Imperial Crown.

Chapter 603 Ferdinand's Weakness
next moment.

Raven leaped from the crater and charged towards him at breakneck speed. "Old dog!!" Raven roared, his voice echoing across the starry sky. The golden light in his eyes had faded. Just moments ago, he had used the Eye of Truth to pinpoint Ferdinand's weakness—his left armpit, just below his palm!

Strictly speaking, Ferdinand should be considered an extraordinary being with an affinity for ice elements, thus he could also be called a 'Frost Battle Aura' or 'Frost Knight'. Since he has already advanced to a sixth-tier powerhouse, he must have absorbed enough ice laws! Therefore, in the Eye of Truth, his entire body is covered in flowing azure light. Only a fist-sized black dot appears under his armpit. This weakness might be an old injury, or perhaps a hidden ailment from the invasion of ice battle aura, or even residual poison from the potion...

"I only have one chance."

In order to prevent Ferdinand from noticing his unusual behavior and taking precautions, Raven immediately concealed the Eye of Truth the moment he found the weakness.

Although the weakness has been identified, striking it is an incredibly difficult task. Raven faces at least two dilemmas!

The first challenge is how to get close! This isn't too difficult for Raven now, since he has his martial spirit to help him traverse physical bodies. The key difficulty lies in the fact that, unlike the sixth-tier mage Adjani, Ferdinand is a genuine sixth-tier transcendent. For Raven, getting close is actually a good thing! Moreover, each traversal of physical bodies consumes about 1% of his battle qi, meaning Raven can only have 4-5 opportunities to get close at most! Otherwise, if his battle qi runs out, he will inevitably die!

The second challenge is how to strike a weakness after closing in! Ferdinand is certainly aware of his own vulnerabilities. It's like a sick person; they might not be able to articulate it, but they know exactly where they hurt. Therefore, Ferdinand will be extremely cautious. Thus, even at close range, it won't be easy for Raven to strike a weakness. He might even lose his life before he can hit the weakness! After all, Raven has only just broken through to the fifth tier of transcendent, while Ferdinand is a well-established sixth-tier, four-star transcendent. This isn't just a difference in minor realms, but a chasm in major realms. The difference in strength between them is like heaven and earth!
That's why Raven said, "He only has one chance." He had to plan carefully, aiming for a fatal blow! Giving Ferdinand no chance to turn the tables! Raven, though always mad, was also quite quick-witted. The closer he was to death, the more frenzied and ruthless he became, and the more excited and calm he became. How to describe this feeling and state? Some call it "excitement." But Raven preferred "perversion." Because at these times, he was like an addict who had inhaled four tons of methamphetamine in one go. His entire body was frantically releasing dopamine, creating a "dopamine storm" within him! This feeling of near "suffocation" put him in a state of "high and euphoria." Of course, there's a more elegant way to put it—"calmness in the face of great adversity." Therefore, in a flash, an effective plan was born in Raven's mind.

"Humph"

Before he could even reach Ferdinand, Raven, still in mid-air, suddenly felt a sweet taste in his throat, let out a muffled groan, and spat out a mouthful of warm, thick blood! The backlash from their earlier exchange of blows was now fully unleashed. Ferdinand was shocked that Raven was still alive! And Raven was equally astonished by Ferdinand's terrifying power!

It's important to understand that Raven had absorbed a seventh-tier magic core. Although one-third of it was given to Julia, his physical body was already strengthened to the point where it was comparable to a near-sixth-tier magical beast! And on the Miders Continent, a sixth-tier magical beast was enough to overpower two humans of the same tier! This was almost a universally acknowledged fact! Under these circumstances, Raven had nearly exhausted all his battle magic energy. At this moment, less than 20 drops remained in his middle dantian!
Back then, relying solely on the blood curse within his body connecting the magic vortex and the seed of battle qi, he unleashed a ferocious power that allowed him to annihilate a Reincarnated Angel with a single punch! He even annihilated a sixth-tier Silver Mane with a single punch!

