https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-191-Forging-a-Crown-with-His-Own-Hands/13539690/
Chapter 190: Slaying the Serpent Demon
Chapter 190: Slaying the Serpent Demon
As the creature approached, the cobalt phosphorescence illuminating the cavern revealed its grotesque visage—
A humanoid being standing approximately 2.5 meters tall.
Its upper body retained a semblance of human form, though its skin was unnaturally pallid, covered in overlapping scales.
Most striking were the six arms protruding from various points across its torso.
Each limb was a mass of coiled muscle and armored scales, wielding a distinct weapon.
Its face had degenerated into complete aberration—serpentine rather than human.
Vertical pupils glinted with ruthless precision in the gloom, while its forked tongue flickered in and out, tasting the stale air.
"Hybrid Serpent Demon…" Luo En muttered the name, his blade leveled at the abomination.
The Serpent Demon advanced slowly. Six arms moved in perfect synchrony, displaying a dazzling array of weaponry:
The uppermost pair clutched a scimitar and a shield;
The middle arms gripped a spear and a chain hook claw;
The lowest pair bore a massive cleaver and a broadsword.
"Human… flesh… delicious…" The Serpent Demon hissed, its voice dripping with bloodlust.
The pure malice radiating from it reminded Luo En of the Abyssal Life Compendium’s warnings:
Abyssal Creatures—even these non-native mutants—possessed an innate evil tendency, a pathological hunger for the suffering of other beings.
"Come, reptile."
Luo En’s battle will blazed.
The Serpent Demon shrieked, its six arms erupting into motion. With terrifying coordination, it launched a multi-directional assault:
The scimitar slashed downward from above, the chain hook claw lashed sideways, the spear lunged toward his chest, the cleaver swept toward his legs, the broadsword aimed for his abdominal weak point—all while the shield maintained defensive readiness.
This six-limbed offense-defense system created near-perfect coverage, leaving no escape.
But Luo En’s reaction speed surpassed human limits.
In his Boiling Blood state, he pinpointed the sole opening—the minute angle between the scimitar and spear.
He twisted his body sideways, blade darting through the gap. The onslaught barely grazed him as he counterattacked, piercing the Serpent Demon’s upper arm.
"Scree!" The Serpent Demon’s shriek morphed into pain—but its wound healed instantly, flesh knitting itself whole within seconds.
"Abyssal Creature regeneration…" Luo En narrowed his eyes.
The monster’s terrifying offensive coordination was matched only by its near-instantaneous self-repair—hallmarks of Abyssal Creatures.
The Serpent Demon, surprised by Luo En’s speed, adjusted its rhythm.
It abandoned simultaneous attacks, opting for rhythmic, alternating strikes.
Three weapons at a time formed dynamic attack patterns, creating unpredictable offensive waves.
Luo En entered hyperfocus—every movement precise, every motion optimized.
Yet he still sustained grazing cuts on his arms and legs.
"Need to shift tactics…" He dodged another strike while strategizing.
Even with mastery of swordsmanship, close combat against six synchronized limbs remained disadvantageous.
Time to test superior techniques.
After evading another assault, Luo En sprang backward.
"Sound Wave Oscillation Erosion State!"
An invisible ripple of mana erupted from his palm, carrying eerie whispers from the depths of Star essence, striking the Serpent Demon.
The monster perceived the danger, six arms flailing to intercept the mana.
But the sound waves pierced physical barriers, slamming directly into its body.
"Screeeeee!"
The Serpent Demon screamed with unprecedented shrillness, its six eyes widening in rare terror.
Black spots erupted across its once-smooth scales, as though corroded by invisible acid.
The wounds—normally healing instantly—remained open, oozing black liquid.
"This…" The Serpent Demon stared at its disintegrating flesh, disbelief twisting its features:
"Impossible! Humans shouldn’t wield such power!"
Luo En observed coldly, deepening his understanding of the Erosion Sonata’s effects.
This Star-imbued force proved equally devastating against Abyssal Creatures—possibly amplified by some mysterious predator-prey dynamic.
The Serpent Demon didn’t retreat. Instead, it grew fiercer.
