Ashen Dragon

"I will help you!"

Everyone turned to the source of the voice, only to see a towering, incredibly strong Barbarian player standing on the earth.

The great axe in his hand was stained with blood, his body covered in the filthy meat of demons, his eyes slightly red, and white smoke spouted from his nostrils, like a chosen one from the God of Slaughter, Baal.

This was the Natural War Maniac, recognized as the most powerful Barbarian player in "Erezer".

The Six-Armed Serpent Demon sneered coldly, "Just you? Even if thousands of you mortals came, you would all be crushed by the great power of The Abyss!"

Suddenly, piercing screeches echoed through the sky.

The six arms stretched out, waving in the air, as rippling black light expanded. Players who were too close had their blood vessels burst open, blood spraying out, their entire bodies exploding.

The player at the front had even their helmet caved in, eyeballs bursting into a mist of blood under the pressure inside the skull.

Even the Mighty Heavenly Dragon spat blood, veins bulging as he channeled his body's energy to barely support himself, preventing self-detonation like his teammates.

"Die, you worm..." The Six-Armed Serpent Demon's sinister laughter echoed across the battlefield, like the hiss of a snake, chilling to the bone.

Seeing this, the Natural War Maniac hesitated no more; he let out an extremely furious battle cry, his muscles bulging, and his eyes emitting a raging red light.

"Aaaaaa——"

Yet this was not over; the Natural War Maniac pounded his chest, causing the Inverted Hexagram Array branded on it to emit flashing red light. Hellfire erupted from his eyes, nostrils, mouth, and even pores.

At this moment, the Natural War Maniac was enveloped in scarlet light, his entire body seemingly ablaze.

The Mighty Heavenly Dragon's expression froze, murmuring, "This can't be..."

In the Chaos Fog, the Six-Armed Serpent Demon's eyes flickered with ghostly light, its expression also changed dramatically, the hatred in its eyes deepening — because it sensed a familiar aura.

These demons from The Abyss know no martial virtue. Almost instantly, the Six-Armed Serpent Demon twisted its snake-like lower body, waving numerous weapons, dragging the abyssal black mist as it lunged at the Natural War Maniac.

"So it's a Hell's bastard!"

"Boom——"

The sound of the air exploding arose, as in the blazing flames, the Natural War Maniac's body swelled crazily, becoming even more gigantic.

Huge, spiraling horns protruded from his head, broad wings spread from his back, menacing bone spikes emerged from his joints, his whole body emitting a strong purgatorial pressure, seemingly intent on incinerating everything around...

In just a few seconds, the Natural War Maniac transformed into the most powerful high-ranking demon of Hell — the Deep Domain Demon Refiner!

"Die!"

The Six-Armed Serpent Demon roared, lunging forward, spear, great sword, and great axe shrouded in black light, descending upon the Natural War Maniac simultaneously.

As the great sword was about to slash into the menacing black silhouette, a deep, dark eye suddenly opened amidst the flames, blood-colored light emanating from its pupil, even causing the Six-Armed Serpent Demon to tremble.

How is that possible?

How could it fear a mere mortal — even if blessed by Hell?

"Clang——"

A massive claw caught the great sword, sparks flew as the Devil's scales collided with the blade.

Six-Armed Serpent Demon's face twisted, using its remaining five arms to swing weapons at the fiery, obscure figure.

However, the Natural War Maniac swung the battle axe with force, a series of metallic clashes ringing out, and under the tremendous strength, those weapons were knocked away in one blow.

The Six-Armed Serpent Demon's giant hammer flew from its grip, embedding deeply into the ground, and the battle axe shattered on the spot, turning into countless filthy shards.

The Natural War Maniac fixed his gaze on the sinister demonic figure in the black mist, panting heavily, sulfurous smoke billowing out, as the malicious aura swirled around the body of the Deep Domain Demon Refiner.

With the combined support of the Barbarian Rage and the Deep Domain Demon Refiner form, his strength soared to a terrifying 26 points, undoubtedly at boss level.

Boosting strength comes at a cost.

The Deep Domain Demon Refiner state could only last three minutes, with a three-day cooldown, and each use permanently drained the user's vitality.

Thus, his time was exceptionally precious.

Only by personally slaying the Six-Armed Serpent Demon could he recoup the cost of assuming the Deep Domain Demon Refiner form.

With almost no hesitation, the Natural War Maniac flapped his powerful wings, soaring in the flames, wielding his battle axe, roaring with fury, "Demon, the one about to die—is you!"

"Swoosh——"

The Natural War Maniac dove down, the battle axe sweeping with intense flames, slicing through the air, slashing heavily toward the head of the Six-Armed Serpent Demon.

The Six-Armed Serpent Demon twisted its body in the black fog, suddenly thrusting a spear at the heart of the Natural War Maniac.

However, the Natural War Maniac in mid-air changed from a vertical chop to a slashing diagonal cut, swinging his battle axe to carve a nearly perfect half-circle through the air.