Moreover, he had just used almost all of his Demonic Qi, plus the aid of the Blood Soul Armor! Such earth-shattering primordial power not only failed to kill Ferdinand, but instead injured his internal organs with a single punch! Furthermore, after absorbing the Hydra Lizard's demonic core, Raven's body also possessed a terrifyingly tenacious life force of self-healing! Otherwise, Raven would probably be in much worse shape than just coughing up blood!

Doesn't this mean that Ferdinand's overall strength is far more terrifying than that of the sixth-tier Silvermane Tiger-mane?!

"Raven!" "You... You're actually still alive..."

Seeing Raven not only alive but also flying rapidly towards him, one can imagine the extent of Ferdinand's astonishment and horror! If he were to know Raven's thoughts—such as why he hadn't been able to kill him with a single punch, or how Raven had actually been injured by his punch… these ridiculous "shocks"—Ferdinand would probably be so angry he'd convulse and spiral into the sky. What the hell? Just a few months ago, in this very airspace outside the city, Ferdinand had knocked over the fifth-tier Zolzahn with a single punch. Zolzahn hadn't uttered a sound and had turned and run away, no longer mentioning the honor and face of being a dragon. And now, he hadn't been able to kill Raven with a single punch? And Raven was still indulging in these feelings of wonder and surprise?
"Ferdinand!" "You're nothing but an old dog with absolutely no sense of the bigger picture!" "Calling you an old dog is an understatement!" "Even tigers don't eat their cubs!" "What kind of beast are you?!" "How dare you bark and howl in front of me?!"

Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Raven roared and immediately summoned his martial spirit. In the next instant, he vanished from Pédin's sight.

"Ok?"

Just as Ferdinand was about to retaliate, he let out a soft exclamation at the scene before him. He unleashed his mental energy, searching for Raven's figure with all his might.

"Catch him!" "Here!" "You!" "Got him!"

Raven suddenly appeared behind Ferdinand, clenched his fist, and slammed it hard into the back of Ferdinand's head!
Ferdinand's expression changed drastically. Without thinking, he spun his left elbow, colliding violently with Raven's fist. With a loud bang, the two separated again! Ferdinand deliberately increased the distance between himself and Raven. His shock at Raven only intensified, growing ever more serious. What was that inexplicable scene behind him? A battle technique? Or had Raven already devoured the laws of space? To advance to the sixth rank, a transcendent being must devour at least five laws of the same type. Could it be that Raven had already devoured more than three? Otherwise, how could his "space traversal" be so smooth and stealthy?! He hadn't sensed a single fluctuation.

"Ugh"

Raven felt the tingling, numbness, and uncontrollable trembling throughout his forearm. He sighed inwardly. Pei Dinan was still too strong! He had just used 'Martial Soul Shuttle' for the first time; theoretically, even if it didn't achieve a miraculous feat, it should have severely injured the unsuspecting Pei Dinan! But Pei Dinan reacted the instant Raven threw his punch! With Raven's fifth-tier cultivation, the speed of his punch was definitely faster than blinking or breathing! Calling it lightning fast wouldn't be an exaggeration! Yet even so, Pei Dinan not only reacted but also counterattacked.

"Raven!!" "And what are you?!" "In the end, you're nothing but a scoundrel pretending to be a nobleman!" "A lowly commoner from the bottom of society!" "A foolish little pea mouse!"

However, the reality was not as Raven had imagined. At this moment, Ferdinand's left elbow was a bloody mess, blood gushing out. It was an instinctive counterattack, leaving him little time to think. He had barely managed to withstand Raven's sneak attack. It was only because the two were facing each other that Raven hadn't immediately noticed the blood on Ferdinand's arm. This was also why Ferdinand was so enraged and hurling insults.

Ferdinand's features were contorted, his face contorted in a ferocious expression, almost confirming that what he was saying now came from the bottom of his heart:
"People like you from the bottom of society," "from the moment you were born!" "are born selfish vampires!" "Like a starving miner!" "Forever greedy and endlessly demanding, yet you know nothing of gratitude or reverence!"

"Have you ever thanked us for our sacrifices?!" "Without our protection!" "You would have long been slaves of Insa! Food and drink for the orcs!" "Wasn't every bite of food you ate and every drop of water you drank a gift from us?!"

