Chapter 7: Echoes of the Abyss
The expedition team stood before the Sealed Dungeon, its ancient elven markings glowing faintly as if whispering warnings to those who dared enter. The entrance, massive and foreboding, pulsed with energy that had long remained undisturbed.
Griffin adjusted his grip on Remus, the obsidian blade at his waist humming with dark energy. Standing beside him, Luna Varus, his most trusted guard, remained ever-vigilant, her golden eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger.
"Are you ready?" Cassandra Austin asked, her voice uncharacteristically soft.
Griffin turned to her, surprised. Cassandra looked different today—less arrogant, less distant. There was hesitation in her gaze, a vulnerability he had never seen before.
He nodded. "Let's go."
The massive doors groaned open, revealing the abyss within.
The Dungeon's Perilous Depths
Inside, the dungeon was vast, its walls lined with doors leading to ranked chambers. Each door contained creatures matching its designated level. With thirty-six adventurers in their expedition, they split into smaller squads to clear each area efficiently.
The deeper they went, the heavier the air became. The eerie silence was broken only by distant growls, warning of lurking beasts.
Among the adventurers, Griffin found himself fighting alongside warriors, mages, archers, and healers—all strangers, yet bound together by the need to survive.
"Not bad for an emperor candidate," remarked Elias, a sharp-eyed rogue, as Griffin sliced through a wyvern with Remus.
"You fight well, Sebastian," added Gareth, a burly knight whose laughter shattered the dungeon's oppressive atmosphere.
Griffin chuckled, wiping the blood from his blade. "I'll take that as a compliment."
It wasn't just the battle that had changed things—it was the camaraderie. The expedition was friendly, filled with laughter and shared experiences. Griffin, who had spent much of his life isolated, found himself enjoying the warmth of companionship.
Among them, Cassandra had begun to change. The way Griffin had stood up for her when her own guards belittled her—it shook something inside her. As the illegitimate daughter of a noble, she had always been ridiculed, never truly accepted.
For the first time, she felt seen.
As they walked, she fell into step beside Griffin.
"You… don't hate me?" she asked hesitantly.
Griffin raised an eyebrow. "Why would I?"
"I've been nothing but a pawn to my family. No one ever stood up for me before."
Griffin smirked. "Then they're fools."
Cassandra's cheeks burned. This was different. This was dangerous.
For the first time, she felt her heart waver.
Romance in the Darkness
That night, after a long battle, they set up camp inside the dungeon's resting area. The glow of firelight flickered against the cavern walls, casting warm hues over Cassandra's face as she sat beside Griffin.
"You were amazing out there," she admitted.
Griffin chuckled. "You weren't so bad yourself."
For a moment, silence stretched between them, filled only by the crackling of flames. Then, to his surprise, Cassandra leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I don't know why, but when I'm with you… I feel like I can breathe."
Griffin stiffened, caught off guard.
"Cassandra—"
She placed a finger against his lips, stopping his words.
"Don't say anything. Just let me have this moment."
Then she kissed him. Griffin, caught off guard, felt his face heat up. He hadn't expected it, but he didn't pull away
It was hesitant at first, as if she feared being rejected, but when Griffin didn't pull away, she melted against him. The world around them faded, and for that single moment, there were no dungeons, no assassins, no burdens—just them.
When they finally pulled away, Cassandra smiled softly.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Griffin didn't know what to say, so he simply held her hand.
It was warm.
The Ambush – A+ Rank Monster Appears
The peace didn't last.
Just as the expedition prepared to move forward, the dungeon trembled. The air turned heavy. Then, from the depths, an A+ rank monster—Zelph—emerged.
The beast tore through half the team in mere seconds. Screams filled the cavern. Blood splattered against stone.
Griffin stepped forward, gripping Remus tightly.
"Luna, with me."
Luna nodded, her twin daggers gleaming.
Cassandra, despite her shock, fought alongside them.
The battle was fierce—Zelph's monstrous power overwhelming—but Griffin refused to back down.
With one final slash, Remus carved through Zelph's skull, ending the monster's rampage.
Then, a notification appeared.
Kaido System Notification:
• A+ Monster Zelph eliminated
• Strength +5
• Agility +6
• New Blessing: Boss Devourer activated
• New Skill: Black Lightning (B) obtained
But there was no time to celebrate.
The S-Rank Demon Appears
A sudden explosion of dark flames erupted from the cavern's depths.
A figure emerged—an S-rank demon, cloaked in black fire.
It smirked.
