Infinite System Inheritor Return From The Abyss - Chapter 248

Chapter 248: Chapter 247: Top rankers (3)
Sani panted heavily, gripping her staff as the battlefield around the church turned into chaos.

The holy energy shining from the church’s walls was like a beacon, pulling monsters from all directions. They came crawling from the ruins, falling from the sky, or worse—emerging from beneath the earth.

The ground rumbled beneath Sani’s feet. A sharp clicking noise echoed from below.

She froze.

Then—

CRACK!

The stone floor beneath her split open, and a massive, centipede-like creature burst out from the underground.

It was twice the size of a war horse, with a thick, armored shell covered in jagged spikes. Its many legs moved unnaturally fast, its mandibles dripping with green venom that sizzled the moment it touched the air.

The people inside the church, watching through the stained-glass windows, screamed in fear.

“Ms. Sani!”

Dae Won and Min Joon, both fighting near the entrance, turned at the sudden noise.

Their eyes widened.

“Beneath you, Sani!”

But before she could move—

The centipede monster lunged, its venom-covered mandibles snapping shut toward her.

Sani reacted instantly.

“DIVINE BARRIER!”

A golden shield of light erupted around her just in time. The monster’s attack slammed into the barrier, sending a shockwave of force outward.

The barrier held— but only for a moment.

CRACK!

The creature’s raw strength shattered the shield, and its mandibles scraped against Sani’s arm, leaving a deep gash.

Sani gritted her teeth, staggering back. Min Joon let out a relieved breath when he saw she was still standing. Dae Won gripped his hammers tightly, but before he could charge—

More monsters jumped at them, A two-headed panther-like beast with black fur and glowing red veins lunged at Min Joon. A winged serpent with acidic spit swooped toward Dae Won.

Sani stood up, breathing heavily.

“I can handle myself! Don’t worry about me!” she shouted. “Focus on the fight! Don’t lose sight of the enemies!”

She tightened her grip on her staff, ignoring the pain in her arm.

Just as she was about to attack— The ground beneath her shook again.

Another monster was coming.

But this time—

A storm of violet petals swept through the air.

Sani felt herself being lifted, a gentle force carrying her just in time as a second centipede monster burst from the ground.

She looked up—

And smiled.

“Ji-Eun!”

Choi Ji-Eun, Top 3 the Lotus Queen and her long purple robes flowing as thousands of violet petals danced around her.

Beside her, a tall woman in dark sorceress robes stepped forward—Yoon-Ji, the Twilight Sorceress, and Rank 4.

Ji-Eun nodded toward Sani, her voice calm but sharp. “We got your signal. Why are so many monsters swarming here?”

Sani landed gently on the ground, catching her breath. “They’re attracted to the church’s holy power. This wave is lasting longer than before, What’s going on? When will this stop?”

Ji-Eun’s expression darkened. “The chairman just sent a notice. The boss is coming soon, and we need there.”

Dae Won, who had just smashed a lizard monster into the ground, suddenly grinned.

“Oh? Finally! It’s coming out”

Yoon-Ji sighed, glancing at him coldly. “Don’t be selfish, Dae Won.”

Ji-Eun didn’t waste any more time. She raised her hand.

“LOTUS GUARDIAN.”

A massive violet lotus bloomed in the air, and from its petals, a shining guardian knight made of glowing petals appeared, holding a translucent sword.

It charged toward the centipede monster, slicing through its armored shell in a single move. The beast let out a screech, its body collapsing into two pieces.

At the same time—

“LOTUS STORM!”

Ji-Eun swung her hand, and hundreds of sharp petals shot forward, slicing through multiple monsters in an instant.

Dae Won let out a loud laugh. “Damn! That’s flashy!”

Sani, meanwhile, ran toward the church doors. “I’ll find a way to stop the holy energy from attracting monsters!”

Yoon-Ji nodded, stepping forward as dark energy gathered around her.

Since her scythe was still under repair, she raised her hand instead—

The shadows around her shifted, forming a circle of glowing dark-blue runes.

