Chapter 270 Chapter269-Nothing But a Fight to the Death!
Within the dim Soulstone Temple.
As the Soul-Devouring Devil Ghana fell silent, an eerie tranquility permeated the surroundings momentarily.
Although Ghana's expression remained indecipherable, its fluctuating gaze betrayed the tumult harbored within, a far cry from the superficial calm displayed.
John's words were no less than a relentless verbal onslaught, each syllable piercing like a sharp blade, stabbing directly into Ghana's heart.
After delivering those remarks, John refrained from further mockery, standing emotionless on the spot, allowing Ghana to delve deep into contemplation.
Meanwhile, the squad members standing behind John, their heads lowered, exhibited peculiar expressions.
Their eyes crisscrossed as they secretly admired their captain's courage.
They were well aware that standing before them was a legendary abyssal Devil, a terrifying entity on par with the deity, capable of orchestrating both boon and bane, arguably one of the most supreme beings in existence.
The members hardly dared to lift their heads, fearing that a direct gaze upon the Devil might invoke unstoppable misfortune.
Yet their captain dared to taunt the creature with such unrestrained audacity.
What kind of courage did it take to do something like that?
Was this the confidence of a Demigod Level powerhouse?
Initially, there were members within the squad harboring resentments against John.
However, all their dissent dissipated like smoke in the wind, replaced by nothing but admiration.
John, oblivious to the inner workings of his squad members' minds, continued to gaze calmly at the Soul-Devouring Devil Ghana, his tranquil eyes flickering with a faint glow.
The Eye of Artemis surreptitiously activated.
[Ghana (god-level boss): One of the 72 devils of the Abyss, ranked forty-fifth, holding dominion over souls. It is rumored to be the final destination of all the deceased, leading the Soul Legion amongst the demon clans of the abyss. Fond of consuming souls, often employing contracts to plunder the souls of the innocents, thereby enhancing its own power…]
[Level: 130]
[Species: Demon]
[Attributes: …]
A god was indeed a god. Barely had John finished perusing the Soul-Devouring Devil Ghana's data when it detected John's scrutiny.
"Eye of Artemis? I didn't expect to find a follower of that foolish woman Nyx... But even if Nyx herself were to appear, it wouldn't compel me to retreat in the slightest..."
Halfway through, Ghana suddenly stopped speaking. It stared intently at the scepter in John's hand, hesitated for a moment, and abruptly changed the topic.
"To be honest, since you can present Mammon's scepter, it indeed indicates that you have encountered him. Although I still find it hard to believe that humans could have the power to defeat a Devil, I must admit that showing up here demonstrates remarkable courage..."
After what felt like an eternity, Ghana's voice slowly resounded again. John tilted his head slightly, letting out a soft chuckle.
Unperturbed by John's indifferent demeanor, Ghana continued, "I have always admired the brave. Hence, if you leave now, I can overlook the disrespect you have shown me..."
John paused briefly, his face taking on a bizarre expression. What on earth was this Devil talking about? Despite his apparent fearlessness, this creature maintained a demeanor of haughty arrogance.
With a sigh of resignation, John spoke, "You still fail to grasp your situation. Now that we have found you, our goal is to send you back to the abyss, to prevent further malfeasance in the human world."
"You have but two paths before you now: return obediently on your own, or remain here forever..."
The Soul-Devouring Devil Ghana suddenly sat upright, fixing John with a cold, stern gaze. "Human, do you know whom you are speaking to?"
John offered a slight smile, a trace of mockery flashing in his eyes. "Of course, I am speaking to a homeless cur, exiled from its native land!"
A flash of surprise appeared in the eyes of the Soul-Devouring Devil Ghana, seemingly not expecting such audacious mockery from a human.
It slowly rose to its feet, a domineering aura bursting forth from its form, akin to an invisible mountain enveloping John within its oppressive shadow.
"Human, listen well," Ghana's voice was cold and authoritative. "I am the Soul-Devouring Devil, the one who governs over the realm of souls, a grand and eternal being. And you are but an insignificant mortal daring to be so arrogant before me?! I will crush you, obliterate your soul, to show you your utter insignificance!"
The Devil's voice seemed to emanate from the heavens themselves, laden with an overwhelming oppressive force.
Yet John remained impassive, apparently unmoved by the furious threats in Ghana's tone.
Nonchalantly, he spoke, "Your threats, in fact, precisely illustrate your vulnerability... Ghana, I know why you have come here and understand your intentions. But humans are not helpless ants at your mercy, nor do you possess the capability to treat us as such..."
