Chapter 71: Boss Killer
Belial felt the urge to curse right now.
The moment he stuck his head out, he knew he had screwed up.
No, in such a vast world, there was only one glowing, overpowered individual, so why did he have to show up right in front of him again?
What kind of goddamn fate was this?
When Orin Vale saw that it was actually an old acquaintance emerging from the magic array, he was pleasantly surprised.
This husk, this horrifying appearance, and that expression on his face that was uglier than crying, which clearly showed he recognized him—there was no mistaking it. It was that guy who shared a name with Belial!
Belial should be similar to Trigon; his true body couldn't easily come to the reality dimension. Just like how Trigon usually wanders the Myriad Realms sowing his seed, he relies on avatars, with the ultimate goal of summoning his true body.
But it didn't matter. Orin Vale didn't mind; he was even a little delighted. After all, even an avatar provides Experience, and based on this demon's darkness power level index, he could be considered an elite monster among all the mobs he had farmed so far.
An elite monster that respawns automatically, can you believe it? A renewable resource!
However, one person's joy is another's sorrow. While Orin Vale was happy, the one opposite him was miserable.
But Belial remained expressionless, feigning calmness as he tossed out a line, "I'm not familiar with him."
Laurie: "?"
The triumphant expression of having summoned his backer instantly froze on the Believer's face. The smile gradually vanished, replaced by shock and confusion.
Not familiar? That's not what you said last night!
Aren't you an Evil God? Didn't you trick me into believing you could do whatever you wanted in this world, that you were omnipotent?
So after all this, your ultimate move is to surrender?
Laurie was instantly filled with despair for this dark world.
Fake, it was all fake. Even the damn Evil God was fake...
Of course, Orin Vale ignored Belial's reaction. To him, it didn't matter if they were familiar or not. All that mattered was knowing the other party was a dark and evil villain, a walking bag of Experience. Beating him up couldn't be wrong.
He raised his right palm, condensing a Palm Cannon. But just then, a ghostly shadow emerged behind the Mobile Armor, a distorted shadow stealthily approaching him from behind.
"Watch out!" It was Raven's shout; she had followed him upstairs.
However, reacting after hearing her voice would have undoubtedly been too late. Orin Vale had already sensed something was wrong and, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, fired a Palm Cannon with a backhand motion. Belial, attempting a sneak attack from behind, took the blast square in the chest. His smoking body crashed through the wall behind him, tumbling onto the Outer Corridor amidst a pile of bricks and dust.
At the same time, the figure of Belial standing before Orin Vale with his hands behind his back turned illusory and dissipated into thin air.
It turned out to be an illusion left there. The demon, of course, knew that enemies would not hold back upon meeting. His words were merely a distraction for Orin Vale, an opportunity to launch a sneak attack from behind.
Obviously, the plan didn't go very smoothly.
Seeing his plan foiled, Belial let out a great roar. His wings spread as his figure shot up, flying directly into the Night Sky.
Orin Vale, relentless, activated his thrusters at full power, also rocketing into the air to give chase.
Two sonic booms. Transparent shockwaves erupted in the Night Sky with a pair of bangs. The demon and the armor broke the sound barrier one after the other, engaging in a supersonic battle in mid-air.
At this moment, the comprehensive upgrade in the Mark II Armor's mobility was on full display. Combined with Orin Vale's own superhuman reaction speed, the battlesuit easily dodged the magical blasts thrown back by Belial using various acrobatic maneuvers like somersaults, flips, and short bursts from its thrusters, while simultaneously retaliating with a barrage of firepower.
For a time, the Night Sky was filled with a dazzling, crisscrossing display of light effects. Missiles exploded one after another like fireworks. Dazzling Light Rays intertwined, and the combination of Artillery Fire and Magic created a deafening, shattering sound.
"Get... lost!"
Belial, having taken multiple hits and now wounded, roared in rage. He spun in the air, flying backward in a motion like a backstroke, his wings beating continuously behind him. At the same time, he crossed his palms, and a massive, intricately patterned magic array opened between them. Dark Flame, like a jet-black fire dragon, spewed forth towards Orin Vale!
Orin Vale extended his left palm. With a twist of his palm, the outpouring Light Energy instantly formed a circular barrier, protecting him like a shield. The fire dragon washed over the light shield continuously, the Dark Flame licking at the barrier.
A miniaturized version of the Ultra Barrier, it was also a universal skill. When Orin Vale upgraded the Mark II Armor, he had weaponized this ability. The battlesuit had multiple output ports that could support the barrier's deployment, and by expending a bit more Energy, it could even cover his entire body like a force field.
Just like now.
The Light Energy circulation accelerated, and the barrier formed rapidly, enveloping him in a transparent bubble. As the magical Dark Flame continuously washed over it, Orin Vale raised his right palm. Light Energy gathered, quickly transforming into a spinning light wheel, wreathed in faint, azure Electric Serpents.
Eight-Split Light Wheel!
The light wheel was thrown with unstoppable momentum, splitting the Dark Flame dragon in two!
Belial's pupils contracted. He flapped his wings frantically, desperately trying to dodge. Although he barely avoided a fatal blow, his left wing was still sliced off by the light wheel on the spot, dissipating into black smoke in the Night Sky.
The wingless demon let out a low growl and fell helplessly, crashing onto a Rooftop with a boom, smashing the top-floor Attic to smithereens.
Orin Vale followed, landing lightly. A black claw emerged with difficulty from the Ruins. Belial crawled out inch by inch, gasping for breath. He lifted his head, panting, only to be met with the sight of an arm with a clenched fist pointed at him, a warhead mounted on the gauntlet.
Belial's movements froze.
Wounded all over, one wing severed, he looked half-dead. Knowing the situation was hopeless, he decided to give up and lie back, bursting into laughter.
"You think you've won? You know nothing. The gate has been found. The ultimate terror will soon descend, and no one can stop it—"
BOOM!
A Specium warhead exploded in his face, and Belial was instantly consumed by a burst of flame.
Orin Vale calmly raised his arm as the mounting retracted into the gauntlet.
"So much nonsense."
At almost the exact same moment, Laurie, who had remained in the Abandoned Building, trembled violently.
He could feel that his connection to That Lord he had summoned was severed.
Laurie couldn't help but start trembling all over.
No way...
He remembered when he had nowhere else to turn and sought refuge with the big shots of the underworld. But he had sought refuge with three in a row, and all three had fallen, earning him the nickname "Boss Killer."
At the time, he had been very unhappy about it.
What Boss Killer? It was just that those so-called big shots were too weak. It was all a coincidence; he was just unlucky!
He resolved to find a powerful patron strong enough, to reach the pinnacle of his life and make all those who had once mocked him look at him in a new light!
But he never would have imagined that he'd find an otherworld Evil God to be his patron, and now it seemed that Evil God was dead too...
At this very moment, he watched as the little girl named Raven walked lightly toward him. Her small, snow-white hand opened, five fingers aiming at his face, as a magic array spun open in her palm.
Laurie stood frozen, staring blankly at the eerie magic array.
Could it be that I really am...
His thoughts were cut short.
The next moment, he felt himself being swallowed by an endless darkness.
(end of chapter)