Chapter 105: The Great Decisive Battle Begins!

The shop manager knew in his heart that Cheng Feng was a demon hunter; he had no business meddling in the survival of monsters. He could have easily abandoned Xue Ju and the other cat demons to save himself, so why invite such immense trouble? Yet, Cheng Feng did not do so; instead, he chose the most perilous path to break through the encirclement.

"Manager, I am merely repaying the debt of you saving my life last night. If not for you, I wouldn't even be standing here," Cheng Feng said calmly. "Leave them to me. You can go and fight without worry."

The manager nodded, a dark light gleaming in his palm. He manifested a pure white mask and handed it to Cheng Feng. It was not the gray skull mask of the Dark Yaksha, for the manager believed a pure white mask suited Cheng Feng better.

Cheng Feng whispered, "Take care."

...

Outside, in the commercial plaza, the time was exactly 11:20 AM.

Beneath a leaden sky, a torrential downpour lashed the earth. The world seemed to have lost its color, washed in a somber, gloomy gray that brought a chilling, lonely atmosphere to the landscape. Numerous demon-hunting squads had established their formations, their spirits high as they stared solemnly at the luxurious maid café ahead.

Four elite members stood at the front as squad leaders, Liu Shiyu among them. The fifth elite member, He Moli, was guarding the far side of the perimeter to prevent any escaping monsters from breaking through.

Among the four elite captains was a man named Xu Ye. As captain of the third division for this operation, his internal state was one of abnormal excitement, contrasting with the stern expression on his face. At twenty-five, he wielded a spirit blade known as "Burst." His superpower was detonation; he could trigger an explosion in anything he struck. A battle maniac who relished fighting the strong, he felt no heavy pressure regarding this mission to purge an Abyssal; instead, he felt an unexpected thrill. He had long wanted to test the legendary strength of an Abyssal, and the thought of facing the Dark Yaksha left him exceptionally agitated.

"Patter, patter..."

The cold, lonely sound of rain resonated. Watching the maid café amidst the downpour, none of the demon hunters moved; they did not choose to rush in blindly. They could sense an incredibly powerful aura of darkness, one so potent it felt as if the air itself had become thick and heavy. It seemed the barrier that had been concealing the monster's aura within the café had been retracted, allowing them to finally perceive the energy radiating from the Dark Yaksha. It was truly astonishing, as terrifying as the rumors claimed. This overwhelming presence caused many in the crowd to stir, and even some of the intern hunters could not help but feel a tremor of fear.

Even before laying eyes on the Dark Yaksha, they knew clearly that they were about to face a monster of insurmountable power. Such was the strength of the Abyssal level. Even though the shop manager was now merely the former fourth-ranked Abyssal, he was still powerful enough that no one dared to underestimate him.

At the very front of the formation stood a squad of fully armored soldiers. They shouldered rocket launchers loaded with specialized shells, their dark muzzles aimed forward, locked and ready. Once the captain gave the order, they would unleash a full-scale barrage, blowing the café and the surrounding shops into ruins.

A battle was about to erupt.

Meanwhile, in the east, unnoticed by anyone, six hundred meters away on the rooftop of a building, stood a tall, black-clad figure. He was a man wrapped in a dark robe, with a massive sword strapped to his back that emitted a purplish-black light. The blade was inscribed with mysterious glowing runes—it was the legendary cursed demon sword, Hogni. Beneath his black hood, a pair of sharp, gleaming purple eyes watched the war zone, and a cold, clear voice emerged from his lips: "Finally, it begins..."

...

Everyone prepared for combat. The heavy rain did not touch the members of the Disaster Association; by releasing a faint trace of spiritual energy across their skin, they could repel the water.

Liu Shiyu stared at the café, her delicate brows slightly furrowed. She felt a vague, familiar presence. Despite the distance, she managed to catch it. Liu Shiyu possessed an innately acute perception; beyond sensing monsters, she could also detect those she was familiar with and spent time around.

This familiar aura... it was Cheng Feng! Why was he in the vicinity? If he had come, why didn't he join the combat team? No... Liu Shiyu's gaze flickered as she sensed the direction of that faint aura more closely. It seemed... it seemed to be inside that café. Why would Cheng Feng be there? That was the most dangerous place of all!

One of the elite captains issued the order to the armored soldiers: "Fire!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Following a series of explosive reports, the rocket launchers spat out blinding fire, and the projectiles streaked through the pouring rain, trailing plumes of smoke as they struck the café head-on.

"BOOM!!!"

A violent, deafening explosion ripped through the air, covering the entire view and sending a massive wave of scorching heat outward, followed by swirling gray smoke.

As the rain washed the area, the smoke quickly dissipated. The café had not been destroyed.

A tall, gray-black armored figure stood at the front, one wrist raised to block the strike. Small flames still flickered on the ground around it. Clearly, the rocket barrage had been intercepted by the Dark Yaksha with a single wrist, and its body had not sustained the slightest damage.

The crowd finally saw the Dark Yaksha. Its face was covered by a grayish-white, toothless skull mask, though it was not a mask at all—it was its face. Beneath the two hollow sockets of the skull mask, a pair of scarlet eyes burned with a murderous intent. Anyone looked upon by that crimson gaze felt an inexplicable, intense chill, as if death itself were descending. To meet its gaze was to be dragged into hell.

Its gray-black armor was as dark and polished as new. As the rain fell upon it, the armor caught the light, shimmering with a pale reflection. The terrifying Abyssal once known as the "Tyrant," an SSS-level hazard, had finally reappeared before the world after many years!

"Everyone, be careful," the elite captain who had ordered the strike whispered, his tone grave.

Xu Ye felt immense excitement, his voice unable to hide a hint of agitation: "This guy is truly strong!"

Liu Shiyu remained silent, her cold eyes locked onto the monster.

Under the gaze of countless demon hunters, amidst the raging storm, the Dark Yaksha spoke slowly.

"Whether human or monster, from the moment of birth, we have been plundering life. Survival is a process of committing sins. Therefore, life itself is a sin... I have slaughtered countless, my sins run deep, and so do yours... Come. Fight with all your might. Either judge me... or be killed by me!"

The Dark Yaksha’s aura expanded, stirring a cold, howling wind that seemed determined to overwhelm everything in the world. Having not fought in over a decade, the Dark Yaksha’s strength might not be what it once was, but it remained formidable nonetheless!

The decisive battle... had begun!