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Chapter 26: The Abyss Mage
"I told you to stay in the city!"
Amber yelled, panting, at the three ridiculously energetic brats running ahead of her.
"This isn't something kids should be getting involved in!"
Luffy, running at the very front, turned his head and pointed at Paimon, who was floating beside Amber, also panting.
"But Paimon gets to come outside the city!"
"I'm not a kid!"
Paimon stomped her feet in the air, huffing in protest.
Soon, they arrived at the site of Stormterror's attack.
The scene was a complete mess.
Several merchant carts were overturned, their goods scattered everywhere. The ground was marked with several giant, shocking claw marks.
Barbara and the nuns of the church were in the middle of treating the injured merchants. A holy aura of Hydro light enveloped the wounded, soothing their pain.
Ace, Luffy, and Sabo didn't look at the injured.
Ace's black eyes sharply scanned the surrounding destruction, searching for any traces Stormterror might have left.
Sabo crouched down, carefully examining the claw prints on the ground, trying to analyze the dragon's direction.
Luffy, however, tilted his head back, sniffing the air.
"That way!"
Ace suddenly pointed into the depths of the forest.
There, several large trees were snapped in half, leaving a clear opening into the unknown.
The moment he spoke, he was the first to charge out!
"Hey! Stop!"
Amber cried out, trying to stop them.
But Sabo and Luffy followed Ace without hesitation, disappearing into the woods in an instant.
"Seriously!" Amber gritted her teeth.
"Traveler! They ran off!" Paimon tugged on Traveler's sleeve, spinning in a panic. "We have to follow them!"
The group ran wildly through the rugged mountain forest for nearly half an hour. The surrounding trees grew denser, and the light began to dim.
Suddenly, a low, pained, and furious dragon's roar drifted from up ahead.
"Stop!"
Ace, at the front, abruptly raised his hand, his entire body tensing.
Everyone stopped instantly, even quieting their breathing.
Ace gestd at the others, then crouched down, silently approaching a large boulder up ahead.
They carefully peeked out from behind the rock.
The sight before them made everyone hold their breath.
It was the edge of a cliff.
The massive Stormterror, Dvalin, was lying on the cliff's edge.
His armor-like scales were covered in wounds, dark purple blood still seeping out. His giant wings hung limply at his sides, and every breath was a heavy pant.
And in front of this behemoth, stood a small, slender figure.
A boy, dressed in a green cape and matching beret.
He held a wooden lyre, a gentle smile on his face, as he looked up at the enraged and pained dragon.
"Don't be afraid..."
The bard-like boy spoke. His voice, like a clear mountain spring, carried a strange, calming power.
"I've returned, Dvalin."
"Whoa! What a giant dragon!"
Two huge stars exploded in Luffy's eyes. He pointed at the behemoth on the cliff's edge, nearly drooling.
"Let's go! Let's send it flying!"
As he spoke, he bent his knees, about to launch himself like a cannonball!
Bonk!
A fist slammed hard on his head.
"You idiot!"
Ace grabbed the back of Luffy's collar, pinning him to the ground, the veins on his forehead throbbing.
"You, be quiet!"
"Oww! Ace, what are you doing!" Luffy clutched his head, crying out in grievance.
"Can't you see!" Ace hissed, his black eyes filled with an unprecedented gravity. "This big guy... is not something we can handle right now!"
He looked at the terrifying aura radiating from the giant dragon. The aftershock alone was suffocating. His heart was pounding.
This was a power completely different from old man Garp's, but it was just as hopelessly strong!
"Let's see what that green guy is planning to do first!" Ace stared intently at the bard holding the lyre.
"Right, right!" Paimon flew over, her little face also full of tension. "Dvalin is in a lot of pain right now. If we rush in, we'll just make him angrier! That bard... he seems anything but simple!"
While they were talking.
The bard, the boy named Venti, plucked the strings of his lyre.
Twang
An ethereal, pure melody, like a mountain spring, began to flow.
"Don't be afraid..."
Venti spoke, his words carried on the wind, filled with a strange power that could soothe all things.
"Listen to the sound of this wind, Dvalin."
"This is the song of freedom, the one you know so well."
He sang softly, strumming his lyre.
The song, the music, turned into visible motes of cyan light, like countless flying dandelions, gently, softly, landing on Dvalin's massive, wounded body.
"Rgh..."
The great dragon let out a low, pained whimper.
His dragon pupils, which had been dyed scarlet with rage, actually showed a moment of clarity under the comfort of the cyan light!
The scarlet faded, revealing an azure blue, as pure as the sky.
But the next second!
Ominous, dark purple lines once again spread wildly from his neck!
"ROAR!"
Clarity and chaos switched frantically in his eyes!
He clutched his head, letting out an even more pained roar!
Just then!
A mocking, sharp, and malicious laugh suddenly rang out by the cliff!
"Hehehehe..."
A dark blue vortex appeared from thin air, and a short figure in a comical mask, holding a staff, jumped out!
"You think you can purify him!"
The Abyss Mage raised its staff, the tip gathering a cold icicle that radiated a chilling aura!
"The pain of the Abyss will be with him forever!"
"It's an Abyss Mage!" Paimon shrieked. "Be careful!"
Traveler didn't hesitate. The sword in his hand hummed, and his whole body turned into a streak of golden light, charging straight at the Abyss Mage floating in the air!
"Wind Blade!"
The moment he swung his sword, a cyan whirlwind wrapped around the blade, letting out a sharp howl!
The strike was as fast as lightning!
However!
Clang!
A crisp sound of impact!
The sharp sword light slashed hard against the pale blue ice shield surrounding the Abyss Mage, but it only sent a flurry of ice chips flying!
The shield... didn't budge!
"Hehehe... A foolish attack!"
The Abyss Mage let out a piercing laugh.
"It's useless! Useless!"