Chapter 145: A Reminder from the Enemy
“You’re trying to sow discord between me and my Master?”
Kohler’s voice echoed from all directions. He wasn’t in a tangible form, so Abyss couldn’t pinpoint his location.
But he wasn’t trying to.
Kohler materialized again, only his hand and the Dream Shear appearing, slashing downwards at Abyss’s head.
Kohler was fast, his speed rivaling the continent’s most skilled Dou Warriors. The elder Givia had defeated had been no match for him. He had wielded an artifact, but both his skill and the power bestowed upon him by the Lord of Nightmares were far inferior to Kohler’s. Against an ordinary opponent, this attack would have been fatal.
But he was facing Abyss and Leona, two of the world’s strongest individuals.
Abyss didn’t move, entrusting his safety to Leona, who didn’t disappoint. Her reaction speed and agility were astonishing.
Just as the Dream Shear was about to reach Abyss’s head, Leona’s Dou Qi attack struck, not as a feint, but a forceful blow that deflected Kohler’s arm. A pair of wings, formed from condensed Dou Qi, fluttered behind her, their movements as fluid and natural as her own limbs.
“Yes, I’m trying to sow discord between you and the Lord of Nightmares,” Abyss said, smiling, his eyes closed, since he couldn’t see Kohler anyway. “Think carefully, Apos Kohler. What has your master promised you, that you serve him so devoutly? Are you fighting for your own beliefs, or have you become a mindless tool of an Outer God?”
“No one else can fulfill my wish like my Master,” Kohler’s voice replied. A simultaneous attack from below was effortlessly deflected by Leona’s Dou Qi wings, sending a chunk of earth flying.
“Your wish is to take revenge on human nature, right? But you’re already doing that. Is it truly the result of your revenge you desire?” Abyss asked.
Kohler didn’t answer immediately.
“Perhaps you should consider whether you’re striving for the outcome of your revenge or simply enjoying the process. And if you truly believe in that ‘eternal slumber’ utopia, ask yourself, was it your own idea, or was it planted in your mind by Schlezhech?”
Kohler appeared before Abyss, the Dream Shear aimed at his forehead, but before it could connect, Leona, moving like lightning, appeared between them, kicking Kohler’s wrist.
Kohler’s arm should have been deflected, but it dissolved into mist the moment Leona’s foot made contact, only his hand and the Dream Shear remaining, their momentum unchanged, the attack continuing.
But Abyss, his eyes still closed, didn’t move.
Leona, anticipating this, reacted instantly, her movements defying physics. She grabbed Abyss’s chest, pulling him back several meters. Such a sudden and forceful movement would have snapped an ordinary person’s spine.
“Kohler, have you forgotten your original purpose? I’m not asking you to become a scholar again. I’m simply reminding you of your initial motivation for revenge. What drove you down this path? I doubt it was the Lord of Nightmares. Your actions predate his arrival in this world,” Abyss said, his calm demeanor and his relentless questioning unsettling Kohler. “You could have achieved your revenge long ago, but the Lord of Nightmares manipulated you, expanding your goals, leading you further down this path.”
“Enough! Stop talking!” Kohler’s voice was laced with irritation.
“I’ve struck a nerve, haven’t I?” Abyss said, smiling, spreading his arms wide, his eyes still closed. “You were close to achieving your goal, but he tricked you into believing it was further away. I’m not your friend, but I’m offering you some friendly advice. If you continue serving the Lord of Nightmares, you’ll never reach your destination. You’ll forever be his pawn.”
Kohler attacked again, but his movements were slower, his focus disrupted. His hand appeared behind Abyss’s head, but Leona, with a swift slash of her Dou Qi wing, severed his fingers. His weapon clattered to the ground.
“Abyss, I see through your plan! You’re trying to distract me, to steal my artifact!”
Leona moved to retrieve the fallen weapon, but it wasn’t the Dream Shear, just a dagger. Kohler hadn’t used his artifact.
“That’s a misinterpretation of my kindness,” Abyss said, his voice feigning hurt, his eyes still closed. “I was just trying to help you see the truth.”
“Let’s see who prevails. If I don’t give you a chance to steal the Dream Shear, you’ll be trapped in this dream realm forever!”
“Ha! You should worry about your own predicament, not mine. The Lord of Nightmares doesn’t care about you! He has no regard for the dreams of mortals! You’re as insignificant as an ant’s stomach to him!” Abyss said, laughing.
Kohler, enraged, his severed fingers dissolving into mist and reattaching themselves, prepared to attack again. Suddenly, the Lord of Nightmares’ voice echoed in his mind, his tone filled with anger.
“You fool! Go to the palace hall! They’ve impersonated Kevin and are issuing commands! It’s a diversion!”
“What?!” Kohler exclaimed, startled.
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