Chapter 653: Test Of Might

Sol’s amber aura exploded violently.

The golden flames surrounding his body surged outward, distorting the air and causing the already damaged palace grounds to tremble. He casually extended one hand toward Damian, his expression carrying the same arrogant confidence he had displayed throughout their encounter.

For a fleeting moment, Damian’s vision changed.

A colossal golden figure appeared before him. It resembled Sol, but its proportions were almost incomprehensible. The megalithic representation towered like a mountain, its enormous body radiating an intimidating presence that seemed capable of crushing everything beneath its feet.

Damian sneered disdainfully.

He casually extended his own hand.

Similarly, for a fleeting moment, Sol’s vision changed.

Behind Damian’s transformed body, an enormous crimson eye materialized. It was so vast that it seemed to occupy the entire space behind him, its gaze extending into an unfathomable depth.

Their palms collided.

BOOOOM!

A terrifying pressure exploded between them.

The resulting wind swept through the imperial palace, tearing apart what remained of its pillars and sending enormous chunks of stone flying in every direction. The force spilled outward from both sides, creating two opposing waves that swept across the battlefield.

Neither moved as their palms remained pressed against each other.

Damian’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’Interesting.’

Despite the tremendous physical enhancements granted by the Abyssal inheritance, he had failed to overpower Sol through sheer strength.

That was unexpected.

Sol was equally surprised.

He had expected Damian to possess considerable strength after revealing the Abyssal inheritance, but matching his physical prowess was another matter entirely.

The two stared at each other.

For the first time since their confrontation began, there was a trace of genuine surprise in both their eyes.

Then their free hands moved.

A golden sphere appeared above Sol’s palm. It began expanding rapidly, its surface growing brighter as an enormous concentration of destructive energy gathered within it.

False Sun!

At almost the same moment, Damian swung the Devil Fox Violet Bloomer. The black hand fan unfolded with a sharp metallic sound.

A violent wave of black flames erupted from its surface, sweeping toward Sol with enough force to tear through the surrounding structures. The flames spread like an enormous tidal wave, consuming everything in their path.

Sol’s expression changed slightly.

He hopped backward, releasing the pressure between their palms while simultaneously striking out with the premature False Sun.

The golden sphere collided with the advancing black flames.

BOOOOOOM!

Violet shockwaves poured in every direction.

The black flames were forced apart around Sol’s figure, spilling endlessly toward both sides as the golden light pushed against their advance. The resulting collision produced a tremendous explosion that swallowed the entire corridor.

Damian snorted.

He swung the hand fan again and the scattered black flames abruptly changed direction.

They converged around Sol from every side, twisting and spiralling until they formed an enormous shell. The flames rotated faster and faster, creating a dome of darkness that rapidly contracted around the Prince of Pride.

Within moments, the dome had shrunk considerably. Then amber light began escaping through its surface.

At first, it appeared as several thin rays piercing the black flames. But more light followed, spreading through every crack until the entire dome began glowing from within.

A violent explosion erupted.

BOOOOOOM!

The black dome was eradicated.

The shockwave swept across the palace, scattering the remaining debris and forcing the surrounding flames to retreat.

When the dust settled, Sol stood exactly where he had been.

Untouched.

His golden robes fluttered mildly in the aftermath, and not a single mark could be seen on his body.

He casually brushed his sleeves, removing a few particles of dust.

"Not only have you invested deeply into the Abyssal inheritance, you seem to possess complete control over it. And, even worse, you wield a God-tier magic weapon capable of increasing its power up to ten times..."

Sol raised his eyes toward Damian.

"I can see why you dared to come here to kill me."

Damian smiled modestly.

He raised the Devil Fox Violet Bloomer, allowing it to conceal the lower half of his face once more.

"You think too highly of me."

Sol chuckled.

However, his attention briefly shifted toward the palm he had used to block Damian’s initial attack.

It looked unusually pale.

