Chapter 30: The Abyssal Tyrant – The Final Trial
The air in the Abyssal Gate trembled. Azrael stood amidst the destruction, his sword dripping with the remnants of Abyssal creatures, his body glowing with the raw energy he had just unleashed. But the silence that followed was only a prelude to something far worse.
From the rift in the sky, a massive figure descended, its shadow stretching across the entire wasteland. The ground trembled as if the very earth itself feared the arrival of this being.
Azrael's eyes narrowed. He knew, deep in his soul, what was coming. He had heard the whispers of this place—the Abyssal Tyrant. It was not a title given lightly, nor was it a foe to be underestimated. This was the final trial—the ultimate test of strength, will, and survival.
The creature was a towering, skeletal figure, encased in chains of black, writhing energy. Its skull, hollow and devoid of flesh, gleamed in the dark light of the Abyss, its eyes empty sockets filled with a darkness deeper than the void itself. Its bony hands gripped an enormous scythe, its blade long enough to cleave mountains in half.
"Abyssal Tyrant," Azrael whispered, his voice steady but laced with awe. "So, you are the one who left this trial."
The Tyrant's mouthless skull creaked as it seemed to smile, the energy around it swirling in violent tendrils. It raised its scythe high, and in that moment, Azrael could feel the pressure of its power, like a wave crashing over him, threatening to drown him.
"You are the one who has made it this far," the Tyrant's voice was not a voice at all—it was an omnipresent whisper that echoed within Azrael's very mind. "A mere mortal, thinking he can challenge the Abyss."
"I didn't come here to chat," Azrael growled, his grip tightening on Necrilith. The sword hummed with anticipation, as if it recognized the coming storm. "I came to finish this."
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The Battle Begins
With a single, fluid motion, the Abyssal Tyrant swung its scythe down. The sheer force of the swing sent a shockwave through the ground, and the air itself seemed to crackle with dark energy.
Azrael's eyes widened. "This is it."
In an instant, his instincts kicked in. He leapt to the side, barely dodging the lethal arc of the scythe. The ground where he had been standing shattered like glass, sending debris flying in every direction. His heart raced, his body moving on pure instinct, but the Tyrant wasn't finished.
The Abyssal Tyrant swung again, this time with even greater speed, as if time itself had slowed down for the creature. Azrael, however, was faster. He activated Frozen Eclipse, time itself seeming to bend to his will as he moved through the frozen battlefield. With a roar, he launched himself into the air, his sword glowing with Abyssal power.
"Abyssal Severance!" Azrael shouted, his sword cleaving through the air with a surge of dark energy. The attack collided with the Tyrant's scythe, sending a shockwave of raw power across the wasteland. The ground cracked and crumbled beneath them as their forces collided, but the Abyssal Tyrant barely flinched. Its chains rattled as they absorbed the impact, and the Tyrant's gaze never left Azrael, its hollow eyes burning with an ancient, unyielding fury.
"You dare challenge me?" the Tyrant's voice rumbled like thunder. "You are nothing but a speck of dust in the face of eternity."
Azrael's golden eyes burned with determination. "I'll show you what a speck of dust can do."
With that, he surged forward, his speed a blur as he closed the distance between them. He ducked beneath the Tyrant's next swing, rolling forward with incredible agility. Necrilith flashed in the air, its blade cutting through the Abyss as Azrael slashed at the Tyrant's exposed ribs.
The attack landed, but it was like striking a mountain. The Tyrant's bones cracked, but they instantly regenerated, its dark energy knitting itself back together.
Azrael growled in frustration. The creature was regenerating too fast. He needed to hit it harder.
"Abyssal Judgment!" he shouted.
Hundreds of black swords fell from the sky, each one imbued with the raw power of the Abyss. They rained down upon the Tyrant, each one striking with enough force to pierce the very fabric of reality. The Tyrant screeched in pain as the swords embedded into its skeletal form, shattering pieces of its body and sending clouds of black dust into the air.
But, once again, the Tyrant regenerated with ease, its chains rattling as it absorbed the attacks.
"You cannot defeat me, mortal," the Abyssal Tyrant boomed. "I am the Abyss. I am eternity. You are but a fleeting moment."
Azrael's face twisted with fury. "I don't care if you're eternity. I'll tear you down just the same."
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The Abyssal Chains
The Tyrant's form shifted, and with a deafening roar, it slammed its scythe into the ground. The impact caused the earth to tremble, and from the cracks in the ground, massive chains of dark energy erupted, lashing out toward Azrael like serpents.
Azrael's eyes widened. He had to move fast.
He dodged the first chain, but another lashed out and ensnared his ankle, pulling him toward the Tyrant. He gritted his teeth, struggling to free himself, but the chains were unyielding.
"You cannot escape the Abyss," the Tyrant hissed, its hollow voice seeping into Azrael's very soul. "You belong to me now."
Azrael's muscles strained as he fought against the chains. The power of the Abyss seemed to seep into him, draining his energy, but he refused to give in. With a roar, he activated Abyssal Surge, flooding his body with dark energy.
The chains began to crack, but the Tyrant only laughed, raising its scythe to strike.
"You're mine now, mortal."
Azrael's heart raced, and in that moment, he knew what he had to do. Necrilith hummed with power as he channeled all his energy into the sword. With a final, desperate cry, Azrael swung with all his might.
"Abyssal Slash!"
The power of the Abyss surged through him, and the attack collided with the chains, slicing through them like paper. The ground beneath him cracked, the air itself seemed to bend with the force of the blow. The chains shattered into a million pieces, and Azrael launched himself into the air, his sword flashing as he aimed for the Tyrant's skull.
But the Tyrant was ready.
It swung its scythe up to meet him, the blade gleaming with dark energy. Azrael's eyes widened as the scythe moved faster than he could react. The impact was brutal, the force of the blow sending Azrael crashing to the ground with a sickening thud.
His body screamed in pain as he struggled to rise. Blood poured from the gash across his chest, his vision blurry, but he could not afford to stop. Not now.
The Abyssal Tyrant loomed above him, its chains slithering around like serpents, its skull gleaming with malevolent intent. Azrael gritted his teeth and stood, his body shaking from the intense pain. "I'm not finished yet."
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The Final Strike
Azrael's eyes glowed with an unearthly light, his golden pupils burning with the fire of his will. He had one final chance—one final strike to end this. With his body weakened and his energy running low, he focused everything into his sword.
"I will not fall here," he whispered, his voice barely a breath.
With a roar, Azrael surged forward. His body moved like lightning, his sword raised high, glowing with all the dark power of the Abyss.
The Tyrant swung its scythe in an attempt to stop him, but Azrael was faster. He dodged beneath the blade, using every ounce of his speed to close the gap. His sword came crashing down, glowing with the full force of his Abyssal power.
"Abyssal Tyrant, die!"
The sword collided with the Tyrant's skull. The impact was like a thunderclap, sending shockwaves through the Abyss. The Tyrant let out a deafening scream, its body cracking and shattering under the force of the blow. Azrael's sword cut through the skull, severing it from its body, and the