Chapter 956: The Reluctant Ally

When Su Xiao reappeared, he was behind the small giant, his Dragon-Slaying Flash slashing repeatedly.

Puchī, puchī…

Dense slashes appeared on the small giant’s back; shattered armor fragments and blood sprayed everywhere. Massive Qinggangyingsuo energy flooded into the small giant’s body. After Su Xiao unleashed over a dozen strikes in an instant, the Soul-Electricity effect triggered.

His figure flickered; the desert sand dented from the impact as he appeared before the small giant.

Su Xiao gripped the blade with both hands, raised it, brought it down—blood sprayed—and a massive head flew upward. The motion flowed like water, clean and precise.

After taking Su Xiao’s full-force kick, the small giant’s fate ceased to be a battle—it became a one-sided slaughter.

Pūtōng—the small giant’s head hit the ground. From its neckless torso, blood gushed forth, soaking the sand into a thick, dark clot.

Blood slid down the blade of the Dragon-Slaying Flash. Su Xiao flicked his longsword, sending a spray of crimson droplets flying, then sheathed it and moved toward the contestant spectator seats.

After a moment of stunned silence, the arena erupted in deafening cheers. Sheets of paper flew everywhere; spectators who threw them wore sour expressions. The arena had set betting odds: Su Xiao’s was 1 to 0.2, the small giant’s was 1 to 10. Spectators bet purely on luck—the organizers provided no contestant profiles before the match, unless under special circumstances, like Su Xiao’s, where minimal information was leaked to boost the arena’s reputation. Also, contestants were strictly forbidden from participating in any form of betting.

“So this is the Annihilator? No wonder his reputation precedes him.”

“Their base stats were nearly equal, yet the battle was utterly one-sided. Those few strikes were nothing short of slaughter—elegant slaughter.”

“No wonder—it’s the Annihilator who ushered in an era.”

The cheers gradually faded as spectators began discussing the match.

“No wonder we’re allies with the Demon Clan—that decapitation was brutally satisfying.”

“Still, this Annihilator is still growing. Why is he entering the arena? It exposes his identity.”

“Unknown. Before this, only we received word of a new Annihilator heir.”

Ignoring the spectators’ reactions and commentator Hack’s analysis, as Su Xiao walked toward the contestant seats, he pondered one question: to what extent had his combat power increased?

The bonuses from the Hunter’s Set and the Direct Perception ability to melee combat were obvious. Thinking of the Hunter’s Set, he checked its third set bonus.

Set Effect 3: Hunter’s Spoils (Passive), Spoils Value +1.4%.

Spoils Value increased by 1.4%—not much, but not negligible either. Given his combat frequency, he’d reach 100% Spoils Value soon. Then, by consuming five Large Soul Crystals and three Golden Sources of Birth, the Hunter’s Set could ascend to Gold quality, and its enhancement would be staggering.

Before obtaining the Hunter’s Set and Direct Perception, even if Su Xiao could have defeated the small giant, he wouldn’t have won so effortlessly. Throughout the entire battle, the small giant never landed a single hit on Su Xiao. As the spectators said, it was elegant slaughter.

The small giant possessed immense strength and rich combat experience—but his speed was insufficient. With Direct Perception granting Su Xiao precise awareness, the speed gap proved fatal: the small giant couldn’t land a single strike. As for a war of attrition, Su Xiao wouldn’t give him the chance.

The Hunter’s Set’s bonuses were equally clear: Su Xiao’s previous attacks now pierced armor and defense, the +40% melee attack power clearly manifested.

No wonder so many fought over the Hunter’s Set—such a massive combat boost meant any melee fighter would crave it.

Moreover, with a +20% increase to maximum HP, Su Xiao could fight far more boldly. Unless struck in a vital spot, most enemies couldn’t kill him instantly. During his fight with the small giant, he’d repeatedly exposed himself within the giant’s optimal attack range. Without the +20% max HP, he never would’ve dared that.

Overall, Su Xiao’s evasion had skyrocketed, his attack power had surged, and his HP now surpassed even main tanks—laying a formidable foundation for his melee combat.

Su Xiao returned to the spectator seats. Lilim smiled beside him. Other contestants watched him warily; some had already noted his number, silently praying they wouldn’t face him.

“Gods and Buddhas, don’t match me against this monster. Amen.”

Detective Liloli sat nearby. Though she knew Su Xiao was strong, she’d never seen him fight—until minutes ago, when she witnessed it firsthand.

Detective Liloli now understood clearly: even with her hidden cards, if she faced Su Xiao head-on, she’d be ground into the sand—until sparks flew.

“Congratulations on winning your first round.”

Lilim spoke. Though she suspected Su Xiao had inherited the Annihilator’s will—or perhaps his own philosophy was already extreme—she still sincerely congratulated him on his first victory.

“What is the Black Abyss? I’ve only heard it’s a dangerous natural formation within the Void?”

“The Black Abyss…”

Lilim hesitated, then shook her head.

“You don’t need to know yet. No—you absolutely cannot know.”

