Chapter 40: The Seventh Power!

The sensation was fantastic, practically consuming. First it was the new condition of his three aspects. Everything about them was dark attribute without even the need to generate the energy. And its pureness ... perhaps beyond any source of the exact attribute in Ercas Mir.

‘Maybe only the wraiths of Demirca Ridge can compare?’ Zax speculated as he marveled.

His assessment was not wrong, but also not entirely right. The wraiths were creation of a God manipulating and merging souls and dark attribute energy. No Mortal or Immortal could compare against a God. However, in contrast to Zax, the wraiths were only made by transforming one aspect with dark attribute and they were not sentient. Their actions and behavior were “programed” by God Demirva. They had no comprehension toward their actual might and no way to solidify it further either to a greater level or as a Martial technique.

The instant he managed to compose his urges from keeping to dwell on this intoxicating new feeling, a series of thoughts about what he should do next crossed Zax’s mind.

‘I ... won’t be able to unwind until I’ll let something out’. He quickly deliberated. ‘Mister Huland’s request ... confronting a fourth level Martial Mortal... ‘ He did not feel the smile growing larger on his face and his tightening jaw, as the excitement was too short and soon his expression turned apathetic. He remembered his exchange with Gid Chu, the fluctuations of the fourth level Martial Mortals, members of the five powers he encountered. He was suddenly unimpressed by them all!

“In that case...” He finally spoke outloud. Resuming his smile, an ominous light shone in his eyes.

There was so much to do ... to explore, too many important things ... Zax, however, chose his course of action and everything other than his immediate decision was put aside.

His gaze fell on the western coastline of Selivereb and he turned to a ray of darkness, splitting the sky in its wake.

It was winter season and a late evening hour. The waters of Nidbuk Ocean were cold and churning as waves reached heights of tens of meters.

Under the limited windy clouds and above the ocean a figure appeared so fast, some first and second level Martial Mortal would have thought that it always been there.

“Come on, old pal, I’m here to fulfil one half of the promise I made back then”. Zax said and his voice sounded oddly, as if it was being carried by the wind to a specific direction, an oncoming pair of ears.

“Schree!” Cry resonated for hundreds of kilometers. It was aggravated, enraged. Before its source could be seen, a phenomenon in the sky drew Zax’s attention, only to make him grin.

The clouds, which were already scarce, dispersed completely as a wave of heat and redness discharged from afar and covered the sky with rain of tongues of flames.

They poured on Zax, yet he remained still with his grin. The temperature was scorching, could possible melt the defensive mantle of a fourth level Martial Mortal, yet Zax response was pleasant, as if he was taking a warm shower.

BOOM!

A dejected fiery flare ignited the sky as if the sun descended. A flap of wings and a large shadow gradually emerged from within the brightness.

The Four Wings Stork’s domain was the sky of two of the planet’s oceans, Nidbuk and Seer Don, as well as a portion of Selivereb. And now ... not only was his territory was intruded by someone who was not in possession of a Voyage Charm, that person also actually dared to taunt him!

Seeing his adversary approaching, Zax reminisced to their first encounter. At the time, just the distanced gales produced by this wingspan of nearly two hundred meters caused his skin cells to stir with dread. To keep his life he was forced to escape whilst being constantly bombarded with fearsome attacks, which ultimately he paid for greatly. On the other hand, now neither the gales nor flames aroused the slightest sensation, only the intent filled fluctuations that explicitly zeroed in on him managed to stimulate a reaction – sheer excitement.

His clenched fists tightened and his muscles tensed. Strength that was genuine and novel and emerged from himself first, his past Martial accomplishments second, kept rising with no hint of imminent bottleneck. Zax strived to draw his maximum strength before the collision with the Four Wings Stork, as he knew that his conduct goaded the Overlord Deformed Being and it was getting closer with its own demeanor at its Peak.

“HHAAA!” He howled in deep pleasure. It was not meant to boost him in any away. The continuous increase of power in his soul, body and dantian simply felt too good, but he was impatient and wanted to already know what would be his limit. Hence, he gave in to the exhilaration and used a surge of emotions to hasten the newfound power out.

A pulse of darkness dispelled the fieriness from the sky above. The ocean’s waves were cleared as a depression pushed the water down a level in a scope of fifty something kilometers. Far, at the coastline of the western continent, the waves that vanished due to the howl have been found as they gathered to hundreds of meters tall tsunamis that were about to sweep kilometers of land.

Zax lowered his voice and brought down his line of sight from looking up. He reached the Peak of his transformed body, the current Peak of what one step on the unknown path he chose to traverse, at the cost of assured future, bestowed him. Safe to say he did not have an ounce of regret.

Virtually he looked the same as he was when he entered his closed doors training in his regular state. His skin was not black, muscular or any different than before he mustered all of his strength.

Zax smiled ear from ear with teeth he could not help but bare.

‘You see! You see!’ His voice echoed as it was transmitted from his soul, much like any Martial Mortal could do, despite not yet breaking through the third realm with his soul. Unfortunately, there was no one to listen, other than the Four Wings Stork, for he wanted the whole world to hear him. ‘I transcended the Dark Titan Storm form and all attribute physiques that require transformation! This is who I am! This is my base strength! With this I’ll fight you to death!’

BOOM!