Chapter 425: Goddess of the Abyss

Chapter 425: Goddess of the Abyss

Rain had considered transforming into the second stage of the Dragon Knight General form to face his opponent. However, there was an issue. While the transformation would significantly enhance his strength and defense, it would not improve his mobility to the same extent. In fact, due to his enlarged size, his agility within a small range would be compromised, making him less nimble than in his human form.

This was a common drawback when one's body became gigantic.

Across from him was Lambert, a top-tier swordsman with incredible speed and unparalleled sword skills, who could swiftly exploit his opponent's weaknesses. Therefore, transforming to counter Lambert was not a wise decision, as it might give the latter an opportunity to seize his vulnerabilities.

However, this didn't mean Rain couldn't use his transformation at all.

As Lambert unleashed a majestic and powerful strike, Rain's right arm muscles suddenly swelled to twice their size, with dragon scales faintly visible beneath his skin. This localized transformation was a new ability he had gained after his bloodline concentration reached the 'High' level.

"Clang!!!"

Rain's massive right arm gripped the greatsword, holding it horizontally in front of him. With just one hand, he caught Lambert's powerful attack, which could have easily cleaved through a large tree.

At that moment, Lambert, suspended in mid-air in a slashing pose, glared with fury, his mouth wide open in a roar, and his body tensed as if summoning his belief, aura, and force into this single strike.

Instantly, Rain felt a surge of immense power flowing through the greatsword, like a tidal waves crashing against him. Yet, Rain remained unmoved, his body trembling slightly, not from weakness but as if channeling the force.

It seemed that Rain was redirecting the immense power into the ground beneath him.

The ground beneath Rain's feet suddenly caved in, forming a bowl-like depression, and the earth around his feet cracked like a spider web, spreading outward.

But the next second, Rain counterattacked!

"Bang!!!"

Rain's left fist, which had been hanging loosely, shot out like lightning, striking Lambert's abdomen with such force that it created a crater the size of a large bowl. Lambert's back arched, and he nearly lost his grip on the greatsword, sending him flying backward, folded in half.

In the Imperial Capital of Tamriel, on the second floor of the Astral Platform's Command Center...

"Marshal Alfred, Lambert's strength is impressive. Is there a way for Lord Rain to show mercy and perhaps allow him to contribute to the subsequent suppression mission?" asked an elderly Army General named Gebel, who coughed as he spoke.

"General Gebel, how can we ensure that Lambert won't suddenly set a trap for Lord Rain or even harm him during the subsequent suppression battle?" General Augustus immediately frowned and retorted upon hearing this.

You should have mentioned this earlier. Now that Lambert is at a disadvantage, it's hard not to question the motive behind this suggestion.

"Cough, General Augustus, Lambert's background is relatively clear. He is the top disciple of the Empire's Guardian, Sword Saint Leon, and from this perspective, I believe he has no reason to betray the Empire."

"Moreover, the conflict between him and Lord Rain is merely an internal Empire matter, isn't it?"

Hearing the term "internal Empire matter," General Augustus swallowed the words he had intended to say.

From a certain perspective, this was a matter that should be resolved within the Empire.

However, Rain's opinion should be respected in this duel.

Competitions and duels are sacred.

The victor holds absolute authority.

This was why the Command Center couldn't interfere when the duel began.

"Tatiya, contact Baldwin and ask him to speak with Lord Rain at an appropriate time to see if he is willing to give Lambert another chance and allow him to contribute to the subsequent suppression mission."

As Rain was still engaged in combat with Lambert, it was not the right time to contact him. Therefore, Alfred asked Tatiya to contact Baldwin, who was also present at the scene.

"Yes, Marshal," Tatiya replied.

Meanwhile, in the Dragon Valley Sanctuary...

After Rain blocked Lambert's shadow clone slash, Lambert's situation became dire.

"Crack!"

The sound of shattering bones echoed as Rain's greatsword was blocked, and immediately afterward, he unleashed a move similar to Iron Mountain Stomp, slamming his shoulder into Lambert's chest with tremendous force, sending him flying like a cannonball.

As Rain was about to finish off Lambert, Army General Baldwin, standing nearby, shouted, "Show mercy, Lord Rain!"

Rain looked at Baldwin in confusion.

Baldwin quickly approached Rain and whispered in his ear, "Lord Rain, the Command Center ultimately defers to your decision."

Baldwin didn't intentionally lower his voice for the last sentence, allowing the two Arede sisters, Alida and Reagan, to hear him clearly.

