The Rich Cultivator-Chapter 296. Abyss Hunters (2/2)

The deafening sound tore through the battlefield like a storm, sending shockwaves in one direction.

In an instant, hundreds of warriors—beastmen, elves, humans—were shattered into pieces, their bodies exploding into a fine mist of blood and flesh.

The fog cleared in that direction, revealing nothing but carnage.

The survivors were frozen in terror, but another voice snapped them back to reality.

"Formation! Formation! Now!"

A group of warriors rushed forward, their movements synchronized as they formed a massive energy shield. The glowing barrier spread wide, encasing them in a protective dome.

The creature roared again, the sheer force of its voice attempting to tear through their defenses. The shield shook violently, but held firm.

The T-Rex paused, its glowing red eyes narrowing as it observed them. Then, without warning—

It turned and swung its tail.

A colossal tail, larger than the mightiest of warships, slammed into the shield with earth-shattering force. The ground trembled violently, and cracks formed along the shield’s surface.

The defenders braced themselves, their knees buckling under the immense impact. But they survived.

The creature growled, seemingly dissatisfied. It stared at them for a long moment, then—

It turned away.

With slow, deliberate steps, it disappeared into the fog.

The warriors stood frozen, gripping their weapons tightly as they listened.

The footsteps faded. The ground, once trembling under the beast’s weight, finally settled.

Then—silence.

Someone exhaled shakily.

"It’s gone..."

They barely had time to catch their breath before—

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Footsteps.

Louder. Closer.

The shield flared to life, glowing bright as the warriors raised their weapons again.

The ground shook violently beneath them. The vibrations weren’t coming from the front—but from behind.

A realization dawned on them, spreading like ice through their veins.

"...Wait. The creature left in the other direction."

A long, tense pause.

Then—

"I... I hear footsteps from behind."

The words sent a ripple of pure dread through the group.

The warriors turned as one, their eyes wide.

From the dense fog behind them—

A monstrous jaw emerged.

With a horrifying snap, it closed around dozens of warriors, dragging them into the abyss of its throat.

Screams tore through the air.

Blood splattered against the inner surface of the shield as the unfortunate souls were devoured whole.

"We’re under attack! Again!"

The remaining warriors reacted instantly, shifting their defensive stance.

This time, they changed their formation—the energy shield morphed into a dome, sealing them within.

The beast let out a guttural growl, circling them, testing their defenses.

Then—it struck.

The battle erupted in full force.

Spells flew in every direction—fire, ice, lightning, and wind—exploding against the beast’s scaly hide. Warriors wielding enchanted weapons slashed and stabbed, aiming for its joints and eyes.

The T-Rex retaliated with ferocious, calculated brutality.

It lunged, its teeth piercing through armor and flesh, dragging more victims into its gaping maw. It smashed the ground with its tail, sending warriors flying like ragdolls.

The survivors fought with desperation, their movements fueled by pure survival instinct.

But deep down—they knew the truth.

The Abyss had no mercy.

And this battle...

Was a losing one.

---

Far from the Battlefield

Far away from the carnage, in an elevated chamber adorned with gold and crimson, a man in golden armor sat leisurely on a makeshift throne.

His throne, however, was not made of metal or stone—but of a naked man, kneeling on all fours beneath him.

The golden-armored man exuded dominance, his piercing gaze locked onto a holographic screen before him. The display projected the perspectives of the warriors battling the colossal beast, shifting between their frantic movements and terrified expressions.

The chaotic battle played out like a grand spectacle, yet he watched it with the same casual air as one might observe a stage play.

Beside him, a beautiful woman dressed in a sheer silk garment stood silently, holding a wine jar. Her delicate fingers trembled slightly, though she dared not show any outright defiance.

Her dress is transparent, anyone can see her whole body.

The golden-armored man raised his empty wine glass, shaking it lightly.

She hesitated for just a moment before stepping forward, her movements graceful yet restrained. She lifted the jar and poured the deep crimson wine into his glass.

The man swirled the liquid, watching the way it caught the flickering torchlight.

