resisted the urge to launch a blind attack, instead, his eyes darting around the battlefield, searching for the elusive figure responsible for the healing spells. The power of a skilled Healer could turn the tide of any battle, especially now that he was severely wounded.
Yet, no matter how hard the Abyssal looked around, he could not find anything, and as his eyes turned back toward the young man, a sharp light appeared in them as he was finally able to perceive the stream of golden energy rising from the ground.
The demon immediately turned toward the broken bridge. His powerful perception allowed him to detect that most of the thousand demons that fell along the bridge were now dead, and among them were even Champions. That triggered a literal sea of Origin Force from the corpses into the young man’s body.
Arasbus’ eyes widened in realization as he turned to the young man and understood that the reason this one had decided to take his blow was because he knew that the Origin Force of all those deaths would reach into his body and heal him. Surprise and delight filled his heart as he realized the young man’s cunning strategy.
"Hahahahahahaha, humans, you are even more scheming than a devil. And I thought the battle was over when it was just starting." Instead of rage or disgust, Abyssal reacted with thunderous laughter and showed a smile full of battle thrill.
Vlad could not help but shake his head as he saw the reaction of the Abyssal. The demon was happy that the battle could carry on and showed no concern about the thousands of his soldiers who perished.
They are evil and ruthless, but they are also brutally honest and without any pretension. In Vlad’s mind, that made them much better than the narcissistic and hypocritical angels. Of course, he did not lose much time with those thoughts and instead focused on his body.
That massive amount of Origin Force healed every inch of Vlad’s body, and a broad smile full of thrill appeared as he felt a small tremor coursing through his flesh and blood, marking the evolution of this one.
Taking advantage of the fact that Arasbus did not seem to attack until the Origin Force fully merged into him, Vlad focused on his interface.
Lineage: Thunder Lord
Strength: 5.9 --> 8.2
Vitality: 6.3 --> 8.7
Energy Pool (Force): 1.77 --> 1.8
I Am Wrath: As the user sustains injuries or becomes increasingly enraged, their physical strength, speed, and energy pool capacity are incrementally enhanced. This enhancement is proportional to the severity of their wounds and the depth of their emotional turmoil.
This immense surge of power comes at a cost. If the user’s body is not sufficiently strong to handle the increased energy, they risk a severe physical backlash.
Vlad could not hide his ecstasy as he saw the massive improvement his body attained with that enormous amount of Origin Force, reaching the peak of Level 5. He felt how every muscle fiber and bone in his body became more resilient, harder, and yet flexible simultaneously, allowing him to express a much higher battle power and defensive abilities.
However, as the last streams of Origin Force flowed into his flesh and blood, Vlad noticed something appearing. It was only a feeling as if there was a limiter that began to hinder his body’s growth. There was a blockade that stopped his flesh and blood from growing more potent, and there was no amount of natural energy or training that could break it.
Vlad understood that his body had reached the limits of the Mortal Tier and that he needed to break through beyond that barrier. According to Asmael’s memories, he would have to rely on his Level System, which would increase his energy pool to improve his body’s potential.
Of course, as the resident of a New Plane, Vlad could use an outrageous amount of Origin Force to forcefully push his body into the Champion Tier without the need to rely on his energy pool. That was a critical matter that Vlad needed to handle, but all that could wait since he did not even know if he could leave this place alive.
"I guess you are ready." Arasbus’ voice was cold as he saw how the last stream of Origin Force vanished inside Vlad’s body, and he tightened the grip over his dark spiked club.
Vlad stared at the Abyssal and solemnly nodded before making a sword appear in his right hand, "Yes, I am ready. I appreciate the wait."
Arasbus showed a smile full of bloodlust and killing intent as he heard Vlad’s words, and a fiery energy began to course through his arms. "The stronger you become, the harder the battle will be, and the more I will gain by killing you."
Vlad’s eyes narrowed before he also began to smile as his Force exploded. The next second, he allowed his rage to explode, and streams of red energy began to course through his white mantle as he triggered "I Am Wrath," improving his physical power and energy even more.
The Depravita and Abyssal showed nothing but pure killing intent in their eyes as they gazed at each other, and the next second, they flashed toward the other.