Liam hurriedly stretched out its burning claws, trying to grab its comrade, but a glance toward the center of the battlefield revealed a sight that made its very soul tremble.
The giant Slime’s belly had become as black as an abyss, and the vortex within, which seemed capable of devouring everything, was unleashing a terrifying suction force.
The surrounding Demons, rubble, and even the dissipating Magic Power were all being continuously sucked into that abyssal black belly, vanishing without a trace.
’Are we the Demons, or is it the Demon...’ This was Liam’s last thought as it and its struggling comrade were sent flying with a scream into the abyssal belly, disappearing completely.
"Louisa, are you sure that’s really a Slime?" Celeste quipped, hastily gaining altitude to escape the range of the terrifying suction.
Louisa didn’t reply. Her expression was pensive as her eyes remained fixed on Chen Yu below, who was manically devouring Demons. She seemed to be pondering an important question.
Meanwhile, on another battlefield far from the rift, Yano and Arthur had already charged toward Dominic and the others.
Dominic and Samuel engaged them in a frontal assault, while Allen lurked in the surrounding shadows, ready to launch a fatal sneak attack at any moment.
Although this was the first time the two Knights from the Slime Kingdom had fought together, their coordination was surprisingly seamless.
Yano’s power was wild, like a battering ram suited for head-on assaults. Arthur, on the other hand, was calm and precise, his death flames targeting vital points and weaknesses.
Together, they actually managed to push back the experienced Dominic and Samuel, who could do little more than barely parry their attacks.
"Take this! Ultimate Art: Great Dark Blade!" Yano yelled, making it up on the spot as he raised his black Giant Sword high and brought it down on Samuel.
’Ultimate Art? What kind of skill is that?!’ Samuel was on high alert; he had never heard of such a move.
He raised a small, enchanted buckler with his right hand to block Yano’s Giant Sword while simultaneously thrusting his left-hand Knight’s Sword toward Yano’s ribs.
CLANG!!!
The Giant Sword struck the buckler, and Samuel felt an indescribably immense force slam into him. His legs scraped backward uncontrollably, carving two deep gouges in the ground before he finally managed to block the blow. His shield arm, however, was numb and nearly devoid of feeling.
’Dammit, where does this guy get so much power...’ The more Samuel fought, the more alarmed he became.
As far as he knew, the first Duke of the Stone Race in the history of the Dark Land was supposed to have been an Assassin renowned for stealth and trickery.
’So how is it that this guy in front of me, who calls himself a Duke of the Stone Race, fights exactly like a Berserker?!’
He clearly couldn’t have guessed that Yano not only possessed the power of a Knight but also had Body Refining Power from the Otherworld flowing within him.
After being forced back again by another of Yano’s heavy blows, Samuel glanced over at the Abyssal Rift and happened to see the scene of Chen Yu turning into a "black hole" and manically devouring Demons, which sent another jolt of shock through him.
"Vincent, dammit, are you done yet? I can’t hold on much longer!" Samuel couldn’t help but curse, no longer able to maintain the elegant and composed demeanor of "King Dowson."
Meanwhile, Dominic wasn’t faring much better.
Generally speaking, Holy Light has a natural suppressive effect on the Undead, but in Arthur’s case, the situation seemed to be reversed.
When the Knight’s Sword in his hand, which flowed with the light of Holiness, came into contact with the death flames on Arthur’s lance, the Holy Light was rapidly eroded, and the blade even began to show spots of rust.
In a contest of Riding Skill, Dominic, the Second Legion Commander, couldn’t gain even the slightest advantage. Arthur was one with his steed, his movements as fluid as instinct. Every charge, turn, and thrust was precise and deadly.
If not for Allen constantly harassing and distracting Arthur from the periphery while looking for a chance to ambush him, Dominic would have been defeated even faster.
CLANG! The lance and Holy Sword clashed violently once more. Dominic tried to put his weight into the blow, using his strength to force Arthur back.
