Abyssal Chronicles

Chapter 273 - 274: Assault [3/3]

The invasion of the Abyssal Demons, the defeat of the army, and a series of embarrassing actions had nearly shattered Xue Tianao’s glorious image in the eyes of the people.

Originally, Xue Tianao had come to the ’Divine Martial Hall’ to defeat the invading Demon King and once again demonstrate his mighty presence to the public. He planned to remove the heavy and useless imperial robe and don his exclusive ’Divine Armor’ to achieve a perfect victory, winning back the support of the people.

The Divine Armor was a precious item he had obtained by spending countless points in the system store. It had incredibly strong defensive capabilities and was imbued with dozens of amplifying magic spells. Wearing this armor would undoubtedly skyrocket Xue Tianao’s combat power. It played a crucial role in his previous victory over the inferno.

And right now the ’Divine Armor’ should be fully charged...

However, as Xue Tianao hurriedly arrived at the top of the ’Divine Martial Hall’ to prepare to don the armor, an unexpected guest appeared in the grand hall. All of his loyal subordinates had been brutally killed, their bodies strewn across the floor in a chaotic manner.

Already frustrated and angry due to the unsuccessful conquest, loss of resources, ancestral spirits fleeing, and the Abyssal Demon invasion, Xue Tianao’s inner anger was completely ignited. His powerful magical energy surged explosively, manifesting as a faint golden pressure that violently smashed toward the mysterious man in the black robe.

However, this overwhelming aura, capable of subjugating the masses, had no effect on the enigmatic man in front of him. The man remained calm and unmoving throughout, which made Xue Tianao momentarily stunned. And serious expression appeared in his azure eyes.

’This person... he is very strong...’

Xue Tianao immediately made this judgment. To withstand his oppressive magical power, the man’s strength was at least at the pinnacle of the seventh tier, possibly even an eighth-tier expert...

Furthermore, strictly speaking, Xue Tianao’s outburst of magical energy was not entirely ineffective. It generated a powerful gust of wind pressure that lifted the black hood concealing the mysterious man’s face, revealing his true appearance.

Upon seeing the man’s face, Xue Tianao was instantly stunned. His azure eyes filled with an incredulous realization.

"You... Who are you?"

At that moment, standing before Xue Tianao was an elegant and coldly handsome black-haired man, with a smile on his face.

He had shoulder-length, beautiful black hair, a fair and smooth face with sharp angles, rebelliously arched eyebrows, deep and dark eyes resembling black obsidian, radiating a captivating allure and mysterious charm. His thick eyebrows, high nose, and exquisite lips showcased his nobility and elegance.

Within his elegance, there was also a touch of seductive sexiness.

Xue Tianao had to admit that when it came to handsomeness, the other person was not inferior to himself. If there was an advantage, it would be that he appeared slightly more masculine. For some reason, this man always gave him an eerie and soft feeling...

More importantly,

’That face... ’

black hair, black eyes, and the golden rose emblem on his collar, the other person’s identity became apparent...

"are you... the head of the Black Rose Duchy Xiao Black Rose?"

As this realization dawned upon him, Xue Tianao’s eyes narrowed, reflecting a profound seriousness within his azure eyes.

Apart from the Bloody Butterfly who was on his mind, Xue Tianao hadn’t had much interaction with the people from the Black Rose family. However, he had heard numerous rumors about the illustrious Duke of the Black Rose. Some rumors were true, while others were false, making it difficult to distinguish.

But there was one thing everyone agreed on throughout the continent.

That was the fact that this Duke of the Black Rose was powerful, far from an ordinary eighth-rank mage...

Such a formidable presence suddenly appeared in the ’Divine Martial Hall,’ and judging from the situation, the other person didn’t come with good intentions. This inevitably sent shivers down Xue Tianao’s spine. At the same time, his heart was filled with intense curiosity...

’Why did this person appear here?’

’Could it be because of Bloody Butterfly?’

"Has he discovered my knowledge of his sister’s true identity as a Demon King? Could he be here to silence me before I have a chance to expose the truth? Damn, the likelihood appears distressingly high..."

Realizing this point

Xue Tianao couldn’t help but clench his fists tightly, but he still attempted to negotiate with the other person. After all, they were both human beings, and they should be able to understand each other. It was not wise to fight amongst themselves when facing a common enemy. Besides, regarding Bloody Butterfly’s situation, as long as he showed enough sincerity, he should be able to appease the other person...

He was the Chosen One, destined to save the world according to the prophecy, and the one entrusted with the power of the goddess. The other person was also a human, and such a shrewd person would unlikely play games with the future of his own family or even the entire world...

With these thoughts in mind, Xue Tianao took a deep breath, calmed his inner self, and put on a friendly smile. A glimmer of golden light began to radiate deep within his pupils.

"Duke, perhaps there is some misunderstanding between us? Regarding your sister... Hmm?!!"

’?! Wait a minute?!’

"You!!"

Just as he was about to utter another word, a bone-chilling wave of oppression engulfed Xue Tianao, catching him completely off guard. The sheer intensity of the terrifying aura shattered the magical energy field he had just conjured, forcing him to stagger backward repeatedly, unable to withstand its overwhelming force.

The violent aura swept through the grand hall, shattering all the nearby windows, and even the exquisite art ceiling collapsed under this immense pressure.

The shockwaves caused nearby soldiers who were hastily mobilized to gaze at the Divine Martial Hall in astonishment. After all, they were unaware of why such a powerful force would suddenly erupt within the palace. The soldiers, feeling uneasy about their emperor’s safety, attempted to rush for support. However, the bursting energy field was too powerful, and those with insufficient strength were powerless to approach the Divine Martial Hall...

--

Clearly, Xue Tianao’s verbal defense, which never failed when dealing with humans, was shattered before it could even be utilized...

The onslaught of the horrifying magic left Xue Tianao gasping for breath, as if trapped in a suffocating grip. The profound killing intent emanating from the relentless pressure sent shivers down his spine, instilling a deep-seated unease that gradually took hold within his heart.

"What... What do you want to do? Your actions here will only..."

In the face of Xue Tianao’s question, Xiao tilted his head, seemingly pondering how to respond to the thoughts of this Chosen One.

However, in the next moment...

In a very unsportsmanlike manner, Xiao suddenly snapped his fingers. To Xue Tianao’s surprise, a gray light surged around Xiao’s body, and in an instant, a weapon resembling a long spear or a staff, entirely black and adorned with several deep blue gems, appeared directly within the gray light.

As soon as the weapon appeared, a dazzling gray light burst forth from the gems. In the next moment, before Xue Tianao could understand what was happening, a beam of gray-white light abruptly struck him, rapidly enlarging in his eyes! Seeing this, Xue Tianao, sweating profusely, hurriedly summoned the azure magic power within him, attempting to defend himself. However, the opponent’s attack was too sudden, and Xue Tianao didn’t have time to organize any effective defense...

The magic circle he was about to activate was instantly crushed by the gray beam of light, and the same fate befell his body-protecting magic and the passive magic within his earrings that guarded his safety. In an instant, they were shattered by the gray light. Defenseless, Xue Tianao was inevitably struck in the chest by the laser.

Then...

*Boom!!*

Accompanied by a deafening roar and the explosive dispersal of gray terrifying magic, Xue Tianao’s chest was directly blasted with a hole the size of a soccer ball. Blood gushed from his mouth, and the intense pain caused Xue Tianao to emit a heart-rending scream.

Under the impact of tremendous force, Xue Tianao was sent flying and crashed violently onto the steel door behind him.

Even the solid black steel gate was smashed into a huge dent by Xue Tianao’s impact.