The Heart Of Chaos

The Swamp Shadow-King was a grotesque, ancient creature, bearing six ghoul-like heads, four monstrous human forearms, and a lower body resembling that of a fish. Its four green eyes gleamed menacingly, and what disgusted Abaddon most was the slimy, acidic fluid dripping from its cuticles, reeking of rotten flesh from the numerous humans it had devoured.

Abaddon removed his tattered cloak and assumed a primal stance, fully focused on the Myth. The air around them grew eerily still until...

All eyes were on the two—above and below. Fatty, sensing the tension escalating, let out a loud sneeze, inadvertently signaling the start of the clash.

The Swamp Shadow-King roared, slamming the tip of its tail into the ground with enough force to propel itself toward Abaddon. Abaddon calmly lifted his feet, then forcefully planted them into the ground, bracing for impact.

Arthur's eyes widened in disbelief at what he perceived as a reckless move.

"Does he really plan to collide with that behemoth? That's suicide!"

Arthur exclaimed. He prepared to intervene, but his elder brother's firm grip on his shoulder stopped him.

"Hold, Arthur. I believe he knows what he's doing. Either he's a False Ranker—one who disguises their true power using concealment techniques—or he's a fool."

With a wry grin, Arthurian pointed below.

"Look closely. Those undead specters were summoned by him. Do you really think he's that simple? Best to observe and assess."

Reluctantly, Arthur released his grip on Excalibur, nodding in agreement. Meanwhile, the other prodigies began mocking Abaddon.

"Is this boy insane? Even a Body Enhancer wouldn't attempt such a foolish stunt!"

Kain scoffed, lounging on a luxurious ship bearing green banners adorned with a poisonous serpent sigil. Two beautiful girls giggled at his sides, emboldening him further.

The taunts continued until another prodigy, aboard a ship with golden banners bearing the symbol of wealth, interrupted.

"Why don't we bet? I believe he'll survive"

Mordane O'Crown proposed, a confident smirk on his face.

Kain, never one to back down, stood abruptly with a smirk of his own, though inwardly fuming.

'Mordane O'Crown, the third young master of the O'Crown House—your wealth doesn't give you the right to be so cocky. I'll take that bet!'

Mordane, clad in a luxurious outfit and wielding a golden fan, smiled slyly.

"I'll wager fifty gold crowns. Too much for the Duke Alaric House?"

The mention of fifty gold crowns—equivalent to fifteen thousand silver crowns—stunned everyone, even drawing the attention of the Pen Dragon siblings. Kain froze momentarily.

'This bastard is trying to humiliate me in front of the five pillar houses. Damn it...'

Regaining his composure, Kain glanced down at Abaddon, now facing the approaching Myth.

'There's no way that boy can withstand this even if he's a false ranker. Even a Five-Star Common Ranker would suffer serious injuries. I'll win this bet.'

Turning back to Mordane, Kain's hesitation was replaced by feigned confidence.

"I'll match your fifty gold crowns and add a tier-four legacy-grade Soul-Leveling Potion. What do you say?"

The atmosphere fell silent, gasps of shock spreading among the onlookers. Even the steward at Kain's side trembled, bowing urgently.

"Young master, reconsider! That potion is far too valuable to gamble!"

Kain dismissed him with a wave which made Mordane's smile.

On the battlefield, the Swamp Shadow-King closed the distance rapidly. Abaddon, calm and composed, closed his eyes.

'Tanking a direct hit from a Ravager-Class III Myth would have been suicide... two years ago. But now, with my first Chakra Domain, Muladhara, opened., I've gained much more. Though only at the Basic level, I can utilize the earth element granted by the root chakra.'

Golden energy surged from the ground, enveloping Abaddon's body. His muscles stiffened like iron as he activated an ability.

"Chaotic Body of Earth Attribute: Metallic Rage—absolute defense.'

The Myth collided with Abaddon like a launched missile. The impact shook the terrain, sending debris and dust flying.

Fatty, Jane, Ryn, and Orlan watched intently from the sidelines, while the prodigies in the sky eagerly anticipated the outcome.

Kain, smirking triumphantly, turned to Mordane.

"Pay up"

He sneered. Mordane, disappointed, ordered his butler to deliver the wager—a collection of fifty gold crowns and a Vein-Nourishing Divine Water, another tier-four legacy-grade item which can increase energy absorption by ten times for fourty-eight hours.

But just as the butler began his descent, he froze, pointing at the battlefield below.

"My lord, look!"

The dust cleared, revealing Abaddon, standing firm without so much as a scratch. The Swamp Shadow-King recoiled, stunned.

"What... what is he? It's as if I just collided with a space barrier crafted by an Imperium Ranker"

The Myth growled.

Arthur's mouth fell open.

"I didn't sense any energy technique... what's going on?"

Arthara confirmed his observation.

"You're right, neither did I. But I can sense some kind of repulsive force just micrometers away from his body. It's as if he's using energy to coat his entire skin as a defense, except this is pure elemental force. Not only does it absorb the impact, but it also evenly disperses it into the ground. This isn't just defense—it's a redistribution ability. A high-grade technique, no doubt."

