Sector Nine was the darkest part of the mine.
Even the guards rarely went there. The tunnels had collapsed in some parts, and strange things were said to crawl in the dark. Whispers. Shadows. Screams that didn't belong to any person.
That's where Auron's next target was hiding.
The Shadow Priest.
No one knew what he looked like, but rumors said he wasn't a real priest. He was a former noble mage who went mad after losing his magic. Now, he lived in the ruins, stealing power from broken souls and failed experiments.
Auron made his way toward Sector Nine alone.
The torchlight ended after the third tunnel.
He walked in complete darkness, guided only by instinct—and something more.
A faint voice in his head. Calm. Cold.
"The priest is close. I can feel the rot in his soul," said the Abyss.
Auron didn't speak back. He had learned to ignore it unless he needed help. The being inside him had its own hunger, and the more Auron used its power, the more it whispered.
He passed a broken gate and ducked under hanging chains. The walls were covered in claw marks. Blood stained the ground in dried streaks. This part of the mine had become a graveyard.
Then he heard footsteps.
Slow. Barefoot.
He hid behind a broken cart and watched.
A man in black robes walked into view. Thin, bent, and whispering to himself. His face was hidden by a hood, and his arms were covered in glowing red scars.
Auron knew right away.
This was him.
The Shadow Priest.
Auron moved quickly.
He stepped behind the priest and raised his hand.
A black blade formed from thin air, quiet and sharp.
\[Void Edge – Activated]
He slashed.
The blade cut through the robe—but missed the body.
The priest twisted, faster than he looked. His hand glowed red and struck Auron in the chest with a blast of cursed energy.
Auron flew back and slammed into the wall.
The priest screamed. His voice echoed unnaturally, like it came from many mouths at once.
"You reek of the Abyss!" he shouted. "You walk with a beast! I smell it on you!"
Auron stood up slowly. His chest burned from the impact.
"I don't care what you smell," he said. "You're my target."
The priest laughed.
"You think the Abyss will make you strong? It will eat you. Just like it ate me."
Then he raised both hands.
Dark symbols floated around him. Magic.
Old and broken, but still dangerous.
The ground shook.
Shadows rose from the cracks. Not just tricks of the light—real, moving things. They crawled toward Auron with sharp teeth and hollow eyes.
He didn't wait.
He ran forward, dodging the first strike and slicing one of the shadow creatures in half.
The priest fired another spell.
Auron rolled under it and leapt forward.
This time, he didn't aim for the priest's body.
He aimed for his shadow.
\[Void Edge – Shadow Slice: Critical Hit]
The blade tore through the priest's shadow, and the man screamed in pain. His body fell to the ground, twitching.
"No," the priest gasped. "I'm not finished—"
Auron didn't let him finish.
He stabbed the dagger through his heart.
The shadow beasts vanished instantly.
The chamber fell quiet.
The only sound was Auron's breathing.
Then, the system appeared.
\[Target Eliminated: Shadow Priest]
\[XP Gained: +70]
\[Reward Claimed: Abyssal Core Fragment]
\[Corruption Level: 7%]
\[New Skill Fragment: Echo of the Void (Locked)]
Auron picked up the crystal that had formed from the priest's body. It glowed faintly, cold in his hand.
He tucked it away and turned to leave.
But before he could walk out, the voice in his head spoke again.
"You killed him quickly," it said. "Efficient. But next time… savor it."
Auron stopped.
"I'm not a monster," he said softly.
"No," the voice replied. "Not yet."
---
Back at the main pit, the Warden met him with folded arms.
"You survived."
"Barely," Auron replied.
The Warden looked him up and down.
"You're changing. You walk like a killer now."
Auron didn't deny it.
"I do what I have to."
The Warden nodded. "Good. There's more coming. The nobles have started watching the pit again. Something's shifting up above."
Auron's eyes narrowed.
"What do they want?"
"Control," the Warden said. "And they always take it by force."
Auron turned to the tunnel.
"Let them come."
He was ready.
Whatever came next—he would meet it in the dark.