Abyssal Trench - Depth Level: 9,700m
The pressure was near crushing, the world around dimmed into perpetual dusk, lit only by Ethan's artifact-enhanced vision and Brandon's lantern-infused gear. Faint phosphorescent glows from marine flora swayed along the abyss walls, casting eerie shadows on the rocky trench floor. The haunting echo of ancient machinery reverberated beneath their boots.
Ethan and Brandon stood atop a platform engraved with forgotten glyphs. Behind them, the underwater ruins shimmered with residual abyssal energy. Ahead, a massive archway blocked by a shimmering wall of water, sealed by the same energy that restrained the Abyssal Leviathan.
"We're close," Ethan muttered, his voice transmitted through the communication link.
**[System Notification:]
Quest Update - "Secrets of the Abyss" (Part IV)
Objective: Investigate the Relic Site, Locate the Leviathan's Binding Core]
NPC Ally: Deep-Sea Scholar Kel'Tharan
Location: Coral Archive, 9000m Depth
Kel'Tharan, the deep-sea scholar, swam through an arcane gate conjured by a pulse from Ethan's relic. His scaled robes billowed like drifting kelp, and a coral-crusted staff pulsed with ancient runes.
"The relic you brought," Kel'Tharan croaked in a voice like wet gravel, "is a Shard of Binding. A piece of the original seal that imprisoned the Abyssal Leviathan millennia ago. You must reawaken its resonance... in the place it was first forged."
**[System Notification: New Quest Received!]
Title: "Echoes of the Deep Forge"
Objective: Locate the Deep Forge hidden within the ruins and reforge the Shard of Binding using Abyssal Flame.]
Battle Mechanics Introduced: Environmental Hazard - Crushed Pressure Zones
Any combat in zones below 9500m applies [Crushing Pressure] debuff.
Reduces HP regen by 60%.
Increases skill cooldowns by 15%.
Enemies Encountered: Abyssal Sentries
[Status Window: Abyssal Sentry]
Type: Construct - Guardian Class
Level: 61
HP: 15,537 / 15,537
Defense: 487
Attack: 384
Skills:
Piercing Tendrils: Launches spear-like appendages dealing 391 physical damage.
Null Shell: Reduces magic damage by 40%.
Abyssal Anchor: Immobilizes target for 3s. 30s cooldown.
Two sentries dropped from the ceiling, armored in thick crusted ore, emitting sonar pulses.
"Here they come!" Brandon shouted, taking position.
Ethan activated his class-exclusive aura.
[Skill Activated: Abyssal Embrace]
Boosts dark damage by 40% in a 10-meter radius.
Absorbs 10% of damage dealt as HP.
He lunged forward, [Void Cleave] tearing into the first sentry. Damage Dealt: 777, cutting through part of its left chassis. The sentry retaliated with Piercing Tendrils, hitting Ethan for Damage Received: 381 and Brandon for Damage Received: 393.
"They hit hard!" Brandon grunted, throwing down a trap from his inventory.
[Skill: Kinetic Detonation Mine]
Effect: Explodes for 931 AoE damage, stun for 1.2s
Boom! The explosion rocked the sentries. One fell to a knee with HP: 6,102, another staggered with its shielding disrupted.
Kel'Tharan hovered from a safe distance, muttering incantations to keep the abyssal currents from sweeping the party away.
Ethan pivoted and activated his ultimate.
[Mythical Skill: Requiem of the Harbinger]
Deals 3 strikes of abyssal damage.
Each strike deals 489 damage and ignores 60% of armor.
He delivered a triple slash: Damage: 489, Damage: 491, Damage: 493, cleaving the first Sentry in half. The second one lunged at Brandon.
Brandon countered with [Skill: Reactive Guard], reducing incoming damage by 50% and reflecting 217 back to the attacker.
Final Blow: [Shadow Burst Shot] - Brandon fired a charged shot, critical hit Damage: 945, ending the threat.
[System Notification:]
Enemies Defeated: 2x Abyssal Sentry (Level 61)
XP Gained: 12,600 (Split)
Loot Acquired: Abyssal Core x2, Reinforced Plating, Relic Dust x4
Beyond the now unguarded door was a spiral staircase descending into the black void.
Location Unlocked: Deep Forge Antechamber
Walls were lined with defunct machinery, gears long rusted. But the air shimmered faintly with magic. Kel'Tharan floated forward.
"This is it... The Deep Forge. Reactivate the forge by placing the Shard into the brazier. But beware... Something guards it still."
They moved closer. The forge itself was a circular dais surrounded by magma-charged runes. As Ethan inserted the Shard of Binding, the forge roared to life with ghostly blue fire.
Mini-Boss Encounter: Abyssal Warden
[Status Window: Abyssal Warden]
Type: Abyssal Construct
Level: 65
HP: 28,773 / 28,773
Defense: 604
Attack: 592
Skills:
Warden's Grasp: AOE bind for 5s.
Tidal Cleave: 642 damage cone attack.
Forge Burn: Every second spent in melee range deals 97 fire damage.
A monstrous construct rose from behind the forge, plates of obsidian and coral forming its armor. With a guttural shriek, it slammed a molten trident down.
"Spread out! Don't cluster!" Ethan shouted.
Brandon dashed left, Ethan right, both avoiding Tidal Cleave. Still, a backhand swipe caught Brandon: Damage Taken: 679.
Ethan activated [Skill: Abyss Walker], becoming intangible for 2 seconds, narrowly avoiding Forge Burn.
He retaliated with [Shadow Implosion], a dark vortex dealing Damage: 987 and applying a slow.
Kel'Tharan assisted with a temporary barrier.
[Kel'Tharan casts: Abyssal Shell]
Mitigates 30% of elemental damage for 10 seconds.
"He's weakening!" Brandon called, his arrow embedding deep for Damage: 765 (Critical).
Final combo:
[Ethan's Skill: Abyssal Fang Strike]: 663 Damage
[Brandon's Skill: Scatter Shot]: 529 Damage
Abyssal Warden Defeated!
[System Notification: Mini-Boss Defeated: Abyssal Warden]
XP Gained: 18,000
Loot Acquired: Warden's Heart Core, Molten Trident Head, Flamebound Alloy, Binding Sigil
With the guardian destroyed, the forge flared. The Shard glowed with renewed power.
[Quest Complete: Echoes of the Deep Forge]
Reward: Shard of Binding (Reforged)
New Skill Unlocked: Seal of Chains
Summons abyssal chains to suppress a creature 2 levels above you for 6s.