"If none of you are going to make a move, then I'll initiate this."
Souta's voice resonated, cutting through the air.
"Everyone, refrain from engaging my shadows. I'll shatter the enemy formations."
With his proclamation, the twenty shadows sprang into action with unparalleled swiftness. They darted forward, their forms flickering, and in an instant, they materialized at the heart of the battlefield.
Simultaneously, the Army of Gluttony's experts were in motion.
Boom!!
Upon collision with the twenty shadows, the sea seemed to part ways, and A-rank and S-rank experts were sent hurling away.
"Advance!"
A leader from the Army of Gluttony bellowed.
Edilon and Fremi leaped into action. As the sole Four Shackles combatants of Athena's Champion, their responsibilities were considerably weighty.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Chaos enveloped the entire battlefield. Experts scattered, grappling in disparate areas.
The Five Master Clans and the representatives of the Large Faction observed the unfolding spectacle with visible concern etched across their faces.
The pace was astonishing.
The progression of the war had surged with such rapidity that even the Four Shackles experts were forced to join the fray.
Genzu, Santu, Heido, and their comrades dispatched their Four Shackles personnel into the fray. Fellow representatives of other factions mirrored this response.
The sounds of explosions reverberated ceaselessly.
The ground quaked, and potent skills rained down relentlessly. Weaker combatants often found themselves caught in the crossfire, resulting in severe injuries.
Within a thirty-kilometer radius, the terrain transformed into a battlefield. Elements of fire, ice, water, lightning, and more surged across the field. The topography morphed multiple times in just a minute due to the actions of Shackled Realm experts.
The representatives observed the melee when, suddenly, the twenty shadows vanished.
Huh?
Why did the Blood Lightning Monster halt his spell?
Santu's gaze lifted, his eyes widening in astonishment.
"Where's Grain Leader Souta?" Santu's voice carried his surprise.
Genzu and Heido shifted their attention to the crimson throne, only to find Souta conspicuously absent.
"Where's that monster?" Shen Yao queried, scanning the vicinity.
"Over there?" Someone pointed.
Simultaneously, they all pivoted their gazes.
"Huh?"
"What?!"
Shen Yao, Li Guan, Schine, and the others stared with widened eyes.
"Hehe, how intriguing."
"He's more of a warmonger than the rumors suggest."
Experts like Adel, Asfrith, and Genzu shared hearty laughs in response to the unfolding spectacle.
Angels knit their brows, observing with a mix of perplexity and consternation, while the representatives of Asgard remained reticent.
Various reactions painted the scene.
The name "Blood Lightning Monster."
The origin traced back to that fateful night.
It all initiated with him. Amidst the tumultuous epoch of Hall Plains, he emerged and delivered a decisive strike to Mine Valley.
He led his comrades into the darkness, where even gods lost hope for mortals as they thought that no one could stop the No God Emperor's plan. The unsealing of the No God Emperor plunged the land into desolation. Yet, he charted a path to triumph, thwarting a god's scheme.
He subdued the Hall Plains and established the Dragon Council, foiling various factions' endeavors to secure a foothold.
That marked the genesis of the name "Blood Lightning Monster."
The Only One.
Souta stood at the rear of the Army of Gluttony, his eyes sealed shut. He confronted the enemy leaders, his hand rising to sweep through his hair with nonchalance. A profusion of energy radiated from him, causing the very ground to incessantly quiver.
Seventeen experts stood before him, each emanating formidable energy. They regarded him with brows knit in concentration.
For Souta had chosen to disregard all else and boldly approached their threshold.
Boom!!
Their energies collided, creating a display of sparks that dispersed into the atmosphere.
Souta's grip tightened on his sword. While he recognized a few of these experts, his focus lay elsewhere. He aimed to discern if they indeed possessed a specific strategy.
"Let's see."
Souta's hold on his sword constricted, and with swift fluidity, he unleashed a swing.
Whoosh!!
One of them materialized before Souta, deploying a colossal hammer to intercept his blade.
The clash birthed a shockwave that reverberated, an explosive noise coupled with the fissures that radiated from the epicenter like a spider's web.
Souta increased his pressure upon the sword's hilt, extending his finger toward the obstruction. A perceptible shift enveloped him.
Simultaneously, another expert executed a gesture, declaring, "I regret to inform you that we aren't your enemies today."
Crack!
The magic circle vanished abruptly, dissipating Souta's spell.
"Anti-Mage..." Souta's murmur hung in the air.
