Chapter 264

Chapter 264

Upon entering the barrier, Abaddon immediately drew the players' fire.

A rain of bullets pelted Abaddon, sparks flying from his bony armor. Though the armor remained unbreached, the immense force did succeed in slowing the monster's advance.

"Keep going, keep going! Rotate the magazines between the front and back rows!" Seeing the effective offensive, Black Cat quickly shouted, "Prepare the flashbangs and stun grenades!"

Players uniformly shut their eyes, yet their triggers never ceased; in the meantime, those like Babble who were arriving from behind hurled various specialized tactical bombs at Abaddon.

In an instant, a burst of light and a sonic boom erupted beneath Abaddon's feet. However, the tactics that had worked against the massive locust proved ineffective against Abaddon. The entity's speed remained untouched by the light and sound, a hint of disdain flickering in Its single eye. With casual indifference, It raised a hand, and a blade once again formed in Its palm.

Recalling how the barrier and numerous players had been sliced apart previously, the black cat gasped and urgently shouted in the communication channel, "Dodge!"

"Dodge: Failed"

"Dodge: Successful"

"Dodge: Failed"

...

The sound of the system dice rolling echoed in the players' ears, like the pronouncement of fate. The victorious were swept away by a surge of system energy, while the defeated could only watch helplessly as the blade fell.

Berserk gritted his teeth and glanced at the "Failure" result with resignation. Just a few minutes ago, he had spoken so confidently to the professor, but now, was he about to meet an unglorious end without contributing anything?

Abaddon's blade slashed down, carving a massive gash into the earth. But this time, it paused. For the first time, a glint of surprise flickered in the single eye of the flesh-filled side of his face.

"Close call, very close," Albert grasped Berserk's collar, beads of sweat threatening to soak through the fabric.

If that blow had landed, Berserk might not have died, but he certainly wouldn't have been able to get back up, becoming nothing more than a laughingstock.

Aron, who had nearly met his demise, stared blankly at the Clown, no, Edmund, who had saved him. The clown makeup was already visible on the latter's face as he licked his lips, regarding the Demon King with interest.

Carrens rushed from behind, catching sight of the two figures. "You're finally here... Where's Amos?"

"He went the other way," Albert replied. "After all, only a few of us can hold our own against this monster."

A flicker of hope ignited in Berserk's eyes. "Can you defeat him?"

Albert looked down at the player and shook his head. "Not quite."

"He's beyond the realm of mere anomalies. As depicted in the Bible, Abaddon is the leader of all demons, one might even call him an Angel of Death, an embodiment of God himself."

"Whatever Lord Lane commands," Edmund chuckled, "we would attempt to slay even a deity."

"However, Lord Lane also mentioned that this battlefield is primarily yours. If you have any strategies, feel free to direct us accordingly."

The appearance of these two NPCs greatly alleviated the players' burden.

The black cat, with a bewildered expression, found himself in command of Edmund and Albert. A sense of great responsibility weighed upon his shoulders, but having been entrusted with this task in a time of crisis, he could not afford to shrink back.

"Let's attempt a magical assault," the black cat suggested, suppressing the burning fervor within its heart, offering a feasible plan. "I implore you to temporarily draw Abydan's aggression while we divide into two squads. Those capable of magic, prepare your spells; those without, provide cover for Edmund and Albert with firearms. Be mindful of aggro management and positioning!"

"I see."

Players who had switched professions to Mages immediately retreated from the front lines, protected by a portion of the players, and began to chant their spells. Edmund and Albert, on the other hand, directly confronted Abaddon. Bullets of golden flames and knives distracted Abaddon's sense of direction, preventing him from indiscriminately slaughtering players.

Impatient with the incessant annoyance of the two tiny flies, Abaddon redirected his wrath, pursuing and engaging them in combat.

Abaddon's pace wasn't swift, but his damage was immense, his armor was robust, and he was accompanied by minions (locusts) that disrupted the players. However, for those experienced in gaming, it was far from a hopeless situation.

The black cat took a moment to glance at the exclusive channel for divine communications on Earth, but there was no signal yet.

I must persevere for a little while longer.

"Release!"

Under the cover of the two NPCs, the first round of spellcasting concluded, and a barrage of chaotic magic slammed into Abaddon's form. The black cat, meanwhile, fixated intently on the effects these spells wrought.

There is no fixed curriculum for the spells players learn; most are gleaned from M.U.'s extensive libraries or taught by Professor Alders. Spells that specialize in banishing various monsters and deities are particularly favored by those who delve into exploratory ventures. However, there are no specific spells tailored to expelling Abaddon, and the generic Banishment Spell flickers twice over him before fizzling out, clearly proving ineffective.

The same logic applies to curses; they likely didn't penetrate defenses either.

The only ones that showed some effect... were the Flame Dance Technique and the Art of Coexisting with Light.

Without the need for Black Cat's emphasis, players observing the spell effects also noticed this. The players who had cast the spells began to chant once more, and the others with firearms swiftly redirected their weapons towards the boss's wounded areas.

"Shooting: Great Success"

The bullet fired from Insane's gun pierced precisely into the center of Abaddon's wound, and the previously silent Abaddon finally let out the first roar on the battlefield.

"Damn, he wasn't mute after all!"

"Insane is freakin' awesome!"

"Who's counting how many perfect shots Insane has landed? He's truly a god among low-health warriors!"

"Woah, woah, woah, too cool!"

"Charge, the boss is in a blood rage!"

The last comment was spot on – the boss was indeed in a blood rage.

Abaddon was experiencing an intensity of pain for the very first time since his birth. As one of Baddel's avatars, he inherited Baddel's deepest arrogance and hatred, viewing humans as mere ants crawling on the ground. Yet now, he had been wounded by one of these ants.

