CHAPTER 129: CHAPTER129-DECISIVE ACTION

For Daniel, even someone as relatively weak as Sarko was already on par with the Human Emperor in terms of strength. When it came to the Emperor of the Abyss, Daniel was almost certain—without a doubt—that the Human Emperor would not be his match.

Even now, Daniel felt a palpable sense of helplessness whenever he faced the Emperor of the Abyss. There was only one word that came to mind when thinking about Malkar: unbeatable. If the abyss truly launched a full-scale invasion of the surface world, Daniel feared that humanity would stand no chance of resisting them. The gap in power was simply too vast.

Just as he was pondering these things, the abyss communicator in his hand buzzed. A message had arrived from none other than the Emperor of the Abyss himself. Due to the chaotic energy interference within the abyssal realm, Daniel’s usual communicator had become completely useless. The one he was currently using had been specially crafted for use within the abyss—an artifact gifted to him personally by Sarko.

Daniel opened the communicator and read the message:

"The next Abyssal Council meeting will include a vote on whether or not to invade the surface world."

This simple sentence carried more meaning than it seemed on the surface. The Emperor of the Abyss, Malkar, wasn’t merely passing on information—this was a subtle but deliberate expression of his stance. He had no real intention of leading an invasion onto the surface. However, protocol was still protocol. The council’s procedures and vote had to go forward regardless of Malkar’s personal opinions.

As the supreme ruler of the abyss, Malkar wielded unmatched authority. Yet he could not afford to arbitrarily cancel something as significant as the Abyssal Council’s deliberation. It would reflect poorly on his leadership. He had an image to maintain—a reputation of absolute power and control. So the message was clear: the process would proceed, but it would do so under controlled conditions.

"I understand," Daniel replied, keeping his response short and to the point. Then, after a brief pause, he shut off the abyss communicator.

He stood in silence for a moment, then reached into his backpack and pulled out a curious-looking item: a Divine Temple Keystone (Replica).

Although this was technically a replica and not the original artifact, its effects were exactly the same as the genuine version. The Divine Temple Keystone had a very specific purpose—it could conjure an Infinite Divine Temple on any patch of open ground.

[The Infinite Divine Temple grants unique blessings to devoted followers.]

[However, for zealots, these blessings can become a curse, pulling them deeper into obsession.]

Despite being a mere "replica," the Divine Temple Keystone was incredibly powerful. It was part of the same reward tier as a god-rank skill—specifically one ranked ninth in the entire God Rank Skill Compendium. That alone made it an item of tremendous significance.

Since Daniel had obtained royal authority, he now possessed the ability to travel freely within the abyssal Kingdom. He wandered casually through the abyss until he found a relatively quiet, vacant area. Without hesitation, he tossed the Divine Temple Keystone onto the ground.

In the blink of an eye, a majestic cathedral surged from the abyssal terrain—tall, grand, and radiant in its divine glory.

Why a cathedral, one might ask?

The answer was simple. This wasn’t just about displaying power. Daniel needed a place to perform miracles, and more importantly, a platform to spread a message. A messenger, a prophet, a structure of faith—all were essential components. And the Keystone had been designed with this in mind, preloaded with everything required to manifest the full experience of divinity.

The abyssal creatures had never seen anything like it. Their lives were typically steeped in violence, chaos, and monotony. The appearance of this gleaming temple shook them to their core. One by one, they looked up with wide, bewildered eyes, trying to make sense of the spectacle before them.

After a few stunned moments, their gazes began to converge—not on the temple itself, but on the figure standing before it.

A human.

Standing right there, in front of the temple doors, was a man. A human being. In the very heart of the abyss.

Could this be the one who had defeated King Karsas?

They were surprised, even confused. Daniel didn’t appear all that imposing. He didn’t have bulging muscles or a monstrous aura. In fact, he looked... ordinary.

Whispers started to ripple through the crowd of abyssal beings. Curious eyes scanned Daniel from top to bottom.

Daniel made no effort to conceal his identity. On the contrary—he wanted to be seen for who he truly was. If he was going to lead this realm, he would do so without hiding behind a mask. Whether or not they could accept that... well, that would be up to them.

Predictably, not everyone was pleased.

"This is the abyss!" someone shouted. "We don’t welcome humans here!"

"Get out of here! We don’t need a human ruling over us!"

"Don’t think just because you beat Karsas that you can relax. We’re watching you."

"You’re an outsider! You’d better keep your head down if you know what’s good for you."

The dissent grew louder. Their voices were full of scorn and disdain. But Daniel wasn’t rattled. He wasn’t going to beg for their approval, nor was he going to tolerate disrespect.

He snapped his fingers.

In an instant, the Spirit of Skills appeared at his side, launching a blinding barrage of radiant light.

The abyssal hecklers who had just been yelling were torn to shreds in the blink of an eye—pierced through by holy beams like paper dolls under a hail of arrows.

Silence fell over the kingdom.

Daniel stood tall, unflinching, and spoke in a voice that, though not loud, carried the weight of absolute authority.

"If anyone else has something to say, now’s your chance. Speak up. I’ll make sure to honor your courage."

His words were calm, but they radiated deadly seriousness. No one dared to respond.

The opposition had been dealt with—in one single, overwhelming strike. The message was clear: Daniel was not to be challenged lightly.

"Anyone else?" he asked, scanning the crowd with sharp eyes. "Anyone unhappy with me being your king?"

The abyssal creatures avoided his gaze, heads bowed, silence absolute. They had learned their lesson—through fear, if not loyalty.

Just then, a faint voice rose up in the distance—one final cry of defiance.

Daniel didn’t even look. Another snap of the fingers—and the voice was gone. Its owner reduced to ashes, their remnants swallowed by the abyss.

Seven waves of purging followed. By the end, those who remained were markedly more docile. On the surface at least, no one dared question Daniel’s rule anymore.

In the abyss, reason had no place. Here, only strength determined one’s right to lead. The strong ruled, the weak obeyed—or perished. Daniel understood this deeply. That was why he acted without hesitation, crushing dissent before it could fester.

Strangely enough, for the abyssal creatures, this wasn’t abnormal. In their world, brutal dominance was the natural order. Daniel’s actions, in their eyes, were not cruel—they were necessary.

Daniel looked at the now-silent crowd.

"Let me ask you one more time," he said. "Is there anyone here who still objects?"

The crowd remained still. No one met his eyes. Heads stayed bowed, submissive.

"Very well," Daniel said at last. "From this moment on, you are my people."

"I have two announcements to make."

"First: from today onward, this kingdom shall be renamed the Infinite Abyss Kingdom."

"Second: the Divine Temple that now stands within this kingdom—no one is to damage it. I will not force you to worship the god enshrined within it. That is your choice. But it will remain here—for comfort, for remembrance, and for peace of mind."

He didn’t bother with further explanations. The message was delivered. His rule was now absolute.

With that, Daniel turned and walked away—leaving behind a stunned, silenced kingdom.