Darkness enveloped Denim as the tendrils from the Book of the Dead pulled him into an abyss. The world around him faded into an oppressive void, cold and silent. He floated in this darkness, disoriented, until he heard a familiar chime.
**System Notification:**
*Quest Activated: Escape the World of the Dead*
- **Objective:** Defeat the guardian of the first trial and next trials to come
- **Rewards:** Unknown
- **Failure:** Permanent entrapment in the Book of the Dead.
Denim's surroundings shifted. The darkness gave way to a bleak landscape, a barren wasteland filled with eerie shadows and twisted, lifeless trees. In the distance, he could see a massive gate guarded by a fearsome three-headed beast—Cerberus, the Guardian of the Underworld.
**Cerberus, Guardian of the Underworld**
*Lv. 65*
- **HP:** 48,000/48,000
- **Abilities:**
- **Infernal Bite:** Each head delivers a devastating bite, inflicting heavy damage.
- **Hellfire Breath:** Unleashes a cone of fire that burns anything in its path.
- **Soul Rend:** A powerful swipe that drains the life force of its target.
Denim's grip tightened around the Shadow Sword. He had faced many challenges, but this was different. He was alone, without his guildmates, in a realm designed to break him. But he was determined to survive.
The fight began with Cerberus charging, its massive paws shaking the ground. Denim leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the beast's Infernal Bite. He countered with a swift slash, his sword glowing with dark energy.
**System Notification:**
*Skill Activated: Shadow Splitting*
- **Effect:** Creates 1 doppelganger that shares 80% of the player's attributes.
A shadowy doppelganger materialized beside Denim, mimicking his every move. Together, they attacked Cerberus from both sides. The beast roared in fury, its other heads retaliating with Hellfire Breath. Denim and his doppelganger rolled to avoid the flames, feeling the intense heat singe their armor.
Denim knew he needed to weaken Cerberus before it could overwhelm him. He activated another skill.
**System Notification:**
*Skill Activated: Shadow Step*
- **Effect:** Allows quick evasion and surprise attacks from the shadows.
- **Duration:** 1 minute
- **Cooldown:** 5 minutes
Denim vanished into the shadows, reappearing behind Cerberus. He slashed at the beast's exposed flank, his doppelganger mirroring his actions. The beast howled in pain, spinning around to attack, but Denim was already moving, using his agility to stay out of reach.
**System Notification:**
*Skill Activated: Doppelganger Creation*
- **Effect:** Creates up to 10 doppelgangers that can fight alongside the user for a limited time, possessing 50% of the player's attributes.
- **Duration:** 20 minutes
- **Cooldown:** 1 hour
Nine more doppelgangers appeared, surrounding Cerberus. Each doppelganger attacked in unison, their coordinated strikes chipping away at Cerberus's massive health pool. The beast retaliated with Soul Rend, catching several doppelgangers and Denim off guard, sending him flying. He crashed into the ground, his health bar dangerously low.
Breathing heavily, Denim activated his ultimate skill.
**System Notification:**
*Ultimate Skill Activated: Shadow Dance*
- **Effect:** Allows the user to move through shadows and swap positions with a doppelganger, enhancing speed and evasion.
- **Duration:** 5 minutes
- **Cooldown:** 1 hour
Denim and his doppelgangers moved in a blur, their forms shifting through the shadows. They struck Cerberus with precision, their attacks relentless. The beast's health dwindled rapidly, its movements growing sluggish.
With a final effort, Denim activated another skill.
**System Notification:**
*Skill Activated: Curse of the Abyss*
- **Effect:** Increases attack power by 20% but gradually consumes the user's HP by 0.5% per second.
Denim's sword glowed with a dark, malevolent energy. He charged at Cerberus, his attacks now even more devastating. The beast roared one last time before collapsing, its form dissipating into the shadows.
**System Notification:**
*Cerberus Defeated*
- **Proceed to the next trial** -
As a portal appeared in front of Denim, he entered and the portal closed as he vanished within.