She whispered a spell.

“Twilight bind.”

A wave of darkness erupted from her hands, and the nearby monsters froze in place, their shadows suddenly locking them to the ground. Dae Won smashed through them without mercy, his hammers glowing with fiery energy.

Ji-Eun turned back to Yoon-Ji. “We need to hurry.”

Yoon-Ji exhaled. “Yeah. Sani, be quick. The boss will be here anytime.”

Dae Won’s grin widened at that news. “Now things are getting fun!”

Ji-Eun ignored him, her violet petals swirling around her again. “Let’s clean up here fast. We’re needed at the boss battle.”

As Sani disappeared inside the church, the battle outside continued—

And the monsters kept coming.

Their attacks created a storm of petals, shadows, and hammered that clashed against the waves of creatures surrounding the church.

Ji-Eun gracefully swung her hand forward, and violet petals danced through the air. “Lotus Fang” she called out, sending razor-sharp petals slicing through a group of monstrous creatures with twisted limbs and elongated fangs. They howled in pain before collapsing into nothingness.

Yoon-Ji, her hands glowing with dark twilight energy, chanted quickly. “Shadow Chains!” Black tendrils rose from the ground, ensnaring several of the beasts, holding them in place. “Min Joon, your turn!”

Min Joon, who had been silently moving in the background, raised his scythe. “Rise.”

Dark energy spread across the battlefield as fallen monsters twisted unnaturally, standing up again—but now as his undead soldiers. They lunged at their former kin, causing chaos in the enemy ranks.

Ji-Eun, mid-fight, suddenly blinked and turned to him. “Oh wow, Min Joon. Since when were you here?”

Min Joon sighed, dodging a monster’s claw without effort. “Since the beginning.”

Yoon-ji snorted. “He’s here this whole time. He just doesn’t talk much.”

Ji-Eun tsk while summoning her Lotus Guardian, a massive spectral lotus that floated behind her, launching petals like blades. “Seriously though, Min Joon, I keep forgetting you exist. It’s like you’re a shadow.”

Min Joon remained expressionless, slicing a monster in half with his scythe. “That’s the point.”

Dae-Won, slamming his hammer into the ground and causing a shockwave that sent monsters flying, laughed loudly. “HA! Even I forget about him sometimes! He’s just standing there all quiet, controlling his little zombies.”

Min Joon narrowed his eyes slightly. “They’re not zombies.”

Before Dae-Won could tease him more, another large creature emerged from the ruins—a towering centipede-like beast with obsidian armor and multiple glowing red eyes. Its massive pincers snapped, crushing debris as it screeched, making the ground tremble.

Sani, still inside the church looking for a way to stop the holy energy from attracting monsters, heard the noise and gasped. “What now?!”

Ji-Eun’s eyes narrowed. “That thing is an S-rank. We need to finish this quickly.”

Min Joon extended his scythe, pointing at the beast. “I’ll weaken it.”

His undead monsters swarmed forward, climbing onto the centipede’s body, biting and clawing. The creature screeched in rage, shaking them off. Yoon-Ji lifted her hands, gathering twilight energy. “Darkfall!” A dome of eerie twilight covered the monster, making it sluggish.

Ji-Eun took a deep breath and twirled her fingers. “Lotus Storm!” A violent whirlwind of violet petals engulfed the centipede, cutting deep into its armor.

Dae-Won, seeing the opportunity, grinned. “Alright, time to smash!” He jumped high into the air, both hammers raised above his head. “Earthquake Strike!”

The impact of his hammer shook the ground, causing the centipede to crash onto its side. It writhed, its many legs twitching in pain.

Sani finally ran out of the church, breathing heavily. “I did it! I shut down the holy energy. The monsters should stop swarming here soon!”

Ji-Eun smirked. “Good timing.”

***** Near the Boss dungeon gate

The chairman’s expression darkened as he observed the state of the battlefield through the system’s function. Across multiple locations, awakeners struggled against the A-rank monsters. Many of them were overwhelmed, but thanks to the top rankers and their guild members, the battle hadn’t turned into complete disaster. Even so, it was clear that this wave was unlike any before.