The colour had almost completely drained from it, leaving the skin resembling that of a corpse. Slowly, however, its natural colour began returning.

Sol’s eyes narrowed.

During their brief exchange, he had sensed something peculiar. It was subtle, almost imperceptible amid the overwhelming collision of their powers, but something had been siphoned from his body.

He could tell with certainty that the person responsible was Damian.

’So he has another ability that drains his opponents through physical contact...’

Sol’s expression remained composed, but his thoughts became considerably more cautious...

Now there was another ability to consider.

Before Sol could examine the matter further, Damian’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Don’t tell me the Prince of Pride has lost all his courage after the first exchange?"

Sol looked up and shook his head.

"You have so many secrets. It’s just leaving me a little curious and indecisive."

He examined Damian from head to toe.

"I’m wondering if you’re not worried about what will happen if you fail to kill me here. Aren’t you afraid your secret will be exposed?"

Damian shook his head with a smile.

"If I fail to kill you, I’ll most likely be dead. Even if I survive, I doubt you’ll risk losing the opportunity to acquire the Abyssal inheritance by exposing my secret to the other Princes. Especially since you want the war against the Heavens to happen so badly. News of your encounter with the Abyss would certainly disrupt those plans."

Sol’s expression shifted. For a moment, genuine confusion was written across his face. Before he could respond, Damian continued speaking.

"Have you forgotten that I’m also a Prince of Hell?"

Damian’s pitch-black eyes narrowed slightly.

"I could sense your strong desire for the war against the Heavens to happen. From the moment you voted in favour of it, I suspected you were planning to make your move during that period."

Damian tilted his head.

"I’m quite curious to find out what exactly you’re planning."

Sol’s eyes narrowed.

The smile that had remained on his face throughout their conversation finally disappeared.

"Just like Lin Qui, you foxes are always troublesome." His voice carried a trace of irritation as his amber aura intensified. "But that doesn’t matter anymore. You’re destined to die tonight."

Damian chuckled. "With all due respect, you don’t have what it takes to kill me within this Imperial Capital."

Sol laughed softly. He straightened his posture and clenched both fists. The golden flames around his body surged once more, illuminating the ruined palace with a brilliant amber glow.

"Shall we find out?"

Leo threw back his head.

ROOOOOAAAAAR!

The golden lion’s roar shook the surrounding structures. His enormous body radiated an intimidating pressure as he lowered his head and fixed his gaze on Damian.

Damian smiled. He remained perfectly still, the Devil Fox Violet Bloomer resting in one hand while his other hand hung loosely beside him as several bursts of smoke erupted around his body.

The first appeared to his left.

A massive fox emerged from within it, its enormous body covered in thick fur. Nine tails spread behind its back, each one carrying a faint violet radiance that contrasted sharply with the darkness surrounding the battlefield.

A second burst of smoke appeared.

A gigantic golden bull emerged, its enormous horns gleaming beneath the moonlight. Its body was covered in expensive armour, and the powerful hooves that struck the ground sent cracks spreading through the already damaged stone.

The third burst was considerably larger.

A pitch-black dragon emerged from within the smoke, its serpentine body swimming through the air. Its crimson eyes glowed menacingly, while its limbs repeatedly stepped upon red clouds that materialized beneath its feet.

The three beasts appeared around Damian, their enormous bodies forming a protective formation.

ROOOOOAAAR!

Three terrifying shockwaves erupted simultaneously.

The surrounding air trembled, and the remaining structures of the Imperial Palace groaned beneath the pressure. Dust and fragments of stone were swept away as the three beasts unleashed their auras.

Damian remained at the centre of the formation. His black robes fluttered violently in the turbulent wind, and his long hair danced behind him. The Devil Fox Violet Bloomer covered the lower half of his face, leaving only his crimson-glowing, pitch-black eyes visible.

His hands moved behind his back, afaint smile remained beneath the fan.