[CH598+ Continued] Dungeon Diver: Stealing A Monster's Power

Chapter 660

My aura makes the air for dozens of kilometers heavy, causing all the ice from Maria's previous attacks to shatter, melt, and boil into steam at the bottom of the crater.

I'm still hovering at the same height above this desolate land as the last time I was here, but since then, I've absorbed a True Core, two Mid-Level Yellow Cores, and roughly three thousand additional raw yellow fragments.

Also, I've leveled up, fully healed my body through hibernation, and increased my base energy control multiple times by siphoning raw mana into the labyrinth, as well as farming trillions of MCP from mobs on floors 80-106. To top it off, I recently filled and drained my soul energy core countless times to strengthen the Crimson Dome.

The crater's floor shatters and deepens multiple kilometers under the sheer pressure of my aura's presence.

As I lift my sword and command the manifestations in front of me to charge forward, my curiosity grows with every moment that passes.

Despite the overwhelming pressure, Maria's movements remain steady, and her Ice Goddess' blade collides with the serpent clone I created, its divine thread density equal to the bronze earth dragon I faced as my first True Core opponent.

When her sword clashes with the serpent's fangs, they are locked in place for a matter of seconds.

An overwhelming wave of pure royal blue soul energy explodes from Maria's form, while the serpent bends gravity and tightens its threads to hold on, pushing back against the strike.

Neither side is backing down. My eyes widen as, at first glance, their powers appear equal, showing that it really is possible to overpower a True Core with high stats alone. However, my All-Seeing Eye tells a different story once I fully comprehend the situation.

There is a glaring difference between the two forces that collide.

The serpent's power is far denser and purer, making its yellow energy silky and nearly white. The separation between the mana present in its form is almost indiscernible from the energy itself.

Maria, on the other hand, is now far brighter blue than she was moments ago. A surging wave of mana control and raw power ripples out of her, but the yellow threads reinforcing her form remain just that—threads. The separation between mana and divine energy is clear.

The two forces are working together to strengthen her attacks, but her Soul Energy is the dominant force behind them.

Her Soul Energy core pulses, just like I saw in her previous battle, but it is far denser with pure mana than before. The yellow divine core pulses at the same time, but it is being overpowered by the mana in her Ice Goddess Form. She becomes an even deeper blue, tearing through the serpent in a single strike.

An eerie aura follows, making my real body reflexively shiver as if she's using an intimidation skill.

Looking into her core with my full perception during that attack was no different from staring into an endless abyss with greedy invisible hands trying to pull me in.

The crescent of soul energy that follows her strike heads toward me, but I snap out of my daze before it hits, airstepping to the side while yelling through our link.

"Good. Again, this one's much stronger!"

Then, I command the manifestation of a dragon to flap its wings and dive toward her, its divine energy density matching the power of Raven, what I'd consider a mid-level True Core.

Divine flames burst from its mouth, and a replicated dragon's roar echoes through the air as the Ice Goddess dodges the attack to get a better angle for a counterstrike.