Solar Blood Masters (184)

Chapter 184 - Dog Blood Herb

Hell Ryu surrounded his massive arms with fiery sand which oozed out of his globular canister, then slammed them onto the ground.

BOOM!

A Fire Sand Storm erupted that engulfed Lu Terror and his unit.

The weaker snakes screamed as the searing sands burned their flesh. Solar Consciousnesseses were popping up like fragile bubbles.

Lu Terror hissed in fury. "You dare?!"

He charged Hell Ryu. They clashed. Their Solar Essences collided, creating shockwaves that rippled through the Dark Blood Domain.

Meanwhile, Raphael was hidden in the darkness wielding his World Canvas and paintbrush.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

He painted black slashes across the forms of the remaining snakes.

“Inkblade Stroke!”

They screamed as the slashes materialized, cutting them apart, severing limbs and splitting skulls.

Kudumei appeared and began absorbing the bodies.

“No! Kudumei, wait! I need their blood!” Raphael yelled, trying to restrain the eager clam with his Abyss Nylon.

“What…?!” Lu Terror, witnessing the carnage, suddenly understood. This wasn’t simply a monstrous beast’s attack. There was someone else involved. That clam… it was part of the ambush!

He turned his attention to his fallen comrades. Their Solar Consciousnesses floated above their mangled bodies.

“I will avenge you!” he vowed.

He inhaled deeply, drawing their Solar Consciousnesses into his maw. At the same time, Raphael was busy holding back Kudumei so he realized what was happening when it was too late

Lu Terror shuddered as his fallen comrades’ essences merged with his own.

His power exploded! He was now a 1st Layer Nightmare Calamity!

“Yes! With this power… I will crush you all! You will pay for their deaths!”

Noticing Lu Terror's transformation, Hell Ryu charged again. But Lu Terror observed him and easily identified his weakness.

“Foolish beast. Your power… it’s tied to your blood, isn’t it?”

“So what? You’re dead!”

He dodged Hell Ryu’s clumsy attack, then with blinding speed coiled his serpentine form around the beast. His tail, tipped with a razor-sharp blade of light, plunged into Hell Ryu's bloated belly.

“KYYYYAAAA!” Hell Ryu shrieked as blood gushed from the wound. His Solar Essence Density plummeted. He struggled, but Lu Terror's grip was too strong.

“What a pathetic display. You call yourself a Calamity? You’re weaker than a hatchling!” Lu Terror taunted and with a final, swift slash of his ‘Tail Blade’, severed Hell Ryu in half.

WHOOSH!

Just then, Lu Terror sensed an attack from behind! He blocked with his Sun Cycle, then spun around.

He saw a small human figure standing there with a black pillar in his grasp.

“What the…?! My unit… wiped out… by a tiny human?! I’ll crush your bones to dust!”

His Solar Essence flared. Fifteen curved blades of light, sharp enough to slice through a mountain, materialized around his body. They spun rapidly, radiating a deadly energy.

Raphael’s Lingshi Eye assessed the threat. ‘This Nightmare Calamity… he’s going to be a pain. However, I’ll…’

His attention was drawn back to Kudumei who was now contentedly absorbing the remaining snake corpses.

“Kudumei! No! I need their blood!”

“You…!” Lu Terror’s eyes narrowed. So, the clam WAS involved.

He fired a Solar Beam at Kudumei.

“Kudumei!”

Raphael dashed forward, shielding the clam with his own body. He raised the Elixen Belkelium.

“Regal Counter!”

BOOM!

The Solar Beam was deflected! It struck Lu Terror and exploded against his scales.

“Argh! Bastard!” He emerged unscathed, glaring at Raphael.

“That technique… ‘Regal Counter’… Why does it sound so familiar…?”

“Come and find out, snake! I’ll smash your head in!” Raphael taunted with a fierce growl.

“Hmph! Arrogant human! You are leagues below me! Witness… the end of your pathetic existence!”

Lu Terror lunged forward in a wild manner. He swung his body like a whirlwind and those light blades around him were trying to slice Raphael apart.

Raphael dodged. He flipped. He weaved. He used the Elixen Belkelium to block the blows that were too fast to evade.

"You’re fast, human. I'll give you that. But your defenses… They’re weak! It seems you can’t counter my attacks continuously. In that case…”

Lu Terror reared his head and extended his tail upwards like a flagpole.

“Serpent’s Fury – Thousand Cuts!”

He unleashed his attack. Hundreds of light blades shot forth like a deadly hailstorm.

SLASH!

SLASH!

SLASH!

Raphael blocked those he could with the Elixen Belkelium and ‘Royal Guard’ to deflect. But he was quickly overwhelmed.

Just as he was about to be shredded…

Kudumei appeared before him and began absorbing the light blades. They vanished into her maw with soft, whooshing sounds.

Raphael stared, amazed. ‘She can even eat… light?’

