Chapter 268 Chapter267-The Desperate Soul-Devouring Serpent
"What… what kind of technique is the captain using? Why can't we detect any energy fluctuations?" The ever-impulsive Yunis was the first to voice her query.
The others nearby shook their heads, their faces reflecting their confusion and bewilderment.
John cast a gentle, smiling gaze at the Soul-Devouring Serpent Mozambique that was so close yet incapable of landing a hit.
He spoke calmly, "If you have any trump cards left, you'd better play them now. With your clumsy attack method alone, it is impossible to inflict any harm upon me…"
At this point, Mozambique had exhausted all its strength, its three vertical pupils bulging ominously, resembling glowing lanterns.
John could even distinctly perceive the burst of blood vessels within its eyes.
Yet, no matter how hard Mozambique strived, all its efforts were in vain.
The physical power it prided itself on was no more than child's play in front of John, offering no substantial threat. John didn't even need to employ any skills.
The sheer oppressive force emanating from his presence alone was sufficient to completely restrain Mozambique from advancing.
Suddenly, a bizarre ring of light ignited in Mozambique's vertical pupils.
Three rings detached and blossomed forth, merging in mid-air to form a singular black ring that shot straight towards John's forehead.
This time, Mozambique's attack met no resistance, the ring successfully infiltrated the recesses of John's mind.
The Soul-Devouring Serpent, once holding its head high, lowered it once more, its energy growing feeble and depressed, seemingly having consumed all the energy it had restored through absorbing the green Soul Fragments earlier.
Despite Mozambique's apparent distressed state, the satisfaction brimming in its eyes couldn't be hidden.
This black ring was its long-accumulated ultimate move.
All previous enraged roars and fierce bites were but a smokescreen for this ultimate attack.
Mozambique opened its wide mouth, letting the venom drip from its fangs onto the ground, corroding it to create one pit after another.
Its face bore an almost human, delightfully smug grin, revealing a sense of triumphant pleasure.
However, before it could revel in its laughter, a taunting voice from John rang out, "You seem quite pleased, don't you?"
The smile on Mozambique's face froze instantly.
A tangible shock reflected in its three vertical pupils.
"You… Why are you unaffected despite being hit by my soul contamination?" it stuttered.
Tilting his head slightly, John asked with genuine curiosity, "Oh? So the attack was meant to corrupt my soul? What kind of reaction should I have had?"
Mozambique gaped open, murmuring to itself in disbelief, "This can't be… Your mind should be in complete chaos by now; how can you still converse with me so lucidly?"
John curled his lip disdainfully, seemingly disappointed with Mozambique's na?veté.
Taking a deep breath, the once arrogant gaze Mozambique had directed at John transformed into one of deep gravity. "I see now; you must have practiced some kind of secret technique to strengthen your spirit... it makes sense. You wouldn't dare to confront my master without this sort of preparation..."
Growing impatient, John waved his hand dismissively, "Enough with the prattle. Are all you abyssal creatures this chatty? Just hand over your essence blood and I can grant you a swift death..."
Mustering the last ounce of its strength, Mozambique surged upward defiantly, "Delusional fool! The magnificent Soul-Devouring Serpent will never bow to a human!"
Suddenly, the serpent seemed to gain a new surge of strength, its aura growing increasingly fierce and tyrannical.
"Watch out, it's going to self-destruct!" The most experienced member of the squad behind, Dragonfang, was the first to issue a warning.
The others quickly caught on, adopting defensive stances in response.
The power of a level 300 lord-class boss self-destructing wasn't something that could be easily avoided.
If Mozambique succeeded, the surrounding space might be obliterated by chaotic energies.
Cornered in an enclosed space with no room for retreat, the group could only brace themselves to withstand the blast.
Yet, John remained eerily composed amidst the chaotic battlefield.
His smile didn't falter, allowing Mozambique to gather its residual energy for a self-detonation.
The dark energy, rife with malevolence, grew denser as Mozambique screamed, "I will offer my utmost loyalty to the supreme Soul-Devouring Devil!"
As Mozambique started to radiate an incredibly malicious dark energy, John finally made his move.
With a casual flick, he snapped his fingers.
The entire space suddenly warped and altered, lights began to fade, and basic elements were continuously drawn out and broken down.