Rain glanced at Lambert, who lay on the ground, vomiting blood, and thought to himself, 'In this state, he probably won't be of much help anyway.'

However, Rayen reconsidered. Since Marshal Alfred had spoken, he had to give the Marshal some face.

"Lord Lambert, if you're willing to assist the Empire in completing an important task, then the sparring can end here."

"Who wants to live, and who wants to die? Ugh... Lord Rayen, I agree!" Lambert said without hesitation, even as he coughed up blood.

"Moreover, this matter has reached this point, and I've completely severed ties with the Drumm family."

"Aren't you going to ask what the task is?"

"There's no need. I have faith in Lord Rayen!"

Hearing Lambert's words, Rayen couldn't help but smile slightly. He hadn't realized it, but this Lambert was quite a smooth talker.

After some thought, Rayen turned to Aida and said, "Aida, heal him. We're short on time, so I'll head over first. You can come later."

"Yes, Lord Rayen," Aida nodded, seeing no issue with it.

Despite being a shadow arcane wizard, Aida also mastered arcane spells like 'Dark Healing', allowing her to quickly recover from injuries, though the side effects were not insignificant.

As Rayen hurried to the rendezvous point, he saw a robust man already waiting there. The man was dressed in a lavish white wizard robe with gold trim, holding a staff topped with a spherical blue orb.

His face was stern, as if accustomed to high positions, and at this moment, he was frowning as he gazed north, seemingly lost in thought.

Within two minutes, another person arrived.

This man looked to be in his early forties, wearing a secret silver silk cyan mage robe , and in his hand was a peculiar staff with three floating rhombic crystals at its top.

The wind energy particles emitted by the three crystals on the staff were very noticeable.

"Agripa, you're right on time," said the man with the blue orb staff without turning around.

"Lord Nick, it's been a while," said the man in the cyan mage robe, unconcerned.

This Lord Nick was a legendary peak powerhouse within the elite guard, and the elite guard was responsible for guarding the imperial palace, the most prestigious of positions.

If it weren't for the unique location of this task, the Dragon Valley Sanctuary, the elite guard wouldn't have sent anyone to participate.

"Hmm, Lord Nick, you've only come alone?" Agripa scanned the surroundings, slightly surprised.

His teammates had been infected by the Soul Devouring Plague, greatly reducing their strength. To face an incarnation of the Sea Goddess Hela, it would be like sending them to their deaths. But Lord Nick had only brought himself.

"I sent them to slay the adolescent dragon infected by the Void Beast. Against a goddess's incarnation, their strength is still lacking." As he spoke, Lord Nick finally turned around.

Agripa smiled and nodded, "Lord Nick, you've considered it thoroughly. Indeed, with the opponent's strength, ordinary teammates might not be of much help."

Regarding this, Agripa actually agreed in his heart.

Nick and his strength were on par with each other.

In comparison, the teammates' strength was slightly inferior.

"In a typical task, two legendary-level teammates would be helpful, but when facing a goddess's incarnation, it's different.

Unless one's strength reaches an extreme in the legendary realm, they might not even be able to withstand a single attack.

Even he, upon knowing they had to face an incarnation of the Sea Goddess Hela, felt the pressure.

"I heard there's another person, also a swordsman? Why haven't they arrived yet?" Nick asked, furrowing his brows.

"Lord Nick, the upcoming Lord Rayen, is quite famous in the imperial capital. However, although we're both swordsmen, I haven't had the chance to meet him yet," Agripa explained.

Hearing this, Nick immediately understood Agripa's implication.

He was indicating that although they both belonged to the swordsman system, they weren't familiar.

"What's your plan for this tough battle?" Nick asked with a smile.

At this point, they would discuss the battle plan, unless they couldn't reach an agreement, in which case the command center would coordinate, but only to the extent of deciding who would lead, without getting into the specifics of execution.

"Oh? Lord Nick, do you have a plan?" Agripa didn't answer directly but smiled and asked.

"It's best if someone can attract the opponent's attention head-on. That way, our crystallization kill move will have a chance to be effective," Nick said.

"Indeed, that's the case," Agripa immediately understood Nick's intention and nodded.

At this moment, Nick glanced at the comm link and said, "Lord Rayen is already one minute late. I think the latecomer should take on more responsibility, don't you agree, Lord Agripa?"

Given that Agripa had just implied that he wasn't familiar with Rayen, Nick was certain he wouldn't object to his suggestion.

Battling against a goddess's incarnation was extremely dangerous.

If someone could attract the opponent's attention head-on, it would be much safer.

