CHAPTER 926: A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN’S WRAITH

At that moment, their flight stopped as Sophia landed, and Max followed her gaze forward. Before them was a cave mouth carved into the icy mountain. Frost hung from its edges like jagged fangs, and a dense chill spilled out of its depths, proof of the treasure hidden within.

But standing guard before it, coiled in a deceptively relaxed state, was a massive serpent. Its entire body was covered in long, gleaming white scales that shimmered like polished ice under the pale light, and its size alone was intimidating—easily stretching over thirty feet long, with a thickness comparable to the trunk of an ancient tree. Even in its sleep, its presence radiated danger.

"The Ten Thousand Years Frozen Lotus is inside that cave," Sophia said, pointing toward the entrance, her voice calm but serious. "But that snake is the problem. Its strength is at the peak of Legend Rank. If it senses anyone near its lair, it will rush straight back inside, making it impossible to retrieve the lotus."

Max tilted his head slightly. "Why not just kill it first, then enter the cave?"

Sophia shook her head, her face solemn. "I tried that already. But this snake... it’s terrifyingly powerful. With all this ice energy supporting it, its strength is so amplified that it’s practically touching the Mythic Rank. Even I can’t take it down quickly. And if I can’t finish it fast, it will destroy the cave before anyone reaches the lotus."

Max studied her for a moment before a small smile tugged at his lips. "So, you want me to keep it busy while you go inside and grab your lotus?"

Sophia nodded once, completely straightforward. "Exactly."

Max chuckled and raised a brow. "You’ve got a lot of faith in me. Or should I say, in my strength? You really believe I can hold off a peak Legend Rank beast?"

Sophia shook her head lightly, her expression steady. "I don’t know your full strength yet, not really. But anyone who’s mastered four different concepts at level two... they don’t die easily. And right now, I’m betting on that."

Max blinked at her blunt honesty, momentarily stunned, before shaking his head with a small smirk. "Fine. I’m confident enough to keep it busy for a while—but not indefinitely. So, when I engage it, you head straight inside. Don’t waste a second."

Sophia’s eyes flashed with resolve as she nodded. "Understood."

Max didn’t waste another breath. His figure blurred as he landed heavily on the icy ground near the serpent, his boots crunching against the frozen surface. His voice rang out loud and clear in the silent valley: "You little dipshit! Come and bite me!"

The taunt worked instantly. The serpent’s massive head shot up, its silver eyes locking onto him, slits narrowing dangerously. A sharp hiss escaped its mouth, steam-like frost spilling from between its fangs as its enormous body uncoiled. With a powerful push, it surged toward him like a flash of white lightning, the ground trembling from its sheer weight and speed.

Max drew his sword in one smooth motion, the Blue Dragon Sword gleaming brilliantly as he unleashed his full power. Four concepts—sword, flame, lightning, and space—all at level two, burst out around him, intertwining into a terrifying aura that warped the very air, causing nearby frost to melt and refreeze almost instantly. His clothes fluttered wildly under the pressure of his energy, his figure emanating an unstoppable sharpness.

Seeing this, Sophia didn’t hesitate. She used the opportunity as the serpent’s attention focused entirely on Max, her figure flashing like a streak of white light as she darted toward the cave entrance and disappeared inside.

Max glanced toward the cave entrance and noticed that Sophia was gone, already deep inside retrieving the Ten Thousand Years Frozen Lotus. He exhaled softly, then activated his Three Dimensional Body, his perception extending outward like invisible ripples through space.

Within moments, he confirmed what he hoped to hear—no other beasts lurked nearby, no hidden threats waiting to strike. The only enemy present was the enormous white-scaled serpent he was currently facing.

"Good," Max said with a calm smile. His body shifted slightly, and with a single smooth motion, he swung the Blue Dragon Sword, unleashing all four of his level two concepts—sword, flame, lightning, and space—woven together into a single devastating strike.

The energy rippled out like a storm breaking its restraints, slamming into the serpent’s massive body with a deafening boom. The beast was hurled backward violently, crashing into the frozen ground with enough force to leave cracks spiderwebbing across the ice.

But Max wasn’t done. His eyes gleamed with sharp determination as he murmured, "I’ll kill it in one move." Slowly, he withdrew all the concepts except one, allowing only the lightning concept to remain. Yet, it was no ordinary lightning concept anymore.

As his energy shifted and condensed, the normally bright and wild arcs of electricity around him deepened, turning into a dark, ominous blood-red hue. The power howled as if alive, resonating with an ancient ferocity that made even the air tremble.

Scarlet bolts of lightning burst forth from his body, coiling and snapping like enraged dragons. Max’s clothes whipped in the violent currents as his skin prickled under the terrifying surge of energy now coursing through him.

"Heaven’s Wraith... my first time using it," he said quietly, feeling his body roaring with power beyond anything he had ever touched before. It wasn’t just lightning anymore—it was destruction incarnate, infused with a wrath that felt divine.

His grip tightened on the Blue Dragon Sword as he raised it high above his head. The red lightning rushed to the blade, consuming it entirely, until it looked less like metal and more like a pillar of thunderous fury. He exhaled once, focused his will, and swung down with all his might.

The sky itself seemed to shudder. A rumble echoed through the valley, followed by the crackling roar of thunder amplified a hundredfold. The ground shook violently as the sword strike descended like judgment from above.

The serpent tried to twist away, its icy scales glowing as it summoned its own elemental defenses, but it was too late. The red lightning ripped through everything, slicing through the beast’s head and body with an earth-splitting sound. In the next instant, the white-scaled serpent collapsed, split cleanly into two halves, lifeless steam rising from the still-crackling wound.

Max lowered his sword, breathing slightly heavier as the last arcs of blood-red lightning flickered and then faded from his body. He stared at the bisected serpent for a moment, almost in disbelief. "A peak Legend Rank beast... killed just like that," he muttered under his breath. His eyes narrowed slightly, focusing on the lingering remnants of crimson lightning. "This might be my strongest inheritance so far."

But then the weight of his attack settled in. His limbs felt heavier, and he could feel how much energy had been consumed in unleashing Heaven’s Wraith. Nearly all of his mana reserves were drained, leaving his core aching slightly.

Still, his lips curved into a faint smirk. "If I were already in the Champion Rank or the Legend Rank, I could use Heaven’s Wraith without worrying about running dry." The thought burned into his mind, strengthening his resolve to push his strength higher, faster.