Heaven's Slaughter
CRACKKK...!!
Despite the sudden strike, Adel's blade clashed against Abyss's spear and stopped short.
"...Tch."
As he poured his strength into it, a grinding screech of metal rang out, and black energy flowed from the spear tip, engulfing Adel.
SPLASH—!!!
Adel shoved Nazas forward with all his might and flipped backward through the air, creating distance.
SHHHH...!!!
The smoke-like energy pursued him relentlessly, refusing to let him escape. It split into three streams, aiming to strike from front and back.
Adel gripped his sword in reverse and slammed it into the ground with everything he had.
WHOOSH...!!! CRACK!!
A circle of flames erupted beneath his feet, and the wind bursting from the blade made the fire surge skyward in an instant.
BANG! BANG! BOOM!!
The incoming streams of energy slammed into the wall of fire and were blocked. They exploded in thick black smoke, blanketing the area in even denser haze.
THUD THUD!!
Adel dove into the smoke and charged toward Abyss.
SHHHH...!!
The wind spirits aided him, propelling him at explosive speed toward Abyss's back.
WHOOSH—!!!
His sword arced horizontally once more, slicing toward Abyss's neck.
This time, the blade met flesh.
[...Don't get close!!]
It was then. At Kalderet's shout, Adel instinctively twisted his body midair and pulled back his sword.
BAM—!!!
He kicked off the empty air as if stepping on solid ground. In that instant, black thorns erupted from beneath Abyss's feet.
Hundreds of them shot up like a hail of nails, engulfing Adel.
"...Kuh!!"
CRASHHH...!!! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!!
Adel covered his face and curled up. The Dragon's Gluttony armor held firm, but each impact from the black thorns sent bone-cracking echoes reverberating through it.
THUD—!!!!
Unable to withstand the shock, Adel crashed to the ground and tumbled.
"Cough!"
He spat up dark crimson blood.
[Dark Thorns... Darkness manifesting in physical form? Damn it, how deeply has this Abyss bastard been corroded by the darkness?]
"...No idea what you're saying, but this is getting annoying."
SIZZLE...!!
The blood he spat bubbled on the ground like boiling liquid.
[Adel, be careful. That's power infused with divine energy and darkness. Even dragon armor can't block it completely.]
"Got it. My guts are already burning up inside."
For the first time in ages, the searing agony made Adel grimace as he gripped Nazas tight.
[Did you ever face darkness in your previous life?]
"No. The sea gods never showed up back then. And none of the other extinct gods were particularly corrupted by darkness either."
[That's strange... With corrosion this severe, it should've broken out of its ruins on its own...?]
[If those two failed to conquer Abyss's ruins in your previous life and that's what erased the North Sea, then the seal must've been broken...]
"Who knows. Something must've happened in between. Maybe a monster that devours darkness showed up."
Adel brushed it off casually. He'd never encountered a darkness-corroded god until he unified the continent, so he figured it wasn't a major player in continental politics.
[A monster that eats darkness... Don't tell me that idiot's story was true.]
"Who?"
[Ah, never mind...]
Kalderet's evasive response irked him, but Adel focused on the enemy at hand first.
"Any weaknesses to this darkness?"
[Like Garon said, light is the most effective. But with that level of corrosion, Garon's flames won't cut it.]
"What if we descend?"
[It'd be worth a shot, but... the levels don't match. Garon's power alone would fall short...]
Kalderet trailed off. He'd realized what kind of "descent" Adel meant.
[No way... You're thinking of descending the Void?]
CLANGGG—!!!
As Abyss swung his spear, black thorns surged from the ground.
"Yeah."
Adel slashed the thorns away with his sword. In that moment, Nazas's blade trembled violently. Even the Spirit King's sacred weapon struggled against the darkness.
[Guess I'll have to stay on my toes this time.]
Despite the crisis, Kalderet spoke with a hint of excitement.
[...That voice. Kalderet?]
It was then. Abyss's spear halted mid-swing, quivering.
[You damn webbed-foot bastard! Can you hear me? How pathetic, getting devoured by darkness... Snap out of it!]
Kalderet shouted urgently.
WHOOSH...!!
But instead of a reply, black energy erupted from the spear, engulfing Adel.
[You think you can block me with that blood-clot contractor?]
Abyss sneered coldly.
WHOOOOSH—!!
He pulled his spear back, and three water streams rose behind him. Black thorns spiraled around the pillars.
[I've gained power. I don't need worshippers anymore—I'm strong on my own. Contractors are meaningless now.]
SLASH...!! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!
He swung the spear from back to front, and the water pillars followed its path, slamming into Adel in an instant.
A deafening roar echoed as spray erupted where Adel had stood moments before.