"Well, that was disappointing."
The demon raised a hand—fire exploded outward.
In an instant, the entire expedition was wiped out.
Only Griffin, Luna, and Cassandra remained.
Cassandra's Betrayal & Sacrifice
The demon laughed.
"Poor girl," it sneered at Cassandra. "You really thought Kennith still needed you?"
Her eyes widened in horror.
Kennith Austin—her brother, the mastermind behind Sebastian's assassination—was possessed.
"He played you well," the demon continued. "Your dear mother? Dead weeks ago. You were just a pawn. And now? You're useless."
Cassandra froze, her entire world shattering.
Griffin gritted his teeth. "Luna, cover me."
But before he could react, the demon moved faster than lightning, aiming straight for Griffin's heart.
Cassandra threw herself in front of him.
The blade pierced her chest.
Griffin's heart was pounding in his chest as he watched Luna, his trusted guard, struggle against the overwhelming force of the demon. She had always been so strong, so composed—yet now, she was barely holding on.
Griffin turned his attention back to Cassandra, who lay before him, a faint smile curling on her lips despite the pain she was in.
"Why?" Griffin whispered, tears streaming down his face. "Why did you save me? Why go through all of this for someone like me?"
Cassandra's eyes fluttered weakly as she spoke, her voice raspy, "That shouldn't be the question. This is my fault, Griffin. I… I never should have let you get involved. Saving you now doesn't mean you'll leave here alive."
Griffin clenched his fists, his sorrow intertwining with confusion. "Cassandra… what are you talking about?"
Her hand trembled as she reached for his, her face pale with the effort. "Kennith. Kennith is being possessed by a demon. He mustn't become the emperor. If he does, it will be the end of everything."
The shock hit Griffin like a physical blow. "What? But… Kennith—he's your—" He couldn't finish the sentence. His mind struggled to process the revelation.
Cassandra smiled softly, her fingers tightening around his hand. "I'm sorry, Griffin. I don't deserve to live. I put a good, kind-hearted man like you in this situation. You didn't deserve this."
"No," Griffin said, his voice firm as he leaned closer to her. "Don't say that. It's because of you that I've had something I've never had—friends, memories. I… I'm grateful."
Cassandra let out a soft chuckle despite the pain. "You're always so modest. Trying to comfort me when… when it's the end."
"Don't—" Griffin started, but before he could finish, Cassandra's fragile hand pulled him closer, her lips pressing gently against his in a final, bittersweet kiss.
"Thank you, Sebastian," she whispered. "Thank you for standing up for me… for sharing your true self… I'm sorry, I'm sorry that you might not make it out of here alive."
Griffin's heart shattered as he held her, whispering through his tears, "It's okay. It's okay… rest now."
And with that, Cassandra's eyes closed for the last time, her body finally succumbing to the darkness.
The demon watched from the shadows, sneering with disdain as it approached the fallen warriors. "Ah, how pathetic," it jeered. "You humans are so weak. I never expected this from the ones Lord Dantanian sent me to crush."
Luna, battered and bruised from her fight with the demon, struggled to rise. Her body was covered in wounds, her movements sluggish. "I'm sorry, Master…" she whispered through clenched teeth. "I wasn't strong enough. After all the training… after everything… it looks like… this is where I die."
Griffin's chest tightened as he watched Luna fall. His rage swelled, mixing with his sorrow. "Why? Why does this have to happen? Why do I have to lose everything I care about?" He clenched his fists, his voice rising in agony. "Why does it have to be like this? I know this is just a dream… but… it's too much! Why must I suffer like this?"
A sudden flash of energy exploded around him, and a notification rang through his mind:
Reawakening Confirmed.
Unrivaled Determination Detected.
Griffin's breath caught in his throat, his mind buzzing with the surge of power that flooded his body. His voice broke out in a primal scream: "I won't die here! I won't!".
The ground beneath him trembled as the demon, who had been about to finish off Luna, turned its attention toward Griffin. "Ah, how annoying. Your noise is unbearable," the demon hissed. "Don't worry, I'll deal with you after I finish with this pathetic female warrior."
Griffin's hair whipped around him as his aura flared, a pressure unlike anything he had felt before. His eyes were fierce, his body crackling with new, terrifying power.
Griffin didn't hesitate. He raised his hand, summoning a black hole that swallowed the demon's outstretched hand. The demon hissed in frustration as its hand began to regenerate. "How did you… become so strong?" it demanded. "You were on the brink of death just moments ago! No… don't tell me… you have a second blessing now?!"