It roared, six arms churning, launching itself forward to overwhelm with sheer melee superiority.
"Flowing Barrier!"
Luo En clapped his hands. A protective veil of metallic dust formed around him.
The six weapons crashed against the barrier, ringing with metallic shrieks.
Ripples distorted the barrier’s surface—but under the Memory trait’s reinforcement, the defense held firm.
The barrier not only absorbed each strike but auto-reinforced vulnerable zones using previously recorded attack patterns. The Serpent Demon’s follow-up combos failed utterly.
The monster staggered backward, six eyes wide with disbelief:
"What monster are you?!"
A cold smirk curved Luo En’s lips. "A nightmare descending upon you."
He dispersed the Flowing Barrier, lunged forward, and shot toward the Serpent Demon like an arrow loosed from a bow.
In his Boiling Blood state, his speed exceeded visible limits.
Combined with the Bared Sharpness trait’s enhanced reflexes, he struck where the monster couldn’t defend.
Blades slashed underarm scales, carved across neck joints, targeted eye sockets—each strike ruthless precision.
"Radiant Halo!"
A crimson-gold spell matrix coalesced in his grasp, erupting in blinding light and searing flames. The dual-effect attack seared and blinded the foe simultaneously.
The Serpent Demon thrashed, six arms flailing wildly against the agony.
In this brief opening, Luo En struck again.
His blade carved an arc toward the monster’s central chest weakness.
The Serpent Demon crossed its arms desperately, forming a last-ditch defense.
But Luo En’s sword shifted trajectory mid-strike, slipping between crossed weapons from an impossible angle—piercing the monster’s heart.
"Scree—!" The Serpent Demon’s final cry cut short. Six eyes dimmed.
Its arms went limp, weapons clattering to the ground in metallic clangs.
Luo En withdrew his blade, watching the corpse slump.
In those dying eyes, he saw not mere cruelty—but the primordial evil rooted in Abyssal Creatures’ souls.
Not simple good versus evil, but a fundamental divergence in existence itself.
Abyssal Creatures weren’t just malevolent—they were living distortions, eroding reality’s natural order.
"Simulation Combat concluded. Successfully cleared 'Abyss' difficulty!"
A mechanical voice announced: "Evaluation: excellent."
The environment faded, reverting to the plain circular training room.
Luo En stood still, regulating breath and spiritual state.
The battle against the Serpent Demon clarified his strength.
Combining various spells and enhancement techniques, he could rival opponents near Full Mage-tier without exhausting his ultimate trump cards.
Yet he’d also tasted the true terror of Abyssal Creatures—their instinctive malevolence and terrifying regeneration.
Underestimating them meant death.
The iron door reopened. Gelisen stood in the doorway, astonishment written across their face. "Luo En apprentice, are you unharmed?"
"I’m fine, Ge Lisen Mentor." Luo En replied calmly, showing no fatigue.
"This is incredible!" Gelisen guided him out, excitement rising in their voice:
"Normally, apprentices choosing hybrid Serpent Demon opponents require countless attempts to prevail. You succeeded on your first try!"
Luo En merely smiled.
"Also, I noticed your combat style is exceptionally unique." Gelisen’s eyes gleamed with admiration:
"That perfect fusion of spellcraft and martial technique—it’s rare even among School elites."
"Oh, right!" They suddenly remembered:
"As agreed, you’ll only pay 5 Mana Shard Fragments per session from now on. Additionally, if you’re willing to assist with some foundational maintenance work, the usage fee could decrease further."
Luo En accepted readily. "My honor, Ge Lisen Mentor. Understanding Simulation Combat Device mechanics will benefit my alchemical studies greatly."
Moreover, he hadn’t come solely to test his strength.
"By the way, this is the School’s promised special reward for first-time 'Abyss' difficulty clearance achieving 'excellent' evaluation—hybrid multi-armed serpent demon tissue cells."
Gelisen retrieved a sealed containment box from their pocket, handing it over.
"Thank you. This is precisely why I came here." Luo En accepted the box with a smile.
Before the Bloodline Altar activation, his Puppet Substitute might gain further combat enhancement.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
