Denim emerged from the portal, stepping onto a scorched, rocky terrain that stretched endlessly. The sky above was a chaotic swirl of red and black, filled with the cries of the damned. "Sure enough, I was thrown in the hell of the afterworld." He knew this was the first circle of hell.
**System Notification:**
*Welcome to the First Circle of Hell: Limbo*
- **Objective:** Defeat the Guardian of Limbo "Thanatos"
The ground trembled, and before Denim could gather his thoughts, a towering figure rose from the earth. A massive, armored knight wielding a colossal sword. Its eyes glowed with an eerie light, and its presence exuded an aura of despair.
**Warden of Limbo**
Thanatos
*Lv. 70*
- **HP:** 60,000/60,000
- **Abilities:**
- **Crushing Blow:** A powerful sword strike that can crush armor and bones.
- **Despair Aura:** Reduces the opponent's attack speed and power.
- **Dark Resurrection:** Can summon lost souls to fight alongside it.
"It seems I may be facing quite a challenge now, although their HP's were not just as high as the monsters outside this underworld, these opponents were quite tricky to deal with in terms of their intelligence and battle, not to mention, demons were all tough opponents because of their adapting battle methods."
Denim took a deep breath, readying himself. He knew this would be an even greater challenge than Cerberus. The Warden of Limbo raised its sword and charged, the ground shaking with each step.
**System Notification:**
*Skill Activated: Phantom Rush*
- **Effect:** Increases movement speed and attack power for 10 seconds.
- **Cooldown:** 3 minutes
Denim darted forward, his speed enhanced, and clashed with the Warden's massive sword. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, but Denim didn't falter. He used the momentum to slide past the Warden and deliver a swift strike to its back.
The Warden growled and swung its sword in a wide arc, forcing Denim to backflip away. He could feel the oppressive weight of the Despair Aura, but he shook off the negativity, focusing on his training and experience.
**System Notification:**
*Skill Activated: Void Slash*
- **Effect:** Infuses the sword with void energy, dealing increased damage and ignoring a portion of the enemy's defense.
- **Cooldown:** 2 minutes
Denim's sword crackled with dark energy as he dashed forward, slicing through the Warden's armor. The Warden roared in pain and raised its sword high, summoning a horde of ghostly figures from the ground.
**System Notification:**
*Skill Activated: Shadow Barrier*
- **Effect:** Creates a protective barrier that absorbs damage.
- **Duration:** 30 seconds
- **Cooldown:** 5 minutes
The spectral warriors attacked, but Denim's barrier held strong. He swiftly countered with a flurry of strikes, cutting down the apparitions before they could overwhelm him. The Warden, now enraged, charged again, its sword glowing with a dark light.
Denim knew he needed to end this quickly. He activated his ultimate skill once more.
**System Notification:**
*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
Moving like a wraith, Denim and his doppelgangers attacked the Warden from all sides. The Warden's powerful swings became slower and more erratic as it tried to fend off the relentless assault.
**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 attacks intensified, each strike dealing massive damage. The Warden's health dropped rapidly, its movements growing sluggish. With one final, coordinated assault, Denim and his doppelgangers pierced through the Warden's defenses, striking it down.
After a long arduous process of continues assaults and sneaking, Denim's hardwork had paid off.
**System Notification:**
*Warden of Limbo Defeated*
- **Proceed to the next circle**
A new portal appeared, shimmering with an ominous light. After waiting for his skills' cooldown to be reset, he stepped through the portal, ready to face the next trial.