Chapter 32: The Looming Threat

Chapter 32: The Looming Threat

The moment Jin Seol stepped onto the 47th floor, he felt it. A subtle shift in the air. A weight pressing against his shoulders, heavy yet invisible.

It wasn't like the previous floors, where monsters roamed freely, eager to hunt down challengers. This place was eerily quiet, devoid of movement or life. The sky above was a deep crimson, with swirling black clouds, casting an ominous glow over the landscape.

Ahead of them stood an ancient fortress, half-consumed by nature and time. Its stone walls, once mighty, were now cracked, vines creeping along the structure like nature reclaiming what was lost. Massive iron gates loomed ahead, slightly ajar, revealing only darkness within.

Jin's system window flickered.

> [Warning: Anomaly detected. Proceed with caution.]

His eyes narrowed. "Anomaly? That's new."

Beside him, Aerin studied the surroundings with sharp eyes. She adjusted her grip on her sword, her elf-like features tense. "Something doesn't feel right. I don't sense any monsters… but that's exactly what makes this place dangerous."

Jin agreed. Every floor so far had its own dangers, but this… this was unsettling.

Lee Hwan, their martial artist companion, crouched slightly, his hands glowing faintly with energy. "I hate this. It's too quiet. This whole place feels like a trap."

Jin took a step forward, and the ground beneath him made an unnerving crunch. He glanced down. Bones. Human bones.

"Great," he muttered. "That's not ominous at all."

Then, the silence broke.

A deep, guttural voice echoed through the ruins, like ancient stone grinding against itself.

"Finally… new challengers."

The air shook with an unseen force, and the iron gates creaked open on their own. From within the fortress, a figure emerged.

A towering knight, clad in obsidian-black armor, stepped forward. Its helmet concealed its face, but two glowing red eyes burned like embers within the darkness. The armor was cracked and battle-worn, yet the oppressive energy radiating from it made even breathing feel heavier.

> [Boss Monster: Abyssal Warden]

[Rank: S+]

Jin exhaled. "Well. Guess we found the problem."

Aerin's voice was sharp. "This thing… it's stronger than anything we've faced so far."

The Abyssal Warden raised its sword—a massive, two-handed greatsword that hummed with dark energy. The fortress trembled at its mere presence.

Then it moved.

With unnatural speed, it charged, closing the distance in a heartbeat.

Jin barely had time to react. "Void Step!"

In an instant, he vanished, narrowly dodging the incoming strike. The ground where he once stood shattered, sending debris flying.

Lee Hwan countered, launching a devastating punch at the knight's exposed flank, but the Warden barely flinched. Instead, it turned its burning gaze toward him, lifting its sword again.

Aerin didn't wait. "Piercing Tempest!"

She vanished from sight, her sword striking in rapid succession, aiming for the weak points in the armor. Sparks flew as her attacks landed, but…

Nothing.

The Abyssal Warden stood unscathed.

Jin's heart pounded. This thing is no joke.

He tightened his grip on his sword, eyes scanning for weaknesses. If they were going to survive this fight… they needed a new strategy.