The Heart Of Chaos

He suddenly dashed past the Swamp Shadow-King with every ounce of speed he could muster. Each step felt like his body was on the verge of collapse, as every fleeting second drained his life force in exchange for a temporary surge of power that pushed him beyond his limits.

The Swamp Shadow-King vanished and reappeared in front of Abaddon in an instant, blocking his path. The creature's gaze narrowed as it realized Abaddon was heading straight for the pit where the blood river churned ominously. Was he really planning to dive into the very river that had nearly drained him dry before?

...Yes, he was. Reaching the focal point of the swamp's concentrated energy, Abaddon exhaled heavily, then inhaled deeply, his cheeks bulging with air. Without hesitation, he took a leap of faith and let himself plummet toward the raging river below.

But just before he could make contact, a shadowy figure materialized and struck him with brutal force, sending him hurtling back into the air. The impact was so severe that the air he'd stored escaped his lungs in a desperate gasp.

"You're far more clever than I expected, but is this your last resort?"

The Swamp Shadow-King sneered, its voice dripping with malice.

"To uncover the essence of my domain so quickly—truly impressive. But now that I know your intentions, I'll ensure you die here before you succeed."

As Abaddon fell, the Shadow-King lunged at him, razor-sharp claws gleaming as they aimed to cleave him in two. It grinned wickedly, savoring the moment of imminent victory.

But as the creature closed in, Abaddon raised his right hand, gripping it tightly with his left as if preparing to launch a cannonball—and indeed, he was. His bloodshot eyes glowed with a crimson malevolence, his teeth clenched in sheer agony as blood trickled from his lips. The toll on his body was overwhelming; his muscles shrank, his skin paled, and the excruciating pain threatened to consume him entirely.

Yet, even with his vitality draining at an alarming rate, a flicker of determination remained in his eyes. With a guttural roar that shook the air, he unleashed his power.

"Chaos Dominion: Eternal Graveyard!"

His voice thundered through the swamp as he invoked his ultimate technique.

"First Blood General, Apophis! Rise!"

The moment the words left Abaddon's mouth, a dark, smoke-like purple dagger shot from his outstretched hand toward the Swamp Shadow-King. The beast deflected it with a swift hand, but the force was enough to knock him off balance, sending him plummeting back to the ground.

As the dagger fell, a dark, spectral hand emerged from Abaddon's grasp, seizing the weapon mid-air. In an instant, a new figure materialized between Abaddon and his foe. It was an ethereal specter, clad in ghostly armor with jagged edges that remained distinct despite its incorporeal form. Its hollow, glowing purple eyes and sharp silhouette contrasted starkly against the darkness around it. With terrifying speed, the specter lunged at the Swamp Shadow-King, slamming the massive creature across the river with brutal force.

This was Apofis, the first Blood Specter Abaddon had tamed. A Legacy-grade, Tier-two fighting puppet, it was powerful enough to rival an Eight-Star Common Rank expert.

Abaddon had known from the beginning that draining the soul-ores directly would be suicidal. That's why he had resorted to burning his vitality, summoning his trump card, and calling forth the strongest Blood Specter in his arsenal. Though initially unable to summon Apofis due to insufficient mantra energy, he had just barely managed to muster enough to sustain the ritual.

Now, Apofis stood face-to-face with the Swamp Shadow-King across the murky expanse. Abaddon, his body riddled with cracks and barely holding together, tilted his head towards the specter and muttered to himself:

"I thought I could handle a Ravager-Class III Myth on my own... how wrong I was."

With a voice filled with resolve, he commanded.

"Apofis, keep it busy while I take care of the rest."

The specter bowed its head respectfully, its voice a chilling, ghostly echo.

"As you command, sire."

The Swamp Shadow-King gritted its teeth, helplessly watching as Abaddon disappeared down the river. Turning its attention back to Apofis, it lashed out, but its attack passed harmlessly through the specter's smoke-like form.

"I see"

The beast thought grimly.

"Only soul attacks can harm this thing. No wonder the other summons before managed to destroy the myths I brought to the battlefield before."

Apofis brought his daggers close to his face, adopting a fighting stance. His glowing, purple eyes burned with intensity as he whispered,

"You talk too much for beast."

The Shadow-King flinched at the specter's words, startled that it could speak. Then it remembered Abaddon's earlier declaration—his summons were imbued with free will, though they remained bound to him like shadows, no matter where he went.

In frustration, the beast lunged at Apofis, this time wielding soul energy. But Apofis dissolved into mist, reappearing behind the creature to slash at its back. The attack struck true, though it felt as if he had only grazed a surface of hardened metal.

Meanwhile, downstream, Abaddon was nearing his limits. The desire to survive kept him moving as he swam deeper into the vortex, but his lungs burned with suffocating pain.

