The **Abyssal Maw** dungeon loomed before Noah, a silent mouth of stone, its entrance framed by thick vines and jagged rock that gave the illusion of a vast maw waiting to swallow him whole. Despite its ominous appearance, Noah remained unphased. He knew the dungeon's reputation. The **Abyssal Maw** was famed for its brutal trials, where only those with true strength could survive the horrors within. Yet, for someone like Noah, it would prove little more than a mere inconvenience. After all, he had already reached **Level 10**, a feat that placed him far above the rest.
The air around him buzzed with tension as the other participants fidgeted nervously, their eyes darting toward the entrance. The majority of them were **Level 5** or barely above it, their hands gripped tightly around their weapons, their bodies coiled in readiness for the trials ahead. To them, this dungeon was a test of life and death, one that would either elevate them or destroy them.
But to Noah, it was little more than a stepping stone.
He stood near the back of the group, casually observing his fellow competitors. Some whispered among themselves, discussing strategies and the potential dangers that awaited them inside. Others stood in near silence, their gazes locked on the stone archway as if they hoped to glean some secret of the dungeon's depths. Noah barely registered them. His focus was elsewhere. He could already feel the oppressive atmosphere of the dungeon. The walls seemed to pulse with dark energy, a foreboding hum that sent ripples of power through the air.
But Noah was different. With his **Legendary Night Sovereign** class, he didn't need to train or struggle for every scrap of power. He had already evolved from the **Night Lord** class, gaining the ability to control the shadows and weave them to his will. He could sense the dungeon's magic, but it was weak compared to the power coursing through his veins. The monsters that would emerge from the shadows were nothing to him. They were simply prey to be dispatched.
As he stood there, a booming voice suddenly echoed across the courtyard, shaking the ground beneath his feet.
"Everyone, listen up!"
The voice was deep, commanding, and carried the weight of years of experience. The participants flinched as the sound reverberated, their heads snapping toward the source. Standing at the front of the group was **Varkis**, the **Level 50** renowned hunter and overseer of this trial. His towering frame blocked out the sun, his muscles rippling with strength, and his aura so dense that it felt like a tangible force pushing against the hunters.
Noah narrowed his eyes slightly, unconcerned by the heavy pressure radiating from Varkis. The others, however, seemed to tremble. Some of them dropped to their knees involuntarily as the force of Varkis's presence weighed them down. Noah had no such issue. The weight of Varkis's aura may have been enough to bring lesser hunters to their knees, but Noah stood tall, unaffected.
"I am Varkis, and I will be overseeing the trial today," he boomed, his voice carrying across the crowd. "The rules are simple, but strict. You are here to prove your worth by collecting orbs from the monsters you kill. No one is allowed to kill another hunter. That includes stealing from or killing other participants directly. You may steal orbs and claim others' kills, but you can only **subdue** your fellow hunters, not kill them."
There was a murmur of confusion. The participants glanced at each other, unsure whether they had heard correctly. The idea of stealing kills from other hunters was one thing, but the restriction on killing other participants was something new. It was a rule designed to encourage cooperation while preventing unnecessary bloodshed between competitors. Varkis continued speaking.
**"The orbs are the key to your success in this trial. Each orb represents the essence of a monster you've slain. The more powerful the monster, the more points you earn. A **Level 1 monster** will yield 100 points. A **Level 2 monster** will give 200, and so on. The highest level monsters will drop **Level 5 orbs**, worth 500 points."**
Noah had already known this. It was all part of the game. But there was something that caught his attention. The mention of the **Wyvern**, a **Level 5** beast that was the ultimate challenge of the dungeon. The Wyvern was not an ordinary monster; it was a creature of fire, a lesser dragon with abilities that could incinerate anything in its path.
"The ultimate challenge of this dungeon is the **Wyvern**. It is a **Level 5** monster, but unlike regular monsters of its class, this one belongs to a **lesser dragon bloodline**. Its power is far beyond the average beast. It will drop a **Wyvern Orb**, worth **1,000 points**—double that of a regular Level 5 monster."
Noah's lips curled into a faint smile. A Wyvern. A creature of flames. He could already feel the heat in the air. It would be a test, but nothing that he couldn't handle. The **Night Sovereign** class had granted him abilities that far surpassed the strength of mere monsters. But the **Wyvern Orb**... That was the key. It was worth 1,000 points, double that of the other Level 5 monsters. If he could secure that orb, the trial would be as good as won.
