Chapter 1384: 1384. Math

Divine Demon sighed when he saw that Boss Van had survived his second attack. An annoyed expression appeared on his face even when the world continued to give him energy to use for his spells.

He didn't like that outcome. He wasn't scared that Boss Van could survive his third attack, but he didn't feel happy to have reached that point.

"I can't allow myself to lose, can I?" Divine Demon said before sighing again.

Boss Van continued to smile, but traces of doubt formed inside him when he studied his opponent's expression. The lack of fear on Divine Demon's face gave him a bad feeling that didn't come from the massive amount of energy accumulated around him.

"I have lived for nine thousand years," Boss Van said. "I use one thousand to increase my cultivation level. I can pour the rest in my spells, and I've barely needed one hundred of them to block your previous attack. There isn't a single solid stage cultivator capable of making me use eight thousand years with a single ability."

Boss Van wasn't bragging. His math came from his experience. After all, he wasn't an aloof member of one of the powerful organizations. As a guild leader of a minor force, he had to fight multiple times and earn his place in the solid stage.

"Your math isn't wrong, but you have missed an important detail," Divine Demon said as he pointed at the energy around him. "I always make things hard. Battles that I can win in a few exchanges transform into deadly challenges that I have to face seriously. Betting my life is the only way I have to improve my power."

"You have found the limits of your individuality then," Boss Van said. "Hurry up. Attack. I will take your life afterward."

The redness radiated by Divine Demon's eyes intensified after that line. The time for taunts was over. He had to launch his last attack and see if his cultivation journey could continue.

"One stream can pierce the ground," Divine Demon said, and the energy around him condensed to create a small trail of water that flowed across his arm.

"A waterfall can pierce rocks," Divine Demon said, and more energy flowed inside the river that began to shake uncontrollably.

"The ocean can pierce the world," Divine Demon said, and all the energy around him fused with the stream.

The small river began to shine and radiate a multicolored light while it rotated around Divine Demon's arm. Its waters obtained intense violence that made them release surges of energy into the environment.

Boss Van immediately noticed that the small stream was different from the previous spells. Divine Demon's attacks had been nothing more than simple torrents before. Yet, his third ability carried peculiar features.

The stream appeared far more complicated. The energy inside it had condensed in a peculiar manner and had begun to move according to a strange rhythm. It was a proper ability instead of a simple display of power.

"I don't like fighting seriously," Divine Demon said as he pulled his arm backward and opened his palm. "Every battle ends quickly if I do. My cultivation level barely improves whenever I use my real power."

Divine Demon's "Breath" came out of his dantian and fused with the stream at that point. The multicolored water became white after that process ended. It had transformed into a type of energy that surpassed the normal limits of the "Breath".

"Still, I am a Demon that feeds of victories," Divine Demon concluded. "It doesn't matter how boring it is. I have to win, even if I need to perform a miracle to achieve that."

Noah studied the battle from a safe spot in a region nearby. Surprise filled his mind when he saw the river rotating around Divine Demon's arm. He couldn't be sure of that, but it seemed that the "Breath" had transformed into a type of higher energy on its own!

'What exactly is his individuality?' Noah wondered as disbelief replaced the surprise.

Creating higher energy and using it in spells required years spent in seclusion and a multitude of tests. It wasn't something that a cultivator could learn to do in the middle of a battle.

However, Divine Demon didn't respect that common sense. He needed to win his challenge, so his individuality had forced his attack to evolve. Noah didn't know if that was the Demon's usual battle style, but he felt almost sure that his white water didn't carry the stability that higher energy should have.

'Don't tell me that he has created it on the spot,' Noah thought as his eyes remained glued on the battle.

Noah was about to witness the exchange between two solid stage cultivators. He wouldn't miss it for anything in the world.

"Your chest will disappear now," Divine Demon said as his palm shot forward.

The river rotated faster during the attack. Divine Demon's arm shone with white light as it stretched toward his opponent and released the energy that he had accumulated.

No water came out of his palm. Divine Demon sent his energy flying toward his opponent during the attack, and a white flash illuminated the area before disappearing in the following instant.

The whole attack had lasted less than a second, but Divine Demon found himself without energy left. A tired expression also appeared on his face since his dantian had emptied its insides to fuel that spell.

The world didn't send more energy toward Divine Demon. His aura also shrunk and returned inside his figure. His individuality didn't affect the matter anymore. He was defenseless and exhausted now.

Noah held his breath as he moved his gaze toward Boss Van. The scene that he saw made surprise take over his disbelief and his Divine Deduction technique activated on its own to review that attack.

No light came out of Boss Van's eye. Half of his head had disappeared during the flash of light, and his entire torso had met the same end. Divine Demon's attack had left only his limbs untouched.

'I didn't sense any shockwave,' Noah thought as countless images ran in his vision.

In theory, a cultivator couldn't attack without releasing shockwaves in the environment. Their intensity depended on the power of the ability. The energy inside those spells and techniques made the matter react to its passage.

Yet, Divine Demon's attack didn't radiate anything. All the energy accumulated from the world and Divine Demon's dantian had disappeared without leaving any trace. Boss Van's maimed corpse was the only proof of its existence.

'The world has opened a path to victory,' Noah thought as he understood what had happened. 'It prevented his attack from leaking energy and created an opportunity that Divine Demon could use to win. It's not only a matter of "Breath" with him. He seems able to turn any environment into a superior form of my dark world.'

Divine Demon breathed loudly after he saw Boss Van's corpse. His dantian began to produce "Breath" at high speed to refill its insides, and his mind did the same with its mental energy.

His cultivation level rose after Divine Demon finished refilling his centers of power. He instantly became stronger than before. Winning the bet had made his strength increase.