Chapter 425: Goddess of the Abyss

Chapter 425: Goddess of the Abyss

Ren had considered transforming into the Second Stage Draconic General Form to face his opponent. However, while the transformation would significantly enhance his strength and defense, it would only slightly improve his mobility.

Due to his massive size, maneuvering in tight spaces would be less agile than in human form, a common issue with such transformations.

Lambert, on the other hand, was incredibly fast, with exceptional sword speed, making him an elite swordsman adept at exploiting his opponents' weaknesses.

Therefore, transforming to counter Lambert in this situation would be unwise, as it might give him an advantage.

He could easily seize upon any openings.

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

As Lambert unleashed his majestic peak strike, Ren's right arm muscles suddenly swelled, doubling in size, with dragon scales faintly visible. This localized dragonification was a new ability he had gained after his bloodline concentration reached the 'High' level.

"Clang!!"

Ren's massive right arm gripped the greatsword, blocking Lambert's powerful attack with just one hand.

Lambert, suspended in mid-air in a jumping slash pose, had his eyes wide open, mouth agape in a roaring expression, and muscles taut as if he were channeling his belief, primal force, and strength into this one strike.

In an instant, Ren felt a surging power from the greatsword, like a tide, wave after wave, crashing towards him.

Yet, Ren remained unmoved, his body only trembling slightly. It wasn't a tremor of weakness but rather a way of channeling his strength.

He seemed to be redirecting the immense force into the ground beneath him.

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

But the next moment, Ren counterattacked!

"Bang!!"

Ren's left fist, which had been hanging loose, struck like lightning, punching Lambert in the abdomen, creating a cauldron-sized indentation in his stomach, and causing a bulge on his back. Lambert's greatsword nearly slipped from his grasp, and he doubled over in pain.

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

"Marshal Alfred, Lambert's strength is impressive. Is there a possibility of asking Lord Ren to show mercy and perhaps allow him to contribute to future encirclement missions?"

An elderly man named Admiral Gobel, standing nearby, coughed and spoke up.

"Admiral Gobel, how can we ensure that Lambert won't suddenly set a trap for Lord Ren or even betray him during the encirclement battle?" Augustus immediately frowned and rebutted upon hearing this.

You should have mentioned this earlier. It's hard not to question your motives now that Lambert is at a disadvantage.

"Cough, General Augustus, Lambert's background is relatively clear. As a direct disciple of Sword Saint Leon, the Imperial Guardian, I believe he has no reason to betray the Empire."

"Moreover, isn't their conflict merely an internal Empire matter?"

Hearing the phrase 'internal Empire conflict', Augustus swallowed the words he had been about to say.

From a certain perspective, this statement was politically correct.

When facing external enemies, it's essential to unite all possible forces.

However, the most crucial aspect of this situation was seeking the opinion of the person involved, Lord Ren.

Matches and duels are sacred.

The victor holds absolute authority.

This was why the Command Center couldn't intervene at the beginning.

"Tatiya, contact Baldwin and ask him to speak with Lord Ren at an appropriate time to see if he's willing to give Lambert a chance." After a moment of thought, Marshal Alfred instructed Tatiya, who stood beside him.

As Ren was still engaged in combat with Lambert, it wasn't the right time to contact him, so Marshal Alfred asked Tatiya to reach out to Baldwin, who was also at the scene.

"Yes, Marshal."

Meanwhile, in the Dragon Valley Secret Realm, Lambert's situation had become precarious after Ren blocked his Sword Shadow Clone Strike.

"Crack!"

A loud sound of shattering bones echoed.

After blocking Lambert's greatsword, Ren immediately followed up with a shoulder charge, similar to the Iron Mountain Push, knocking Lambert back like a cannonball.

As Ren was about to finish Lambert off, the Commander of the Army, Baldwin, shouted from the side, "Show mercy, Lord Ren!"

Ren paused, looking at Baldwin with confusion.

Baldwin quickly approached and whispered something in Ren's ear.

"Lord Ren, the Command Center has decided to respect your decision ultimately."

The last sentence was loud enough for the Aida Sisters to hear clearly.

