Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunfire continued as enormous metal frames materialized overhead, condensing fist-sized orbs that transformed into solid bombs raining into the inferno.
The besieged king endured this relentless barrage.
Though obscured by flames, none believed it would die so easily—hence the sustained onslaught.
After circling, Yangos loosed its second breath attack of the day.
But mid-attack, it spotted a white shadow expanding over the flames—by the time its breath arrived, the shadow had grown enough to intercept it entirely.
A gigantic ice flower.
Familiar—similar to the earlier, smaller one on the king’s body.
Beneath the flower, flames died, revealing the king anew.
Evidence of injury to this level nine being.
Its gaze turned venomous. Despite Yangos’s ongoing assault, it stood calmly beneath the ice flower, staring at Ye Zhongming’s raised Reaper Mimicry Gun.
“Die!”
With this single utterance, the king howled skyward, its already massive frame expanding further.
The ice flower shattered, its fragments becoming deadly projectiles as the king blurred toward Ye Zhongming.
It knew whose death would collapse this level eight resistance.
Yangos ascended slightly, dodging ice shards while roaring—again manipulating the close-quarters combat.
Ye Zhongming’s gun vanished, replaced by Wind and Thunder as specialized black armor materialized on his body, charging fearlessly.
Star Vision, Moonlight Field, and Gravity Leap combined to help Cloud Peak’s King track the Snow Wolf King’s true form.
No time for skills—only a swing of the Sacred Artifact from Blue’s Realm at the level nine entity.
It was so fast that even with debuffs, Ye Zhongming barely tracked it. Yet at the last moment, the Snow Wolf King’s striking forepaws elongated unnaturally.
In truth, its entire body stretched, but velocity made only the claws visible.
Enraged, the king intended this strike to be fatal.
Thus far, it had deployed three abilities: the crimson eye-beams—”Killing Red”—acquired at its first level.
Next, the ice flowers—a hybrid passive/active ability. Passively protecting against damage (like the earlier small flower), while the massive active version offered supreme defense and controllable icy explosions.
As evidenced by both Yangos and Ye Zhongming being within its earlier blast radius.
The third—its current attack—was the devastating “Swift Shadow Strike”.
The king’s extreme agility was nearly unmatchable, especially at full charge.
This enabled the technique: creating a shadow that attacked first at blinding speed, followed by its physical body.
A devastating dual-strike combination.
Against Cloud Peak’s elites, the king had unleashed its trump card.
It deemed this human incapable of evasion.
Few mutated creatures could surpass its velocity—only peak human evolved might compete.
Ye Zhongming was swift, but not faster than the Snow Wolf King, especially against this technique.
Yellow Ball charged golden-blurred, attempting to intercept.
However great their earlier advantage, a level nine’s strike could be instantly lethal.
Yangos roared again—yet its previously effective mental interference now failed inexplicably.
The king’s crimson tongue lolled, anticipating the taste of this potent human’s blood.
Such a high-level evolved’s blood must be extraordinarily energizing.
Ye Zhongming stared fixedly ahead, seemingly resigned—yet his blade still swung forward.
Time seemed to freeze as the shadow-claws neared his face.
Then, he vanished.
Reappearing beside the king.
A minimal teleport—just enough to land an unaltered strike.
With a resonant “beng!”, both were sent flying backward.
Ye Zhongming hit the ground first, his sword-hand bloodied, once-steadfast arms now trembling.
Wind and Thunder fell nearby.
The impact had split his palms and numbed his arms beyond gripping.
The Snow Wolf King’s technique was broken; it crashed down, its ice flower shattering. A 50cm gash now wept blood along its flank, revealing glimpses of white beneath.
Yet within seconds, the bleeding slowed… then ceased.
Such was a level nine’s terrifying regeneration.
Rising unsteadily, the king stared at Ye Zhongming in disbelief.
That a human had countered its ultimate strike.
Not its strongest ability—yet still inconceivable for an eight-star evolved to thwart.
And that weapon… how had it breached the ice flower to inflict such damage?
Crouching low, it finally acknowledged Ye Zhongming as an equal. Now it would unleash its full might—its regal dignity demanded nothing less.
Yet before it could act, new sounds froze it mid-motion.