The storm had only grown darker. The waves were no longer merely water—they carried a sickly glow, pulsing with veins of abyssal corruption. Each crash against the seawalls of Dock 13 shook the very foundations of the fortress.
The defenders were battered, bloodied, and weary. Yet the Rift remained open, burning in the distance like a black wound upon the ocean.
Ethan's knuckles were white around the hilt of the Abyssforged Greatsword. He could feel the weapon humming, resonating with the Rift itself, as if eager for what was coming.
Then, the waters split.
A shadow emerged, so vast it seemed to stretch across the horizon. It was not simply a creature—it was a calamity.
[Enemy Detected: Abyssal Herald – Leviathan Spawn]
Level: 60
HP: 98,520 / 98,520
Traits: Colossal Body, Abyssal Corruption, Herald of the Deep
Skills: Tidal Collapse, Abyssal Song, Leviathan's Grasp
Warning: This entity serves as the harbinger of the true Abyssal Leviathan.
The Leviathan Spawn
The dock trembled as the Herald's massive form surfaced. Its serpent-like body gleamed with scales of obsidian coral, each scale etched with glowing runes. Its maw was wide enough to swallow a ship whole, and its eyes were voids that drank in the light of the world.
The system chimed again:
[Siege Phase 2 Begins – Survive the Herald of the Deep]
Objective: Defend Dock 13 for 1 Hour.
Secondary Objective: Inflict at least 30% HP damage to the Abyssal Herald.
"Sweet mother of—" Brandon's words caught in his throat as the Herald let out a roar that bent the air itself.
Kaela staggered, clutching her ears. "Its aura… it's drowning me in despair."
Ethan growled, forcing his aura outward to stabilize his allies. His class burned through him like wildfire. "Stay steady! If we falter now, Dock 13 is gone!"
The First Clash
The Herald surged forward, smashing into the seawall with an impact that sent cracks racing across the structure.
Dock Integrity: 73% → 59%
NPC defenders screamed as the force threw them like ragdolls. Ethan leapt forward, his sword igniting with abyssal fire.
[Skill Activated: Abyssal Rift Cleave]
Damage: -3,172
The blade cut into the Herald's scales, leaving a burning gash. But compared to its massive health bar, the wound was insignificant.
Brandon roared and hurled his spear with lightning coursing through it.
[Storm Javelin] → Damage: -2,001 (Armor Penetration)
Kaela raised her staff, summoning radiant pillars to crash down upon the monster's back.
[Radiant Cataclysm] → Damage: -2,225, -2,318, -2,401
The Herald hissed, pulling back as if merely annoyed. Then it opened its maw.
[Skill Activated: Abyssal Song]
A psychic wave reverberates across the battlefield. Targets below Lv. 40 instantly incapacitated. Others suffer HP drain.
Defenders clutched their heads, screaming as blood ran from their ears and eyes. Several collapsed lifeless into the waves.
NPC Losses: -37
Player Deaths: -4
Ethan's vision blurred, HP chunking away.
HP: 4,925 → 3,588
He clenched his jaw, activating his defensive aura.
[Skill Activated: Abyssal Resilience] – Reduces all damage taken by 30% for 10s.
Turning Despair into Fury
The Herald's next attack came as its tail smashed into the dock. Entire battlements were obliterated, sending defenders flying.
Dock Integrity: 59% → 43%
Brandon scrambled to his feet, blood dripping from his forehead. "If that thing breaks through, we're finished!"
Kaela's voice shook, but her staff didn't waver. "Then we hit it harder!"
Ethan inhaled sharply, then called out: "[Harbinger's Oath]!"
The Greatsword blazed with voidlight. A shockwave of dark energy radiated outward, amplifying every ally's strength.
Party Buff Applied: +25% Damage, +20% Resistance for 30s.
"NOW!" Ethan roared.
The dock lit up as a coordinated assault was unleashed. Dwarves hammered the Herald's body with flaming ballista bolts, Siren mages conjured whirlpools to drag its movements, and the players struck in unison.
Ethan charged into the fray, sword screaming through the air.
[Abyssal Harbinger's Judgment] → Damage: -5,433 (Massive Critical!)
Brandon's spear drilled into the gaping wound.
Damage: -3,009 (Bleed Applied!)
Kaela's radiant sphere detonated at point-blank range.
Damage: -3,442 (Stun Proc!)
The Herald's HP plunged.
98,520 → 84,671 → 72,190
The Leviathan's Grasp
The victory was short-lived. The Herald shrieked, thrashing violently. Tentacle-like appendages sprouted from beneath its body and lashed toward the dock.
[Skill Activated: Leviathan's Grasp]
Several defenders were seized mid-scream, dragged toward its open maw. NPCs and even two players were swallowed whole. Their system alerts blinked red:
[Player Death: Permanent]
"NO!" Kaela screamed.
Ethan's rage boiled. His aura flared, his Greatsword shuddering in resonance with the abyss. "[Abyssal Rend]!"
He cleaved through one of the tentacles, severing it mid-reach. Black ichor sprayed across the dock, burning through stone.
Damage: -4,202
Brandon, eyes bloodshot with fury, vaulted upward and drove his spear through another tentacle's eye-like growth.
Damage: -2,877
The Herald shrieked, thrashing back, but it was far from defeated.
HP: 72,190 → 66,314
The Choice of Sacrifice
The system chimed urgently.
[Secondary Objective Reached – 30% HP Damage Inflicted]
Progress: Complete.
Reward Unlocked: Temporary Rift Stabilization (30 minutes).
A glowing window appeared before Ethan.
Option A: Endure for 30 minutes while the Rift stabilizes. Dock Integrity must remain above 10%.
Option B: Sacrifice a portion of your life force to seal the Rift prematurely, forcing the Herald back into the depths.
Ethan's chest tightened. His hand hovered over the options. If they endured, many more would die. If he sacrificed himself, he might cripple his own strength permanently.
Kaela's eyes locked with his. "Ethan… don't you dare throw your life away. We can endure this. We have to."
Brandon spat blood, his spear shaking in his grip. "Damn it… I'll follow whichever path you choose. Just make it quick!"
The Herald reared back, preparing another Tidal Collapse that could wipe out half the dock in one strike.
Ethan's pulse thundered. His instincts screamed for war, but his people screamed for hope.