Hunter of the Lost Gates-Chapter 40 - : War of the Abyss

The battlefield **erupted into chaos.**

Abyssal creatures surged forward like a tidal wave, their **twisting forms colliding with the armored warriors of the Hidden Order.** The air crackled with energy, the clash of abyssal power against disciplined steel sending shockwaves through the ruins.

Sai barely had time to breathe before **Ezren was on him again.**

The Warden of the Hidden Order moved like **a specter**, his black armor reflecting no light, his abyssal-forged blades humming with lethal energy. **He was fast—faster than anyone Sai had ever fought.**

Sai raised his daggers, barely **blocking the first strike.**

But the force behind it sent a **numbing vibration** through his arms.

Ezren didn't slow. He pressed forward, his movements **flawless, practiced, ruthless.**

**Left strike. Right feint. A sudden downward slash.**

Sai dodged the first two, but the third scraped against his shoulder, **searing through his jacket and cutting into flesh.**

Pain flared, but Sai **didn't have time to react.**

Ezren was **relentless.**

Sai activated **Phantom Step**, vanishing into the abyssal mist—

But the moment he **reappeared behind Ezren**, the Warden was already **waiting for him.**

Sai barely had time to see the incoming **kick** before it **slammed into his stomach**, sending him **flying backward.**

He crashed into a broken pillar, the impact knocking the air from his lungs.

Lena, still engaged with the other soldiers, risked a glance toward him. "Sai!"

Sai coughed, forcing himself up. **Ezren was no ordinary opponent.**

He wasn't just strong. **He was reading Sai's movements.**

*He knows how I fight.*

Sai gritted his teeth. *Then I'll just have to fight differently.*

---

### **The Dance of Shadows**

Ezren didn't hesitate. He advanced, **closing the distance in seconds**, his blades flashing toward Sai's throat.

But this time—**Sai didn't meet him head-on.**

Instead of dodging backward, Sai **stepped forward**, throwing himself **inside** Ezren's guard.

Surprise flickered in the Warden's posture.

Sai's dagger struck—**not the armored chest, but the joints of Ezren's wrist guard.**

A precise, calculated **cut.**

Metal **groaned** as the armor dented, and for the first time, Ezren's grip on his sword **wavered.**

Sai pressed the advantage.

**Instead of relying on raw power, he relied on instinct.**

Feint left. Bait an attack. Redirect. **Use the Warden's own speed against him.**

Ezren adjusted quickly, **but now the fight was different.**

Sai wasn't just trying to win.

He was **adapting.**

A sudden **spike of power** rippled through the battlefield—

And that's when Sai **felt it.**

The creatures.

His creatures.

They weren't just **fighting.**

They were **waiting for his command.**

For the first time since the battle started, Sai **let go.**

And the Abyss **answered.**

---

### **Command of the Abyss**

The abyssal creatures, once fighting **like wild beasts**, **shifted in unison.**

Their attacks became **coordinated**, their movements **refined.**

One of the larger beasts—a **massive, four-legged creature with obsidian horns**—let out a guttural roar before **leaping toward Ezren.**

Ezren's eyes **flashed**, his sword carving a precise arc as he cut the beast down in a single swing.

But in that moment of distraction—**Sai moved.**

He surged forward, his dagger **aiming for Ezren's exposed flank.**

Ezren twisted, barely avoiding the strike, but Sai's second blade was already **in motion.**

A sharp **slice.**

Sai's dagger cut **through the Warden's shoulder guard, breaking the armor's perfect plating.**

Ezren **clicked his tongue.**

For the first time, his stance shifted—**he had been injured.**

Lena, still fending off another wave of soldiers, saw the opening.

She launched her chakrams, **aiming directly at Ezren's back.**

But before they could land—

A **shockwave of abyssal energy** erupted from the Warden.

Lena was **thrown backward**, skidding across the stone floor.

The 𝘮ost uptodat𝑒 novels are pub𝙡ished on freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

Sai was **forced to retreat**, barely avoiding the sudden burst of power.

Ezren exhaled slowly, straightening. His wounds weren't severe, but Sai could tell—**he wasn't underestimating them anymore.**

"You are more troublesome than I expected," Ezren admitted, his tone unreadable.

Sai wiped blood from his mouth. "Yeah? You should meet me on a bad day."

Ezren tilted his head slightly, as if considering something. "Your power... it is not yet complete."

Sai tensed.

Ezren's grip on his sword tightened. "Allow me to correct that."

And then, **he removed his helmet.**

---

### **The Warden's True Power**

Ezren Vale had always been **a mystery.**

Rumors surrounded him. Some claimed he was the strongest warrior of the Hidden Order. Others whispered he was **something more than human.**

But the moment his helmet hit the ground, Sai **understood.**

Because Ezren's eyes **were not human.**

They burned **with the same abyssal gold as Sai's.**

Lena whispered, "Oh, that's not fair."

Ezren rolled his shoulders. The air **warped around him,** abyssal energy rising like a storm.

"I have been watching you for a long time, Sai."

Sai narrowed his eyes. "That's creepy."

Ezren ignored the remark. "You are powerful. But you are **incomplete.** The Abyss has chosen you, yet you hesitate."

Sai clenched his fists. "And what? You think you're gonna help me fix that?"

Ezren's lips curved into **the faintest hint of a smile.**

"I am going to show you what happens to those who hesitate."

Then—**he moved.**

Faster than before.

Faster than Sai could **react.**

Abyssal energy **exploded outward**, and the world **blurred.**

---

### **Clash of Abyssal Wills**

Sai barely blocked the first strike.

But the impact sent a **shockwave through his entire body.**

Ezren's strength had **tripled.**

The second strike followed immediately, and Sai couldn't dodge—he had to take it.

The Warden's blade **tore through Sai's defenses**, carving a deep wound into his side.

Sai **staggered.** His knees buckled.

Lena screamed, but she was still fighting the other soldiers. **She couldn't reach him.**

Ezren stood over him, golden eyes burning.

"This is the difference," he said, voice calm.

Sai **growled.**

He felt **the Abyss churning inside him, but something was missing.**

He was holding back.

Why?

Because he feared it?

Because he didn't want to **become like the Abyssal King?**

Ezren sighed. "You are still resisting."

Sai coughed, blood dripping down his chin.

And then—he **stopped thinking.**

He let **go.**

---

### **The Heir Rises**

The moment Sai released his hold, the **world shook.**

His body **ignited** with abyssal energy, stronger than before.

Ezren took a step back, surprised.

The abyssal creatures, once hesitant, **roared as one.**

And Sai—**no longer just reacting, no longer just surviving—**

**Commanded.**

The abyss answered.

The ruins trembled.

And Ezren—**for the first time—looked truly interested.**

Sai stood tall, wounds closing as abyssal power **surged through his veins.**

He rolled his shoulders.

"Alright," he said, voice steady. "Let's try that again."

Ezren's golden eyes gleamed.

And the **true battle** began.