The Glorious Evolution Chapter 598: Coronation of the Crimson Tyrant.
Previously on The Glorious Evolution...
The possessed corpses turned against the army, grabbing whatever bodies they could reach and hauling them out of the blood ocean’s protection!
Some locked their arms around their companions, while others bit into their necks and refused to let go... within moments, hundreds of corpses dragged one another onto the burning ground!
Green flames engulfed them, consuming their flesh as the possessing spirits escaped and rushed to their next targets before the flames could burn them too.
Unfortunately, this only dealt with the corpses.
The ocean continued flooding Levi’s territory, threatening to swallow the remaining flames and carry the rest of the army toward his Tree.
Levi descended before it and thrust his staff into the ground.
"Aether Great Wall!"
A gigantic wall of solid Aether rose from the ground, blocking the advancing flood across the plains!
Blood crashed against the wall, cracking its surface and forcing thin streams through the fractures.
Levi tightened his grip and poured more Aether into the wall, sealing the openings before the pressure could widen them!
For the moment, the wall held... but every surge forced him to reinforce another section while his spirits continued dragging the dead into the flames.
Unfortunately, the Hound had no intention of waiting for him to finish.
While Levi reinforced another section of the wall, golden light flashed above the blood ocean... then the Hound flew past him, heading straight toward the Soulleech Maw’s Tree!
’I see.’
Levi immediately understood his intention.
The flood, the corpses, the constant pressure against his wall... all of it kept him occupied while the Hound went after the one thing whose destruction would end this battle!
Levi had just given him a clear path to his Tree.
And yet, he didn’t seem too distressed.
’Good luck with that.’ He sneered.
Golden light gathered around the Hound’s leg as he approached its monstrous trunk, preparing to blow it apart with one kick!
Alas... in the same breath, the Hound had no idea that he wasn’t fighting a normal Dominion battle either.
Before he could reach the tree, the Soulleech Maw turned its gigantic head toward him, its head slightly tilted.
It appeared confused at his audacity to target it.
’Huh?’
The Hound’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of the Soulleech Maw and its thousands of little leaves facing him... and then...
A torrent of Aetheric Flames erupted from its giant jaws, forcing him to twist aside before he flew straight into it.
He barely avoided the enormous stream when dozens of smaller mouths spewed flames across his escape route!
The Hound kicked through them with his leg covered in golden light, scattering the fire... only for several thick tongues to lash toward him through the opening!
He pulled back, letting their tips snap together before his chest.
Then, the wandering spirits arrived.
They rushed toward his eyes and mouth, attempting to enter his body while the branches attacked from every direction!
"BEGONE!"
A shockwave of golden light erupted around him, repelling the nearest spirits before they could force their way inside!
Yet, the brief interruption allowed the Maw’s gigantic head to descend toward him, its open jaws seeking to swallow him whole!
The Hound swiftly launched himself backward with an ugly expression, escaping its jaws.
He had expected to destroy the Tree while its owner struggled elsewhere... a strategy that had a high success rate across all of his Dominion battles.
But this was a first... a Tree that was meant to be lifeless and a victim to be assaulted was the one giving him the most trouble!
’Good Leech... keep him occupied!’
Levi smirked inwardly while rushing in the direction of the Hound’s own unguarded Tree after containing the blood ocean!
Choosing the Pyre of Lost Souls meant having the Soulleech Maw in his corner instead of a lifeless tree... for his first serious Dominion battle, Levi didn’t hesitate to use his numerical advantage!
As he flew rapidly towards the giant, golden, bleeding tree, the surrounding Aetheric Flames surged toward his staff... coiling around its length before roaring far beyond its crown as a massive green blade!
Levi tightened his grip and compressed the raging fire, feeding it wave after wave of flames without letting its enormous outline shrink until its green illumination lit up the entire Rift!
’Let’s see you stop this.’
Meanwhile, the moment the light reached the Hound’s peripheral vision, he stole a glance while still fighting off the thousands of burning tentacles and wandering spirits.
The instant he saw Levi approaching his Tree with that enormous burning blade, a chill coursed down his spine.
’That bastard!’
He abandoned his assault on the Soulleech Maw without an ounce of hesitation and withdrew while evading the tentacles attempting to catch him!
Yet, Levi had already crossed most of the distance.
If the Hound continued at this speed, he would arrive just in time to watch his Tree take the blow!
Golden light gathered around his crown.
"NONE SHALL OUTPACE THE KING!"
His Pride answered the proclamation, spreading golden radiance down his body and into his legs!
Within his Dominion, the Hound believed no one could surpass his speed... and the Laws of Pride poured their authority into making that conviction a reality!
He instantly turned into a mere blur as he flew above the Aether wall and his ocean, kicking off the air like it was a solid surface.
Levi sensed the approaching golden aura, but he had already reached the Tree.
Using his momentum, he swung the blade with everything he had, attempting to slice it apart through the middle!
Yet, before the blade could make direct contact, a golden figure appeared in front of the green blade.
The Hound!
With no hesitation, he drove his arms forward to intercept the slash, gathering his authority around them!
The Hound clenched his teeth and forced his arms against the blade, certain that he could withstand the same flames he had already survived.
But then, their concentrated heat reached him.
The Hound’s expression changed as a burning pain touched his arms and soul... the golden light covering them flickered, exposing his flesh to the concentrated flames!
His confidence came from surviving the fire in Levi’s pit.
Yet, Levi had compressed an immense quantity of those same flames into a single blade, raising their heat far beyond anything the Hound had endured!
’How...’
The pain made his conviction falter.
The moment Levi noticed the golden light dimming a little, he forced the blade down harder until the Hound’s defense was overwhelmed!
By the time the Hound tried to reinforce his belief, he had already been launched straight into his Tree!
His back smashed against its trunk, splitting the bark with gigantic fissures that stretched across several branches.
Above him, the golden faces twisted, pouring bloody tears into the ocean, making it seem as if his Tree cried out in pain.
Levi steadied himself with another burst from his soles, keeping both hands around his burning weapon.
Showing no mercy, Levi lifted the blade high up again as he gazed coldly at the Hound, who dropped from the fractured trunk, landing heavily in the blood.
When the Hound raised his head, the gigantic green blade still filled his vision, now drawn far back for another swing!
’Use your Dominion Ultimate and finish him off already!’ Na’thir cursed hatefully. ’To be beaten by a mere Solarbound as a Tier 6! So much for the Proud King!’
Na’thir didn’t like what he was seeing... the only reason he wanted the Hound to use his Dominion was that he knew it was extremely difficult for a Solarbound to defeat a Blazewarden in a Dominion battle, considering the disparity in authority.
And yet, Levi was actually giving the Hound a run for his money!
Still... there was another significant advantage separating Tier 5 and Tier 6 in Dominion battles.
The Hound’s face twisted as he glared up at Levi, his lips drawing back over bloodstained teeth... humiliation burned in his eyes, feeding a murderous rage that drowned out even Na’thir’s curses.
"Dominion Ultimate..."
Golden light erupted from his crown, racing across the blood ocean until every wave carried its blinding gleam.
"Coronation of the Crimson Tyrant!"