Tap, tap—
Ian kicked off the lting Abyssal Warden’s collapsing body and sprinted forward.
Ahead, half-shrouded in the mist, the griffin retreated deeper, partially concealing itself again. Behind it, barely visible through the haze, was the silhouette of the priest with arms raised high toward the sky.
As expected. The ritual is still ongoing.
Even through the obscuring mist, the violet cracks of light emanating from the priest’s hands glowed brightly.
The priest had noticed Ian’s presence but retreated rather than attack, likely unable to perform other actions. The griffin, too, seed sluggish, unable to take flight or move quickly. They were vulnerable—almost defenseless.
Thud-thud-thud—
But, of course, it wasn’t entirely unguarded.
Ian heard rapid footsteps closing in from both sides, accompanied by the piercing sound of slicing air. He slamd the greatsword’s blade diagonally into the ground, halting abruptly.
Swish—Clang!
The tendrils lashed out rapidly, so grazing the flat of his sword, while one scraped against the Platinum Barrier raised in his other hand.
Ian perceived every strike clearly. If he hadn’t been casting a spell, he could have dodged all of them with ease.
Three in total.
His crimson-tinted eyes scanned the mist. Though their size and appearance varied slightly, all three were Abyssal Wardens. Their bladed legs moved at a frightening pace as they closed in.
Tap, tap, tap—
The eerie, glowing eyes embedded in their torsos pulsed ominously.
Still, these creatures were smaller and weaker than the one Ian had faced in the ga. The one from the ga had been far larger, immune to both physical and magical attacks, save for its singular weakness—the eye. However, judging by their reliance on tendrils, it seed they couldn’t even fire magic beams from their eyes.
They haven’t fully ford their bodies yet, huh?
It seed they hadn’t had enough ti to regain their original forms from the void completely. The sa applied to the Abyssal Maws; encountering them in the void would have made defeating them far more difficult.
Though Ian couldn’t determine the exact chanics, it seed these creatures lost a significant portion of their strength when passing through the rift and the veil. That the Black Wall was rely eroding and not yet fully transford into a demonic realm probably had sothing to do with it. They couldn’t entirely defy the rules of this world.
Just slightly loosened, that should be all.
Having concluded, Ian stretched his left hand forward, fingers spread wide.
Rumble—
The crimson gemstone embedded in his palm glead brightly, and a torrent of flas burst forth like a waterfall. It was the Fla Tide.
Ian tightened his grip on the greatsword’s hilt to brace himself as the searing flas surged forward. Sweeping his palm sideways, he guided the fire’s path. ꭆἁΝоβÊṣ
Fwoosh—
The brilliant yellowish-red inferno, amplified by the chaos energy and the gemstone, expanded wildly in all directions. The fire was untad, moving unpredictably even to Ian. It spread outward in a wide arc, consuming everything in its path until its magic was exhausted.
Crackle—
As the flas receded, the gemstone dimd and shattered, its essence bead fully depleted.
Ian didn’t care. He simply shook his left hand to brush off the debris and yanked his greatsword free from the ground.
The raging fire wall receded into the distance, revealing the Abyssal Wardens.
They had charged straight through the inferno, their chest-embedded eyes reopening with a sharp, violet gleam. Although their bodies sizzled and crackled with flas, unlike the Warden consud by the White Blaze earlier, none of them emitted psychic waves.
So, it’s not doing much damage after all.
Still, it wasn’t entirely ineffective. The fire seed to have rendered their tendrils useless—all had curled and withdrawn into their bodies. Unfortunately, their multi-jointed bladed arms remained intact and fully functional.
Ian locked onto his first target and sprinted.
—Do ■■ ■top the ■■■…. of ■■e ■■■ighty ■■… ■■ ■■chaos…
A psychic pulse rippled through Ian’s mind at that mont. It carried fragnts of the priest’s thoughts, filled with hatred, obsession, and an undeniable hint of madness.
Ian didn’t stop or respond.
What the hell are you even saying?
He rely swung his greatsword, releasing a sweeping arc of white flas that streaked toward the charging Wardens.
Slash—Sizzle!
The glowing slash scored a clean line across one of the Warden’s sizzling torsos. The effect was imdiate—the Warden’s curled tendrils twitched, and its charge faltered for a mont.
Halting his montum, he planted his feet, forced his sword to a stop mid-swing, and dashed forward toward the nearest Warden.
Woosh!
Three scythe-like blades from the Warden slashed through the air, grazing Ian’s body by re inches as he dodged with uncanny precision.
At this heightened state of Concentration, his instincts were sharp enough to border on precognition.
Clang—Crack—Sizzle!
His greatsword swept upward in a diagonal slash, carving through the Warden’s abdon, chest, and the massive eye at its center in one powerful strike.
