The hallway widened suddenly, revealing a cavernous chamber. Stalactites dripped slowly from the ceiling, the floor cracked with glowing fissures. The air smelled metallic, heavy, and alive. I swallowed hard, gripping my shield like a lifeline. Every instinct screamed that this was different. This wasn't just a hallway monster. This was the real deal.
A deep, resonant growl rolled through the chamber. The ground vibrated beneath my feet. Then I saw it—towering, jagged, four arms ending in razor claws, eyes glowing like molten gold. The system notification popped up automatically:
[Dungeon Boss Detected: Abyssal Warden]
[Level: Unknown]
[Warning: Extreme Threat. Solo Engagement Not Recommended.]
I swallowed. Solo engagement not recommended? My mouth went dry. I had no party. No backup. Just me and this thing. My heart slammed. "Okay," I whispered to myself. "Don't panic. Just survive."
I stepped forward, and instinctively my void energy flared. The dark power inside me coiled and spread, and the bruised floor cracked beneath my weight. The Warden shifted its gaze toward me, tilting its massive head. Its growl deepened. "This thing… it's huge," I muttered under my breath.
It charged. Fast. Too fast. I raised the shield, barely deflecting its first strike. The force knocked me to the ground. Pain shot through my arms and shoulder. My HP ticked dangerously low, but the passive kicked in. The abyss was teaching me without mercy.
[Void Sovereign Skill Unlocked: Shadow Step Lv.1]
I inhaled sharply. I could feel it—control over this darkness, small, precise movements. I blinked, and the Warden was suddenly behind me, claws swiping through air. I slammed my shoulder into its back, sending it staggering.
A notification flashed:
[Boss HP: 95%]
"Only five percent?!" I muttered, then realized it wasn't my attack that reduced it. Another figure had appeared on the chamber edge—a player, cloaked in dark armor, face hidden. Their HP was glowing gold. Not NPC. Not boss. Another human.
[Player Detected: Unknown]
I froze. My instincts screamed both to fight and to retreat. But before I could move, they stepped forward and drew a sword that shimmered with a green energy I'd never seen. The Warden roared and swung toward them, leaving an opening. My chance. I channeled every ounce of void energy I had left and struck, sending a shadow-infused blade of energy slicing into the Warden's side.
The beast roared in agony, thrashing wildly. The two of us moved in tandem, each strike coordinated without words. Finally, with one massive leap, I delivered a finishing blow into its chest. The boss staggered, its molten eyes dimming, and then it collapsed, shaking the ground as it dissolved into black particles.
[Dungeon Boss Defeated: Abyssal Warden]
[XP Gained: 50,000]
[Rare Loot Dropped]
[System Announcement: All Players—A Dungeon Boss has been slain.]
The announcement echoed across the world, thousands of eyes likely witnessing it. I staggered back, chest heaving, shielding my exhaustion. The mysterious player turned, briefly revealing their face under the hood—a familiar look, but not a friend. Their eyes gleamed, and then they vanished into the shadows.
I muttered to myself, voice hoarse, "I survived… again."
But a gnawing feeling crawled in my chest. This wasn't over. Not even close.
Something about that player… I didn't know if they were ally or enemy. And I had no idea what the system would do now that the world had seen me alive—and victorious.