Chapter 524: Dragon Scales Acolyte
"Awooo—"
At that moment, the wind howled. From behind the Butcher Demon, the deafening roar of a Two-Headed Dragon and the fierce battle cry of a Player erupted simultaneously.
Descending from the sky like a falling star, Stuffed Bun—riding a Wyvern—plunged downward with his right arm clamped tightly around his Lance. His rifle’s cold gleam flashed as it sliced through the air, aiming straight for the demon’s massive head.
"Die, you filth!" Stuffed Bun roared, his heart pounding with euphoric anticipation. In his mind, he already saw the image: Lance piercing the demon’s skull—millions of Golden Nael, hundreds of thousands of Faction Contributions pouring in.
This was it. He was about to strike it rich.
But the Butcher Demon merely sneered, its expression one of weary irritation. With movements too fast for the eye to follow, its limb-like appendages lashed out. A shadow tore across the sky.
Swish—
The sound of flesh being severed rang out. Stuffed Bun and his Wyvern were instantly split in two, their insides—blue, yellow, red—spilling out in a grotesque spray.
Even in death, the look on Stuffed Bun’s face remained frozen in that ecstatic, triumphant grin—like a hero on the verge of slaying a monster.
Then, the monstrous tail, lined with cruel barbs, whipped sideways, slicing through the air and decapitating the players attempting to ambush from behind.
"No—Bun!"
"Stuffed Bun crashed again!"
"How insane is this boss’s damage? Even a veteran like Stuffed Bun got one-shot!"
"Given Dog Official’s style, a monster this rewarding would have to be brutally strong."
"I’ll take it!"
A dozen Crimson Scale Conquerors soared into the sky atop their Two-Headed Dragons, coordinating in perfect harmony. Two feinted attacks, while the third searched for the Butcher Demon’s weak point.
But the demon spat a torrent of toxic acid. The Crimson Scale Conquerors didn’t dodge in time—within seconds, their bodies were reduced to bleached bones, falling lifelessly from the sky.
The onlookers murmured in disbelief, yet they didn’t retreat.
The quest rewards were too tempting. What if, by some miracle, someone grabbed the loot?
The Butcher Demon reveled in the chaos, its monstrous form tearing through the ranks of Imperial soldiers with its claws, blade limbs, fangs, and thick tail, draining their life force without mercy.
Yet when it turned its gaze toward the players, it saw no fear in their eyes—only… expectation?
For the first time, the demon, a creature built on massacre and terror, felt a strange flicker of emptiness.
It spread its vast, monstrous frame and let out a guttural roar.
"You insignificant little insects… do you even know what you’re facing? The power, the majesty of this existence? I am the predator of the Bottomless Abyss—the embodiment of slaughter, the destroyer of kingdoms, the nightmare of mortals!"
Bang!
A gunshot split the air.
From the edge of the battlefield, a player raised his rifle, smoke curling from the barrel. He muttered under his breath: "This boss talks way too much."
"Human—" The Butcher Demon snarled, eyes blazing with fury. "You are begging for death!"
It charged forward, ignoring everything, its massive claw crushing the player into a smear of blood and bone.
Boom!
A crater split the ground, filled with gore and viscera.
"Holy crap!"
"Don’t let the blood get on me!"
Behind the demon’s horrifying silhouette, the Demon Army surged forward, seizing the opening. At last, they clashed with the Empire’s forces in close combat.
Moo—
The Giant Ox Demons bellowed, their massive bodies lumbering forward on all fours like giant apes, crushing Imperial Heavy Shield infantry beneath their weight. They hurled boulders the size of houses with terrifying ease.
"It’s coming!"
"Hold the line!"
"For the Empire of Ashen!"
The wall of Ogre Heavy Shield Infantry crumbled under the impact of a falling monolith. The Giant Ox Demons stomped through the wreckage, their sheer size overwhelming the defenders.
Boom!
More Timid Demons and Bab poured through the gaps, leaping onto soldiers, tearing into them with fangs, or hurling short spears from afar.
In the sky, Kwase Demons leapt and clawed, battling Wyverns mid-air. Frothmaw soared upward, carrying a horde of corrupted ravens and vultures, spewing toxic acid.
Individually, the weakest Kwase Demons were no match for a Wyvern—but their numbers were overwhelming. Dozens would swarm a single Two-Headed Dragon, gnawing it to pieces.
