The battle within the throne hall grew more perilous with every breath. The moment Eliorus revealed his hidden abilities, the difficulty of the raid soared to impossible heights. What once seemed like an A+ class boss could no longer be judged so lightly. His power had already crossed into the domain of an S-class monster.
Song Seung-jun felt his chest tighten. With Eliorus now erasing all trace of his presence, even perceiving the knight's movements was near impossible. The goal of securing top contribution points, the very reason he had entered this raid, was slipping beyond reach. First place was gone.
And yet, he did not despair. Instead, he wrestled with temptation. He knew that if he unleashed the secret strength buried deep within, victory could be his. But his Master's warning echoed in his mind—never reveal your full power. In the world of hunters, survival belonged to those who could endure, hide, and wait for the right moment. A true master walked with half their blade concealed.
Thus, Song Seung-jun chose patience. Lee Seong-jun was clashing directly with Eliorus, and that too was an opportunity. If the Blood Demon faltered, Song Seung-jun would step in and finish the fight. Either way, he had much to gain.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the hall, Kim Hye-young's fire and Jung Yun-ho's steel kept the dark elves at bay. The battle was dangerous, but their line was holding. There was no need to divide focus.
All eyes turned to the center, where Lee Seong-jun and Eliorus danced in a storm of blades and fists.
For Lee Seong-jun, this was no burden. His eyes glimmered with thrill. At last, within this gate that had promised nothing but boredom, he had found an enemy worth his strength. Eliorus' twin daggers flickered like lightning, drawing lines of red across Seong-jun's skin, yet still he smiled. It was the joy of battle, a reminder of the warrior he had once been before the blood and demon titles clung to him.
Eliorus fought with flawless agility, his stealth merging with dagger skill to create a deadly rhythm. Against any other, it would have been unstoppable. But Seong-jun possessed a weapon of his own—Cloud-Distance Blood Trace, a martial art of the Blood Sect. With every wound Eliorus received, every smear of blood that stained his blade and armor, his presence could no longer vanish. No stealth could escape Seong-jun's gaze.
Each time Eliorus lunged, Seong-jun was waiting. Each time he struck, the Blood Demon countered. When Eliorus attempted to overwhelm him with a surge of energy and rapid daggers, Seong-jun's Diamond Dragon Strike roared forward, crashing against black armor and sending the knight commander flying across the chamber.
But Eliorus was no ordinary foe. His resilience was monstrous. With internal energy coursing through his form, he could harden his body and extend his daggers with sword energy. His movements suddenly doubled in speed.
In response, Seong-jun called upon his hidden enhancements—strength, agility, and stamina swelling as ancient blessings surged within him. Their clash shook the very marble pillars. Each collision cracked stone, each step shook the ground.
Blades whistled. Fists tore through air. Afterimages of Eliorus split across the battlefield, his daggers coming from all sides at once. Yet Seong-jun met them head-on, his blood energy surging through his body. With a twist of his waist and a clenched fist, he unleashed the Blood Explosion, detonating crimson energy at point-blank range. The shockwave staggered Eliorus, tearing apart the black aura that cloaked him.
Even then, the dark knight endured. Armor dented, body bleeding, his eyes still burned with cold resolve. He refused to fall.
Seong-jun pressed harder. Finger flicks sent streams of blood energy bullets into Eliorus' chest, shredding his defenses. At last, a hoarse groan slipped from the knight commander's throat, blood spilling from his mouth. The black aura dimmed, his body faltering.
But still, he did not collapse.
For Eliorus, survival was hope. His armor had absorbed the worst of the storm, and though his body was battered, so too was his foe. Lee Seong-jun's flesh was marked with countless cuts, his energy taxed from the unrelenting exchange.
At this critical moment, Seong-jun revealed why he was feared as the greatest Blood Demon of his age.
The blood flowing from his wounds was not lost. Through Endless Grand Blood Return, a secret art of the Blood Sect, he reclaimed it. Every drop seeped back, circulating through his veins, feeding his core. What to others would mean death by blood loss became fuel for his inner power. His danjeon swelled as blood converted into raw energy, filling him once more.
First twenty percent. Then half. With each beat of his heart, his strength returned. His vision swam from the toll, but the power within surged like a flood.
The foundation was laid. The Blood Demon's prime was awakening once more.