Chapter 421 Are You Pawns In Someone Else's Game?
Villain Ch 421. Are You Pawns In Someone Else's Game?
With a perplexed expression, Allen tilted his head once more, a twisted semblance of a broken psychopath. He couldn't help but wonder about the motive behind this unexpected attack. He also knew that Darren couldn't be too far off, considering the Mandragoras were under his control.
What truly baffled him was why Liam and Darren had chosen to confront him directly. They had undoubtedly grown stronger since their previous encounters, but in Allen's assessment, they still fell short of matching his power. This raised a slew of questions in his mind.
Why had they attacked him alone, without seeking assistance from their guild members? What was the purpose behind this brazen confrontation?
Allen couldn't help but speculate on the reasons behind it. His mind raced, seeking answers to the burning questions that now consumed him. One thought crossed his mind: could this have something to do with Elio? Had Elio inadvertently shared something with Liam and Darren, something that might have fueled their anger and motivated this sudden attack?
However, he quickly dismissed that notion. Elio had never mentioned Liam and Darren to him. Plus, the timing seemed too tight for them to have arrived here on a whim. The idea that they'd rush to confront him right after hearing Elio's story felt implausible.
Unbeknownst to Allen, Liam and Darren had made a conscious choice to confront him, fully aware of the consequences. They were prepared to challenge the devil emperor, despite the peril it entailed. Hidden behind a shattered pillar, Darren lurked in the shadows, while Liam stood poised for an attack.
For Liam and Darren, this was an experiment of sorts, a daring attempt to challenge Allen for the potentially priceless loot he carried. They believed that this artifact, obtained from the devil emperor, could serve as a valuable bargaining chip to barter for their scandalous video. In their minds, it was a risk worth taking.
Even though the odds were stacked heavily against them, they were willing to wager a mere 1% of their hard-earned experience points for the possibility of securing this valuable weapon.
Allen couldn't help but feel a sense of bewilderment at their actions. "Why?" he asked, his voice tinged with genuine curiosity.
Liam and Darren, however, remained silent, their motivations shrouded in secrecy. Without a word, they launched their assault, attacking Allen with determination.
Darren used his unique Plant Evolution skill. A surge of green energy enveloped the Mandragoras, causing their forms to shift and evolve. Their once frail and petite bodies swelled with newfound power, their roots digging deeper into the ground, and their tendrils growing long and menacing.
With their enhanced size and strength, the Mandragoras unleashed a furious assault on Allen. Their tendrils, now transformed into formidable weapons, lashed out with frightening speed and precision. Each strike aimed to immobilize and pierce the devil emperor's defenses.
As the Mandragoras attacked with their evolved tendrils, Liam, not one to be outdone, unleashed his earth-based abilities. He slammed his mighty ax into the ground with a resounding thud, sending shockwaves through the earth itself.
The ground quaked and rumbled in response, and from it emerged sharp, jagged spikes that shot toward Allen with incredible speed. These spikes formed a deadly wall of earth, closing in on the devil emperor, threatening to impale him from all sides.
But that was not all. Liam's earth manipulation continued to manifest. From the very ground, a colossal rock hand began to take shape, its massive fingers reaching out like the grasp of a giant. The intention was clear – to seize Allen within its crushing grip.
Allen, faced with the onslaught of Mandragoras, the spikes closing in, and the looming rock hand, remained calm and composed.
Without a single visible step, he vanished from his spot, leaving nothing but a wisp of dark smoke in his wake. In an instant, he reappeared atop one of the Mandragoras, a wicked grin on his face as he prepared to unleash his devastating skill.
"Hellfire Rain!" he intoned, his voice dripping with eerie malevolence. As he spoke those words, his surroundings seemed to warp and darken. A torrential downpour of crimson flames began to fall. Each fiery droplet burned with an intensity that defied nature itself.
The Mandragoras beneath Allen's feet screamed in agony as the searing flames engulfed them. Their tendrils thrashed wildly, but it was helpless against the infernal deluge. One by one, the Mandragoras met their fiery demise, their twisted forms writhing in torment before being reduced to ashes.
The spikes and the rock hand created by Liam's earth manipulation fared no better. The spikes melted and evaporated upon contact with the Hellfire Rain, and the colossal rock hand was consumed by the relentless blaze, disintegrating into molten rubble.
Allen stood amidst the fiery tempest, his dark wings unfurled, and his sword, Nightmare, emanating a sinister aura. The devastation around him was absolute, a testament to the overwhelming power he possessed.
Despite the certainty of his victory, Allen's countenance remained unchanged—cool, calculated, and unperturbed. His crimson eyes remained fixed on Liam, whose avatar was now enveloped in flickering flames. However, something had caught Allen's attention amid the scorched terrain—a small, resilient plant that had managed to survive outside the grasp of his all-consuming inferno. It emitted a faint, soothing barrier light, and its presence was evident in the low-level healing that surrounded Liam.
Allen shifted his gaze momentarily to locate Darren, who had chosen a strategic vantage point, but refrained from launching a direct attack. Then, he turned his focus back to Liam, his voice cutting through the smoky aftermath of battle.
"Why do you persist in this futile endeavor?" Allen inquired, his tone dripping with icy disdain as the flames around Liam's avatar finally receded, revealing his intact form.
However, Liam and Darren remained silent, brushing off Allen's inquiries as mere automated responses from the game's AI.
But Allen wasn't about to relent. His next words struck at the heart of their motivations, and he watched closely as their expressions began to shift.
"Is it the allure of victory that drives you? Or are you merely pawns in someone else's game? Slaves to another's will? Mere servants?" His words carried an unmistakable reference to Sophia.
In an instant, the atmosphere seemed to change, and a flicker of recognition danced in Liam and Darren's eyes.
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