Chapter 79 – Leviathan’s Maw

"Some evils sleep beneath the waves. Others are born in the hearts of men."

Off the Coast – Chaos Vanguard Infiltration Ship

A steel-hulled vessel forged with floating spirit-iron and infused with a wind-attracting formation sliced through the turbulent ocean, approaching the dead zone marked only on forbidden maps. Its black sails bore no insignia. Magical wards cloaked it from both spiritual detection and natural observation.

Zero stood at the bow, unmoving, eyes locked on the mist-cloaked horizon. The winds screamed around him, but within his mind, all was still.

Chaos Ring Status:

Approaching Leviathan's Maw – Estimated Arrival: 11 minutes

Environmental Scan: Abyssal Aura - Level 4

Corruption Saturation: 31% and rising

Behind him, his elite team assembled on the deck—Asha, Arya, Yi Feng, Kala, and Shade, each surrounded by their squads, faces hard with grim anticipation.

The waters here were wrong. Black foam bubbled unnaturally at the surface. Seabirds avoided the region entirely. Even the stars overhead dimmed as the ship neared the island.

Kala's Storm Leopard growled, ears flat. "It doesn't like the scent here," she said softly. "Neither do I."

"We're not here to like anything," Arya replied, fingers dancing over her jade tactical scroll. "We're here to cleanse it."

Zero gave the final order: "Form squads. Target: the temple ruins at the island's core. Extraction in 3 hours. If we're not done by then… we're dead."

Leviathan's Maw – Island Landing

The island came into view: jagged, obsidian cliffs encircled by crashing waves, with vines of seaweed dragging like nooses across broken docks.

Once a Sea Lord fortress, Leviathan's Maw was now a festering wound. The buildings were shattered, tilted as if dragged down by something massive. Red algae painted the rocks like dried blood.

Vanguard squads leapt ashore, formation-tight.

Asha's Frostfang Squad—frontline ice cultivators and spear users.

Arya's Runecloak Scouts—stealth and detection specialists.

Yi Feng's Thunderpath Blades—mobility and high-speed assault unit.

Kala's Beastbond Division—tamers and spirit companions.

Shade's Ghost Crescent Operatives—silent killers and infiltration assassins.

The squads split off into assigned directions, covering paths along the cliffs, shattered temple halls, and underground chambers.

Zero advanced with Asha, Arya, and Kala toward the central stair—stone steps cracked with ancient runes long since corrupted.

As they moved deeper, Asha paused.

"There's something buried here," she whispered.

Arya scanned the path. "No traps… but the spiritual pressure's increasing."

Chaos Ring: "Warning: High-Abyssal interference detected. Recommend combat readiness."

Zero drew Shadowpiercer without a word.

Then the ground beneath them pulsed.

The Awakening

From the ocean beyond, a deep vibration echoed—like the growl of a god. The island shook. Sections of ruined temple towers collapsed in the distance. Birds scattered. Water receded unnaturally from the shore.

Kala's leopard snarled. "Something's coming."

From beneath the sea, a monstrous figure burst forth—a Leviathan-class Abyssal Beast, its body coiled like a serpent, eyes glowing crimson. Its flesh writhed with parasite-tentacles, and its scales shimmered with corrupted qi.

Leviathan-Class: Void Depth Serpent (Corrupted)

Threat Level: Catastrophic

Size: 250 meters long

Core: Abyssal Heart, located behind third dorsal plate

Zero's team scattered as the serpent surged forward, smashing stone and sea alike.

Asha leapt, her body cloaked in frost. "I'll draw it off! Get to the temple core!"

Asha's Awakening

She flew upward on frozen winds, her body radiating a power far deeper than before. Her eyes shimmered blue-white, and her skin glowed faintly.

[Bloodline Triggered – Ice Phoenix (High Awakening)]

Ice Domain Expanded – Range: 400 meters

Passive Ability: Eternal Freeze Initiated

With a roar, she extended her arms and unleashed a dome of cold. The serpent's flesh froze mid-motion, its tentacles cracking. Its eyes locked on her, sensing a primordial rival.

Asha summoned her signature weapon—the Frostburst Halberd, etched with glacial runes gifted by the Ice Phoenix Spirit.

She dashed forward, cutting across the beast's flank, leaving a wound that shimmered with divine frost.

