Not good, my stealth ability has been seen through!
Natsuki Subaru's heart suddenly went cold, an icy sense of pressure instantly locking onto his entire body. It was a killing intent so palpable it felt as if the very air around him had frozen.
Hiss!
The next second, the stealth effect covering him dissipated like a burst bubble, his figure revealed in mid-air, completely exposed to Demon King Baran's sight.
CLANG!
In the nick of time, Natsuki Subaru couldn't adjust his posture in the air and could only instinctively bring Kasaka's Venom Fang up to block.
The moment the two weapons collided, a piercing metallic clang echoed across the gloomy plain like a clap of thunder, making one's eardrums ache.
"Such incredible strength..."
A tremendous force far exceeding his expectations surged through the blade. Natsuki Subaru felt his arms go numb, a dull pain throbbed in the web of his thumbs, and even the fingers gripping his dagger trembled slightly.
Subaru already knew his strength was no match for Demon King Baran, and with no way to brace himself in mid-air, he was sent flying like a kite with a snapped string, his body carving a pathetic arc before slamming heavily into the ground.
BOOM!
A dull thud rang out as the ground was smashed into a massive crater several meters in diameter.
Dark soil and碎石flew in all directions, and dense cracks spread across the surrounding ground like a spiderweb.
Fortunately, Natsuki Subaru had already surpassed level 100, and his physical attributes had long since exceeded the limits of a normal human. His muscle density was comparable to refined steel, and his bone strength had reached an inhuman level. An impact of this degree was, to him, nothing more than a momentary daze, the sensation of pain almost negligible.
Speaking of which, from Subaru's stealth assault to being knocked to the ground, this series of actions seemed to take a long time, but in reality, it all happened in the span of three breaths.
Natsuki Subaru lay at the bottom of the crater and shook his dizzy head, his heart filled with shock: "Damn it! This Demon King Baran's reaction speed is way too fast, completely beyond my expectations!"
Before he could even leap out of the crater, the sound of tearing air came from above.
It was Demon King Baran's follow-up attack. Several lightning spears, glowing with a blinding white light, shot toward the crater like homing missiles, leaving not even a sliver of space to dodge.
"Such a fast attack rhythm!"
Natsuki Subaru's eyes narrowed.
Not daring to hesitate for a second, he powerfully pushed off with his legs, his body springing from the crater like a coil and landing steadily on the edge. The movement was so fast it left only a black afterimage.
But the lightning spears seemed to have eyes, making a nimble turn in mid-air and continuing to chase closely behind him.
They grew faster and faster, their scorching aura already searing the hem of his clothes.
"It's a tracking-type attack! Crap, at this rate, I'll definitely be caught!"
Natsuki Subaru ran at full speed, quickly calculating in his mind when his peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of a massive, several-meter-high boulder to his right.
He immediately changed direction and rushed toward it.
Just as the lightning spears were about to hit his back, Natsuki Subaru abruptly sidestepped, nimbly dodging behind the boulder.
"——BOOOM!!!"
The lightning spears slammed viciously into the boulder, and a violent explosion erupted!
The boulder was instantly pulverized. White lightning and gray smoke intertwined, shrouding an area of several dozen meters and completely obscuring the view.
In the air, Demon King Baran steered his flying dragon slowly toward the smoke, hovering motionlessly above it.
The ghostly blue flames in his eye sockets, however, were constantly scanning the area below, like a predator carefully confirming whether Natsuki Subaru had been hit.
Just as Demon King Baran's attention was fully focused on the smoke below, a black shadow suddenly shot out from within.
It was Igris!
He was wreathed in a dense shadow power, holding a shadow longsword, his gaze so cold it held not a trace of warmth.
His body shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, aiming a straight thrust at Demon King Baran's chest.
CLANG!
Demon King Baran's reaction speed was astonishingly fast. Almost at the exact moment Igris appeared, he subconsciously raised the massive blue sword in his hand, precisely blocking his chest.
The instant the shadow longsword and the blue greatsword collided, sparks flew and the grating sound of metal screeching rang out again as an invisible shockwave spread outwards.
"Go to hell!"
At the same time, a fierce shout suddenly came from Demon King Baran's left.
Keep in mind, Demon King Baran had just blocked Igris's attack. His arm was still slightly numb from the immense force, and before he could readjust his stance, he felt a sharp killing intent from his left.
It was Natsuki Subaru's presence!
By the time Demon King Baran realized it and tried to turn, it was already too late.
