Crash!
The study window shattered inward as a dark figure hurtled through it from outside. A wave of savage, perilous aura flooded the room.
Elite Strigoi—mutated spawn!
Li Ang snapped out of his contemplation. The second wave of visitors drawn by the Light of the Fallen had arrived. But it wasn't Quinlan, for whom he had been anxiously waiting; it was the Patriarch's claws! Clearly, the Patriarch had no intention of negotiating. Direct seizure was his consistent modus operandi.
One, two, three... five, six! A full six of the diminutive, ferocious, and swift-moving spawn leapt into the room through the window.
Hiss...
Ominous shrieks filled the chamber. Unlike other Strigoi, spawn never walked upright. They adopted a bestial, four-limbed posture, scrambling onto bookcases, statues, even chandeliers—any elevated vantage point—circling their prey with predatory intent. In mere seconds, Li Ang and Abraham were surrounded.
How did the Patriarch cultivate so many spawn? Did he round up every deaf and mute child in New York?Li Ang pondered, even as Abraham launched himself at the nearest spawn crouched on the desk.
He drew the silver sword concealed within his cane, and the air in the room seemed to tense. The spawn leapt aside at the last moment—its movements agile and rapid—but Abraham displayed a nimbleness and ferocity belying his age. Moreover, his experience was vast; he seemed to anticipate the spawn's next move, his blade shifting three inches, already awaiting the creature's evasive path.
By the time the spawn sensed danger, the sword tip had already sliced across its flank. The cut was deep enough to disrupt its leap, sending it staggering back onto the desk, milky-white blood welling from the wound. Strigoi rarely felt pain in their limbs, but attacks with silver didcause them agony. The injured monster twisted, clutching its side.
Seizing the moment of distraction, Abraham swung his sword in a fierce arc aimed at the spawn's chin. The spawn instinctively jerked its head back, seemingly out of reach. But at that instant, the ghostly white silhouette of a wolf's head materialized before the silver blade, clamping its jaws onto the spawn's neck. In a flash, its head was separated from its shoulders. The head thudded onto the desk, then rolled to the floor, the cut surface smooth as a mirror. The headless corpse stiffened and fell backward with a heavy thud.
A mutated spawn that Li Ang found formidable had been dispatched by Abraham with seeming ease. Li Ang's eyes gleamed. His delight wasn't in the old hunter's skill, but in the potency of the silver sword. As expected, Abraham was stronger than his TV portrayal, and his sword was no ordinary silver blade. The spectral wolf head was undeniable proof—this was one hundred percent a Law weapon!
Li Ang licked his lips. Among Law artifacts, weapons were always the most coveted. For a warrior, one could lack armor or potions, but never a weapon. A weapon was a warrior's life!
This could be the first Law weapon I have a real chance of obtaining. I mustn't let it slip away. The question is how to acquire it without turning Abraham against me... That would be best...
As these thoughts raced through Li Ang's mind, the remaining spawn launched their attack. Their companion's death hadn't instilled fear but rather incited their savagery. Li Ang looked up to see two spawn already airborne, leaping from their perches to pounce on him from left and right. Six glinting claws and three hideous, fleshy tongues were poised to rend his chest and pierce his throat in the blink of an eye.
Li Ang dared not be complacent. He instantly summoned the Radiant Dawn. The guardian's golden sword swept out, blocking the right flank. The spawn from that direction twisted mid-air, evading the blade and soaring past overhead. But the spawn from the left had closed the distance, its jaw splitting into four serrated segments, its thick, elongated tongue shooting forth like a projectile. A green droplet fell from its stinger onto the marble floor, instantly sizzling a smoking pit into it. Clearly, the corrosive venom wasn't limited to their claws; their tongues bore it as well.
The fleshy tongue struck the shield in the Radiant Dawn's left hand with force. Based on previous experience in the bakery, a single such strike should have corroded a large hole in the shield. Yet the outcome was entirely different.
The shield, formed of concentrated mana, did show signs of corrosion, but the spawn suffered far worse! It leapt back from the ground, frantically retreating while emitting a shriek akin to being flayed alive. The tip of its tongue, including the stinger, was visibly charred black. How could it be burned when itwas the one attacking the shield?
Silver Flame of Light!
Upon closer inspection, one could see the Radiant Dawn's entire form was enveloped in a faint layer of silver-white flame. The flames were low, making them difficult to spot at first glance.
"The Ancient Silver Cross's description states: 'all tangible skills used by the wearer are enveloped in a layer of luminous flame'... Essentially, the Radiant Dawn is summoned through my skill, so her surface automatically generates this silver flame?!!"
Since obtaining the necklace, Li Ang hadn't summoned his Combat Guardian. He never imagined she could trigger the passive skill of the Silver artifact. This sudden discovery was an enormous, unexpected boon. With this silver flame aura, the Combat Guardian's combat power soared dramatically. Especially against dark creatures like the Strigoi, the light flame's effect was unparalleled. The 100 damage per second was secondary; the crucial part was the excruciating pain it inflicted, akin to a fear-inducing control skill that made fiends hesitant and fearful of approaching. The spawn recoiling with terror in its eyes confirmed this.
However, they were evidently driven by some unseen command. After just over a dozen seconds, they sprang from the ground once more, launching a coordinated assault.
By then, Li Ang held a remote control in his hand—for the UV lights installed throughout the study!
Flick! Flick! Flick...
One, two, three... eleven, twelve! A full twelve UV lamps blazed to life simultaneously, three in each direction, saturating every corner of the room in violet light. The shrieks of the Strigoi immediately filled the study, echoing throughout the cathedral. Under the UV radiation, it was as if they were bathed in direct sunlight. First, tendrils of smoke rose from their bodies, then sparks appeared on their skin, which blackened and charred, followed by their flesh and bones... all igniting! They clutched their heads, screaming, crashing about like headless flies. Those of higher level lasted slightly longer, but none escaped their fate of turning to ash.
System Notification: Host has slain a Lv5 mutated Strigoi spawn. Gained 100 Awakening Points.
System Notification: Host has slain a Lv5 mutated Strigoi spawn. Gained 100 Awakening Points.
System Notification: Host has slain a Lv7 mutated Strigoi spawn. Gained 130 Awakening Points... Awakening Level has increased to Lv4. 1 Law Source Light obtained.
System Notification: Host has slain a Lv6 mutated Strigoi spawn. Gained 110 Awakening Points...
Feeling the newly formed Law Source Light within him, a smile spread beneath Li Ang's mask. The Abyssal Knights waiting outside could scarcely imagine he was not only surviving but thriving in this Abyssal World, having ascended from Lv2 to Lv4 in just five or six days. He was now but a single step away from Lv5, where he would gain his second skill slot.
However, taking that final step wouldn't be easy. First, after suffering this significant loss, the Patriarch would likely cease sending Strigoi into this obvious trap to be slaughtered. The next confrontation would not afford him another opportunity to harvest them with UV lights. This particular "business deal" was a one-time affair.
Secondly, as his level increased, slaying lower-level Law Entities would yield diminishing Awakening Points. This essentially dashed any thought of grinding his way to Level 5 by slaughtering hordes of初级 Strigoi.