Rise of The Demon General Chapter 789. Fighting the Armored Giant

The Elder God Veil deactivated the moment Amon lost consciousness. He swiped the sweat from his brow. Although the fight with the snail beast hadn't taxed him greatly, being struck twice by its mind blast had left him incredibly fatigued. He understood it was purely a mental state; he wasn't truly tired, but his mind was tricking him into believing so. Thus, he concentrated his mental focus to banish this sensation. While doing so, he took stock of the surrounding situation.

The colossal armored figure remained in its initial position, showing no apparent intent to act. Amon pondered why such an unassertive beast had been selected for this trial, suspecting it was another maneuver by Xlasstazh to enhance his prospects of success.

He decided not to reject this 'gift,' intending to confront the armored giant last. His gaze turned to the insect-headed and flower-headed beasts. The pair were still engaged in their struggle, but their ferocity had notably waned, and they now appeared sluggish.

Amon observed numerous abrasions marring the flower-head beast's body. Blood seeped from these wounds, and the surrounding flesh exhibited signs of decay. These injuries were inflicted by the high-pressure liquid projectiles discharged from the insect-head beast's tentacled limb.

He also witnessed the flower-head beast expelling a powder from its maw. This powder seemed innocuous, yet the insect-head beast desperately tried to evade it, though unsuccessfully. The powder dispersed rapidly over a wide area.

It dawned on Amon then: both altered beasts were employing poison. The fluid from the insect-head beast caused flesh deterioration and bleeding, while the powder from the flower-head beast was likely a toxic pollen designed to weaken anything that inhaled it.

While Amon possessed a formidable resistance to poison due to the Poison Blood Infusion Method, he opted to remain uninvolved in their conflict, allowing them to exhaust each other further.

He shifted his attention to Surressh. The Hyanid maintained his upper hand, his spear relentlessly driving the dog beast backward. The beast's form was riddled with bloody wounds; several of the snakes coiled upon its back had their heads severed, including some that had impaled Amon's Alpha Flying Knives.

Amon soared over and reasserted control over his knives once within range. With some of the snakes decapitated, their grip on the knives loosened considerably. Amon ripped the blades free before launching them back with precision, burying themselves into the body of the stunned dog beast.

Surressh seized the opening created by the dog beast's shock from Amon's attack. He executed a martial art, his spear whirling before a powerful, drilling thrust pierced the dog beast and emerged from its opposite side.

The dog beast collapsed to the ground, lifeless. However, the snakes on its back continued to hiss at Surressh. These serpentine creatures seemingly possessed independent vitality from the dog beast they inhabited. Yet, with their host deceased, they were immobilized.

Surressh paid the snakes no mind, knowing they would eventually perish on their own. He then approached Amon, who had recalled his Alpha Flying Knives.

"...Thank you for the assistance," Surressh stated.

"You're welcome. We are in this together," Amon replied. "However, our true challenge is just beginning. We must defeat that armored giant if we hope to survive this trial."

"What about those two?" Surressh gestured towards the still-battling beasts.

As they observed, the insect-head beast was too overcome by poison to move. The flower-head beast launched its finishing strike, latching onto its opponent's head with the large mouth at the center of its floral head. With a single, decisive bite, it tore the head clean off, and the headless creature crumpled.

The flower-head beast then turned towards Amon and Surressh and began to advance. However, it faltered quickly. Blood continuously leaked from its numerous wounds, and the decay had spread across nearly its entire body. It stumbled and fell mid-way, unable to rise again.

"Only one remains," Amon redirected his focus to the armored giant.

"How do we combat it? Its hide appears impenetrable," Surressh inquired.

"The same way I dealt with that snail beast," Amon answered.

Surressh glanced at the dark pond and nodded. "Alright."

"I will draw its attention. Support me with your long-range arts," Amon instructed, the shadow suit enveloping him once more. "Despite its size, we've seen its speed is considerable. Utilize your gravity elements to impede its movement."

"Understood," Surressh confirmed.

Amon floated towards the armored giant, positioning himself with the black pond behind him. Before closing the distance, he unleashed his Alpha Flying Knives. Coated in darkness, they transformed into formidable dark javelins.

