The atmosphere in the chamber shifted as the voice echoed in the room, cold and ancient. Jinwoo, Hyeri, and Donghyuk stood frozen, staring at the figure bound by the glowing chains. The pressure in the air was suffocating, as if the entire dungeon was trembling under the weight of the being's presence.
"What the hell is that thing?" Donghyuk whispered, his fists already crackling with energy, though even he seemed unnerved.
The figure inside the chains chuckled softly, its voice smooth but dripping with malice. "You truly don't know, do you? You've walked straight into my domain, Limitbreaker, yet you know nothing of the forces you are meddling with."
Jinwoo tightened his grip on his sword, taking a cautious step forward. "Who are you?"
The being's eyes, glowing with a dark red light, focused intently on Jinwoo. "Names are meaningless to me now. I am but a prisoner, bound by these chains for millennia. But once, I was called Ashura, the Devourer of Realms."
"Ashura?" Hyeri gasped, stepping back. "That's impossible. Ashura was sealed away centuries ago by the first Ascendants. He's one of the most dangerous beings in existence!"
Ashura's smile widened, his gaze shifting to Hyeri. "Ah, so you've heard of me. Yes, I am the one who nearly brought your world to ruin. But these chains have kept me contained... until now."
Jinwoo's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, 'until now'?"
The chains around Ashura glowed brightly as the ancient runes pulsed with energy, but even that light seemed to dim against the growing darkness surrounding him. "The power of these seals has weakened over the years. It won't be long before I am free once more. And once I am... I will finish what I started."
Hyeri took a step closer to Jinwoo, her voice low. "We can't let him break free. If Ashura is released, he'll destroy everything."
Donghyuk cracked his knuckles, glaring at the chained figure. "Well, it looks like we've got two options: run, or put this guy down before he gets loose. I vote for the second."
Jinwoo, however, remained silent. Something about the situation felt off. The dungeon had been designed to hold Ashura, and yet it was falling apart. Why now? Why had Jihoon sent them here?
Ashura seemed to read Jinwoo's thoughts, his smile twisting into something darker. "Ah, you're starting to realize it, aren't you? This was no random dungeon. You were led here. You were chosen to be the one to witness my rebirth."
"What are you talking about?" Jinwoo demanded.
"The Watcher," Ashura hissed, his voice filled with venom. "The one who oversees the balance. He is the one who orchestrated this, guiding you to this very moment. You are not just a Limitbreaker, Jinwoo Han. You are the key to my freedom."
Jinwoo felt a chill run down his spine. "The Watcher...?"
"Indeed," Ashura said, his voice low and dangerous. "The Watcher fears your power. He knows that you, as a Limitbreaker, could disrupt the balance of the Ascendant world. And so, he sent you here, to this prison, hoping that in your quest for strength, you would unleash me."
Hyeri's eyes widened in horror. "That's why Jihoon sent us here. It wasn't just about the Watcher—it was about this dungeon. We're being used."
Donghyuk clenched his fists, the realization hitting him hard. "So, what? We're just pawns in some cosmic chess game?"
Ashura laughed, the sound echoing through the chamber like a chilling wind. "Yes, pawns. But you, Jinwoo—you are special. The Watcher sees you as both a threat and an opportunity. If you free me, you will tip the balance of power. And if you refuse... Well, let's just say, the Watcher has other ways of dealing with anomalies like you."
Jinwoo's mind raced. The Watcher had set him up, lured him into this dungeon to either release Ashura or face the consequences. But why? What was the endgame?
Ashura's gaze bore into him. "Join me, Limitbreaker. Release me from these chains, and I will grant you power beyond your wildest dreams. Together, we will tear down the Watcher's system and forge a new world—one where Ascendants are not bound by the rules of the higher beings."
Jinwoo's grip on his sword tightened. The temptation was there—power beyond anything he could imagine. But he knew that allying with Ashura would mean unleashing untold destruction on the world.
