Max knew he could not let Matumba recover for too long, hence without a moment's hesitation, Max plucked a massive boulder, easily the size of a small house, placed it over his shoulder and threw himself off the cliff, diving down towards Matumba's fallen form.
[Earth Comet Impact]
Max roared, driving the boulder straight towards Matumba with the ferocity of a comet. Matumba grunted in response, his muscles rippling as he swung his swords in an X-formation to block the incoming attack.
[Quad Blade Wall]
The resulting collision resulted in a shockwave that rippled through the battlefield. Matumba, staggered but still standing, looked up to find Max landing a few yards away, an intense, determined expression on his face.
As they locked eyes, Max felt a shiver run down his spine. Matumba was a god, a being of pure power and ferocity and not even a half baked one like Rose Medici who had only became a god a few months ago, but a full-fledged tier6 god who was trained and raised by Avans himself.
Everything from his technique to moveset was top-notch. This was a genuine tier6 opponent that Max was facing while not relying on Angakok but his very own strength.
Their battle began in earnest then, the sound of their attacks colliding resounding throughout the surrounding areas, audible even from the mountain top above.
Much to Max's dismay, Matumba was faster and stronger than him, his every move packed with terrifying power that threatened to crush Max. The difference between tier5 and tier6 was like a chasm, a void that seemed impossible for a mortal to bridge.
But while he was annoyed, The shock on Matumba's face was even more pronounced, he felt no trace of divine essence on Max which made him feel like he was facing a mortal but Max's movement speed and power were closed to his own which made him feel otherwise.
Despite being slower, Max had an ace up his sleeve which helped him go shoulder to shoulder with Matumba.
His Way Of The Wind, a skill honed over countless battles and brutal training, allowed him to predict Matumba's movements before they were executed. It gave him the edge, the precious few moments he needed to dodge or counterattack.
[ Dragon's Breath ]
As Matumba charged straight towards Max, Max chose to use Dragon's Breath to push him back, however despite his extremely powerful attack, Matumba charged forward undettered.
[Blade Tempest]
His swords moved in a blinding flurry, attempting to deflect Max's attack, he neutralised the flames to nothing only to two other fire attacks hidden nearly behind the Dragons Breath.
*BOOM*
*HISSS*
An [ Inferno ] and [ Fireball ] spell hidden perfectly behind the flames of the Dragons Breath hit Matumba squarely over his chest armour, forcing him to stagger backwards.
Max didn't waste the opportunity from the opening he had created, conjuring a tempest around his fists using his wind magic Max used the attack
[Wind Cyclone Punch]
His fists moved in a blinding flurry, each punch carrying the strength of a tempest. Matumba's eyes widened, and he barely managed to parry with [Stone Fortress], a defensive move that surrounded him with a protective barrier of earth. But even that crumbled under Max's relentless assault.
Matumba's shock was palpable. A mortal, managing to gain the upper hand against a god? It was inconceivable! But Max's unique abilities and his elemental manipulation were giving him a real challenge. Matumba's agitation flared, his attacks becoming more ferocious. But no matter how he lashed out, Max skilfully dodged or countered, chipping away at Matumba's strength little by little.
In the sky above, Mira was a perfect reminder to the universe about the fury of her mother Rhea, an exact duplicate as she was raining fire onto the enemy troops.
The scent of burnt flesh filled the air as she swept across the battlefield, leaving trails of fire in her wake.
It was at this moment that a new force entered the battlefield - DarkSorrow, Anna and the entirety of the fourth legion joined the fray as they had arrived from the back of the mountain and were now joining the twilight clan in pushing the horde of mercenaries back.
As the fresh troops flooded the battlefield, their arrival shifted the tide of the battle overwhelmingly in favour of the vampires. DarkSorrow, an ex-mercenary himself had no respect for those who followed Avans to the dark side as he let the mercenaries in front of him face his full wrath.
As a man of staunch principals, allying with the demonkind was unacceptable for him.
As the fourth legion began reclaiming lost ground, Max and Matumba continued their intense battle. Matumba was taking the fight much more seriously now that he was injured once as he cancelled the notion that Max might be a mortal.
