Ex rank talent Awakening: 100\% Dodge rate-Chapter 221: ABYSSAL TIDAL WAVE

Emperor Augustus stared at Greg—the arrogant man who had dared to oppose both his rule and the might of his empire. Behind the emperor stood every able knight and mage he could recruit on short notice, each one prepared to bring the full weight of imperial power down on this singular foe.

He hadn't wanted to deploy the empire's forces in full. Doing so against a single man felt beneath him—beneath the majesty of his empire. But Greg had become too great a threat, a blasphemous shadow over his reign. Holding back was no longer an option.

"In the end, confrontation between us is inevitable," Emperor Augustus said, his voice even, his expression cold and unreadable as his gaze bore into Greg.

"Indeed," Greg replied, a faint smile curling his lips. "Like I promised, I came back, didn't I?"

"Then this will be the last time you disrespect my empire," the emperor said calmly. He unsheathed his sword, its golden hilt glistening brilliantly under the sunlight like a symbol of righteous authority.

"Attack!" the emperor bellowed.

The command echoed across the castle grounds. His forces surged forward—numbering in the thousands, with even more encircling the perimeter, though spatial limitations prevented them from advancing further. Greg finally saw it—the empire's true might. Their overwhelming numbers were daunting. Even the weakest knight among them stood at level 50.

Greg exhaled, dismissing Heaven's Defier with a thought. He couldn't fight as he once had. That style would demand hours—if not days—of endless slaughter, and in his current state, fatigued and burnt out, such an approach would be suicide.

"Dragonification," Greg uttered, his tone calm and unwavering.

Two massive wings tore out from his back—one a deep abyssal blue, the other a sinister crimson red. His muscles bulged, growing larger yet tighter, denser. Glimmering scales crawled over his skin, sheathing him in armor that shimmered ominously in the sun, halting just at his neck. Claws extended from his fingers like razors, and his irises shifted—golden slits gleaming with draconic ferocity. His long hair billowed behind him, caught in the wind like a banner of war.

"Abyssal Tidal Wave!" he roared, his voice now deep and resonant with an ancient, draconic timbre.

From his maw erupted an unrelenting surge of blackened water. The wave crashed forward, swelling higher and higher until it swallowed the area whole. The abyssal flood glimmered with dark energy, a curse in liquid form.

Augustus's instincts flared. His eyes narrowed as he realized the danger—he leapt to a stone platform, avoiding the incoming tide. Several soldiers followed suit, their discipline saving them from annihilation. But not all were so fortunate. Those caught in the frontlines—or too slow to react—were swallowed whole. Their screams were brief, cut off as the water consumed them, body and soul.

For the first time in years, Emperor Augustus's face cracked. His eyes widened in stunned disbelief. Thousands—wiped out in a single attack.

His lips twisted in a grimace. So this was the scale of power Greg now wielded. It was becoming clear that sheer numbers would not be enough to overwhelm this monster.

[You have gained experience…]

[Congratulations! You have levelled up…]

[You have gained experience…]

[Congratulations! You have levelled up…]

[You have…]

[You have levelled…]

The system notifications chimed relentlessly in Greg's mind, each one a cold reminder of the lives lost. But Greg ignored them. There were more pressing matters.

"Summon ancient creatures of the deep," Greg intoned, his voice once more charged with power.

[The deep creature of terror, The Kraken, has heeded your summon.]

The system's message rang out as a portal split open in the middle of the abyssal waters. From its depths emerged a beast of legend.

Tentacles—long, thick, and glistening with malevolent power—rose from the water, followed by the monstrous form of the Kraken. The sheer scale of the creature dwarfed buildings. Soldiers froze, pale and trembling as the leviathan cast its shadow over them.

The Kraken wasted no time. With terrifying precision, it lashed out, coiling a massive tentacle around a stone tower crowded with soldiers. With a sickening crack, the structure shattered, its pieces dragged beneath the cursed water. Screams echoed—and then silence. A few quick-witted survivors leapt away just in time, landing on nearby platforms, but it only delayed the inevitable. The Kraken's wrath moved from one building to another, leaving nothing but death in its wake. frёewebnoѵēl.com

Panic gripped the imperial forces. They were powerless against this monstrosity. Their spells, their swords—none could touch it. Their counterattacks were meaningless.

Still watching with grim resolve, Emperor Augustus finally made his move.

"Grey Empire Imperial Technique: Secret Form—Black Hole," he whispered, raising his sword high.

A miniature void formed at the tip of his blade. With a swift motion, he slashed downward, and the black hole expanded, tearing through space. The abyssal water shuddered—then began to spiral inward, sucked violently into the void. In moments, the battlefield was dry once more.

The Kraken gave a defiant screech as its summoning grounds vanished, its body vanishing with a hiss as it was forcefully unsummoned.

Greg nodded slightly. He had to admit it—if the empire had been destroyed by just two attacks, he'd have been sorely disappointed. But Augustus had revealed a few cards up his sleeve.

"Attack!" Commander Harold roared, seizing the opportunity.

Soldiers surged forward again, hoping to keep Greg engaged in close quarters, denying him the space to unleash another abyssal tide.

But Greg only smirked.

"You're not the only one with soldiers of your own," he said coolly.

A portal shimmered into being behind him, its dark surface swirling with energy. From within emerged his followers—his believers.

Gob, the Dire Wolf King. The Kobold Prince. Zenith, the Ant King. The Ogre Leader. One by one, all the demonic creatures who had pledged loyalty to him stepped out, each radiating dense, oppressive auras that sent a wave of unease through the imperial soldiers.

Gasps and murmurs echoed as they beheld the army Greg had brought with him.

"Come now, don't look so surprised," Greg said with a mocking grin. "I never said I'd be fighting alone."

He turned to his believers, his voice rising.

"This is your chance to prove yourselves to me. Attack without mercy. Crush my enemies, and you shall be richly rewarded!"

A cheer erupted from his demonic horde. Eyes gleaming with fervor, they surged forward with deadly intent.

The battlefield ignited once more. Steel clashed with claw. Screams mixed with roars. Blood soaked the soil.

Greg folded his arms, watching with cool detachment as his forces tore into the empire's finest. Not one of his followers showed hesitation. Each fought as if death held no fear—only purpose.

And so, the war between a man and an empire began in earnest.