What followed after his disappearance was a barrage of explosions that resounded throughout the platform. The fire missiles he previously conjured, all collided with several beasts making their bodies explode with the sheer power of the attack. The following explosion was not much better and killed dozens of hellhounds around.
Kai reappeared behind a hellhound at the very back and with a swift swing of his steel sword, he smoothly beheaded the beast.
Seeing this the 9th Core Consolidation Stage hellhound, the 10-meter-long beast stepped forward, its body wreathed in black flames, its muscles bulging with barely contained power. Its aura alone made the ground beneath it crack.
Kai's smile disappeared. Out of all the hellhounds present only this one gave Kai a dangerous feeling. The aura which the hellhound exuded was incomparably close to the next cultivation stage… The Ascendent Stage!!!
"This is too cruel! Weren't those beasts who are in the 8th Core Consolidation Stage enough? You just had to put a peak Core Consolidation Stage Hellhound too! Just how unfair are you going to make this!" Lilith continued complaining to the old man, while the old man continued watching Kai with a profound look.
In the platform. Kai looked at the beast in front with a serious expression. He knew whether he completes the trial or not, or more correctly lives or not, will entirely depend upon the result of the match between him and this hellhound.
"You must be the leader huh." Seeing the other hellhounds give space to this hellhound and even slightly bow their head for this hellhound, Kai said.
*Roar!!!*
The Hellhound Alpha snarled loudly. Its eyes radiating killing intent, but more than that it radiated… fighting intent!
The beast suddenly lunged at Kai.
Kai barely dodged, rolling to the side as the Hellhound's claws gouged deep furrows into the stone where he had stood. The force of the attack sent shockwaves through the ground.
"Fast!"
Kai retaliated with a Fire Missile he conjured, but the Hellhound swatted it aside with a wave from its paw, the explosion dissipating harmlessly against its dark flames.
The beast didn't give him time to recover. It pounced again, its jaws snapping inches from Kai's face. Kai barely managed to block with his sword, but the impact sent him flying backwards, his arms trembling from the force.
"Damn, this thing hits hard!" Kai complained. Without a doubt this was the strongest opponent he has faced so far!
The Hellhound didn't let up. It circled Kai, its movements calculated, its eyes locked onto Kai like a predator savoring its prey. Then, with a sudden burst of speed, it again charged.
Kai gritted his teeth. "Fine. Let's see how you handle this."
He poured a massive amount of mana into his next Fire Missile, compressing it further than ever before. The heat so intense that the space around it started distorting and bending.
But the Hellhound didn't slow.
At the last second, Kai unleashed it. A large blue fire missile materialized in front of him.
"FIRE MISSILE – HALF POWER!!!"
[Magic Capacity: 3130/6500] The single attack alone instantly depleted his mana by more than half.
The dark blue projectile shot forward, slamming into the Hellhound's chest.
*BOOOOOOM!*
The explosion was deafening. A shockwave rippled outward, shaking the entire coliseum. The Hellhound was sent flying, its body engulfed in blue flames.
For a moment, Kai thought it was over.
Then, from the smoke, proving Kai was from correct the beast emerged, its fur scorched, its flesh burned, but its eyes still burning with fury. Black flames hotter and stronger than ever shot out from its body.
Kai's breath hitched. "It survived?!"
The Hellhound roared, its body surging with renewed energy. The black flames around it intensified, forming a giant storm of black flames.
Suddenly Old Man Hanxian's voice sounded. "A Hellhound's flames grows stronger the angrier it gets. You've only made it more dangerous and worse for yourself for provoking it."
Kai wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Great." He wryly smiled.
The beast lunged again, this time faster and stronger than ever. Kai moved to his side to evade, but was left a step short as the hellhounds claw grazed past him, ripping off a small chunk of flesh off from Kai's arms.
"Aaahh!" Kai slightly shouted with pain as he held his arms, which was now continuously dripping blood.
"Tch. So annoying!" Kai clicked his tongue.
He knew he couldn't keep dodging forever. He needed a plan!
As the Hellhound prepared for another attack, Kai's mind raced. "Fire Missiles aren't enough. I need something stronger."
Then the next moment an idea appeared in his mind and a cunning smile crept onto his face.
"This might just be the stupidest thing I have ever thought. I might just die even before being able to execute the technique. But at this point I am all for it!!" Kai determined himself and rushed forward.
As he ran, he simultaneously started concentrating, preparing for his next move.
The Hellhound also dashed forward.
As both of them arrived just in front of each other the hellhound stroke with his paw. Kai swiftly crouched dodging the attack.
A dense amount of mana formed near Kai's feet. The hellhound noticed the change but it was too late. Kai propelled himself off the ground with terrifying speed.
Kai's body collided with that of the hellhound. Kai felt many bones in his body break and the flames from the hellhound instantly burned his body.
The hellhound spat out a mouthful of blood from the impact.
Kai took advantage of the situation and swept his blade in a half moon arc and directly impaled it inside the hellhounds wide open mouth.
The beast shrieked with incomparable pain and anger. It looked at the human who so easily tricked him into lowering his guard for a split second with a hateful gaze.
Inside the hellhounds body the sword erupted with tremendous mana, the energy surged throughout his body along his blood, veins and organs causing utter internal destruction wherever it went.
Although the internal organs of a cultivator are incomparably stronger to that of a mortal's, it's not indestructible.
Considering the amount of power within Kai's attack it was more than enough to kill the beast.
[Magic Capacity: 155/6500]
The beast took a final look at the human he once himself deemed to be trash only to be killed by that very human!
"Roar…" He let out a final low roar and the next moment…
*BOOOOOOM!*
The explosion engulfed the beast, the force of it sending even Kai flying backward. He landed, his breath uneven and rushed. He desperately gasped for air as he constantly felt his entire body trembling with a level of pain he never knew could exist.
"KAIII!!!" Lilith screamed with worry, and Old Man Hanxian looked on with a dumbfounded expression.
As the smoke cleared the aftermath became clear.
The Hellhound lay motionless, the upper half of its body completely obliterated while the lower half reduced to a charred carcass, its ominous black flames… forever extinguished!!!