One Kwase Demon flapped its wings in midair, its tiny eyes gleaming with hunger. It locked onto a distant, slender human figure—clearly weak.
So fragile… it thought with the crude logic of a walnut-sized brain. Unlike those Gundam-like Ogres, those well-armed Great Goblins, or those Tiefling brutes…
It shrieked—a high-pitched, piercing sound—and dove, claws extended.
Awooo—
Bang!
A crisp gunshot.
George didn’t even glance down. He blew gently on the barrel of his rifle, the smoke curling like a ghost. His gaze remained fixed on the battlefield, tense and sharp.
The situation was dire.
These demons weren’t just enemies—they were a true supernatural army. The Butcher Demon alone was terrifying. Behind every Giant Ox Demon stood a Sheep Demon Spellcaster, whispering ancient incantations to conjure crimson shields.
The Empire’s most advanced tactics—Firearm Voluntary Volley, scattered Free Fire—had little effect against high-tier demons.
And the low-tier Primeval and Timid Demons? They used sheer numbers to drain Imperial ammunition, employing a relentless Demon Tide strategy to wear down the soldiers.
Under the command of these powerful demons, the Abyssal Legion charged again and again, pushing the frontline hundreds of meters forward—now mere breaths from the Underground Bastion.
George gritted his teeth, his face grim. "Damn it… this can’t go on."
Marshal Dolo’s words echoed in his mind: "When firepower is insufficient, we must fight supernatural with supernatural."
Bang!
"Damn!"
Without hesitation, George pulled a token from his pocket and pressed it.
"Defense Zone 48—One Butcher Demon, twelve Giant Ox Demons. My unit cannot hold. Request immediate reinforcement."
This was the final resort. Their regiment could no longer withstand the onslaught. If their sector collapsed, the entire line would break.
He grabbed a nearby machine rifle from the ground, leveled it, and opened fire into the oncoming tide of demons.
"Die!"
Dak-dak-dak-dak-dak—
Flames erupted from the barrel, like a river of fire. Demons fell like wheat before a scythe, collapsing in droves.
George loved this new weapon—the one the division had just unveiled. The endless stream of bullets filled him with that long-lost euphoria—the thrill of the hunt, the rush of battle. It reminded him of the time he’d slain a noble on the battlefield.
Roar!
Suddenly, a new sound echoed from the north—deep, powerful, triumphant.
George turned.
Chimeras were surging over the hills, crossing the frontline from the north.
Their massive wings strained as they flew, their movements heavy.
But beneath each Chimera’s claws hung towering figures—men clad in thick Dragon-Scale Exosuits, wielding High-Speed Chain Saw Swords and Explosive Disruptors, laughing maniacally.
At their head stood the Guild Leader of the Mechanical Divinity—the legendary Steel Tide!
"I’m here!"
"Is this the first Server Launch quest? So spicy already?"
Kwase Demons and Frothmaw swarmed toward them like a plague of insects, eager to intercept.
But the Chimeras opened their maws. From deep within their throats, torrents of intense heat burst forth, forming a raging sea of flame that swallowed the demons whole.
"This is it!"
"That valuable Butcher Demon is right there!"
"Brothers, prepare the Charge!"
Under the command of the Dragon Scales Acolytes, the Chimeras flapped their wings, ascending higher into the sky.
Then, at the peak of the battlefield—hundreds of meters above the frontlines—they released their grip.
The Vitajis Dragon-Scale Warriors plummeted from the sky, falling with no protection.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
They crashed into the ground, each impact creating craters several meters wide, kicking up dust and debris. Hundreds of unsuspecting Timid Demons were crushed beneath them.
From the dust, twelve Dragon Scales Acolytes rose slowly, stepping over demon corpses, their towering Gundam-like forms—four meters tall—looming over the battlefield.
Steel Tide raised his Chain Saw Sword and roared:
"Vitajis Dragon-Scale Warriors, reporting in!"
"For the Emperor! No, wait—"
"For the Empire of Ashen! Long live Emperor Kai Xiusu!"
The other Acolytes roared in unison, their voices deep, primal, echoing beneath their heavy armor.
Since their transformation, these Dragon Scales Acolytes hadn’t faced a worthy enemy. They were itching to test their new strength.