"Have you ever expressed your gratitude?!"

Ferdinand roared and howled as he charged towards Raven, simultaneously drawing the World-Suppressing Divine Weapon from his right hand. The World-Suppressing Fang could no longer be used. Such frequent use of the World-Suppressing Divine Weapon in such a short period would definitely damage his foundation, making further progress impossible! Even more dangerous was the fact that if he used it again, the backlash would immediately erupt!

Half an hour! Raven must be killed within half an hour! This is the buffer time before the backlash erupts! That's why Ferdinand was so angry and anxious despite being injured.

"Ah"

Hearing Ferdinand's words with his own ears, Raven finally understood that people, when utterly speechless, can genuinely laugh out loud. Even the most ruthless capitalist in his past life would be moved to tears by such words. Raven believed that no one on his previous planet, Earth, had ever seen a nobleman. Excellent, now he was fortunate enough to witness one firsthand. Before him stood a living, breathing, true nobleman. Raven no longer wanted to speak; after all, one cannot discuss ice with a summer insect, nor the sea with a frog in a well. Saying more would only be a waste of breath and cause unnecessary trouble!
"Die!!"

Reaching Raven, Ferdinand unleashed a punch! At his level, he no longer relied so much on combat techniques! Having absorbed the laws, every punch and kick, every move, was an understanding and application of those laws, a display and manifestation of power! Of course, there were other considerations as well. Firstly, only through fists and feet could he truly vent his hatred. Secondly, from the very beginning, Raven and he had chosen this most primal form of combat. One was an Imperial Duke, the other an Imperial Marquis. They still valued aristocratic honor and face.

"buzz"

However, Raven, who was so close, vanished again! This made Pei Dinan's heart skip a beat. Firstly, he couldn't figure out what Raven's trump card was, or how many times he could use it! Secondly, he feared that Raven was deliberately stalling for time, waiting for the backlash to erupt. In fact, Pei Dinan really needed to give the World-Suppressing Divine Weapon Realm's Fang a good beating. If it weren't for this seventh-tier enchanted artifact inscribed with laws, that punch from Raven would have sent Pei Dinan to meet his grandmother long ago! "Clang!"

A soft clang of a sword rang out. Raven reappeared behind Ferdinand, his eyes dark and menacing, holding the rapier Stars in his hand. Without a word, he thrust it towards the back of Ferdinand's neck.

Boom!
Ferdinand seemed to have been prepared. After all, he had already learned his lesson! This time, he specifically switched to his right hand, reaching behind his head and clamping the blade between his index and middle fingers like iron pincers! A loud snap resounded. Immediately afterward, a sizzling sound came from the blade. Countless frost condensed and spread towards Raven's hand with incredible speed, like venomous snakes emerging from their holes!

Click—

A sharp crack rang out. The frost-covered blade was snapped in two by Ferdinand's swift fingers! Turning around, he gritted his teeth and punched Raven in the chest. The icy blue light on his fist shone brightly, like a ball of lightning!

With a loud bang, Raven kicked out, and the two separated again.

Raven was heartbroken that the artifact was ruined; no one was hurt at all, but a fourth-tier enchanted artifact was destroyed. Fortunately, everything was still going according to plan.

"Raven," "Is this your trump card?" "Is this the courage you have to challenge me?!" Pei Dinan roared like a dragon and howled like a tiger, his voice echoing between heaven and earth. As he spoke, he shook his head and said in a deep, undisguised tone, "I don't have time to play with you!" "Since that's the case," "then I'll let you see the strength of a sixth-order transcendent!" After saying that, Pei Dinan suddenly roared three times, his voice like a morning bell and evening drum, deafening everyone.

"Open!" "Open!!" "Open!!!"

With the three pronouncements of "open," the world changed color, the wind rose and the clouds surged, and strange phenomena suddenly appeared!

