Chapter 179: Setting Free

Chapter 179: Setting FreeHearing Apollo’s words, the three figures exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable. After a tense moment, they nodded in agreement. Apollo finally sighed in relief, feeling the weight of the situation ease off his shoulders. Kaleb, Alyona, and the others also let out a collective sigh, quickly moving to stand beside him.

They didn’t oppose Apollo’s plan; in fact, they supported it wholeheartedly. Their mission was clear: release the Outer God, regardless of how villainous it might seem. They were not soft-hearted; ruthlessness was sometimes necessary. Besides, failing to complete the trial meant they could be stuck in this world indefinitely, a fate none of them were willing to accept.

Apollo and the others quickly moved forward, the mysterious key still glowing in his grasp. Behind them, the three big bosses of the Abyssal Scar followed each casting wary glances at the others, their tension palpable. Step by step, they finally arrived near the stone platform, surrounded by the five colossal statues.

On the stone platform, there was a small keyhole, and Apollo immediately knew what to do with the key.

Apollo stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the keyhole in the centre of the stone platform. His heart raced, but he kept his expression calm and focused. Beside him, Kaleb, Alyona, and others stood ready, their eyes scanning the surroundings.

The three powerhouses—Void Witch, Blood King, and Demon King—watched him intently. Their eyes glinted with a mix of anticipation and wariness as they were here for the key’s power.

"Do it," all three of them urged their voice a cold whisper that sent chills down Apollo’s spine.

Apollo glanced back at his companions, who gave him small nods of encouragement. Then, taking a deep breath, he raised the glowing key above the keyhole. For a moment, it vibrated violently in his grasp, as if sensing the culmination of its purpose. With a final push, he inserted the key into the keyhole.

Click!

A resounding noise echoed through the place as the key settled into place. Immediately, the five colossal statues surrounding the platform began to glow, their eyes lighting up with a mystical energy that shot upward, forming a dome-like barrier around the area. Runes inscribed on the stone surface blazed to life, illuminating intricate patterns that spiralled outward.

The platform began to tremble as ancient mechanisms deep below the ground started to grind and shift. A low, rumbling hum filled the air, and the entire space vibrated with a growing intensity.

Apollo stepped back, feeling the platform’s energy surge beneath his feet. The key began to spin rapidly within the keyhole, emitting a beam of light that shot directly into the sky. The beam pierced through the swirling darkness above, creating a tear in the void.

From that tear, an oppressive force surged forth, slamming into everyone like a tidal wave. Apollo staggered, gritting his teeth as he braced against the force. The others, too, struggled to remain standing as the ancient power pressed down on them.

And such a situation wasn’t just felt by the life forms in the Abyssal Scar, but the entire continent felt it—something ominous and terrifying.

Crack!

A fissure split open in the centre of the platform, revealing a dark abyss. A bone-chilling cold seeped out, accompanied by the faint whisper of an ancient language that none of them understood.

The statues around them changed; slowly cracks started to appear on them as they seemed unable to hold anymore. Crack! Crack! One after another, cracks began to increase, and in a matter of moments, of the five colossal statues, four crumbled.

Boom!

With the key in place, the bloodthirsty aura that had filled the air began to subside. The chaotic energies swirling around the stone platform calmed, and the oppressive atmosphere slowly lifted.

The shocking phenomenon that had engulfed the Abyssal Scar vanished, bringing an eerie stillness to the continent, which remained like that for a few seconds that felt like an eternity for them as they waited.

"Hmm..."

"That’s it?" The robber leader murmured, his voice filled with confusion. A few seconds had passed, but nothing seemed to happen after the platform’s activation.

As the energy gathered, a loud heartbeat sound appeared that made the sky and earth tremble.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With that sound, something began to rise from the depths of the abyss. At first, it was merely a dark silhouette, amorphous and shadowy. But as it ascended, it started to take form—a massive figure, clad in a tattered cloak that billowed around it like a storm.

