The oppressive air of the Abyssal Floor hung heavy, the faint shimmer of corrupted mists slithering across the broken terrain like restless serpents. Kael stood at the edge of the cavern, gazing into the yawning expanse ahead. His hand rested on the hilt of his newly acquired abyssal weapon—a jagged black glaive, pulsing faintly with mana.
The grinding had paid off. They had carved through waves of abyssal spawn, every battle sharpening their edges, every kill feeding growth. The results spoke for themselves:
Kael: Level 15
Aquara: Level 11
Pyraflame: Level 11
Luminara: Level 10
Umbra: Level 12
And beyond that—Kael's summon limit had doubled. From four to eight.
Yet he had made a deliberate choice: not yet.
"No. I won't summon the others now. This floor… belongs to you four. You'll carve your growth here with your own hands. If I lean on new reinforcements, it'll cheapen the progress you've fought for."
The summons seemed to respond in kind. Pyraflame's embers pulsed hotter, Umbra's shadow rippled hungrily, Aquara's waters shimmered with clarity, and Luminara's glow steadied like a beacon in the gloom.
Kael moved cautiously through the cavern, his squad fanned out around him. The corrupted mist grew thicker, oily tendrils clinging to the ground as if guiding them. He could feel it—an oppressive presence deeper within, beating like the pulse of a heart.
"The mini-boss is here," Kael muttered. "Stay sharp."
Umbra's whisper slithered through his mind, its voice low and eager."The scent of heart… Guardian… close. I will take it."
Kael frowned slightly. Umbra's hunger had grown intense after devouring thirty abyssal beasts. The first condition was fulfilled—now it needed the heart of a Floor Guardian.
They pressed onward. Twice, they were ambushed by corrupted packs—scaled predators and abyssal brutes twisted into unnatural shapes.
The battles were brief, Kael orchestrating rotations to maximize growth.
[Battle Completed]+320 EXP distributed.
Kael: +90 EXP
Aquara: +60 EXP
Pyraflame: +70 EXP
Luminara: +50 EXP
Umbra: +50 EXP
Each clash only sharpened their readiness, their coordination refined to an unspoken rhythm.
Aquara surged forward like a spear of water, cleansing bursts shattering corrupted husks. Pyraflame's core burned brighter, its mana stabilization almost complete, the beast's flames no longer flickering wildly but roaring with direction. Luminara's shields intercepted blows that would have staggered Kael himself, light cascading across the battlefield in radiant arcs.
And Umbra… devoured. Each kill added to its tally, its form swelling darker, sharper, more defined.
By the time the mist thinned, Kael's heart thrummed with certainty. They were ready.
The path opened into a cavernous hollow. Jagged spires of corrupted crystal jutted from the ground, glowing faintly with veins of crimson and black. In the center pulsed a massive shape, shackled by chains of abyssal energy—its body resembling a monstrous wolf-serpent hybrid, its scales slick with corruption, its fanged maw dripping venom that sizzled against the stone.
The Abyssal Core Beast – Gloomfang Ravager.
Its very presence made the ground tremble. The corruption in the air thickened to a choking fog.
System text flared before Kael's eyes:
[Floor Mini-Boss Encounter: Gloomfang Ravager]Rank: Elite-Class GuardianSpecial Traits: Corruption Pulse, Abyssal Venom, Frenzied Regeneration
Kael's grip tightened on his glaive. So this is it.
He glanced at his summons one by one.
Aquara: Her waters shimmered defiantly, her third condition whispering in Kael's mind: Cleanse an Abyssal Core Beast of corruption. This was her crucible.
Pyraflame: Flames surged, its condition demanding survival through a Guardian's wrath. The fight ahead would test its endurance.
Luminara: Its guiding light steadied, the second condition clear now—Guide and shield allies through the fall of a corrupted stronghold. The Ravager's lair would be that trial.
Umbra: Its shadow writhed violently, hunger palpable. The second condition glared sharp as a blade: Devour the heart of a Floor Guardian.
Every summon's path converged here.
Kael exhaled, stepping forward, glaive angled low."Everyone—this is the fight we've been grinding for. This beast is the wall between us and the upper floor."
The Ravager's eyes flared open, glowing like abyssal lanterns. It roared, the sound splitting the cavern, chains snapping as it tore free and lunged.
Kael's eyes hardened, mana flooding his weapon.
"Formation! Hold your ground!"
The four summons surged to meet it—water, flame, light, and shadow colliding with abyssal corruption in an earth-shattering clash.