Abyssal Chronicles

Chapter 856 - 857: Absorbing Energy

In a hidden underground ruin within the territory of the small central nation of Ancita Continent - the Maple Leaf Principality, hundreds of church followers dressed in white Asumos Church attire and holding torches were quickly shuttling through the narrow and ancient-looking ruin tunnels. The bright torchlight not only illuminated the dark tunnels but also reflected the faces of the followers, which were filled with fanaticism and excitement.

As time passed, one of the elderly church followers couldn’t hold back his excitement and asked the young brown-haired man leading the way in front, "Little Vic, how much longer until we can see the Goddess?"

Hearing the middle-aged man’s inquiry, the man named Vic continued to walk quickly while turning his head back helplessly:

"Soon, very soon, Uncle Mosan. We’ll be able to see the Goddess very soon. At that time, the Goddess will give you her blessing and help you cure your lung disease."

"Good, good, good! That’s great. Quick, let’s walk faster."

"I know, Uncle, slow down a bit. It wouldn’t be good if you fell."

Vic reminded in a caring tone.

"Hmm, thank you."

Mosan, the church pastor, sincerely directed a grateful gaze towards the young man in front of him.

Actually, at first, Mosan had strong doubts about what Vic said, about the Goddess descending to the mortal world to observe the people’s livelihood and such. After all, how could a newly converted follower like Vic know about such a big event as the Goddess’s descent? However, when he learned that the Goddess would bless the followers during her time below and help them cure all diseases, Mosan hesitated.

Suffering from severe lung disease and being relatively poor, he was powerless to treat such an illness, and his life expectancy was probably only a few more years.

Mosan was only fifty-three this year, still relatively young, and didn’t want to pass away too soon. Moreover, Vic’s originally blind eyes seemed to have been healed after receiving the Goddess’s blessing.

Mosan felt a stirring in his heart and eventually brought many followers from nearby towns to the ruins where the Goddess was located. After all, if they really met the Goddess, having too few visiting followers would seem desolate and disrespectful to the Goddess.

As they delved deeper into the ruins, Mosan’s initial doubts quickly vanished because he felt an increasingly strong divine aura, a warm power that made people feel comfortable and happy in body and mind! Even the holy magic power within his body resonated with it! In the past, even those grand bishops or apostles of heaven who had received the Goddess’s grace had never made the power within Mosan’s body tremble like this.

Soon, he came to a conclusion:

-- The Goddess?! Perhaps she really is deep within the ruins?!! --

Mosan, who had reached this conclusion, became even more excited.

Not only Mosan, but the many church followers behind him also made similar judgments. They unanimously quickened their pace, trying to see the legendary Goddess as soon as possible.

Just like that, the crowd, lost in their excitement, soon arrived under Vic’s lead at an abandoned plaza in the center of the ruins that had been desolate for thousands of years.

Upon arriving at the plaza, Mosan and the other followers’ attention was drawn to the giant tree branch in the center of the plaza that reached straight to the ceiling. No, strictly speaking, they were attracted by the exquisitely graceful figure sitting on the branch.

"That, that is?!"

It was a woman with her eyes closed, possessing a slender figure and a heavenly fairy-like countenance.

Smooth platinum-white short hair with a slightly devilish dark red highlight.

The impeccable and exquisite features outlined a perfect beautiful contour. Under the faint shadows of her fluttering eyes was an innate noble and elegant temperament, just like the golden holy spirit flower that symbolized the church - beautiful, divine, and awe-inspiring.

The flawless appearance and extraordinary temperament, paired with the elegant black court gown, further enhanced the girl’s charm.

Just one glance was enough to captivate the souls of Mosan and the others.

Beauty was one aspect, but more importantly, it was the unparalleled pressure and dazzling divine light emanating from this girl’s entire being.

In an instant, the power within the bodies of Mosan and the others seemed to resonate. They instinctively had the urge to kneel and bow to the girl.

For an existence to make this group of Asumos Church followers have such an urge, the girl’s identity was already self-evident.

"It’s, it’s really, it’s really the Goddess!!"

As Mosan’s exclamation was spoken, his eyes instantly burst out with an indescribable fanaticism and excitement. The next second, he and the hundreds of church followers, just like them, couldn’t wait to leave Vic behind and rushed towards where the Goddess was located.

