The Field Master and Koen stared at Kirin being kicked back by a single blow.
For a moment, neither of them knew how to express the shock in their hearts.
He had actually launched an attack on an Elder Dragon species.
After Bai Chen kicked Kirin away, a system prompt appeared before his eyes.
[Hunting Quest Issued — First Defeat of a Threat Level 7 Monster]
[Completion Condition: Capture or hunt Kirin within 3 days]
[Failure Condition: Kirin escapes]
[Quest Reward: Skill Proficiency ×120,000, Rarity-7 Skill Enhancement Stone ×2]
Bai Chen removed every restraint from his body.
The Ultimate Aura spread outward.
The aura of an Elder Dragon burst forth in full.
In terms of life energy level alone, he even suppressed Kirin slightly.
Bai Chen activated all enhancement skills.
Bodybuilding.
High-Speed Movement.
Extreme Aura Transformation.
Black-and-red energy flames ignited across his body.
"Quick Attack."
In that instant, Bai Chen's speed reached its absolute peak.
Bai Chen held the Basarios Blade in his hand while using telekinesis to control the Hidden Pair Blade, launching a ferocious assault on Kirin.
Slash—!
A streak of blade light flashed past, and a Coral Highland formation ahead was cut clean in half.
On a distant coral platform, the Field Master and Koen broke out in cold sweat as they watched Bai Chen fighting at full power.
Some hunters might have exceptional physical strength, but cutting through Coral Highlands with a single slash was far too absurd.
Moreover, the aura Bai Chen was emitting after entering combat was completely different.
It was like facing a true Elder Dragon.
Ahead of Bai Chen, Kirin relied on its extreme speed to narrowly dodge that terrifying slash.
The moment it landed, the Hidden Blade struck from behind in a surprise attack.
Kirin reacted instantly, summoning lightning and using a falling thunderbolt to block the Hidden Pair Blade.
Bai Chen recalled the Hidden Pair Blade.
With his left hand gripping the Basarios blade, aura surged into the blade and instantly completed a three-stage sharpening.
The Hidden Blade finally revealed its true form.
Like Nargacuga extending the spines on its tail, two thin auxiliary blades split from both sides of the main blade.
Crimson light flickered along the blade's edge.
Bai Chen raised his left hand and used telekinesis to suspend the Basarios blade above his head.
Whoosh—whoosh—
The Hidden Pair Blade began to spin rapidly.
Low ignition-point substances on the blade ignited due to air friction.
The entire blade burst into emerald-green cursed flames.
Bai Chen looked toward Kirin in the distance and said,
"Then let the second round officially begin."
Bai Chen hurled the Hidden Pair Blade forward.
At the same time, he charged in with the fully sharpened Basarios Longsword.
A vertical slash descended toward Kirin, the half-ton blade splitting the earth apart as scorching flames erupted from the fissure.
The full power of the Basarios Blade was unleashed.
This blade, forged with Anjanath Flame Soul, possessed a unique effect.
Flames spread from the blade and enveloped Bai Chen's entire body.
Raging Flames.
Bai Chen took a deep breath and poured all his strength into both arms.
He slammed his fists into the ground.
Flames surged upward from beneath the earth.
Bai Chen completely sealed off Kirin's footholds.
"Super Perception, Natural Vision."
Bai Chen activated his perception to the maximum and locked onto Kirin's position.
Quick Attack.
Seizing the opening, Bai Chen slashed at Kirin.
Flames engulfed Kirin entirely.
"I dealt damage."
Before Bai Chen could rejoice, thunder crashed from the sky.
The flames burning on Kirin were extinguished instantly, and Bai Chen himself was forced back by the overwhelming lightning.
Bai Chen quickly used the Hidden Pair Blade to interrupt Kirin's attempt to counterattack with Lightning Charge.
He glanced at the sky.
The thunderclouds rumbling above provided Kirin with tremendous reinforcement.
"Natural Force is basically sealed off now. I can only rely on other methods."
Although Kirin did not possess Elder Dragon Blood,
it was still a true Elder Dragon species.
Like other Elder Dragons, it possessed the ability to alter weather and bring calamity.
Its greatest strength lay in its Rarity-8 skill, Lord of Lightning.
Lord of Lightning (Rarity 8): Summons thunderclouds, brings natural disaster, and converts the battlefield into the Lightning Dominion. The Lord of Lightning only takes 20% lightning damage and can command the power of thunderclouds. Lightning Dominion: Electric-type techniques are greatly enhanced.
