Michael stood in stunned silence, his gaze fixed upon Cindy's portrait hanging prominently in the Serpent King's room. It depicted her in her older age, perhaps in her late twenties, a young woman filled with beauty and grace. The sight perplexed Michael, leaving him to wonder why the Serpent King would possess such a portrait.
"What the fuck?!"
"Who are you?!"
"Half Celestial!"
Lost in his thoughts, Michael momentarily forgot about the soldiers rushing into the room, their voices filled with alarm and confusion. However, their cries were abruptly silenced as Michael effortlessly raised his hand and unleashed lightning bolts from his fingertips, striking down the guards without even turning to face them.
The sight of Cindy's portrait stirred a deep well of emotions within Michael. Though not consumed by anger, he felt an overwhelming surge of killing intent coursing through his veins. In that moment, anyone else might have succumbed to their rage and engaged the Serpent King in battle. However, Michael's rationality prevailed, and his focus shifted to finding the wind tunnel.
Activating his X-ray eyes, Michael's irises glowed with an ethereal light as he scanned the entire room. His gaze swept across the chamber, taking in its details. Fallen soldiers lay motionless on the ground, their heads pierced by lightning bolts, a testament to Michael's lethal precision. Beyond them, his eyes caught sight of a concealed glowing rune hidden behind the Serpent King's room, beckoning him forward.
Michael approached the rune, situated on the headboard of the bed, its invisible presence palpable beneath his fingertips. As he made contact with the rune, a surge of energy coursed through his body, causing a subtle trembling sensation. Without hesitation, Michael clenched his fist and struck the rune with a powerful blow, shattering the bed's head in the process.
The moment the rune was shattered, a distinct clicking sound resonated from beneath the bed. Reacting swiftly, Michael delivered a forceful kick, sending the bed hurtling towards the wall. The impact caused the bed to splinter and break apart, unveiling a concealed floor hidden beneath it.
The door on the hidden floor lacked a traditional knob or handle, instead featuring a singular rune as its means of activation. Unfazed by the absence of conventional mechanisms, Michael relied on his strength. He stomped forcefully on the ground, shattering the door into countless pieces. As the fragments scattered, a powerful gust of wind erupted from the newly revealed opening, engulfing the room and sending objects flying. In an instant, the swirling vortex began to pull everything within its reach, creating a powerful suction force.
As the soldiers rushed into the room, their faces contorted with anger and determination, their shouts filled the air.
"There he is! Take him down!"
"Don't let him escape!"
But their cries were abruptly cut short as the powerful suction force of the wind tunnel took hold. The soldiers, caught off guard by the sudden gust, struggled to maintain their balance. Helplessly, they were pulled towards the gaping hole, their screams echoing throughout the chamber.
Amidst the chaos, Michael stood steadfast on the ground, rooted in place by his immense strength. The wind whipped around him, tugging at his cloak and armor, but he remained unmoved, unaffected by the pull of the wind tunnel. His eyes focused on the soldiers, his face expressionless as he witnessed their futile attempts to resist the relentless force.
One by one, the soldiers were dragged closer to the edge of the hole, their outstretched hands desperately grasping for something to hold onto. Their screams grew more frantic as they were sucked into the wind tunnel, disappearing into the depths below.
Michael watched in silence, his gaze unwavering, as the last soldier was swallowed by the wind tunnel. The room fell into an eerie stillness, the only sound remaining the faint howling of the wind.
Michael peered down into the abyss, his gaze fixed on the swirling red mist that filled the wind tunnel. The mist, a macabre mixture of blood and shattered bodies, bore witness to the devastating power of the suction force. The soldiers who had been unfortunate enough to be pulled into the depths had met a gruesome fate, their bodies bursting from the sheer intensity of the wind's pull.
Undeterred by the horrifying sight, Michael unfurled the metal wings concealed within his armor. The wings gleamed in the dim light of the chamber, their intricate design hinting at their hidden strength. With a leap of faith, he propelled himself into the wind tunnel, soaring through the crimson mist.
As Michael descended further into the depths, the force of the wind intensified, threatening to tear him apart. Yet, he gritted his teeth and pressed onward, his wings beating against the powerful currents. The red mist engulfed him, obscuring his vision, but he remained resolute, guided by his unwavering determination.
The wind tunnel seemed to stretch into an infinite abyss, with no end in sight. Michael braced himself against the unyielding forces, his eyes fixed on the unknown destination that awaited him. The roar of the wind echoed in his ears, urging him to forge ahead, deeper into the mysteries that lay beneath the Serpent King's castle.
As Michael delved deeper into the depths of the ocean, the surroundings grew increasingly dim and foreboding. The once vibrant blue hue transformed into an abyssal darkness, enveloping everything in its grasp. The only sources of illumination were the ethereal glow emitted by a school of bioluminescent fish, their soft radiance casting an eerie light on the murky waters. Yet, it was the ominous red beam emanating from the skull on Michael's chest armor that provided him with a clearer view of his surroundings.
Amidst the inky depths, a peculiar structure emerged, floating mysteriously in the depths of the ocean. The distant hum that reached Michael's ears heightened his anticipation. He knew that within this enigmatic structure lay the potential for acquiring another seed of darkness, a crucial step towards permanently restoring the dormant system.
Drawing closer to the structure, Michael's senses sharpened, and he became aware of multiple presences lurking in its vicinity. Realizing the need for stealth, he swiftly deactivated the light beams emanating from his chest, merging seamlessly with the encompassing darkness. His form became indistinguishable, blending into the shadows as he observed the unfolding scene.
His attention was drawn to a colossal eel-like creature, a behemoth that dwarfed the surrounding underwater landscape. Its immense size, comparable to a three-story building, was emphasized by the crackling electric bolts that danced along its serpentine body. The monstrous creature approached the structure with a sense of purpose, its presence both awe-inspiring and unnerving.
