The demon regained its bearings after a few seconds—a testament to the formidable vitality of its race. Without a fatal, devastating blow, they could heal nearly any injury in record time.
What a strong human. He is only a couple of levels below the one responsible for my captivity! the demon admitted softly in its heart. Wild killing intent blossomed in its eyes as it recalled that absurd fellow.
Unwilling to be dominated by a human once more, the demon resolved to battle in its true, natural form.
"Bellow!"
Vibrations shook the air, rippled across the clouds, and even reached Miolir as the demon let out a resonant roar. The cry radiated pure stubbornness and an unyielding desire to reject fate itself.
Miolir turned serious, sensing that the demon was finally giving its all against him. A wave of terrifying demonic power erupted as the creature reverted to its true shape.
The three-meter-tall humanoid demon vanished, replaced by an incomparably massive beast. It spanned the size of a mountain peak, its legs resembling thick pillars of heaven. Beautiful blue scales covered its skin, glittering with restless arcs of lightning, while its crystalline horns trapped living flashes of electricity within their core.
Calum stared in stunned awe at the magnificent beast. Indeed, a faint, sacred quality radiated from its towering figure.
"Truly a great specimen. As always, Sun Luo has a knack for finding the rarest creatures," Yan King noted with genuine appreciation. "It would make a splendid mount back home," he continued, his tone turning wistful.
Calum broke out in a cold sweat of shock at the casual remark.
Where in the world is Yan King from?! They ride demons this powerful over there?!
He didn't doubt Yan King for a second, mostly because this senior had always been truthful in his shared knowledge. More importantly, the nostalgic glow in Yan King's eyes indicated he was speaking absolute truth; there was no falsehood in his expression.
"Splendid! Now I can give this my all." The simple-featured Miolir wore an expression of undisguised excitement as he grew taller, expanding until he reached a height of forty meters. Still, he looked like a mere ant beside the blue-scaled beast, though by human standards, he was colossal.
"Shall we?" Miolir invited.
The bull bellowed toward the sky and charged forward, the sheer force of its hooves generating thunder and lightning. Despite its immense size, it moved with astonishing speed, closing the distance in an instant and bringing a massive hoof crashing down upon Miolir.
Miolir laughed heartily, battle-lust igniting within his chest. He took a decisive step forward, rising to meet the blow head-on.
Bang!
Wild shockwaves tore through the space between them. While the demon only stumbled slightly backward, Miolir was hurled far into the distance. Where the demon's human-form was no match for him, its natural form proved vastly superior, pushing its physical strength to a consummate stage. Naturally, Miolir had not anticipated the massive gap between the two forms.
Without giving his opponent time to recover, the beast charged again, its horns unleashing a searing bolt of lightning toward the flying Miolir.
Fully aware of the danger, Miolir formed a quick sigil with his hand. A bizarre, heavy power radiated from him as he went entirely still, then drove a heavy punch straight into the incoming lightning. The phantom shadow of a colossal fist materialized briefly between heaven and earth before shattering the bolt entirely, allowing Miolir to regain his footing.
"Roar!"
A tyrannical shout broke from Miolir's lips as he pounced back toward the monstrous beast. The combat rapidly devolved into a primal exchange of raw blows, the sound of colliding flesh ringing thunderously across the arena.
Every impact generated shockwaves followed by flying scales and mutilated flesh. The battle had attained a mythic scale: a giant facing a legendary beast amidst rolling thunder and dazzling flashes of lightning. Both combatants were soon reduced to a miserable state, battered by bloody wounds and broken bones.
Breathing heavily, Miolir stared down at his opponent. The grueling fight had fully awakened his savage streak. Unlike his peers who relied on exquisite arts or bewildering spells, he preferred direct body-to-body confrontation above all else. Only through such brutal friction did he truly feel alive and powerful.
The demon was heavily battered, both physically and mentally. It cursed the wretched luck that kept throwing absurdly powerful humans in its path as if they were common merchandise.