The serpent screamed—an unnatural sound that vibrated the very bones.

Still, it thrashed, and from its mouth, it fired a beam of abyssal energy.

Asha barely dodged, landing heavily against a cracked obelisk. Blood trickled from her lips.

She rose again.

Temple Core – Zero's Advance

While Asha held the beast, Zero, Arya, and Kala reached the temple's heart—an underground chamber built around a spiraling altar of obsidian.

There, dozens of cultists stood in a circle, chanting in a language not meant for mortals. A giant portal, still flickering, floated above the altar—the Abyssal Gate.

Arya whispered, "They're using captured Sea Lord souls to fuel it."

Kala's eyes narrowed. "Look at the center—that's a demonic core. They're preparing to open a second portal."

Zero didn't wait.

He blinked forward using Void Step, appearing at the edge of the altar. Shadowpiercer slashed across three cultists before they could even scream.

Arya flung talismans of sealing. Kala's leopard pounced.

The cultists reacted, calling upon corrupted qi. One unleashed a wave of corrupted sea water, another raised an iron staff imbued with demon sigils.

Zero moved through them like death incarnate, chaos qi spiraling from his strikes.

Chaos Ring Combat Protocol: Primordial Edge Activated

Buff: Speed +70%, Reaction Time x3, Energy Penetration Bypasses Demonic Shells

With a single upward thrust, Zero pierced the central abyssal core.

The portal above quivered, then began to collapse.

But not before something… slithered halfway through.

The Halfborn Horror

A malformed demon—its torso humanoid, lower body tentacled and plated in obsidian bone—emerged from the gate, shrieking.

"Too late…" it rasped. "I am the seed of Nihilor… you cannot—"

Zero sliced it mid-sentence.

The demon screamed as its body unraveled—but its final breath released a wave of spiritual poison across the chamber.

Arya was ready. She raised an array shield just in time to block most of it.

Kala pulled a purifying scroll and activated a spirit field.

Zero stood silently as the corpse dissolved into purple smoke.

The portal collapsed fully with a sound like breaking glass.

The Death of the Serpent

Outside, the Leviathan roared, its body writhing in agony.

Asha hovered above it, encased now in an avatar of the Ice Phoenix—massive wings spread behind her, and eyes glowing with divine frost.

She pointed her halberd down.

From above, a spear of frozen light plunged from the heavens, shattering the beast's core.

The serpent gave a final cry—and fell.

Its body collapsed into the ocean, slowly disintegrating into black mist.

Asha descended shakily, her halberd dissolving, wings flickering out.

Extraction

Zero appeared beside her, catching her before she fell.

"Easy," he murmured.

She looked up weakly. "We stopped it?"

He nodded. "For now."

Arya, Kala, and their units regrouped.

Mission Timer: 2 hours 57 minutes

Status: Success – Island Purged, Portal Destroyed

Casualties: Minimal (2 injured, 1 minor spiritual contamination)

The ship reappeared moments later, cloaked but hovering with its extraction tether open.

As they boarded, the island shook violently—cracks opened along its edges.

Then, slowly, it began to sink.

The waters reclaimed the cursed land.

Ashen Crown – Watching from Afar

Far away, in the heart of a floating fortress, High Inquisitor Rhaziel stood before a crystal mirror showing Leviathan's Maw.

He watched silently as the island was submerged.

Beside him, Demon Envoy Zevran clicked his tongue.

"Another ritual lost. Another gate sealed."

Rhaziel smiled coldly. "Let them think they win. These were but decoys. We now know their full strength. Zero has revealed his hand."

He turned toward a dark corridor. "Summon the Sleeper Court. It's time to burn the roots."

Back at Chaos Sect – A Hero's Welcome

When the Vanguard returned, banners flew and drums echoed.

Asha and Arya were led through crowds of disciples cheering their names.

Zero, as usual, vanished before the celebration began, retreating to the Celestial Tower.

There, he knelt in meditation.

The Chaos Ring pulsed softly.

System Notice: Abyssal Gate Destroyed

Mission Progress: 9%

Total Gates Remaining: 11

New Location Unlocked: Temple of Falling Stars

Unlocked Protocol: Chaos Sovereign Path – 1st Layer

Zero exhaled slowly.

"One gate down. Eleven to go."