Chapter 314
The bandits’ leader bore the name Krane, a Middle Wave King who had survived numerous dangers while living in the underworld. But never before had he felt so close to death as when he laid eyes on the young man who had effortlessly killed the burly Astral Wave cultivators with a single touch.
‘Black hair, red force field, not older than twenty… It’s…’
Krane’s eyes widened as realization dawned upon him, and he uttered two words.
“Cain Laurifer!”
The rest of the bandits shared the same shocked expression when they heard Cain’s name. His reputation had spread far and wide across the empire after the events in Blood Sea, but it resonated most deeply in the underworld. He was the young man who had thwarted the plans of a Dark King and survived.
Cain’s eyebrows twitched as he noticed how easily the bandits recognized him, but he didn’t let that distract him. None of them would be leaving this place alive.
Krane observed how Cain’s killing intent surged, causing him to clench his fists. He had heard rumors about how the young man managed to face Early Wave Kings, but someone at the Middle Stage was much stronger.
Unfortunately for the middle-aged man, his condition was special, and his power had severe limitations, so he did not dare to grow confident.
Krane assessed the situation and quickly realized that escaping was possible for him, but the same couldn’t be said for the rest of his comrades.
Doubt momentarily flickered in Krane’s eyes, but then a memory flashed through his mind. Silver light burst from his eyes at that instant as he unleashed his energy.
“RUN NOW!”
Those words surprised Wave Champions, and they were not alone since the behavior of the middle-aged bandit also shocked Cain.
Krane drew his sword and generated streams of wind and metal elements that combined into a tornado engulfing his body. This tornado spun at a shocking speed and possessed a sharpness that could reduce buildings to rubble.
Despite their initial shock at Krane’s selfless behavior, the bandits wasted no time turning around and preparing to flee. Unfortunately for them, they wouldn’t be so fortunate.
“FREEZE!”
This single word reached their minds, but what truly mattered was the overwhelming willpower behind it. Hypnotizing a Wave Champion at the First Realm wasn’t easy, but their fear upon seeing the gruesome death of the burly Astral Wave Cultivator had already weakened their defenses. As a result, all eight of them froze in place, unable to escape.
“A 4-Star Grand Hypnosis Master!”
Krane was stunned to see Cain use hypnosis to neutralize eight Wave Champions with a single command.
“Dammit!”
Krane exclaimed as he channeled his Essence Wave into his sword, forming a cyclone of energy before unleashing it toward Cain. The attack was immensely powerful, enhanced by the power of the Wind and Metal Laws.
Cain had no intention of taking the attack head-on. Even if his Biometal Herculean Technique were at the third level, the power of an attack of a Middle Wave King backed by the Wind and Metal Laws would be unwise.
A sharp gleam appeared in his eyes as he observed the massive tornado approaching. Suddenly, his hands transformed into blood claws, and he lunged forward.
The tornado was not only powerful and fast but also unpredictable, capable of changing direction at any moment, much like the wind. Nevertheless, Cain skillfully maneuvered around it, dodging its fury as he closed the distance to Krane.
A flash of shock crossed the middle-aged bandit’s face before it twisted into a look of murderous intent. He had refrained from exerting his full power earlier, as he had no intention of killing Cain. Taking a supreme genius’s life would mark his own end since the Imperial Lightning Fort would not rest until killing him.
However, he now realized that containing himself was pointless and might lead to him dying right now.
The power emanating from his sword grew denser as he swung it, unleashing a barrage of sharp wind-metal blades attacking from every angle.
Cain’s eyes narrowed as he encountered these attacks, which were not only more potent but also challenging to predict due to their irregular rhythm affecting the ability of The Flow.
“¡BOOM!” “THUMP!”
A shockwave radiated from beneath his feet as the power of his heart surged, reddening his skin. Cain evaded several blades and used his blood claws to shatter the remaining ones. He continued to close the distance to the middle-aged man, but it proved to be a challenging task.
Krane was undeniably strong, and his battle experience was exceptional. However, what baffled Cain was the fact that Krane wasn’t using Wave Burst, which significantly limited the power and speed of his attacks.