"Well, I agree with Lord Rayen's opinion. However, I think Lord Rayen should clarify this matter before the battle." Agrippa hesitated slightly and then nodded.

Although Lord Rayen had been gaining quite a reputation in the Imperial Capital recently, in Agrippa's eyes, compared to the veteran legendary powerhouse Nick, Lord Rayen's strength was likely inferior.

Speaking of Lord Rayen, he arrived.

"Sorry, you two, I'm a little over two minutes late." At this moment, Lord Rayen's voice came from a distance.

But before he could finish speaking, his tall figure suddenly appeared, almost faster than his voice.

Hmm? Not bad strength.

This scene was naturally witnessed by Nick and Agrippa, and both of them had the same thought in their minds.

"Lord Rayen, you're late. You should know that during a mission, being late is a big taboo." Nick's expression turned stern, and he spoke.

"Oh? May I ask who you are?" Lord Rayen raised an eyebrow, looking at the other person.

"Nick, from the Inner Guard."

"What does Captain Nick mean?"

"I think as the latecomer, I should apologize. In the subsequent battle, Lord Rayen, you should shoulder more responsibility. For example, in the battle, attract that person's attention."

Upon hearing these words, Lord Rayen immediately understood why the other party was making a fuss about his lateness.

So, that was the purpose.

In fact, when Lord Rayen received this task request from Marshal Alfred, he instinctively felt that since the last incident, once the Sea Goddess Hela sees him, she would make him the main target.

In other words, without any tactics or discussion, he would naturally attract fire, and he had already mentally prepared himself for this.

But the problem was that Captain Nick's words made him feel uncomfortable.

He could take on the task of attracting fire, but the prerequisite was that he volunteered for it.

"I disagree." Lord Rayen shook his head.

"Didn't the Command Center tell you to come here to cooperate with us? This is insubordination!" Nick's expression turned stern, and a powerful mental energy towards Lord Rayen.

"Sorry, the Command Center asked me to come here for support, not cooperation."

"What's the difference?" Agrippa asked from the side.

"Of course, there's a difference. Cooperation has a main role, but support doesn't." Lord Rayen explained.

"Lord Rayen, this isn't the time for disagreements. We three should work together to face the Sea Goddess Hela's incarnation." Agrippa stepped in to mediate.

"Once the battle begins, we should have a tactic. For example, who will attract the opponent's attention, who will take the lead, and who will restrict. Lord Rayen, what do you think?"

"Among us three, my crystal kill move has considerable power, and I believe it can deal a certain amount of damage to that person. As for Captain Nick, he's skilled in controlling the battlefield and can create many opportunities."

"As for Lord Rayen, your impressive record makes me admire you. From your record, it seems you've rarely suffered any serious injuries in battles, indicating your proficiency in defense."

"So, that's why Captain Nick suggested this. He hopes you can attract the opponent's attention."

When the other party said this, they smiled.

Of course, if Lord Rayen has better suggestions, you can propose them, and we can discuss them together." Finally, Agrippa spoke up.

After some thought, Lord Rayen nodded. "Alright! Since that's the case, Captain Agrippa, I'll take on the task of attracting the opponent's attention."

"However, I can't guarantee that the opponent's attention will be on me at all times."

As soon as Lord Rayen finished speaking, a glint of joy flashed in both their eyes.

"Of course, Lord Rayen, just do your best." Agrippa quickly nodded and smiled.

But in his heart, he thought, 'As expected of a young man, with just a few words, he voluntarily took on the most dangerous task.'

Nick, standing by his side, maintained a stern expression, but inside, he was smiling.

He also felt that Lord Rayen was still too young.

In the situation where one of them was the 'red face' and the other the 'white face', with just a few words, Lord Rayen voluntarily took on the most dangerous task.

But what they didn't know was that when Nick suggested that Lord Rayen attract fire, he instinctively sensed that the two of them were vaguely aware. For example, they might say, 'If you can't handle it, I'll do this and that,' or 'If it's really unbearable, retreat first to ensure your safety' and the like.

But none of these words were spoken.

This wasn't a sincere collaborative team.

As for why Lord Rayen agreed? First, the siege of the Sea Goddess Hela was a significant matter, and the Astral Platform in the Imperial Capital would definitely pay close attention.

Since this was the case, standing on the moral high ground was very important.

His agreement represented his attitude.

At that time, if any unexpected situations arose, he wouldn't be blamed.

Second, attracting fire was actually a task with a lot of freedom.