Natsuki Subaru's figure appeared like a phantom at the flying dragon's neck.
Using the smoke as cover, he had circled around to a position Demon King Baran would never have expected.
At that moment, he had focused all his strength into the Kasaka's Venom Fang in his hand.
The blade gleamed with a chilling light as he brought it down viciously on the flying dragon's most vulnerable spot—its neck!
Splurt!
The sound of a blade slicing through flesh was clear and distinct, as effortless as cutting tofu.
The sharpness of Kasaka's Venom Fang far surpassed ordinary weapons, instantly severing the flying dragon's neck.
Scalding dragon blood gushed out like a red waterfall, dyeing the surrounding air and ground, and even splattering onto Demon King Baran's black armor.
BOOM!
The headless dragon's corpse lost its support and crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up clouds of dust.
The massive impact made the entire plain tremble slightly, and new fissures cracked open on the ground.
"Finally dealt with his aerial vehicle. When that guy is riding the flying dragon, his mobility is just too strong. It's hard to even get close."
Natsuki Subaru landed on the ground, looking at the gradually cooling corpse of the flying dragon, and breathed a small sigh of relief.
The moment he hid in the smoke, he had immediately contacted Igris with his thoughts to formulate this diversionary tactic.
Igris hadn't hesitated for a moment. Upon receiving the command, he immediately launched a fierce assault with his shadow longsword, successfully locking Demon King Baran's attention firmly on himself.
Meanwhile, Natsuki Subaru used the cover of the smoke to ghost around to the flying dragon's side, at the exact moment Demon King Baran was blocking Igris's attack.
He seized that fleeting opening and decapitated the flying dragon with a single slash.
"From the very beginning, my target was the flying dragon. As long as Demon King Baran is in the sky, it's like he has the advantage of a mobile turret."
Natsuki Subaru wiped a trace of dragon blood from his face, his gaze firm.
"He can launch wide-area attacks and dodge flexibly. Only by crippling his mount first can I truly face him head-on. Now, the first step of the plan is a success."
At the same time.
After losing his mount, Baran in the sky finally descended slowly, his feet planting firmly on the ground.
He looked at the flying dragon's corpse, the ghostly blue flames in his eye sockets burning even more intensely, almost spilling out of their sockets.
The dark blue mist around him also became violent, churning like boiling water, a clear sign that he was thoroughly enraged.
That wasn't just his mount; it was one of the symbols of his power as Demon King Baran.
"Heh, so you finally came down!"
Natsuki Subaru watched the landed Demon King Baran, rolled his neck, and raised Kasaka's Venom Fang.
He pointed its tip straight at Demon King Baran, the blade still stained with the flying dragon's blood, glinting coldly in the dim light.
"Fighting you with my head tilted back all the time was making my neck sore. Now that we're face to face, we can finally have a proper fight."
Faced with Natsuki Subaru's provocation, the ghostly blue flames in Demon King Baran's eye sockets suddenly flared up like ignited ghost fire.
Without any unnecessary movements, he gripped the door-panel-wide blue greatsword with both hands, the blade letting out a sharp whistle as it cut through the air.
In an instant, his entire body shot forward like a cannonball, charging straight at Natsuki Subaru.
"So fast!"
Natsuki Subaru's pupils constricted.
Not daring to be careless in the slightest, he immediately brought Kasaka's Venom Fang horizontally in front of him, planted his feet shoulder-width apart, and slightly lowered his center of gravity, assuming a defensive stance.
The next second.
The ghostly flames in Demon King Baran's eyes surged, and the blue greatsword in his hands suddenly struck, carrying a world-destroying power as it smashed down toward Natsuki Subaru's head.
"BOOM!"
The wind from the blade howled past, kicking up gravel and dust from the ground.
Even the surrounding air seemed to be compressed by this force, carrying a suffocating pressure.
Natsuki Subaru didn't dare to be complacent.
Gripping Kasaka's Venom Fang with both hands, he poured all his strength into his arms and gritted his teeth to meet the heavy, powerful blow head-on.
"CLANG—!"
A massive clang of metal suddenly exploded across the gloomy plain, shaking one's eardrums like a clap of thunder.
Even distant piles of rubble trembled slightly.
A tremendous force, far exceeding his expectations, surged through his dagger.
Natsuki Subaru felt his arms instantly go numb, sharp pains shooting from the web of his thumbs, and his feet carved two deep trenches in the ground.
The damp soil was forcibly plowed open, and his toes even sank into the earth before he could barely steady himself, preventing him from being sent flying by the force.
