Chapter 261: Zhongli Takes Action
A crushing, brutal pressure radiated from the newly-spawned monster, a evident wave of pure destructive desire that washed over the valley. It felt like a mountain descending upon them, so overwhelming that even the surrounding low-level abyssal creatures trembled and scattered, not daring to approach.
This creature could only be called an Abyss Earthshaker.
Though not gargantuan in size, its power was enough to sunder mountains. It was a terrifying being born from a hyper-condensation of Abyssal energy—a living weapon forged for the sole purpose of destruction and assault.
Varesa felt the oppressive force, far exceeding anything she had faced before, and the expression on her small, eye-patch-covered face grew incredibly solemn. She had been fighting alone in this place for an unknown length of time; her stamina was nearly halved, and her breaths came in ragged bursts.
Although Hu Tao, who had joined the battle later, was in better condition, she knew this was different. Faced with a monster whose mere aura could stop a person's heart, the Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor knew that their chances of victory with just the two of them were slim.
Even more troubling was the massive Abyss Gate that still pulsed behind the creature. It loomed like a wound in the world, and there was no guarantee it wouldn't continue to replenish the monster's energy or disgorge something even worse.
High on the clifftop, Zhongli watched the newly appeared Abyss Earthshaker, his calm, golden eyes taking in the scene.
He did not move to attack immediately. Instead, he first transmitted a clear message through the wind-borne information network—a subtle communication grid constructed by Venti—that still whispered in his ears. His target was the Pyro Archon, Mavuika, who was stationed in the Holy Fire Arena.
"Lady Mavuika, please be advised. An Abyss Gate with fusion characteristics has been discovered in the Woluo warzone."
"Multiple smaller gates are capable of converging their energy to merge into a single, massive portal. This allows for the summoning of special individuals whose strength far exceeds that of regular elite Abyss monsters. They are provisionally named 'Abyss Earthshakers' and warrant extreme vigilance. This phenomenon is likely not an isolated incident. I recommend an immediate adjustment of strategy."
Inside the Holy Fire Arena, Mavuika was in the midst of deploying her troops when the message from the Woluo front reached her through the wind network. Her pupils constricted, and a storm erupted in her heart.
Gate fusion? Summoning more powerful Abyss monsters? This completely shattered all her prior assessments of the invasion.
She immediately grasped the gravity of the situation. If similar events were occurring in every warzone, the scattered defense lines of the various tribes would become instantly, catastrophically vulnerable.
"Order!" Mavuika's voice, sharp and urgent, echoed through the wind network and into the ears of the six major tribal commanders.
"All tribes are to abandon peripheral and secondary strongholds. Gather all necessary supplies and civilians, and converge on the Holy Fire Arena with the utmost speed!"
"I repeat, a full-line contraction! Retreat to the Holy Fire Arena! focus on the preservation of our forces and avoid direct engagement with any potential super-class individuals that may appear!"
The order sent shockwaves through Natlan's entire war effort. Though the tribes were bewildered by the sudden command, their absolute trust in their Archon compelled them to begin executing the retreat without question.
After delivering the crucial warning, Zhongli's gaze returned to the valley below.
He saw that the Abyss Earthshaker seemed to be acclimating to the environment of this world. It slowly raised its thick arms, dark purple energy gathering in its fists as it implicitly targeted the weary Varesa. Behind it, the giant gate remained stable, a malignant source of power constantly feeding the beast.
That gate could not be allowed to exist any longer.
Zhongli slowly raised his right hand, pressing it downward as if against an invisible surface, his focus aimed directly at the colossal Abyss Gate.
In the sky above, Geo energy converged with furious intensity. It did not form a sky-blotting monolith, but rather a "Planet Befall" with a diameter of only a few meters—a meteor so condensed it glowed with a brilliant, blinding golden light.
As if traversing space itself, it appeared directly above the gate. Then, imbued with the supreme will to judge all things and suppress all evil, it began its silent descent.
The meteor's descent seemed slow, yet it carried with it a power that warped the very rules of the world, causing the space beneath it to solidify and lock in place.
The Abyss Earthshaker, which had just appeared and was about to unleash its ferocity, seemed to sense the imminent threat. It let out a guttural roar, and its thick arms erupted with terrifying dark purple light as it attempted to intercept the celestial body that posed a fatal threat to its "birthplace."
However, its movements were just a fraction too slow.
"Bzz—!"
There was no devastating explosion, only a low, resonant hum, as if space itself were being forcibly smoothed over.
The brilliant Planet Befall struck the very center of the materialized Abyss Gate.
Like a hot knife slicing through solidified grease, the gate's hard, black, crystal-like structure began to disintegrate and crumble the instant the meteor made contact. It was broken down into the purest Geo energy and dissipated Abyssal power before being utterly annihilated, leaving not a single trace behind.
In the center of the valley, that suffocatingly massive source of evil had vanished without a trace.
But Zhongli's attack stopped there.
After completing its mission, the incredibly powerful Planet Befall dissipated into a shower of golden specks of light. It did not, in passing, eliminate the Abyss Earthshaker below, which had just managed to raise its arms into a defensive posture.
"Eh?!" Hu Tao was taken aback by this. She spun around and shouted up at the cliff, "Consultant! What's the big idea? Why didn't you just deal with this big guy, too? Are you saving it for the New Year?"
Zhongli's steady voice drifted down with the wind, carrying no hint of emotion. "Director, the Chat Group has always allocated points based on combat contributions. If I were to eliminate all enemies here, would your hard work not have been in vain?"
"A few points, though they are but external things, can be exchanged for what one needs. Accumulating them, little by little, is not a bad thing."
His words were half truth, half excuse.
The deeper consideration, as his true plan dictated, was that Hu Tao's lively and energetic personality meant she would inevitably travel between worlds and face countless risks in the future. He could not always be there to accompany her. Taking this opportunity to let her accumulate more experience battling truly strong enemies would be far more beneficial in the long run.
This Abyss Earthshaker was powerful, making it an excellent whetstone.
The moment Hu Tao heard the word "points," her eyes lit up, and she was instantly won over by his reasoning.
"Oh, right! That makes sense! Consultant, you're so thoughtful!" She immediately cast aside her earlier doubts, her face reigniting with fighting spirit.
"Then thank you, Consultant! We'll take care of this big guy you left for us! Me and Varesa will make sure to handle it thoroughly!"
Although Varesa wasn't entirely sure what "points" were, she felt a surge of pride and responsibility when she heard that the Traveler's friend was entrusting this powerful enemy to them. She, Varesa, also wanted to become a hero—a hero just like Fieretina.
She took a deep breath, forcing down her body's fatigue as the Electro energy within her was fully unleashed once more. Violent purple arcs of lightning crackled and coiled around her like living things, pushing her aura back to its peak.
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