Chapter 854: Power of Blood Essence
Raul, empowered by his essence blood, had reached a level of strength that was frighteningly close to the 7th and even 8th level of the Legend Rank. His aura surged like a tide of blood, his insects radiating a savage power that made the entire battlefield tremble.
Yet what shocked him to the very core was not his own strength—but Max’s ability to match it without faltering. Raul’s eyes widened slightly, his confidence cracking. Max was only at the peak of Master Rank, yet here he was, clashing with him blow for blow, with no sign of being overwhelmed.
It was something Raul could not accept, and more importantly, something that made fear coil inside his heart.
Because Raul knew one thing very clearly: the power of essence blood was temporary. While it could grant a expert an explosive increase in strength, that boost would only last for as long as a cup of tea at best. In his case, because he had used the blood essence not for himself but to empower his insect swarm, the duration was even shorter.
Once that time expired, his insects would be forced into a state of extreme weakness, unable to wield their full strength for ten days to half a month. If he pushed them beyond that limit, they risked permanent damage, possibly even death, which would cripple Raul’s fighting ability for months.
This was why warriors only ever used their essence blood in moments of absolute life and death. Yet Raul had thought himself clever, channeling the power into his insects instead of his own body, hoping to cut the backlash in half and still secure victory.
Even so, he understood the price he would pay. If Max could hold out for fifteen minutes, just fifteen minutes, Raul’s overwhelming advantage would vanish, and his swarm of insects would weaken instantly.
At that moment, Raul himself would be vulnerable, and Max would have the perfect opportunity to kill him.
Raul’s expression twisted, veins bulging on his neck as he gritted his teeth. He could not allow that to happen. He had to kill Max now—before the timer on his strength ran out. His eyes blazed with killing intent, and his voice cracked like a whip as he roared commands.
The insects around him screeched and surged forward, their bodies glowing faintly from the blood essence coursing through them, swarming Max from every angle like a living tide.