The Heart Of Chaos

The resounding clash of bone against metal echoed under the darkened skies as Fluffy found itself cornered by Lloyd's summoned beasts.

The Flame Crow soared above, raining down fiery barrages at Lloyd's command, while the Iron Claw Praying Mantis relentlessly clashed with Fluffy in a devastating head-to-head battle.

Nearby, Jane was locked in her own struggle, fending off the relentless assault from Emberlyn, the Ice Mage. As an assassin, Jane was at a severe disadvantage in the open field, where Emberlyn's position high in the sky gave her an undeniable edge. Despite this, Jane pushed forward with sheer persistence, refusing to falter under the Mage's unyielding attacks.

While the battle below raged, another danger loomed silently in the background. High above, standing midair on the deck of a ship, Kain's gaze was fixed on Abaddon, hatred burning in his eyes.

Stretching out his hand as though demanding something, his butler reluctantly handed him a glass containing a green, ominous potion.

"Young Master, must you go through with this? I understand your resentment, but if that boy dies, the elder below will not let us go unscathed"

The butler said with a shaky voice.

Blinded by rage, Kain ignored the warning. Taking three sharp needles, he dipped them into the potion, its foul stench of death wafting into the air.

"Shut up, old man. Stop nagging me. You couldn't possibly understand the humiliation I've endured because of that dirty thing, especially in front of Miss Emberlyn. How am I supposed to face her after this?"

"But, Young Master"

The butler protested

"That potion is one of the Ten Heavenly Demonic Poisons of the house, prepared by the Patriarch himself! It's the Eighth Rank Poison: Soul Eroding Curse, misusing it will attract severe consequences"

Kain's face twisted with malice as he retrieved the now-poison-coated needles. Pushing the butler aside, he sneered.

"So what? I've already resigned myself to punishment after betting all those items. Father won't let me off, but it doesn't matter. I'll just add one more sin to the list. If I don't eliminate that boy now, he could become an obstacle in the future."

On the battlefield below, Fatty and Jane felt an ominous shift in the air, though their focus quickly returned to their respective battles. Meanwhile, No'el, standing with Ryn by his side, sensed imminent danger. The Primordial Scripture he had placed on Abaddon's soul reacted violently, a sure sign that something dire was about to happen.

Turning his gaze toward Abaddon, No'el saw nothing amiss. The battle seemed to be proceeding as expected. But the uneasy sensation in his chest refused to subside. Suddenly, realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.

"An assassination!"

His warning came too late. Kain launched the three poison-coated needles with precision, each one aimed directly at Abaddon's chest.

A sudden, foul stench filled the air, drawing everyone's attention. Arthurian's face paled as recognition set in.

"Soul Eroding Curse!"

The familiar scent left no room for doubt—there was only one person reckless enough to wield such a deadly weapon. All eyes turned to Kain, who stood with a triumphant smirk.

"Kain, you bastard! What have you done?"

Arthur roared angrily.

But the deed was already done. The needles struck Abaddon squarely in the chest, and the poison immediately took effect. A corrosive, green mist emerged, twisting into the form of a serpentine python that coiled around Abaddon. The aura surrounding him began to decay under the poison's influence, its strength crumbling rapidly.

"Serves you right! Now die!"

Kain shouted, his voice filled with vindictive glee.

Fatty and Jane froze, their disbelief evident as Abaddon's body contorted in agony. His cries of excruciating pain pierced the battlefield, the sight of his torment burning into the hearts of all who watched.

Meanwhile within the depths of his soul space, Abaddon sat in a meditative posture when a sudden, searing pain gripped him. The vast expanse of his soul began to erode, its stability crumbling from within. From the abyssal void, a misty green serpent emerged, its form coiling menacingly before his eyes.

"I've been poisoned? But how?"

The serpent let out a bone-chilling roar before lunging at him. Despite the dire situation, Abaddon remained seated, his expression calm and calculating. Just as the serpent was about to reach him, a massive spectral blade—formed of green mist—descended and cleaved the creature in half.

From the shadows, the towering figure of Ravana emerged, his presence dwarfing the expanse around him. Beside him stood Apofis and the other Special-Grade Blood Specters, their forms radiating power and readiness.

"How did such a vile, potent curse spirit infiltrate the master's soul conscience?"

Ravana asked, hoisting his colossal blade onto his shoulder like a seasoned gladiator.

The Python, undeterred, began to reassemble itself, its form coalescing as though nothing had happened. Hissing viciously, it turned its gaze toward the group, undaunted by the army of Blood Specters surrounding its target.

"I believe someone has poisoned Master with a cursed toxin"

Apofis observed.

"For it to evolve a conscience and manifest physically and spiritually... it must be extraordinarily potent. Master's body must be in critical condition."

Abaddon rose slowly, his calculating gaze fixed on the serpent. After fully grasping the technique's nature, he turned his attention to Apofis.

"As a Ranker of the Assassin Class in your previous life, do you know or have you heard of such a poison? One capable of evolving into a conscious entity that attacks both physically and spiritually?"

Apofis placed a clawed hand on his chin, contemplating the question. After a moment, his eyes lit up in realization.

"Ah, yes. During my travels in the Cloud Dynasty, I once sought rare poisons. I recall purchasing a single drop of a poison that cost me nearly my entire fortune from a group of mercenaries. They claimed it was one of the Ten Heavenly Demonic Poisons. These toxins are said to be unimaginably rare and deadly—so potent that, regardless of one's realm, being poisoned by them is nearly impossible to survive. Most of them have no cure, and each of the ten poisons possesses its own consciousness."

Apofis's gaze turned toward the serpent, the pieces falling into place.

"Given its form—a green curse spirit shaped like a Python—this must be the Soul-Eroding Curse, ranked eighth among the Ten Heavenly Demonic Poisons. It takes the shape of a serpent and consumes its host from within until they're reduced to nothing but an empty shell."

The revelation was grim, and Abaddon's expression hardened. Yet, one question lingered in his mind.

"Who could have done this?"

The serpent coiled and lunged at Abaddon once more, its intent deadly. The Blood Specters instinctively prepared to intercept it, but Abaddon raised a hand to stop them.

"Don't worry"

He said, his tone calm yet laced with irritation.

"I'm not concerned in the slightest. I'm just annoyed that it took me this long to comprehend the Empirical Beast Aura, and I'm still only at the first stage... how bothersome."

Confused, Ravana gestured toward the approaching Python.

"What do we do about that?"

Abaddon's response was far from worried. A grin stretched across his face as he spread his arms wide.

"While my physical condition might be compromised, that doesn't matter here. In my soul space, I find intrusions like this... pitiful. Because here, there's a far greater threat than any master in this world."

The Blood Specters froze as an overwhelming presence began to rise from the abyss. It was a being of unimaginable power, majestic yet utterly terrifying. From the darkness emerged a figure with six towering arms. The entity's immense hands reached out and grabbed the Python, crushing it effortlessly into nothing more than dust.

The being stood tall, menacing, and awe-inspiring as it slowly faded back into the shadows. Abaddon's grin twisted into something far more malevolent, his voice a murmur that resonated through the space.

"I fear nothing in here... because within this soul space lies the resting ground of an Asura."

Meanwhile, in the physical world, an eerie silence had fallen. The only sounds were the chilling laughter of Kain and the agonized screams of Abaddon. Then, abruptly, the screams ceased, replaced by a voice cold as death itself, uttering a single question that sent shivers through the air.

"Who dared... poison me?"