Chapter 170: Destroying All Dark Power
"This is just the beginning." Riku took a deep breath, a trace of determination flashing in his eyes. "Our true test has only just begun."
The tremors of the Dark Continent gradually subsided. The sky was no longer that oppressive black curtain, gradually recovering a little light. Riku stood on these ruins, feeling the vibration of the Dark Domain ability he had absorbed. He knew this power was not flawless; rather, it was a double-edged sword. At this moment, the darkness before their eyes had not completely disappeared, but was deeply hidden in the unknown depths, waiting for a moment to revive.
"Gon-kun, Killua, Biscuit, is everyone alright?" Riku turned and shouted to the people behind him. Although his voice carried exhaustion, his gaze remained firm.
"We're fine, Riku." Gon-kun responded softly, a trace of irrepressible excitement in his eyes. "This battle, you really did it! You destroyed all the dark power of the Dark Continent."
"That's right, you're really amazing, Riku!" Killua also patted Riku's shoulder from the side. "From the initial despair to the final turn of defeat into victory, you are simply... extraordinary."
Biscuit didn't say much; she just looked at Riku, complex light flashing in her eyes.
"This is far from enough." Riku took a deep breath and slightly lowered his head. "The core of the darkness has not completely disappeared. Although we broke Arashi Seno's Dark Domain, this continent is still shrouded in the shadow of darkness. If we do not completely eradicate this power from the bottom, this world will never be able to restore peace."
"Are you saying that the source of the darkness is not just Arashi Seno?" Killua frowned, his gaze gradually becoming sharp. "Could there be an even more powerful existence in the Dark Continent?"
"Yes." Riku's tone was full of determination. "From the beginning of the battle until now, I have felt the deep movements of this power. Arashi Seno is only a part of the Dark Domain. The true source has long been buried deep within this continent."
"Then what should we do?" Gon-kun frowned, looking somewhat anxious. "The source you mentioned, has it already started to stir?"
Riku nodded. "Yes, the source of the darkness is hidden in the deepest part of the Dark Continent. No matter how we defeat Arashi Seno, as long as that source remains, this continent cannot completely recover."
"Then what do we do?" Biscuit's voice was calm but carried a sense of urgency. "You have already mastered the power of the Dark Domain. Can this solve everything?"
Riku was silent for a moment, his gaze gradually deepening. "Controlling the power of the Dark Domain can suppress the source of darkness for a short time, but it is not enough to completely eliminate it. I need to go to the deepest part, find the true source of the darkness, and destroy it in one fell swoop."
He slowly raised his head, his gaze firm. "If we fail again this time, the darkness will completely swallow the entire world."
Right at this moment, an intense vibration suddenly transmitted from within Riku's body. He frowned slightly. The Thunder God's Sword of Sanction in his hand vibrated gently, seemingly sensing some kind of abnormal movement.
"What's wrong, Riku?" Gon-kun keenly sensed Riku's abnormality.
"It seems some kind of power is calling me," Riku said in a low voice, a trace of vigilance flashing in his eyes. "This is... the reaction of the source of darkness."
As soon as his words fell, Riku felt a powerful dark aura spreading in the distance. That aura was like a heavy dark cloud, instantly covering the entire sky, and even the earth began to tremble slightly.
"Not good!" Riku suddenly clapped his hands. "The source of darkness has awakened! It is trying to swallow the entire continent!"
"We must act quickly!" A trace of determination flashed in Killua's eyes. "Otherwise, it will be too late for everything!"
Riku gripped the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction tightly and without hesitation turned and rushed towards the source of darkness in the distance. Behind him, Gon-kun, Killua, and Biscuit followed closely. The four quickly disappeared into the dark mist, heading towards the unknown abyss.
Along the way, the dark aura grew increasingly dense. With every step forward, the oppressive feeling in the air became stronger. Riku felt this aura slowly swallowing everything around it, as if every breath was consuming their life force.
"Careful!" Biscuit suddenly warned in a low voice, then her body spun, quickly releasing a powerful Nen to temporarily push away the surrounding dark power. "These dark powers are not physical entities, but a formless power attached to this land. Their main body might be hidden deep in the darkness and simply cannot be defeated directly."
"Then what do we do?" Killua asked, looking nervous. "The speed at which these powers are spreading is too fast, we simply cannot cope."
A trace of firmness flashed in Riku's eyes, and he suddenly turned to the three of them and said, "There is no time! I can feel the existence of the source of darkness, it is accelerating its spread, and the entire continent has begun to collapse."
He paused, turning to look ahead. "Only together can we stop the spread of this dark power!"
