Dante's body pulsed with Qi. His channels were agonizing before the energy' pressure, which circulated incessantly between core and body of the cultivator.

With as much energy as he could muster, he pushed forward. This time, there was no worry in his mind.

He didn't think about his clan, about getting stronger, or about saving Qi. All that was going through his mind was to kill all the Draco who had imprisoned Sabrina.

All the months of tension culminated in this moment. For Dante, the attack had a cathartic effect.

For years, he had been a target of Draco-like people. Lack of resources robbed him of better opportunities.

But today, it would be the opposite. Dante felt no anger toward his family, nor the decisions he had made up to that point. Each step was necessary to get him to this very moment. Until the sweet opportunity when he would cauterize those damned disciples.

As Dante dashed, flames danced in his surroundings. His aura was hot enough to make the rocks unable to resist the heat.

"Phoenix Rise," he intoned with all the air in his lung. He would give Draco a chance to know the name of the attack that would bring them to an end.

If he could hear, at that moment, he would hear the cultivators screaming, desperately. Trying to give orders, they positioned techniques. In the aftermath, he would hear the sound of bones meeting the cave floor, absent the bodies that had carried them until then.

Dante exploded. The flames of his aura combined with those of his core in an explosion that left only the area Sabrina was in intact.

However, the technique was not enough to end the lives of all the enemies. Some were already on their feet, recovering from the surprise attack.

With his hands outstretched, Dante spun around, like an animal trying to dry itself. Instead of drops of water, sunfire splashed everywhere.

Dante almost lost his step. Those attacks had drained much of his Qi, as well as taxing his physique to the maximum.

In any case, there was no time to lose. He forced himself to concentrate, and immediately activated his claws to the peak strength he was capable of at the moment.

A good number of the cultivators had not gotten up. The smell of burning flesh filled Dante's nostrils.

Before he returned to the battle, Dante looked at Sabrina. Lucky for him, he had not injured her. When Dante released the technique, he ordered Qi not to hurt her. However, his control over the new power was still not the best.

Dante jumped on the nearest cultivator. His goal was to release Sabrina.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Dante immediately felt what little Qi remained channeling to his wounds. At that moment, he wished he had better control over his Qi expenditure. Regeneration was a blessing, of course, but it came with the impossibility of deactivation.

While he was on the way, however, he felt a force colliding with the right side of his body. Before he could think to counterattack, another skill hit his back, throwing him against the wall.

Dante stood up, immediately getting into combat position. His enemy, however, did the same.

The man sharpened blue and purple Qi into his fists. One of the Draco who possesses two types of Qi, then. From the aura of the Qi, an incomplete Oversoul.

At least Dante had some resistance to those two types of Qi. Thunder was certainly easier to deal with, as Dante had defeated the alpha. Poison he had absorbed only in his encounters with Draco, and in small quantities.

He jumped up from his seat. Soon after, an energy lance hit the place, breaking the rock in half. The Qi melted the rock from the inside, demonstrating the imminent danger that beset Dante.

As he tried to run towards Sabrina, he deactivated his claws and concentrated Qi only on his legs. If it continued like this, he would need help.

Just as he was about to reach the cultivator, a lance of Qi pinned him to the wall. The attack had pierced his belly, causing blood to spurt out on the cave floor.

Dante despaired. At that moment, he wondered if his choice with the wolf had been right. The long-term choice would not save him at that moment.

Before another technique could hit him, Dante broke the spear that held him down and changed places. His Qi was almost gone, so he felt exhausted.

The biggest problem was that the Qi of poison seemed to interfere with Dante's regenerative powers. The area affected by the purple energy took time to regenerate, and required more Qi than normal.

"Any ideas?" he asked Ikarus. The monster couldn't miraculously change the situation, but good ideas were always welcome.

"Focus on the concubine!" the Phoenix shouted.

Dante, overcome with despair, looked again at Sabrina. The cultivator seemed to be trapped by some kind of seal, which should be preventing the use of Qi.

At that moment, his eyes met hers. In that very second, much was said. Dante knew he couldn't reach her under those conditions.

She, on the other hand, glared at him. The anger was not directed at him, but at all the other cultivators in the room.

Dante glimpsed at his core. With all the Qi that remained, he flooded the meridians of his legs. His lower body glowed, ready for a desperate measure.

And then, Dante jumped. Along the path, he felt several techniques hitting his body. The cultivators spared no effort, bathing his body in thunder and poison.

His body succumbed to the energy, remaining on the ground.

"I'm thankful I was born into a clan like the Draco, you know. I can't imagine being a weakling like you," said a cultivator who was nearby. "It is no accident that the Draco clan is the largest in this kingdom, and we will soon show the others our true power."

Dante couldn't answer. He looked down at his core, thinking of some desperate measure.

And then, a remote possibility struck his mind. He would strike where it hurt most in those damned Draco.

"You talk like you're on top of the Draco. You're just another one among them all. No prodigy, just a commoner. You are no better than me," Dante said, as he spat blood.

He could feel Ikarus' energy trying to help him. But, he held back that last vein of energy. He would need it soon.

The cultivator looked at him with hatred. "It seems your attack killed the one who stopped us from possessing your girlfriend. Now that he's gone, I think you'll enjoy the show."

With his face covered in injuries, Dante smiled. At that moment, he reached out and directed his last energy to Sabrina.

He forced himself to keep his eyes open as his attack broke the seal that held her.

As soon as this happened, Dante could feel an explosion.

And then, darkness came.