As Michael observed the colossal eel with chains and hooks embedded in its skin, blood trickling from its wounds, his curiosity intensified. However, his attention was quickly drawn to several Mermons clad in emerald green armor who seemed to be in control of the chains. They were shouting commands at the eel, urging it to move swiftly, and forcefully yanking the chains to guide its movements.
"We need to break this structure before the other houses have a chance to reach it!" one of the Mermons exclaimed, their voice filled with urgency.
"Pull harder, we cannot afford any delays!" another Mermon barked, their eyes filled with determination.
The Mermons worked in unison, their movements graceful and fluid, as they coordinated their efforts to manipulate the eel and break free from the structure. Their emerald armor shimmered under the dim light, reflecting their otherworldly beauty.
"Do not falter! We must succeed!" a third Mermon shouted, their voice resonating with unwavering resolve.
Their voices echoed through the water, mixing with the sounds of the eel's thunderous movements. Michael watched silently, blending into the darkness, as the Mermons struggled against the resistance of the structure and the relentless pressure of the deep ocean.
As the Mermons yanked on the chains, the eel let out a deep, guttural growl of pain. The sound reverberated through the water, sending ripples of unease through Michael. The Mermons, undeterred by the eel's distress, shouted at it with fierce determination.
"Move, Giant! Break through this structure!" one Mermon commanded, their voice filled with urgency.
"Use your strength! Tear it apart!" another Mermon called out, their tone resolute.
The eel responded to their cries, its massive body writhing and thrashing against the restraints. The chains strained under the immense force, creaking and groaning as the eel fought to break free. With each pull, the eel's growls intensified, a symphony of pain and determination echoing through the water.
"Push harder, Giant! We must not let the other houses claim this power!" a third Mermon urged, their voice filled with a mix of desperation and determination.
As the Mermons and the eel continued their struggle, a momentary connection passed between Michael and the giant eel. In that fleeting instant, it seemed as if the eel locked its eyes with Michael, as though silently pleading for assistance. Michael was taken aback by this unexpected connection, feeling a pang of empathy for the creature's pain.
However, the eel's gaze quickly shifted away as the Mermons forcefully pulled on the chains, urging it forward in agony. The eel's attention was solely focused on obeying its captors, its primal instincts overriding any potential alliance that could have formed with Michael.
With a tremendous impact, the eel crashed into the structure, causing shockwaves to ripple through the surrounding waters. Michael felt the power of the impact reverberate through his body, witnessing the cracks forming on the surface of the strange cube-shaped structure. It was evident that the combined efforts of the eel and the Mermons were having an effect, gradually weakening the integrity of the structure.
Amidst the chaos, Michael's keen observation skills allowed him to identify five Half Immortals among the soldiers of the Watergod Hall. These Half Immortals possessed a stable energy radiation, signifying their cultivation to the Half Immortal stage had been achieved through natural means, without the use of shortcuts or artificial enhancements.
As Michael saw the cracks widening, he sprang into action. True to his nature, he preferred to let his enemies do the heavy lifting while he reaped the rewards at the opportune moment. Swiftly navigating through the dark depths of the ocean, Michael raised his hand and took aim at the eel's chains. A bolt of lightning surged forth from his fingertips, speeding towards its target, intending to sever the bonds that held the eel captive.
With pinpoint accuracy, the lightning bolt unleashed by Michael struck the hook attached to the chain, shattering it into pieces. The Mermons who were controlling the eel stood in stunned silence, their eyes widening with disbelief.
"The giant is breaking free!" one Mermon shouted, panic lacing his voice. "Hold on tight! We can't let it escape!"
Enraged by its newfound freedom, the eel let out a thunderous roar, its massive body violently squirming as it struggled to break another chain. The Mermons, realizing the imminent danger, swiftly reacted by thrusting a jade spear into the eel's side, attempting to subdue its rebellion.
Unfazed by the Mermons' desperate efforts, Michael, undeterred, fired two more lightning bolts. The bolts crackled through the water, obliterating the remaining chains that restrained the giant eel. As the chains shattered, releasing the eel completely, the Mermons let out horrified screams, their faces contorted with fear and shock.
"The fucking giant is free!" one Mermon cried out, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and disbelief. "IT IS FREE!"
Another Mermon, his voice filled with desperation, added, "We must retreat! We cannot fight against this unleashed power!"
As the eel swam freely, its rage echoed through the ocean depths, causing the water to churn and swirl. The Mermons, overwhelmed by fear, quickly turned away, their thoughts consumed by the need to escape the wrath of the unleashed giant.
As Michael silently observed the chaotic scene, a small smirk formed beneath his skull mask. With the giant eel now free, a burst of electricity shot from its body, electrifying everything within a one-mile radius. Even Michael felt a chilling jolt of pain, but his armor protected him from the full force of the shock. The water god soldiers, clad in their jade armor, were shielded from the electrical surge, but they soon discovered that their armor provided no defense against the eel's vicious bites. Fueled by anger, the giant eel hunted down the soldiers one by one, overpowering them with its immense strength.
Amidst the carnage, Michael watched with a twisted satisfaction, pleased with the chaos he had unleashed. However, his attention quickly shifted back to the cube-shaped structure. Determined to break it and claim the seed of darkness within, he propelled himself toward it with unwavering resolve.
But just as he was about to shatter the structure, a crimson-red trident shot through the water, impaling his hand and pinning it against the structure. Michael's eyes widened behind his skull mask as he saw the Serpent King, now in his serpentine form, emerging through the wind tunnel and swiftly approaching him.
"You are not getting it, Dark Lord," the Serpent King hissed, his voice laced with venomous intent.
( Read Chapters 915 and 916 to refresh your memories)
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