Ren glanced at Lambert, who was lying on the ground, vomiting blood, and thought, 'In this state, he probably won't be of much help anyway.'

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

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

"Who wouldn't want to live? Lord Ren, I agree!" Lambert said without hesitation, even as he coughed up blood.

"Moreover, with this matter reaching this point, I've also completely severed ties with the Drum family."

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

"No need, I trust Lord Ren!"

Hearing Lambert's words, Ren couldn't help but smile slightly. He hadn't realized that Lambert was quite the smooth talker.

After some thought, Ren turned to Aida and said, "Aida, heal him. We're a bit pressed for time, so I'll head over first. You can come later."

"Yes, Lord Ren," Aida nodded, seeing no other option.

Despite being a Shadow Magic sorcerer, Aida was also skilled in spells like 'Dark Healing', which could quickly restore injuries. Of course, the side effects were not insignificant.

As Ren hurried towards the rendezvous point, he spotted a robust man in an ornate white wizard's robe with gold trim, holding a staff topped with a spherical blue orb.

The man's face exuded authority, as if he had long held a high position. At the moment, he frowned, gazing north as if lost in thought.

Within two minutes, another person arrived.

This man looked to be in his early forties, wearing a secret silver-threaded azure wizard's robe. In his hand, he held a staff with three rhombic crystals floating above it.

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

"Agrippa, you're right on time," the man with the blue orb staff said without turning his head.

"It's been a while, Lord Nick," the man in the azure wizard's robe smiled and replied.

This Lord Nick was a legendary peak powerhouse within the Imperial Guard, and the Imperial Guard was responsible for guarding the Imperial Palace, the most prestigious of positions.

If not for the task's unique location in the Dragon Valley Secret Realm, the Imperial Guard would never have sent a representative.

"Hmm, Lord Nick, where are your two teammates?" Agrippa scanned the surroundings, slightly surprised.

His teammates had been infected by the Soul Devouring Plague, greatly reducing their strength. Bringing them to face the Goddess of the Abyss, an incarnation of a deity, would be a death sentence. Yet, Lord Nick's Imperial Guard squad had only sent him.

"I sent them to slay a young giant dragon invaded by the Void Beast. Their strength is still lacking against a divine incarnation," Nick finally turned around as he spoke.

Agrippa, after a moment's thought, smiled and nodded, "Lord Nick, you've considered it thoroughly. Indeed, with the opponent's strength, regular teammates might not be of much help."

Agrippa, in his heart, agreed with Nick's assessment.

Nick and Agrippa were evenly matched in strength.

In comparison, the teammates' strength was slightly inferior.

In a typical task, two additional teammates with late-stage legendary strength would be a valuable asset, but facing a divine incarnation changed the equation.

Without reaching the pinnacle of the legendary realm, one might not withstand a single move.

Even he, upon learning of the confrontation with the Goddess of the Abyss, felt a lack of confidence.

After all, the opponent was a god!

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

"Lord Nick, the soon-to-arrive Lord Ren has been making quite a name for himself in the capital. However, although we're both Swordbearers, I haven't had the chance to meet him yet," Agrippa explained.

Upon hearing this, Nick immediately understood Agrippa's implication.

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

"What's your plan for the upcoming tough battle?" Nick smiled and asked.

At their level, the Command Center wouldn't intervene in specific combat arrangements; they were to discuss it among themselves.

Unless there was a stalemate, the Command Center would only suggest who should take the lead, and not delve into the details of combat execution.

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

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

"That's true," Agrippa immediately understood Nick's intention and nodded.

At this moment, Nick glanced at the communication plate and added, "Lord Ren, the soon-to-arrive Swordbearer, is already one minute late. I believe the latecomer should take on the responsibility, what do you think, Lord Agrippa?"

Since Agrippa had already made his stance clear earlier, he wasn't familiar with Ren either, so Nick was certain he wouldn't oppose his suggestion.

Battling against a divine incarnation was highly dangerous.

If someone could draw the opponent's attention, it would be much safer.

"In principle, I agree with Lord Nick's suggestion.

However, I believe it's best to clarify this matter with Commander Ren before the battle." Agrigapa hesitated slightly before nodding.

