The Heart Of Chaos

The oppressive silence of Doomswood wrapped itself around Arthurian, whose unblinking gaze was fixed on one man: Orlan—or perhaps No'el.

Standing atop the mountain, No'el's long white hair whipped violently in the wind, his eyes blazing with an anger so fierce it could unnerve even the most hardened warriors. Arthurian struggled to grasp what had just transpired.

Judging from the old man's reaction, they were all in grave peril. The killing intent radiating from No'el was suffocating, the unmistakable aura of someone who had taken countless lives without pause. And indeed, No'el, revered as the Dragon God, had once been the deadliest force the world had ever known thousands of years ago.

'What did this fool do? If the old man is truly above me in rank, all the noble children are at risk… I must calm the situation and find a solution, Arthurian thought grimly.'

Before he could act, Kain's mocking laughter pierced the darkened sky. His voice carried a cruel glee as Abaddon writhed in pain beneath him.

"You see what happens when a lowly commoner tries to stand out too much? Now you're nothing but a corpse waiting to be buried."

Suddenly, an overwhelming surge of power erupted from below. Fatty's aura flared so violently that Lloyd stumbled back. Fatty extended his arms toward Fluffy, activating the Primordial Scripture engraved on his hand.

In an instant, the Earth Drake dissolved into golden energy, merging with Fatty for the second time. His blue aura turned golden, and with his magic pillar in hand, he struck the Iron Claw Praying Mantis, obliterating it with a single blow.

The battlefield fell silent as all eyes turned to Fatty in stunned disbelief.

The backlash from the attack hit Lloyd directly, forcing him to his knees. Blood trickled from his lips as he reflected in shock.

'What just happened? Moments ago, I had the upper hand... What kind of technique allows a Platinum Stage early ranker to merge with their familiar and ascend to a higher rank? My noble house is famed for our Beast Taming abilities, but I've never heard of anything like this...'

As the silence lingered, Kain turned his attention to Fatty and Jane. They glared at him furiously, but he responded with a mocking smirk.

"Your big shot is finished, and the artifact belongs to me. What are you going to do? Remember, anyone who dares touch me will be going against the entire empire."

Arthurian's fists clenched tightly as his gaze burned with fury at Kain's arrogance. The darkened terrain echoed with Kain's laughter, mingling with Abaddon's agonized screams. Yet, within moments, those screams were replaced by a bone-chilling voice.

"Who… dared poison me?"

Abaddon's eyes flickered open, radiating a poisonous aura as he unleashed a shockwave that obliterated the green mist and destroyed the Python constricting him.

The crowd stared in disbelief as his murderous red eyes glowed under the oppressive sky. His voice rang out again, more menacing than before.

"Are you all deaf? I asked… which one of you unlucky corpses poisoned me?"

Kain, trembling in terror, stumbled backward, nearly falling over the edge of the ship.

"How… how… how is that possible…?" he stammered.

Abaddon sighed, collected the surrounding treasures into his storage bracelet, and stretched his arm outward as though preparing to hurl something.

"If you won't answer… then I'll make you talk. Let's test out this new skill, shall we?"

"Empirical Beast Aura!"

In a shocking display, the projected image of the Swamp Shadow-King's massive frame materialized behind Abaddon, emanating an overwhelming aura.

Its piercing gaze bore down on everyone below, unleashing a wave of gravitational force so immense it felt like a mountain had been hurled upon them.

The ground splintered and cracked as people struggled to move, collapsing to their knees in despair.

Flying ships caught in the range of the crushing gravity were obliterated in an instant, including the Mage Tower Inn's ship. Emberlyn and her followers were pinned to the ground like helpless animals, completely overwhelmed by the oppressive force.

Following the toxic scent of the Soul Eroding Curse, Abaddon's crimson gaze settled on Kain's butler, who trembled in fear beside his equally panicked master.

In a blur, Abaddon appeared beside the butler, lifting him effortlessly by the neck. His malevolent, beast-like stare bore into the man as he asked coldly,

"Why did you poison me?"

The sound of bones cracking echoed in the eerie stillness of the night as the butler gasped for air, his struggles futile. From the Pendragons to Mordane and even No'el's allies, everyone watched in stunned silence.

"How could someone of hid age resist one of the ten heavenly demonic poisons? Even am not entirely sure I can withstand such curse. What kind of monster or prodigy has emerged in the Avalon Empire? I'm not even sure Arthur with his golden soul-ore could best him"

Arthara thought, shifting his gaze toward Arthur who also had the same grim expression.

This very question echoed in the minds of the gathered nobles: Who is this boy?

Before their eyes, Abaddon began draining the butler's life energy with Gluttony. In mere moments, the butler's body became a lifeless husk, petrified and drained of vitality.

Kain, trembling with terror, scrambled backward on the ship's deck, leaving a trail of urine in his wake.