There was absolutely no chance that a mortal could go toe to toe with a god like him and hence he did not hold anything back while facing Max.
With a primal cry, Matumba charged at Max, all four of his arms extended outwards, his blades swirling in a deadly dance. He was no longer underestimating his opponent, no longer holding anything back. The opponent before him had managed to shake him, to cause him pain - it was a disgrace he could not tolerate. He attacked with a fury unparalleled, his strikes fast and brutal.
Max, on the other hand, was starting to feel the heat of having to move as fast as he could every second of the fight. If he slipped for even a moment, he would be hit as every moment demanded everything out of him.
He needed to detect, react, counter and plan for the next move all at once atleast twice every second and it was not an easy task to keep up for a long time.
He felt every graze, every near-miss, the pain searing through his veins as it confirmed the terrifying reality he was living - he was up against a god, a divine being whose strength was on another level. It was a constant reminder of the gap between mortals and deities, an unforgiving chasm that made it harder and harder for him to keep up.
Matumba seemed to be everywhere at once, his speed blinding, his strikes relentless. Max barely managed to deflect a particularly vicious strike aimed at his heart with a last second [ Flame shield ] as he could feel the air crackle with energy every time Matumba's swords cut through it.
Max had begun to notice a change in Matumba's tactics. Instead of his earlier wild, uncontained attacks aimed at suppressing him, Matumba was now moving with precision, each strike a calculated move. His earlier complacency had morphed into a cold, calculated determination, a tactical change that posed a new challenge for Max.
Max parried and dodged, his agility honed from his elemental training, his movements a blur as he used his wind manipulation to boost his speed. Despite this, he could feel himself getting pushed back under Matumba's relentless onslaught.
Max tried to play tricks with Matumba's mind, he removed air-resistance from the surroundings, manipulated the very earth beneath them, causing it to quake and crack under their feet, trying to throw Matumba off his calculations, hoping to catch him off-balance, but the god was too sharp to fall for such petty tricks as he adjusted to Max's tricks almost as fast as he attempted them.
Finally as Max tried to push Matumba back with a gust of wind, Matumba stomped his foot and created a powerful shockwave that should have knocked Max off his feet but to Matumba's astonishment, his adversary was still standing, still fighting like nothing had happened.
Just like him, Max could adapt to his attacks just as quickly as catching him off-guard was difficult.
A flicker of respect ignited in Matumba's eyes, quickly replaced by a renewed determination. He wouldn't be defeated by a puny vampire, no matter how extraordinary.
Matumba, feeling the drain of the long-drawn battle, decided to take a different approach. His attacks, though slower now, were more deliberate. He was no longer attempting to overpower Max with sheer force. Instead, he was looking for openings, analysing Max's movements for a weakness he could exploit.
An air of grim determination hung over the battlefield as the two continued to lock in a fierce battle. Max, sensing Matumba's change of strategy, forced himself to focus, despite the fatigue threatening to overtake him. His every move had to be calculated, his every action precise. A single mistake could cost him his life.
Just as Max managed to gain a breather as a result of Matumba backing off a bit, he felt a sudden surge in Matumba's aura.
Max's eyes widened as he saw the swords in Matumba's hands begin to glow with a terrifying energy. It was pure, unadulterated divine essence, a force only god's could wield in the universe.
Max realised with a jolt of fear that Matumba was about to unleash an attack that was several times stronger than a peak tier5 attack.
Something that no amount of training could ever prepare him for and something which if landed would cut him in several pieces.
He needed to think quickly on his feet, he could not just hope to evade or stop the attack once it was unleashed as that would be suicidal.
He needed a better plan, something to stop Matumba from being able to use this move and he needed it immediately.
*******
( Meanwhile Rudra )
Rudra watched the battle between Max and Matumba unfold with bated breaths. The enemy was stronger than Max in terms of raw power and battle sense, but Max's excellent elemental training was giving him the edge he needed to stay competitive.
Never did Rudra consider breaking his cover early, but at this moment he was on his toes.
If Matumba unleashed his divine attack, Rudra did not care about being found out as he would open a dimensional portal instantly and stop the attack.
He could not let Max die under his watch, hence even if it meant letting Lucifer and his revenge go, he would not let take a chance and let Max die.