Soul of Searing Steel

Fists that that swirled as urgent cyclones, even flashing in green-blue bolts. However, Helm had no intention of dodging such a dangerous attack.

At that moment, the Demon General was already aware that the man before its eyes was the most powerful and determined foe it had in life, as well as the most extraordinary Monarch-tier champion it had ever seen. Helm had traveled countless worlds, fighting against the champions from millions upon millions of races, and yet the Steel giant before its eyes could directly block its [Star Blaze].

Neither rage nor hate was not worth mentioning in the face of such a being. As a champion that had surpassed its own lifeform as well, Helm knew that it was an utmost rarity and pleasure to be able to exchange blows against such an opponent—ever since it ascended and became Demon General, it never received delight from combat for a long time. Now, even if the demon seemed to be diving impetuously at Joshua, it was unusually tranquil inwardly in reality.

It had grasped the opportunity for victory.

Bang! A sound resembling a metal plate being penetrated resounded as Helm allowed the four Steel fists to strike its body explicitly, the solid psionic body promptly blasted into pieces by the spiraling punches that were wrapped in searing heat and powerful volts. Even the warrior who struck paused slightly after having succeeded so easily, and soon realized that things were not well! The enemy was not really shattered by his fist, but had split on its own accord before it was struck!

Soon, as expected, with a smug cry from the Thousand-Eyed Python, countless energy fragments appeared to have broken apart by the spiral iron fists reassembled in the air, each turning into small spine cannons that floated in the air, before streaking towards the warrior's back and flanks in arcs resembling a meteor!

Floating Bone Cannons! On the front end of those bone spines were barrels hollowed into the center where immeasurably intense energy radiance assembled—the last ounces of Helm's energy reserves. It took aim the warrior's flanks and the blind corner of his back, scheming to target his left side that had been pulverized by the [Star Blaze] just a while ago to destroy Joshua's body from within at its weakest spot!

The Demon General could tell that the warrior's body was incomparably sturdy and could not be damaged by ordinary attacks, which was why he must choose to focus on his vitals. Through inspection from the Legendary demon's [All-Knowing Eye], it had learned about every flaw and energy points throughout Joshua's body, although it did not mean that it would be struck just because it was there. The warrior had four arms that could easily parry attacks from every direction, which was why if a direct hit was desired, certain things need to be sacrificed so that the opponent could be lured out of its defenses.

The demon did not even hesitate using its body as bait; it wanted neither side to come out of it unscathed. Within that instant, as the bone cannons charged and ejected blazing, golden-green ion beams, its psionic body that was large enough to warp around mountains pressed forward at Joshua's viciously too. Even the warrior could not push away that brute strength which did not mind its own injuries at all, and so the whole colossal body simply constricted the giant god's own, forcing Joshua to stay where he was!

It was a simple, crude but extremely effective method. Such was the natural way of combat the demon adopted after centuries of fighting in close quarters. Despite not knowing any techniques or any rationale of combat tactics, Helm always grasped the heart of the matter: exhaust all methods to hurt the enemy as much it could.

And now, the warrior had fallen into dire straits.

Rationally speaking, this blow was lethal for whoever it may be—a body shackled and immobilized for seconds, allowing the enemy to assault their own weakness however they wanted, it was essentially sentencing normal beings to having their hands tied in the face of death.

However, quite a few methods flashed through Joshua's mind. Whether it was shrinking his body to avoid the ion beam or moving his vitals and 'open holes' over his own Steel body and allow the rays to freely 'hit' himself, all were moves that could quell the danger.

And yet he did not want to do so.

The warrior was respectful of the courage displayed in the Demon General's unhesitating self-abandoning blow. Even the most savage of enemies and beasts had flashes of what could be called virtues, which was why Joshua decided to face it head-on this time.

In the very instant endless tiny yet focused ion beam streaked towards him, Joshua never once withdrew the four arms that kept pummeling and punching through the Thousand-Eyed Python's body. His entire body expanded and contracted, raising tides of lightning while turbulent energy ripples turned into cascading winds. The air currents that billowed through the air as an extremely complex high-frequency form became innumerable chaotic yet minuscule gaseous construct, with some resembling convex mirrors or convex mirrors. Under the hold of Steel strength, these atmospheric lenses that refracted and projected each other spread through every inch of the warrior's body.

Air Armor! In front of the gaseous armor that appeared hazy due to high-frequency tremors, the seemingly vicious rays were instantly refracted into multiple sporadic and dull radiances by the mirror shards. Rays that were deflected towards ground turned the entire land into a sea of fire in a second, while those deflected to the sky shaped into a dazzling rainbow with the toxic steam that wafted in the air, unleashing beautiful colors.

Not good, defeat is assured if this goes on!

Helm was definitely aware of the dreadfulness of the situation, but it was no longer wrapped around the warrior. As the sounds of body being torn apart resounded, the two robust arms to Joshua's sides stopped punched at the enemy to shrug it away, and sunk deep into the psionic body of the Thousand-Eyed Python instead like two machetes instead, pinning down the Demon General with a stranglehold! At the same time, the warrior's two other hands rose high above as if two giant hammers on standby, preparing to smash the struggling python into a puddle deep into the earth's crust!

Having seen the development, the Thousand-eyed Python promptly issued a shrill cry, and the bone cannons that were levitating in the air immediately turned into lances that darted unyieldingly at Joshua's location. The powerful gales wrought on by speed several times the velocity of sound tore spiraling windstorms up above as if pillars of hurricanes, with thunder flashing amidst the hazy turbulence. Even stones that were drawn within were pulverized instantly into floating dust!

If Joshua chose to keep holding on to Helm right now he would be torn through and through by those lethal bone lances without question. But if he let go, it was allowing a tiger to return to its mountain—how rarely did an opportunity to maim a Legendary came by? Helm would never keep up the fatal melee after escaping too, it would definitely retreat and await backup before fighting the warrior once more.

The moment of choice has arrived.