Chapter 368 - 366: Gathering..
"Massive."
That was all I could say as I studied the portal before me.
"Beautiful, don’t you think?" Salazar uttered in sheer fascination.
"Well, it’s something, I’ll tell you that."
"Bah... you just don’t know how to appreciate art."
"It’s a bloody portal leaking boatloads of entropy! Just what the fuck is there to appreciate?"
"My friend, I’m starting to get concerned about your taste."
"I am not your friend, you weirdo. And I’M the one getting concerned for your taste, you freak."
The banter continued as Salazar tried to force an appreciation of the portal on me, while I tried to make him see how insane he was in his endless pursuit of knowledge.
"Alright! Fine, fine! Why don’t we just agree to disagree? Is that okay?" he finally conceded.
"Hmph! I’ll let you off this once."
"Haah... you know what? Let’s just get in before others start showing up."
"And what do you think is waiting for us in there?" I asked, curious.
"Who knows? That’s the fun part. It’ll be a beautiful surprise." He grinned sheepishly.
"I’m starting to get really worried over the fact that I’ve yet to meet someone normal in my life." I couldn’t help it. It was becoming a genuinely troubling pattern.
"Bah! Enough talk. Calidos, you and Corvak retreat to the city. Whatever is in there is not something you can handle," Salazar ordered the two from the guild.
"Yes, Guild Master," Calidos replied.
"Yes, Master Salazar," Corvak added.
"Alright then. Dante, Shulvan—"
"Actually, it’s Sulvan—"
SLAP!
"Agh! I’m sorry! It is indeed Shulvan."
"O...kay? Whatever! LET’S GOOOO!" Yelling out like an overexcited child, Salazar jumped headfirst into the gaping wound in reality.
"Master..." Shulvan turned to me.
"What are you waiting for? Get in already."
"Hmm." Nodding in acceptance, he stepped forward and vanished into the portal.
I studied the swirling tear one final time. Chaotic Comprehension was still buzzing incessantly in my mind, insights pouring in like the tide.
"Alright then, Great Devourer. Time to see just what gave you the audacity to claim such a title."
What? Of course I could tell whose secret realm this was.
The suffocating smell of blood. The terrifying concentration of entropy. Not to mention the fact that it happened to spawn right when I arrived.
It was as clear as day, and I was ready.
The history books made this figure out to be a monstrous entity the world was supposed to forget. It was about time I saw for myself just how terrifying he actually was.
"Don’t disappoint me, O’ Devourer."
Done with my thoughts, I took a step forward, vanishing beyond the portal.
.....
After Dante and the others disappeared into the tear, the chasm regained its quiet, the crackling static of the portal being the only remaining sound.
Until...
ROAAAR!
A thunderous roar shattered the silence as two titanic figures materialized in the skies above the chasm.
BOOM!
The abyss beneath them shook as their fists collided, blasting waves of shock energy across the expanse. The clash didn’t stop. Their colossal bodies moved at speeds their massive frames had no business achieving.
ROAAAR!
One of the creatures, a supersized reptilian infernal covered in thick black scales, opened its massive maw, rows of jagged teeth glinting as its roar shook the depths below. Its hulking body stretched across the sky, legs like ancient pillars supporting a frame that disappeared into the clouds.
Opposite the colossal beast floated Paku.
His cute, chipmunk-like appearance was completely gone. In its place stood a towering, fur-covered nightmare with arms the size of skyscrapers and claws the length of spears.
His defiant roar resounded through the abyssal skies as he struck with a vicious swipe.
RIIP!
The sound of tearing flesh was followed immediately by a spray of dark, putrid blood.
The lizard roared in agony as its jaws stretched wider, an alarming concentration of destruction gathering within its throat.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA! You fucking lizard! You think you’re the only one who can do that?" Paku laughed wildly.
His jaw unhinged, stretching open far wider than physical laws should have allowed. Primal energy bled out of him in suffocating waves as a sphere of dense power condensed within his maw.
ROAAAR!
The lizard fired first, a beam of raw energy tearing through the sky straight toward Paku.
"TAKE! THIS!"
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion rocked the chasm as Paku’s ball of primal energy blasted straight through the incoming beam.
BANG!
The attack connected clean with the creature’s massive chest, and then...
BOOM!
The blast obliterated the beast’s entire body into a cloud of crimson mist.
"Haa... haa..." Breathing heavily, Paku placed his massive hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. "Damn lizard... pushing me this far."
"Fuck. That damned Absolute... just where did he even—" His words cut short as his nose picked up a very familiar scent.
"This smell..." He sniffed the air. "Absolute?"
He caught the scent again, his gaze finally locking onto the swirling crimson portal in the distance.
"There..." A crazed smile touched his monstrous face as he licked his lips. "That damned Absolute. Hahaha... I finally found you!"
Taking a monstrous step, he appeared before the portal.
And without giving the matter a second thought, he stepped forward and vanished into the crimson tear.
A few moments later...
HUMMMM!
Space around the portal glitched violently as a second rift tore open, revealing four figures.
"Is this the place you were talking about?" a voice asked, its tone dripping with condescension.
"Watch your tone, demon spawn. I do not care whose son you are, I will have your head if you dare speak to me like that again," a second voice retorted sharply.
"Guys... guys... let’s all just calm down and relax. We’re supposed to be working together, are we not?" a third party interrupted.
"And just what does a demon understand about the concept of teamwork?" a fourth voice chimed in.
"Aww... you wound me with your words, Elder. And here I thought we were finally getting along." The third voice oozed mock sadness.
"Spawn of Lilith, do not lump us in with the likes of you wretched creatures!" the second voice growled.
"Enough!" The first speaker, a tall demon with pitch-black hair and two majestic horns rising from his temples, commanded. His bright red eyes swept over the other three. "We waste valuable time with this useless bickering. I can sense the presence of others who entered before us. Put aside your squabbles now."
"You filthy..." the second man began.
"Enough. Salem, let it go," the older man stopped him.
"But, Grandfather..."
"He is right. Regardless of my distaste for his manner of speaking, we cannot afford to waste time while others reach our ancestor’s inheritance before us." The elder’s words were absolute.
The crimson-haired young vampire grit his teeth, violence flashing in his red eyes, but ultimately he bowed his head. "As you wish, Grandfather..."
"Yay! Peace at last! Fufufufu... isn’t this better?" the third voice, a man too beautiful to be human, with bright purple hair, bat-like wings, and a slender tail, chirped up.
"Asael, enough!"
"Fufufufu... fine, fine. Lucianth, you’re far too serious. Bleh."
"Alright then. Since everyone is ready, let us waste no more time."
Saying so, the elder vampire led the way as the group stepped through the portal, vanishing beyond the gate as the chasm once more fell into complete silence.
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A/N: Hmmm? Seems like this place is going to be quite crowded, huh? Well, either way...
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Thanks for reading....