Wrrrrrrr—
The Chain Saw Swords whined at full speed, their blades spinning like whirlwinds.
Timid Demons scrambled onto Steel Tide’s back, trying to bite through his armor—but their fangs couldn’t even scratch the Dragon-Scale plating.
Steel Tide rolled forward, crushing them beneath him, then flung them off. He leapt into the air, swinging his sword in a wide arc.
Swish—
With a scream of agony, dozens of demons were sliced in half. Limbs flew in all directions.
Purple-black pus splattered against his outer bone armor—but it couldn’t penetrate.
"Battle… feels amazing!"
"Hahaha! Is this what it’s like to mow down enemies like grass?"
Without hesitation, the Dragon Scales Acolytes charged into the demon horde, swinging their Chain Saw Swords, cleaving through monsters with brutal efficiency.
Moo—
A Giant Ox Demon charged forward, its hooves striking the ground with the force of a falling mountain, aiming to crush the Acolytes beneath its massive weight.
Boom!
But the Dragon Scales Acolyte didn’t retreat. He blocked the hoof with his bare hands, then pushed upward—lifting the entire twelve-meter-tall demon off its feet and flipping it over.
The sight was absurd—like a praying mantis pushing over a wagon.
Yet it was true. The Giant Ox Demon stood three times taller than the Acolyte.
But thanks to Dragon Blood and genetic transformation, their muscle density was insane. Their strength level had skyrocketed—clearly beyond Twenty-Four.
The Giant Ox Demon fell backward, eyes wide with disbelief.
How… how could this happen?
In a contest of pure strength, it had been defeated—by these tiny humanoid creatures!
"So that’s why—" Steel Tide grinned, his voice dripping with savage joy. "Bullmen must die! I’m a pure Love Warrior!"
He leapt high—ten meters into the air—and as he fell, he plunged his Chain Saw Sword deep into the Giant Ox Demon’s chest.
Spine!
The High-Speed Chain Saw pierced through thick fur, ripped through flesh, and finally pierced the massive, still-warm heart.
The demon’s eyes bulged like copper bells, its death cry echoing in agony.
"Anyone else?" Steel Tide yanked his blood-soaked sword free, shouldered it, and bellowed with fierce confidence.
The other Dragon Scales Acolytes surged into the demon tide, creating multiple breakout fronts. In seconds, each of them had slaughtered hundreds of demons.
The momentum of the Demon Army shattered. The Imperial soldiers, exhausted and battered, finally got a breath.
"We’ll surround it—take down that Butcher Demon!"
"Hahaha! For the Emperor!"
"I feel invincible! Who can stand against a Vitajis Dragon-Scale Warrior like me?"
Under Steel Tide’s command, the twelve Acolytes surged forward from different directions, converging on the Butcher Demon still slaughtering relentlessly on the frontline.
Roar!
"Feel fear, insects!"
The Butcher Demon slashed its blade limbs, severing a dozen Imperial soldiers in one sweep.
Its thick tail lashed upward, skewering a Wyvern through the body. Then it scanned the ground, effortlessly eliminating dozens of players attempting to flank it from behind.
But soon, it sensed something… wrong.
Its primal instincts screamed.
Twelve powerful presences—approaching. And… Dragon essence.
"Powerful little bugs… and the stench of big crawlers. Now this is getting interesting."
"Come on, show me your rebellion."
The demon extended its barbed tongue, licking its lips with anticipation. Its fangs grated together, drooling thick, corrosive saliva that ate into the ground, forming small craters.
As a predator of the Bottomless Abyss, the Butcher Demon craved strong prey. Only then could it prove its dominance, feel the true thrill of massacre.
The weak, obedient prey? Too easy. Boring.
—Unbeknownst to it, the Dragon Scales Acolytes felt the same way.
Mowing down demons was fun—but after a while, it grew dull.
A real boss battle—the edge of the blade, the blood on your hands—that was the real thrill.
They hadn’t yet faced a monster that could withstand twelve Dragon Scales Acolytes.
"Brothers—CHARGE!"
Steel Tide’s command rang out.
The twelve Acolytes surged forward from all sides, swords raised, Disruptors aimed, roaring like ancient beasts.
"For the Empire!"
"For His Majesty the Emperor!"
"For my Faction Contribution… and my Golden Nael!"
(End of Chapter)
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