"Damn it, this is unbearable. My body... it's falling apart."

The cracks on his body spread wider, a testament to the damage his soul and form had endured. The Chaos Heart of Ashura drained his vitality mercilessly, while the river sapped the energy he had gained from burning it. His strength faltered, and his vision blurred as exhaustion overtook him.

Even Apofis could feel Abaddon's life force waning. The Swamp Shadow-King let out a mocking laugh, sneering at the specter.

"You thought I'd hide my soul-ores somewhere so obvious? That vortex is the heart of this domain—it'll drain his life in an instant. With how fragile he already is, it's only a matter of time before he dissolves completely. Then, the primordial power will be mine!"

Growing more confident, the Shadow-King charged a ball of crimson death energy and hurled it at Apofis. The specter responded by channeling his own energy into his daggers, unleashing a poisonous wave of mist in a devastating counterattack.

As a Blood Specter of the Legacy grade tier-two, Apofis wasn't far behind the beast in terms of combat power. If only Abaddon hadn't 't underestimated his opponent and fought with everything he had from the very beginning, he wouldn't be in this dire state.

Slowly floating to the surface of the crimson river, he felt his consciousness slipping into the blood-red void around him.

"Why... do I feel... so sleepy..."

From the depths of the river, a delicate yet radiant hand emerged, grasping his wrist. Whether it was a hallucination or not, the sight of Lady Elyssia was enough to compel Abaddon to claw his way out of the Abyss even at the brink of death.

"Mother..."

Like a graceful angel, she began pulling him down into the vortex without uttering a word. Abaddon struggled to keep his eyes open, knowing even a fleeting glimpse of her was worth defying death.

"I would steal time itself... just to see you again..."

Before he could fully comprehend, her form began to dissolve like the fading light of dusk. Placing her hands gently on his cheeks, she smiled warmly, her touch vanishing as tears flowed upward through the blood river.

"Mother... don't leave...?"

In front of him lay two pulsing crimson energy cores, glowing with life. Veins connected them to the domain, feeding them a continuous flow of souls. Abaddon's drowsiness was replaced by sudden clarity as the truth struck him.

"It's... here. The Soul-Ores of the Swamp Shadow-King."

A faint, determined smile spread across his gaunt face. Though submerged, his hands trembled as he reached for the soul-ores.

Above the surface, the Swamp Shadow-King froze, sensing the danger. Apophis seized the moment, vanishing into the shadows and reappearing behind the creature, stabbing it five times with energy-eroding venom.

The beast let out a thunderous screech, attempting to flee toward the river, but Apophis blocked its path with a cold, unyielding glare.

"Fleeing already? How can you do that under your funeral celebration."

Desperate, the Swamp Shadow-King summoned a horde of Lava Fetuses, grotesque undead minions emerging one by one. The beast grinned wickedly.

"You annoying Puppet. Play with them and leave your master to me."

Apophis found himself surrounded by the ever-growing horde but stood his ground, ready to fight. Before he could strike, both he and the Swamp Shadow-King were startled by a sudden shift in the air.

From the churning blood river, a dark, corrupted mist began to spread, engulfing the battlefield in an ominous shroud. It reached across the river and into the bone-strewn ground beyond. The Swamp Shadow-King's eyes widened in recognition.

"I've seen this before..."

And indeed, it had. Rising from the abyssal mist were undead Blood Specters, their menacing forms climbing forth one by one. Without hesitation, the spectral soldiers descended upon the Lava Fetuses, tearing them apart.

These were the Blood Spectral Soldiers—Special grade puppets of the spectral soldiers category, each embodying a distinct class: warriors, mages, and rangers. Though they numbered only ten, their power was undeniable.

As the tide of the battle shifted, Apophis turned his attention back to the Swamp Shadow-King, whose composure was beginning to fracture.

"You were saying something?"

Deep within, Abaddon was wielding Gluttony. A golden-black hole sigil appeared on his palms, consuming all the energy from the soul-ores. Using part of this immense energy, Abaddon summoned the remaining Blood Specters to aid their general.

"What overwhelming mantra energy! I feel like I'm on the verge of a breakthrough at any moment. My soul energy has also ascended to level five—this is incredible!"

The cracks on Abaddon's body began to mend, fading away little by little. Meanwhile, the Swamp Shadow-King grew weaker with each passing moment. This gave Apofis the opportunity to deal significant damage, paralyzing the beast and forcing it to the ground.

Helpless, the creature could only watch as its domain crumbled piece by piece.

"So... I overestimated myself. What irony—a being like me, a myth, falling to a mere human who isn't even a ranker."

"No... he is something more than a ranker."

Suddenly, Abaddon shot out of the river like an arrow, landing with precision on the bony edge of the riverbank. There, Apofis and the remaining Blood Specters bowed in respect at his arrival.

"Sire!"