The Abyss was quieter than usual.
Too quiet.
Do Hyun's instincts screamed danger as his footsteps echoed against the jagged black stone. The stench of blood hung thick in the air. Then… two crimson eyes blinked open in the darkness.
> [Warning: Boss Monster Detected]
Name: Great Shadow Wolf – "Fenraith"
Grade:E
Attribute: Darkness / Beast
A massive beast emerged, its body cloaked in shadows that seemed to devour the dim light. Each step it took was silent, yet the ground trembled.
Do Hyun's heart pounded.
"If this thing hits me once… I'm done."
Fenraith vanished.
Not ran—vanished.
Do Hyun barely rolled aside as claws ripped through the spot he stood in. He couldn't match its speed head-on. He had to outsmart it.
Quickly, he scanned the battlefield — jagged stalagmites, loose boulders, and shadowy patches where the wolf seemed strongest.
"Okay… You're strong in the dark? Let's make you blind."
He grabbed a loose rock and threw it hard against the cavern wall, making a sharp clang. The wolf lunged toward the sound — but Do Hyun wasn't there. He'd already darted toward a torch-lit alcove he'd seen earlier.
Using his blade, he cut down a cluster of glowing moss and flung it into the wolf's face.
Fenraith howled — its shadow coat flickering as it stumbled back.
Do Hyun didn't waste the chance.
He leapt forward, slashing at the wolf's legs to cripple its movement. The beast retaliated with a sweeping claw, but Do Hyun slid under it, stabbing deep into its abdomen.
> [Critical Hit!]
Fenraith's HP plummeted, but it entered Berserk Mode.
Dark shadows erupted, creating illusory clones.
"Tch… This is bad."
Then Do Hyun smirked. He noticed something — the clones didn't cast shadows on the ground.
He ignored the fakes, sprinting toward the real one and plunging his blade into its neck.
With a final, bloodcurdling howl, Fenraith collapsed into black mist.
Reward
> [Boss Defeated!]
Level Up! : Lv. 15 → Lv. 21
Item Obtained: Darkness Shard (1/4) + Shadow Claw - Grade E
Balance:2500 coins
>[New Grade Unlocked!]
F → E
The shard floated in his palm, pulsing with a strange energy.
> [Side Quest Unlocked]
Darkness Shard: 1/4
Gather all pieces to unlock:???
Do Hyun stared at the fragment, feeling a cold thrill run down his spine.
"What happens if I collect them all…?"
He didn't know the answer — but for the first time since entering the Abyss, his eyes burned with excitement.
Before he could think further, his stomach growled like one of the wolves.
"Right… food…"
Suddenly, a new window appeared before his eyes.
>[Shop]
Categories: Weapons | Armor | Consumables | Monster Cuisine
He opened the "Monster Cuisine" tab… and froze. There were no normal foods—only meals made from cooked monster meat. Roasted Demon Wolf Steak. Abyssal Rat Stew. Shadow Wolf Jerky.
Do Hyun glanced at the still-warm corpse of the Great Shadow Wolf and smirked.
"Well… meat is meat."
With a small fire and the wolf's own fat, he began cooking. The smell was wild and gamey, but his hunger didn't care. Taking his first bite, a warmth spread through his body.
Do Hyun grinned. "Guess this place isn't all bad."
The Abyss had fed him, but he knew this was just the beginning.