Then, without looking at her, he spoke in a tone of absolute authority.

"Serve me."

The woman’s fingers tightened around the jar, her posture stiffening.

A pause.

Then—a sharp slap.

The man beneath the golden warrior flinched as a stinging handprint appeared on his exposed butt—a humiliating reminder of his place.

"Do you want to see your husband among those pathetic fools down there?" The golden-armored man mused, a mocking smirk playing on his lips as he glanced at the battle screen.

The woman froze.

Her breath hitched, her expression one of barely restrained desperation.

Then, slowly—she lifted the wine glass to her lips and took a sip.

Her gaze never met his.

With measured control, she leaned forward, pressing her soft lips against his, transferring the wine directly into his mouth.

The golden-armored man closed his eyes for a brief moment, savoring the taste—not of the wine, but of her submission.

As he pulled away, he wiped his lips with a satisfied smile.

"Good girl."

The man beneath him clenched his fists, his jaw tight with frustration and silent anguish, but he dared not move.

The golden-armored man turned his attention back to the screen.

Beside him, several individuals sat in ornate chairs, each one possessing an aura of authority. Yet, unlike their leader, they remained reserved, their backs straight, their hands resting cautiously on their laps.

Though they, too, were enjoying the battle, none of them dared to act as brazenly as the man in gold.

After all, he was their leader—a being above them in both power and cruelty.

One of the seated figures, a towering eight-foot giant, leaned forward, his glowing eyes fixated on the battle.

"Leader, our slaves won’t be able to hold out much longer." His deep voice rumbled like thunder. "Should we intervene?"

The golden-armored man didn’t even look at him.

Instead, he watched as the colossal T-Rex crushed another group of warriors in its massive jaws, their screams abruptly silenced by the sickening crunch of bone and flesh.

"No."

He swirled his wine glass again, amused.

"Our food supply is already running low. Let the beast kill at least another hundred of them first. Then, we’ll make our move."

The giant nodded.

The golden-armored man turned his attention back to the woman beside him.

Wordlessly, she took another sip of wine and leaned in, pressing her lips against his once more to serve him mouth-to-mouth.

His smile widened as he ran a finger on her breast, enjoying the way she barely held back a shudder.

"On your knees and suck it..." He ordered.

The girl barely held her tears as she knelt down. Her husband who was acting as Chair closed his eyes.

Then— the golden armour guy reached his storage ring and pulled out a small photograph.

He gazed at it, his eyes gleaming with hunger.

A fox-eared woman sitting nearby caught sight of it and chuckled.

"Oh? That’s the Angel who saved you, isn’t it?"

The golden-armored man licked his lips, his fingers brushing over the image.

"Yeah... I love the way she slapped me." He let out a deep laugh, reminiscing.

"At the time, I was too injured to do anything." His expression darkened slightly, then twisted into a smirk. "Otherwise, I would have already taken her as my slave."

The fox-woman grinned. "Want to go after her? I heard they saw an angel in the River Floor. Must be a girl from another world."

Another man, clad in dark leather armor, waved a hand dismissively.

"We can deal with that later." He gestured toward the screen. "First, let’s finish subduing this beast."

The golden-armored man exhaled through his nose, a low hum of agreement.

"Yes, yes." He leaned back against his living chair, resting an arm lazily over the man’s back.

"As an Abyss Hunter, I have my priorities."

Yet, despite his words, his gaze drifted back to the photograph, lingering on the image.

It was a picture of a stunning woman with golden blonde hair and striking blue eyes.

Her features were delicate, yet held an air of quiet strength. Her white angelic wings were spread behind her, a sight that could have been considered divine—if not for the fierce determination in her gaze.

Even in a simple photograph, she seemed untouchable.

But he would change that.

If Tyler White had been present in that room, he would have recognized her instantly.

The woman in the picture—was Astrid Rosefall.

The golden-armored man tapped his finger against her image, his smirk deepening.

"I wonder... will you slap me again when I see you next?"

His golden eyes gleamed.

"Or will you kneel?"

As he touched the woman’s head who is moving her head front and back.