The ground cracked not from his power but from the force of the Aura and blood that crackled from his body with pale white hair dancing in the air.
He looked at the mass of zombies ahead of him.
'There is no need to care since she is gone. I will live without constraints.'
"However..."
His voice was deep, distorted and eerie, like a devil from the depths of hell beckoning with each enchanting world.
"I cannot let the ones who killed her exist..."
*Crack*
Ryu cracked his neck before his figure seemed to vanish.
With a single punch, a huge wave of fierce crimson qi exploded from his fist, tearing the lesser zombies into mist before he stepped down with his left leg, spinning with a powerful roundhouse with his right cleaving them apart and leading to the path between him and the huge mutant being clear.
He didn't care if the monsters couldn't understand him as they shuffled towards him, pushed back by the crackling red and black Aura losing limbs from the damage.
"I do not fight you as Kurogane Ryu, heir of the Kurogane style..."
Cracking his fists and lowering his hips as the power within his body seemed to pulsate, exploding outwards along with his body.
Like a meteor, he appeared to the side of the huge mutant's head with his right fist in the air, the mutant's stench filling his nose.
"But as Shirogane Aya's Fiancé!"
*bang*
*Bang*
*BANG!*
With an assault of three brutal fists, the fat zombie's body was sent stumbling back, but Ryu's red eyes didn't show any satisfaction as he mounted the body.
"Clench your teeth."
Pulling both arms back, he took a deep breath tilting his shoulders to avoid several zombies that lunged at him, trying to bite and tear his flesh as it seemed to drive them crazy.
'Seems my blood is delicious, haha!'
The air cracked as his fists began to rain with a vicious barrage of blows into the flesh and bone of the huge mutant.
*Snap*
His blows were relentless
*Crack*
Brutal and relentless
*Thud*
'This is... too easy.'
The body of the huge zombie shook as the flesh and bone crumbled and was torn off like paper, and Ryu's face showed indifference.
'How dare you kill her.'
"If you cannot beat me, do not even think of approaching Aya's grave!"
*Boom*
Ryu jumped off the body and turned his head to the rest of the horde before raising his hand.
'Time to erase all of you
He clenched his palm, and a fierce red light erupted from his body; the zombies around him stopped moving as they were caught up in the red light, unable to move as it seemed like a mountain was forcing them down.
"Hahaha... such weaklings..."
He sneered coldly as his blood and Aura exploded outwards, and the bodies of the zombies began to distort and implode.
The zombies could not scream as Ryu's power tore apart their bodies, the flesh melting and disappearing, only a puddle of blood remaining with a few bones and skulls.
'Disgusting.'
His Aura continued to explode outwards as the remaining zombies were eradicated, and the bloody hue dyed his face.
*Roar*
*Roar*
*Roaaar*
Ryu's head snapped towards the source. The huge mutant's body expanded, muscles and strange flesh tendrils swaying as it deformed. Its body began to tremble and contort as it grew, its jaw twisting and cracking as a horrific, beast-like roar thundered across the field.
'It is still not dead?'
He felt a sudden pain in his abdomen as the feeling of his blood and body being crushed tightly, using the optimistic burst so early into his cultivation, seemed to take its toll on his body, as the blood qi was already gone, now his vitality and blood would be used.
"You want more?"
'My Qi and blood have already run out, but vitality is what I have plenty of.'
The Aura once again covered his body and seemed to be like a blood mist, enveloping his body as the cracks of bones could be heard, Ryu's head snapping back as the veins on his neck and face were bulging, his body seeming to grow stronger and the Aura more terrifying.
*Roar*
"Try and test your luck."
*Boom*
Ryu crouched, the ground cracking once more as the Aura exploded, his figure vanishing, and a boom could be heard.
*Snap*
*Crunch*
The zombie's body continued to change as if it was not satisfied with the previous form, and Ryu's figure once again appeared next to the body, his fist ruthlessly smashing down on the creature.
"You are the last one standing, and when I am done with you, you will not be able to rest."
*Roar*
The zombie roared, its body changing and absorbing the blood and corpses that remained; Ryu's eyebrows rose as he could see its body expanding and becoming more monstrous, its skin beginning to harden, and its limbs beginning to elongate and grow into sharp blades.