In the ensuing moments, two more experts manifested beside him, their attacks were swift and unyielding. Souta leaped into motion, brandishing his sword to counter, yet despite his rapid reaction, the strikes found their mark.
Boom!!
His form was catapulted several kilometers into the sky.
Whoosh!
Souta managed to regain control in midair, casting his gaze downward at the seventeen experts who mirrored his scrutiny. A conversation flowed among them, their attention focused on him.
A sneer graced one's features as they remarked, "I had considered seizing him, but we have unfinished business. If he survives until then, I'll claim him."
"Very well, then linger here... I'll assume your position. You can stand your ground while I transition to the vanguard," another responded.
"In your dreams," the man retorted.
Souta remained suspended above, gradually sheathing his sword.
'There are seventeen of them... Engaging them all at once is challenging, yet it appears they are not eager for a battle either.'
Had they truly intended to confront Souta, they would have done so already. Instead, they had merely displaced him without further aggression.
'Are they awaiting a particular development? What could be their strategy? Alternatively, perhaps they truly seek a direct confrontation. In such a scenario, my death would become paramount.'
Very well... He would subject them to another evaluation.
Raising his hands, Souta poised for an assault when an inkling of something stirred his awareness. Swiftly, he maneuvered from his initial stance.
In the next instant, a colossal pillar of fire descended upon his prior position, reducing all in its path to ash.
Bang!!
Souta observed the aftermath, then turned his gaze skyward. The opposition above had finally initiated their movement, veiling their presence to a certain extent. Luckily, Souta had discerned their blood, allowing him to detect their intrusion within his blood-sensing radius.
Six experts descended from the heavens, encircling him in mere moments. Though they might not rival the potency of the seventeen, their strength was formidable in its own right.
Souta's brows knitted as his attention fell upon the crow emblem adorning one individual.
"Wingless Crow... Their presence in this war caught me off guard. I miscalculated."
A self-amused chuckle escaped Souta's lips.
This turn of events jolted the Five Master Clans and the representatives of the large faction. The presence of additional concealed experts had eluded their attention.
Genzu's expression soured as he asserted, "I will intervene."
Heido and Santu acknowledged the decision with nods of concurrence. It seemed wise to have someone beside Souta under these circumstances.
The other major factions weighed the prospect of dispatching their own forces, deliberating on whether immediate action was warranted or if delay was more prudent. Given the pervasive belief in Souta's status as the strongest fourth-stage monster, they held assurance in his resilience. Consequently, even if he struggled against such numbers, they expected him to endure. Thus, the choice remained to dispatch their own forces when the time was right.
Boom!!
A resounding explosion resounded.
Souta plunged into combat with the Wingless Crow experts. The quantity—be it one or six—seemed immaterial to him.
A single determination occupied his mind: the Wingless Crow experts must be killed today.
"Excellent! I hadn't anticipated you'd dare to challenge me once more! Approach if you dare! I shall obliterate each of you, wingless shit!"
Souta's laughter echoed as he executed a slashing motion with his sword. This action birthed a colossal crimson energy blade that hurled toward the six Wingless Crow experts.
Effortlessly, one among the six experts intercepted the crimson energy blade.
True to expectations, they were stronger than those Souta had previously dispatched within the sub-world.
Their malevolent intentions had leaked out prior. This very leakage was what had alerted him to their presence. While he initially surmised that their intent extended to others, it became evident that their sights were firmly set on him, given their affiliation with the Wingless Crow. Neither the Five Master Clans nor the representatives of the large faction were privy to this hidden contingent's presence.
A sneer touched Souta's lips. He was poised to launch another assault when a familiar sound registered within his consciousness.
*Ding!*
[Quest Triggered!]
[Assassination]: The Wingless Crow's assassination attempt on you has failed. Eliminate all six members of the Wingless Crow, ensuring none escape.
Rewards: 30,000,000 experience points, 35 free attribute points, and 15 skill points
"Hahaha, this is it. This merely fuels my determination to exterminate these shits."
Souta's laughter echoed. He propelled himself through the air with a forceful kick, closing in on the six experts. Without hesitation, he activated Second Mode.
The opposition this time wielded considerable might. Furthermore, their numerical advantage posed a formidable challenge. Yet, such considerations scarcely concerned him.
Souta's energy radiated outward, permeating the atmosphere. An ominous mist unfurled, with gravity intensifying several fold and a spectral sea of blood ascending from the expanse of air, enshrouding the expansive heavens.
Beside him hovered the [Orb of Arcane Seal], while the [Vajra Sword Saya] was clutched firmly within his grasp.
"Let's go."