Black Hole [Infinite Void] Activated
The abyss itself seemed to open around Griffin. The demon, Ludwig, barely had time to react before the gravitational force of the black hole ripped through the cavern. The entire dungeon trembled as the unnatural darkness devoured the surroundings, swallowing the remains of the fallen expedition members, stone, and even the very air itself.
Ludwig snarled, stepping back, his flaming aura flickering wildly. "Impossible! A mere human can't—"
Before he could finish, Griffin moved.
A blur.
A streak of shadow and lightning.
Ludwig barely managed to raise his blade before Remus came crashing down, slicing into his shoulder. The demon howled as dark flames burst forth, but Griffin didn't relent. His swordplay was sharper, faster, more refined than before. Every strike was backed by the terrifying weight of his newfound strength.
Kaido System Notification:
• Black Hole [Infinite Void] Activated
• All stamina-draining abilities no longer require aura
• Warning: High stamina consumption detected
Griffin's vision wavered slightly at the warning, but he gritted his teeth and pressed on. He had no choice. If he stopped, Luna would die. If he stopped, Cassandra's sacrifice would be in vain. If he stopped, he would never be able to return home.
Ludwig roared, countering with a flurry of black-flame slashes. Each attack burned with demonic energy, the heat warping the air itself. Griffin dodged, barely avoiding the flames as they scorched the ground.
Then, the demon's movements blurred—his speed doubling.
Griffin's instincts screamed.
Too fast!
Ludwig appeared behind him in an instant, his sword crashing down toward Griffin's neck.
Clang!
A last-second block. Sparks exploded as Remus met Ludwig's blade, but the impact sent Griffin flying back, his body slamming against the dungeon wall.
He coughed blood. His ribs cracked from the attack.
Griffin barely had a moment to breathe before Ludwig was on him again, striking relentlessly. Every clash of their swords sent shockwaves through the cavern.
But even as Ludwig unleashed a barrage of slashes, Griffin's mind sharpened.
Every move. Every attack. Every pattern.
He saw it.
Ludwig was predictable.
Griffin's gaze darkened. His aura flared.
And then—
He vanished.
Ludwig's eyes widened in shock. "Wha—?"
A black hole opened beneath him.
Griffin reappeared above the demon, his sword engulfed in black lightning.
"Die."
With a single devastating slash, Remus tore through Ludwig's body, severing him from shoulder to hip.
Silence.
Then—
BOOM!
The black hole imploded, crushing what remained of the demon's body into nothingness.
Kaido System Notification:
• S-Rank Demon Warrior Ludwig Eliminated
• Aura +200 (1700 → 1900)
• Strength +20 (338 → 358)
• Stamina +50 (339 → 389)
• Agility +20 (342 → 362)
• Intelligence +10 (311 → 321)
• Boss Devourer Activated
• New Skills Obtained:
• Regeneration (A) → Can evolve into Undying Will
• Demonfire Resistance (S) → Immune to all demonic flames
• Nightmare Domain (A) → Creates an illusion-based domain, overwhelming enemies' senses
Drak mana core devoured
Dark mana-800
The dungeon fell into eerie silence.
Griffin stood there, panting, his body trembling from exhaustion. The power of his Black Hole blessing was overwhelming, but it had drained his stamina dangerously fast.
Then—
A soft groan.
Griffin's heart clenched.
"Luna!"
He rushed to her side, kneeling beside her broken form. Her breathing was shallow, her body covered in wounds. She shouldn't be alive—yet somehow, she had managed to endure.
Her golden eyes flickered open weakly. "…Master… you… won…"
Griffin exhaled in relief. "Yeah. We won."
Luna's lips curled into the faintest smirk. "Knew you… were special…"
Then she lost consciousness.
Griffin gently lifted her into his arms, his grip firm yet careful. She was alive, but barely. He needed to get her help—fast.
But as he turned to leave—
His steps halted.
Cassandra's body lay motionless, her face peaceful.
For a moment, the world blurred.
He had gained strength, but at what cost?
A bitter laugh escaped his lips, filled with sorrow. "You called me a kind-hearted man, Cassandra…"
He clenched his fists.
"…Then why does kindness never save anyone?"
His grip tightened around Remus as he turned away, walking toward the dungeon's exit.
The echoes of the abyss remained behind him.
And in his heart—
A promise.
This was just the beginning.
(TO BE CONTINUED…..)
Hey there, it's me, the author!
I've made some changes to the previous chapters, so be sure to check them out.
Thanks!