As his words fell, a low roar suddenly came from the darkness ahead. Immediately following, a giant image of the source of darkness emerged from the mist. It was a behemoth composed entirely of darkness, its body like a giant beast, blotting out the sky and emitting a suffocating aura.
Riku's heartbeat suddenly accelerated. This dark power was even stronger than he imagined, even far exceeding his previous expectations.
"Careful! That is no ordinary dark monster!" Riku's gaze narrowed, his heart tightening. "This is the incarnation of the source of darkness, a completely awakened Dark Divine Beast!"
"No wonder we couldn't sense its true form." A trace of nervousness flashed in Biscuit's eyes. "Its existence has long merged with the dark power of this continent. We cannot defeat it with sheer power."
"Then what do we do?" Killua also looked somewhat anxious. The surrounding darkness had completely swallowed their line of sight, and even the air had become heavy.
"We must get close to it, enter the core of the source of darkness, and destroy it from the root!" Riku said calmly. "This is a life-and-death battle, everyone must be careful!"
"No problem!" Killua, Biscuit, and Gon-kun responded in unison.
Then, the four accelerated towards that massive Dark Divine Beast, releasing their full energy to try and break through the layers of dark barriers. However, every roar of the Dark Divine Beast would make the four of them pause for a moment, the intense dark aura as if trying to tear them apart.
"This is... the fountain of darkness?" Riku finally understood. The Dark Divine Beast before them was not a simple creature, but the energy source of the entire Dark Continent. It was the materialization of darkness, controlling all dark power.
The Dark Divine Beast before Riku and his partners was like a moving mountain, obscuring their vision and oppressing everyone's heart. That massive figure was permeating an irresistible dark aura; it seemed even the air was corrupted by its existence, becoming heavy and foul.
"Gon-kun, Killua, Biscuit, are you ready?" Riku took a deep breath, a firm light shining in his eyes. "This time, we have no way out."
"We've been ready for a long time!" Gon-kun clenched his fists, full of determination. "No matter what kind of darkness it is, as long as we can break it, we will give it our all!"
"That's right." The sharpness flashing through Killua's eyes appeared especially cold. "Even this monster cannot stop us."
Biscuit didn't say much. Her gaze never shifted from the massive body of the Dark Divine Beast, releasing a heavy oppressive feeling in silence. "Riku, this battle is not a simple duel of power. We must find its weakness."
Riku nodded, turning to look at the figure of the Dark Divine Beast, deeply aware of the danger of their trip. "I have already sensed through the Plunder System that this Dark Divine Beast is not a biological creature in the traditional sense; it is essentially the materialization of a power."
"What does that mean?" Killua frowned and asked.
"It doesn't have a specific physical entity, but is the materialization of the negative energy of the entire Dark Continent." Riku's voice was low and full of pressure. "Its power comes from the source of darkness, controlling the dark aura of the entire continent. If we do not completely destroy its origin, this battle cannot end."
"In other words, not only do we have to defeat its power, but we also have to destroy its 'foundation'?" Biscuit analyzed calmly.
Riku nodded slightly. "Exactly. Its foundation is likely located at the core of the Dark Divine Beast. Only by destroying the core will this darkness completely disappear."
"Then what should we do now?" Gon-kun asked, his eyes full of tension.
"We must get close to its core." Riku's gaze chilled, leaping up like lightning. "Use our power to penetrate its defensive line, find and destroy that fountain of darkness!"
Before his voice faded, Riku charged at the Dark Divine Beast like lightning. The Thunder God's Sword of Sanction in his hand instantly condensed incredibly sharp lightning. Amidst the roaring sound, the sword aura transformed into a blade of thunder, lunging straight at the center of the Divine Beast.
However, the Dark Divine Beast did not waver because of this. An even denser dark aura suddenly surged from its body, forming a massive energy barrier. When the blade of thunder struck the barrier, it actually emitted a buzzing sound, and the intense repulsive force knocked Riku flying, crashing heavily into a distant rock.
"This..." Riku's gaze focused. "Its defense is even stronger than I imagined!"
"Riku!" Gon-kun looked at Riku nervously. "Are you alright?"
Riku stood up, dusting himself off, a trace of determination flashing in his eyes. "I'm fine. Its defense is strong, but it's not flawless. I sensed the power flowing within the Dark Divine Beast's body. If we can find the center of its power flow, we can destroy its core."
"Then what are we waiting for?" A hint of ruthlessness appeared in Killua's eyes. "I'll draw its attention, you guys seize the opportunity!"
"Understood!" Riku responded, his eyes full of resolution. "We must end this battle as soon as possible!"
