Witnessing the fall of two second level Martial Mortals, agents of the five powers no less, those watching on the sidelines such as Murreta, Lady Zhuah, Kitobara and the rest, looked sickly ashen.
Zax's brutality, in addition to the ident.i.ties of his victims, was plenty to imagine the kind of person that he is. One that, in short, should not be offended, otherwise his impudence and temerity would eventually return to settle all grievances.
CRACKLE!
Purple strings of lightning snapped and a glowing figure appeared behind Zax.
BANG!
Colonel Rijok's war hammer and Zax's elbow countered. The former was pushed several meters up while the latter was thrown down, crus.h.i.+ng.
Zax felt the bones in his arm breaking and electric energy permeates, numbing his internals, dispersing the strength in his muscles.
"Humph!" He snorted and utilized dark attribute energy to remove Colonel Rijok's electric energy.
Gazing down. "We may have been on the same level, but there was still a gulf between Boolian, Helev Hetra and I". Colonel Rijok declared arrogantly. "If a battle you so desire, then I'm curious, as well, to experience the power of someone who is worthy being an elite even among Ascended Elites".
His purple aura thundered. Splitting and swirling, purple mist energy transformed into seven electric serpents, five of which bit Colonel Rijok's limbs and head, giving him an amethyst like skin and flowing purple hair. The remaining electric serpents were imbued in the formation embedded to the war hammer.
"Haaa!" Colonel Rijok's voice boomed. The technique he used was painful to the degree of turning his disposition as hectic and violent as lightning.
VRRR!
The fluctuations Colonel Rijok exuded shook the Mo's Pyramid formation, affecting its stability.
Zax sensed them and his smug became a little serious. His arm already healed and he was not satisfied from the brief confrontations with Boolian and Helev Hetra. He desired a challenge to test himself further, to the utmost of his new abilities.
Absorbing the worldly dark attribute energy and fusing it in his physique, a black l.u.s.ter shone on Zax's body. He knew that just by relying on his physical strength he could not beat Colonel Rijok, even if the latter could not significantly injure him, either.
Wielding his war hammer downward while leaving a trails of purple lightning.
Jumping, clenching his fist and punching.
BOOM!
Both experts struck with their full might. Post the impact a shockwave spread, shuttering the earth below, forcing Murreta and the rest to jointly block. Even Rockwel and Riv, who chose to linger a while longer after Zax's meticulous resurrection, had to execute the grand invisible energy of their Companion’s Links formation to defend. Similarly, Sister Beatriz raised a mantle to block the shockwave as she franticly treated His Young Eminence.
The destructive collision wreaked havoc amidst the Mo's Pyramid formation.
CRACK!
CRACK!
BANG!
The magnificent structure, layer of protection from the wraiths, collapsed. The gla.s.s breaking echo caused the hearts of Murreta and the rest to pulsate in trepidation.
"Rararararara!"
The screeching voices of the d.a.m.nable beings could be heard flocking to the growing cracks and openings in the Mo's Pyramid formation.
"Get lost!" Sister Beatriz shouted furiously.
Something was wrong with His Young Eminence's wounds. They did not heal despite the treatment. She could not be bothered by the vile creatures and thus, retrieved from her spatial ring a ten centimeters gray model of a rectangle building.
Gray radiance was released from the model, expended in dimensions to a range at least ten times greater than the previous Mo's Pyramid formation's, both in width and much more in height.
As Murreta and the rest heaved a deep sigh of relief, the indifferent Zax and Colonel Rijok were stuck in a deadlock midair, as neither managed to repel the other.
BANG!
The built up forces erupted. Zax's arm swung upwards, but the rest of his body remained immovable midair, standing as if underneath his feet was some invisible platform. Contrary to him, Colonel Rijok was pushed back tens of meters before reaching to a halt. The lightning aura coming out of him and his war hammer diminished greatly.
Smirking, Zax's killing intent reemerged. He gouged himself as much as he could, yet Colonel Rijok's prestige was insufficient to satiate his limits.
Without kicking the air, his body launched, shuttling the sky like a black streak of devouring light.
Shocked and terrified, Colonel Rijok inwardly acknowledged his inferiority, yet dared not say so aloud. He strengthened his grip on the war hammer's shaft. The opponent was out for his life, as he had been for him not too long ago. The time for reconciliation was over!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
….
The two exchanged hundreds of blows in the span of time it takes a non cultivator to blink and even faster.
The longer the fight went on, the uglier became Colonel Rijok's expression. There was only so much that his defensive mist energy could withstand before the adverse consequences of the fight started to overwhelm it.
His bones cracked and broke underneath his skin earlier than his uniforms began to tear.
His lips were blood stained from repet.i.tive coughs.
The imperious manner he carried himself, even when His Young Eminence showed up along with Sister Beatriz, faded, replaced by an unsightly image, a shadow of the man once recognized as strongest below Extreme Experts.