[Abyssal Prison (Divine Skill): A gift from the Abyssal Warden, upon the activation of this skill, a radius of 1000 yards of space can be sealed and confined. The user can arbitrarily modify the ORDER parameters within this space; except for space-time, all other fundamental elements can be controlled...]
The instant the Abyssal Prison materialized, the dark energy within Mozambique started to dissipate and crumble uncontrollably, as though becoming unhinged.
"This is... the Abyssal Prison?!"
It seemed like today was a day of incessant shocks for Mozambique, as its three vertical pupils widened to their fullest, witnessing what appeared to be the most inconceivable scene.
Within the space forged by the Abyssal Prison, John was the sole ruler.
No one could wrest control over the ORDER from John within this domain.
Therefore, Mozambique's desire to self-destruct turned out to be a delusional dream.
"I told you, there's no chance of escaping from me, and that includes self-detonation. I am taking those essence blood from you today, make no mistake about that," came John's indifferent voice, echoing from all directions, filled with heavy taunts.
The Soul-Devouring Serpent Mozambique languidly drooped its massive head, a stark contrast to its prior vibrancy, embodying complete despondency.
This inherently cunning and deceitful creature knew deep down that the moment it was trapped within the Abyssal Prison's confines, both its body and soul were no longer its own.
It didn't even have the option to self-destruct anymore, reduced to a puppet at the mercy of another's manipulation.
Barely managing to raise its head to look at John, who was hovering in mid-air, the eyes of the Soul-Devouring Serpent Mozambique revealed a deep-seated unwillingness to accept defeat, "You are not human at all, you're from the abyss too, aren't you? Do those victorious devils still refuse to spare my master to this day?"
John chuckled lightly, responding with a nonchalant tone, "Who gave you this illusion that I emerged from your abyss?"
Infuriated, Mozambique shook its gigantic head vehemently, its voice brimming with exhaustion, "Isn't it obvious? You wield the famed ultimate technique of the Abyssal Warden, the Abyssal Prison. Are you still going to deny your identity?"
"Even though my master and the Abyssal Warden are at odds, we of the Soul Legion have never been disrespectful to the Abyssal Warden. That entity would never impart its legendary technique to a lowly human!"
John shook his head in a gesture of helplessness.
He truly had no words for these creatures that emerged from the inner layers of the abyss.
It remained a mystery where their boundless confidence originated from, harboring the relentless notion of viewing humans as mere ants, while elevating themselves to a pedestal of grandeur.
"Enough, there is no need for me to explain so much to you. Since you are unwilling to hand over your essence blood voluntarily, I will have to take it by force…"
John extended a hand, spreading his fingers wide, before abruptly clenching them into a fist.
In this instant, the ORDER within the heavens and the earth solidified into a tangible oppressive force, rigidly imprisoning the Soul-Devouring Serpent Mozambique.
As John's fingers lightly danced, the gargantuan body of the Soul-Devouring Serpent began to slowly disintegrate at a speed visible to the naked eye.
First were the scales, followed by flesh and blood, until at last, a complete serpent skeleton laid before John.
Throughout the process, Mozambique retained a clear perception.
The anguish of being stripped of flesh and blood elicited agonized screams from the serpent, the voice of desperation chilling to the bone of anyone who heard it.
However, John remained expressionless, devoid of any unnecessary fluctuations in his gaze.
"Devil… devil… You are the real devil… Just kill me!"
While wailing, Mozambique begged John to grant it a swift death.
Yet, John remained unmoved, continuing to dismantle Mozambique's form.
His focused gaze resembled that of a craftsman immersed in the creation of a perfect artifact…
Finally, John laid eyes on the spine of the Soul-Devouring Serpent.
A colossal black heart, a meter in diameter, pulsated slowly amidst the skeletal rib cage, thick arteries as broad as arms connecting it to the spine.
With a faint smile, John decisively sliced through the main arteries with a swing of his hand.
Mozambique let out a tragic scream as it bowed its head for the last time.
Essence blood spurted out from the severed vessels like a fountain, yet not a drop fell astray, instead, they gathered in the air forming a cohesive mass.
Once all the essence blood was extracted, John beckoned, drawing the blood mass into his backpack.
At this moment, the Soul-Devouring Serpent Mozambique had already breathed its last, the despair lingering in its now lusterless three vertical pupils speaking of the utmost desolation.
Had it known this would be its end, Mozambique would have chosen to self-destruct at the first possible instance.
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