Killua suddenly erupted with his speed, lunging at the Dark Divine Beast at an extremely fast pace. His movements were like a meteor, quickly approaching the giant maw of the Dark Divine Beast, his eyes full of the flames of battle. He let out a low roar, lightning exploding all over his body, and fiercely attacked the face of the Divine Beast.
"Thunder God's Wrath: Blade of Lightning!" Killua's voice carried an overwhelming might, the electric light in his hands piercing towards the Divine Beast like a sword edge.
A violent tremor appeared on the face of the Dark Divine Beast. However, its massive body did not tremble in the slightest. Instead, it suddenly opened its mouth and released an intense dark energy, rushing straight at Killua. The black energy fluctuation swallowed everything like a torrent, instantly engulfing Killua's lightning and erupting with a terrifying energy impact.
"Killua!" Gon-kun shouted, his gaze full of worry.
However, Killua's body moved quickly through the electric current. Although affected by the dark energy, relying on the power of lightning, he rapidly adjusted his body posture and escaped from the vortex of dark energy.
"I'm fine, I can hold on!" Killua's voice carried a hint of provocation as he charged at the back of the Dark Divine Beast. "Now is our chance, Riku!"
"Alright!" Riku responded, immediately transforming into a bolt of lightning, quickly approaching the core part of the Dark Divine Beast. The energy of the Plunder System within his body began to operate at full capacity, and he rapidly plundered some new abilities to enhance his attack.
Riku felt that the core of the Dark Divine Beast was not outside its body, but hidden in its belly. That dark power was continuously surging from there, nourishing the life force of the entire Divine Beast.
"Is this... the fountain of darkness?" A hint of coldness appeared in Riku's eyes. "It seems we have finally found its true weakness!"
He concentrated all his lightning power and swung the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction. The sword edge drew a brilliant light in the air, piercing fiercely at the belly of the Dark Divine Beast.
"Thunder God's Sanction: Break!" Riku shouted in a low voice. The power of lightning surged out like a fierce tiger, directly bombarding the belly of the Dark Divine Beast. A massive roar echoed through the clouds, space began to twist, and powerful energy exploded in the air.
"Roar—!"
The Dark Divine Beast finally let out an agonized roar. Its massive body began to vibrate violently, and the giant dark energy suddenly dissipated. Seeing this, Riku quickly seized the opportunity. The lightning burst with an incomparably dazzling light, and he raised the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction high again, condensing a blade of thunder.
"It's time to end this!" Riku whispered. The sword blade slashed down, instantly striking the core of the Dark Divine Beast.
"Boom—!"
An intense explosion shook the entire Dark Continent. The body of the Dark Divine Beast began to disintegrate like shattered glass, radiating intense dark energy, and ultimately disappeared into the air.
Riku stepped on the void, standing steadily in the air, gripping the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction tightly, his breathing slightly rushed. All the dark energy had dissipated, the dark aura that originally shrouded the continent had completely vanished, and the oppressive feeling between heaven and earth dispersed.
"Gon-kun, Killua, Biscuit, we... did it!" Riku finally breathed a sigh of relief, a hint of relaxation flashing in his eyes. "The Dark Divine Beast has been destroyed, and the power of the source of darkness has completely collapsed."
Gon-kun breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "It's finally over, Riku! You're really amazing!"
Killua also nodded. "This battle was really intense enough. But, we succeeded."
Biscuit smiled slightly. "This battle also made it clearer to me that our power is no longer limited to fighting the enemies before us, but can truly change the world."
Riku was silent for a moment, looking at the distant sky, a complex light flashing in his eyes. "Yes, but the victory of this battle does not mean we will no longer face greater challenges."
"Gon-kun, Killua, Biscuit, we still have to walk the road ahead together."
Everyone's gaze focused, and they nodded silently, their hearts full of expectation and determination for the future.
The death of the Dark Divine Beast brought a temporary peace, but Riku's heart still could not calm down. He knew deeply that the dark power was far from completely gone, and the true test had only just begun. Although they defeated the enemy in this battle, it did not ensure that the world would return to normal. That dark power originating from the abyss might still be stirring.
"Riku, we succeeded." Killua stood beside Riku, his eyes still firm. "The Dark Divine Beast has been destroyed, but I can feel that the darkness of this continent still exists."
"That's right." Riku took a deep breath, his gaze looking at the gradually recovering sky in the distance. "We only defeated a part of the darkness, the true challenge has not yet arrived."
"Then what are we going to do next?" Gon-kun asked, a trace of anxiety flashing in his gaze. "Will we be able to completely eliminate the root of the darkness?"
