Destroyer of Ice and Fire

Chapter 307: The Undead Bishop's Strongest Skill

In the wake of the bluish yellow mist, thousands upon tens of thousands of black shadows chaotically shot into the sky.

There were so many of them that the surging pillar of dark purple gas in the very center of the Evil Dragon Abyss was momentarily scattered.

A harsh ringing sound spread over the battlefield like a ripple in the water.

Upon hearing the discordant ringing, Ayrin immediately looked towards the Evil Dragon Abyss. "What are those?" he asked out loud as he watched the dense cluster of shadows hover in midair and begin to rotate, forming a dark, rotating cloud which was even wider than the pillar of dark purple gas.

"It's some kind of bird… but how can it be possible for so many birds to emerge from the Evil Dragon Abyss?" Rinloran responded in shock as he too looked towards the distant Evil Dragon Abyss. Now that he had been baptised by Lunar Spring Essence, his vision far exceeded that of a normal arcane master.

"Those are Abyss Bats from the depths of the Evil Dragon Abyss," Lotton said as he suddenly appeared beside Ayrin, Stingham, and Rinloran. Unlike usual, his head was raised, albeit with difficulty, as he stared at the countless Abyss Bats which seemed to form a massive black cloud above the Evil Dragon Abyss.

"Those bats are rather large. I wonder if they are tasty," Ayrin couldn't help but comment.

"Ayrin, you giant food monster! How can you only think about eating at a moment like this?!" Stingham cried as he felt an urge to facepalm.

But it didn't matter if they were edible or not as there were millions of them. Even Ayrin couldn't eat that much.

Several seconds later, Ayrin, Stingham, and Rinloran all exclaimed in shock, "What's happening?!"

By this point, the millions of Abyss Bats had scattered in all directions above the battlefield. Some were even nearing Ayrin's group. Yet for some inexplicable reason at this moment, they all began to plummet towards the ground like rain. Every. Single. One. Not a single one was still be capable of flight.

Blood and flesh splattered everywhere amidst the harsh ringing as lose fur and hair smothered the sky, causing everyone to wonder if they were truly seeing reality, and not some strange illusion.

At the same time, an upheaval inexplicably erupted atop this battlefield which stretched outwards from the Evil Dragon Abyss.

Although Ayrin, Stingham, and Rinloran were too far away to see what exactly had occurred, their bodies instinctively told them to run. Their bodies were sensing the fear of countless fleeing arcane masters.

"Apocalypse."

At this moment, four distinct syllables rang out from Lotton's mouth.

"Apocalypse?" Ayrin asked as he turned and looked at Lotton.

"All these years, the Undead Bishop Tangwen has always been researching and experimenting with a taboo skill with an extremely large area of effect, one which is rumored to have been left behind by the Evil Dragon King Nider." Ayrin, Stingham, and Rinloran could sense a strong killing intent emerge within Lotton's voice as he continued to speak, "The Plague Bishop Ancenoli's taboo pestilence skill can summon a plague which causes organisms within to rot and die. Tangwen's skill is similar, except organisms killed by his technique end up transforming into brainless undead. And it affects those already dead as well."

"What?!"

Rinloran's face immediately turned pale as he began to tremble uncontrollably, "Could it be the calamitous skill used by the Evil Dragon King during his assault of the giant kingdom? The one recorded in the annals of history?"

"It is exactly the skill which was used to finally defeat the giant kingdom. However, Tangwen is not able to exert all of the skill's strength. It is not as powerful as the one invoked by the Evil Dragon King," Lotton said, unable to pull his eyes away from the scene unfolding before him.

"Just how large of an area does this skill cover?" Stingham asked, his legs trembling incessantly.

An indescribable feeling of imminent doom began to wash over him.

"If Tangwen has managed to invoke this taboo skill, then his powers must have surpassed Ancenoli's. Ancenoli's earlier skill was able to completely cover the surface battlefield, which means that Tangwen's skill encompasses at least that far. It is likely that it covers this entire underground plain," Lotton slowly reasoned.

"What?! Then why are we still talking and not running?! Stingham screamed in frustration as his vision wavered upon hearing Lotton's words.

Lotton slowly shook his head, his neck creaking as he responded, "It's already too late. Our speed cannot compare to the speed at which the skill is spreading."

"It's too late? Then are we just going to sit here and welcome death?" Stingham cried out on the verge of tears.