Fixing his gaze on Insane's direction, Abaddon ignored the scurrying insects around him and raised his blade to slash towards the source of his torment.

Insane remained positioned at the back, and the players standing in front fell like ripe wheat during harvest, their blood staining the earth red. Drenched in blood, Insane stood unwavering, staring intently at Abaddon's remaining wound, and pulled the trigger.

"Shot: Missed"

"Shot: Hit"

"Shot: Hit"

A series of successive hits filled Nufeng with satisfaction as he watched the boss's health bar significantly shorten before Abaddon could deliver its fatal blow.

"One person taking out 10% of the boss's HP, sis, you're my only sis."

"So cool... Waaaah, sis, take me with you!"

"What the hell do they mean by 'Last Stand Warrior' (resounding voice)?"

Nufeng's demise seemed to trigger some sort of strange switch among the players. They started trading blows, seeking the legendary 'Injury for Victory,' 'Can't Play without Low Health,' and 'Last Stand Warrior' buffs, resulting in a gruesome and heroic scene.

This spectacle was broadcast worldwide, leaving the people in the Shelter speechless. The atmosphere was heavy and chilling, but not as lifeless as before. The Preacher glanced at the man beside him, who was gripping his fingers tightly with red-rimmed eyes, seemingly eager to rush out and fight the False God to the death.

The New Port's intensity matched that of Arkham. Though Amos was alone, his impact surpassed that of Albert and Edmund combined, all thanks to the ample flowers he had collected over the years.

After two intense battles, his resources were nearly depleted.

Amos turned to look in the direction of God on Earth. Was he still not ready?

Although the live broadcast employed multiple camera angles, the frontline battle between Amos and Abaddon had captured the world's attention. The communication between God on Earth and the rear was insignificant by comparison, which was precisely the effect God on Earth desired.

"Is it ready?"

"It's been conveyed," the senator wiped the sweat from his forehead continuously. "I hope you're telling the truth. If humanity loses…."

"This is already your best option," God on Earth said. "Even if humanity loses, do you really think you'll still hold power in God's newly reshaped world? You can't possibly think you're eligible for Heaven after what you've done in the past, can you?"

"If we win, you'll remain as powerful officials with the greatest political asset after the war. Your president can easily secure another term or strive for a peace prize, or even earn a place in history. If we lose, at worst, we all go to Hell together and leave the world to devout believers and God."

The senator fell silent for a moment before saying, "You're right. Let's await our fate's judgment then."

"Please," God on Earth invited the senator to the sanctuary. At the same time, he gestured to Amos and sent a signal to the black cat.

...

Akham Battlefield

Crash!

Abaddon crushed a few more players who dared to trip him under his feet, content as he saw their numbers dwindling.

Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed at his eye, his eyeball sliced by some weapon. Impatiently, Abaddon swatted away the attacker. Seizing the opportunity created by the players, Albert finally managed to climb onto Abaddon's back. He was in a pitiful state, his firearm shattered from earlier combat. All he had left was a long blade taken from a fallen player. Gripping the hilt tightly, he plunged it fiercely into Abaddon's wound.

Golden flames ignited from the injury, and Abaddon let out a pained scream. With a violent shake, he flung Albert off his back. Albert hit the ground hard, coughing up a mouthful of blood. He felt certain that all his ribs were broken.

If not for being in the higher levels of the Dream Gap, possessing superhuman regenerative abilities, he would have died multiple times already.

But now, it seemed he had reached his limit.

Albert forced his eyes open, his vision blurred. On the ruins before him, a figure drenched in blood caught his eye—it was Edmund.

This was it, the end had truly arrived.

Ha, he wondered if Lord Lane had seen their incompetence. Hopefully not. Forgive them, they still failed to protect humanity.

Just as Albert was about to give up, he heard footsteps approaching.

The black cat and the druid each hoisted Albert and Edmund onto their backs and struggled towards the sanctuary.

"Go... just go, don't worry about us."

Silent, the two players didn't budge. Not hearing Abaroth in pursuit, Albert couldn't resist turning back. To his surprise, a group of players were desperately holding off the enemy, buying him time.

"...Run," Albert urged. "It's too late for us. Scatter and there might be a chance for some of you to survive."

Black Cat replied, "I don't think so."

Albert: ?

As the black cat and the druid left, the number of players on the ground dwindled until Abaroth had slaughtered them all.

Only corpses remained, with the locusts swarming around the Dark Overlord. Abaroth's gaze naturally turned towards the sanctuary.

The same scene unfolded at New Port. God Among Men struggled to drag Amos into the sanctuary, then, like covering one's ears while stealing a bell, closed the sanctuary door in front of Abaroth.

It was all over.

This was what the global audience watching the live broadcast believed. None of them had anticipated such a devastating and hopeless finale. The desperate human counterattack proved feeble and helpless in the face of absolute power.

Now, the ground was littered with players', NPCs', and locusts' corpses. There was no longer any force that could halt Abaddon from reaching the sanctuary and slaughtering the humans hiding within.

"Woo...Woo...Woo..."

In other sanctuaries, men and women finally broke down in tears. They wept not only for the people of those two cities but also for the bleak future of humanity.

Humanity was doomed; no one could resist God. This thought took root in their minds.

But was it truly so?

Suddenly, someone in a sanctuary couldn't help but stand up. "What's that?"

What?

The weeping figure lifted its face, and all eyes beheld a flickering white light appearing high above the two cities, drawing ever closer.

The two Abyssal Lords of Abaddon looked up, their faces adorned with perplexed bewilderment. As the white light approached, their expressions shifted gradually.

Boom!

Two mushroom clouds ascended into the skies above Arkham and New Port.