Derick's blood indeed had an effect.
However, the effect was perhaps a little too good. The energy within Pollux's body was continuously rampaging. Derick's blood acted somewhat like a catfish introduced to a tank, its inherent undying nature thoroughly activating the energy within Pollux's body, causing a violent reaction.
The effect was just, perhaps, a bit too potent.
Derick could clearly sense the intense anger emanating from Pollux before him. This was no longer akin to being splashed with cold water to wake up; it was more like being doused with boiling water. Derick felt that if anyone were to pour boiling water on him while he was asleep, he'd make them reenact a legendary warrior's last stand.
"Derick, be extremely careful," Castorice reminded him.
"Mm, I will be."
Derick nodded lightly.
The Blade of Scourge in his hand was held protectively before him, the greatsword gathering the energy of the Titan of Strife. Castorice also tightened her grip on her scythe, which emitted a purple energy glow.
Pollux spread its claws, gathering two torrents of River Styx water, each the width of a person's waist. The water transformed into ferocious shockwaves, rushing straight towards Derick and Castorice.
This River Styx water had an extremely destructive effect on the living, and neither Derick nor Castorice wanted to touch it. Thus, they both dodged Pollux's attacks, splitting left and right like two streaks of golden and purple light, heading towards Pollux's body.
Pollux lashed out with both claws, attempting to stop Derick and Castorice's attacks. Castorice, being slightly weaker, had her scythe blocked by Pollux's claw. On the other side, Derick's Blade of Scourge, infused with the Titan of Strife's energy, managed to cleave through the condensed Titan of Death energy in Pollux's claw, leaving a wound upon it.
Derick and Castorice returned to an empty patch of ground untouched by the River Styx water.
"How are you? Are you injured?" Derick asked Castorice.
"I'm fine." Castorice shook her head, her gaze fixed on the wound Derick had inflicted on Pollux's claw. "Derick, your attack..."
Just as she was about to comment on its effect, Castorice noticed a golden light slowly converging, actually healing the wound Derick had caused.
"Err... this seems to be the energy from your body, Derick."
Castorice didn't know what kind of expression to show Derick at this moment. His energy had awakened Pollux, his energy had harmed Pollux, and now his energy was repairing the wounds on its body.
Derick was also at a loss, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
After careful observation, he relaxed and said to Castorice, "It's alright. The amount of my energy within its body isn't infinite. My attack just now dimmed my energy within it a little."
Castorice observed as well and found that Derick was right. The golden hue within the great dragon Pollux's body had indeed weakened somewhat.
As long as it doesn't possess Derick's kind of limitless undying nature, dealing with it should be relatively easy.
Castorice felt a little more at ease.
At this moment, Pollux attacked again. It swiped its claws, summoning surging River Styx water, submerging the ground beneath Derick and Castorice. Before being engulfed, Derick and Castorice leaped up once more, launching a new round of attacks against Pollux in mid-air.
...
On the outskirts of Styxia.
Cipher and Derick's Avatar No. 1 were still facing each other. Cipher had even dozed off for a moment due to drowsiness. Just as she was about to close her eyes again, Derick's Avatar No. 1 swiftly rose and charged towards the depths of Styxia.
Now that a battle with Pollux had erupted, Derick naturally controlled his avatar to go and devour some of Pollux, allowing his main body to absorb the Titan of Death's energy.
Avatar No. 1's sudden movement was beyond Cipher's expectations. She stood up a beat too late and dashed after Derick's Avatar No. 1.
"Hey, you—thing, why the sudden attack?!"
Cipher pushed off with her feet, flashing behind Derick's Avatar No. 1 with a light-speed attack. However, Derick was prepared this time. As Cipher attacked, he adopted a defensive stance, bracing against Cipher's greave-clad shin, and then fiercely slammed her towards the ground behind him.
Cipher spun several times in mid-air before landing.
"Damn it, this monster is so cunning! It didn't make a move earlier just to make me lower my guard!" Cipher once again unleashed her divine speed, preparing to attack Derick's Avatar No. 1.
However, Derick had long been prepared. Coupled with his avatar's undying nature, even if Cipher landed a few attacks, he could still maneuver the avatar towards the battlefield where his main body and Castorice were.
The battle between Derick, Castorice, and Pollux grew increasingly fierce. Cipher clearly saw that Derick was in the midst of an intense fight.
"I can't let you go and interfere with Derry's attack!"
Cipher thought, her hands moving quickly, trying to restrict Avatar No. 1's movements.
