Chapter 195: The Warm Up

Varian unsheathed his sword and teleported in front of an Abyssal in the outer circle.

"Die!"

His arrival couldn't be masked.

There were Abyssals of different divine paths. But they were all able to sense his arrival.

The Body Awakeners' sensitive ears picked up the change in wind flow. 

The Elementalists in the group, Fire and Water Awakeners, detected him through their elemental sense. 

However, everyone reacted. The closest ones naturally had the greatest chances of attacking him. 

Around six Abyssals were about to raise their weapons to attack him.

Zap!

Varian pointed his fingers and six lightning bolts shot at the said Abyssals.

"Guh!"

"Kuh!"

"Y-You!"

The Abyssals hurriedly blocked the unexpected attack. Even then, the lighting numbed them for a moment.

If there was an Earth Awakener, the heavy defenses might have helped. But there was no what if. 

Under their incredulous gaze, Varian swung his sword and slit the throat of a low level 5 Abyssal.

Then, he teleported once again.

-Boom!

Right after, an axe blasted the area he was previously at, creating a crater.

The high level 5 Abyssal ignored the axe in the crater and looked at the figure that appeared a few hundred meters away.

Sweat rolled down his forehead and the Abyssal felt a lump in his throat. With a mixture of fear and surprise, he yelled. "T-Triple Awakener!"

The other Abyssals immediately paled. Their ashen skin turned deathly white and they seemed devoid of any blood.

Varian looked at their reactions and shrugged nonchalantly. 

They were quick to realize his other identity. He was the guy that wrecked havoc on the battle field. He even killed a couple of high level 5.

The leading Abyssal knitted his brows recalling that information. But soon, he relaxed and raised his arm.

"The opponents he killed were already very injured to begin with. His true strength could at most be in mid Level 5. With the barrier restricting him, we can slaughter him." A domineering aura burst from the leader as he locked eyes with Varian.

He added. "If our King knows he is the triple awakener, our rewards would multiply!"

"Yes!"

"We are all at our peak!"

"Rip him to shreds!"

The Abyssals quickly went from fear to excitement.

Varian was impressed by the leader's capability. He knew how to raise the morale and kept his cool.

'That's why…' Varian appeared in the middle of the inner circle and lashed out with lighting strikes. 'It's more satisfying to push you into despair.'

-Zap!

-Zap!

Since they were expecting it, the Abyssals defending themselves properly. So the level 4 lightning bolt's effect was diminished. Their movements weren't affected as much.

As Varian raised his sword, they were about to attack—Swords were raised, fire balls were brewed and fists were clenched.

Right then, their heads stung and the space around them solidified.

-Shuaa!

This time, it was even more tragic.

Four heads flew into the air and their headless bodies collapsed onto the ground. As the Abyssal blood dyed the ground green, Varian calmly retreated.

The Abyssals that were subjected to his mental interference, but weren't attacked looked around frantically.

"My brain!"

"There is a Mind Awakener here!"

"Captain, he must be lurking somewhere!"

"Dig! Dig the underground! Find him!"

The high level 5 Abyssal was initially confused, but he quickly latched onto the most important term and asked. "You all felt mental interference?"

"Yes!"

"It was weak, but it caught me off guard."

"Me too!"

As they answered, the Abyssal captain trembled. "No. When did someone sneak in…wait, was it the same mind awakener who was helping him in the battle? Dammit!'

Even across this whole exchange, the thought that Varian was the same person using the mind powers didn't cross their thoughts. Not even once.

It was too absurd. An impossibility. Even if Abyssals were more learnt than humans on divine paths, they knew it was impossible for one to awaken in four divine paths.

What's more? This was also the same guy that awakened in Body path!

So, there gotta be someone else.

The Abyssals quickly searched for the hiding mind awakener. They didn't have time to waste. So, they picked the most direct way.

With their full strength, they rained attacks all across the area. Soon, the ground was filled with potholes.

To their dismay, let alone the location, there was not even a trace of the mind awakener.

During their actions, Varian smoothly took down two more Abyssals.

A negative atmosphere began to creep in. The Abyssals were discouraged.

Except the Abyssal captain. He kept a clear head and asked. "How strong is the other party based on the attack?"

The Abyssals were all on defense as they stared at Varian who stood a few hundred meters away.

Hearing the captain's question, the ones that experienced the attack paused for a moment before they yelled. "Not much. Around Level 3, I guess."

The Abyssal captain heaved a sigh of relief. "Looks like the mind awakener is using a treasure to hide themselves."

Then he glanced at the location Varian stood a moment ago and sensed the change in wind to his right, a hundred meters away.

He pushed his legs and bolted to his right. "Guard against the mind awakener! Focus on taking down Varian at all costs."

-Boom!

The Abyssal captain was just a few meters away from the spot when Varian dyed the air golden with his lightning bolts.

Then the space solidified and a few more heads flew out.

Even mid level 5s were slaughtered without a hitch.

"Arghh!" The Abyssal captain punched at Varian in rage.

-Boom!

The sheer force behind his punch compressed the wind and blasted it, resulting in shockwaves. Just the shockwaves were enough to kill Level 2 Awakeners.

The generator of the shockwaves, his big fist reached its target location in less than a second and hit…empty air.

Varian teleported once again!

"Arrggh! Son of a bitch! Come at me if you have the balls!" The Abyssal captain shouted in rage. However, his eyes were terribly calm.

He was trying to provoke Varian. Once he takes his bait, then…

"I'm saving you up for the last." Varian's voice sounded from a distance and a white light flashed again.

This time, the Abyssal captain couldn't even take reach the location before his comrades were taken out.

He howled in rage and desperation, looking like a man on the verge of insanity. But all of it was a farce for a chance. He just wanted Varian to grow complacent and attack him.

Just once.

A single chance was enough.

"Come at me!"

"Shhh. Be silent. There are only ten left. I'll make this quick." Varian said with a teasing voice and carried out his attacks.

The more he advanced in his mind path, the better control he got over himself. So he simply used it to maintain a cool and calm state in the battle.

Of course, Varian was still feeling the emotions he always would. Just, their effects on him diminished.

So he cooly decided to battle the captain at last.

With a clear intent, he continued the battle.

This battle was similar to the past.

As the number of Abyssals decreased, the Abyssal captain could protect stick closer to the existing ones.

When he was a level 2, he had to exchange a major injury to kill off the people under the strongest abyssal's protection.

But now…

Varian squinted his eyes and disappeared.

Lightning bolts bombarded the Abyssals, Space Solidified and finally, their minds stung.

Everyone, including the high Level 5 was attacked.

Since lightning bolt was level 4, while Space and Mind attacks were only level 3, neither the captain nor any other abyssal were particularly injured.

However, since the three were focused on stopping the movements of their target, under the superposition, the Abyssals halted for a split second.

The Abyssal captain regained his mobility almost instantly, enough to defend himself but too slow to protect his comrades.

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Varian danced in the air like he was performing a sword play. Each cut was a piece of art.

He struck precisely, ruthlessly and efficiently. The least amount of force to kill— that was the essence of his sword play.

After cleaning up the miscellaneous, Varian pointed at the silent Abyss captain and smiled cooly. "The warm up is complete. Shall we begin?"