Divine Mask: I Have Numerous God Clones

Hades, though a 6-star cultivator himself, wielded a strength far greater thanks to the Divine Scripture he cultivated. His movements were sharp and precise, each strike obliterating the beasts with terrifying ease.

Dark tendrils shot up from the ground, coiling around the Abyss Beasts, crushing them into oblivion. His Soul Puppet floated around him like a ghost, cutting through the air with graceful lethality, its ethereal blade delivering blows directly to the souls of the beasts that dared come close.

Vesperin, standing at a safe distance, watched in stunned silence, his mouth slightly agape. Every time Hades moved, it was as though the battlefield bent to his will. The power he witnessed was far beyond anything he had imagined.

"How is he this strong?" Vesperin whispered under his breath, his hands trembling slightly as he clutched at his robes. He had known Hades was powerful, but this—this was something else entirely.

Hades, not even breaking a sweat, turned slightly, noticing Vesperin's gaze. "You look nervous," Hades remarked with a faint smirk. His voice was calm, almost mocking.

Vesperin gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his composure. "I'm not nervous," he spat defensively, though the tremor in his voice betrayed him. "I'm just... watching."

"Watching?" Hades raised an eyebrow. "Because from where I stand, it looks like your Nether Puppet is struggling."

Vesperin glanced back at his Nether Puppet, which was indeed locked in battle with a couple of the Abyss Beasts, but it was clearly overwhelmed. Built to handle 4-star enemies, the puppet was outmatched by the sheer number and strength of the 6-star beasts surrounding it. Each clash forced it backward, and it was only a matter of time before it crumbled.

Hades turned his attention back to the fight, dispatching several more beasts as if it were child's play. Each time a creature lunged, it was swiftly cut down, either by Hades' tendrils or by his Soul Puppet's deadly strikes.

Vesperin clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as a mixture of envy and awe flooded through him. He hated being overshadowed, but in this moment, he couldn't deny Hades' strength.

As they ventured further, the atmosphere shifted. The abyss grew darker, the air thicker with tension. A low growl echoed through the tunnel ahead, and suddenly, a massive figure emerged from the shadows.

Vesperin froze, his eyes widening in fear.

It was a huge lizard-like beast, its scales dark and jagged like the hardest of armor. Its eyes glowed with an eerie, sinister light, and the air around it vibrated with raw power. This wasn't just a normal Abyss Beast.

"A dragon?" Vesperin gasped, his voice trembling with disbelief. His eyes were wide as he took in the massive creature before them. But even as the word left his lips, he knew this was no ordinary dragon.

The air around it seemed to pulse with an overwhelming presence, a suffocating aura that made it hard to breathe. Despite being classified as a 6-star Abyss Beast, its raw power was unmistakable—closer to that of a 7-star.

The dragon-like beast let out a deep, rumbling snarl, its glowing eyes locked onto them. Massive claws dug into the earth, leaving deep grooves as it prepared to strike.

Every movement was fluid and deliberate, as if the beast was toying with its prey, savoring the fear it could sense from Vesperin.

Vesperin's confidence faltered. His usual arrogance drained from his face as panic set in. He quickly turned to Hades, his voice frantic but laced with an attempt to regain control.

"You have to kill it!" His words were more of a plea than a command, though he tried to sound authoritative. "Get the beast core for me, and… and I'll reward you handsomely later. I'll make it worth your while!"

Hades didn't respond immediately. He stood still, his posture calm and unmoved by the enormous beast in front of them. The air seemed to grow colder as he slowly turned his head to look at Vesperin. His eyes were dark, unreadable, and a slow, almost mocking smirk curled on his lips.

"Reward me?" Hades repeated, his voice dripping with amusement. He raised an eyebrow, studying Vesperin's eager but desperate face.

The young man's panic was palpable, his bravado completely gone. Hades found it almost laughable. Here was the supposed son of the mighty Velkar Malachor, reduced to begging in the face of true power.

"Yes!" Vesperin stammered, trying to maintain his composure. "I'll make sure you're well compensated for this! I'll give you anything you want—just kill the beast and get the core!"

Hades tilted his head slightly, his smirk deepening. "Anything?" His tone was casual, but the coldness in his voice made Vesperin shudder. The way Hades seemed to toy with him, like a predator playing with its prey, was unsettling.

Vesperin swallowed hard. "Yes," he replied, forcing a smile. "I… I have resources, wealth, connections. My father will make sure you get whatever you want. Just handle this beast."

For a long moment, Hades said nothing, simply staring at Vesperin with those sharp, calculating eyes. Then, with a slow exhale, he turned his gaze back to the dragon-like beast. The creature, sensing the shift in attention, let out a guttural roar, its tail whipping behind it as it prepared to charge.

Hades' smirk remained, his demeanor calm and utterly fearless. "Consider it done," he said softly, his voice low but filled with lethal intent.

He stepped forward, his dark aura flaring to life as he prepared to face the beast. Vesperin stood frozen, watching in awe—and perhaps a bit of terror—as Hades moved with the confidence of someone who had long ago ceased to fear anything.

The battle was about to begin, and for the first time, Vesperin understood the true depth of Hades' power.