Chapter 235 Chapter234-A Strife in the Abyss?
Hearing John's nonchalant words, a shadow quickly passed over Mammon's eyes.
It seemed as if John had touched a nerve.
With a soft huff, Mammon coldly responded, "Human, do not presume to pry into my secrets; it would bring about a catastrophe you cannot bear."
As Mammon's voice echoed, the vast sea of Aqua Blue Flowers around him started to ripple and sway, casting soft blue waves.
John quirked a sharp brow, chuckling, "I never imagined that in your current state, you'd still have the audacity to threaten me."
"You're, after all, one of the 72 devils of the Abyss, the leader of the Legion of Desire. What on earth happened to leave you in such a grievous state?"
A peculiar gleam flashed in John's eyes as he casually mused, "Did some upheaval occur within the Abyss?"
Mammon went suddenly quiet, only casting a mysterious, measuring gaze upon John, not directly answering the question.
Unintimidated, John met the gaze of The Devil squarely, his eyes unwavering, as if he wasn't the least bit concerned about this Devil's insidious mental intrusion.
To be honest, John was genuinely curious about the answer.
In the Abyss, Mammon held an unparalleled status and had immense power.
Ever since the last divine war, when Azazel was sealed by the gods, the real rulers of the Abyss had been the 72 devils.
Unless they fought amongst themselves, who could possibly inflict such grievous injuries on a war god-level boss?
Under the scrutiny of John's Eye of Artemis, at least four types of ORDER divine power within Mammon were clashing fiercely.
Those divine powers, foreign to Mammon's essence, had turned his body into their main battleground.
Their ongoing strife caused continuous, severe wounds within him, wounds that struggled to heal.
Seeing Mammon's silent demeanor, John couldn't help but laugh.
He gazed calmly at the Devil, who once wreaked havoc across the Godslayer Continent, and remarked nonchalantly,
"Even if you remain silent, I can infer part of the answer. Within you, there are at least four kinds of ORDER divine powers that don't belong to you."
"In terms of stature, the owners of these powers are on par with you. Their energy signatures are eerily similar to yours, unmistakably pointing to the other members of the 72 devils of the Abyss."
"Thus, you chose to descend in this remote area not to invade, but to flee for your life."
A flash of anger crossed Mammon's face as he spat bitterly,
"Damn the Goddess of Night, damn the Eye of Artemis, allowing a mere human like you the ability to probe a deity."
"But now that you've voiced all this, do you intend to challenge me?"
John shook his head slowly, his demeanor undisturbed, "I have no intention of provoking you. I'm merely curious about what has transpired within the Abyss."
Perhaps sensing John's genuine curiosity, Mammon's expression gradually softened, a strange glint in his eyes, "You're just a human. Why this intense curiosity about the affairs of the Abyss?"
Without hesitation, John replied, "The Abyss has never relinquished its ambitions to invade the forces of order and justice. Being a member of the human race, I naturally wish to be abreast of our enemy's movements."
Mammon smirked dismissively, retorting coldly, "Given that, why would I, a Devil of the Abyss, divulge its secrets to you so easily?"
John stroked his chin, remarking casually, "You will tell me..."
Mammon's curiosity was piqued, he replied with a spark in his eye, "Oh? I'm quite intrigued. How do you intend to extract the information you seek from a deity's lips?"
John chuckled softly, "I'm a warrior by class, so naturally, I'll fight you until you spill."
Mammon paused briefly, and then burst into uproarious laughter, as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke.
"Human, I can't tell if you're fearless or just plain foolish. Do you think that just because you can withstand my mental assault, you can stand against me in combat? You know nothing of a deity's power!"
John remained unfazed by Mammon's derisive tone.
He turned to look at Blue Sea and Adam, who were trying their best to blend into the background.
Smiling, he said, "In a moment, I'll try to pull this creature into another dimension to battle. When that happens, seize the opportunity to collect the Aqua Blue Flower powder."
"With an entire sea of Aqua Blue Flowers here, there should be more than enough for your needs."
Ever since Blue Sea and Adam arrived in front of Mammon, they had remained silent, not even daring to cast a glance in his direction.
They held steadfast to the belief that a deity should not be gazed upon directly, fearing that even a brief glimpse might draw the terrible attention of this powerful being.
The terror of being struck without warning still haunted Blue Sea and Adam, making them jittery.
They had quietly listened to John's conversation with Mammon, understanding that they had no place in such a high-stakes dialogue.
Hearing John's words, Blue Sea hesitantly looked up, carefully avoiding Mammon's gaze in the sea of flowers.
"Galewind," he began with concern, "Are you truly planning to engage with this Devil? This is a genuine deity. Isn't it a bit too risky?"
John replied with a light chuckle, "This battle is inevitable. Don't worry; I'll be safe."
Blue Sea seemed to struggle for words, and Adam quickly interjected, "Galewind, if it's just for our Aqua Blue Flower powder, it's not necessary."
"We'll surely find more in the future. There's no need to recklessly provoke such a fearsome being..."
John gently shook his head, responding calmly, "It's not just about that. You're unaware of what this creature represents in the Abyss."
"His silent arrival on the Godslayer Continent, especially in his wounded state, certainly conceals a significant secret. Today, I intend to uncover it."
Adam asked in surprise, "You don't seem the least bit concerned about Galewind's safety, do you?"
Blue Sea paused before replying, "Ever since I've known Galewind, I've understood that he never undertakes actions without assurance. If he chose to fight, he surely has his reasons..."
"But I too didn't expect that Galewind would dare to directly challenge a Devil."
Both fell silent, faces painted with a look of admiration and awe.
...
Inside the Abyssal Prison.
Mammon, sensing the disorder of the surrounding ORDER, displayed an expression of astonishment for the first time.
"Is this... the Abyssal Prison? Are you of my abyssal lineage? What ties do you have with the Abyssal Warden?"
With hands clasped behind him, John replied indifferently, "You're overthinking it. I am not from the abyss, nor am I familiar with the Abyssal Warden you speak of."
Mammon's eyes flickered with uncertainty, scrutinizing John intently.
The appearance of the Abyssal Prison had momentarily led him to believe John was a servant of the Abyssal Warden, sent from the abyss specifically to seek him out.
However, John's direct denial of this hypothesis only deepened Mammon's curiosity about John's true identity.
The Abyssal Prison was a signature technique of the Abyssal Warden, even amongst the 72 devils of the Abyss, it was renowned.
If this human before him truly didn't know the Abyssal Warden as he claimed, how could he deploy such a skill?
Uncertainty swirled within Mammon.
His gaze upon John was suddenly imbued with murderous intent. n(.0Velb1n
He had internally concluded that John was a spy sent by other Devils.
John sensed this abyss-like killing intent and tilted his head nonchalantly, commenting, "Thinking of killing me? You're hardly in the state to do so right now."
"Your signature psychic corrosion has no effect on me. So, why not show your true form? This human guise only restricts your combat capabilities."
Mammon remained silent, aware of the veracity in John's words.
While he couldn't fathom why his psychic corrosion was ineffective against this human, Mammon didn't dwell on it.
He abruptly levitated, his inner dark divine power stirring into action.
With a flash of dark light, Mammon, who previously held a human form, revealed his true visage.
John, looking over with keen interest, couldn't help but twitch his lips in amusement.
"Well, you really are... unexpectedly hideous. When you look in the mirror, do you ever find yourself weeping at your own ugliness?"
John's light-hearted mockery echoed throughout the vast Abyssal Prison.