"Ahhhhh…!"

In the short time during which they conversed, the millions of Abyss Bats finished falling to the ground. At the same time, countless wretched screams began to ring out atop the vast battlefield.

A wave of terror spread throughout the underground plain.

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

A screaming arcane master fled directly towards Ayrin's group.

"B… Blanc?" Stingham stuttered, his teeth chattering.

Ayrin, Stingham, and Rinloran all clearly recognized the wretchedly screaming arcane master who sped right past them as the arcane master from whom they had stolen the Gem of the Zombie Lord from earlier.

Bluish yellow particles flowed atop Blanc's skin as large chunks of his flesh rotted away, revealing white bones. Already, half of his face had disappeared.

In fact, the only reason they had been able to recognize Blanc was due to his broom hair.

Rip! Rip! Rip!

More miserable screams accompanied by the sound of air being torn rang over from a nearby cluster of rocks. It was clear that there were even more desperately fleeing arcane masters nearby.

"Blanc is an Evil Dragon Follower, yet this skill…" Ayrin muttered as he watched Blanc's diminishing figure.

"This skill doesn't discriminate. It attacks everyone and everything," Lotton responded.

"You guys are still talking?! What's our plan?!" Stingham screamed as he watched bluish yellow particles begin to sweep towards them like a sandstorm. Tears streamed down his face as he began crying for real.

Whoosh!

Lotton ignored Stingham as the air around him seemed to stiffen and pale white particles erupted from his body. His face was filled with indifference as he looked at the approaching bluish yellow particles.

"You have a method for dealing with this skill?" Stingham cried out in astonishment.

In a single moment, Lotton's pale white particles surrounded Ayrin, Rinloran, Stingham, and the Dark Queen Mermaid.

At the same time, the world before their eyes turned bluish yellow.

The arcane energy of Apocalypsel had completely enveloped them.

As the bluish yellow particles collided with Lotton's pale white particles, Lotton's particles surged and began desperately trying to consume the bluish yellow particles.

"Even this kind of arcane energy can be consumed! This fellow's arcane particles are so strange!" Such thoughts ran through Stingham's mind. But before he could let out a sigh of relief, his eyes suddenly widened to their limits.

Although the particles released by Lotton were devouring the bluish yellow particles, some of the bluish yellow particles still made it through.

Stingham watched as several bluish yellow particles which seemed to be capable of merging with and contaminating any arcane energy touched his skin.

"Ahhh!" Stingham immediately screamed. He felt as if countless tiny bugs were burrowing into him and eroding his flesh.

Whoosh!

A faint blue light streamed out from Rinloran's right hand once more.

Under Rinloran's control, the faint blue light continuously descended over Stingham, Ayrin, and the Dark Queen Mermaid.

"What a terrifying skill! It is like a calamitous plague! Even someone of Blanc's level was unable to resist it!"

As some of the bluish yellow particles touched Ayrin and invaded his body, he immediately felt the same sensation Stingham had, he felt his body quickly weakening and rotting.

"This…?"

But it was only for a short moment. In the next, he felt the arcane particles within his body surge wildly.

As his own arcane particles circulated within him, all the bluish yellow particles which entered his body were immediately devoured and transformed into new arcane particles.

Ayrin was able to resist the arcane energy of Apocalypse with his own innate constitution!

His realization caused his eyes to abruptly widen in shock.

"Rinloran, I am fine! You don't need to worry about me at all, just focus on helping Stingham and the Dark Queen Mermaid!" Ayrin immediately shouted.

At the same time, he released his arcane particles from his hands towards the bluish yellow particles.

Much to his dismay and surprise, the arcane particles he released failed to have any effect. It seemed like his arcane particles, unlike Lotton's, lost their ability to consume the arcane energy upon leaving his body.

"It's not because of the arcane particles… but because of my bloodline talent?" Ayrin abruptly thought to himself in a daze.

"This fellow is able to directly resist the arcane energy. Does he actually have that kind of bloodline?!"

Rinloran's eyes became filled with an indescribable shock as he fiercely gnashed his teeth and solemnly continued to activate the essence of life contained within the fragment of the Tree of Life. It seemed like he was barely holding on, even with one less person to worry about.

The essence within the fragment of the Tree of Life quickly depleted as the bluish yellow particles continued their onslaught like an endless wave.