Cain was preparing to leap into action when his eyes narrowed as he witnessed the shattered fragments of the wind-metal blades on the ground beginning to merge. They generated a massive net that rose from the earth and started to close in on him.
Escaping would become a formidable challenge if the wind-metal net enveloped him completely. Moreover, he would need to contend with Krane and the remaining bandits simultaneously. The hypnosis he had placed on the Wave Champions was weak and could easily be broken if their willpower surged.
“Hmph!”
Cain sneered and placed both palms on the surface of the encroaching net before making the Astral Wave on his hand burst.
“Sonic Cannon!”
A powerful burst of sonic force erupted from his palms as the net drew closer, causing it to tremble before shattering.
Krane was taken aback by Cain’s keen battlefield awareness. He couldn’t comprehend how the young man had pinpointed the weak point in his spell so quickly, but he didn’t have time to ponder it. Cain had already surged toward him at nearly Hypersonic Speed!
Krane observed the incoming attack and swiftly transformed his sword into streams of metallic particles that formed a semi-transparent barrier around him. Not only was it formidable, but it could also deflect projectiles.
Cain’s eyes turned frigid as he infused his right claw with the darkness force using the power of his Avernus Lineage while at the same time channeling his Astral Wave into his arm.
“BOOOOMMMMM!”
Upon the collision of their forces, a massive shockwave ensued. However, it didn’t emanate from the claw itself but from the semi-transparent shield enveloping Krane. The fifth level of the Blood Hand, Blood Shockwave, left a small amount of Blood Energy on anything it touched, enabling it to burst like a shockwave.
It was incredibly potent, and while its effect was less pronounced within a living being, it still inflicted significant damage.
Krane’s eyes widened as he witnessed his protective barrier shatter. The next moment, he felt a kick slam into his chest, nearly fracturing his ribs before sending him hurtling through the air.
Cain’s eyes narrowed as he saw Krane crash into one of the walls. The red light in his eyes intensified as he prepared to launch forward. However, shock overcame him as he sensed the eruption of Krane’s Essence Wave.
“Ironstrom Cyclone Nova!”
Krane shouted those words just before his Essence Wave exploded, unleashing a swirling nova of metallic shards and cutting winds, forming an expanding devastation sphere, consuming everything in its path.
Cain couldn’t evade the attack in time, so he reinforced his Astral Wave on his arms and the front of his body. He used his arms to shield his head and channeled his Blood Energy at full power to enhance his Biometal Herculean Technique.
“¡BOOM!” “¡BOOM!”
Numerous containers were shattered to pieces by the cyclone’s power, and Cain found himself trapped inside, crashing against everything in its path.
Krane watched as his attack successfully sent the young man hurtling away. However, before he could become too pleased with himself, a crippling pain assaulted him. He grabbed his lower abdomen and coughed up blood.
It took him a moment to regain his breath, but he managed to stand up and look into the distance, seeing Cain’s body buried beneath a pile of broken artifacts. There was no sign of killing intent in his eyes as he turned toward the rest of his team.
“Let’s go!”
The Middle Wave King did not want to kill Cain, and the only thought on his mind right now was to escape this place.
Krane’s team initially brimmed with joy upon hearing those words, but suddenly, their elation turned into dread. The next thing they witnessed was a shadowy figure materializing behind Krane, striking him with immense power.
“¡BOOM!”
The shockwave burst inside Krane’s body, causing him to cough up even more blood before being propelled against a metal pillar, leaving a deep indentation.
Cain’s body was covered in deep wounds, some reaching the bone. However, there was already a thin layer of coagulated Blood Energy that accelerated the healing process. His body was more durable than some Silver Grade Artifacts, and he had pushed his Astral Wave and Blood Energy to the limit, yet that single attack left him in that sorry condition.
‘Had this man displayed the full power of his cultivation, things would have been much harder.’
Cain thought this before turning toward the Wave Champions, who had lost all signs of battle will.
“Lose consciousness.”
That was all it took for all of them to pass out.