"How can this guy's strength be so immense!"
Natsuki Subaru was shocked.
Using the recoil from the weapon clash, he leaped backwards, creating a distance of over ten meters.
He had intended to use this gap to catch his breath, shake his numb arms, and relieve the muscle tension.
But before he could even steady himself, Demon King Baran's attack followed like a shadow.
"BOOM!"
The blue greatsword swept across like a gale, its chilling aura making the air whistle.
The sharp sound of the blade cutting through the air hurt one's eardrums.
This blow came from a tricky angle, aimed straight for Natsuki Subaru's head, virtually sealing off all his escape routes.
Natsuki Subaru's pupils contracted sharply.
His body instinctively leaned to the left while his feet slid rapidly across the ground, his entire body dodging by sticking to the ground like a piece of paper.
BOOM!
Before Subaru could even breathe a sigh of relief, a huge bang came from behind him.
He saw that the massive, tens-of-meters-high rock behind where he had just been standing had been split in two by the greatsword.
The cut surface was as smooth as a mirror, and rubble poured down like a waterfall, kicking up clouds of dust.
At this moment, Natsuki Subaru and Demon King Baran were instantly locked in a white-hot struggle.
Demon King Baran's attacks were wide and sweeping, each swing carrying overwhelming power.
The wind from his blade, wreathed in dark blue mist, forced Natsuki Subaru to constantly retreat.
Natsuki Subaru, on the other hand, had given up on clashing head-on, instead relying on his agile footwork to skirmish with his opponent.
Occasionally, he would seize an opening after Baran's swing and thrust out with his dagger.
But every time, Demon King Baran reacted, easily parrying with his greatsword.
The clanging of metal constantly echoed across the battlefield.
The two figures zipped across the gloomy plain, moving so fast they became a black and a silver blur, their specific movements nearly impossible to see.
"Damn it, I'm constantly on the defensive, I don't even have time to drink a mana potion!"
Natsuki Subaru grew increasingly anxious.
He had already consumed a considerable amount of mana summoning his shadow soldiers and activating skills, and the mana bar on his system panel had long since dropped below the warning line.
He wanted to grab an Advanced MP Potion from his inventory during a lull in the fight, but Demon King Baran's attacks were relentless, the blade almost scraping his body as it passed.
Therefore, Subaru didn't even have a chance to divert his attention to touch the virtual panel.
He could only watch helplessly as the mana value on his system panel decreased at a visible rate, the red number constantly flickering.
"If this goes on, my mana will run out sooner or later. I have to end this quickly!"
With a thought, Natsuki Subaru immediately issued a mental command to his subordinate, Igris, saying,
"Attack from the left flank and draw the Demon King's attention!"
It was worth mentioning that after clearing 99 floors of the Demon Castle with Natsuki Subaru, Igris's power had already risen to a terrifying level 60, equivalent to a demon lord from the regular floors.
"Igris's strength is more than enough to handle a normal lord; he should be able to hold out for a while."
Natsuki Subaru thought to himself.
The moment he received the order, a dense shadow power swirled around Igris.
The shadow longsword in his hand glowed ominously as he shot forward from the left like an arrow loosed from a bow, the blade aimed straight for Demon King Baran's side.
However, Demon King Baran's combat experience far exceeded imagination.
Without even turning his head, he predicted Igris's trajectory based on his presence alone.
With a sharp twist of his wrist, the blue greatsword moved as if it had a life of its own, blocking his side and precisely parrying Igris's longsword.
CLANG!
After a crisp sound, Demon King Baran stomped his foot, his body flashing like a phantom in front of Igris.
He thrust his greatsword forward, and the sharp blade directly pierced through Igris's shadow body.
Igris's body, like a shattered shadow, dissolved into specks of inky light, instantly vanishing into the air.
And so, Natsuki Subaru's strongest shadow soldier was effortlessly one-shotted by Demon King Baran.
But this brief exchange had bought Natsuki Subaru the most crucial second of all.
"A perfect chance!"
Taking advantage of the opening while Demon King Baran dealt with Igris, Natsuki Subaru lunged like a panther from behind, thrusting Kasaka's Venom Fang straight for the vital spot on Demon King Baran's back.
That was Demon King Baran's weakest defensive point.
But what Natsuki Subaru hadn't expected was that Demon King Baran's reaction was astonishingly fast.
Almost at the same instant he struck, Baran abruptly turned his body, using the hilt of his greatsword to block the dagger's attack.
_____
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