He gritted his teeth and said in a cold voice, "Arthur, I was right to decide to kill you back then."
"You’re too terrifying... even more terrifying than your father."
He knew in his heart that if Arthur hadn’t died in that conspiracy thirteen years ago, and had been allowed to grow to this point with his talent and temperament... he probably wouldn’t have been able to withstand a single strike from him.
The soul fire in Arthur’s eyes flared violently for a moment, but he remained silent, offering no response.
However, the death flames on his lance suddenly erupted, and a tide of ghostly blue fire swept toward Dominic.
BOOM!
Dominic and the just-appeared Allen were both struck and sent flying backward.
Allen clutched his arm, which had been burned by the flames, his face contorted in pain.
"The Knights of Arevalo are approaching! Vincent, are you done yet?!" Allen shouted hoarsely, his voice filled with anxiety.
Just then, Vincent, who had been casting a spell with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.
"They’re here."
The light on the Magic Staff in his hand gradually faded, and the purple-black ray shooting into the abyss also vanished.
The Abyssal Rift, however, began to shake violently, expanding outward at an even faster rate. From within, stone-like claws reached out, grabbing the edges of the rift and forcing it wider, stabilizing it.
Chen Yu, who was using his massive body to block the Abyssal Rift, suddenly felt a tremendous pushing force from within.
Hm?
He looked down and saw dozens of pairs of strong, scaled arms reaching out from within the rift. They were pushing against his Gel belly in perfect unison.
Unlike the chaotic, low-level Demons from before, the owners of these arms were clearly more orderly and organized, indicating that they were no ordinary beings.
Chen Yu didn’t care who they were. With a forceful heave, his Gel belly wobbled resiliently and pushed the Demons inside right back where they came from.
He seemed to faintly hear a few exasperated curses in the demonic tongue from deep within the rift.
Immediately after, he felt a sharp pain in his belly, as if something sharp had pierced the surface of his Gel.
Chen Yu subconsciously hopped back, clearing the space directly in front of the rift.
BZZZZT!!!
A blinding blue-white light of lightning flashed from the depths of the rift, and a lance wreathed in violent thunderstorms was the first thing to emerge.
Following it, a tall and powerful figure strode out from the lightning and sulfurous smoke with heavy steps.
It was a Demon that resembled a centaur.
Its muscles bulged, its powerful upper body covered in rough, thick, dark-red hide. A pair of large, curved horns grew from its head, and its eyes, burning with sulfurous flames, fell indifferently on Chen Yu.
It raised the lightning-wreathed lance in its hand and let out a humming roar filled with battle lust, the sound rolling across the battlefield like muffled thunder.
"Demon Legion, invade with me!"
RUMBLE...
The thundering sound of demonic hooves trampling the earth erupted as countless Demon Soldiers, clutching pitch-black weapons, marched out of the Abyssal Rift in a less-than-orderly fashion.
Following them were the even larger Abyssal Spiders and banshees skilled in Spiritual Attacks.
The entire Demon legion was enormous, instantly occupying the area around the Abyssal Rift.
They even pushed out war chariots covered in iron thorns, arranging them around the Abyssal Rift to form crude defensive fortifications.
In the sky, Louisa immediately cast her True Knowledge Skill to investigate, her expression instantly turning grave.
She spoke to Chen Yu through the Gel network, "An Iron Cavalry Demon. They’re usually the vanguards of the Demon Legion—frenzied destroyers who relish charging, trampling, and tearing enemies apart with lightning."
"For a systematic Demon Legion like this to appear, their origin must be extraordinary. It’s possible they were Casaric’s old forces left behind in the abyss, specifically summoned here by Vincent and the others."
"Be careful. There’s something off about this Iron Cavalry Demon’s aura."
Chen Yu’s gaze fell upon the menacing Demon cavalry. Judging by the tangible sense of pressure it exuded...
’Why do I get the feeling this Demon is Level 11?’