Although Ren had recently gained significant fame in the capital, in Agrigapa's eyes, his strength was still inferior to the veteran legend, Nick.

As they spoke of Ren, his voice suddenly carried from a distance.

"I apologize, both of you. I'm two minutes late." Ren's voice echoed from afar.

But before he could finish, his towering figure appeared abruptly, almost faster than his voice.

Hmm? Not bad.

Nick and Agrigapa couldn't help but notice this display, and a thought crossed both their minds.

"Commander Ren, you're late. During a mission, punctuality is crucial," Nick said sternly.

"Oh? And who might you be?" Ren raised an eyebrow, looking at Nick.

"Nick, of the Inner Guard."

"What does Captain Nick mean by that?"

"I believe that as the latecomer, you should express your apologies. In the upcoming battle, Commander Ren, you should take on more responsibility. For example, during the fight, you should draw the attention of that person."

Upon hearing this, Ren immediately understood why Nick brought up his tardiness.

So, that was their intention.

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In fact, when Ren received Marshal Alfred's mission request, he instinctively felt that due to the previous incident, the Goddess of the Abyss, Hela, would undoubtedly target him as the main enemy.

In other words, without any tactical arrangement or discussion, he would naturally attract fire. Moreover, he had already mentally prepared for this.

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

While he could take on the role of drawing fire, the premise was that he volunteered for it.

"I disagree," Ren shook his head. "The Command Center didn't instruct me to cooperate with you; they asked me to support you. This is insubordination!" Nick's expression turned stern, and a powerful wave of mental energy surged towards Ren.

"I apologize, but the Command Center's order was for support, not cooperation."

"Is there a difference?" Agrigapa asked.

"Of course. Cooperation implies a hierarchy, but support does not," Ren explained.

"Commander Ren, this isn't the time for disagreements. We should be working together to face the Goddess of the Abyss. We need a strategy—who will draw the enemy's attention, who will lead the attack, and who will restrict them?" Agrigapa interjected as the peacemaker.

"Among the three of us, my crystallized kill move is quite powerful, and I believe it can deal some damage to that person. As for Captain Nick, he excels in controlling the battlefield and can create numerous opportunities for our offense."

"And Commander Ren, your illustrious battle records have earned my admiration. From your records, it seems you rarely sustain severe injuries in combat, indicating exceptional defensive skills."

"Therefore, Captain Nick suggested that you take on the role of drawing the enemy's attention."

As Nick spoke, he maintained a polite smile.

"Of course, if Commander Ren has better suggestions, we can discuss them together," Agrigapa concluded.

Ren nodded in agreement, "Alright! In that case, Commander Agrigapa, I'll take on the role of drawing the enemy's attention."

"However, I can't guarantee that the enemy's attention will be solely focused on me."

As soon as Ren finished speaking, a glimmer of joy flashed in both their eyes.

"Just do your best, Commander Ren," Agrigapa quickly nodded with a smile.

But in his heart, he thought, 'As expected of a young man. A few kind words, and he readily takes on this task.'

Nick, standing by, maintained his solemn expression, but inside, he was already beaming with joy.

He also felt that Ren was too young.

While Agrigapa played the good cop and Nick the bad cop, Ren willingly took on the most dangerous task after just a few sentences.

However, what they didn't know was that when Nick suggested Ren attract the enemy's fire, Ren had already sensed their hidden intentions.

If they truly considered him a part of the team, they would have said something like, 'When you're in trouble, I'll be there to help,' or 'If you can't hold on, just retreat and ensure your safety first.'

But none of those words were spoken.

This wasn't a team of sincere cooperation.

As for why Ren agreed? Firstly, the siege of the Goddess of the Abyss, Hela, was of great importance. The Star Astrologist Platform in the capital would undoubtedly pay close attention.

Given this, standing on the moral high ground was crucial.

By agreeing, he demonstrated his attitude.

If any unexpected situations arose, he wouldn't be blamed.

Secondly, attracting fire was a task with a high degree of freedom.

At this moment, a yellow signal flare appeared in the distant sky.