"We're not freeing you," Jinwoo said, his voice firm.
Ashura's smile faded, replaced by a look of cold fury. "Then you are a fool. You think you can fight the Watcher and the system alone? You will fail. You will be hunted, just as I was. And when they come for you, there will be no escape."
Jinwoo stepped forward, determination burning in his eyes. "I'm not alone."
Donghyuk grinned, stepping up beside him, his fists blazing with energy. "Damn right, you're not. We've got your back, Jinwoo."
Hyeri nodded, her hands glowing with magic. "We'll find another way. We always do."
Ashura's eyes narrowed, his chains rattling as his fury grew. "Then you leave me no choice. If I cannot tempt you, I will crush you."
Suddenly, the runes on the chains flared violently, and the entire chamber began to tremble. The chains, weakened by centuries of decay, started to crack under the immense pressure of Ashura's power. With a deafening roar, the first chain shattered, sending a wave of dark energy rippling through the room.
Jinwoo's heart pounded as he realized what was happening. "He's breaking free!"
"We have to stop him before the other chains break!" Hyeri shouted, already preparing her next spell.
Donghyuk charged forward, his fists crackling with lightning as he aimed for Ashura's exposed torso. "Let's take this guy down!"
But before Donghyuk could land a blow, a pulse of dark energy exploded from Ashura, sending him flying back into the wall with a grunt. Jinwoo barely managed to dodge the blast, his sword glowing with a faint light as he channeled his power into it.
"Hyeri, support us with barriers! Donghyuk, flank him from the right!" Jinwoo barked, taking the lead.
Hyeri nodded, raising her hands to conjure a shimmering shield around them. Donghyuk, undeterred, leapt back into the fray, launching a series of rapid punches at Ashura, each one crackling with energy.
Ashura roared, his eyes blazing with fury as he lashed out with dark tendrils of energy. Jinwoo ducked under one of the tendrils and slashed at Ashura's legs, aiming to disrupt his balance. His blade connected, sending sparks flying, but it wasn't enough to slow the ancient being down.
"Foolish mortals!" Ashura bellowed, his voice shaking the chamber. "You cannot stop me! I am power incarnate!"
Jinwoo gritted his teeth, his heart racing. They were running out of time. If Ashura broke free from the remaining chains, the entire dungeon could collapse—and worse, Ashura would be unleashed upon the world.
"We need to hit him all at once!" Jinwoo called out, dodging another swipe from Ashura's tendrils. "Hyeri, charge up your strongest spell. Donghyuk, we'll distract him!"
Donghyuk grinned, his eyes blazing with determination. "Got it!"
As Hyeri began chanting a powerful incantation, Jinwoo and Donghyuk unleashed a relentless assault on Ashura, keeping him off balance. Jinwoo's sword flashed in the dim light, while Donghyuk's fists crackled with lightning, each strike sending shockwaves through the room.
Ashura roared in fury, but the cracks in his chains were growing larger, the magic binding him slowly unraveling. Time was running out.
"Now, Hyeri!" Jinwoo shouted.
With a final word, Hyeri unleashed a massive beam of pure energy, the air crackling as the spell tore through the chamber. The beam struck Ashura dead center, hitting the weakest point of his chains. The impact was deafening, and for a moment, everything seemed to freeze.
Then, with a deafening roar, the remaining chains shattered, and Ashura's body collapsed, writhing in pain as the dark energy around him flickered.
Jinwoo, breathing heavily, raised his sword. "It's over."
But Ashura's voice, though weak, still echoed through the chamber. "This... is far from over, Limitbreaker. You may have delayed the inevitable... but the Watcher will come for you. And when he does... you will understand the true meaning of power."
With that, the dark energy surrounding Ashura faded, and his body disintegrated into dust, leaving only silence in the vast chamber.
Jinwoo sheathed his sword, looking at Hyeri and Donghyuk. "We need to prepare. The Watcher's coming."
End of Chapter 6