But the distance to Derick's battlefield wasn't far. After knocking Cipher away a few times, Avatar No. 1 had already charged into the fray.
"Derry, Castorice, you two be careful!"
Cipher shouted loudly from behind.
...
On Pollux's battlefield, Castorice and Derick had already successfully suppressed it. Even though Pollux's body possessed the undying nature from Derick's blood, under continuous attrition, little of it remained. This was even with Derick multitasking, still controlling his avatar to head this way.
Castorice's scythe swung, leaving several wounds on Pollux's body. A pang of heartache struck Castorice.
"Don't continue, you'll only get hurt more severely," she thought.
Just then, Cipher's shout reached her ears.
After assuming a defensive posture, Castorice saw a huge, pitch-black humanoid creature charge onto Pollux's body.
"Ah?!"
A look of astonishment appeared on Castorice's face.
In her eyes, the pitch-black humanoid figure slashed heavily across Pollux's back, cutting it open and tearing out a large chunk of flesh. After tearing out the flesh, Derick "belatedly" swung his sword to attack it.
The pitch-black humanoid figure didn't resist much, merely kicking Pollux hard and dodging to the side. Derick launched an attack at it.
Cipher hurried over.
Derick immediately said to her, "Cipher, go help Castorice deal with Pollux first. I'll handle this fellow here."
"Alright."
Cipher knew this monster was not Nikador, but its combat power was almost equivalent to Nikador's. In a frontal assault, Cipher admitted she was no match for it. Entrusting it to Derick, who also possessed Nikador's combat power, while she went to help Castorice was very reasonable.
Pollux was now at the end of its tether. Facing their attacks, defeat was only a matter of time.
"Castorice, I'll help you!"
Cipher ran to Castorice's side, similarly adopting an attack stance. The two joined forces and once again attacked Pollux.
...
"You little fiend, my apologies."
Derick and his avatar fought fiercely, moving to one side. Looking at the flesh torn from the avatar, Derick thought to himself. That attack just now was quite vicious.
While thinking, Derick also engaged in a counter-attack with his avatar. Derick felt his ability to multitask, to fight with both left and right hands simultaneously, was growing stronger. The battle between himself and his avatar was surprisingly smooth, without any hitches.
Derick and his avatar held nothing back. With Avatar No. 2 ensuring his undying nature, Derick could output damage freely. Blow after blow landed, and Derick and his avatar even fought until both their bodies had several large holes torn through them.
As for their identical fighting styles, outsiders wouldn't suspect a thing. After all, both their martial skills came from Nikador; it was perfectly normal for their techniques to be the same.
And taking advantage of this opportunity, Derick's avatar quickly devoured the flesh torn from Pollux.
Once the devouring was mostly complete, Derick seized an opportunity, grabbed his avatar, and flung it into the River Styx.
Derick's avatar plummeted into the River Styx.
After doing all this, Derick looked at Castorice and Cipher, who were still battling Pollux, and rushed towards them.
"Go down!"
Cipher kicked Pollux hard on the chin.
"Pollux, stop!"
Castorice's scythe left a huge gash on its abdomen.
Derick flew back at this moment. Seeing Pollux in this state, he intended to deliver the final blow. Sheathing his Blade of Scourge, Derick took out the Spear of Retribution. A golden light emanated from his body, and the spear, originally the height of a man, grew to several tens of meters long.
Derick swung with all his might. The Spear of Retribution plunged deeply into the wound his Avatar No. 1 had torn open earlier. The immense force slammed Pollux to the ground, piercing through its chest and impaling it there.
"The battle is over."
The three of them quickly descended, arriving beside Pollux.
"Derry, how did your battle over there go?" Cipher asked Derick.
"It had an undying attribute. I fought it for a long time but couldn't kill it. In the end, I could only throw it into the River Styx and banish it from here," Derick replied.
"Is that so..." Hearing this result, Cipher felt a little unwilling. After all, in her eyes, she had been deceived by that monster, so naturally, she would have preferred Derick to have beaten the avatar more miserably.
"Forget it. Banishing it is fine too, as long as it doesn't hinder you from absorbing Thanatos's energy."
Cipher's personality was quite magnanimous. In a flash, she put the matter aside, looking expectantly at Derick to absorb the Titan of Death's energy.
"Alright."
Derick nodded, but he didn't immediately begin to absorb it. Because Castorice, at this moment, had walked up to Pollux and reached out to stroke it.
"Can you... can you tell me, what exactly is my origin?"
She asked Pollux.
_____
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