The Paladin in the Abyss-Chapter 383 - 397: Entering the Room by Shadow Stepping

Chapter 383: Chapter 397: Entering the Room by Shadow Stepping

“The Tyrant Demon?” Lancelot furrowed his brow, “Kalalin never mentioned this kind of demon to me…”

“Demons often have different names in various worlds of the Prime Material Plane, especially in worlds where magic arts are underdeveloped and contact with the outer layers is limited,” the skull remarked with a look that seemed to view Lancelot as a country bumpkin, “Another widely known name for the Tyrant Demon is ‘Soul Hunter,’ a name derived from its practice of soul hunting on the Prime Material Plane during its youth.”

“Hunting?” Lancelot asked curiously, “I know that Succubi seduce people with primitive nets, Quasimodo Demons lead their masters toward corruption in the shadows, and Illusion Demons offer false power and glory; but how do these demons operate?”

“That’s exactly what makes the Soul Hunters terrifying: their method of harvesting souls is simple and crude—they directly devour the victims’ physical bodies,” the skull sighed, “It is said that a Soul Hunter is immediately transported to the Prime Material Plane upon birth, becomes an adult after devouring dozens of mortals, and then returns to the Bottomless Abyss. This means any Soul Hunter you encounter in the Abyss is already an adult.”

“This is the first time I’ve heard the term ‘adult’ used to describe fiends,” Lancelot looked at the skull somewhat surprisingly, “I’ve never seen a young demon before…”

“Then you should ask Kalalin about that; I’m just reciting what’s in my head like an encyclopedia,” Cromwell rolled his eyes at Lancelot, “Adult Soul Hunters rarely engage in the conflicts of the Abyss, much like hermits among demons, but don’t underestimate them. Although there is almost no record of an adult Soul Hunter’s combat abilities, they are the only Middle Rank Demons that can refuse a summons from a High Rank Demon, which clearly shows their extraordinary strength.”

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“Perhaps it’s the time they spent on the Prime Material Plane that makes them different,” Lancelot shrugged, “Before we go in, tell me about any special abilities these demons have and what to watch out for when dealing with them.”

“Young Soul Hunters are known for their soul-stealing gaze; they can weaken or even directly kill a target with their gaze. The abilities of adult Soul Hunters are unrecorded, but I guess they are stronger. If it looks like it wants to glare at you, just dodge; any inanimate object can block that gaze. Their dark skin blends perfectly into the shadows, and they prefer to fight in the style of Wanderers, launching deadly ambushes from the darkness with their claws,” the skull rambled on, “It’s said they also have another ability that can forcibly link their life with any living creature in their line of sight — any attack launched at them will inflict identical damage on the linked creature.”

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“That troublesome?”

Lancelot frowned, well aware of the situation. If Ulgog were to use this ability on Elothysia, or any other prisoners, that would indeed be tricky.

Yet, Lancelot wasn’t the kind to overthink in such situations. If it really came to that, he would attack without hesitation. If Ulgog wasn’t killed, those prisoners would still die, likely in a prolonged and painful manner. He, at least, would be avenging them, and saving even one was still a win.

Despite this, Lancelot still made an effort to think of a countermeasure. A sudden flash of inspiration struck him, and he took out a deep purple crystal amulet from his chest — the same amulet the Dark Guardian Enrique had handed over to them as he lay dying. According to what Elothysia said later, binding the amulet to a weapon before an attack could imprison the essence (or soul) of a dying demon within it.

“Good idea.” Cromwell watched Lancelot unscrew the iron ball at the end of Frostslash’s counterweight and stuff the amulet into the hollow sword hilt, “Such artifact-based magic effects cannot be replicated.”

“Hopefully, this will be of use,” Lancelot patted his belt, “Ready? Let’s go meet this legendary Demon General.”

“Is it too late to say I’m not going now?” the skull sighed but obediently flew to Lancelot’s belt.

Lancelot shrugged his shoulders and flicked his finger slightly, sending a small fireball onto the vines still coiling around the corpse of the Abyss’s three-headed dog. After he withdrew the spell, the vines dried up like plants dead for years in the desert, sparking up into a fierce blaze with just a spark.

As the flames leaped, they also created numerous shadows, and Lancelot activated the “gift” left by the Divine Artifact, Sareth’s Shield Eye. The world around him seemed to lose shape suddenly, and the shadows at his feet became tangible entities. The niche on the wall disappeared, replaced by a narrow black bridge leading to a circular platform that was the inside of the interrogation room he was entering.

Based on the shapes of these shadows, Lancelot could still infer the corresponding real-world structures, like where there were columns and where cages with live creatures were located.

He also saw the distinct silhouette of that particular demon, with its vast bat wings, bent huge horns, and long tail. The demon seemed to be removing an item with a conical end from a rack, the previous pliers seemingly no longer providing it any pleasure.

The magic interference in the center of the room was still present, and Lancelot couldn’t see inside, nor were there any connecting shadows in that area. But the demon’s action of changing torture tools at least indicated that the person inside was still alive.

Lancelot tried not to think about what the Succubus Paladin might have endured in this short time, instead focusing his attention on finding an appropriate point of entry. He could choose to jump directly behind that demon and attempt a surprise attack, or he could first appear in a hidden corner to get a clear view of the interior before taking action.

Considering the recent failed attempt, Lancelot dismissed the option of using Shadow Jump for a stealth attack. Moreover, the unknown nature of the enemy continuously unnerved him.

As the demon turned and walked towards the center of the room, Lancelot also activated Shadow Jump. His target was an area shielded by columns and bookshelves; if cautious enough, he was very likely not to be immediately discovered.

Entering and exiting the shadow form was achieved almost instantaneously, with Lancelot activating all the Cultivation Techniques for Concealing Breath that he knew, and upon exiting, he remained completely still, making no sound whatsoever.

He found himself facing a curved stone wall, underfoot a floor cast in metal. Fortunately, he hadn’t moved so much as a toe because moving on such a floor would have made it impossible for his Steel Boots to remain silent.

Next to him, the columns and furniture provided cover, blocking the red light shooting from the center of the room like flames. Along with it came the familiar and pained moans of Elothysia, as if someone was tearing strips of flesh from her body.