Chapter 171: The Staff of the Lord of the Abyss
Before his voice faded, the Lord of the Abyss violently waved his staff, and a black beam of light shot out from it, heading straight for Riku. Riku's mind stirred, and he immediately released an intense burst of lightning energy, colliding head-on with the black beam.
Boom!
The collision of the two powers produced a massive explosion. Dazzling light flashed in the sky, and the ground trembled endlessly. Riku only felt a huge impact force transmit from his chest, the strong energy fluctuation almost making him lose his balance.
"Too strong!" Riku was secretly surprised. The power of the Lord of the Abyss far exceeded his expectations, but it was exactly this kind of powerful enemy that made Riku feel the charm of a challenge.
"I will let you witness true darkness!" A chill flashed in the eyes of the Lord of the Abyss. The black beam of light rose again, forming a dark domain that completely enveloped Riku and his partners.
"Are you ready to welcome the judgment of the abyss?" the Lord of the Abyss said in a low voice, his eyes full of endless darkness.
Riku gripped the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction tightly, his brows furrowed. Facing the continuously surging dark power of the Lord of the Abyss, the pressure also increased accordingly. The dark domain released by the Lord of the Abyss became more and more intense, as if it could swallow everything, oppressing every inch of their space. That surging dark aura not only eroded the physical body but also directly invaded the depths of the spirit, making everyone's thinking sluggish, as if entering an endless abyss.
"Gon-kun, Killua, Biscuit, stay alert! This is no ordinary dark energy, it is close to the origin, and is even affecting our minds!" Riku's voice was low and solemn as he warned.
Killua's entire body was surrounded by lightning, a coldness flashing in his eyes: "This dark power... is too oppressive, my lightning is also restricted."
Biscuit gripped her weapon tightly, her brows furrowed: "I can feel it, this energy is not just a suppressive power, it's more like a kind of mental manipulation, our thinking is also affected."
Riku nodded slightly, his gaze piercing through the dark domain, looking straight at the figure of the Lord of the Abyss. The eyes of the Lord of the Abyss flashed with a profound dark light, as if containing an endless abyss; every movement of his exuded a strong threat. Riku knew deeply that this battle was far from a simple duel of power, but a contest of mind and will.
"If you want to defeat me, you must break through the constraints of this dark domain." The voice of the Lord of the Abyss was like coming from the depths of hell, full of deterrence and contempt.
Riku felt a mental oppression. Although his body had not suffered direct damage, his mind felt as if it was being pressed by an invisible boulder, making it hard to breathe. "As expected of the Lord of the Abyss, he can easily control even the mental domain."
"I have already broken through the constraints of this domain." Killua's voice suddenly rang out. His eyes instantly turned icy cold, and the power of lightning began to surge frantically. "If we don't break through this restriction, we simply cannot fight him!"
Biscuit took a deep breath, a trace of determination flashing in her eyes: "Riku, although our mental strength is suppressed, we are not without the power to resist. I believe you can find a breakthrough point."
Riku felt the firm conviction from his partners. His gaze gradually sharpened, the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction in hand, and the plunder system within his body began to operate. He had already discovered the essence of this dark domain; although it was powerful, it was not unbreakable.
"I will plunder his mental control ability." Riku said in a low voice. "He has already used the power of the abyss to invade our mental world, but as long as I can plunder his ability, I can counter this dark power."
"Can you do it?" Gon-kun asked anxiously.
Riku nodded: "This is our only chance. If I successfully plunder his ability, we can turn the tide."
An icy light flashed in the eyes of the Lord of the Abyss, as if he had already anticipated Riku's thoughts. "You want to plunder my ability?" He sneered. "You are too naive. You cannot even resist the power of the dark domain, how can you steal my ability?"
However, Riku was not affected by his threat. His gaze became firmer, and the core function of the plunder system rapidly operated in his mind. Before the Lord of the Abyss finished speaking, Riku suddenly charged forward, raising the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction high. A dazzling lightning flashed from the tip of the sword, lunging straight at the core area of the Lord of the Abyss.
"Thunder God's Sanction: Break!" Riku let out a low shout. The lightning transformed into a tornado, lunging at the Lord of the Abyss with world-destroying power.
"Hehe, trying to shake me with this kind of trick?" The Lord of the Abyss sneered and waved his staff. A black beam of light instantly condensed, violently crashing into the lightning. The massive collision sound shook the entire space. Dark energy and lightning energy agitated each other, erupting with intense energy fluctuations.
However, a hint of coldness flashed in Riku's eyes. He had already completely locked onto the mental domain of the Lord of the Abyss. The lightning did not entirely lunge at him, but using the collision of this energy, it rapidly expanded into the depths of the Lord of the Abyss's mind.
