Talent Awakening: Draconic Overlord Of The Apocalypse - Chapter 67

Chapter 67: Down A Path Of Blood
Liang’s smirk widened as he took another step closer, relishing in Kai’s growing irritation. “You know, for someone who acts so high and mighty, you sure get flustered easily.”

Kai’s face contorted into a mask of rage. He was about to lash out, his fists clenched, when a deep, mysterious voice echoed in his head.

~’Patience, young one. Your time will come. Let him underestimate you.’~

The voice was cold and commanding, dousing the fire of his anger. Kai’s breathing gradually slowed, and his clenched fists loosened. He took a deep breath and turned away suddenly, his voice calm, “I don’t have time for this.”

‘Something’s off, this isn’t like him. And what was up with the color of his eye?’

Liang thought he was taken by surprise by the sudden change in Kai’s demeanor, although it didn’t show on his face.

He narrowed his gaze, trying to decipher the meaning behind the shift. Something was off. But instead of pressing the issue, he decided to let it go for now. After all, he had more pressing matters to attend to.

‘He must be up to something.’

Liang smiled.

‘Let him try, I’ll put him in his place as many times as I need to.’

With a final, cold glance at Kai, Liang turned and walked away feeling a bit uneasy. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was brewing beneath the surface,but he was sure whatever it was, he was squatch just like he always did.

Meanwhile, Kai strode down the hallway, his mind still reeling from the encounter with Liang. He gritted his teeth in anger, tightening his fists till they nearly turned white as he called out, “Helxon, why did you make me run away? Didn’t you promise me power?”

“Didn’t you say that as long as you are by my side, I’ll get everything I want?”

A shadow seemed to shift in the air beside him, forming into a spherical shape. It was dark, almost inky, but as it hovered closer, a portion of its surface seemed to shimmer, revealing a single, crimson eye.

The eye spoke though it had no visible mouth, its voice deep and resonating in Kai’s thoughts.

~’I did promise you power, Kai. But power comes with a price. You must first prove your loyalty to the Dark One.’~

Kai’s patience was wearing thin. “What do I have to do to prove my loyalty?”

The eye seemed to consider its response before continuing.

~’The Dark One seeks those who are willing to sacrifice everything for power. You must demonstrate your absolute devotion. Only then will you be granted a portion of His might.’~

“What exactly does the Dark One want me to sacrifice?” Kai asked, his voice filled with suspicion. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe that there wouldn’t be a price to pay, but depending on what it was, he would say no.

The eye seemed to chuckle, a low, ominous sound.

~’Fear not, young one. Your loved ones are safe.’~

A chill ran down Kai’s spine. If not his loved ones, then what?

“So, what am I sacrificing?”

Suddenly, a grotesque shadow emerged from beneath the eye. It was a monstrous grin, filled with razor-sharp teeth. The shadow seemed to speak.

~”Human sacrifices, of course. The more you offer, the stronger you will become.”~

A crimson Talent window materialized before Kai’s eyes.

_____

「Quest: Prove Your Devotion

Offer up the lives of 5 humans. Gender and age are irrelevant.

The more gruesome the state of the bodies, the more Abyssal Points will be awarded.

Additional Abyssal Points will be granted if the phrase “Look into the abyss, look beyond this fractured world” is written in the victim’s blood as large as possible.」

_____

Kai’s eyes narrowed, a sinister grin spread across his face. “You had me worried for a second there. If this is all the Dark One wants, then I’m more than happy to oblige.”

As he spoke, his left eye flared red once more, revealing a black, four-sided star inside it.

…

Back in the wilderness, Alister sent both Terra and Cinder to raid different parts of the colossal ruined jungle a bit far on the side opposite from him. Their dragon aura intimidated the monsters around them, constantly chasing them away. If he wanted to complete the quest, he had to have at least some of them coming at him instead of going on a wild chase because they chose to flee out of fear.

Cinder soared through the air, her wings a blur. A torrent of flames engulfed a cluster of root monsters, their screams turning to sizzling vapor as their bodies were consumed.

Terra, was practically a juggernaut, making her way through the battlefield. Her powerful tail swept through the enemy ranks, sending them flying like ragdolls. Her massive jaws clamped down on a monster, crushing it with a sickening crunch. She stomped her feet and massive stone spikes emerged from the earth, impaling all the other monsters that tried to run from her.

Meanwhile.

As Alister stood alone in the dense, overgrown ruins, the jungle around him was filled with life. He could feel the vibrations of Terra and Cinder moving through the forest, their powerful presences driving some monsters towards him. He readied himself, his clawed gauntlets glinting in the dim moonlight that filtered through the thick canopy above.

The first wave of monsters emerged from the underbrush, their glowing eyes piercing through the darkness. They were root-like creatures, their bodies composed of twisted wood and pulsing with a green light.

Alister crouched slightly, readying his stance. As the first creature lunged at him, he sidestepped with a quick, smooth motion, the claws of his gauntlet flashing as he slashed through the monster’s wooden body. The creature emitted a high-pitched screech as it disintegrated into a pile of splinters and glowing sap.

More creatures followed, Alister ducked and weaved through the onslaught, his gauntlets slicing through the air.

Each swipe of his claws cut through the monsters, their bodies splintering and bursting into showers of sap and debris. The forest floor around him quickly became littered with the remains of the creatures.

A particularly large root monster charged at Alister, its limbs thrashing wildly. It swung a massive arm at him, and he narrowly avoided the blow by rolling to the side.

The arm smashed into a nearby tree, splintering it with a thunderous crash and sending shards of wood flying in all directions.

Alister sprang back to his feet, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation.

‘This one may be of a higher rank than the others.’

「Monster: Sinister Vine Treant

Rank: C

Class: Medium.

Remark: resilient against sharp attacks.

Total Combat Power: 6200」

‘If my claws won’t do any damage then all I have to do is use my fists instead.’

He dashed towards the creature, his movements a blur. He leaped into the air, his gauntlets glinting in the moonlight. As he descended, he drove his fists deep into the monster’s center and took hold of its core, and ripped it out. The creature shuddered violently before collapsing into a heap of twisted roots and fading light.

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

Panting slightly, Alister took a moment to catch his breath. He could hear the distant roars of Terra and Cinder, still wreaking havoc in their designated areas. The ground beneath him rumbled as another wave of monsters fled, their roars and growls growing louder.