Chapter 177: Slaughter

Regarding Nada’s question, Rod smiled indifferently and said, “It’s just taking back some due interest.” Then, fixing his gaze entirely on Nada, Rod’s thoughts wandered: “What? Do you feel the threat of death, the call of death? How does it feel? A month ago, I was in the same situation—even more intense. Did you ever think about retribution back then? Could you feel such things then?”
After speaking, Rod was filled with rage, which reminded him of the despair and helplessness he had felt a month ago when surrounded by these people and faced the terrifying pressure of the God-Annihilating Thunder Tribulation. Now, he intended to return everything to them—Nada was just the first; the rest would follow.
By the time Rod finished speaking, Nada already knew what would happen next. He knew it wouldn’t end well. There were only two outcomes today: either he left alive, or they left alive—only one side could survive. Blood would be shed, lives would be lost. His eyes grew frenzied as he took a deep breath, gripped his weapon tightly, and shouted at his two fellow tribesmen, “Charge!”
Before his words faded, Nada took the lead and unleashed the magic he had been preparing. A lightning bolt the size of a wrist struck straight at Rod, followed by a second, then a third—flying in thick succession like rain!
The thunder roared, and the flashes of lightning illuminated the once-dark night, revealing a sliver of light. After the lightning, Nada and his two companions charged forward. The Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles’ strength lay not only in their magic but also in their combat skills, which were no less formidable. Though not as extreme as those of the dragon race, they were still highly skilled. Most of their members mastered both magic and combat; few focused solely on one.
Despite the lightning striking him, feeling the numbness with each strike, Rod wore a bloodthirsty smirk. Under the light and bombardment of the lightning, he appeared eerily calm—even showing signs of enjoyment! Even Sognar, it seemed, wouldn’t fear this advanced lightning magic.

Having already endured the Divine Thunder Tribulation, how could he take these trivial attacks seriously? The lightning energy within his body, now transformed into black, quietly began to function, neutralizing the incoming lightning energy as it merged and was absorbed. Malicious energy also started to surge, helping him recover his injured body at the fastest possible speed.

Rod stood firm, not moving an inch. Seeing several people charging at him, he roared, “Dragon Roar!” With that cry, he charged forward, his figure mysteriously disappearing between heaven and earth.

“Boom…” A blast sound came, and a figure flew backward rapidly, crashing like a kite with a cut string right in front of Sognar. Sognar, without hesitation, stepped on him with his foot.

That seemingly ordinary foot strike contained terrifying force, blocking all paths of retreat for that figure, leaving no chance at all as he stepped directly on the opponent’s body.

A crisp sound of bones breaking followed by a scream as blood splattered. By the time Sognar raised his leg again, the figure on the ground was lifeless, with a huge indentation from his foot on his chest.

The man’s eyes were wide, filled with disbelief. He was one of Nada’s men, at the early stage of the quasi-divine level. He could never have imagined that such an attack would cost him his life. His wide eyes and twisted face revealed the horror in his heart and the pain he endured before dying.

With just one move, Rod not only killed that man but also blocked Nada and another member of the Purple Wing Thunder Eagles, forcing them to retreat.

“One per person. Leave this guy to me; you take care of the other. Finish it quickly!” Without even looking at the dead man on the ground, Rod shouted at Sognar.

“Let’s see who’s faster!” The lightning here had already drawn attention from all sides, and the battle had been noticed. They had to act swiftly. Sognar didn’t dawdle and readily agreed to Rod’s plan.

He blocked another member of the Purple Wing Thunder Eagles, and the two of them formed a combat circle and fought.

The Purple Wing Thunder Eagles truly were creatures of great talent. Even in battle, they could skillfully use magic. Although it was mostly advanced magic, at most ultimate spells, combined with their combat skills, they displayed formidable combat power. It was truly admirable! Such elemental control skills could make any magician on the continent feel ashamed and desperate.

The battles between the two factions were extremely fierce, but Rod’s side was much easier. After enduring the God-Annihilating Thunder Tribulation, he no longer feared those advanced lightning-based spells; in fact, they served as a good supplement for him, allowing him to convert them into his own combat energy. As for the ultimate spells, a slight evasion was sufficient, giving him a one-sided advantage in battle.