His communication channel with the global system opened, connecting him with other Awakener Associations chairman across the world. Reports flooded in—countries everywhere faced the same crisis. The number of S-rank monsters appearing was far greater than in previous waves.

“This isn’t normal,” he muttered. His gaze shifted back to the dungeon where the boss monster would soon emerge. The swirling black and red energy at its entrance pulsated violently, making even the air tremble. A chilling thought passed through his mind.

“Is there a rank above S?”

If this monster was on a level beyond known S-ranks, then the world itself was in grave danger.

Meanwhile, back at Seoyang’s location, the battle continued. Huno spoke through telepathy, his tone firm.

“Nymira, go to the twins. We’ll handle this.”

“I can’t leave Master’s mother,” Nymira protested. Her silver eyes flashed with concern as she stood her ground.

Huno’s deep growl rumbled through their connection. “If something happens to the twins, it also means we failed Master. Silla and I can protect Ms. Seoyang. Besides, Silla can reveal himself without drawing as much attention if we’re not all together.”

Nymira hesitated but then sighed. “I’m counting on both of you.”

“We’re stronger than these monsters, Nymira. Don’t underestimate us,” Silla scoffed. His tiny body crawled out from Seoyang’s pocket, his green scales shimmering. “Tsk, besides, Ms. Seoyang is an S-ranker. She’s not a weakling.”

Nymira rolled her eyes, but she obeyed, lowering her nose to the ground and sniffing the air. The twins’ scent was faint but clear—she turned and dashed off in their direction.

“Nymira!” Seoyang shouted, about to chase after her.

Huno swiftly blocked her path, shaking his head.

“It’s okay, Seoyang. They seem to know what they’re doing,” John said, stepping up beside her. His once dark hair was now completely white, a side effect of the sheer energy he had been using.

Seoyang exhaled and refocused. They had no time to argue.

The battle erupted again, the monsters pushing forward. The creatures were grotesque—hulking black-furred hounds with glowing red eyes, their jaws dripping with acidic saliva that melted the pavement beneath them. Shadowy winged creatures swooped from above, their piercing shrieks disorienting the awakeners fighting below. Towering ogres with spiked clubs swung their weapons wildly, smashing cars and sending debris flying.

Seoyang raised her hand, her eyes glowing with emerald light. As a Wind Sage, she had full command over the air itself. She thrust her hand forward. “Storm Blades!”

Countless blades of compressed wind shot out, slicing through the flying creatures above, their bodies falling like shredded paper. The air around her whirled violently, forming a protective barrier against the enemies attempting to get close.

John, despite being an Artisan—a crafter by class—wasn’t one to be underestimated in combat. His fists, wrapped in gauntlets forged with reinforced mana, crackled with energy as he dashed forward. He struck an ogre’s leg with a powerful spin kick, making the beast stagger. Then, with precise movement, he pressed his palm against the monster’s body.

“Reinforced Explosion.”

A loud blast erupted from his palm, sending the ogre flying backward into a burning building. Flames consumed its body as it let out a final roar before going silent.

More monsters charged forward. Seoyang leaped high into the air, the wind carrying her effortlessly. Twisting her body mid-air, she pointed her hand downward. “Gale!”

A massive spiral of wind shot downward like a drill, piercing through several of the black-furred hounds at once, pinning them to the ground.

John, now surrounded by multiple monsters, smirked and slammed his fists together. “Titan’s Grip.” His gauntlets glowed brightly, and with newfound strength, he grabbed an incoming monster by its throat and swung it like a weapon, knocking several others away.

Silla moved like a shadow, his small body barely visible as he slipped between the monsters, striking at their weak points with deadly precision. His venom-coated fangs sunk into the joints of a large beast, paralyzing it instantly.

The fight was intense, but they were holding their ground. However, Seoyang couldn’t shake off the feeling that something even worse was coming.