The colossal armored figure finally stirred. It directed its gaze towards the six approaching projectiles, yet remained stationary. The obsidian javelins struck the rocky plating encasing its form, rebounding with a resonant clang. These dark projectiles then began to rotate, transforming into sinister chakrams as they flew back to strike the armored giant anew.

This cycle repeated multiple times before the giant mobilized its limb. The speed displayed surpassed its earlier dispatch of the serpentine beast. Its arm blurred through the air, intercepting one of the dark chakrams. With a powerful clench, the thrown weapon was pulverized.

Its limbs moved once more, seizing two additional projectiles and shattering them. Amon then recalled his remaining three chakrams. They returned to hover at his side.

The armored giant finally acknowledged Amon's presence, commencing its advance. Its movement was measured, akin to a leisurely promenade. Amon maintained his position, allowing the giant to draw nearer before he gracefully retreated towards the ebony pond.

The instant Amon initiated his withdrawal, the armored giant's pace intensified dramatically. It surged forward with startling velocity. Amon, though anticipating its speed, was nearly caught off guard. The colossal fist descended upon him, and he narrowly evaded the impact. The fist slammed into the earth, gouging out a substantial crater.

Amon's four shadowy tentacles ensnared the giant, an attempt to hurl it as he had the mollusk-like beast. However, the giant remained unmoved, rendering Amon's efforts akin to shifting a mountain.

With a mighty heave, the armored giant snapped the four dark tentacles, dissipating them into ephemeral smoke.

Witnessing the effortless destruction of his dark tentacles, Amon swiftly retreated. The enraged giant pursued relentlessly, unwilling to release the instigator. It showcased its formidable speed once more. Amon employed the Invisible Sky Steps technique to maintain distance, yet evasion became increasingly arduous with each subsequent dodge. The giant's offensive patterns were straightforward, but its fundamental attributes were overwhelmingly powerful.

A dull grey sphere was launched, soaring between Amon and the armored giant. Upon impact, it detonated, casting a muted grey pallor over the immediate vicinity. As the giant entered this affected zone, its momentum was significantly reduced.

This grey sphere was revealed to be Surressh's gravity bomb, an arcane technique designed to amplify gravitational forces within a designated area.

With this crucial assistance, Amon managed to regain his composure. He readjusted his trajectory, heading once more towards the dark expanse of the pond. The armored giant persisted in its pursuit, while Surressh continued to deploy gravity bombs, facilitating Amon's strategy of goading the colossal foe.

Amon finally reached the vicinity of the black pond. He had observed that the pond's peculiar absorption ability was only activated upon direct contact, thus he felt no apprehension in hovering directly above it. He positioned himself overhead, awaiting the armored giant's approach.

The armored giant halted its charge several meters away, its advance halting as if sensing an inherent peril emanating from the pond.

'Tch!' Amon scoffed. The primal instincts of a beast, he mused, were often keener than those of a human. Although the armored creature lacked comprehension of the pond's specific danger, it could nonetheless perceive it.

Amon knew further provocation was necessary. He launched a volley of shuriken, including his remaining three Alpha Flying Knives, towards the armored giant. The giant reacted by bringing its arms up, shattering the incoming dark-infused blades. Even those few it failed to intercept merely deflected off its formidable armor without inflicting any damage.

The three Alpha Flying Knives executed a flanking maneuver around the armored giant, seeking entry through the narrow gaps between its armored plates. While they could not penetrate the thick hide, the eroding power of the Elder God Veil managed to abrade the flesh beneath.

This unusual sensation, a mere scraping that caused significant discomfort despite lacking true pain, spurred the armored giant into a furious reaction. It swung its arm wildly, destroying two of the three Alpha Flying Knives before the remaining one retreated.

Amon pressed his advantage. The four tentacles that had reformed on his back lashed out, again targeting the vulnerable slits. Though he still could not inflict a fatal wound, the giant's rage was palpable. It lunged directly at Amon.

Amon ascended rapidly, preparing to unleash a powerful downward strike as the giant passed overhead. However, the giant planted its feet firmly beside the pond's edge. It raised its arms towards Amon, the plates on its limbs unfolding to release a concussive shockwave accompanied by a deafening roar.

The expansive shockwave struck an unavoidable area. Amon, unable to evade, was propelled violently backward, crashing against the upper barrier. He tumbled downwards, falling directly towards the dark pool below.