The Awakening of the Dark One
Chapter 11: The Awakening of the Dark One
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Kai's senses were on high alert as the ground beneath them shook with increasing intensity. The labyrinth's walls trembled, and a low, ominous hum began to resonate from deep within its core. It wasn't just the remnants of the Abyssal Warden's defeat. No, something far more dangerous was stirring.
Selene's eyes narrowed as she scanned their surroundings. Her form, still glowing faintly with divine energy, shifted as her many legs subtly adjusted, ready to react. "Master, stay close," she said, her tone now serious, as if the very air around them had thickened.
Kai swallowed hard. His gut told him that whatever was coming wasn't something they had faced before. "What is it, Selene?" he asked, voice strained.
Before she could respond, a deafening roar echoed from the heart of the labyrinth. It was deep and guttural, the kind of sound that seemed to reverberate through every bone in his body. The shadows twisted unnaturally, and the very space around them seemed to warp as though reality itself was under pressure.
Kai's hand tightened around the hilt of his weapon, his body tensing in anticipation. He knew that with Selene at her peak, they had little to fear. But this—whatever it was—felt different.
Then, from the darkness emerged a figure so massive it eclipsed the light around it. A hulking silhouette, towering and monstrous, with veins of black energy running through its skin like pulsing rivers of darkness. Its eyes glowed with a malevolent red hue, and its presence alone seemed to bend the world around it.
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System Notification:
New Beast Encounter: The Dark One (SS-Rank)
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Kai's heart skipped a beat. An SS-Rank beast? That was beyond anything they had ever faced.
Selene's legs tensed, her venomous fangs glinting as she hissed softly under her breath. "Master, this is no ordinary beast. The Dark One is a creature of pure malice, born from the void. It is an entity beyond comprehension."
Kai could feel the oppressive weight of the creature's power in the air, suffocating and heavy. "We can take it down, right?" he asked, trying to mask the fear creeping into his voice.
Selene turned to him, her gaze unwavering. "We must. But I will handle this."
With a single step, Selene moved toward the Dark One, her body glowing brighter than the sun. Her many legs scuttled with a speed that left a trail of celestial light in her wake. She was the epitome of divine power—maxed out, unstoppable.
The Dark One, a towering colossus, roared in fury, charging at Selene with an overwhelming wave of dark energy. But Selene's movements were swift, too swift for even the creature of pure destruction to match.
In an instant, Selene was upon the Dark One. Her form became a blur of celestial energy as she unleashed a devastating strike. A beam of radiant light, sharp as a divine blade, sliced through the beast's chest with no resistance. The Dark One let out a shriek of pain as it staggered back, its massive form crumbling beneath the sheer force of Selene's attack.
Before it could even react, Selene pressed the advantage. With a flick of her leg, she unleashed a torrent of energy—blades of pure light and venom—piercing the creature's body with pinpoint accuracy. Each strike tore through its dark form like paper, disintegrating the creature with every blow.
The Dark One's monstrous limbs flailed wildly, but Selene was untouchable. She danced around its attacks, her movements so fluid they were barely perceptible. Another slash, another beam of celestial light, and the beast's massive head was severed from its body, its form collapsing into nothingness.
The dark energy that had once filled the labyrinth began to dissipate as the Dark One was reduced to dust, its presence vanishing from the very fabric of reality.
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System Notification:
Beast Defeated: The Dark One (SS-Rank)
Reward: 1000 Experience Points, Void Core, Legendary Artifact
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Kai stood in stunned silence, watching as the remnants of the Dark One's form faded away, leaving only traces of dissipating energy behind. Selene, standing victorious, turned to him with a calm expression, her celestial glow fading to a soft radiance.
"Master," she said softly, "The threat has been neutralized."
Kai blinked, still processing what had just happened. He had expected a drawn-out battle, but instead, Selene had completely obliterated the Dark One in a matter of seconds. "You... you were incredible," he managed to say, his voice filled with awe.
Selene nodded slightly. "This is what it means to be at my peak, Master. There are few who can stand against me now."
Kai swallowed hard. He was beginning to realize just how powerful Selene was, and how much they could accomplish together. But the peace didn't last long.
A sudden shift in the labyrinth's atmosphere signaled another impending danger. Kai's eyes widened as the temperature dropped sharply. A voice, cold and ancient, echoed through the corridors.
"The balance has shifted. You cannot stop what has already begun…"
Kai's heart raced. Something far more dangerous than the Dark One had awakened.
Selene's expression darkened. "Stay alert, Master. This was merely a prelude to what is coming."
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To Be Continued…
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