"Stay away! Stay away from me! Arthur, do something! Senior, do something! If anything happens to me, you'll answer to my father!"

He screeched, his voice cracking with desperation as he tried to distance himself from the looming figure of Abaddon.

Standing tall and unyielding, Abaddon's red, demonic eyes glowed under the pale light of the moon, dark shadows accentuating his haunting features.

His long, raven-black hair framed a face and body marked by scars and whip marks. When a sudden bolt of lightning illuminated the scene, his strikingly handsome yet harrowing visage came into view, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from Arthara. For the first time, her Seductive Dharma Body reacted to a man, an experience she had never encountered before.

Abaddon advanced, grasping Kain by the neck with an iron grip. A cold, predatory smile played on his lips as he spoke.

"So, you're the one who wanted me dead? Enlighten me, since when have our paths crossed?"

The air around him grew heavier, saturated with a dark, ominous aura. Abaddon's crimson pupils reflected the blood-red moon, a chilling sight that paralyzed the onlookers. But before he could press further, a firm voice cut through the tension.

"You can't kill him"

Arthur declared, stepping forward.

"Think this through—he's a noble, and you're a commoner. On top of that, you're an Unorthodox Ranker in an empire dominated by Orthodox and righteous Rankers. Even with your strength, you can't take on the entire empire, not even with your master's protection."

Arthur's gaze flickered toward No'el, who stood silently, observing the unfolding chaos. Unfazed by the warning, Abaddon began draining Kain's life force. The noble writhed in agony, his face rapidly aging, as Abaddon savored the life energy with ruthless efficiency.

To the onlookers, Abaddon appeared ruthless, a predator savoring his prey. The prodigies and their followers below continued to crumble under the unrelenting gravitational force, their souls unable to withstand the Empirical Beast Aura. Those with soul levels below three fell unconscious, unable to endure the crushing pressure.

Whispers of outrage began to rise among the fallen.

"He's an Unorthodox Ranker—he must be destroyed!"

"He's climbing ranks through demonic mantras! He cannot be spared!"

"Why are the Pendragons standing idle? As Orthodox Rankers, why aren't they intervening?"

Amidst the growing panic, Fatty and Jane exchanged relieved glances, silently marveling at their leader's dominance though vividly confused why they thought Abaddon was a Ranker in the first place? He didn't even have the aura mark of a ranker.

Abaddon continued draining Kain's energy. The noble was gasping for air, his body writhing, with deep wrinkles crawling over his face. Arthur, unable to stand by any longer, unsheathed his sword—Excalibur. Its golden brilliance, with a dragon motif beneath the red moon, shone ominously.

"If you don't stop, don't blame me for acting"

Arthur warned.

"After all, no elder should interfere in a children's quarrel, right?"

He shot a sharp glance at No'el, who remained silent. Under the Pendragon ship's flag, Arthur began radiating an overwhelming golden aura, illuminating the battlefield like a setting sun in the midst of Doomswood's darkness. The calm yet oppressive energy sharply contrasted with the ominous, dark aura emanating from Abaddon.

With a casual swing of Excalibur, Arthur unleashed a wide arc of golden sword energy, hurling it toward Abaddon. But before the attack could reach him, dark crimson tendrils surged from beneath Abaddon's feet. The tendrils, shaped like hands, intercepted the slash, corrupting its radiant energy into a twisted darkness before crushing it entirely.

Arthur's expression hardened. Just as he prepared to launch another strike, Abaddon spoke, his voice cold and sharp.

"You want me to let him go that badly? Even though he tried to kill me? Why? Because I'm a commoner, and he's a noble? Does that mean my life isn't worth the life of a noble? Is that what the golden, holy knight is telling me?"

Turning his gaze toward Arthur and his siblings, Abaddon continued, his crimson eyes gleaming.

"Aren't you supposed to stand for justice and fairness oh dear...Orthodox Rankers? So why this bias now? Tell me, what would you have done if I were a long-lost prince of the royal family? A direct bloodline of the Emperor? If you found out too late, after my death, would you have beheaded him for attempting—or succeeding—in ending the life of an imperial heir?"

The battlefield fell silent, the weight of Abaddon's words hanging heavily in the air. The question stirred doubt and conflict among the onlookers. What if it were true? Fear of the consequences began to creep in. Jane and Fatty nonchalantly looked at each other as though silently screaming their thoughts out.

'He is though, a Prince '

Abaddon's laughter shattered the tense silence, snapping everyone back to reality. With a cold smile, he grabbed Kain's arm—by now, the noble was half a corpse—and ripped it off with brutal force, shocking everyone present.

'Playing mind games can be fun'

Abaddon thought to himself.

'Swamp Shadow-King—or rather, Ravana—I might just grow addicted to this tactic of yours.'

Casually tossing Kain's limp body to the ship's floor, Abaddon released the oppressive Beast Aura from the battlefield below.

"I was kidding"

He said mockingly.