At first glance, the skill seemed unremarkable.
But reducing lightning damage by 80% elevated it to an absurd level.
Even legendary Electric-type Pokémon with defensive dual typings could only reduce lightning damage by 75%.
What troubled Bai Chen most was the Lightning Dominion field.
It forcibly converted surrounding natural energy into Electric-type energy.
If Bai Chen used Natural Force, it would only produce Electric-type techniques, which were virtually useless against Kirin.
Bai Chen remained calm.
"Even if one Master-level technique is sealed, I still inherited the strongest abilities of an Elder Dragon killer—Super Regeneration and Dragon-Sealing Power."
Nergigante's ability to hunt Elder Dragons was closely tied to its terrifying regeneration.
"Then let's trade injuries and see whose life is tougher."
During the fight against Zorah Magdaros, Bai Chen had already raised his Elder Dragon Blood to Master level using skill proficiency points.
In terms of vitality, even if Kirin's level was higher, it could not outlast him.
Bai Chen abandoned defense entirely and launched into a frenzied close-quarters battle.
Even taking 1200 damage to deal 800 was worth it for him.
Time passed second by second.
The Field Master and Koen retreated again and again.
The shockwaves from Bai Chen and Kirin's battle were far beyond what they could withstand.
Elder Dragons were synonymous with disasters.
A clash between two such beings could only be described as calamity colliding with calamity.
Three kilometers away from the battlefield, they could no longer see what was happening at the center.
They could only observe flashes of lightning and hear the earth-shaking roars of destruction.
"This can't even be considered a normal human anymore," the Field Master sighed.
She vividly remembered Bai Chen tanking lightning head-on and shattering the ground with his fists.
That was something no human—or even most monsters—could achieve.
Koen fell silent for a moment before replying,
"There is a massive secret hidden within him."
He then muttered softly,
"A being like this… is it an aberration, or nature's choice?"
The Field Master took out her pocket watch and glanced at the time.
"They've already been fighting for half an hour. Is Bai Chen really okay?"
Suddenly, she noticed a dark-red giant slowly rising at the battlefield's center.
"Am I seeing things? That's a giant?" the Field Master cried out.
Koen looked over as well, equally stunned.
"What kind of power is that?"
Five minutes earlier.
"Close combat."
Bai Chen wielded his Basarios blade and pressed Kirin relentlessly.
Kirin's lightning was overwhelmingly strong, and every attempt to grapple with it was repelled by Lightning force.
After a brutal exchange, Bai Chen's Lagiacrus armor was completely destroyed beyond repair.
Finally, Bai Chen saw the red line connecting him and Kirin tighten.
Iai Spirit Slash.
Bai Chen sliced through Kirin's vital point in a flash.
The lightning covering Kirin dissipated like a deflated balloon, and Kirin collapsed to the ground.
The battle seemed over.
Yet Bai Chen kept a death grip on his Blade.
Kirin's aura had not weakened—in fact, it had grown stronger.
Bai Chen looked up at the sky, where an even more terrifying bolt of lightning had fully gathered.
Pale lightning descended, leaving nothing but blinding radiance between heaven and earth.
Boom—!
Thunder tore through Bai Chen's eardrums.
Kirin stood up once more, now wrapped in even more intense lightning.
Electric arcs lashed the air until it glowed red-hot.
"Lightning Mantle…"
This was one of Kirin's strongest abilities, similar to Zinogre's supercharged state.
In this form, Kirin's strength, defense, speed, and lightning control all reached their peak.
Bai Chen launched a surprise attack with the Hidden Blade.
Clang—!
The blade that had pierced defenses earlier was now deflected outright.
"So hard."
Lightning Mantle was the state Bai Chen least wanted to face.
Kirin's power skyrocketed while in this form.
Earlier, Bai Chen had relied on Dragon-Sealing Power to suppress it.
But as the battle dragged on, the sealing effect gradually weakened until it could no longer hold.
Bai Chen attempted to adjust his strategy, but a streak of lightning flashed past his side.
A bone-deep wound split open on his arm, golden blood spraying onto the ground.
Bai Chen turned to look at Kirin, now transformed into pure lightning.
"So fast. I'm starting to fall behind."
Kirin pivoted midair, and lightning slammed down from the heavens.
It locked onto Bai Chen again as extreme lightning gathered on its horn.
"Quick Guard."
