Chapter 344
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 344
Chapter Title: Winter's Deception
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As the sword turned red, the surrounding air shifted.
The space thick with the scent of death sharpened in an instant into blades aimed at Abaddon.
At the same time, the enveloping darkness lifted.
Death's Spring has been broken?
Abaddon gazed up at the sky with hollow eyes.
Despite one of the Four Seasons of the ApocalypseSpringhaving been shattered, he showed only faint surprise, no other change in emotion.
I told you, didn't I? The real fun starts now.
Jeong Hoon grinned and yanked Titan from the ground.
He then unleashed the Supremacy of the Heavenly Demon, closing in on Abaddon in a flash.
Ridiculous.
Abaddon murmured curtly before activating his power.
Summer of Pain descends.
Spring gives way to summer.
And the agony of summer is something no one can endure.
Roar
As summer unfurled, flames erupted.
Not from the outside, but raging within Jeong Hoon's body.
Hot.
It was a blessing he had the Creation Gear enveloping him.
Without it, the intense heat would have reduced him to ashes long ago.
Holy power won't budge.
It had been unresponsive since Death's Spring, as if broken beyond control.
Death.
In simple terms, it sealed away his holy power, which sought to escape death's grasp.
That wasn't all.
Since Death's Spring began, his life force had been dwindling.
It drained at 0.1 per second, so subtle that only intense focus revealed it gnawing away.
Had he not activated Overlord's Fury to seize the domain, he might not have noticed until his life force was depleted.
Overlord's Fury.
It forcibly nullifies all abilities of targets within the Overlord's Domain.
That was how it had neutralized Death's Spring.
But not summer.
Overlord's Fury was still active.
Yet an immense heat, bent on incinerating Jeong Hoon's existence, blazed through his body.
Unlike spring, it's draining life force, mana, and holy power.
If summer persisted, he'd lose all energy and die.
But Jeong Hoon wasn't one to take this lying down.
Overlord's Fury didn't just nullify abilities.
As befitting a God-rank power, it could forcibly inflict damage on targets in the domain.
Heavenly Demon Annihilation Sword activates.
Jeong Hoon unleashed the Heavenly Demon Annihilation Sword once more.
Abaddon had no intention of dodging the strike.
Slash.
Pointless...!
His hollow eyes widened.
Blood trickled from the gash across his throat.
Jeong Hoon had swung to sever, yet it ended as a mere scratch.
Still no sensation.
No feedback from his hand.
Yet Abaddon took damage because Overlord's Fury was active.
How's that? Does it hurt?
Jeong Hoon pointed Titan's tip at Abaddon.
You must die here.
Killing intent flickered in Abaddon's hollow eyes.
Try it, if you can.
Jeong Hoon gathered his depleting mana and swung Titan again.
Heavenly Demon Annihilation Sword.
Having confirmed damage, Abaddon had no plans to take it meekly.
For the first time, he raised a hand to block the blade.
In that instant, the weapons gripped by Jeong Hoon's Phantom Arms assaulted Abaddon in unison.
Slash.
The Phantom Arms, boosted to double speed.
Jeong Hoon pinned Abaddon's hand with the Heavenly Demon Annihilation Sword, allowing the arms to strike.
As time passed, scratches multiplied across Abaddon's body.
Blood seeped from the wounds, soaking his clothes, while exposed flesh rapidly festered and rotted.
The weapons in the Phantom Arms bore the Death attribute.
You bastard...!
His pride wounded, Abaddon grimaced.
The first facial change since his mask shattered.
I told you, didn't I? I'm going to kill you and take your place.
Such arrogance!
Arrogance? You still have the leisure to say that with how things are going?
Jeong Hoon smirked, pressing Abaddon.
He feigned composure, but inwardly, he was desperate.
The drain is accelerating.
He tried venting heat by releasing the Creation Gear, but each time, the flames surged wildly, tormenting him.
Life force below 50.
He had to end Abaddon quickly.
Autumn of Erosion descends.
Autumn followed immediately.
The flames raging in his body remained unchanged.
So what did autumn bring?
Kuaaaagh!
Aaaagh!
In that moment, Mukho and Anima screamed.
What's wrong with you?!
My body! My body!
Kuh...
They couldn't continue.
Jeong Hoon's gaze dropped, grasping the source of their cries.
Being eroded...?
All his weapons and armor, including Mukho and Anima, were eroding.
Mukho's abilities are nullified.
Dragon Anima Bone Bow's abilities are nullified.
Ruler's Grasp's abilities are nullified. Buffs released.
Ability Amplification Ring's abilities are nullified. Buffs released.
Headpiece Infused with Divine Beast's Soul's abilities are nullified. Buffs released.