The blade, imbued with hellfire, cleaved through the Six-Armed Serpent Demon's spear along with its arm with swift precision, spraying murky blood in all directions.

"Damn bug!"

The Six-Armed Serpent Demon let out a roar of agony, suddenly spewing a thick poison from its mouth, which narrowly missed the low-flying Natural War Maniac.

The glob of poison hit the ground, creating a sizzling sound as it corroded a deep pit into the earth, from which billowed thick, dark yellow toxic smoke.

Had the Natural War Maniac attacked directly with a jump slash earlier, the poison would likely have landed straight on his chest, corroding away a large part of his body along with his heart.

The Natural War Maniac flapped his wings in the air, swinging the battle axe once more as he charged towards the rear of the Six-Armed Serpent Demon.

However, the Six-Armed Serpent Demon also twisted its body, its remaining five arms wielding lethal abyssal blades, barely holding back the onslaught of the Natural War Maniac.

"Mortal, your time is running out, isn't it? After all, a human's body can't withstand the power of the Deep Prison Demon Refiner for long." The Six-Armed Serpent Demon stared viciously at the Natural War Maniac, speaking in a hoarse whisper.

"Killing you is enough—" the Natural War Maniac roared in anger, his arm muscles bulging as the battle axe pressed against the five abyssal weapons, with searing hellfire erupting from the blade.

The black light from The Abyss and the flames of Hell interweaved, contending against each other fiercely, leaving the battlefield in a stalemate, with formidable evil pressure erupting around, causing almost all mortals within a hundred meters to faint.

Neither the Natural War Maniac nor the Six-Armed Serpent Demon showed any weakness, each waiting for the other's mistake.

Once a flaw appeared, the moment deciding life or death would arrive.

In the midst of the stalemate, an angry shout resounded from behind the Six-Armed Serpent Demon.

"Snake Demon, reign in your arrogance!"

The Mighty Heavenly Dragon leaped into the air, with eight fists whirling and striking in the air, creating a strong gale with each blow carrying dazzling light.

This was not the light of the Buddha, but the divine power from the Mighty Heavenly Dragon using the Holy Fist Technique scroll—though it was similarly effective in vanquishing fiends.

Feeling the "nauseating" holy aura, the Six-Armed Serpent Demon twisted its head in terror, gritting its teeth and hissing, "Damn mortal, how dare you?!"

Terrifying soul pressure emanated from the Six-Armed Serpent Demon, making all things tremble and shiver.

But the Mighty Heavenly Dragon, with his martial monk traits, bore it with a still heart and steadfast will.

He swung his fists, roaring fiercely, "Mighty Heavenly Dragon, World Honored Ksitigarbha! Daluo Spell, Prajna Buddhas! Bodhi Bama Hong! Soaring Dragon!"

"Bam!"

"Bam! Bam! Bam!"

In an instant, ghostly shadows danced, countless fists carrying "Buddha's light" bore down on the grotesque demon form of the Six-Armed Serpent Demon like a tempestuous rain.

Pummeling its armor to shards, blood splattering, with its back bearing scorched black imprints of fists clearly etched.

The Six-Armed Serpent Demon let out a heartrending wail, shuddering wildly under the barrage of punches, roaring in near insanity, "Mortal, I will tear you apart, I curse you, you will be devoured by the Abyss!"

Yet the Mighty Heavenly Dragon remained indifferent, like a relentless punching machine, swinging his fists amidst surging chaos fog, crazily attacking, even breaking his opponent's spine.

Finally, under the pincer attack of the two top players, the Six-Armed Serpent Demon coughed out a large mouthful of foul black blood, and the strength in its arms abruptly weakened.

The Natural War Maniac, seizing this opportunity with precision, suddenly exerted force, swinging the giant axe heavily to knock away all the abyssal weapons.

His transformation time had only a few seconds left.

And this was the perfect chance to kill this Six-Armed Serpent Demon!

"Die!"

The Natural War Maniac leaped high over ten meters, whirling the battle axe that exuded hellfire and brought it down in a fierce jump slash aimed at the Six-Armed Serpent Demon's head, with such terrifying force that the surrounding space began to crack.

"Slash—"

The axe blade sliced through flesh, cleaving the skull and pulverizing the brains, from the crown, splitting the Six-Armed Serpent Demon's entire head into two, with muddied brain matter spraying out.

Yet it was not over. Under that terrifying force, the Six-Armed Serpent Demon's neck was also cleaved, its spine severed in the middle, even its still-beating heart was split in two, the cut neat and scorched.

With an all-out strike from the Natural War Maniac, the entire upper body of the Six-Armed Serpent Demon was split open, black blood, dense toxic fumes, and countless squirming maggots pouring out.

Under the combined assault of the players, this cruel and malevolent high-ranking demon was thus slain.

In the next moment, the Natural War Maniac's body dramatically shrank, reverting to the form of a robust human, with smoke emitting from all over as if he were breathing heavily, even finding it difficult just to breathe.