Attracting nine-tenths of the enemy's attacks was indeed a significant feat, but what about eight-tenths or seven-tenths? Since they were fighting as a trio, as long as he drew more than forty percent of the enemy's fire, he could be considered to have met the standard.

If he attracted more than half, no one could fault him.

At that moment, a yellow signal flare shot up into the distant sky.

Upon seeing this, Nick turned and gave a slight nod to the other two, saying, "Captain Agripa, Lord Rain, let's go! She's already here."

The three of them instantly flashed and quickly headed towards the signal flare.

Even though their target was a deity, even in her incarnate form, tracking her was impossible. They could only determine her approximate location.

Therefore, the command center had arranged for other operatives to search the vicinity. Once they spotted any trace of the Sea Goddess Hela, they were to immediately fire a signal flare to indicate her position.

As the three rushed towards their destination, they saw dozens of ferociously shaped beasts, each unique, seemingly startled by something, charging wildly out of the forest directly towards them.

Numerous birds of prey and bizarre insects were also scattering in all directions.

Of course, these posed no hindrance to Rain, Nick, and Agripa.

Nick's body flashed with a spiral of electric light, and a wild boar-like ferocious beast twitched and fell to the ground.

This couldn't help but catch Rain's attention, and a glint of brightness flashed across his eyes.

It seemed that Agripa's earlier claim about Nick's ability to control the battlefield and potentially restrain the Sea Goddess wasn't just empty boasting.

Agripa, on the other hand, was surrounded by a swirling cyan airflow. Unlike the 'Swift Wind' technique, which only affected the legs, Rain knew that this was the third-rank wind arcane spell 'Cyclone Shield'.

A ferocious beast resembling a velociraptor charged towards Agripa, ready to pounce and bite.

But in the next moment, the creature's robust body, over three meters tall, was enveloped by the cyan airflow, involuntarily stumbling to the side. Simultaneously, several long and deep wounds appeared on its body.

Instantly, blood spurted from the wounds.

The Cyclone Shield was a rare wind arcane spell that combined both offensive and defensive capabilities, deflecting enemy attacks while inflicting damage.

The swirling cyan airflow around Agripa was laced with countless tiny wind blades, invisible to the naked eye.

In other words, if an enemy collided with this Cyclone Shield, they would be swiftly sliced by these tiny wind blades.

While observing his two companions, Rain was also being watched by them.

However, Nick and Agripa were even more astonished.

When Rain encountered the ferocious beasts or birds of prey, his body would flash, and he would suddenly disappear, only to reappear behind them.

With their heightened senses, Nick and Agripa could perceive how Rain accomplished this feat.

In essence, Rain relied on instantaneous speed changes during his movements, effortlessly dodging all the ferocious beasts charging towards him as if strolling through a leisurely garden.

Nick glanced at Rain, a thought forming in his mind.

If not for the metal shield enveloping Rain's body, he would have appeared more like a titled knight than a third-rank crystal mage.

After passing through a grove, the scene ahead became clear.

There stood a stunningly beautiful girl in a black robe, familiar to Rain, with her back turned towards them. On the ground around her lay three Imperial personnel, clearly struggling to breathe.

Rain recognized two of them as participants from the re-test mission.

The third person, though unfamiliar to Rain, shared a similar aura with Nick, likely indicating an inner guard.

"Quide!" Nick exclaimed in surprise.

Indeed, as Rain had guessed, one of them was Nick's team member.

"Here come three more," Hela said, slowly turning around.

"Huh? I didn't expect you to come here on your own," Hela said, her gaze fixing on Rain.

"Shouldn't I have come?" Rain asked with a smile.

"If you came willingly, I can grant you a quick death," Hela said, a smile gracing her exquisite face.

There was no trace of charm in her words, yet all three of them felt a strange allure.

Nick and Agripa, however, didn't understand the meaning behind the Sea Goddess's words.

But to them, it didn't matter.

What mattered was that Rain had successfully drawn the Sea Goddess's attention, which was undoubtedly a good thing!

If they could complete the mission successfully, that would be ideal, but if not, they would retreat at the first opportunity, ensuring their safety.

This was why they had asked Rain to attract the Sea Goddess's attention.

The logic was simple: becoming the focus of a deity's incarnation meant they would be a priority target.

Nick and Agripa exchanged a glance and quickly split up, one going left and the other right, taking up positions behind the Sea Goddess Hela on either side.

From above, one could see that Rain, Nick, and Agripa formed a triangular formation, effectively surrounding the Sea Goddess Hela.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end