'Seems that thing absorbed the blood and corpses, but it cannot handle the pressure I put on him, haha.'
"You are strong, but not enough."
*crack*
His body crackled as his fist slammed into the face of the zombie, its body unable to hold the impact as its jaw cracked, and Ryu continued his relentless attacks.
'This is good training.'
'No matter how strong the zombie is, it is worthless as its defence cannot keep up.'
Ryu's blows were heavy, he could feel the difference between his normal self and this form, but each of his muscles began to tear with each strong impact causing the mutant's flesh and bones to tear and break. He felt equal pain in his body like his veins were being sucked with a huge straw.
'Hmm, it seems that vitality is also consumed quickly.'
He didn't have time, so he began to intensify his ruthless assault, the zombie's body transforming and attempting to fight back, its tentacles and blade-like limbs trying to tear and shred his body, but Ryu's figure was quick and precise, the Sanguine Aura giving him an edge over.
'I must finish him off soon.'
*bang*
*crush*
'Ha, it's dying, but its last stand is a desperate attempt to tear me apart...'
Ryu's figure seemed to blur and become faster, his eyes cold and unsympathetic as his hands blurred, the zombie's body unable to take the constant barrage of ruthless attacks, its body turning to a disgusting mush as Ryu's figure finally stopped.
"Is that all you can do?"
*thud*
Ryu spat a mouthful of blood, his body weak and his vision blurry, and he could not hear anything, only the feeling of his blood circulating and his bones cracking.
Yet he forced himself to stand, pacing a hand on the slightly convulsing mutant face, crushing down with his hand as his Sanguine Burst started to fade; his brilliant white hair fell, turning black before one of his eyes returned to normal, but the other was still as if it was bleeding.
'Drink!'
"DRINK THEM ALL!"
His body became like a huge suction force, as the blood, flesh and mass of all the zombies 10 metres around him were suddenly sucked of all their blood qi and flesh, Ryu's figure returning to his original state, his eyes becoming normal, and the blood that seemed to cover his body was like a black mist, his Blood Demon Qi Absorption technique began to devour everything filling his body with a thick wave of bloody essence.
Blood QI: 1/200
Blood QI: 2/200
Blood QI: 10/200
Blood QI: 20/200
..
...
....
Ryu was in a trance as he felt the blood and flesh of several hundred zombies and humans, all combined with the huge mutant-evolved blood that seemed to give more than the usual amount.
Nevertheless, he couldn't focus as the pleasurable feeling caused his body to drop to his knees, an embarrassing large tent in his pants. He could do nothing but groan in both intense pain and pleasure as his muscles tightened and his mind became clearer.
[You have Reached the 3rd Layer of the Earth Cycle!]
[You are being perfected]
[Your pain tolerance has greatly increased]
[Your muscles density and stamina have been increased]
[You devoured a Stage 2 Mutant!]
[You have gained the ability ⟪Corpse Howl⟫]
[The density and purity of your blood were increased!]
[A bonus 5000 Points was added for defeating a Stage 2 at Stage 1]
[A bonus 2000 was added using Sanguine Burst for 5 minutes at Stage 1]
[Name: Ryu Kurogane
Race: Lesser Blood Demon (Rank 1)
Cultivation Stage: 3rd Layer of the Earth Cycle (Mantle)
Technique: Blood Demon Qi Absorption
Blood QI: 250/300
Current Points: 8640
STR: 32
VIT: 60
INT: 25
AGI: 30
DEX: 32
Combat Power: 38 (Average Human 5)]
***
Standing in silence... Ryu looked around at the bloody and broken floor before he sighed, only to find three shadows rushing towards him, their faces tired and weapons covered in blood.
He could barely move as they all shouted his name.
"Ryuu!!"
"Boss!"
'Ah, you idiots came to find me... Fools don't shout. I can't help you this time, haha...'
With that, he dropped to the ground, his hand touching the broken sword with a handle that could be salvaged...
A single silver ring on a chain danced in the air as he fell.
Engraved with the name Kurogane Aya... The opposite on her ring where His name was mixed with hers.
Even when the trio tried to remove it.
Ryu refused to let go.