Shadow King's Spear's abilities are nullified.
...
Armor, weapons.
Everything that made Jeong Hoon overwhelming was neutralized by a single power.
With nullification, Mukho and Anima beside him vanished, communication severed.
You're far from finished. Creature, I'll make your death especially agonizing.
Winter of Nothingness descends.
Autumn had just arrived, yet winter came in a flash.
The flames blazing in Jeong Hoon's body halted abruptly.
Hup!
The scorched paths froze solid, stiffening his entire body.
Clunk.
Jeong Hoon dropped Titan and fell to one knee.
Do you still think you can kill me?
Abaddon sneered at him and picked up the fallen Titan.
Crackle
Sparks flew from Titan, fiercely resisting Abaddon, who eventually dropped it, unable to bear it.
Damnable weapon. Can't be held by anyone but its master, huh.
Abaddon clicked his tongue.
You bastard...
Jeong Hoon glared murderously at Abaddon.
I'll give you credit. I never imagined facing a creature with all Four Seasons.
Kuh.
Pity. You were supposed to be my proxy, after all.
Proxy?
Indeed. Without that, I wouldn't have even proposed a deal.
Then let me ask one thing.
Jeong Hoon stared at Abaddon, face pale as death.
A dying creature with so many questions.
Winter of Nothingness had descended; once it fully encroached, his existence would erase.
Still, having witnessed winter, a answer or two wouldn't hurt.
The Seven Deadly Lords... why do you covet that one?
Hmm, hard to answer.
...
Well, simply put, because he possesses a Divine Relic.
Divine Relic...?
Indeed. You must have some guess whose seat Escannon claimed.
Jeong Hoon nodded laboriously.
One of the Seven Deadly Lords...
Correct. That's the one whose seat he took.
Strange. If a Seven Deadly Lord has a Divine Relic, how did you demand Escannon's?
Abaddon had helped eliminate Escannon in exchange for the relic he held.
What's going on? Doesn't each realm lord possess only one Divine Relic?
Tenebris eyed him in confusion.
Because he stole it before being sealed.
Stole it?
Yes. I merely seek to reclaim what he stole.
Escannon doesn't know about the relic.
If he did, he'd have seized it long ago.
And Abaddon must have learned late that a Seven Deadly Lord stole it.
Had he known sooner, he wouldn't have waited so long.
Sharp as ever.
Abaddon smirked.
The first smile since his mask broke.
Crack.
An eerie sound persisted in Jeong Hoon's ears.
His body froze over, chill creeping to his face.
Hey, you're really going to die like this!
Tenebris stared gravely.
He knew.
A bit more freezing, and he'd lose his life.
Life force under 10, mana and holy power fully depleted, not a trace left.
Truly caught between a rock and a hard place.
Why obsess over the Divine Relic...
Jeong Hoon panted, barely asking.
Oh? Still got breath to hear answers?
Tell... me...
Vision blurred; he could scarcely see ahead.
His head drooped, too weak to lift.
To climb higher.
...
Jeong Hoon fell silent.
His unfocused eyes stared at the ground.
The once-red earth returned to normal, now frozen solid.
Winter persisted.
What a magnificent weapon. Even endured autumn intact.
Abaddon eyed Titan greedily.
A true divine-grade armament.
Impossible to wield without its master's recognition.
He didn't know how it reached human hands, but he coveted it.
First, kill him and claim it.
Abaddon snapped his fingers.
Crash!
Jeong Hoon's body shattered into ice shards.
Had he accepted the deal, it might have been entertaining.
A slight regret.
I'll face reprimands, I suppose.
Ruthlessly eliminating his chosen proxy.
Even intervening in another's managed realm.
Not that he feared it.
Fear would have stopped him from starting.
Now, hand it over.
Abaddon reached for the ice shards.
But why?
With the creature gone, the Seven Deadly Lord should reclaim.
Yet no response, no recovery.
What... why is this happening?
Abaddon reached again.
Four Seasons of the Apocalypse activates.
Death's Spring descends.
What...!
Abaddon staggered back as the frozen ground melted instantly, turning red once more.
Overlord's Domain reactivated, Fury descending.
All abilities sealed.
True form forcibly manifested.
What is this?!
Kuugh...!
Agony wracked Abaddon; he collapsed, groaning.
From the gash inflicted earlier.
Separated from his true form, he'd felt little pain, but forced manifestation brought it crashing in.
Damn... how did he do it?
He tried using his relic to halt powers, but it didn't respond.
Ha, it really hurts.
I-Impossible...
That voice made Abaddon mutter in disbelief.
The one shattered by winter stood unscathed, looking down on him.