Chapter 540: Infernal Serpent - 2
Ding!
>40 Super Bloodline Flame Wyvern Beast Cores assimilated into 'Agnivar'.
>Flame Wyvern [Agnivar] (High 3-star -> Peak 3-star)
{Rank up due to eating Pyroclast Drake's meat.}
Intelligence - Adolescent
IQ - 132
Super Bloodline (89% -> 94% -> 97% -> 99% -> 100%)
Ding!
>IQ - 132 -> 136
Noble Bloodline (1% -> 2% -> 3% .... -> 28%)
Talent: Hoard Sovereignty - 6★ -> 7★
Leo even assimilated the Pyrodrake's Beast Core into him.
>Peak 3-star -> Pseudo 4-star
Noble Bloodline (28% -> 30%)
Ding!
Stats Updated!
Vitality: 3960 [6560 -> 6860] + {50% boost (Optional)}
Strength: 3960 [6560 -> 6860] + {50% boost (Optional)}
Agility: 3240 [5840 -> 6140] + {100% boost (Optional)}
Stamina: 3900 [6500 -> 6800] + {50% boost (Optional)}
Intelligence: 6255 [8855 -> 9155] + {50% boost (Optional)}
Mana: 688,050 [974,050 -> 1007K]
Now all his boosted stats had surpassed the 10,000-point mark, which meant he was officially in the Low 5-star Realm.
Leo was so elated that he completely ignored Agnivar's calls, who was panicking at the sudden surge inside the spiritual realm. Leo didn't even notice the talent upgrade.
His sole focus was on the [Sunblood Pearl], which was getting closer and closer to his reach.
Once again, the lava beneath the pearl stirred, and the same gaping mouth surged upward.
But this time, Leo didn't try to dodge.
He activated all the defensive traits—except Niri's—and covered his body with a dense layer of aura.
GROOOOLLPP!
The large gaping mouth was already all over Leo, but he didn't hesitate. He charged one fist with [Critical Strike], while the other reached toward the pearl that had almost been gulped down into the beast's throat.
"Not so quick!"
Leo punched the interior of the upper jaw with so much force that the bones instantly cracked and caved in. Though the bones were sturdy enough not to shatter and burst even from a critical punch.
But it was enough for the beast's throat to recoil and bring the pearl back to a safe distance.
Leo immediately dived deeper into the mouth and touched the burning-hot treasure with his hand. By now, he was already half-submerged in the lava. Even his spirit clothes had burned away in several places. If not for Leo constantly using mana to keep them intact, he would be swimming naked inside the lava.
The whole football-sized [Sunblood Pearl] disappeared and appeared inside the lava crater in his spiritual space lava island, where it continued absorbing lava essence to remain fresh and strengthen.
SRREEEEAAAHHHHH!!!
The beast sensed the treasure's disappearance and let out a guttural scream that rocked Leo's brain and even heated his black scales.
Leo was already charred black from head to toe, but surprisingly, he felt completely fine. His entire skin crust had turned obsidian black, and even his eyes—though Leo couldn't see them—had become slitted, allowing him to see through the lava for a great distance. A strong membrane protected them and prevented the molten liquid from entering.
But he had no time to leisurely inspect himself, because the serpent was already closing its maw while charging a breath attack down its throat to deliver a point-blank blast to Leo.
It knew Leo had taken its pearl, and it definitely couldn't allow him to escape.
Leo grinned.
"Let's practically see what happens to water when it suddenly finds itself engulfed by boiling lava from all around."
Leo had only studied that water would instantly vaporise and cause an explosion, but today, he would witness it with his own eyes.
He extended his hand and released a pressurized Water Cannon straight into the beast's throat.
Big mistake.
Because at that exact same moment, the beast released its breath attack.
BOOOOMMMM!
Not even a second later, a deafening blast erupted from the center of the lava crater, shooting nearly 10 meters high.
In the middle of that explosion, a humanoid figure was hurled through the air.
It was Leo, and he was very badly injured.
Exposed red flesh covered his front side from head to toe, and he was bleeding profusely, bright red blood streaking down his blackened body.
But at least he was conscious.
"FUCK!" he cursed.
[Nature's Heal]!
[Nature's Heal]!
[Nature's Heal]!
[Nature's Heal]!
...
He continuously spammed [Nature's Heal] on himself as the wounds slowly began to close. His regenerative traits kicked in, increasing the healing speed. And since he was out of the lava, his black, scaly body began returning to normal, and even his clothes started regenerating as they covered his body properly.
But before he could even survey his surroundings or land on the ground, the Infernal Serpent's head burst through the lava surface. Its mouth was already completely charged with a breath attack.
"WHAT THE FUCK!? WHY ISN'T THIS SNAKE INJURED!?" Leo screamed as he called upon the wind element to blow him through the air.
HUSSSSSSHHHH!!!
Leo barely dodged the beam that tore through the atmosphere. Its temperature was so high that merely being close to it was enough to burn his skin and make the black scales reappear.
"Fuck! This beast is out of my league. I need to run," Leo muttered while still airborne, calling the wind to throw him away before another attack could come.
But—
BLLLOOORPP!
Suddenly, another Infernal Serpent emerged from the lava, and it already had a breath attack ready to unleash.
But this Infernal Serpent's head was brutally mutilated. Even looking at the sight would make a weak-hearted person vomit.
The moment it unleashed its breath attack, the upper jaw collapsed, and it fell backward into the lava.
But even then, the attack managed to reach Leo and hit him head-on. He simply couldn't conjure enough wind to dodge such a sudden attack with such a massive diameter.
BOOM!
Leo was blasted through the air once again, and this time, without the black scales covering him, the fire breath completely burned through his skin and even seared the exposed muscles. Combined with the explosion, his body was heavily injured as he free-fell through the sky, directly toward the mountain peak nearly 500 meters below.
But Leo was still conscious, the burned and destroyed nerve endings sending his pain receptors into overdrive.
"F-fuck..." he couldn't even groan loudly because of his burnt face and mouth.
But then, Leo suddenly recalled something that would instantly dull the pain.