He didn’t waste the opportunity. He pressed his right hand onto the Elixen Belkelium and activated Gas Pillar Mode. It absorbed his right hand up to his elbow.

He channeled his Blood Essence into the weapon.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The light blades continued exploding against Kudumei’s shell like a chaotic fireworks display.

Lu Terror paused and was certain of his victory.

“That human… He’s nothing but dust now. Hmmm… That clam… It absorbed my ‘Serpent’s Fury’. Such a peculiar creature… I’ll dissect it later. Its shell could be useful.”

He slithered forward to inspect the carnage.

And then…

WHOOSH!

A Hulking Gas Palm burst forth from the dissipating smoke, grasping him tightly!

“What the—?!”

“Burn!”

The hand’s molten knuckles glowed. The heat intensified.

“KYAAAH!”

Lu Terror screamed as his scales melted, his flesh charred, then his bones crumbled to the ground.

His Solar Consciousness emerged only to be swarmed by Kudumei. However, she was stopped by Raphael, thus she directed her attention towards the charred remains.

Raphael deactivated Gas Pillar Mode and withdrew his hand. He looked exhausted.

“He was strong… but unstable. His power… it hadn’t settled yet. For if it had, I don’t even want to think about it.”

He glanced at Lu Terror’s remains, at Kudumei’s satisfied shudder and then he remembered his objective.

“Now… for the Dog Blood.”

…

THUD! THUD! THUD!

The Dog Blood herb’s three heads landed on the ground with a soft thud. Then a brilliant red orb pulsing with life force materialized above the corpse.

Raphael hovered above the scene with the World Canvas poised before him and Lucid Dream held loosely in his hand. He studied the corpse with his Lingshi Eye.

At the herb’s center, encased within a network of branches and leaves, a heart beat rhythmically.

‘The Dog Blood Heart… It’s said to contain the purest essence of the herb, capable of enhancing a Bloodthorne’s Blood Pool capacity and purity. A true treasure.’

He descended to extract the heart when Kudumei appeared beside him, ready to devour the Dog Blood’s remains.

“Hey! Not so fast, Kudumei!”

Raphael quickly used his Abyss Nylon to yank out the heart and 10 blood fruits. He tossed the rest of the corpse to Kudumei who slurped it up.

He sat in a meditative posture, arranging Lu Terror’s Solar Consciousness, the Dog Blood’s Solar Consciousness, the Dog Blood Heart, and the blood fruits around him.

He focused his will upon the Dog Blood Heart. He held it in his hands, its warmth seeped into his flesh. He closed his eyes and began absorbing its essence.

His blood sang. It throbbed through his veins with renewed vigor. He felt his Blood Pool expanding, its capacity increasing and its purity enhanced.

When the process was complete, the Dog Blood Heart withered to dust. And the 10 blood fruits transformed. They were now crystalized beads, strung together on a silver chain.

The Dog Blood Rosary.

He picked up the rosary and slipped it around his neck. It felt cool against his skin, radiating a gentle warmth that had his Blood Pool reacting.

Next, he refined the two Solar Consciousnesses, shaping them into orbs of concentrated energy. He absorbed them into his Cosmic Mind Sea.

‘Lu Terror… His Solar Essence is potent. But chaotic. Untamed. It’s not suitable for a Soul Planet. Then it’ll have to be a Soul Moon. And the Dog Blood… Its essence is nurturing. Calming. It’ll merge with my Spring Blood Dragon.’

He focused on the blue sun within his Teterahek.

He directed the Dog Blood Solar Consciousness towards the Astro Soul Orbital. It transformed into a Soul Planet that settled into a stable orbit.

Then, he took Lu Terror’s Solar Consciousness and shaped it into a Soul Moon. He placed it in orbit around the Ice Thorn Python Soul Planet, further enhancing its potency.

He opened his eyes, feeling stronger and more attuned to his blood.

…

Raphael’s Upgrades & Abilities:

Blood Rejuvenation: Blood Pool will gradually replenish to full capacity a lot faster when not actively being channeled. Absorbed blood essence will also double upon intake.

Blood Pool Capacity Upgrade: Current capacity was now 100,000 gallons.

Dog Blood Rosary: Reduces blood consumption for techniques.

Sapphire Ice Thorns: Conjures ice thorns infused with Solar Blood. They pierce with physical force and also drain the target’s Blood Essence and Solar Essence.

Cold Blood Fangs: Grows retractable python fangs. Injects a potent neurotoxin that can paralyze, inflict poison damage, stun, and even drain blood, leading to freezing upon complete drainage.

Solar Essence Density: 8 million kelvin (currently limited to 3 million due to Thienika’s seed).

Draconic Blood Enhancement: Enhanced blood magic potency and control. This is also thanks to his Spring Blood Dragon.

Blood Sense: Enhanced awareness of blood-based energies. This includes sensing bloodlines, tracking blood trails, and even manipulating blood within other beings.