Silent Casting. Instant Spells.
[Bloodline Spell. Pain Strike (Curse-type Spell, undetectable by normal vision. Once this spell hits the target, the next attack that causes injury will inflict extreme pain)] + [Bloodline Spell. Soul Strike (Condenses one's soul power to form an invisible soul attack that directly strikes the opponent's soul)] = A sneaky two-hit combo.
Knowing that the opponent's vitality was still strong and that he wasn't dead yet, Olthagia didn't give him any chance to turn the tables. He rushed directly in front of him and delivered a full-force kick to his head, dealing the final blow!
Using a certain technique of force, he completely turned the brain inside the skull into mush.
If it weren't for the need to preserve the corpse and soul, Olthagia wouldn't have even thought of getting close. He could have easily solved the problem by throwing a few Fireballs while the opponent was severely injured.
But Fireball was out of the question—resources shouldn't be wasted so easily.
Although the opponent had been lively just moments ago, throwing spears at him and somewhat offending him, now that he had become his nourishment, Olthagia decided to generously forgive him. He would just drain the essence of his flesh and blood, and reluctantly leave the corpse intact.
As for who would pick up the remaining dried corpse, that was none of his concern.
A quarter of his mana and a negligible amount of stamina—that was all Olthagia had expended. Strictly speaking, there was no absolute gap in strength between him and his opponent. Their power, speed, and physical constitution should have been nearly equal.
In fact, judging from the destructive power of the spear the opponent had thrown, his strength might have even been slightly higher.
Olthagia didn't think he could remain calm if he were hit by that spear.
Among the enemies Olthagia had encountered, this one was likely the strongest. Both of them had the potential to kill the other, and the outcome of their fight would depend to some extent on who was more decisive.
The opponent probably thought he had the upper hand by striking first and could kite Olthagia with his mobility, just as he had done while hunting beast-like demons before.
But he never expected that in this stage where most [Lesser Demons] relied on close combat, Olthagia had already transformed into a spellcasting machine gun.
His past habits made him subconsciously treat Olthagia as a beast, and for that, he paid the ultimate price—his life—as an expensive lesson.
If he hadn't underestimated Olthagia so much, Olthagia would likely have had to sustain some injuries to kill him. It wouldn't have been so clean and decisive. From the fact that he could perform the [Transformation Ritual], it was clear he even had decent spellcasting abilities. But all of that was now meaningless, with no chance to be put to use.
Grabbing his soul, Olthagia's tail pierced directly through the opponent's chest, ignoring his external defenses, and began extracting the accumulated power in large amounts. In less than a few dozen seconds, the opponent's body turned into a dried corpse, and the Transformation Ritual on his surface withered away.
[+1277 Evolution Points] In other words, he was worth over two thousand.
Olthagia was delighted. Most [Low-Rank Demons] probably weren't worth this much, or even less.
Thanks for the generous gift, buddy.
Abyss Time, more than ten days later.
Beneath the towering Demonized Trees, a hint of caution flashed across Olthagia's face as he casually discarded the remains in his hand.
He closed his eyes and quietly listened to the surroundings.
His pointed, scale-covered ears, reminiscent of an elf's, twitched slightly, as if detecting some movement.
Not long after, he opened his eyes and looked up at the sky.
A certain sound was coming from there!
Olthagia crossed his arms, and with a forceful swing of his tail, he drove it deep into the Demonized Tree beside him. Using it as a pivot point, he exerted strength through his tail and propelled his entire body upward toward the treetop.
Whenever his ascent began to slow, his tail would repeat the motion, continuously providing him with acceleration!
After about ten seconds, he stood on a branch at the top of the tree, gazing into the distant sky.
There, a large group of flying Demonic Creatures had gathered at some point. Their various screeches and roars created a chaotic cacophony. Their massive bodies and staggering numbers made them resemble a swarm of locusts, circling endlessly and blotting out the sky.
From time to time, severed limbs and body parts fell from above, raining down blood that drenched the land below!
The Demonic Creatures already gathered on the ground, catching the scent of fresh blood in the air, lost their fragile composure and erupted into a frenzy. Brutal slaughter ensued.
Blood rained from the sky, and crimson rivers flowed on the ground. Every Demonic Creature unleashed its inner savagery to the fullest. This was a grand event that occurred periodically, where blood and death were their finest feast and wine!
Olthagia's already blood-like eyes grew even more crimson at the sight.
The instincts of a demon urged him to join in, to slaughter, to personally twist off their heads and turn them into his trophies!
