Chapter 267
First, that he had a special high-rank artifact that clouded his presence from her senses, and the second being a special ability that he used to hide himself and that human girl.
If it was the first, then why had she sensed nothing—not even distortions? And if it was the second… then just what was he?
The possibility sent a slow, creeping unease through her.
This made her interested and cautious; such an ability was quite terrifying. If he could hide in her plain sight without her noticing him, then he could unleash a lethal attack on her at any time.
It was a rare feeling for her—uncertainty.
Sera was able to trace back and conclude this all just from seeing the little girl.
She looked at the girl with a hint of hatred towards her and the demons and clutched the talisman in her hand hard.
The tiny strip of paper pulsed with energy, its faint glow flickering like a dying ember, yet carrying the weight of something far more sinister.
From this distance, she could see the talisman vividly and the dense patterns etched on its smooth surface.
She knew what was coming.
She could only watch as the girl raised her hand slightly and threw the talisman onto the rocky ground.
Swish!
In the very instant, a large runic array engulfed the whole area.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
A black, smoggy explosion erupted instantly, spreading in all directions. The battlefield trembled as the explosion swallowed everything in its path. The demons who came into contact were completely engulfed in the smoggy black walls.
The air grew thick with an unnatural weight, the inky smog expanding like a living creature. The moment it touched flesh, it clung and devoured, dragging panicked shrieks into the darkness.
Sera was also engulfed before she could even react.
The Nightmare Flames served as a sort of catalyst, and the moment the talisman was released, it reacted violently and quickly spread in all directions.
The two forces—flame and smog—twisted together in a violent embrace, feeding off each other in a chaotic dance of destruction.
Shrieks and wails of demons were heard in the dark smog as the ordered formations of the demon soldiers were no longer in place; everyone scattered, and panic was now widespread in the battalion.
Earlier, there were still some groups that were organized, but now there were none left; everything was fully chaotic at this moment.
The battlefield, once tense but structured, had devolved into absolute bedlam. The fear of the unknown overpowered their discipline, turning trained warriors into desperate creatures fleeing for survival.
Sera, who was inside the smog, suddenly yelled her orders, “Vasoth! Stop them!”
Vasoth, who was also in the crowd, froze; he understood what she meant in a second.
His stomach twisted, realization sinking in like a blade.
Coming to his senses, he barked at the running and scattered groups of demons with fierce eyes.
“GET IN THE FORMATION! THE HUMANS ARE ESCAPING! FOLLOW AFTER THEM!”
His voice, amplified by dark espera, was especially loud and clear; however, it did not have any effect in the end.
The chaos had already taken root.
The chaos was too much, and even the veterans were having a hard time organizing themselves and others. Not to mention, in this thick smog, it was very hard to find which direction the humans went.
They did not even know what had happened; one moment their captain was facing the human in flames, and the next moment, there was darkness on the battlefield.
Doubt, confusion, and fear swirled in their minds, paralyzing their instincts. The unknown was far more terrifying than battle itself.
In the smog, Sera’s aura burst forth with great momentum as the smog around her was removed. A violent gust of energy rippled outward, forcing back the darkness in a sudden explosion of force.
Her clothes had signs of wear and tear, but her expression and features were unbothered in the slightest; she was as pristine as before with no expression.
Her cold gaze pierced through the lingering shadows, unshaken, unmoved.
She looked in a particular direction and muttered to herself, “You are not going anywhere.”
Her eyes had a flash of a cruel glint as she stretched her arm in front of her chest.
Scratch!
She used her thumb’s nail to cut her index finger slightly; a drop of dark blood formed at the tip and was attracted down to the earth.
Dip.
The blood drop bounced and splashed on the ground before her.
She whispered, her voice filled with a dark note and a depth that was not there before,
“By the coiling roots of the earth and the hissing winds of dusk, I summon thee, serpent of hidden paths. Emerge from the veil and serve thy master’s will!”
The panicking demons who were closer and heard this summoning call froze.
BOOM!
RUMBLE!
RUMBLE!
A deafening BOOM followed by a rolling RUMBLE echoed across the sky.
Sounds of roaring thunder suddenly filled the sky above as dark clouds gathered in the vicinity above their heads.
The ground trembled faintly, and the air grew thick, carrying a scent of earth and musk. A foreboding presence slithered in the shadows, unseen but felt.
From the shadows, a faint shimmer of purple and black reflected the flickering torchlight.
A low, ominous hiss slithered into the silence, growing louder with each passing second. The sound of scales brushing against stone echoed, deliberate and unsettling, as if the creature wanted its presence known.
The tension in the air became suffocating.
From the coiling shadows emerged the serpent, its body sinuous and glistening like polished obsidian. It moved with an eerie grace, its every motion fluid and effortless, yet carrying the weight of undeniable lethality.
Its eyes burned like molten emerald, piercing and unblinking, as it fixed its gaze on its summoner. A forked tongue flickered out, tasting the charged air.
Sera’s voice broke the tension. “You have answered, as you always do, faithful servant.”
The serpent bowed its head ever so slightly, an acknowledgment of the bond between master and familiar that sent chills down the spine of onlooking demons nearby.