Chapter 136: Played

"But to think that you lost to a young whelp…" Asmodeus's voice was thick with disdain as he looked down at the trembling Baron Mortimer, his eyes narrowing with a predatory gleam. "It's quite pathetic, Baron."

Mortimer struggled to speak, to warn them of the terror that stood beside Adrian.

But before he could get a word out, a suffocating pressure engulfed him—a force so intense it made every bone in his body creak under its weight.

Seraphina, with her aura swelled like a tidal wave, drowning out all sound, all thought, until only sheer, unrelenting terror remained.

Her power crashed down upon not only him but to the three newcomers as well.

Baron Mortimer gasped, choking on his own breath as his limbs locked in place, his voice silenced by the crushing weight of her presence.

The three retainers, who had initially looked down upon these backwater nobles, had their whole body freeze.

Initially they thought they had to fight Blackthorn's men, but once they arrived here, they realized their opponent was just a young baron twerp from backwater region.

No matter the number of army under him, they thought as soon as they get him, it was game over anyway, so instead of attacking him, they mocked Mortimer.

But now, looking at their situation, they realized how wrong they were. They now were under pressure from someone at higher class than them.

Adrian glanced at the three figures, his gaze cold and appraising. With a subtle gesture, a translucent status panel appeared before him, displaying the attributes of each warrior.

Asmodeus

Title: Blood KnightClass: Abyssal KnightLevel: 82Health Points (HP): 2,200Mana Points (MP): 750Strength: 266Agility: 110Endurance: 210Intelligence: 95Charm: 45Luck: 40

Skills:

Abyssal Cleave: A devastating melee attack that channels dark energy through the blade, dealing massive damage and corrupting the enemy's health regeneration.

Bloodthirst: Passive ability that regenerates a portion of HP with each melee strike. Can enter a frenzied state when enemies are near death, increasing attack speed and damage.

Dark Vanguard: Summons a shield of abyssal energy, reducing damage taken by 30% for 20 seconds. Can absorb and reflect a portion of incoming magic attacks.

Blood Oath: Sacrifice HP to increase Strength and Endurance for a limited time. The boost depends on how much health is given up.

Soul Reaver: Absorbs the soul energy of fallen enemies to restore mana and health. The more powerful the enemy, the greater the restoration.

Shadow Leap: Teleport to a target within a short distance, striking them from behind with a critical blow. Deals extra damage to enemies affected by bleeding or curses.

Dread Presence: An aura that reduces the combat effectiveness of nearby enemies by lowering their Strength, Agility, and Intelligence. Can also cause weak-willed enemies to flee.

Abyssal Summon: A skill that allows Asmodeus to summon an abyssal beast and inhibit his body, granting him increased attributes and abilities of the beast.

Isolde

Class: Grand EnchantressLevel: 81Health Points (HP): 1,300Mana Points (MP): 2,400Strength: 55Agility: 125Endurance: 95Intelligence: 235Charm: 95Luck: 65

Skills:Arcane Binding: Immobilizes enemies within a large area, trapping them in place with arcane chains. Can also weaken magic resistance.

Elemental Mastery: Grants control over all elements (fire, water, earth, air), allowing Isolde to create powerful elemental attacks or shields depending on the situation.

Mana Infusion: Infuses an ally or herself with raw mana, significantly boosting Intelligence and Magic Power for a limited time.

Arcane Storm: Unleashes a storm of pure arcane energy, dealing heavy damage in a large area. The storm also disrupts magic spells, silencing enemies for a short period.

Enchanted Ward: Creates a protective barrier that absorbs damage and reflects a portion of magic attacks back to their caster.

Mystic Charm: Enchants weapons or armor to enhance their properties temporarily, granting increased power, speed, or resistance to allies.

Witch's Dominion: Isolde exerts control over the battlefield, altering the environment to create hazards such as magical traps or terrain that hinders enemies.

Vincent

Title: The Lightning FistClass: Lightning BrawlerLevel: 80Health Points (HP): 1,500Mana Points (MP): 950Strength: 195Agility: 180Endurance: 135Intelligence: 165Charm: 60Luck: 50

Skills:Thunderous Strike: A melee attack charged with lightning, dealing significant physical and magical damage. Has a chance to paralyze the target for a few seconds.

Flash Step: Move at blinding speed to instantly close the distance between Vincent and his opponent, followed by a quick strike. Can be used consecutively for rapid movement.

Fists of Fury: A rapid combination of punches charged with electrical energy, overwhelming the enemy with relentless attacks that build up static charge, increasing damage with each hit.

Storm Shield: Surrounds Vincent in a shield of crackling lightning, reducing damage taken and shocking any enemy that gets too close.

Lightning Aura: Passively boosts Vincent's Agility and Strength in combat, allowing him to deliver faster and harder-hitting attacks. Enhances evasion and counter-attack capabilities.

Overcharge: Temporarily boosts all stats by drawing power from Vincent's mana. While in this state, all attacks deal additional lightning damage, but he is drained after the effect wears off.

Skybreaker: A powerful jump attack where Vincent channels lightning into his fist and descends onto the enemy with crushing force, creating a small shockwave that stuns all nearby opponents.

Adrian's gaze lingered on the translucent panels before him, his frown deepening as he observed the strength of the enemies before him.

His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he turned his attention to Seraphina. "Does it make sense that Count Blackthorn's people would be so easily and quickly detected by Count Vortigern?" he asked, his voice low but sharp, the wheels in his mind turning.

Seraphina's lips curled into a knowing smile, her approval clear in her eyes. "Good, it seems you've realized it, my dear husband," she said softly, her tone brimming with satisfaction. "As expected of you."

Adrian's frown shifted into a cold smile. "It looks like we've been played by the Blackthorn family. They seem to be too eager to tie us to their ship huh," he remarked, his voice cold. "But no matter. Let's deal with that later."

He turned back to the three warriors standing before them, all frozen in place by the sheer weight of Seraphina's power.

"For now, Aunt, I want to see my limit," he said, his voice brimming with quiet anticipation. "Can you isolate the strongest one? Let me fight him."

Seraphina gave a graceful nod, her eyes gleaming with pride. "Of course."

Sophia, who had been quietly observing from the side, stepped forward. The eagerness in her eyes betrayed her curiosity about the newcomers.

She had been listening to the exchange, and her expression now mirrored Adrian's intensity. "Aunt Seraphina," Sophia interjected, her voice steady but brimming with excitement.

"Do the same for me. I want to see how strong I've become after a year of training."