"Magnificent! You are still standing! For that, I bestow upon you a reward. If you resist this next strike, you win. If not... well, you will most likely die," Miolir spoke good-naturedly, though his words sent an involuntary chill down the demon's spine.
How is that a reward?! the demon shrieked inwardly, hurriedly bracing itself. The scales across its body took on a mirror-like sheen, activating its ultimate defensive technique: The Last Stand Mirror.
If it could endure the brunt of its opponent's strike, the technique would allow it to reflect and hurl the exact same art back at the attacker. It was one of the most celebrated abilities of the Sky Lightning Bulls—a desperate maneuver highlighting the sheer peril of its situation.
Roar!
A terrifying momentum surged from Miolir, compressing the surrounding space until it felt as though a star's mass had suddenly manifested in the center of the ring.
Hum...
A colossal shadow loomed behind him, dwarfing even his forty-meter stature. Its lower limbs sank into an abyss resembling the deepest hell, while its head brushed the highest heavens, leaving only its massive torso visible.
The shadow was covered in ancient tribal markings that whispered of forgotten history. Mimicking his movements, the phantom slowly clenched its massive hand into a fist, encircling it with a dark ring of pure, unadulterated nothingness. Space itself warped violently beneath the pressure of that single motion.
A single step.
A single punch.
A deafening shockwave shook the world, awing even the spectators in the stands. It was a vivid reminder that when simple power is pushed to its absolute extreme, it transforms into something profoundly magical and terrifying.
Miolir's unassuming punch completely redefined the limits of raw strength. The demon's massive form was punctured clean through; a gaping hole tore across its chest, shattering flesh, muscles, organs, and bones before opening up to the scenery behind it.
Miolir reverted to his original appearance. Though his face was pale, his eyes blazed with exhilaration. The brutal combat had pushed his limits, granting him a profound breakthrough in his self-understanding. All in all, it had been a deeply satisfying clash.
"Congratulations, Junior Miolir," Sun Luo praised with a warm, approving smile.
Just as Sun Luo's voice reached his ears, the flickering light in the bull demon's eyes died out entirely, leaving its body lifeless. It had failed to survive Miolir's final blow.
Miolir cast a momentary, pitying glance at the carcass before shaking his head. "Your fate fell short, demon. Do not resent me as you pass beyond; our races are bitter enemies, and only such an end could come from our confrontation." He clapped his palms together in a brief prayer before stepping out of the ring.
The moment he crossed the boundary, a torrent of cheers and applause erupted from the audience. Miolir's match had been visually and technically sensational, holding everyone's attention flawlessly until the very end.
He reclaimed his seat among the spectators, and the event resumed smoothly. Several more bouts followed, though none quite matched the sheer intensity of Miolir's clash. Even so, each fight offered a wealth of insights that Calum eagerly absorbed.
By the time the event concluded, Calum's eyes shone with a brilliant, newly enlightened wisdom. It was an astonishing harvest. While the other seniors viewed the event as little more than entertaining spectacle, for him it felt akin to receiving personal tutoring from masters of cultivation. Naturally, his strength was poised to soar exponentially in the days to come.
Warp.
With a gentle intake of breath, the scenery dissolved and the disciples found themselves back in the grand hall. Fresh drinks and steaming dishes materialized across the tables, while the crowd continued to buzz with animated discussions—some boasting of their insights, others earnestly exchanging pointers.
"As usual, Brother Luo's coliseum event is a resounding success," Fairy Yu complimented gracefully.
"Not at all, Sister Yu. All the disciples contribute to making this event what it is," Sun Luo replied calmly. While he was indeed the one who journeyed into the wild to capture the exhibited demons, the event ultimately succeeded because his peers brought their full strength to the fights.
"Indeed. Now, it is time for the final event of this banquet: the Treasure and Information Exchange," Sister Yu announced, raising her voice slightly to command the room's full attention.
Instantly, bright smiles bloomed across the faces of every disciple present.