But he did not rush into the fray, for the inherited memories of a demon reminded him that soon, a gift from the Bottomless Abyss would descend from the sky. That was the true highlight of this grand event.
[Gift of Souls]
Soul Crystals, formed from highly condensed soul energy, would fall from the heavens. Just one of these crystals could elevate a [Lesser Demon] to a [Low-Rank Demon]. This was the Bottomless Abyss' reward for demons residing in places like the [Wailing Forest], [Abyss of Dead Souls], and [Gloomy Crypt]—essentially, the demonic equivalent of beginner zones.
It was akin to scattering bloody prey to a pack of wolves, but far more brutal and savage.
Once the [Gift of Souls] was absorbed into a demon's body, it could not be immediately assimilated. The demon had to slowly wear down its outer shell using their own demonic energy. During this process, the [Gift of Souls] would continuously emit an attractive force, signaling its presence to other demons.
This would drive other demons to desperately seek to gut the possessor of the [Gift of Souls].
This was the purest form of a survival-of-the-fittest contest, where only the most exceptional demons would prevail. The rest were merely expendable resources.
Thus, at regular intervals, when the [Gift of Souls] descended, demons in these areas would descend into a frenzy of slaughter. There was no room for compromise or negotiation. Countless demons would engage in a bloody free-for-all, and only the ultimate victor would claim the [Gift of Souls].
At present, this grand entertainment event has yet to begin. According to Olthagia's senses, there are still several minutes of preparation time left. Everything will truly start when the [Gift of Souls] descends.
The current slaughter and chaos are merely a small prelude, a spontaneous early entertainment due to the inherent brutality of the Demonic Creatures. A large number of them have yet to arrive...
The slaughter continues unabated. The various Demonized Plants on the ground have already been dyed red with blood, and crimson streams flow across the earth.
The moisture in the air has been replaced by the scent of blood.
This is both a carnival for the demons and Demonized Creatures, and a feast for the Demonized Plants.
Countless bloodthirsty insects in the sky, on the trees, and on the ground lick the blood that has been spilled.
Creatures are constantly dying, and others are constantly arriving. Those who once hid like hunters now fight like madmen, no longer needing to consider ambushes or sneak attacks. All they need to do is kill everything in sight.
Just like the days on the Banks of the River Styx, it is simple and direct.
At some point, thick fog has enveloped everything around, and the intense bloodshed has dyed it red.
The condensed blood-red mist drips continuously onto Olthagia's body.
But he pays no attention to these trivial matters. His eyes remain fixed on the distant sky, where the clouds have formed a vortex. The scent of the [Gift of Souls] slowly emanates from it, further exciting the predators around.
Within the forest spanning hundreds of kilometers, millions of Demonic Creatures have gathered here, their roars echoing endlessly.
The demons and Demonized Creatures from farther away have not come here, as there are other [Gift of Souls] descent points elsewhere.
In Olthagia's eyes, the power within the vortex has reached its peak. What lies within is about to descend, and his body instinctively begins to stir with anticipation. Other beings capable of sensing this have also grown increasingly excited!
Many [Low-Rank Demons], who were originally waiting quietly like Olthagia for the [Gift of Souls] to descend, but with weaker self-control, have already joined the ongoing slaughter.
Those demons who have gone mad with killing have likely long forgotten about the [Gift of Souls], completely immersed in the carnage. After all, demons are such creatures—whether there is a reward or not is secondary; being able to kill to their heart's content is already a gain.
Boom...
Accompanied by strong winds, thousands of purple crystals wreathed in flames fly out from the vortex within the clouds. Countless flying Demonized Creatures and demons immediately rush forward, attempting to seize them.
But how could the ground-bound Demonic Creatures let them have it all to themselves?
Tens of thousands of ranged attacks are launched into the sky—flames, lightning, ice, venom... They scatter in all directions. A series of flying creatures, like birds shot out of the air, fall to the ground and are torn apart.
In this situation, coupled with the fact that the flying Demonic Creatures were also engaged in chaotic battles among themselves, even though proximity gave them the advantage of being the first to act, only a small portion of the [Gift of Souls] was obtained by them. The vast majority of the [Gift of Souls] ultimately fell to the ground, where the Demonic Creatures on the ground fiercely competed for them.
Standing atop the tree and gazing at the distant horde of millions of Demonic Creatures, the escalating battle, Olthagia still chose not to charge in. The level of chaos in such a large-scale melee was simply too overwhelming, and entering it would easily lead to disorientation.
He had to wait a bit longer, until more of them had died and others were severely injured. Only then would it be his opportunity to intervene...