"I maintain my stance, either crawl back to your abyss or remain here eternally."
The Soul-Devouring Devil Ghana threw its head back, laughing uproariously, a sound akin to thunder reverberating within the expansive Soulstone Temple.
"Heh, I never expected that one day I would be threatened by a human in such a tone. It seems you short-lived mortals have experienced too long a peace, even forgetting the terror the abyss once instilled in you..."
John waved his hand, cutting off Ghana's roaring laughter abruptly.
"If you are truly as invincible as you describe yourself to be, why remain trapped here, unable to step out of the Soulstone Temple even by a single pace?"
Ghana's voice came to a sudden halt.
With a leisurely tone, John continued, "I presume your presence in this Soulstone Temple wasn't a choice made willingly, was it?"
"The descent of a Devil seems like a terrifying event on the surface, yet those who know the truth are aware that you are not here voluntarily. You have been forced here, coerced by Devils even more formidable than yourselves."
"The barrier between the Godslayer Continent and the abyss remains firm, you only have the option to descend through some neglected crevices... The location of your arrival is not yours to choose..."
"It seems your luck is indeed in short supply; the anchor point of your localization chose here of all places. I presume the ancient Holy Light seal of the Soulstone Temple hasn't treated you kindly these past days, has it?" John spoke, his face adorned with unabashed mockery, each word piercing straight into the depths of Ghana's being.
"Unable to break even the seals laid down by humans a millennium ago, from where do you draw the audacity to rant so grandiosely here?"
The once high-and-mighty Soul-Devouring Devil now bore a face that was a pinnacle of icy rage.
Three sets of eyes fixated unyieldingly on John, as if wishing to dismember him with their gaze alone.
"Hold your tongue! To dare insult a great abyssal Devil in such a manner, you all shall remain here then." Soul-Devouring Devil Ghana could no longer restrain itself, levitating abruptly along with the throne beneath it.
An overwhelmingly potent aura of malevolence enveloped the entire space instantly. Everyone present lifted their terrified gazes, feeling an eerie presence locking onto them, ready to unleash a devastating strike at any moment.
The levitating Ghana's expression morphed once again, becoming cold and wicked, its voice echoing distant and frigid.
"Perfect, since I cannot leave, and the souls of the common humans around here are far from sufficient to heal the scars within me, you all, being decently ranked class holders, should have souls much more delicious than those of ordinary humans, right?"
John lifted his head, his expression indifferent as he fixed his gaze on Soul-Devouring Devil Ghana hovering above.
His voice remained steady, devoid of any panic, even carrying a trace of mockery, "Thinking of devouring our souls, you should first assess if you even have the appetite for it. Don't mistake us for your pitiful underlings... Speaking of which, you truly are heartless, resorting to devouring the souls of your subordinates, those who have followed you into battle for many years, just to heal your wounds."
Despite the fierce wind swirling violently around them, John's voice seemed unaffected, still clearly reaching everyone's ears.
Saphir and the others displayed strange expressions.
Although they had guessed this answer when they had seen the vivid corpses earlier, the fact that John stated it bluntly in the face of Soul-Devouring Devil Ghana was somewhat unexpected.
Ghana in the air was utterly infuriated, bellowing in a roar to the heavens.
It stamped a foot onto the throne beneath it, fashioned from amalgamated skulls.
The throne shattered abruptly, the skulls seeming to come to life as they floated around Ghana.
The evil aura within Ghana grew more and more intense, eventually becoming so substantial that it was unbearable to look at.
Narrow beams of black light shot out from Ghana's body, directly connecting to the floating skulls.
The tightly shut eyes of the skulls snapped open, their pupils devoid of any black irises focused intently on the team below, their mouths opening to release piercing laughter.
A dense swarm of skulls floated in the sky, their laughter echoing incessantly.
This grotesquely eerie scene caused everyone to feel their scalps tingling in horror.
Yet John remained indifferent to this, his expression unchanging.
Suddenly, he turned around, presenting a radiant smile to the team members behind him. "Now that we've found the Devil, does anyone have the confidence to fight it?"
Who among those who had managed to join the Devil Elite Hunting Team would be cowardly?
Even knowing that the being above them was a supreme abyssal Devil, everyone still stepped forward without hesitation.
The heart of the strong is destined to be brave and fearless.
Berserker Balga even pounded on his own chest vigorously, his spirit burning fiercely.
"It's but a fight to the death!"
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