"This soil... should be said to be a kind of living tissue. The whole space has been transformed by Abyssal Power, becoming some kind of semi-living existence."
Dale shivered slightly, instinctively drawing closer to Ron, speaking in a barely audible whisper:
"So... we are now standing on the body of some... gigantic creature?"
"More like the entire battlefield has been imbued with some twisted ’life.’"
Ron explained:
"The ’Abyssal Creatures Atlas’ mentions similar phenomena—the Abyss Fourth Layer can transform death zones into ’Activated Ruins,’ a form that condenses death and decay into a special energy shape."
As they conversed, the distant ground suddenly began to heave violently, and a massive object emerged from the blood-red soil.
It was a misshapen corpse, standing at least two meters tall.
Covered in rusted ancient armor, but the armor and the flesh have completely merged, indistinguishable.
Its head showcased a bizarre hybrid form:
The basic contour of a human skull, yet bearing four glowing eyes, with a jaw extending into a lizard-like shape, full of sharp teeth.
Most terrifyingly, its chest had a huge opening, inside which squirmed countless tentacle-like organs, occasionally extending out as if sniffing the surrounding air.
"Master! What is that?" Dale stared fearfully at the colossal being.
"Forgotten Warrior..." Ron replied in a low voice, a hint of caution flashing in his eyes:
"But unlike the original low-level undead, this creature is a fusion of undead traits and multiple alien bloodlines, an Abyssal mutant."
He quickly drew his sword, simultaneously retrieving a potion from his waist, swiftly gulping it down to enhance his abnormal resistance.
"Watch out for its tentacles, they might carry corrosive toxins."
The Forgotten Warrior had evidently noticed their presence.
Its four glowing eyes simultaneously turned towards them, emitting lights of various colors.
It let out a deafening roar, a sound mixed with piercing noise and some deep resonance, like thousands of souls wailing in unison.
"Master, let me handle this!" Dale was already prepared for battle, swiftly condensing the Water Element between her hands.
"Act according to plan." Ron commanded in a deep tone: "Your resistance isn’t strong enough; I’ll approach with the Shield, you handle remote disruption and support."
Before the words were out, the Forgotten Warrior strode heavily towards them.
Each step left deep gouges on the blood-colored earth, the soil around it responding to its movement by writhing, as if echoing its existence.
Ron did not retreat; instead, he charged forward.
"Ring of Brilliance!"
Golden-red light flames burst from his body, forming a dazzling armor that clung invisibly around him.
The Forgotten Warrior suddenly swung a massive arm.
The deformed limb, fused with armor, was covered in sharp bone spikes, capable of piercing an ordinary person in one blow.
Ron agilely sidestepped the attack, simultaneously slashing his sword in an arc, precisely targeting the opening in the Forgotten Warrior’s chest.
The cores of such monsters are often hidden within these special structures.
As the longsword pierced in, the Forgotten Warrior let out a painful howl.
The tentacle-like organs abruptly wrapped around, attempting to drag the weapon and its wielder into the chest cavity.
But upon contact with the "Ring of Brilliance" defense net, they immediately emitted a sizzling noise reminiscent of grilling squid on an iron plate...
"Dale, now’s the time!"
The Little Sea Siren sprang into action, her hands moving swiftly.
Moisture in the surrounding air rapidly gathered, forming dozens of sharp ice blades.
"Crystal Arrow Rain!"
The ice blades shot like arrows at the Forgotten Warrior, accurately severing the tentacles extending from its chest, cutting them one by one.
The Forgotten Warrior staggered back, the severed tentacles spewing a foul-smelling black liquid, which upon hitting the ground instantly corroded it, sizzling into small pits.
Ron took the opportunity to swiftly distance himself from the enemy.
He had already noticed the severed tentacles were regenerating at a visible rate.
"This is the regeneration ability of Abyssal creatures... We must find its core."
He carefully observed the movement patterns of the Forgotten Warrior.
This Abyssal mutant, blending various alien traits, far surpassed ordinary creatures in strength and defense.
In addition to its dreadful regenerating ability, conventional attack methods could hardly yield a lasting effect.
"It’s time to use that move... Hope my previous thinking wasn’t wrong."
Ron took a deep breath, quickly constructing a complex Magic Model with his Spiritual Power.
"Sound Wave Oscillation - Erosion State!"
An invisible wave emanated from his palm, enveloped in the eerie ravings from the starry sky depth, directly striking the Forgotten Warrior.
Almost instantly, the Forgotten Warrior’s movements became sluggish.
Its body surface appeared countless black spots, as if being corroded by some invisible force.
The tentacles within its chest flailed madly, seemingly trying to shake off this abnormal state, but the effect was minimal.
"It’s working!" Ron felt a surge of joy.
As with the previous encounter with the Half-blooded Serpent Demon, the ravings’ mysterious energy from the starry sky indeed had a strange suppressive effect on Abyssal creatures, like some natural bane.
The Forgotten Warrior let out a howl of agony, its body armor starting to peel away, revealing the decayed flesh beneath.
Its four eyes flickered with struggling light, then it made a surprising move:
It suddenly plunged a hand into its own chest cavity, retrieving a crystal emitting a purple glow, unmistakably its core.