Riku was silent for a moment and said slowly, "I have plundered many powerful abilities in the past. These powers can help us, but if we don't destroy the core of the source of darkness, those abilities are just a temporary fix. We must go deeper to find the true fountain of darkness."
Biscuit nodded, a trace of deep thought revealing in her eyes. "Judging from the energy you sensed from the Dark Divine Beast, the source of darkness is very likely not only on this continent. It might have already penetrated the foundation of the entire world."
Riku's eyes narrowed slightly. "That's right. The power of the source of darkness is not just an entity, but is deeply rooted in every inch of land in this world, even connected to the destiny of this continent."
At this time, Riku felt a strange fluctuation. His gaze instantly turned into the distance, as sharp as a knife. "It's here."
Gon-kun, Killua, and Biscuit also felt this fluctuation and instantly entered a combat state. The atmosphere around them suddenly became heavy, and the air was filled with a restless aura.
Riku said in a low voice, "This fluctuation seems to be some kind of call... the true power of darkness seems to be guiding some existence."
"Are you saying there are other enemies?" Killua asked, vigilance flashing in his eyes.
"We can't be sure." Riku's tone was icy. "But I can feel that this fluctuation is exceptionally strong, even more terrifying than the previous Dark Divine Beast."
As Riku's words fell, suddenly, the earth shook, and the clouds in the sky rapidly twisted, as if the laws of the entire world were collapsing. Right at this moment, a deep black vortex appeared in the distant sky, as if swallowing all light, and the center of the vortex emitted a palpitating dark aura.
"What is this?" Gon-kun's voice was full of shock.
Biscuit stared at the distant vortex and said in a deep voice, "This is... the call of darkness."
Riku did not answer. He gazed deeply at the center of the vortex, that dark aura involuntarily giving him a chill. That aura was no ordinary dark power, but some deeper, more ancient existence.
Suddenly, a piercing shriek erupted from the center of the vortex. Immediately following, a figure slowly emerged from it.
It was a tall and gaunt figure, wearing a long black robe and a golden mask, his entire body exuding an extremely bizarre aura. His eyes were incomparably profound, seemingly able to pierce through everything. The figure floated over, as if walking out of an abyss, giving an endless sense of oppression.
"Finally here." Riku's gaze focused, a strong sense of vigilance rising in his heart.
"You are..." A trace of doubt flashed in Killua's eyes. "Who are you?"
The person did not answer, merely gently waving the black staff in his hand. The surrounding dark power vibrated accordingly, as if responding to his call.
Riku said coldly, "Are you the emissary of the source of darkness? Or, are you that dark existence hidden behind the scenes?"
"Me?" The person smiled lightly, his voice cold and gloomy. "You can call me the 'Lord of the Abyss'. And you... are my challengers."
The voice of the Lord of the Abyss echoed in the air, seemingly carrying an irresistible pressure. The entire heaven and earth seemed to tremble at his words.
"Challengers?" Riku frowned. "What do you want to do?"
"I want to see exactly who is qualified to challenge my power." The tone of the Lord of the Abyss was full of sarcasm. "The power of darkness is not something everyone can control. You have stepped into my trial grounds; now, come prove your strength."
As soon as the voice fell, the figure of the Lord of the Abyss vanished abruptly, and the entire space instantly turned pitch black. The dark aura swept in like a tide, surrounding Riku and his partners.
"Careful!" Riku warned in a low voice, immediately deploying his defenses.
However, the dark power seemed to pour in from all directions, unpredictable and unavoidable. A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Riku's eyes, quickly mobilizing all the power within his body. The Plunder System instantly activated, and new abilities surged within him.
"Plunder—Abyssal Domain!" Riku let out a low roar, instantly releasing a profound dark energy that surrounded him and his partners.
Killua, Biscuit, and Gon-kun reacted quickly, releasing their respective abilities to intertwine with Riku's power, forming a defensive barrier. However, that dark power was simply too strong. Every collision caused their power to be severely suppressed.
"This power... is too strong." Biscuit said in a low voice. "We cannot fight it with sheer power."
Riku's gaze flickered. "This is not a simple battle of power." He took a deep breath, the Plunder System within his body operating again. "I will steal his abilities and break all of this!"
He charged fiercely toward the center of the dark vortex, the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction in hand, the sword edge carrying brilliant lightning as he lunged straight at the Lord of the Abyss. As Riku's attack unfolded, the dark power in the air seemed to sense the threat and fluctuated violently.
Under the mask of the Lord of the Abyss, a sneer was revealed. "Do you really think that with your little bit of power, you can defeat me?"