Upon seeing this, Nick nodded slightly to the other two and said, "Captain Agrippa, Lord Ren, let's go! She's here."

The three of them immediately flashed towards the direction of the signal flare.

Since the target was a deity, even in their incarnate form, they couldn't track her, and could only determine her approximate location.

Therefore, the command center had arranged for other personnel to search nearby. Once they found any trace of the Goddess of the Abyss, Hela, they would immediately fire a signal flare to indicate her location.

As the three of them quickly advanced towards the target, they saw dozens of uniquely shaped savage beasts, seemingly startled by something, frantically rushing out of the forest.

And in even greater numbers, various birds of prey and peculiar insects were also scattering in all directions.

Of course, none of this posed any hindrance to Ren and his companions.

Nick's body flashed with spiraling lightning, and a giant savage beast resembling a wild boar twitched and fell to the ground.

This caused a glimmer of brightness to flash in Ren's eyes.

It seemed that what Agrippa had said about Nick's expertise in controlling the battlefield and his ability to potentially restrict the Goddess of the Abyss was not just empty boasting.

Agrippa, on the other hand, was surrounded by a cyan airflow, similar to the 'Swift Wind' technique, but this one enveloped his entire body. Ren knew that this was the Wind Magic Tier 3 Spell 'Cyclone Barrier'.

A Velociraptor-like savage beast charged towards Agrippa, ready to pounce and bite.

But in the next moment, its robust body over three meters tall was enveloped by the cyan airflow, and it was involuntarily thrown to the side. At the same time, several long and deep wounds appeared on its body.

Blood immediately spurted out from these wounds.

The Cyclone Barrier was a rare Wind Magic Spell that could both deflect enemy attacks and inflict damage, an offensive and defensive spell in one.

The cyan airflow surrounding Agrippa was filled with countless tiny wind blades, invisible to the naked eye.

In other words, any enemy that collided with this Cyclone Barrier would be cut by these tiny wind blades.

While Ren was observing the other two, Nick and Agrippa were also watching him.

However, they were even more astonished.

Because whenever Ren encountered a savage beast or bird of prey, his body would flash and suddenly disappear, but in reality, Ren had simply moved around them.

With their perception, they could sense how Ren was achieving this.

In simple terms, Ren was relying on instantaneous speed changes, effortlessly avoiding all the savage beasts charging towards him as if strolling through a courtyard.

Nick glanced at Ren, thinking to himself.

If it weren't for the metal shield surrounding his body, he would look like a Tier Three Crystalized Wizard, not a Title Knight.

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

A breathtakingly beautiful black-cloaked maiden, familiar to Ren, stood with her back to them in the center, while on the ground around her lay three Imperial personnel, clearly struggling to breathe.

Ren recognized two of them as participants in the Dragon Valley Secret Realm's second trial.

The third person, Ren had never met, but their aura was similar to Nick's, indicating they were an Imperial Guard.

"Quade!" Nick exclaimed.

Indeed, one of them was Nick's teammate.

"Another three have come." Hela slowly turned around and said.

"Oh? I didn't expect you to come to me." As she turned, Hela's beautiful eyes fixed on Ren.

"Shouldn't I have come?" Ren smiled.

"If you come to me, I can grant you a pleasant death." A smile appeared on Hela's exquisite face.

There was no charm in her words, but all three of them felt as if they were being charmed.

Ren understood what the Goddess of the Abyss meant by this.

But Nick and Agrippa didn't understand.

However, in their eyes, this wasn't important.

What mattered was that Ren had attracted the Goddess of the Abyss's attention, which was clearly a great success!

Because it meant that the first step of their tactic had been accomplished.

For these two, if they could successfully complete the mission, that would be the best outcome. But if they couldn't, they would immediately retreat, ensuring their own safety.

This was why they had Ren draw the attention.

The logic was simple: If they became the focus of a Divine Incarnation's attention, their escape would be hellishly difficult.

Nick and Agrippa exchanged a glance and quickly split up, taking positions on either side and slightly behind the Goddess of the Abyss, Hela.

From above, one could see that Ren, Nick, and Agrippa formed a triangle, surrounding the Goddess of the Abyss, Hela, in the middle.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end