Without fancy moves, his straightforward sword techniques, combined with terrifying speed and power, left Nada exhausted and constantly on the verge of disaster.

The two figures appeared and disappeared like ghosts, making it impossible to track their movements with the naked eye; all that could be heard were the sounds of wind being cut through.

Rod grew more and more courageous in battle, while Nada plummeted to the bottom of the valley, utterly desperate. It was only then that he truly realized Rod’s terrifying strength. He was nothing short of inhuman—despite possessing quasi-divine powers, he had no way to fight back. His wounds kept piling up, and his most skilled and proud spells failed to pose any threat to Rod at all! He knew the outcome of the battle was already decided.

Sure enough, after a series of attacks, Rod suddenly exerted all his strength in a single strike. Six sword shadows appeared, forming a fierce sword aura that pierced through Nada’s defenses, broke his weapon, and then penetrated his body.

With a soft sound… the two froze, stopping in mid-motion. They stood facing each other in the vast expanse of sky and earth. Rod stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance as he slowly exhaled.

Blood kept trickling from Nada’s lips, his throat heaving as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t. His body slowly slumped, his eyes growing dimmer, until he finally collapsed to the ground with a thud.

While Rod’s side had ended the battle, the fight on Sogna’s side continued fiercely. While dodging the lightning, Sogna threw powerful punches, each one carrying immense force as it collided directly with the opponent’s weapon.

“Pervert!” Rod muttered under his breath, shaking his head. The fact that someone could withstand attacks with both their body and weapon showed just how formidable the Dragon race’s physique was.

“Hey, kid, so fast? Don’t worry, it’ll be over soon!” Seizing that Rod’s battle was over, Sogna shouted loudly.

“CRACK!” With a furious roar, he threw a punch that instantly changed the landscape—strong winds arose, and a howling sound filled the air. A thick layer of black light covered Sogna’s fist as he opened his mouth wide, lunging at the man across from him like a deadly demon.

“Ding…” The collision between flesh and weapon produced a clear sound. Immediately afterward, the man’s weapon snapped in two and was sent flying by the residual force of that punch, hitting him right in the chest under astonished gazes. He was sent flying like a gust of wind, leaving behind a trail of bright blood that splattered to the ground—swift and decisive, without even a faint cry before he died instantly.

“How about that punch? Not bad, right?” Sognar said proudly, looking at his own fist with satisfaction as he approached Rod.

“Average,” Rod replied disdainfully with a smirk, though inwardly he was impressed. That punch was indeed formidable. At first glance, it might seem unimpressive, but upon closer inspection, its power became evident. The black gas covering the wound not only aided in defense but also in attack. It contained purest dark energy, capable of dissolving an opponent’s weapons and defenses in a short time to achieve a direct killing blow.

This was a masterful control of dark combat energy—something most people couldn’t achieve.

“Hey, what do you know, you ignorant jerk!” Sognar rolled his eyes, clearly upset at being ignored.

“Anyway, you lost!” Rod said with a shrug and a faint smile.

“You… Who could compare to you, a freak who isn’t afraid of lightning? If I could do that, that guy would’ve been killed long ago. But kid, what’s with you? Why aren’t you afraid of lightning energy? You probably survived the God-Annihilating Thunderstorm because of this, right? Bastard, cursed wretch—what should I even say about you?” Realizing he had lost, Sognar grew anxious. He remembered the battle he’d overheard earlier—this kid seemed completely unafraid of magical attacks, with the lightning vanishing strangely when it hit him, leaving him stunned. He had never heard of such a strange phenomenon.

“It’s a matter of character! Alright, let’s go. Someone’s probably coming soon. We don’t want trouble!” After saying this satisfactorily, Rod turned to loot the corpses. These were their spoils, and he certainly wouldn’t miss out. Especially after learning that money could get you anything, he wouldn’t pass up such an opportunity. Killing and stealing—nothing mattered to him anymore.

“Hey, you kid, wait! Tell me what’s going on. Do you have some precious item on you?” Thorgna chased after Rod, full of reluctance and confusion, pressing him to explain. The situation was truly strange, and he had to figure it out.