Ch 62 : Abyssal Fang

On a fine morning, Auron went upstream to practice his combat art.

His mastery of the second level of Void Nexus Combat Art was already approaching the perfect Initiate Realm. Each strike of his Endless Strikes technique created a cumulative impact on the ground, deepening the crater with every blow. The rhythmic onslaught seemed endless, a powerful wave of force.

Auron's control over Swirling Flow was equally impressive. He could redirect the path of snowflakes without damaging them, a testament to his fine manipulation. Phantom Dash left a single afterimage in its wake, making Auron a deadly opponent to anyone facing him. Lastly, Sweeping Gale's cutting force was powerful enough to fell a tree with a single swipe.

"I should be able to master the rhythm of Endless Strikes in a few more sessions. Then, every hit will pull my opponent into a relentless barrage," thought Auron, finishing his practice on Endless Strikes.

Suddenly, Auron detected an abnormal aura emanating from the Gloom Wood Forest—a gloomy, ominous energy that made his skin crawl.

"What's that? It feels familiar, almost like… abyssal aura!" Auron's expression turned serious. He was shocked to sense abyssal energy near Noble Walnut Town. The Goblin Encampment, where the aura seemed to originate, was far from any human settlements.

"I need to observe it first before making any drastic moves," he thought, swiftly moving towards the source.

A group of individuals dressed in black robes came into view, each of them exuding abyssal energy. The strongest among them had the strength of an early Tier 3 magus.

"This is dangerous. Even though I can fight a Tier 3 magus, it doesn't mean I can kill him," Auron mused, coating himself in dark celestial aura to erase his presence.

---

"We need to find the ancient scroll quickly. The waves it emitted a few weeks ago confirmed it's somewhere in this town," one of the members said.

"Yeah, if we can study the scroll, we can release more abyssal lords from their bindings," the leader of the group replied.

They were members of the Abyssal Fang, a notorious cult that worshipped abyssal beings. They had acted as spies for the Abyssal beings during the war thousands of years ago. Their goal was to locate the Nine Heavens Sealing Art scroll.

"An ancient scroll…?" Auron thought, a sudden realization dawning on him. He recalled the Nine Heavens Sealing Art he had acquired a few days prior.

"Could it be? I need to stop them, even if I'm not entirely sure. Everyone knows the Abyssal beings are the greatest enemies of Eternis. Anyone wielding abyssal energy is undoubtedly part of them," he concluded.

Auron retreated swiftly, finding a better vantage point. He took out his treasured Inferno Bow and positioned himself 400 meters away from the cultists to avoid detection.

"Hello, my friend. Are you ready for your first kill?" Auron whispered to the bow as it appeared in his hand.

Inferno Bow emitted a blazing aura, signaling its excitement.

"Inferno Lance of Ruin."

Three giant lances of flame manifested in the air, emitting a deadly, fiery glow that seemed capable of burning the world. Auron compressed the lances into the size of arrows, preparing to shoot.

Three Inferno Lances silently nocked onto the bowstring. Despite his mastery, Auron's arms trembled as he channeled an immense amount of celestial aura into the spell. He was pushing his limits.

"Xiao Yu, assist me. We need to ensure they're all dead," Auron instructed, his arms blazing with flames.

"Understood," Xiao Yu responded.

Xiao Yu calculated the trajectory of the spell, locking onto the targets. It enhanced Auron's celestial aura circulation and stabilized the spell structure.

Swoosh! The three blazing arrows shot forth, streaking through the air toward the Abyssal Fang group.

---

"Why do I feel uneasy all of a sudden?" the leader of the group murmured, halting in his tracks.

"Why did you stop, squad leader?" one of his subordinates asked, puzzled by his sudden pause.

"Do you all sense something wrong…?" The leader's words trailed off as his eyes widened in shock. Three blazing suns were hurtling toward them.

"Abyssal Shield!"

A murky barrier formed in front of them, trying to intercept the incoming attack. But the shield melted almost instantly upon contact, offering no resistance. The fiery arrows pierced through, followed by a massive explosion. The ground was scorched black, a crater of molten lava forming at the impact site.

"Are they dead?" Auron asked weakly. He was exhausted, having poured almost all his celestial aura into the spell. His mental strength was also drained.

"No movement detected. They should be terminated unless they had life-saving items or methods, which are rare," Xiao Yu replied.

"That's all I can do to protect this town for now. Xiao Yu, monitor the surroundings. I need to recover some strength," Auron instructed before starting his recovery.

---

At the town hall, the town head was shocked when he heard the explosion. He immediately rushed to the guards' training ground to find Alex.

"Alex, what happened just now?" Marley, the town head, demanded.

"I'm not sure either. But the scale of the explosion was something only a Tier 3 individual could achieve," Alex replied grimly. As one of the strongest in town, with a peak Tier 2 cultivation level, he knew they were outmatched.

"I'll request help from Gloomwatch Keep first. Then, I and a few guards will investigate the scene," Alex added. Although fear lingered, his sense of duty as a knight outweighed it. That was what he had learned during his years at Gloomwatch Keep.

---

Auron made his way home after recovering some of his strength. He now had about 20% of his celestial aura back. He walked leisurely, his demeanor calm as if the explosion had nothing to do with him.

At home, his mother's worried gaze greeted him. She had been tense ever since hearing the blast.

"Where were you just now? Didn't you hear the explosion?" Sarah asked, pulling Auron into a tight embrace.

"I was just walking around the marketplace, Mom," Auron replied innocently.

"Is that so? Thank goodness you're safe," she said, her voice filled with relief.

Inside the house, Evelyn was crying, seemingly scared. Auron immediately picked her up and slowly radiated his celestial aura. With the calming effect of the Flame of Sacred Order, both Evelyn and Sarah visibly relaxed.

Sarah didn't question it, though she watched Auron silently. She couldn't understand why his mana had such a calming effect, but for now, she was just grateful.