Whether it was the Dragonair or fallen god continents, but continents were trembling.

"No, that one was awakened."

"Quick call everyone; we have to stop it."

One after another, mysterious powerhouses who had been in seclusion or hidden away began to stir. Their awakening signalled a brewing storm within the Azure Dragon World.

All eyes turned toward the Abyssal Scar, now enveloped in a dark and bloody aura that seemed to reach up and shake the very heavens. A sense of impending chaos filled the air, hinting that something monumental was about to unfold.

Apollo’s and the group of trialists’ eyes widened as he saw it: a colossal being with a twisted, skeletal face, eyes glowing with an eerie light that held both wisdom and malevolence. Its presence radiated an overwhelming aura of ancient power, one that made even the mighty Blood King, Void Witch, and Demon King tense up.

They had sought power, but now, in its presence, they could feel just how insignificant they were in comparison.

"Why the hell hasn’t the task been completed? Didn’t we free the Outer God Anaric, or did we just free something else?" Aiden, one of the men Kaleb had brought along, blurted out with all his strength.

His voice was strained, his body trembling under the immense pressure. The aura surrounding them was overwhelming, crushing their bones and spirit with its sheer intensity. Even standing was becoming a monumental task.

Apollo, equally confused but calm, glanced at the others. "Who knows, this is beyond our understanding."

"What you say?" He asked the Pussy King on his soldiers, who were looking at the powerful entity that was slowly manifesting itself.

Ah, meow, you’ll find out soon enough. Calm down a bit, and try not to shit yourself. You’ll probably be fine." Pussy King replied nonchalantly, his tail flicking with amusement.

Apollo was even more confused by the cryptic response, but with no other choice, he could only wait, his eyes fixed on the ominous aura ahead. The uncertainty gnawed at him, yet all he could do was brace himself for whatever was about to unfold.

Others also heard the words between Apollo and Pussy King and braced themselves, as although they didn’t know how mysterious the cat is, they knew it was strong, and Apollo seems to take his words seriously.

The entity figure finally fully materialized as its gaze swept across the platform, landing on each of them in turn. It seemed to be judging, measuring their worth. When its eyes locked on Apollo, a shiver ran down his spine.

The entity then turned its gaze toward Pussy King, who remained unfazed, staring back with an unsettling calmness. There was a flicker of surprise in the entity’s eyes as if it hadn’t expected to see something.

It seemed to mutter something in a language incomprehensible to everyone else. However, Pussy King’s expression subtly shifted, a mysterious smile forming on his face, which was unnoticed by anyone except Apollo.

Behind them, the Blood King suddenly dropped to his knees, a motion that sent shockwaves through the surroundings and caught everyone off guard, including the other two bosses of the Abyssal Scar.

"Congratulations on your return to freedom, Lord Anaric," he proclaimed, his voice reverberating with a mix of awe and reverence. The Void Witch and the Demon King exchanged shocked glances, clearly unsettled by the unexpected display of submission from the Blood King, as he seemed to know about the almighty figure.

The two of them were filled with a flicker of terror. They had only heard rumours of an unimaginable treasure within the Abyssal Scar, one that could grant immense power. It was said that even the gods were somehow unable to enter, making the Abyssal Scar a sanctuary for those like them, allowing them to hide from the relentless hunting of other forces on the continent.

But now they realized things were far from simple. The legends and secrets of the Abyssal Scar seemed to hold truths far deeper than they had ever imagined.

Blood King was the oldest one among the three and seems to have always been here and lived in the Abyssal Scar; they even never heard about him outside. But now they think everything about him is weird, as how could someone like him wouldn’t be famous or infamous?

It was all a conspiracy; everything about him was a lie.

"Hmm, you survived this long; you are quite surprisingly tenacious," the newly freed figure finally spoke, its voice reverberating through the air with chilling authority.

"I was merely waiting for the Lord’s return, nothing more," the Blood King quickly replied, his tone filled with reverence. He remained on his knees, his head bowed low in a display of absolute loyalty.