Chapter 48: Abyss Training

"Clausuna, where are my dragon beasts?"

"Aren't they standing right in front of you!"

"How come there's only one of you left? Where did the others go?"

"There are still thirty outside fighting. Do you want to go and participate?"

"How are eight more missing? Do you take me for someone who can't count or is easily fooled?"

"Those few were sold off by Vilna, hahaha. I feel your aura has grown much stronger. Did your true form break through to Legendary Rank?"

"Don't try to change the subject. Confess honestly: where did my dragon beasts go? Otherwise, I'll pull your teeth out."

"Don't pull them! I really don't know where they went. Even if you pull all my teeth out, it won't be of any use!"

"Then where did Vilna go? If you dare say you don't know again, I'll make you regret it today."

"She... she was lured away by Su Lai De. Really, I'm not lying to you. I truly don't know where they went."

"Fine, I'll believe you once. Where are the gains from this time? Don't tell me you didn't manage to get any money."

"I did. I brought back all the valuable things this time. I put in a lot of effort; I want half of the reward given by the devils!"

"I haven't even asked you for what you looted, and you dare to ask me for money?"

"Let's split that money eighty-twenty. You take eighty percent, and I'll discuss how to split the rest with those who participated. If we give it all to them, I'm afraid next time they'll only care about grabbing money for themselves. If we take it all, no one will be willing to raid next time."

"Fine, I'll listen to you this time. Aside from the Abyss Throat, you can pick a few items from the rewards; just don't take them all."

"I want that set of armor and the Hunter's Compass. The rest belongs to you. Sakavi, you've made a huge profit this time! One Abyss Throat is enough for you to use."

…………

"Braga, you are responsible for the Abyss training mission this time. Be careful. Remember not to exceed the exploration range of the Shadow Intelligence Agency from the past three years. If you encounter danger, you can abandon the Tusk Legion and return yourself; your life is more important than theirs."

"Master, rest assured. I, Braga, swear to the Ogre God Moragath that I will bring your legion back intact. It's just that I don't quite understand: with many of our high-level officials currently away, why go to Abyss No. 1137 at this time? This does not conform to your usual cautious style."

"The Black Forest has been quiet for twenty-nine years since we established our territory on this land. You must understand a fact: no force allows others to rise beside them unless there is a greater scheme. Time has never been on our side, and we must prepare for the possibility that Vilna and dozens of other high-level officials may not be coming back. New combat power must be cultivated as soon as possible."

"I understand your concerns. The elves, who always like to act behind our backs, are indeed not worthy of our trust. I will be careful this time."

"That's good. By rights, I should be the one personally commanding this first time, but our strength is currently severely depleted, and many forces from the Underworld have already begun to act. I cannot spare myself."

Having said this, Sakavi prepared to open the teleportation channel to the Abyss on the swamp water surface. He first drew a huge, extremely irregular circle. The lines of this circle were not smooth, but filled with jagged spikes and spirals, as if it were the orbit of a mad star.

Every time he completed a section, the swamp water surface would rapidly solidify, its color turning as black as charred coal, then slowly liquefying again, gradually becoming a dark green mud emitting an ominous aura. The function of this ring was to anchor space, preventing the channel's energy from spiraling out of control and tearing space, causing unclosable planar rifts.

Inside the outer ring, Sakavi began to carve a series of complex Abyssal runes. These runes were twisted, evil, and filled with malice. They were not "written" on, but "branded" into the water surface. These runes were the "medium"; they would send proof to the Abyss that this channel had no malicious intent and did not need to be overly repelled.

The core of the formation was a geometric pattern composed of countless inverted triangles and intersecting straight lines. This area was an energy converter; it would guide the ring's power and correctly connect it to the Abyssal barrier. At the intersection points of the pattern, Sakavi used dragon blood to mark nine imprints; they pulsed like nine beating hearts, emitting an ominous faint light.

After the formation was completed, Sakavi aimed the ring at the center of the formation and whispered ancient Dragon Tongue. Every syllable carried cold authority. The rough patterns on the ring began to light up, and dark green light seeped out from within, like lava flowing in veins. The ring became scalding hot, and the surrounding air emitted a "sizzling" evaporation sound.

Looking at the other side of the rift, the rolling, dark red sky, the ground was broken black floating rock, and in the distance, huge, indescribable outlines were moving slowly. Streaks of green lightning flashed across the Abyssal sky, illuminating this eternal battlefield. Braga waved his hand expressionlessly and took the lead in jumping into this world of demons.

