A cold smirk tugged at Benjamin's lips. As he had anticipated, the lizard was feigning death, intending to bait him closer for a stealthy strike. Such petty tricks would hardly deceive a seasoned warrior like Benjamin. Even if he hadn't faced such a creature before, Benjamin always held a principle close to his heart: never underestimate an adversary. Always be prepared, vigilant against sudden ambushes. That's why, despite sensing the lizard's weakening aura, he hadn't ventured close.Now, as the lizard's tongue shot towards him, without hesitation, Benjamin unleashed a fierce stream of azure flames from his hand. While this fire didn't morph into a phoenix, its heat was no less intense, causing the surrounding air to sizzle and pop alarmingly.Due to its rapid speed, coupled with the lizard's simultaneous strike, the flames from Benjamin's palm collided directly with its tongue.Hiss!Struck by the fierce flames, the lizard let out a pained shriek. Seizing the moment of distraction,
His heart was a whirlpool of complex emotions, yet Benjamin's actions showed no intent of halting. A soft muttering sound escaped his lips: "If you wish to use this power to divide, then allow me to assist."Without hesitation, Benjamin launched himself once more, directing a swift blade strike toward the original body of the Terrestrial Dragon. In his perspective, if this splitting power weakened the Terrestrial Dragon, he aimed to exploit this vulnerability, decisively severing its body into numerous segments. Only then could he significantly diminish the Terrestrial Dragon's might, rendering it manageable for his remaining troops.However, theory and reality were worlds apart. Just as Benjamin made his move, both Terrestrial Dragons simultaneously emitted a deafening roar. A throbbing pain engulfed his head, reminiscent of two hammers striking simultaneously, leaving Benjamin slightly disoriented.At that very moment, the two Terrestrial Dragons lunged, revealing their cavernous ma
Such an assault caught Benjamin utterly off guard; he had not anticipated these Terrestrial Dragons to pursue him so tenaciously, exploiting an opportune moment to strike. Yet, his face displayed no hint of panic. On the contrary, his eyes were aflame with defiance. With rapid motions, he targeted the very jaws of these relentless Terrestrial Dragons.Boom! Boom!Benjamin's strikes were swift, not allowing the dragons a moment to react. His punches were precise, landing squarely on their bodies.One after another, thunderous roars resonated as Benjamin's punches, each infused with immense power, met their mark. Though these Terrestrial Dragons were well-armored and possessed razor-sharp teeth, before Benjamin's mighty fists, they seemed as fragile as paper, effortlessly shattered by his blows.Roar! Roar!Successive anguished roars sounded as one by one, the Terrestrial Dragons were sent flying, crashing onto the ground, their maws oozing a noxious fluid that scorched the earth, relea
Despite their injuries and exhaustion, the soldiers demonstrated impressive efficiency in setting up the camp. In under ten minutes, more than a dozen tents stood neatly in formation. Benjamin, observing this from a distance, expressed his approval with a slight nod. After briefing his subordinates, he swiftly took his leave, eager to assess the surroundings. Initially, when they heard of Benjamin's solo scouting mission, both Venn and another junior commander vehemently objected, wanting to accompany him. However, Benjamin firmly declined. For, he reasoned, based on their capabilities, should they face peril, he'd likely have to rescue them. Plus, Benjamin had another motive for his solo expedition. Of course, he didn’t share this with anyone. It wasn’t a matter of trust but rather the significance of his personal mission. Besides, he was still unsure if what he sought even existed here. Thus, after some contemplation, he decided to personally investigate. If he acquired what he s
Upon glimpsing the phoenix on Benjamin's hand, a flicker of surprise flashed in Dragon Doctrine's eyes. But it was momentary, and soon the creature regained its composure. Even though it had suffered significantly from the celestial event, the Dragon Doctrine was still brimming with confidence about easily vanquishing the human before it. But before it could revel in its superiority, the phoenix in Benjamin's hand transformed into a beam of light, shooting straight at the approaching whirlwind. As it did so, an ear-piercing cry resonated. BOOM! BOOM! Immediately, the phoenix and the whirlwind collided, resulting in an explosive clash. Yet, the whirlwind couldn't withstand the phoenix's fiery might and was swiftly dispersed. The phoenix, in all its blazing glory, shot towards the Dragon Doctrine. Witnessing this scene, disbelief clouded Dragon Doctrine’s eyes, and its roar was filled with sheer indignation. "How can this be?" it thundered. Yet, barely moments after its outcry of
Despite having consumed it, an insatiable craving lingered in his mouth. With slight hesitation, Benjamin once again reached for another fruit, surrendering to its delicious call.Thus, in a state of trance, three Thousand-Year Fruits met their end. The once turbulent spiritual energy inside Benjamin began to simmer down. Upon consuming the fourth, it appeared to have halted entirely, with Benjamin's body showing no signs of reaction.Suddenly, Benjamin's movements ceased, and an electric jolt surged from within him. An immense force erupted, causing the very air around him to quake with intensity.After what seemed like an eternity, Benjamin stood up, feeling an augmented vitality, easily multiple times stronger than before. He felt so powerful that a mere punch might have the strength to vanquish a formidable beast.Of course, this might have been an illusion, a side effect of consuming such a potent fruit. Even so, his newfound strength hadn't yet transcended his current level, lea
In this fleeting moment, a storm brewed within the heart of Dragon Doctrine, filled with seething fury. By day, he had been robbed of a bounty of spiritual fruits by none other than Benjamin. And as night embraced the world, this very human dared to bring forth a horde of Crimson Devil Confinement Technique to launch an assault against him.Would that he were not injured, he would've dearly loved to strike down this deceitful human with one blow."Hold on a moment, Dragon Doctrine." Benjamin began, his voice laced with playful chiding: "It's a misunderstanding, really. I've been oppressed by these Crimson Devils. I merely hoped to seek your unparalleled power for aid to fend them off. If you’re unwilling, then I shall take my leave."Having spoken, it seemed Benjamin intended to truly depart from this battleground. Panic surged through Dragon Doctrine. For upon their appearance, these menacing entities locked their eyes solely on him. Particularly the Crimson Devil Confinement Techniq
Nevertheless, the crux of the matter was that, at this juncture, Benjamin found himself unable to casually wield Phoenix. Even after harnessing the power of the Thousand-Year Fruit, significantly amplifying his prowess, Phoenix remained an energy he had derived from a mysterious stone during his previous sojourn with the Washingtons.Up to this point, Phoenix hadn't formally consented to Benjamin's unbridled use. Every time he unleashed it, the energy stored within him was profoundly drained.Consequently, he would only resort to using Phoenix in dire situations; he was loath to do so whimsically.Now, facing several guards employing the Crimson Devil Confinement Technique and the onslaught of its collective might, Benjamin's countenance darkened, hinting at his growing unease."Dragon Doctrine elder, allow me to come to your aid!"Just then, with a swiftness that belied the gravity of the situation, Benjamin’s figure darted, charging toward Dragon Doctrine’s position.Seeing this, Dr