“Why?”

Su Xiao frowned, turning his head toward Lilim.

“Uh… how should I put this…”

Lilim considered her words carefully—not to deceive Su Xiao, but to phrase it gently.

“Though we’ve known each other briefly, I’ve noticed you have a strong curiosity toward the unknown? No—it’s more like an exploratory drive. If I told you what the Black Abyss is, you’d likely try to go there. With your current strength, you’d be fine near the outermost edges. But if you descend a hundred meters below, you’ll die.”

Lilim glanced around, confirmed no one was watching, then quietly unzipped her cropped leather top. A black venomous snake tattoo stretched across her chest—upon closer look, it concealed a scar.

“This is what I got from entering the Black Abyss. My father and brother were right beside me—if not for them, I’d have died then.”

Lilim’s eyes scanned the surroundings. As someone turned to look, she quickly zipped her top back up. This succubus appeared open, but she had deep modesty.

“Not to mention my father and brother’s strength—back then, I was stronger than you are now. Don’t judge me by how I look now—I’m a High Demon, very strong. The kind who can hang you up and whip you.”

Lilim puffed out her chest. Indeed, she was “very strong.”

“If your power increases dozens of times, you might be able to explore the Black Abyss alone. How to describe it? Different people gain different things entering it—this phrasing fits best.”

Su Xiao’s eyes darkened in thought. From this brief exchange, he’d learned a few fragments about the Black Abyss.

“I won’t stay long. After this arena ends, I’ll leave.”

Su Xiao pulled out an apple, bit into it with a crisp crunch. Sweet-tart juice burst in his mouth—apple was one of his favorite fruits.

“So you’ll leave in three to five days? The arena’s pace is tight, and it only gets faster later. By the way, my father told me something before I came. He once fought alongside an Annihilator who saved his life. He’s always wanted to repay that Annihilator, but never got the chance—the Annihilator vanished too quickly, so fast the Demon Clan had no time to even send aid.”

“Now that you’ve appeared, Father asked me to ask you: what do you want? Some ability? Or rare resources? These won’t repay the debt of that life saved—but you’re not that Annihilator.”

Lilim’s words stunned Su Xiao. He’d fought his way through countless battles, yet never once encountered an ally offering gifts. His instinct screamed: is this a trap?

Then he reconsidered: the Demon Clan was one of the Void’s great races. If they meant him harm, they wouldn’t need such roundabout tactics.

From Lilim’s fragmented words, Su Xiao realized: he could make one request of the Demon Clan. This seemed like a chance to claim treasure—but it was actually a test of his character.

If Su Xiao asked for a specific treasure, the Demon Clan would surely obtain it—but then his relationship with them would grow lukewarm, not the bond between Annihilator and Demon Clan.

As for eternal allies—that was the Demon Clan’s way of honoring their promise. They were eternal allies to the Annihilator’s Shadow, but the Annihilator’s Shadow was an organization, not an individual. Annihilators were people, each with different personalities. The Demon Clan didn’t treat every Annihilator as an ally—if they did, they’d be foolish, or hopelessly rigid.

The Annihilator’s Shadow and the Demon Clan were allies, not superior-subordinate. The baseline of alliance was non-aggression; closer allies cooperated.

Su Xiao’s choice would determine whether the Demon Clan saw him as someone to avoid conflict with—or someone to actively cooperate with.

“Help me improve Alchemy.”

“Alchemy? Which branch?”

“Bio-Manufacturing.”

Su Xiao made his choice.

“You won’t ask for a specific treasure? We’re sincere.”

“As for treasure, I’ll take it myself later.”

“Take it…?”

Lilim was speechless. Shouldn’t he have said “I’ll obtain it myself”? Why did he blurt out “take it”? The Annihilator’s Shadow were clearly a bunch of bandits.

“Uh… this…”

Lilim hesitated—not because the request was too hard, but because it was too simple.

“If you can’t, forget it.”

Hearing this, Lilim’s heart skipped. Clearly, Su Xiao wasn’t greedy—but she actually hoped he was. He felt too dangerous. Words like “peace” had nothing to do with this human male.

“Of course… it’s possible. But it still depends on your own effort. Improving Alchemy is about accumulating knowledge. I can only provide an environment to accelerate your Bio-Manufacturing advancement.”

“In return, what must I do for the Demon Clan?”

“Huh? I already said this is a one-sided thanks—no return needed.”

“But you also said I’m not that Annihilator.”

Su Xiao tossed aside the apple core. There was no such thing as a free lunch—even if there was, it was rotten. He didn’t want to eat it.

Lilim sighed inwardly. This ally was more reliable than expected—but she didn’t want a reliable ally. His thinking was hard to follow. That blunt “take it” still bothered her.

“Follow me. You’ve got some time before your next match. Oh—and don’t steal anything!”

“You think I’m a bandit?”

“You are.”

“You seem to misunderstand me.”

“You just blurted out: if you want treasure, go steal it.”

“Don’t you steal your enemies’ treasure?”

Lilim had no reply. She let out a long sigh.