The energy veins around the Blaze Lord’s chest tore apart. There was no sound, but that wasn’t necessary. Michael could see how his Living Poison and the True Extraction Essence wreaked havoc inside the Blaze Lord.
Interestingly enough, the Blaze Lord tried to retaliate against the True Extraction Essence first as it fed and nourished the Living Poison. However, expelling the Essence of a 7-Star Soultrait wasn’t that easy. Extraction wasn’t an ordinary 7-Star Soultrait either. It was something special connecting Michael with the Wolf Curse – a Curse as strong, if not stronger than the World Serpent.
Even though the World Serpent called the Wolf Curse bastard at any given opportunity, it never called it weak. The World Serpent never said it was stronger than the Wolf Curse, either. That, and everything Michael had gone through in the last few years, were enough indicators to determine the Wolf Curse’s prowess, especially after meeting the Nest Leader and everyone involved.
Michael knew the Wolf Curse was also something special among the Curse Users. It was one of the strongest Curses. Therefore connecting the Wolf Curse with Extraction, whether they always belonged to each other or not, generated countless benefits. One was the ability to unlock more of Extraction’s potential via Cursed Seals.
Extraction, already being a powerful 7-Star Soultrait, received a massive boost in power for every activated Cursed Seal. This boost was further amplified whenever he activated the Major Seal, thus creating True Extraction in its strongest form – for now. Applying ten layers of Enhancement to True Extraction alongside a Soul Tear transformed True Extraction into an even more terrifying weapon. Yet, the Blaze Lord tried fighting against the Essence, the most potent version of True Extraction.
It was fun to watch, even more so when the Living Poison attacked the Blaze Lord’s mental power and soul. It feasted on them, weakened his energy veins, muscles, soul, and mind, and corroded them slowly.
The Blaze Lord roared angrily and jumped at Michael despite understanding his condition better than anyone. His energy was drained, his lifeforce deteriorated rapidly as well, and his body was falling apart. Nonetheless, Michael didn’t underestimate the Blaze Lord. Olivia Blaze might have been different because he’d crushed her long before she could do anything. Still, before the Blaze Lord could retrieve some Artifacts or items to bomb the entire settlement, which was a valid fear given the Blaze household’s extensive records of sacrifices and explosions, Michael moved when the opportunity appeared before his eyes.
He moved fast and teleported behind the Blaze Lord the instant he landed back on the ground. His fingers coiled around the Blaze Lord’s neck, and he jumped into action. The Blaze Lord unleashed his Soultrait to the fullest. He used a Soul Arts technique, consuming his remaining lifeforce and energy before triggering Primordial Bloodline to release a purplish-azure flame shrouding himself and Michael. Michael would have been in pain, maybe even screaming at the top of his lungs because the flames were a lot stronger than expected, if not for the Elemental Empress fusing with him before the flames could devour him. The azure armor of blazing flames protected Michael from the worst pain. The flames were still hot and reached him, which was a surprise, but the Elemental Empress swallowed them, transforming them into a part of her body. She analyzed them inside her and annexed them once she learned how to replicate the purplish-azure flames.
Meanwhile, Michael released a silverish-golden wind blade from his hand, severing the Blaze Lord’s neck at once.
A strong energy influx impacted seconds after the wind blade burst out of his palm, and the Blaze Lord’s head slammed to the ground with a loud thud. 𝒇𝒘𝙫.
Under normal circumstances, defeating the Blaze Lord wouldn’t have been easy. However, Michael took advantage of the Blaze Lord’s distraction to deal a finishing blow minutes before he finally died.
“To think an orgy would help me conquer a settlement one day… That’s not weird at all.” Michael shook his head, unsure how to feel about this.
The situation throughout the settlement changed drastically following the death of the Blaze Lord. The Links of Loyalty dispersed, and the Awakened regained freedom. However, their freedom wouldn’t last long. Michael didn’t change his orders. The Awakened and combat Summons had to be eliminated to pluck the root of all problems and potential future rebellions before they could nourish and blossom.
Michael could have joined the fight against the last Tier-5 powerhouse, but the High Awakened was already weakened from the Living Poison and the full extent of True Extraction Essence’s power. His brother, Hiraku Teranos, Tiara, and the others were enough to kill the remaining powerhouses. Their battle spirit was crushed, and their fear of death shrouded their entire beings, pushing them to do foolish things.
(825)
Observing his friends, family, and subordinates grow stronger and studying their tactics was oddly interesting. Michael was powerful, but he was only one person. He couldn’t rule his territory, let alone two, alone. Of course, Michael was strong enough to deal with an army of enemies on his own, but that didn’t mean he was omnipotent. There were always stronger enemies, and they were usually not alone either.
To deal with many enemies on multiple sides, Michael had to transform his Untamed Awakened and the Untamed Army into a mighty army, which nobody wanted to fight head-on. Michael had to put more pressure on his subjects for that. It was cruel, but he let them fight until they were on the verge of death. Losing a few limbs wasn’t important. He could regrow them. Surpassing their limit.
Michael’s hair stood up to its end, and the corner of his lips curled upward when he saw Daniel fight alongside a low-ranked Silverfang to deal with a High Awakened. He analyzed their seamless teamwork and the perfect execution of their Soultraits and Artifacts with glee.
However, when the fight ended, Michael noticed Tiara throwing a scornful gaze at Daniel’s comrade. The Silverfang standing next to Daniel heaved heavily. His energy was drained, but he retained some of his noble appearance. ‘They look oddly similar.’ Michael thought, staring at their faces, only to recall something he had forgotten.
The Silverfang was one of the few Legendary Summons he had summoned not long ago. He was among the batch of more than 300ish Silverfang Awakened he’d summoned then. The Silverfang was also the only 6-Star Awakened Summon with only a 1-Star Soultrait. The other 6-Star Summons were all stronger and members of the Royal Guard. Or they had been before the Silverfangs got exiled.
‘I remember now. Didn’t Tiara say that she doesn’t like him because he was timid and a failure?’ Michael recalled what Tiara had said about the Silverfang she hated the most… her older brother.
The Silverfang was Tiara’s brother, whom she thought died alongside their Father. Michael would have been happy in her stead, but Tiara’s hatred toward her brother seemed to intensify at the thought of their Father’s death. He didn’t inquire any further then, but his curiosity had awakened.
‘He doesn’t look timid at all. Is that why she stares at him like that?’ Michael was confused, but his True Link of Loyalty showed him the full extent of Tiara’s emotions.
‘She…thinks he abandoned their father?’