The eye burst violently, white flas consuming its ruptured remains. The Warden’s body trembled uncontrollably. Ian gripped the hilt of his sword tightly with both hands, following through to the very end of his swing.
Crunch!
A sensation like breaking ice reverberated through the blade as it tore through the creature’s body.
—■■ ■■■!
The Warden released a psychic scream, its blade-tipped arms flailing in a frenzied, spasmodic attack. But Ian, already landing from his strike, was ready for his next move.
Swoosh!
Spinning his body, Ian swung the greatsword like a bat, its massive blade connecting with the Warden’s lower body.
Crash—Thud!
The swing swept away the lower half of the Warden’s body, sending its crumpled torso tumbling across the ground. The impact had fractured Ian’s blade, chipping it along the edges, but he didn’t care.
Thud-thud—
Ian paid it no mind. He planted his sword into the ground to stop its montum, then broke into a sprint toward the next Warden.
That one was as good as dead, with its ruptured eye still smoldering from the White Blaze. Dealing with the others was the priority now.
Ian locked his gaze on the charging creatures, their bodies cloaked in the White Blaze.
—Do ■■ ■top the ■■■…. of ■■e ■■■ighty ■■… ■■ ■■chaos…
Once again, the priest’s deranged thoughts rippled through Ian’s mind.
Tch. Even with the blessing, I’m treated like a corrupted one, huh?
Ian clicked his tongue inwardly. The priest seed to have detected the chaos energy in Ian’s magic or the resonance emanating from the fragnt of chaos.
Like I care.
Thinking this, Ian twisted his body and pushed off the ground with all his strength. The scythe-like blades lashed out, grazing his cloak as they passed. At the sa ti, the greatsword in his hands ca crashing down in a wide, glowing arc.
Clang! Crackle!
The blade left a radiant white streak across the Warden’s body. Though this ti he didn’t cut through the creature’s eye, Ian remained unfazed.
Thud!
He drove the greatsword into the ground with a heavy thrust and imdiately released the hilt with his left hand, twisting his body mid-motion. As his lower body lifted slightly into the air, Ian extended his left arm outward with all his might.
Crunch!
The edge of the Platinum Barrier drove deep into the Warden’s eye.
Clang!
At the sa ti, one of the creature’s scythe-like blades raked across Ian’s chest. The impact of the blade against his White Phosphor Armor caused sparks to fly as it shattered a few scales and sliced the edge of his Shadow Cloak.
Damn, that was sharp.
Gritting his teeth, Ian pushed his left arm further outward, driving the barrier deeper into the creature’s eye. His entire body collided with the Warden as the force overwheld it. Its elongated body toppled backward, unable to withstand the damage to its weak point.
Following the creature’s fall, Ian yanked his greatsword free with a reversed grip.
Thud!
The weight of his body and blade drove the Platinum Barrier even deeper into the eye as they landed together.
Crunch—
A sickening sound echoed as sothing burst beneath the shattered eye.
As the fallen Warden’s body convulsed, Ian adjusted his stance, lifting the greatsword toward the final Warden charging at him. Using the embedded barrier as a pivot, he lashed his body forward like a whip and extended his right arm.
Shwee—Thump!
The greatsword flew, leaving a streak of White Blaze through the air. The glowing arc pierced straight through the chest of the approaching Warden.
Crunch!
The blade embedded itself in the creature’s eye, sending it sprawling backward.
Guess that worked.
He watched the blade protrude from the creature’s torso. The White Blaze continued to burn, consuming the Warden’s eye.
However, it didn’t matter. The power source was almost gone.
Tap, tap, tap!
Without hesitation, Ian turned and kicked off the ground. Although Wardens’ fluids drenched his body, he ignored them, focusing on what lay ahead.
Fwoosh—
Ahead, the Fla Tide receded into the distance, vaporizing the mist as it moved. For the first ti, Ian felt a sense of clarity—the stifling fog had lifted.
Through the dissipating haze, the black wall lood, glowing dark red with its relentless erosion. It was much closer than Ian had expected.
About two hundred and fifty ters away.
It wasn’t the most pressing matter at the mont. What truly demanded his attention was far closer.
—You ■■■■ sto■ ■he ■■... The ■■ of ■■ draws near…
The maddened mutterings of the priest and the grotesque form of the griffin grew sharper as Ian closed the distance. Tossing his greatsword had made his movents lighter, his strides almost weightless.
In the blink of an eye, Ian cast Wind Blade to propel himself forward. Once he was close enough, he pushed off the ground with all his might.
Whoosh—
His body arced high into the air, tracing a massive parabola.
Beneath him, the griffin ca into full view, its twisted form sprawling below. Ian reached toward his waist as he took in the creature’s grotesque appearance.
It’s in better condition than I expected.
The griffin’s body bore no flas. With its wings fully spread, it seemingly repelled the fire entirely, likely through so form of magic. Its skeletal wings, charred black and withered, lacked feathers.