With the first "Open!", Ferdinand's battle aura surged, like a vast river or a boundless sea, rapidly forming a battle aura armor! It swelled with the wind, its body expanding dramatically, transforming into a giant over ten zhang tall! It's unknown whether giants exist on the continent of Middels. If they do, even giants here would likely be reduced to ants. Because with two booming sounds, Ferdinand's feet struck the ground, and the nearby city of Venice instantly transformed into a miniature Lego set!

With a second "Open!", Ferdinand, now a giant, stomped his foot. His battle technique, [Domain of Winter], was activated. A deafening roar erupted! The entire ground was instantly covered in a layer of frost, appearing as if frozen for millennia, radiating a ghostly blue glow reminiscent of ancient ice! Immediately following, the ground trembled and groaned, countless ice pillars shooting forth like bamboo shoots, quickly forming a cage-like structure. Raven was completely imprisoned within. This was the first time Ferdinand had used a battle technique! It demonstrated the terrifying power of a sixth-tier transcendent using a battle technique! Compared to this, even Eric, a fourth-tier cultivator, displayed the power of a battle technique as if it were a toy.

"Raven, can you still run?!" Ferdinand sneered.

Third-tier Transcendent: Condenses Battle Qi Armor. Fourth-tier Transcendent: Awakens Martial Soul. Fifth-tier Transcendent: Martial Soul Released from Body for Combat!
Therefore, the instant Ferdinand condensed his battle aura armor, Raven also condensed his own. However, the difference was that Ferdinand's armor was ice-blue, resembling an iceberg that had been frozen for millennia. Raven's armor, on the other hand, was blood-red, looking like a rising sea of ​​blood!
Raven is a fifth-tier transcendent being, surpassing the third tier by two major realms, so of course he can expand and enlarge his battle qi armor. It's not difficult. It's just that it consumes a lot of his internal battle qi! It's like speeding in a car; flooring the gas pedal is exhilarating and fast, but it uses up a lot of fuel.

At this moment, Ferdinand and Raven looked exactly like Optimus Prime and Megatron facing off against each other!
Do not!
The giants they transformed into were at least twice as tall as Optimus Prime and Megatron!
At the same time, the fighting spirit within the two of them was burning at a speed that was almost visible to the naked eye!

Fortunately, Raven still had about ten drops of Doumo Yuanqi in his body, which was enough to support his extravagance!

Such awe-inspiring and magnificent sight had already attracted everyone's attention. Whether it was the people inside Venice or the orc army and eagle army more than ten miles away, everyone rushed towards this place, forming a circle. The city walls were packed with people, and some were even pushed off and fell into the oily moat.

Everyone stared at this scene with horrified expressions and utter shock!
If the previous "battle of the gods" still contained some impressionistic, exaggerated, and metaphorical elements, then this moment is a completely realistic, literal, and truthful depiction.

"Haha," "Idiot."

Ferdinand looked at Raven and suddenly burst into laughter.

With his third "Open!", Ferdinand pointed and, taking advantage of the moment when Raven was condensing his battle aura armor, directly summoned his own ship spirit and smashed it down on Raven's head.

Only then did Raven realize he'd been tricked!

Ferdinand first used combat techniques to block Raven's retreat, so he was certain that Raven would follow suit and condense his own battle aura armor! He had anticipated this! So the next moment, he directly used his own martial spirit as a weapon to smash towards Raven!

Rumble... Rumble...

A series of explosions rang out. The Black Pearl's ship spirit was incredibly strong and heavy, directly slamming the over 10-zhang-tall Raven to his knees. His head was tilted to the side like a stiff neck, pressing against his shoulder, and he had to desperately lift his hands upwards to barely withstand the attack!
"die!!!!!!!"

Ferdinand roared again and kicked Raven in the head! This kick would surely shatter Raven's armor, splatter his brains, and kill him instantly!

Because Raven summoned his battle aura armor, making him too large, and was also in the midst of battle, he couldn't use his spirit teleportation again for the time being! Damn it, weren't villains supposed to suddenly become stupid and fail at crucial moments? How come Ferdinand is so resourceful, cunning, and shameless?! "Am I the one with the villain's script??????"

"Bitterness"

"!!! ...

……

(End of this chapter)