BOOM!
Colonel Rijok's weary stature hurled down, crus.h.i.+ng deep into the ground until slamming and halting at the gray, impenetrable base manifestation of Sister Beatriz's building model.
Soul in dismay, lying in a pool of blood, limbs stretched sideway and hair ruffled, Colonel Rijok's eyes glimpsed up, vaguely being able to focus on the domineering figure above.
Zax looked down, detached. Despite the intense battle, he was still overflowing with strength he was not able to suit to his heart content.
An idea popped to mind, another form of test. He raised his hand, dark, black light emitting from his palm. Slowly, just because he wanted to observe the process without missing a thing, urged by an intention, the emanated black like began to condense, first to a small dot, then gradually to a fist size ball, finally a two fists size black ball.
Flipping his hand, the black ball descended as gravity was the only force pulling it down.
"Graah!" Colonel Rijok moaned in pain when the ball hit and sunk to his chest. A small black whirlpool germinated on his torso and enlarged as it started swallowing him.
For a short span of time, Colonel Rijok sternly resisted the black whirlpool, even waning its progress, but when his last reservoir of mist energy was depleted and eventually the black whirlpool regained momentum, sucking and swallowing centimeter by centimeter up until there was nothing left but an empty human shaped depression.
Witnessing the entire event, Murreta and all those who still sought Zax's sentiment were appalled. To perish like Colonel Rijok was more terrible than the ways Cattelin, Darvajka,  Helev Hetra and Boolian were killed. There was nothing left. Not even residues of mist energy signature or aura. The black whirlpool took everything and dissipated.
Zax frowned. 'So this is the nature of the dark attribute. It swallows like a black hole when using it unadulterated, but utilizing it in such manner is only good to eliminate evidence or quickly restoring vitality and absorbing dark attribute energy for cultivation. As an attack, it will not be threatening to a Peak Core Master in good condition. Perhaps I need to deepen my insights or further experiment…?'
Raising his hand, three small beams shot from different locations to his palm, three spatial rings. He collected Colonel Rijok's in advance before the black whirlpool swallowed it and he already possessed Cattelin's.
'Later, dividing their content should be more than enough to compensate Fengar'. He deduced and took out a new set of clothes sine post his breakthrough he was more or less naked…
"Now then", turning his head, his gaze landed on Sister Beatriz, Sister Iaura and His Young Eminence.
Flying over in their direction, the premise was where is there dark attribute, virtually everywhere, Zax could make it as his own domain and manipulate it as if it were solid substance, like when crus.h.i.+ng Cattelin, like a platform to stand on midair and move freely on a whim.
"Why are you coming here?!" Sister Iaura shouted heatedly.
The la.s.s's countenance was flushed, her eyes moist. She cared for His Young Eminence. They spent short time together, most of it in this trip, yet he who was an honored senior in their Luminous Church, treated her well, like an elder brother from the moment they met. Never scolding her faults, always patient with her ignorance. He was an exemplary figure in her mind, placed only behind her parents and His Holiness. Seeing his deteriorating condition made her hate the one responsible for it.
"Go! Hurry to depart, you evil heathen! The Almighty will definitely, definitely not forgive you!" She cursed, unafraid. Sheltered girl as her never knew fear, always had someone amiable to protect her.
Blue aura around her, she summoned from her spatial ring two intricate silver blue pistols. Blue mist energy charging the three magazine's chambers of each pistol.
BANG!
BANG!
Two crystalized blue mist bullets shot with precise aim.
Waving his hand, Zax deflected the bullets easily, but the corner of his mouth twitched. 'Odd guns. Her cultivation is clearly at the Peak of the Core Master realm, yet when she shot, for a split second, it was augmented past that blueish first level Martial Mortal'. He mused, referring to Darvajka.
BANG!
BANG!
Another volley shot at him and Zax greeted them with killing intent. By this point he was not above killing anyone, much less companions of his antagonists, regardless of their gender and age.
Sensing sinister pressure rousing the air around Sister Iaura, Sister Beatriz's pupil contracted and the veins in her covered forehead and neck protruded through her garments.
"You dare!" Her reaction to Zax's attempt on Sister Iaura's life was more severe than anything she expressed for His Young Eminence.
Raising her green aura, she expelled the pressure of Zax's dark attribute domain and sent a blast of wind at him.
Forced to a halt, Zax clawed and ripped the wind blast, splitting it to two separate gusts that wafted sideways.
"Sister Iaura, stay with His Young Eminence. If possible, do what you can to save him. After I will purge this insolent heathen we will return and His Young Eminence will surely repay you".
"He doesn't need to; he doesn't need to!" Shaking her head, Sister Iaura hurried to replace Sister Beatriz by His Young Eminence. "Here, His Holiness gave me this potion for emergencies".