When the last Ogre warrior jumped into the rift, Sakavi took the ring, the space closed instantly, and the formation pattern quickly became twisted and dim. After a few breaths, it turned into a black viscous substance and sank into the swamp. Even though it was only open for a short three hours, the environment around the swamp still underwent significant distortion.

The Pantheon has a complete system for purifying land contaminated by the Abyss, and it is very easy to purchase from the Astral Plane black market. Under the effect of the Lock of Order, the pollution was firmly controlled within a circle with a radius of three miles. The swamp water, which had become viscous and colored like turbid blood due to the pollution, rapidly returned to a clear state under the illumination of the "Holy Light Lamp."

Under the influence of Abyssal pollution, the ground no longer grew ordinary moss, but was covered by a layer of greasy, dark purple fungal mat. Stepping on it would make a sticky sound and emit a mixture of rotting fruit and tar. Human faces that screamed silently grew on the tree trunks, vines twisted like living snakes, and fruits turned into pulsing eyeballs filled with pus. Under the illumination of the Holy Light, all of this gradually withered away in wailing.

At the same time, in Abyss Plane No. 1137, the fully armed Vanguard of the Tusk Legion, under the command of Ogre Legion Commander Uglu, used the landing point as the center of a circle, instantly forming countless small defensive rings with enchanted tower shields and spears, clearing the scattered demons around the landing point.

He ordered the Vanguard Legion not to hold one point, but to move gradually toward the center by battalion, like a moving steel city wall, slowly and firmly sweeping and advancing outward, constantly expanding the safety boundary of the camp's core area. Their mission was not annihilation, but squeezing and driving, creating a relatively safe working space for the Shaman casters in the inner circle, so that defensive fortifications and a safe camp could be built before the demon army arrived.

In the inner circle, under Braga's urging, the accompanying "Geological Priests" quickly hammered huge "Obsidian Rune Stakes" deep into the earth. The rune stakes lit up, and the screams of Abyssal worms being purified came from underground, and the Abyssal energy contained in the land was quickly expelled.

At the same time, "Energy-Conducting Priests" began to lay huge trenches; they were not used for drainage, but to "channel chaotic magic energy." Through exquisite formation design, they guided the endless Abyssal energy in the surrounding environment to specific "energy release ports" at the edge of the camp, avoiding its disorderly accumulation within the entire camp.

As the formation construction neared its end, the first wave of organized counterattacks by demons arrived. A tide composed mainly of Berserk Demons and Dretch Demons surged from all directions. This level of army was not enough to attract the attention of powerful demons, but for the low-level demons that were everywhere, out of hatred for order, under the command of some small leaders, they would crazily come to launch suicide attacks.

The Ogre army had to use their own weapons to withstand the demon's offensive before the defensive fortifications were completed. When the demon's offensive was too concentrated in a certain area and was about to break through the Tusk Legion's defense line, Uglu would personally lead his heavy guard as a fresh force to launch a devastating counter-charge from the flank.

After the foundation purification and protection were completed, the engineering troops began to assemble prefabricated city walls with amazing efficiency. At this time, with the retreat of the Ogre army, the city wall itself became the front-line battle line. Ogre soldiers stood on the city walls that had not yet been fully closed, fighting with demons trying to climb up. At the closing point of the city wall, the most intense battle broke out. Finally, when the last brick was laid into the city wall, the entire legion erupted in a tired but victorious roar; they finally had a solid physical barrier.

However, this was not the end, but the beginning. Such a conspicuous and huge building would not only attract the attention of ordinary wandering demons, but also attract the attention of those demon lords who occupied one side. Further defensive reinforcement was still needed. After resting, the high-level officials of the Tusk Legion decided to take the initiative to attack and completely clear the first wave of demons.

Under the leadership of Uglu, the Ogre Heavy First, Second, and Third Legions left the city one after another. Under the cover of a large number of archers on the city wall, they began to advance rapidly. Seeing that they were no match, the demons quickly collapsed. Braga ordered the engineering troops to dig trenches in front of the city wall to stop the more troublesome demon lords behind.

The method of actual combat training was for various units to take turns on the city wall, under the leadership of different commanders, facing the combined attacks of different demon branches, practicing various city defense, counterattack, and emergency contingency tactics. The legion transformed rapidly from recruits to battle-hardened elites in the test of blood and fire. Only an army that had experienced the bloody battles of the Abyss was a qualified machine of violence.

However, despite having protective measures, ordinary Ogres still could not withstand the erosion of the Abyss. After five months, they had to be rotated and then undergo full-body purification. ===== CHAPTER 49 =====