SLASH—
Then, a cold slicing sound cut through the darkness.
"Blood-clot?"
Thud. Drip...
Plop!
A red line appeared on Abyss's outstretched arm. With a crack, the arm holding the spear severed clean.
CLANG...!!!
The spear and severed arm hit the ground, and the raging water streams vanished instantly.
"You're the one playing around."
The dark water pillars had poured down, but Adel emerged unscathed. Smoky haze rose from his shoulders like heat waves.
CRACK... CRACK...
The armor he wore screamed in agony, as if it might tear apart at any moment.
[Y-You...]
Abyss stared at Adel in bewilderment. His eyes were dyed deep black too—but different from Abyss's insect-shell sheen, Adel's were an unfathomable abyss of depth.
[You okay?]
"Yeah."
But contrary to his words, Adel heard his heart pounding wildly in his ears. Hot breath escaped his mouth like steam, while icy cold gripped his heart like a frozen shard.
"Brings back memories."
Despite the torment, Adel muttered nostalgically, as if he'd missed the pain.
Grip—
He seized his sword.
SLASH—!
And swung. A simple motion, needing no further finesse. He'd never formally learned swordsmanship anyway—it was just a tool to end prey.
SHHHH—!!!
Thus, the simplest, most direct action was his perfect strike.
[...Kuh!!]
Abyss hastily retreated, dodging. But a long gash already marred his chest.
CRACK...! THUD!!
His armor split and fell. Blood fountained from the wound.
SWISH—!
SPLURT—!!
Adel closed the gap on the retreating Abyss and thrust again.
[GRRAAAHHH!!!]
Abyss roared, darkness spewing from his severed arm to form a black limb and spear. He swung with all his might.
BOOM...!!
Adel blocked with his arm and hooked the spear, launching himself backward like a shot.
SHHH...!!
Wind spirits pushed his legs midair. Leaping like a predator, Adel slashed down.
His blade sheared the spear's handle and carved a diagonal line from Abyss's collarbone to armpit.
[GRAAK...! H-How...?]
Blood spraying everywhere, Abyss staggered and screamed at Adel.
"... ."
Silent, Adel pressed the assault.
[...]
And Kalderet said nothing.
In the silence, only sword strikes rang out.
CLANG—!!!
The blade rebounded. Adel's body staggered back.
As the onslaught ended, his shoulders trembled faintly.
[Hah, hah, hah...]
Abyss, barely fending off the attacks, panted heavily as he glared.
[Heh heh... That's right. No matter how ancient a god, it's all contained in a human vessel. There are limits.]
Abyss's lips curled. He laughed—or rather, the darkness did.
[Shut up, you bastard.]
Cough—
A faint cough escaped Adel, black blood trickling from his mouth.
[You okay?]
Adel nodded silently to Kalderet's question. He hid it well, but his veins had turned pitch black.
[That's no power for a human to handle. Kalderet, I was discarded by humans, but you're killing your contractor. How tragic... Who had the sadder life?]
"Tragic? Don't blame others for your own choices, you fool."
Adel wiped the blood from his mouth.
"You chose your path—now bear it. Not just me, but everyone who entered here."
He addressed Abyss directly.
[Heh, what can you do now? Trust your comrades? Those weaklings who can't even use divine power—how could they help?]
Tremble tremble...
His hand gripping Nazas shook violently.
[They're still flailing in the trials I created, no doubt?]
"Who knows."
[Heh heh, doesn't matter. You won't see them anyway. Pathetic, coming from a fool who trusts others.]
The blackened veins in his arm swelled.
[Adel...!!]
Kalderet felt his void draining faster and cried out.
SIZZLE...! CRACKLE...!!
The void energy on the sword warped space, spewing red lightning.
"Don't assume everyone hits rock bottom just because you did, Abyss."
Adel flashed a bitter smile and hurled his sword with all his strength.
SHHHH—!!!!
[What? That's your big final move?]
The condensed void could devour even gods, but the attack was too straightforward.
[No courage to even face me—you toss your weapon?!]
Abyss scoffed at the god-slaying sword hurtling toward him.
BOOOOM—!!!
The wind sword Abyss dodged flew into the dark wall, warping space on impact.
CRUMBLE—!!!
The blade shattered.
But ignoring it, Adel reached outward.
[Trying to run, fool? You're done.]
Abyss advanced with a cold grin.
It was then.
"...Adel!!"
Kasla's voice echoed from the rift in space. She hurled something with all her might.
A bow.
CLICK—!!!
CRUNCH...!!!!
"Run? That's your line."
The bow gripped in his hand, Adel drew the string taut.
"I've never been prey."
Heaven Kill gathered at the arrow's tip.