Chapter 366: Testing out new skills I
The first light of dawn illuminated the battlefield, a vast open space on the outskirts of the castle where Strax and his wives used to train. The smell of fresh earth mingled with the dense energy that hung in the air. The shadows of the trees lengthened as the first rays of the sun cut through the clouds, creating an almost heavenly scene for the confrontation that was about to begin.
Strax stood in the center of the field, his muscles tense and his eyes shining with determination. He could feel the power in his veins, a colossal force flowing through his body. The System had given him a vast array of abilities, and he was ready to test them to the full. There was no more time for hesitation or doubt. What would happen next would be a true test of his strength and abilities, and he was more than prepared.
"Today, I'm going to test how far my strength can go," Strax muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on his wives, who were spread out around him, ready for combat. The only absences were Scarlet and Xenovia, who watched from a distance, their expressions serious and attentive.
Beatrice, with her kingly aura, was the first to move. She advanced with impressive speed, her body a force of nature, the power of a King radiating from every step. Samira, next to her, made a quick move to the left, preparing to attack from a different angle. Cristine and Monica, further back, were positioning themselves to launch their skills from a distance, waiting for the right moment to act.
"Let's begin," Strax said quietly, with a smile of pure excitement on his face. He knew the combat would be fierce, but he was eager to see how far his newly acquired skills could take him. His body pulsed with the energy of chaos and destruction. He was at the peak of his power, and today, he wasn't going to hold back.
Beatrice was the first to attack. Her speed was astonishing, faster than Strax could have anticipated, and she shot towards him with the intention of delivering a fatal blow. But Strax didn't hesitate. He raised his hand with impressive speed and, with a single movement, used the Dragon Claw, a blow that cut through the air with terrifying force. The impact was so great that Beatrice was thrown backwards, but she quickly recovered, her expression furious as she returned to the offensive.
Samira joined the attack, advancing from the left. Strax wasted no time in using his Enhanced Speed, moving as fast as he could think. He appeared behind Samira, but before she could react, she used her fire manipulation abilities to create a blade that shot straight at Strax's chest. He dodged it with ease, his body moving with unearthly fluidity. But the mere fact that Samira was so close already hinted at the complexity of her new strength. She was an unbeatable opponent on the battlefield.
Suddenly, Strax felt a surge of energy coming from Cristine and Monica. Both of them were creating Energy Blasts from their Lightning and Darkness abilities. He knew that the impact of the two of them together could be devastating, so he reacted quickly, concentrating a massive amount of negative energy in his hands, preparing for the attack. As Cristine and Monica's energy beams shot towards him, Strax used his Negative Energy Manipulation to absorb and redirect the beams. He felt the power of the two intensifying, but managed to neutralize them with one precise movement, the negative energy flowing like a dark cloak.
The wives were no longer just attacking in isolation. They began to coordinate their movements, understanding the need to work together to defeat Strax. Beatrice and Samira began to attack from the front while Cristine and Monica tried to hit him from afar. But Strax was becoming more and more unpredictable, using his Dragon Transformation abilities to cover the battlefield in a blanket of fire and destruction.
The earth shook as Strax partially transformed, his dragon wings emerging from his back, flapping with a force that made the ground crackle. He then used his Dragon Blast, an explosion of fire so intense that it practically consumed everything in its path. Beatrice and Samira were thrown backwards by the force of the blast, their bodies crashing to the ground with the violence of the impact. Monica and Cristine were also forced backwards, but unlike the others, they resisted the impulse with impressive strength, standing firm in their places.
"This is starting to get interesting," Strax murmured, breathing deeply as he held onto his transformation. He could feel the energies flowing through the field, sensing the growing power within him. The wives were adapting quickly, and that only made him more excited. But he still hadn't released everything he had.
"Let's see what else you've got," Strax shouted, concentrating a wave of Lightning Manipulation. He created an energy field around his body, an invisible armor of pure electricity, and used his ability to launch bursts of lightning in all directions. Beatrice, Samira, Monica and Cristine were all dodging and defending themselves, trying to protect themselves from the overwhelming force of the lightning that was spreading everywhere.
But Strax didn't stop there. He knew his wives were outdoing themselves, so he needed to go even further. With a primal scream, he used his Dragon Transformation, unleashing its maximum power. His body grew in size and strength, his claws now huge and sharp as obsidian blades. He then used his Dragon Claw in an area attack, destroying everything around him as he moved with unbeatable ferocity. Beatrice and Samira tried to attack him at the same time, but their strength was far beyond what he was now capable of withstanding.
The battle had turned into a spectacle of light and destruction. Strax was advancing, his fury fueled by his newfound power, while his wives struggled to find a gap in his defense. Cristine used her Shadow ability, moving quickly between the shadows, but Strax, with his Increased Thinking Speed, was able to predict her movements with ease, firing bursts of Dragon's Breath to block any stealthy movement.
Samira, with her Fire Manipulation skill, summoned a gigantic burst of flame in her attempt to surround him. Strax, without hesitation, used his Chaos Energy Manipulation to distort reality around him, creating an energy barrier that neutralized the explosion before it could touch him.
But as Strax dominated the field, he felt a growing pressure. The wives, although frustrated, were becoming more strategic, more cohesive in their attacks. They were beginning to understand that the key to defeating him was not strength, but patience and precision.
It was at this point that Strax realized the true nature of the battle. He was no longer just testing his skills. He was being tested too. Every move, every blow, every skill used by his wives demanded more of him. They were forcing Strax to adapt, to think quickly, and that motivated him even more.
"This is more fun than I thought," Strax laughed, the feeling of power growing in his chest as he prepared for the next move. He used his Light Manipulation to create a field of blindness around them, darkening the area to the point where they could no longer see him. Then, with one swift movement, he fired his Dragon Blast again, exploding the concentrated energy into a torrent that scattered the wives around him.
Beatrice, Samira, Cristine and Monica were all breathing heavily, but still standing firm. They hadn't given up, and Strax knew that this battle wasn't over yet. He hadn't won yet, but the battle was far from decided.
With a fierce smile, he said: "Let's keep going. I'm just getting started."