And Vic, as the guide, silently held the torch and stood in place, watching all this. In his eyes filled with flattery, a chilling intent overflowed at this moment.

Soon...

Under the guidance of the divine aura, the church followers led by Mosan directly arrived at the foot of the ancient tree. Without a word, they knelt on the ground in the most pious posture, extending the most sincere greetings to the Goddess.

"Welcome to the Maple Leaf Principality, revered Goddess! As your followers, we were unable to come and greet you in time. We beg for your forgiveness."

As Mosan spoke, hundreds of followers also unanimously greeted the Goddess.

At this moment, Mosan’s heart was almost jumping out of his chest due to extreme excitement, and tears of ecstasy uncontrollably slid down from the corners of his eyes.

But this was also human nature.

After all, the deity he had worshipped for decades had one day appeared before him. As a devout follower, the excitement in Mosan’s heart was indescribable.

Not to mention, after seeing the Goddess, his intractable disease would be cured, and his life would be rejuvenated from then on.

All of this made Mosan’s heart immersed in unprecedented joy. However, just as Mosan was overjoyed and about to open his mouth to beg for the Goddess’s blessing, Mosan suddenly frowned because he was startled to find that strange shadows suddenly surged from the ground, enveloping him and all the followers.

"What is this?"

Unfortunately, Mosan didn’t have time to ponder this question because almost the moment he noticed the shadows, the atmosphere around him underwent an earth-shattering change. The divine and radiant plaza instantly vanished. That divine power inexplicably turned into a suffocating, cold, murderous aura! The overwhelming force that could crush people’s consciousness suddenly overflowed from all directions of the plaza, enveloping the followers.

The atmosphere that had just been extremely joyous shattered in an instant, replaced by unprecedented panic.

"No, not good!!! What’s going on?!!"

Sensing something amiss, Mosan instinctively tried to stand up and escape the shadows beneath him.

However, an unknown binding force forcibly controlled his body, making him completely unable to move! Not only Mosan, but all the followers were like this! Afterwards, hideous ghost hands formed by dark energy stretched out from the shadows under everyone’s feet, gradually dragging them into the shadows.

At this moment, seeing the drastic changes happening in the plaza, Mosan suddenly realized that he had been deceived!

This, this thing, was not the Goddess at all!!!

"Vic!!! You bastard!!"

At the very last moment, the furious and unwilling Mosan mustered all his strength to turn his head and look at the man standing at the entrance of the plaza with a playful expression, using an extremely resentful gaze.

"You liar... You won’t come to a good..."

However, before he could even finish his last words, Mosan, along with countless church followers, was devoured by the shadows and disappeared without a trace. And at this moment, the entire ancient plaza once again returned to tranquility...

...

"Hmm, is it over?"

Seeing the hundreds of followers being completely devoured, Vic spoke in a flat tone.

Then, this young follower stepped towards the center of the plaza, that is, the position where the ’Goddess’ was located. As he walked, a layer of pale golden light gradually rippled around Vic’s body. And as the golden light faded, the somewhat inexperienced young man ceased to exist, replaced by an extraordinary-looking blonde girl.

It was none other than the long-missing first warrior of the church - Tania.

"Hmm, it’s still not enough."

Feeling the power continuously feeding back to the ’Goddess’ from the shadows, Tania couldn’t help but frown. Now, although her Goddess had regained her freedom, breaking through the seal had brought about a huge consumption. Coupled with the imprisonment for many years, it undoubtedly caused the power within her body to enter a state of scarcity, in urgent need of replenishment.

However, Tania encountered a problem in terms of power replenishment.

"No matter how many of these kinds of fellows are consumed, not much can be restored..."

That damn Bloody Butterfly. During the holy war, she actually directly destroyed the statue?!

If the statue hadn’t been destroyed, her Goddess could have directly drained all the Asumos Church followers on the continent through the statue. By then, she would surely be able to recover a large portion of her power.

Without the connection of the statue, slowly replenishing like this, when would it be fully restored?

The weak are useless. Strong ones need to be devoured... As for the strong, where should we go now?

Hmm?

Wait?

"Now that the holy war is over, perhaps... only they are left..."

Narrowing her eyes slightly, a chilling gleam suddenly overflowed from Tania’s eyes...