Bai Chen braced himself, but Kirin's charge shattered his defense outright.
Lightning surged into Bai Chen's body.
An unbearable paralysis spread from the wound throughout his entire body.
He collapsed uncontrollably.
Extreme Aura Transformation ended.
"This is bad. Its horn has extreme penetration."
Bai Chen lay on the ground, grimly watching Kirin turn back toward him.
Lightning roared and crackled around his ears.
Above, the thunderclouds poured lightning into Kirin's body, concentrating into a single point on its horn.
This was an even stronger charge than before.
"If this hits me, I won't die—but I'll definitely lose limbs."
Bai Chen struggled to mobilize all his aura to suppress the paralysis, but there simply wasn't enough time.
"What now? Should I retreat and summon Nergigante?"
Nergigante was at full strength, and with her involvement, Kirin could be defeated in minutes.
Bai Chen hesitated briefly, then clenched his fists.
"I've come this far. How could I give up now?"
Through sheer willpower, Bai Chen forced himself upright.
The thunder reached its peak.
Alarms blared wildly in his mind.
"I must block this attack."
As Bai Chen searched desperately for a solution, his gaze fell upon his Dynamax Band.
"Got it."
He saw victory.
Bai Chen activated the Dynamax Band.
"Dynamax."
Dark-red Galar particles were drawn from the power stone and flooded into his body.
His form began to expand rapidly.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
In moments, Bai Chen completed Dynamax.
Three dark-red clouds floated above his head.
Kirin launched its charge.
Bai Chen stomped the ground with his right foot.
"Max Guard."
A transparent wall formed before him.
Kirin transformed into a bolt of lightning and slammed into the barrier.
A piercing screech filled the air as the barrier held firm.
"Get back," Bai Chen roared.
The Max Guard flared brightly, and Kirin was blasted away.
Bai Chen successfully blocked the piercing charge.
Kirin's horn possessed extreme penetration, making normal defensive skills ineffective.
But Max Guard, used while Dynamaxed, far surpassed standard guarding techniques.
Although Dynamax was a net negative for Bai Chen overall, this single ability was invaluable.
The assault was not over.
Bai Chen counterattacked.
Azure light ignited in his eyes as a multicolored energy sphere formed in his hands.
He raised it high, bathing the sky in prismatic radiance.
"Max Mindstorm."
The sphere unleashed layered psychic waves toward Kirin.
A psychic ring formed beneath Kirin, and a pillar of multicolored energy erupted skyward.
The thunderclouds were pierced.
Max Mindstorm dealt massive damage and converted the field into Psychic Terrain.
The Lightning Dominion began to be overwritten.
Bai Chen sensed the natural energy shifting from Electric-type toward Psychic-type.
After the strike, Kirin endured the attack using Lightning Mantle.
The battlefield entered a strange equilibrium.
Psychic Terrain attempted to replace Lightning Dominion, but due to the disparity in field rank, only one-third was converted.
That was enough.
Bai Chen canceled Dynamax.
He raised his Z-Ring, a pink crystal set within it.
He struck the Z-Pose.
A Psychic Z-glyph formed before him.
"Shattered Psyche."
Kirin was tossed through the air like a bouncing ball.
Bai Chen unleashed all his psychic power and clapped his hands together in midair.
Boom—!
Psychic energy tore through Kirin's body, dealing massive damage.
Kirin plummeted toward the ground.
The combo inflicted heavy damage, but it wasn't enough.
Lightning Mantle was still active.
"Such absurd durability. Let's see if you can last these final three minutes."
Bai Chen released all remaining aura.
Extreme Aura Transformation activated once more.
Blood-red aura surged skyward like a tidal wave, then compressed back into his body.
His skin turned pitch black as crimson spirals wrapped around his arms.
Aura Hardening.
All attributes increased by 100%.
After half an hour of combat, Bai Chen had less than half his stamina remaining.
He could only maintain Aura Hardening for under three minutes.
This was a three-minute gamble.
Victory or defeat would be decided here.
Bai Chen charged Kirin as thunder poured down upon him.
He endured every strike with a body like steel.
For two minutes, they clashed as the land was torn apart repeatedly.
Finally, with only thirty seconds of Aura Hardening left, Bai Chen ignored the devastating lightning.
His left hand locked around Kirin's neck, while his right grasped the horn charged with all its lightning.
Power surged.
Crack.
The lightning horn shattered.
Lightning Mantle dispersed instantly.
He had shattered the thunder itself.
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