Rise of The Virel Absolute Revenge Cultivation

Underground Hell

"Now, Arka! Its weak point is on the left support pillar!" shouted the former elder, his voice hoarse, swallowed by the fierce mountain wind.

Arka didn't respond with words. He focused all the remaining energy flowing through his veins into his right palm. A deep red light, a color now more familiar to him than the sky, began to glow intensely, radiating heat capable of melting the surrounding snow.

Warning: Energy output exceeds safe limits. Risk of permanent nerve damage: 45%.

To hell with my nerves, Arka thought. He lunged forward. "Destroy!"

The explosion not only destroyed the pillar the elder pointed to but also brought down the main ritual hall's gate in one massive blow. Ancient marble dust billowed high, swallowing the screams of the cult followers guarding outside. The colossal door, which had stood for centuries, was now nothing more than scattered debris on the cold floor.

As the dust slightly thinned, Arka stepped inside. His breath was heavy, hot vapor escaping his mouth in the frozen hall air. However, his steps halted. Ten figures in pitch-black robes with faceless silver masks stood in a circle, blocking the path to the central altar.

"The Ten Shadow Guardians," whispered the elder, pressing close behind Arka, his body trembling. "They know no pain. They are no longer human, Arka. Retreat, we need another plan!"

"No time for plans," Arka retorted coldly. His eyes flashed red, staring intently at the distant altar where he could see the silhouettes of Elara and Mia. "Get out of my way, or you'll be a pile of meat tonight."

The ten guardians moved in unison. Without a sound, without a signal, they glided like deadly black smoke. Their curved swords gleamed, aiming for Arka's vital points from all directions.

Arka stomped his foot on the floor, triggering a shockwave that momentarily stalled his enemies. He spun his greatsword in a fierce circular motion. The clang of clashing metal filled the room, sparking flames that illuminated the hall's darkness.

System, activate Absolute Retribution Mode: Combat Focus!

Command received. Consuming 500 Retribution Points. Duration: 180 seconds. Warning: Heart strain drastically increased.

The world in Arka's eyes seemed to slow down. He could see every fiber of his enemies' robes, every tremor of their sword tips. With speed impossible for an ordinary human, he parried an attack from the right, then spun his body to slash the neck of the guardian to his left. Black blood spurted, yet the guardian didn't even groan as its head fell to the floor.

"One," Arka muttered.

The fight transformed into a brutal dance of death. Arka relied not only on technique but also on pure rage. He allowed his shoulder to be sliced by an enemy's sword just to create an opening to crush another guardian's chest with a fist coated in destructive energy.

However, the system continued to flash red warnings in his peripheral vision.

Body Integrity: 62%. Stamina: 15%. Warning: System energy is beginning to consume the subject's vitality reserves.

Arka felt his heart pound so hard his ears rang. Pain began to creep from his fingertips, a burning sensation indicating that his blood vessels could no longer withstand the forced energy load. He coughed, and this time, it wasn't just saliva that came out, but thick clots of blood.

"You're dying, Arka! Stop!" shouted the elder, parrying the attack of a third guardian trying to approach.

"Not yet... just a little more," Arka snarled. He grabbed the last guardian's head, then slammed it into a stone pillar with a force that shattered the structure.

The ten elite guardians now lay lifeless. The once magnificent hall now looked like a slaughterhouse. Arka stood in the center of the room, his sword plunged into the floor, supporting his heavily trembling body. His sword-holding hand began to crack, his skin splitting open, emitting a painful purple light.

He realized his limits. His body, which he had forged in the hellish abyss, was now reaching its lowest point. His bones felt like they were made of glass, ready to shatter at any moment.

"Just... one more step," Arka whispered to himself, trying to ignore the excruciating pain in his lungs.

He lifted his head, staring straight to the end of the hall. There, atop an altar surrounded by a churning pool of black energy, a man stood calmly. The man wore a pristine white robe, a stark contrast to the surrounding darkness, his hands folded behind his back as if the recent bloodshed was nothing more than cheap entertainment.

It was him. The Leader of the Night Shadow Sect.

"Remarkable," the man's voice echoed, soft yet possessing a power that could shake the soul. "I've never seen a human vessel capable of bearing the burden of the Absolute System this far. You are truly fascinating, Arka Virel."

Arka tried to step forward, but his legs felt as heavy as lead. "Give them back... Elara. Give back Mia."

The Sect Leader smiled faintly, a smile that didn't reach his eyes, which were as deep as bottomless wells. He waved a hand, and the mist around the altar parted. Arka could see Mia lying limp within a circle of purple light, and Elara bound to an energy pillar, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

"Arka... go! Run!" cried Elara, her voice hoarse and full of despair.

"Daddy..." Mia called out in a barely audible voice, making Arka's heart feel as if it were being squeezed by a giant hand.

The rage that had dimmed due to physical exhaustion reignited, hotter than before. Arka ignored all the system warnings screaming about organ failure. He pulled his sword from the floor, his voice hoarse but full of menace.

"I won't leave without them," Arka declared.

The Sect Leader chuckled softly, his steps slowly descending the altar stairs towards Arka. Each step caused the marble floor beneath him to crack and blacken. "You speak of love in a place where eternity is being built? How naive. You think the power you possess is yours? It's merely a loan from us, Arka."

Arka straightened his back, even though he could feel his broken ribs piercing his internal flesh. He didn't care if he had to die tonight. He didn't care if this system finally drained his soul. As long as he could drag this man in front of him to hell with him, that would be enough.

"If this is a loan," Arka raised his sword, its tip aimed directly at the Sect Leader's heart, "then I'll return it with immense interest."

The Sect Leader stopped exactly five steps in front of Arka. The aura of darkness emanating from his body was so dense that the hall's lights began to extinguish one by one. "Let's see if your 'Retribution' can touch my 'Eternity'."

The hall fell silent, leaving only the irregular thumping of Arka's heart and Elara's distant sobs. The air between them began to crackle, creating a horrifying spatial distortion. The final battle that would determine the fate of the world and the Virel family was about to begin.