Arthurian nodded gravely.

"This confirms one thing: his background isn't simple. For now, we observe. Let's identify his weaknesses through his performance."

Meanwhile, Kain stood frozen, his earlier smugness replaced with seething anger. His defeat was worsened as he watched forty gold crowns and the Soul-Leveling Potion being delivered to the O'Crown ship.

Damn it! My father is going to kill me!

Kain bit his thumb anxiously as the women by his sides tried to soothe him. One of them leaned closer, whispering seductively into his ear.

"Young master, don't lose heart. The battle has only just begun. Even if that boy was lucky enough to block the attack, it doesn't mean he'll win."

Her words echoed in his mind, but Kain shook his head dismissively. The second woman, however, leaned in to reinforce her sister's point.

"Yes... Why not place another bet? This time, focus on the bigger picture—the battle's outcome. The Swamp Shadow-King will surely devour that boy. All you need to do is wager on the final result."

Without any consideration Kain nodded, a greedy smile spreading across his face. Striding confidently toward Mordane, he proposed another bet, this time wagering on the winner.

Mordane, exuding elegance, glanced at him with a smile.

"Oh, young master, you're still eager to continue? Tell me then, what will you wager this time?"

Kain slammed his chest confidently.

"The winner takes all the treasures, including those we've already bet."

After a brief pause, he retrieved two daggers emanating a green aura from his storage bracelet. The sudden appearance of these artifacts stunned the other prodigies.

"These are tier-six, legacy-grade artifacts—daggers my elder brother acquired at an auction. As an Assassin-Class Ranker, they're my personal weapons: the Poisonous Wind Daggers. Not only do they release a deadly poisonous mist, but they also allow wind abilities regardless of one's class."

Mordane stopped fanning himself, snapping the fan shut against his palm with a sly smirk.

"If you're willing to wager your personal weapons, young master Kain, then I can only oblige. I'll add to the stakes—ten more gold crowns alongside all the rewards from the previous bet."

The terms were set, though Kain's butler buried his face in disappointment. Even the heirs of the other houses shook their heads at Kain's recklessness. Despite this, all eyes returned to the battlefield.

Amid the settling dust and debris, Abaddon stood firm, his cold eyes locked onto the creature before him.

'This technique lives up to its name, he thought. It absorbs fifty percent of the damage and transfers it to the ground. As for the remaining half... well, that part's about to take effect.'

From the Swamp Shadow-King's perspective, a faint red glow emerged from Abaddon's chest, accompanied by the loud, rhythmic thud of a beating heart. The sound intensified, and a dark, ominous energy coiled around Abaddon. His veins bulged, glowing red as if something primal coursed through them.

'It's starting... Yes... there it is. The first technique of the Blood Berserk State: Damage Revert. It converts half the damage I take into primal strength. The longer I endure, the stronger I become. Of course, it has its limits—but not in this case.'

Abaddon's grin widened, steam escaping his lips as he clenched one fist surrounded by dark energy. With his other hand, he gripped the Swamp Shadow-King tightly.

The creature struggled, instinctively attempting to escape Abaddon's iron grip. But before it could, Abaddon delivered a bone-crushing uppercut that sent the beast hurtling through trees, finally crashing into a rocky mountain. Without giving it a moment to recover, Abaddon dashed after it.

The Swamp Shadow-King had barely risen from the rubble when Abaddon appeared before it, thrusting both legs forward like a missile. The violent impact elicited a deafening, pain-filled roar from the creature.

From the stands, Arthur, Kain, Mordane, and the other heirs watched in stunned silence. Abaddon was clashing head-on with a Ravager-Class III Myth.

The Myth swung its massive claws in a wide, creamson arc, but Abaddon sidestepped and retaliated with a devastating kick to its side, leaving another painful wound.

The Swamp Shadow-King attacked in a fit of rage, thrashing its enormous, blood-soaked hands indiscriminately. Yet, Abaddon not only dodged the near-fatal strikes but also countered with a barbaric fighting style that left even the prodigies baffled.

Each movement seemed simple, but carried a deadly, instant-kill aura. When Abaddon threw a punch aimed upwards, it bewilderingly landed to the sides of the creature instead, as if every movement and strike has an illusion effect that made it hard for the Swamp shadow-king not only to fight back, but to even defend itself against the relentless damaging strikes from Abaddon.

In frustration, the Swamp Shadow-King unleashed a surge of repulsive red energy that pierced the clouds and shook the ships, sending Abaddon tumbling across the field.

Yet, he regained his footing almost instantly, blood dripping from his mouth. With an evil smirk, he thought:

'Even with everything I've given, it's still able to release such a powerful soul attack. If my soul level weren't at stage four, I'd have collapsed already. Still, I've sustained internal injuries. My Metallic Rage is useless against soul attacks, and Damage Revert can only absorb so much. But...'

Shifting into a primal stance, Abaddon glared at the Swamp Shadow-King as it emitted a surging, oppressive energy.

"It seems boss has cornered the Myth. Now it's unleashing power from both of its soul-ores"

Fatty muttered.

Jane nodded in agreement, though the worry in her purple eyes told a different story.

"The real battle begins now."