Varkis's voice cut through Noah's thoughts, bringing him back to the present.
"Remember, you may subdue other hunters to steal their orbs, but you may not kill them. This trial is not about killing your competitors—it's about proving you have the skill to overcome monsters, and those who cannot survive the dungeon will fail. You will gain no rewards for defeating each other. But the rewards for defeating the dungeon's creatures are plentiful."
Varkis paused, letting his words sink in before continuing.
**"At the end of this trial, the hunter with the most points will win. The prize includes a million mana crystals and **Legendary-grade armor** tailored to the winner's needs."**
Noah smiled. **A million mana crystals** and **Legendary-grade armor**. It was a tempting prize, but the real victory lay in showing everyone his abilities. It was all about the perception of power. His true strength had to remain hidden, but his success here would set the stage for even greater things.
**"Now, the rules are set. The trial begins now. Enter the dungeon, and may your strength guide you through."**
The gates of the dungeon creaked open, revealing a dark, foreboding passageway. The air grew heavier, thick with the scent of sulfur and decay. Noah felt the heat rising as he stepped forward, his boots scraping against the stone as he entered the Abyssal Maw.
---
The moment Noah crossed the threshold, the air changed. It was as if he had stepped into another world. The walls were jagged and uneven, the stone slick with dampness. The floor was littered with remnants of past battles—bones, broken weapons, and the decaying remains of creatures long dead. The atmosphere felt oppressive, the weight of centuries of bloodshed and suffering pressing down on him.
Noah took a deep breath, his senses sharpening. He could hear the distant growls and screeches of creatures lurking just out of sight. His instincts flared, and he knew that every step could be his last if he wasn't careful. But he wasn't worried. This dungeon held no surprises for him. He had faced far worse.
As he ventured deeper into the dungeon, the temperature began to rise. The walls were now lined with veins of molten lava, casting an eerie glow that illuminated the path ahead. The heat was unbearable for most hunters, but Noah's **Night Sovereign** abilities kept him comfortable in the oppressive heat. He knew that the real challenges lay ahead—monsters that would test his abilities, but none that could match his power.
The first monsters appeared just as he predicted. **Wraiths**, the ethereal creatures of the dungeon. They materialized out of thin air, their translucent bodies floating towards him. Their eyes glowed with malice, and they reached out with claws made of cold, biting energy.
Noah didn't flinch. Instead, he allowed the creatures to draw closer. With a simple gesture, he melded into the shadows, his body disappearing into the darkness. The Wraiths swiped at thin air, their ethereal claws passing through the space where he had stood just moments before.
He reappeared behind them, his movements quick and lethal. In one fluid motion, his **Night Sovereign** blade cleaved through the Wraiths, their bodies disintegrating into nothingness as he struck. The **Wraith Orbs** they dropped were swiftly collected.
**"100 points,"** Noah muttered, his eyes scanning the area.
The monsters in this dungeon would be nothing more than practice for what awaited him deeper inside. He continued onward,
slaying monster after monster, accumulating points with ease. He didn't break a sweat. Even when he encountered more formidable creatures, such as **Giant Spiders** and **Fire Elementals**, they were little more than distractions, their attacks too slow and too weak to touch him.
Hours passed, and Noah's score steadily rose. He was closing in on the 1,000-point mark, but the Wyvern was still nowhere to be seen. His instincts told him that the creature was lurking deeper in the dungeon, waiting for the right moment to strike.
As he made his way through the winding corridors, he heard the distant rumble of thunder. The sound was like the growl of a sleeping giant, and it echoed through the dungeon, vibrating in the very air. Noah's heart skipped a beat. The Wyvern was near.
He continued forward, undeterred. This was his moment.
---
As Noah entered the next chamber, the temperature spiked. The very air seemed to shimmer with heat, and the walls were lined with jagged rocks that radiated a fiery glow. In the center of the room, a massive figure stood.
The Wyvern.
It was everything he had expected—and more.
Its scales were a deep, molten red, shifting in color like embers glowing in a forge. Its wings were enormous, each one stretching far wider than Noah's arm span. Its eyes burned with an unnatural fire, and the air around it crackled with elemental energy.
Noah smiled. It was finally time.
---