"Now!" Riku's mind stirred, and the plunder system activated with full force at this moment.
"Plunder: Abyssal Dominator!" Riku let out a low shout, and the plunder system within his body instantly resonated with the mental domain of the Lord of the Abyss. With the fusion of this power, Riku felt a strong mental impact, but he did not retreat. Instead, he met this impact with full force, forcibly breaking through the mental defense line of the Lord of the Abyss.
The expression of the Lord of the Abyss changed abruptly. He felt his mental power being drawn away, instantly realizing Riku's intention. "You... can actually plunder my power!"
"Yes." Riku's voice was cold. "I will not let go of any trace of opportunity!"
As Riku's plunder system operated, the dark domain of the Lord of the Abyss began to fluctuate violently, and his mental control was gradually being devoured and weakened. The originally incredibly powerful dark energy began to lose control, instantly expanding in all directions, like the detonation of a bomb.
"Damn it!" The Lord of the Abyss gritted his teeth, trying his best to counterattack, but Riku no longer gave him any chances.
A cold electricity flashed in Riku's eyes. He knew deeply that seizing this opportunity was the crucial moment to destroy the Lord of the Abyss. As he plundered the mental control of the Abyssal Dominator, the entire dark domain collapsed instantly, and the surrounding dark aura poured back into the body of the Lord of the Abyss like a tide.
"It's over!" Riku whispered. The Thunder God's Sword of Sanction swung out a lightning bolt that tore through the air, piercing directly into the chest of the Lord of the Abyss.
"Boom!"
The Lord of the Abyss let out a tragic scream, and his massive body crashed down like a meteor, turning into ashes in an instant.
Riku stood in place, his breathing slightly rushed, but his eyes were full of the light of victory. The Lord of the Abyss was finally destroyed, and the dark power in the abyss dissipated instantly with his death, the constraints of the dark domain thoroughly unraveled because of this.
"Gon-kun, Killua, Biscuit, we succeeded." Riku took a deep breath, slowly lowering the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction.
"Amazing!" Gon-kun said excitedly. "You are truly amazing, Riku!"
"We did it!" Killua's eyes were full of joy and pride. "This battle is finally over!"
Biscuit looked deeply at Riku, her gaze full of respect: "Riku, you are not just our teammate, but also our guide."
Riku smiled slightly, looking at the gradually recovering sky in the distance. "This is just the beginning, our mission is not yet complete, the true challenge has only just begun."
At this time, the surrounding air gradually freshened. The dark aura that had once enveloped the continent gradually dissipated, and the light shone upon the earth once again. Riku knew deeply that although this battle was won, this adventure was far from over, and future challenges would undoubtedly be even more difficult.
"Let's go, keep moving forward." Riku took the lead, and his teammates followed closely, continuing to march toward the unknown ahead.
Riku took a deep breath. The light of the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction in his hand gradually dimmed, and the surrounding dark power dissipated with the death of the Lord of the Abyss. The entire space returned to a brief tranquility; however, this tranquility did not last long. Although the Lord of the Abyss was defeated, Riku could feel that an even more powerful, more unpredictable force was quietly approaching.
"Gon-kun, Killua, Biscuit, stay vigilant." Riku's gaze became sharp; his sense of smell and intuition had already told him that the danger was not completely over.
"Did you feel it too?" Killua frowned slightly, his icy blue pupils looking into the distance through the dense dark clouds. "There is a new fluctuation here, and it is extremely intense."
"Yes, it is different from the previous dark power." Biscuit's tone carried a hint of unease. "This power... seems to be some kind of new enemy."
"Enemy?" Gon-kun was a little puzzled. "Could it be that there are other forces behind the Lord of the Abyss?"
Riku's brows were tightly furrowed, his gaze sweeping around. His plunder system had just successfully plundered the trait "Abyssal Dominator" from the Lord of the Abyss, but this could not eliminate all potential threats. Even if the dark power of the Lord of the Abyss was destroyed, the balance of this world might have been broken, and new enemies had clearly already appeared.
"It seems that starting from the place where the Lord of the Abyss died, there is some kind of bizarre energy fluctuation." Riku's gaze was sharp, alert in his heart. He could feel that aura gradually condensing, like a storm about to erupt.
Suddenly, a violent vibration came from the ground. Riku only felt the earth beneath his feet begin to tremble slightly. Then, the distant sky changed again. Dark clouds began to spin violently, flashing with an indescribable, bizarre light.
"Careful!" Biscuit reacted instantly, quickly assuming a defensive posture, gripping her weapon tightly.
