Chapter 855: Disparity
At this point, Raul’s power had already started to wane. His once-monstrous insect swarm, strengthened by essence blood, was visibly sluggish, their movements losing the ferocity they had at the start.
The time limit on his blood essence enhancement was nearing its end, and Max could see it clearly. Without a moment’s pause, he pressed harder, forcing Raul onto the defensive.
Raul’s heart sank. "Not good..." he thought grimly, his face paling slightly. Without hesitation, he spun around and fled, pushing every ounce of his remaining strength into escaping.
As proud as he was, he knew one thing: if he died here, to a mere peak Master Rank warrior, it would forever stain his name—a disgrace he could never wash away.
As he retreated, Raul desperately refined beast cores along the way, trying to replenish his dwindling mana reserves, but Max gave him no breathing room. Like a shadow of death, Max continued to pursue, his sword flashing again and again, driving Raul into an even more frantic flight.
One fleeing for his life and the other relentlessly giving chase, their battle carried them out of the blood-soaked lake and into the open skies beyond Mirror Moon Lake.
It was then that another figure arrived, stepping lightly onto the scene as if the chaotic battlefield belonged to him.
A young man dressed entirely in white, his handsome face carrying a calm yet imposing temperament, appeared out of thin air. His presence radiated an extraordinary aura that made the surrounding air feel heavy, as if acknowledging his superiority without question.
Who else could it be but Arnold—the prodigy ranked among the top three geniuses of the Thunder Monarch Hall, one of the strongest young experts to enter the secret domain this time?
Josh and Kevin had spoken about him before when they had tried to threaten Max, their words carrying both admiration and fear. And now, Arnold stood there in person, silently watching the fleeing Raul and the chasing Max, his expression unreadable but his eyes sharp and calculating. The atmosphere, already tense, grew even heavier.