CHAPTER 96

A day had passed, and the realm of Hazard was facing a significant change. The massive circus-like camps Hazard had built for the new witches to settle in were now filled, yet he had no idea how things were going inside the laboratory with Cersia and Jenibas.

"Holy mana and death—light or darkness—they're like water and fire, constantly interfering with each other. If you're going to combine them, you must not try to stop them from annihilating each other; you have to let them exist together while only slowing the process!"

Cersia spoke as Hazard filled mana orbs—poorly suited for holding large amounts of mana—with both death and holy mana, ensuring he could continue his experiments in Jenibas's absence. Now, with Cersia present, Jenibas, once calmed, had suggested she join the lab. Cersia, a witch thousands of years old, possessed knowledge far beyond Hazard's comprehension. Despite her age, when Hazard attempted to read her memories, he was met with an impenetrable barrier. It surprised him—what kind of information existed in her mind that a being more powerful than him had sealed away?

With this in mind, and seeing these two testing new theories to merge holy and death mana, Hazard, now that his realm was in better shape and the Scarlet Army was preparing a simultaneous northern assault with him, decided to use all his mana for a single summoning.

In front of his castle—where the castle buffs, the temple, all defensive structures, the legendary-level Azza and Cerberus, and numerous epic-tier beings stood—he was ready to complete his summoning.

Gathering his mana and channeling it through his equipment, supported by liches, he pushed himself to summon a being of mythical caliber, believing it could become a game-changer in the coming war.

The released mana shook the surrounding hundred meters—this level of mana belonged to mythical beings. As the portal expanded, another portal simultaneously appeared in the Abyss, facing a sealed entity.

This being, imprisoned in the depths of the Abyss, had survived because even its legendary enemies could not find a way to kill it. A master of spirits and mental assaults, its body was chained from every direction. As it sensed the portal, its eyes snapped open—eyes black as void.

A humanoid figure, naked, with three eyes, hair like Medusa's, each strand a venomous serpent, and dark purple scales that radiated impenetrable defense. A terror to the local Abyssal lords, who had united to seal it away, and now, after millions of years, the God of Destruction had chosen to create a chance for its release.

Bound, unable to free itself, it had no hope—until the portal appeared.

Yet, no one would simply abandon a portal after seeing it begin to close. Not after all these preparations. At the very least, a glance was warranted. And so, Hazard stepped through.

Five minutes earlier, standing before the unresponsive portal, watching it shrink like his previous legendary summons, Hazard had decided to take a peek—perhaps even steal something as he had before, like the dragons behind him. The benefits from that summoning had been immense, so he made the same gamble again and entered.

The moment he arrived, he found himself in a massive hall filled with crystals and chains. Before him was the humanoid entity—hair like Medusa, naked with scattered violet scales.

His gaze met the creature's for only a second, yet he felt its aura was akin to that of the Abyssal Phantoms.

But what was this situation?

The three-eyed mythical entity stared at him, then smiled. Its body trembled, and its mouth—connected to some abyssal darkness—parted to reveal teeth that made Hazard extremely wary.

Then it screamed.

"FREE ME! FREE ME!"

The deafening, relentless cries shook Hazard's bones, nearly shattering them, sending him to the ground.

What terrifying power was this? Shouldn't his mana have been on par with it?

His eyes fell on the chains, and he trembled.

"Even with these restraints, its mana is equal to mine?"

If so, what was the true extent of this creature's power?

Now, Hazard regretted everything. Even if he could free and bring this being back to his world, he had no means to control it.

Struggling to stand while the creature's screams continued, he resolved to kill it instead—to at least claim some rewards. A mythical entity, restrained, with limited power? This was an opportunity he couldn't ignore.

Focus on the rewards.

He stepped forward, targeting the creature's heart within its ten-meter frame, ready to destroy it.

But he had no chance.

A wave of mana struck him like a tidal force, and mental assaults paralyzed him, its mind having already read his intentions.

"Ahh, damn you!!!"

In this life-or-death moment, Hazard knew none of his skills would save him.

Death was close, and with a six-month resurrection cooldown, he knew he wouldn't be returning to the Abyss anytime soon.

"I'M NEVER COMING BACK HERE!"

As consciousness left him, he felt time pass—days, perhaps. Yet nothing happened.

Meanwhile, beyond the portal, as it sealed shut, Hezhna's body trembled.

"What happened?! Why isn't he coming back?!"

Tomorrow, Scarlet and her army were set to launch their coordinated assault on the Empire.

And now, Hazard was trapped in the Abyss?!

"Oh no!"

The severed connection of all undead from their master sent them into chaos.