"I'm just a lowly commoner. But I have a slogan: an eye for an eye, and a life for a life. This time, I've made an exception and only taken an arm. Next time… I'll take it all."

Arthur trembled with fury, watching helplessly as Abaddon leaped onto the O'Crown ship. Standing face-to-face with Mordane, Abaddon smirked.

Mordane, quick to read the situation, diffused the tension by surrendering all the items he had won from Kain.

"You're quite the diplomat"

Abaddon remarked with a smirk. Mordane smiled behind his fan.

"If treasure can save me from ending up like him, why not?"

Satisfied, Abaddon leapt from the ship, landing on the ground below.

Without looking back, he declared for the nobles to leave since everything was now sorted out, Arthurian reluctantly commaned everyone to prepare to sail back though deep inside, what occurred today was something he could never speak about in front of the Reagent after they return.

The nobles, recognizing the gravity of the situation, quickly collected themselves and retreated beneath the darkened sky.

Hours later, in the shelter of a cave, Abaddon presented the treasures he had obtained, recounting the events to No'el and how he gained another Legacy grade Soul puppet as a Blood Specter General.

"I don't think these items will be of much use to me"

He said.

"So, I'll give them to you."

From his storage bracelet, he retrieved the Skeletal Beast Armor, a dazzling piece resembling a human skeletal system.

He handed it to Fatty, instructing him to bind the artifact with his blood and absorb its power. Fatty complied, though the process was agonizing as the artifact began replacing his bones.

Next, Ryn received the Jade Emperor's Cauldron, an ideal artifact for her as a peak-stage Diamond-rank Alchemist. Following the same instructions, she began absorbing the cauldron's power.

Finally, Jane was presented with the Elemental Affinity Ring. As she extended her hand, Abaddon slipped the ring onto her finger, unaware of the emotions this simple gesture stirred in her.

Her blushing face betrayed her joy, though Abaddon remained oblivious to the deeper meaning.

The ring dissolved into shadow energy, leaving behind a ring-like tattoo in place of the ring on her finger which bestowed upon her the Shadow Element affinity—one of the rarest elements, surpassed only by light and space.

Overwhelmed by the surge of power as a shadow rune engraved itself onto her soul-ore, Jane collapsed mid-air, enveloped in a swirling shadowy aura as the transformation overtook her.

While Fatty endured the excruciating pain of his transformation and Ryn focused on mastering her new artifact, Abaddon and No'el stepped outside the cave with Orlan, seeking solace under the moonlight. Breaking the silence, No'el spoke first.

"You've grown strong, but it's still not enough. I know you're hiding an injury—how long do you plan to keep pretending you're fine?"

Abaddon coughed, his worn-out appearance betraying the truth.

"You've always had sharp eyes, Ancestor. But how could I appear weak in front of my comrades, especially after today? I faced my best friend... someone I thought was a part of my past. I wanted to lose control, to lash out for all the suffering they caused, but seeing him again calmed me. I don't understand why."

No'el sighed, gazing at the stars.

"We leave Doomswood tomorrow. There's nothing more for you to learn here. You now command two Legacy-grade Specters and twenty-five special-grade soldiers. You've opened the first Chakra Domain, reached the Intermediate stage of Muladhara, and your chaos energy affinity is at five percent. You've even begun mastering necromancy and berserk techniques. It's time to return to the House of Drakon."

Abaddon's eyes widened in shock.

"You want me to go back?"

No'el nodded.

"There are truths you must uncover yourself—your mother's death, for one. Remember, the power you wield comes with a price. Your mission to free the Primordials and uncover the true nature of the gods is yours alone. I trained your companions to be your left and right hands. Use them well."

Abaddon smirked.

"You're as cold as ever, Ancestor. After six years, you still see them as tools. But you're right. If I want to learn the truth about my mother's death, the Drakon Keep is where I need to start. Still, there's someone I need to save first."

"Eleanor?"

No'el asked knowingly.

"Don't worry. I'll handle that myself. I promised Orlan. Besides, there are runes of power I need to locate for my own journey to the new Arcane Citadel in the north. One of my martial techniques remains incomplete. I need specific runes to recover it, which means retracing my steps from my previous life."

Abaddon nodded, his gaze falling on the bracelet Eleanor had crafted for him years ago.

"I want to see her again, but I doubt she wants to see me. We abandoned her to a stranger. I'll bear her hatred, but please bring her back. I'll focus on my duties at the Drakon Keep. Take Ryn with you—her unique abilities as a Ranker and Alchemist will be invaluable."

No'el agreed, and a tense silence followed before he spoke again.

"Focus on advancing to the next stage of Muladhara. It should heal your injuries by fifty percent. Once you return to where you belong, I'll share a secret with you."

With that, the two men returned to the cave, preparing to leave Doomswood after six long years.

Beyond the forest lay the world of Rankers—and the true dangers awaiting them.