Chapter 280-Dave vs Garen
As Dave scanned Reiz, he could feel Reiz scanning him in return. However, Reiz found it difficult to measure Dave's powers. It seemed as though a thick fog was blocking his senses from detecting Dave's true level.
"Heh, didn't expect you to have such an interesting helper," Reiz remarked to Ryan, surprised that his youngest brother had invited such a strong character. Ryan, who had been afraid of Reiz, was kicked by Dave, who then said, "Tsk, you aspire to be emperor, yet you're afraid to face your own brother."
Dave understood that Ryan didn't possess the power to defeat Reiz, but he believed that Ryan could at least show some dignity and not be intimidated by Reiz's presence. Ryan scratched his head in embarrassment, realizing that his actions were not befitting of a prince.
"You want to fight me?" Reiz looked at Dave with seriousness, noticing that Dave remained unaffected by his aura. Even Reiz himself felt a sense of danger emanating from Dave.
Dave smirked and replied, "As you know, I am also a swordsman, but I never use my sword against unworthy opponents. I've heard that you're strong, so let's see how much of a genius you truly are."
Dave felt that this was the perfect opportunity to test his powers. He was even tempted to try and snatch Reiz's unique physique, but he knew he could master numerous techniques without relying on that specific attribute. He had promised to help Ryan, and eliminating the second prince was a crucial step towards fulfilling that promise.
"Very well, no one has ever survived five strikes from my swords. I hope you can give me a good fight," Reiz declared confidently.
"But before that, you must pass..." he added, leaving the sentence unfinished.
Outside, the spectators were filled with excitement as they anticipated the impending battle. They were curious about Dave's origins, and it seemed as though he held a position of authority, overshadowing Ryan.
"Move aside," Dave commanded, waving his hand to signal the onlookers to create some distance. He instructed Ryan not to get too close, emphasizing that if anything were to happen to Ryan, it would be futile to engage in a fight with Reiz.
Though Reiz was genuinely interested in Dave, he concealed his curiosity and allowed his helper to engage with him. Despite his confidence in his own power, Reiz remained cautious when confronted with unknown individuals whose abilities he was unfamiliar with.
Garen stepped forward and confidently said, "I hope you can last a few rounds against me." He then activated a complex formation, impressing Dave with his skill in this area. Dave had stopped focusing on formations as they were not necessary for him. If he had the opportunity, he planned to purchase knowledge related to formations from the system.
In his current state, Garen's formation held no power over Dave. Even though Garen was a Low-tier Imperial King, known for his strength in this world, Dave had no fear. Despite being two realms lower than Garen, Dave's stats surpassed his opponents by a significant margin.
"Mystic Shadow Formation!" Garen shouted as darkness enveloped Dave, causing his vision to blur. Dave wasn't fazed by the effects of the formation. In just a second, he could see clearly again, while Garen remained oblivious to this fact. Dave swiftly disappeared from his original position and teleported behind Garen.
"Gotcha," Dave whispered as he tapped Garen's shoulders. Garen was stunned, caught off guard and unable to react in time. Dave swiftly moved away, returning to his original spot. To Garen, it felt as though everything had been an illusion.
"How?" Garen wondered aloud. His body was protected by a defensive formation, yet Dave had easily bypassed the barriers and even touched his shoulders.
Reiz, who had been watching the battle, was equally stunned. Realization dawned upon him. "Space magic, huh?" he mused. He hadn't expected to encounter someone with such a high level of proficiency in manipulating space. Typically, only those who reached the rank of Imperial Saint King could easily traverse space but maintaining that ability for an extended period was challenging. The Immortal plane differed from the mortal plane, and only those who had attained the rank of Imperial Saint King and beyond could grasp a portion of space's power. Witnessing Dave employ space magic so effortlessly left Reiz in shock.
Reiz couldn't comprehend how Dave had managed to pass through the barriers as if he were intangible. Dave had indeed utilized his Permeation ability and combined it with his space magic, rendering Garen's tricks useless. While Dave found the Permeation skill highly useful, he acknowledged that it wasn't invincible. If he were to encounter a stronger barrier or an attack infused with powerful space energy, his ability might falter.
"Interesting," Reiz muttered, his calmness intact, keeping his thoughts hidden from others. The onlookers outside the domain were left in a state of shock, completely taken aback by the unexpected revelation that the fifth prince's helper was a genius proficient in Space magic.
Garen, fueled by anger, was eager to launch another attack, but Dave issued a warning that halted him in his tracks.
"Hey, don't move. You are already dead," Dave calmly declared, leaving everyone perplexed. Reiz, too, found himself confused, unable to comprehend the reason behind Dave's statement.
Believing Dave was merely mocking him, Garen's fury intensified, and he resolved to press on with his assault. Convinced that it was the perfect opportunity to unleash his trump card, he felt confident in turning the tide of the battle.
Recognizing Garen's unwavering determination to attack once more, Dave sighed, feeling a tinge of pity. He knew that reasoning with his opponent would be futile. With a heavy heart, he uttered, "Well, if you won't believe me, then goodbye."
Dave swiftly flicked his finger, and in an instant, Garen's entire body exploded into a crimson mist, dissipating into thin air. His figure vanished, leaving only bewilderment among the spectators who witnessed the scene.
"What?" Garen exclaimed, his mind reeling from the sudden turn of events. As he looked around, he found himself standing in the arena, facing a crowd of bewildered onlookers.
Confused and disoriented, he pondered, "What happened?" He couldn't grasp the details but sensed that he had come perilously close to death, saved only by the protective barriers of the emperor's domain.
The emperor himself stood in stunned silence, his realization slowly sinking in. "What a terrifying technique," he muttered, awestruck yet filled with a sense of trepidation. Dave's power had left an indelible impression on him.
Yudi, Dave's faithful disciple, stood amazed, silently praising his master's unrivaled skill. Deep within his heart, he felt an overwhelming sense of admiration and felt that it was not really a bad choice to follow Dave.
As the aftermath of Garen's defeat settled, Yudi couldn't help but whisper, "Blood technique." He had witnessed everything unfold before his eyes.
When Dave tapped Garen's shoulder, he meticulously analyzed every aspect of his opponent's body structure. The ability to control an enemy's blood was a truly terrifying skill, one that Yudi had not anticipated Dave possessing.
Yudi's analysis was spot-on. Dave could kill his adversaries by manipulating their blood, a power granted by his bloodline.
However, to execute this technique on those with higher cultivation levels than him like Garen, he needed to be near his target and establish direct contact to thoroughly analyze their body and strengthen his blood mark, allowing him full control over their vital fluid.
Dave's proficiency in this blood technique granted him the ability to dispatch weaker opponents effortlessly, as long as he had sufficient energy reserves.