However, Riku's expression became even more serious. He knew this was no ordinary natural phenomenon. Just as he had expected, this fluctuation was not just a simple energy surge, but some existence beyond common sense was awakening.
"It's time..." Riku muttered to himself in a low voice. The plunder system had already begun to operate, and the command was quickly transmitted to the system core.
Following Riku's thought, the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction rose again, the tip of the sword flashing with dazzling lightning. He took a deep breath, staring at the gradually forming vortex, already prepared in his heart. He understood that the enemy this time would not only be a physical confrontation, but an ultimate challenge of spirit and power.
From the center of the vortex, a low laugh suddenly came, and then a tall figure slowly emerged. The person was wearing black armor, about three meters tall, exuding a strong evil aura. The person's mask was a golden skull mask, as if a demon walking out of some ancient myth. His body radiated black energy, and the surrounding air seemed to twist because of his arrival.
"Finally waited for you." That figure said in a low and oppressive voice. "You are the first obstacle after the failure of the Lord of the Abyss. I am the true dominator of darkness, Pluto."
Pluto?
Riku's heart jolted violently. He had never heard this name, but judging from the evil aura exuding from Pluto, he was clearly an extremely powerful existence, even more terrifying than the Lord of the Abyss.
"Who are you?" Gon-kun could not help but ask, his voice carrying a hint of nervousness.
Pluto did not answer immediately, but stared at Riku, seeming to size him up. "You are Riku, right? I know you, having plundered the abilities of countless powerhouses on this continent. Your plunder system is indeed very interesting, but do you truly believe you can challenge my darkness?"
"Challenge you?" Riku sneered. "You are nothing but an existence hiding in the shadows. The true challenge has only just begun."
Under Pluto's mask, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, seemingly somewhat interested in Riku's reaction. "Daring to resist the darkness, it is indeed not simple. Then, I will let you witness what true darkness is!"
As Pluto's words fell, the spear in his hand swung violently. The surrounding air instantly condensed into black spikes, sweeping towards Riku and the others. These spikes were like sharp blades controlled by darkness, lunging straight at everyone's bodies.
"Careful!" Killua shouted alertly, instantly releasing a lightning barrier, blocking the attacks around him.
However, Pluto's attack was not simple physical damage, but a power carrying intense mental oppression. These black spikes could not only penetrate matter but also strike directly at people's minds, almost oppressing them to the verge of collapse.
Riku tightly gripped the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction, operating the plunder system to quickly absorb Pluto's attack energy. He knew deeply that if such an attack was only met with simple defense, it simply could not cope with the true threat. The dark power brought by Pluto was mental; relying solely on physical body and martial force could not contend with it at all.
"Plunder: Underworld Mastery!" Riku gave a low shout in his heart, and the plunder system was instantly activated.
"Lightning! Seal!" Following Riku's command, the lightning power of the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction instantly swept around, forming a powerful electric field that directly bent Pluto's dark spikes, successfully blocking the most fatal attack.
Pluto raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting Riku to be able to respond so quickly. With a low laugh, his figure began to twist. Black energy surged wantonly around him, and the entire space seemed to become even heavier.
"You are strong." Pluto said coldly. "But if you want to seize power from me, it is by no means easy."
"I don't need to seize anything from you." A cold light flashed in Riku's eyes. "I only need to break your dark seal."
While speaking, Riku violently swung the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction. The blade carrying lightning was like a thunderbolt crossing through time and space, striking straight at Pluto's chest. Pluto's pupils shrank, clearly not expecting Riku to be so decisive.
However, just as the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction touched Pluto's body, a powerful dark energy instantly erupted, shattering the power of the blade.
"You think this little bit of power can shake me?" Pluto mocked. His figure disappeared into the air again, instantly appearing behind Riku.
Riku reacted extremely fast, instantly turning around, and the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction swung towards Pluto again. However, Pluto no longer relied solely on physical attacks; instead, he directly unfurled the mental erosion of the dark domain, attempting to invade Riku's consciousness directly.
"Plunder: Underworld Mastery!" Riku did not hesitate, directly activating the plunder system, locking onto Pluto's dark energy.
The two powerful forces collided in the air, and the air seemed to vibrate violently. Riku could clearly feel the fluctuation of Pluto's mental control. He quickly operated the system, plundering Pluto's "Underworld Mastery" trait, attempting to break Pluto's mental shackles through this power.
"You cannot win!" Pluto mocked in a low voice again.
"I will show you what a true challenge is." Riku sneered, his determination growing firmer.