"His Holiness…?" Sister Beatriz hesitated. His Holiness's care was a debt His Young Eminence will find extremely hard to repay. By accepting the potion, she, too, might be implicated. Nevertheless, to save His Young Eminence, a reputed Ascended Elite of their Luminous Church, she had no choice.
"Use it on His Young Eminence's wounds". She said and soared to meet the incoming Zax, displaying seethed killing intent.
"Young Sister Iaura is too callow to say who The Almighty forgive or not forgive". She said coldly. "Soon, your soul will depart and you will know or won't know for yourself The Almighty's graciousness".
Drawing her arms to her waist, a green glow shone from them and a pair of green gauntlets appeared on her hands.
She was aware of his fight with Colonel Rijok and although she was a level above the latter, she also a.s.sessed that Zax did not use all of his strength and is actually not under the Beginner third level Martial Mortal.
Sensing Sister Beatriz's fully released aura targeting him, Zax s.h.i.+vered excitedly. At last, an opponent he was not feeling confident against, yet, simultaneously, not completely helpless to face. The perfect candidate!
Sister Beatriz's aura and mist energy combined into a green tempest that concealed her.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
…
Her fists struck unpredictably like lightning and the entire s.p.a.ce around them and beyond evenly carried worlds breaking power.
Bombarded by weight that burgeoned upon each impact and when it spread it turned to sharp fragments that cut and stabbed. From the very first punch, Zax was forced to raise his arms in defense.
‘Amazing! Superb!’ Even with dark attribute energy fused to his cells; his body could not endure the relentless torrent of blows, yet despite the multiplying fractures and punctures, Zax was ecstatic. His enhanced recovery, fueled by dark attribute energy, made him practically undying, at least against someone at Sister Beatriz’s caliber.
‘She is far stronger than that Rijok! One punch of hers would have been enough to decimate him; a few can probably level the entire planet!’
“Hahahahaha!” Zax maniacally laughed. He was stuck to the gray wall manifestation of the building model and immobile, but no serious harm was done to him. Quite the opposite, it gave him an excellent experimental environment to trial and error with learning how to best utilize the dark attribute energy.
As he was being hit time and time again, dark attribute energy fluctuated fervently, like black rays of light that pierced through Sister Beatriz’s indomitable emerald, windy a.s.sault.
‘An Ascended Elite, he really has reached the magnitude of top rated Ascended Elite!’ Sister Beatriz gloomily bit her lips. ‘To think that just minutes ago his existence was akin to an ant… The enlightenment he received from consuming the perfect dark attribute’s essence has made him surmounts His Young Eminence’s profound insights, what is more, extending the gulf between them by a large margin. If such person would be left to live, should he hold a grudge toward the five powers…  his future prospects would jeopardize the branches, allow him to directly reach the Holy Palace!’
She was resolved on weeding this threat in front of her, erupting with wilder series of punches.
“Hahahaha! Great! Good! I don’t have an ounce of strength to retaliate, but you, fanatic hag, are incapable of doing me damage, hahahaha!” Zax provoked.
Coming up with the right away to implement the dark attribute energy was desperately hard. The more he contemplated while being under Sister Beatriz’s barrage, the more evident it became… The dark attribute energy is too simple. Upon perceiving it to the degree that Zax had, mediating further about it has in turn made all subsequent a.s.sumptions misleading.
This could only mean two things.
First, despite breaking through recently, Zax was already a step away from the succeeding bottleneck.
Second, because breaking through recently, Zax had rudimentary familiarity with the dark attribute and its worldly energy and his new insights. As such, he could not discern in certainty their boundaries and edges of understanding.
Since in this instance time was the key component for improvement, dally with Sister Beatriz no longer was as amusing. Also, now that he had the strength he was not compliance with letting others’ dominate him in the same manner that nearly cost him his life.
“Your typhoon or my storm, let’s see whose can cover the sky!” Zax’s voice reverberated.
A sudden rise of dark attribute energy fluctuations spiked within Zax’s fists.
Sister Beatriz was prepared, maintaining vigilance from the start to the reveal of Zax’s most powerful attack.
A nearly imperceptible hint of windy attribute worldly energy was infused with the green, swirling gale that rallied from Sister Beatriz’s gauntlets, exhibiting her superficial understanding of the windy attribute.
Converging dark attribute energy, pinpointing it to two a small spots in each arm till they burst and then overflowing another spot and another spot and another spot… five at each arm, four at his torso, four at the back, three on his head and six at each leg, in total thirty three. Zax replaced the self harming, c.u.mbersome kinetic energy with the superior, more affluent dark attribute energy to create the next stage of his strongest technique.
Skin is blackening, body enlarging from two meters, two ten, two twenty five, two sixty, three meters. The transformation was a tad unstable and soon to be short lived, yet exceeded Zax’s imagination.
“Dark t.i.tan Storm!” Gratified, he introduced its name to the world.