Chapter 1448 1448. Control
Noah had experimented in the "embodiment of power" since he had obtained it. He had committed to memory how the four energies interacted with each other.
He had tested every mixture and rearranged them in countless ways, but he had never managed to create a product that could satisfy his needs. The dark matter was always a better fuel since the other energies carried less power.
"My ambition has tricked me again," Noah released a short laugh when he thought that.
Pain spread through his body when he laughed. His tissues were at their limit. Yet, his black hole carried enough power to force his mind to work faster than ever.
His tainted mental energy flowed inside the Divine Deduction technique and gave birth to a series of bloodthirsty thoughts. His need to destroy intensified, but that desire ended up improving his creation of an unstable product that featured his four energies.
When Noah found an answer, his black hole started to create the product. Mental energy, primary energy, darkness, and dark matter fused inside the center of power and triggered a chain reaction that threatened to blow Noah"s chest off.
The black hole suppressed that unstable product and redirected toward the black vessels. Noah didn"t have time to consider whether those channels could withstand that violent surge of energy. Charles had almost completed the lunge. He would die if the technique didn"t work.
The black vessels were a core part of his innate ability. They existed because the black hole had fused with his body and needed a channel for the dark matter.
They couldn"t withstand the violent energy that was flowing out of the black hole. Most of the black vessels exploded as soon as that unstable product tried to enter them.
Black spots formed on Noah"s skin as his black vessels exploded. His body convulsed, and blood flowed out of his mouth. More blood also came out of his many injuries, and his overall condition worsened.
Noah"s body was about to crumble. It had finally surpa.s.sed its limits. His skin began to fall apart as more injuries spread.
Still, some of the thickest black vessels managed to endure the violent energy. Noah"s tissues didn"t recognize that substance, but the immense power generated by its explosive force flowed inside them and filled them with strength.
Noah slowly straightened his back and roared at the sky when he sensed that surge of energy pervading his tissues and spreading through every inch of his body. Black flames came out of his mouth as that cry echoed through the area and reached the regions nearby.
Noah"s cry didn"t carry any human meaning. It was a simple roar. A gesture meant to vent part of the power that was filling every fiber of his body.
His skin began to heal only to break again when that violent energy seeped inside it. The process was excruciating, but Noah could only endure it as he prevented his mind from falling prey to his bloodl.u.s.t.
Charles didn"t stop his attack even when he saw that something had happened inside Noah. He thrust his blade forward, and a white beam made of sharpness flew at high speed toward his kneeled opponent.
No sharpness leaked into the environment. The lunge had condensed Charles" energy, giving it the best piercing properties in his a.r.s.enal. That attack could even piece the wave of Rats.
The lunge crashed on the ground and dug a deep diagonal hole. Charles" sharpness then seeped into the terrain and opened cracks in the superficial layers of the region. A faint earthquake also spread, but a confused expression appeared on his face.
Charles suddenly turned when he saw that a shadow had appeared next to him. His eyes widened at the sight of a bloodied Noah waving his hand at him.
Noah was a mess of blood and injuries. His dirty long hair covered most of his face, and his swords had also disappeared. However, Charles could see the intense icy-blue light radiated from his cold eyes.
Even when his body was shattering, Noah was calm. His mind was on the verge of falling prey to his instincts, and pain spread from all his tissues. However, he remained in control of himself.
Charles promptly waved his blade, and a slash shot toward Noah. The attack would reach his head before Noah"s fingers could touch the expert.
A deafening roar came out of Noah"s mouth as he headb.u.t.ted the slash. The attack crumbled under his physical might, and shock filled Charles" mind.
Charles knew that hybrids could reach incredible levels in terms of physical might, but he had never heard of someone as strong as Noah. The latter"s body was in the middle tier, but its sheer power could withstand attacks launched by cultivators in the solid stage!
Charles instinctively started to retreat, but Noah"s hand reached his chest before the expert could escape from his range. His fingers stabbed his skin and tore away his entire rib cage with a single movement.
Noah chased after the expert. His mouth never stopped spitting flames, and his speed reached levels that would render even solid stage cultivators speechless.
Charles found himself unable to escape from Noah"s chase. He could only continue to launch attacks and hope that his opponent died before it was too late.
A series of slashes flew out of the expert"s sword and crashed on Noah. Marks appeared on his broken skin and muscles, but that offensive didn"t manage to slow him down.
Noah continued to fly, uncaring of the attacks that converged toward him. His body was so in pain that he didn"t feel anything when those slashes landed on him.
Charles didn"t let Noah catch him. Noah had surprised him the first time, but he wouldn"t commit the same mistake again. His figure performed short sprints that used his sharpness to cut through the air at an unbelievable speed.
Noah could only spit flames that managed to envelop his opponent from time to time. Part of the energy that they managed to seize returned toward Noah, but he barely felt anything during the process.
His mind was continuing to slip away even in that condition. He was even struggling to maintain his trump card active now.
Eventually, the energy obtained through the violent product ended. Noah felt weaker than he had ever felt in his life as he descended toward the ground and crouched.
Charles heaved a sigh when he saw that scene. His consciousness swept Noah, and another sight came out of his mouth when he confirmed that his body was falling apart.
The sole fact that Noah had been able to fight in that condition was incredible. Part of him acknowledged the hybrids" superior strength after that battle, but his belief remained firm.
"This has been incredible," Charles said. "You are only a hybrid in the liquid stage, but you can already injure cultivators in the solid stage. I can"t let you leave any longer. Your future potential is too scary."
Charles pointed his sword at Noah. Blood flowed from his open chest on the remains of his white clothes, but his appearance remained n.o.ble.
"I recognized Sword Saint"s techniques in your sword arts," Charles said. "I will kill you with my blade out of respect for your expertise. Goodbye, Defying Demon."
Noah spat flames, but the silver radiance that surrounded them didn"t spread in the environment. Charles also noticed that something was off. He had seen Noah"s fire, but that ability had suddenly disappeared somewhere.
"What is happening?" Charles thought before something appeared inside his body.
Charles lowered his head and peeked at his insides from his open chest. Countless spiked spheres had filled his body. They were inside his blood vessels, muscles, and organs. Moreover, black flames surrounded those disposable weapons.
Before he could utter any other sound, the Instabilities detonated, and his body vanished into a cloud of corrosive smoke and black flames.