Within Riku's body, the plunder system was operating rapidly. Every bit of his mental power was constantly colliding with Pluto's dark energy, trying to absorb a trace of useful power from it. However, Pluto was not a simple opponent. His dark power was not just physical suppression, but an existence capable of eroding the soul. Even Riku himself could feel its powerful oppressive feeling.
Pluto's body was almost surrounded by black air currents, as if even time and space could not touch him. Every time Riku swung the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction, he would be repelled by the dark energy around Pluto, unable to truly break through this barrier.
"Your efforts are all in vain." Pluto laughed lowly, his voice deep and oppressive. "Your plunder system can strip others of their power, but can you imagine that when you face a Lord of Darkness like me, all your power will become meaningless?"
"You are not worthy to insult me." Riku said coldly. He gripped the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction tightly, unyielding determination in his gaze.
As Riku's words fell, he violently gathered all his mental power. A dazzling lightning burst from the tip of the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction, charging straight towards Pluto. This lightning was full of destructive power, as if wanting to tear apart everything and cross through all obstacles.
A hint of surprise flashed in Pluto's eyes, but then he sneered. With a wave of his hands, the dark energy instantly expanded, forming a massive black barrier that completely blocked the lightning.
"Lightning? Your lightning is nothing to me at all." Pluto's tone was full of mockery. "What I control is the power of the abyss; even your lightning cannot shake me."
However, Riku did not stop attacking. He quickly utilized the power of the plunder system, beginning to gradually absorb Pluto's dark power, and attempted to transform this energy into a power he could control.
"Underworld Mastery!" Riku muttered in a low voice. The lightning of the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction instantly twisted, turning into an energy stream carrying a dark aura. With the fusion of this energy, Riku felt the power within his body undergo a massive change, his soul as if stimulated by a new force.
"You can actually..."
Pluto clearly did not expect that Riku could actually plunder his dark power and use it in reverse. A trace of unease appeared on his face, but this trace of unease was quickly replaced by anger.
"You think you can control the darkness?" Pluto roared. Raising his hands high, the entire sky began to be swallowed by darkness, as if the whole world had entered his control. "You will never be able to escape the shackles of the abyss!"
A cold light flashed in Riku's eyes. This power of Pluto's was indeed strong, but he had long been accustomed to breaking through himself in crises, and the plunder system was his ultimate trump card.
"You are wrong. I am not trying to escape the abyss, but to bring you into the light." The corners of Riku's mouth turned up slightly, his voice low and firm.
Then, Riku gripped the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction tightly with both hands. The lightning on the blade surged again, and an even more blazing lightning power lunged towards Pluto's dark energy.
This time, Riku did not choose to confront Pluto's dark power head-on, but chose to use the "Underworld Mastery" trait he had just plundered to completely suppress this dark energy in reverse.
"The combination of lightning and darkness." Riku said in a low voice, a complex light flashing in his eyes. "The power of thunder is a sharp weapon to shatter darkness, and I will use the darkness you created to destroy you."
In an instant, the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction bloomed with an incredibly blazing light in Riku's hands. The lightning power on the tip of the sword intertwined with Pluto's dark power, forming a dazzling beam of light that shot directly at Pluto.
Under Pluto's mask, his gaze stagnated. He clearly didn't expect Riku to be able to reverse the situation in such a short time. Facing this beam of light that destroyed everything, Pluto's expression suddenly became ferocious. The dark energy surged rapidly, attempting to re-establish a barrier to resist the attack.
However, this time, his dark energy did not easily dissolve Riku's lightning as it had before. With the impact of the lightning, Pluto's barrier began to show cracks, and the oppressive feeling of the dark power gradually weakened.
"This is impossible!" Pluto let out a low roar, extending his hands again, trying to concentrate all the dark energy together.
However, Riku's lightning did not stop; instead, it grew stronger, directly penetrating Pluto's dark defense line and accurately striking his chest.
"Boom!"
With a loud crash, Pluto's body jolted violently. The dark energy collapsed in an instant, and Pluto's figure was swallowed by the lightning, turning into a mass of black nothingness.
"You lost." Riku's voice was calm and firm. His figure remained standing in place, the Thunder God's Sword of Sanction still flashing with dazzling brilliance.
Pluto's body finally collapsed and dissipated completely, leaving a pitch-black void. The surrounding dark energy, like peeled-off skin, gradually blended into the air and disappeared completely.
However, just as Riku thought everything was over, he suddenly felt a strong energy fluctuation coming from afar. It seemed there were other forces approaching.
"This is...?" Riku frowned slightly. His intuition told him that Pluto's death did not mean the end of this battle.