Chapter 1738 - 1027: Artorias · Prime_2

Maru even manipulated the crystal wall to collapse, crushing dozens of abyss monsters. The blood splattering everywhere seemed particularly relieving.

However many fall, just as many fill their place. Those abyss monsters that were knocked down into the alley were quickly climbed over by the ones behind them, their speed virtually unchanged, demonstrating the qualitative change brought by their sheer numbers.

Melee combat inevitably erupted, as dozens of abyss monsters flanked them, leaping from neighboring rooftops. These were larger in size and moved faster, obviously the elite among them.

Tami swung the Highmore Hammer into a Swirling Slash, its azure head carving a perfect arc in the air, sweeping through the bodies of several monsters and knocking them off the rooftop like baseballs. The airborne monsters tumbled, crashing into the buildings across with a loud crash, debris and black carcasses mixing and raising a large dust cloud.

Maru took on another batch of advancing monsters from the roof ridge behind him. Chaos and the others each had their directions to handle. They ran across the rooftops without daring to pause for even a second, any delay could lead to being completely surrounded by abyss monsters.

The crystal wall rose into the sky once more, but it quickly toppled again under the weight of the numbers pressing against it. Too many monsters piled up outside the crystal wall, their combined weight exceeded what could be withstood, large transparent chunks of crystal cascading down with black monsters, rolling down into the alley and spurring a wave of black. Abyss monsters swarmed over the wall remnants like a flood, spilling onto rooftops, with buildings shattering and spraying debris under their claws, the entire rooftop creaking under their collective weight.

"How many scrolls do we have left?" Tami asked.

"I’ve used mine up." Maru rummaged through her pouch, finding only a few Healing Potions.

"I’m almost out too." Another team member threw out the last Flame Storm Scroll, a fire pillar rising on the rooftop and incinerating the first wave of pursuing monsters into ash, but the ones behind swept around it, advancing as if the flame had never existed. Chaos and the others also indicated their depleted supplies.

Tami pulled out a fragment of Silver Tears from his waist, hesitated for a moment before putting it back again.

It wasn’t reluctance to use it there, it just wasn’t suitable for the current situation, unless it could instantly transform him into the Shattered Star General to unleash a cute star crash on the monsters below.

The group had already exhausted all their efforts against the current situation, whether using magic blasts, terrain to block, or bursting buildings, nothing had halted the monsters’ march.

It wasn’t quite to the point of running out of ammo; if they fought tooth and nail against the abyss monsters, they could take several hundred out in melee—yet that would mean death for them too, upon reviving the monsters would regenerate as well, all for naught.

As the numerous abyss monsters showed no signs of diminishing, and they found themselves gradually encircled, Tami came up with a plan.

"Use Invisibility and the Secret Agent spell."

Invisibility was their last resort!

Chaos and others nodded in agreement, these spells were standard gear for the Skyrim Strategy Group members. Every member received these spells’ magic book pages upon joining and could learn from Mentor Obeck in the Magic Academy.

Maru used the last crystal scroll to unleash wildly growing crystals, hindering the monsters’ progress and obstructing vision, successfully allowing everyone to vanish temporarily from the monsters’ sight, taking the chance to wield their magic wands.

The instant the magic took effect, everyone’s figures disappeared from the rooftop, blending into the dim sky and grayish tiles.

Invisibility made them invisible to the naked eye, while the Secret Agent spell concealed footsteps and the faint clatter of armor, leaving the rooftop, which had just been crunching underfoot, silent apart from the shrill cries of abyss monsters rising and falling.

At this moment, everyone felt immense gratitude toward Obeck.

They lowered their bodies, moving stealthily along the rooftop away from the city gate.

The abyss monsters lost their target; the foremost batch, already on the rooftop, halted, their eyeless heads turning side to side, seeking the scent of prey anew.

Just when they thought they were in the clear, an abyss monster suddenly roared in their direction piercingly.

The flood surged again, a towering wave rushing forth!

"How did we get discovered, damn it!"

No longer bothering with stealth, everyone took off running.

Driven by the abyss’ thirst for humanity, they managed to find the hidden group.

Abyss monsters closed in from all directions, the rooftops ahead were already crawling with black shapes, innumerable claws and teeth surged through the alleys, with an oppressive sea of black stretching endlessly behind.

They were completely surrounded.

Maru scanned the surroundings, rooftops, alleys, city walls, ruins, everywhere were abyss monsters, so many that even the tall tower beneath them began to waver under their collective weight, threatening to collapse at any moment.

"Damn it, let’s just blow them up!" someone, driven by bloodlust, began to act impulsively.

As if there was any better option than blowing them up.

Were they to hope for a hero descending from the sky on rainbow clouds to save them?

"Huh?"

Maru twitched her nose. As an assassin, her senses were more acute than most, allowing her to pick out an unusual scent amidst the overwhelming monster stench, triggering a cringe-worthy memory of her past.

"Everyone, come here!"

She suddenly held back a teammate about to charge into a suicidal explosion, and the next moment, a cold gleam fell close past their bodies.

"Boom!"

The black sea formed by abyss monsters met its Moses moment, with a slashing scar of over ten meters suddenly appearing within the black tide.

It was as if the slashing mark contained a toxin to them, and with a clatter, they scattered in all directions, leaving an open space.

And in that open space, stood a figure both familiar and strange.

Moist armor, flowing headband, with the aura of a giant wolf, people immediately realized who it was.

It was Artorias!

Initially supposed to stop them upon entering the city, now the Wolf Knight appeared in such an unexpected manner!

"He’s come to rescue us? A development never foreseen!" Maru covered her mouth.

"Wait a moment, doesn’t he look different to you?"

Tami pointed at Artorias, saying:

"How’s his arm healed?"

This statement made everyone reassess him, revealing a different state than before.

Artorias stood tall as a mountain, wielding a Wolf Knight’s Shield in one hand and an Artorias Greatsword in the other, a Silver Necklace adorning his neck.

The aura he exuded was a wildness tempered with reason, entirely unlike the madness faced when people challenged him in the past.

The surrounding abyss monsters let out horrified howls, with those in the front retreating continuously, as if meeting a natural enemy.

Watching this, Tami finally comprehended the change.

"He... he hasn’t been corrupted by the Abyss."

"So, in other words..." Maru’s eyes sparkled, "this is Artorias in his prime!"

Thinking of this, she pumped her fist and cheered: "Come on, take down those abyss scum!"

Upon hearing this, Artorias leapt high with a Wolf Jump, slashing down into the gathering of abyss monsters with a spinning strike.

The earth shattered beneath its impact!