Chapter 28 – The First Abyss Noble
Silence fell over the Vault of Legacies.
Even the endless battle paused.
Millions of relics vibrated softly on their pedestals.
The ancient echoes no longer smiled.
They stared at the towering warrior standing beneath the crimson sky.
Duke Valdris.
One of the Seven Abyss Nobles.
He slowly removed his helmet.
His appearance surprised everyone.
Instead of looking like a monster...
He looked almost human.
Long black hair flowed behind him.
Crimson markings spread across the left side of his face.
Only his golden eyes betrayed that he belonged to the Abyss.
He calmly surveyed the battlefield.
"So..."
"This generation is weaker than I expected."
Marcus frowned.
"Weaker?"
"We’re doing pretty well."
Valdris glanced at him.
"You are."
"But compared to those who once defended this Vault..."
"...you are children."
Marcus clenched his hammer but remained silent.
For some reason...
He knew the Abyss Noble wasn’t mocking them.
He was stating a fact.
Astaroth stepped forward.
"You shall go no further."
Valdris sighed.
"You were always loyal."
"And that loyalty destroyed you."
Astaroth spread his six crimson wings.
"It gave me purpose."
The two powerful beings vanished simultaneously.
BOOM!
The collision shattered the space above the Vault.
Shockwaves rippled across the endless chamber.
The echoes immediately erected golden barriers to protect the relics.
Elena watched with wide eyes.
"...They’re unbelievably fast."
Ryan swallowed.
"I can’t even follow them."
Only Azrael managed to catch brief glimpses of the battle.
His Origin Perception, granted by Astraeus, allowed him to see fragmented movements.
Even so...
The fight resembled flashes of light colliding in the heavens.
Valdris swung his enormous sword.
A river of crimson energy swept through the sky.
Astaroth crossed his wings before himself.
Golden and crimson power collided.
The explosion illuminated the entire Vault.
Both warriors were forced backward.
Valdris smiled.
"Even corrupted..."
"...you remain one of Heaven’s greatest generals."
Astaroth laughed.
"I’ll accept that compliment."
Then they charged once more.
Below...
The guild continued battling the invading monsters.
Marcus smashed another Void Devourer into the ground.
The giant warrior echo fighting beside him nodded approvingly.
"Better."
"But keep your footing lower."
Marcus instinctively adjusted his stance.
His next strike carried noticeably more force.
The echo smiled.
"Excellent."
On another side of the battlefield...
Elena sparred against three Abyss Beasts simultaneously.
The Moonblade Saint’s echo appeared beside her.
"Too much strength."
"Use precision."
Elena altered her sword swing.
Instead of a wide slash...
She struck only once.
The nearest monster split perfectly in half.
The other two collapsed moments later.
She blinked.
"I only attacked once..."
The echo smiled.
"Every unnecessary movement wastes life."
Ryan’s bow continuously fired streaks of emerald light.
The Archer King’s echo stood behind him.
"Don’t aim where your enemy is."
"Aim where they’ll be."
Ryan followed the advice.
His arrows suddenly became impossible to dodge.
One shot pierced four monsters in a straight line.
"...Whoa."
"I’ve never done that before."
Meanwhile...
Seraphina remained in the center of the battlefield.
Elysia hovered before her.
"You focus too much on healing."
"I thought that was my role."
"Genesis is life."
"Life does not merely heal."
"It grows."
"Watch carefully."
Golden flowers surrounding the battlefield suddenly changed.
Their roots spread beneath the marble floor.
Moments later...
Massive trees erupted from the ground.
The trees wrapped their roots around the invading monsters.
Golden vines crushed them effortlessly.
The System appeared.
Skill Evolved
Genesis Sanctuary
↓
Genesis Domain
Rank:
Mythical
Additional Effect:
Summon the Sacred Forest.
Marcus stared.
"Our healer just created an entire forest."
Ryan laughed.
"I think she’s becoming a walking natural disaster."
Seraphina couldn’t help laughing.
Azrael, however, remained focused on the battle above.
Astraeus floated beside him.
"You’re distracted."
"I can’t help it."
"They’re far stronger than us."
"Exactly."
"So why are you watching?"
Azrael looked at the sword.
"What do you mean?"
"Observe."
"Learn."
"Every battle is a lesson."
Azrael nodded.
Instead of following every movement...
He began analyzing them.
Valdris never wasted energy.
Every strike had purpose.
Every step controlled the battlefield.
Astaroth fought differently.
His attacks were fluid.
Almost graceful.
Neither relied on brute force.
Astraeus spoke again.
"Strength begins long before power."
"It begins with understanding."
Suddenly...
Valdris’s sword pierced Astaroth’s shoulder.
The Fallen Seraph crashed into the ground.
Dust filled the battlefield.
Lyra gasped.
"Astaroth!"
The Abyss Noble landed gracefully.
"You’ve weakened."
Astaroth slowly stood.
He smiled despite the wound.
"Perhaps."
"But I’m not alone anymore."
Valdris frowned.
"What?"
Astaroth looked toward Azrael.
"It isn’t my duty to defeat you."
"...It’s my duty to prepare them."
He spread his damaged wings.
Golden symbols appeared beneath Azrael’s feet.
Then beneath Seraphina’s.
The System immediately reacted.
Special Trial Triggered
Guardian’s Baptism
Participants:
Azrael Ashbourne
Seraphina Ashbourne
Objective:
Receive the Guardian’s Legacy.
Reward:
Variable.
Astaroth laughed.
"I finally understand why I remained alive all these years."
"It wasn’t to guard Eden."
"It was..."
"...to pass everything on."
Golden flames erupted around him.
The corruption covering his body slowly burned away.
The crimson wings began turning white.
The black veins disappeared.
One by one...
The chains binding his soul shattered.
Valdris’s calm expression finally changed.
"No..."
"You can’t purify yourself."
Astaroth smiled.
"I couldn’t."
"But Oblivion could."
He looked at Azrael.
"Thank you."
For the first time since his appearance...
The Fallen Seraph was no longer fallen.
Six brilliant white wings unfolded behind him.
His broken halo became whole once more.
The overwhelming corruption vanished completely.
The entire Vault fell silent.
Even the invading Abyss Beasts instinctively retreated.
Lyra covered her mouth.
"...General Astaroth..."
"...has returned."
The System echoed across the dungeon.
Unique Event
The First Purified Seraph has been born.
World Achievement Recorded.
Rewarding all participants.
Golden light descended upon every member of Dawn.
Levels increased.
Skills advanced.
Even the echoes smiled.
High above...
Valdris slowly gripped his sword.
"This changes nothing."
Astaroth shook his head.
"No."
"It changes everything."
He raised his radiant blade.
"Now..."
"...let me show you why the Abyss once feared the armies of Heaven."
The two legendary warriors charged once more.
This time...
The entire Vault trembled not with fear—
But with anticipation.
For the first time in thousands of years...
A true Seraph would draw his sword in defense of the world once again.