—Regret■■ ■shall be... the ■■ of ■■’s ■...
Its warped wings matched the rest of the griffin’s warped body. Its violet-glowing eyes stared up at him, its massive fra distorted and monstrous. What little resemblance it had to a griffin ca from its sharp, bird-like beak, its skeletal wings, and its four legs resembling those of a bird.
Ian ignored the priest’s ramblings, drawing his Truesilver Steel Sword in one smooth motion.
Swoosh—
Upon leaving its scabbard, the blade’s etched Mantra and golden patterns shone with magical light. The pure white blade shimred with radiant yellow energy.
This was why Ian had discarded his greatsword. From the start, he had resolved to kill the priest with Platinum’s Claw.
—It’s already ■■. Co■e! I ■ death■.
As the priest’s chaotic thoughts surged again, the griffin reared up, raising its front claws toward Ian as he descended. Its motion was protective, shielding its master from the strike. The priest’s outstretched arms disappeared behind the griffin’s massive fra.
Whoosh—
Ian’s Wind Blade adjusted his trajectory midair, curving him at a sharp angle. With his Light Sword gripped tightly, Ian slashed horizontally.
Slice—
The blade cleaved cleanly through the griffin’s neck, the sensation as effortless as slicing tofu.
As Ian passed the collapsing creature, he glanced back at the grotesque fusion of the priest and the griffin. The grotesque fusion of the priest and the griffin now lay fully exposed.
Beneath his hood, the priest’s distorted face ca into view. Blood poured freely from his closed eyes, his twisted nose, ears, and mouth bleeding profusely.
So that’s why he kept mumbling nonsense.
It was clear—the priest had been sacrificing his life to complete the ritual. Even for a being steeped in madness, no one could open a passage to the void without paying a price. Perhaps the mont the ritual was completed, the priest would die as a natural consequence.
Of course, Ian had no intention of letting him live that long.
Whoosh.
Ian swung his glowing longsword in a wide arc, the blade’s golden energy leaving a radiant fan-shaped trail behind.
Slice—
The strike cut through the priest’s back, erging from his chest in one fluid motion. As Ian landed and rolled across the ground, the priest’s upper body, along with the severed head of the griffin, toppled to the earth.
—It’s too la■■... My ■■ neck■■... ■ll... has bee■■…
Still not dead?
Ian leaped to his feet at the priest’s continued psychic cries, sliding to a halt before sprinting back toward the grotesque scene.
There, beside the headless body of the griffin, the priest’s remains lay. Only his torso remained; however, his arms still reached toward the sky.
Slice—
Ian’s glowing sword cleaved downward, slicing the priest’s head cleanly in two. Just then, violet energy surged through the priest, causing his body to bubble violently and then silently detonate.
Instinctively, Ian raised his Platinum Barrier to shield his face.
However, the expected impact never ca. Instead, a strange sensation washed over him—his senses dulled, and a rapid series of images flashed before his eyes like a vivid panorama.
A burning forest, filled with dead or captured elves, humans desecrating their captives, and elves swearing loyalty to their oppressors, all fueled an endless hatred for both humans and those vile traitors. And amidst it all, countless violet eyes glowed with a sinister, rciless light.
This bastard was a dark elf?
Ian’s lips twitched into a smirk.
Too damn ugly for one.
He instinctively recognized that he was witnessing the priest’s final mories—a fleeting glimpse of its life. However, that was the extent of his interest. Ian had no desire to delve deeper into the creature’s tragic backstory.
Whoosh—
The sensation soon passed, and his senses snapped back to reality. Before his eyes, a quest completion window appeared. The Abyssal Priest quest had been cleared. Ian dismissed the notification and tilted his head back to look at the sky.
Whirr—Whoooom—
The change was imdiate. The swirling, dark-red vortex closed, its eye narrowing gradually.
Finally, Ian lowered Platinum’s Claw and glanced toward the other side of the black wall. The shadowy darkness that had coated the landscape was retreating, shrinking enough for its edges to beco visible. Beyond it, the sky was still ominously dark, but less oppressive than before.
But why, why hadn’t the ominous feeling dissipated?
Ian’s gaze, which had briefly faltered, snapped back upward to the vortex’s eye above. The darkening violet shroud stretched endlessly across his vision, resembling a solar eclipse slowly consuming the sky.
Beyond that ominous veil, a colossal shadow lood, drawing ever closer. The re realization of what he was witnessing sent a wave of vertigo through Ian. His chest tightened as a bone-chilling dread coursed through him, freezing his blood.
It was then that Ian finally understood the true purpose of the Abyssal Priest’s ritual—the horror it had been summoning into the world.
That fucking pointy-eared bastard.
He knew this sensation all too well. He had felt it before, many tis—when standing before transcendent beings of the void.
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