Chapter 279: Against The Crimson Frog King, A Master Of... Martial Arts?!

-----

Riven rushed at the giant Frog King without further delay. The beast narrowed its large yellow eyes and rushed back at him with equal force. Its powerful legs clashed against Riven’s fists, releasing a powerful crimson shockwave of inner power that shook the entire island and sent mud and water flying in every direction. The Crimson Frog King waited for nobody. It kicked and punched Riven from every angle with surprising skill and precision, constantly pushing him back more and more across the muddy ground. It moved with unexpected grace and incredible strength, exuding dense inner energy, true Ki, within its muscular body.

"Oh, it is exactly as I’ve read in the records. The Crimson Frog King is... a master of Martial Arts!"

Daniela’s eyes widened even further in shock. "Eh? A Kung Fu Frog?!"

Riven barely had time to process Daniela’s shocked comment before the Crimson Frog King launched another rapid series of strikes. Its thick, scaled fists moved with the precision of a trained martial artist, each punch carrying dense waves of crimson Ki that cracked the air and sent mud flying in every direction. The ground under their feet turned into a mess of deep footprints and scattered water.

He blocked the first two blows with crossed arms, feeling the impact rattle through his bones despite his reinforced body. The force traveled up his shoulders and made his teeth clench for a second. The third strike slipped past his guard and slammed into his side, forcing him to slide backward several meters across the wet island. Mud splashed up his legs and stuck to his clothes.

"Stronger than the records suggested," Riven muttered under his breath, wiping a thin trail of blood from the corner of his mouth. "And it still has Vladimir inside its stomach."

The Frog King did not give him a moment to recover. It crouched low, powerful legs coiling like springs, then leaped high into the air. Its massive body blotted out the red-tinted sky for a brief second before it came crashing down with both fists aimed directly at Riven’s head. The wind from the jump pushed the surrounding water outward in a wide circle.

Riven sidestepped at the last instant. The ground where he had stood exploded into a deep crater, water and mud spraying upward in a dirty fountain that rained back down on both of them. Before the frog could recover its stance, Riven’s body blurred forward. Dragon scales already covered his arms as he drove a heavy punch straight into the monster’s soft underbelly. The scales dug into the flesh and left a clear imprint.

CRAAASH!

The Frog King staggered, a wet, guttural croak escaping its throat. Riven did not stop. He followed with a rapid barrage of strikes, each one infused with a combination of Dragon Flames and the sharp edge of his Mana Nature. Ghostly blades of poison and nether energy formed around his fists, cutting shallow but painful wounds across the frog’s thick hide. Green-black liquid seeped from the cuts and mixed with the mud.

Inside the monster’s stomach, Vladimir was far from idle. The acidic juices burned against his skin, yet his newly gained dragon blood and regenerative abilities kept him alive. He roared in frustration and began tearing at the soft inner walls with his claws, releasing bursts of dragon fire whenever he could gather enough breath. The heat made the acid bubble and steam, filling the confined space with a foul smell.

"You disgusting, oversized toad! Spit me out already! Aaagghh!"

The Frog King suddenly clutched its stomach, its martial stance breaking for the first time. Its large eyes narrowed in clear discomfort as it staggered sideways. Riven seized the opening. He summoned Fenrir’s Fang into his right hand and poured a large amount of Spiritual Energy into the blade. The black metal glowed with a fusion of abyssal darkness and dragon flames that lit up the immediate area.

He swung the massive sword in a wide horizontal arc. A crescent of pure destructive energy tore through the air and slammed into the Frog King’s chest. The impact sent the monster flying backward into the cave wall with enough force to crack the stone. Chunks of rock fell around it, and the wall behind it gained a deep indentation shaped roughly like its body.

CRAAASH!

At the same moment, Vladimir finally ripped an opening from the inside. The Frog King’s stomach burst open in a spray of acid and blood, and the pale, irritated man tumbled out onto the muddy ground, coughing and cursing. He wiped acid from his face with the back of his hand and shook more of it from his hair.

"Ugh! I can’t believe this thing ate me...!" Vladimir growled as he stood up, his clothes partially melted but his body was already healing. Red patches of skin closed over as the dragon blood worked.

The Crimson Frog King was not finished. Even with a gaping wound in its abdomen, it forced itself upright. Crimson Ki flared around its body like a burning aura that pushed the surrounding mist away. Its eyes locked onto Riven with pure killing intent. It raised both arms and began forming a complex series of hand seals that no ordinary monster should have known. The seals glowed faintly red as its Ki concentrated between its palms.

A dense sphere of compressed Ki gathered between its palms, growing larger and denser with every second. The air around it distorted slightly from the pressure.

Riven’s expression hardened. He could feel the power behind that technique. If it landed cleanly, even he would take some serious damage. He adjusted his stance, Fenrir’s Fang still in hand, and prepared to meet the attack head-on while Vladimir moved to the side to avoid the direct line of fire.

The Frog King finished the seals and thrust both palms forward. The sphere of Ki shot out like a cannonball, leaving a trail of red light across the island as it flew straight toward Riven’s chest.

-----