Chapter 20: The Abyssal Labyrinth

The moment Liam stepped into the Abyssal Labyrinth, a suffocating darkness swallowed him whole. The stale air reeked of decay, and the oppressive silence weighed heavy on his senses. Faint, ghostly blue torches flickered along the jagged walls, casting elongated shadows that twisted unnaturally. The dungeon stretched infinitely before him, its shifting corridors an ever-changing maze meant to disorient and devour those foolish enough to enter unprepared.

[System Notification: You have entered the Abyssal Labyrinth – Danger Level: Catastrophic]

Liam's lips curled into a smirk. Catastrophic? That only made things interesting.

He opened his status window, confirming his level had risen to 45. Compared to the strongest players in Velantir, who struggled in the late 30s, he was leagues ahead. The previous dungeon raids had proven fruitful, and his recent solo battles had honed his skills to a razor's edge. But that didn't mean he could grow complacent. This place was a death trap, and he knew better than anyone that a single mistake could cost him everything.

Footsteps echoed in the distance. He pressed himself against the cold stone wall, his sharp eyes narrowing as he activated [Shadow Veil], merging seamlessly with the darkness. A patrol of Abyssal Guardians marched past, their skeletal bodies clad in jagged obsidian armor, their eyes glowing with an eerie crimson light. Their weapons hummed with cursed energy, capable of rending flesh and soul alike.

[Monster Identified: Abyssal Guardian] [Level: 50] [HP: 72,000/72,000]

Liam's grip tightened on his Midnight Fang. These things were no joke. Their level outstripped his, but with the right strategy, they wouldn't be insurmountable. His real advantage lay in his combat awareness and precision. While others would hesitate, he would strike first.

The last Guardian in the group lagged slightly behind. A mistake. Liam flicked his wrist, activating [Phantom Reaver]. A shadow clone split from his body as he lunged forward, his dagger carving through the monster's exposed spine in a seamless strike.

[Backstab Activated!] [Critical Hit!] [-11,200 HP]

The Guardian staggered, its head snapping back in surprise. Before it could retaliate, Liam's clone mirrored his movements, delivering an identical strike. The combined assault sent the Guardian crashing to the ground, dissolving into black mist before it could raise the alarm.

[EXP Gained: 14,500] [Skill Proficiency Increased: Phantom Reaver]

Liam didn't have time to celebrate. The other Guardians had sensed the disturbance, their hollow growls reverberating through the corridor. They turned toward the darkness, weapons raised, searching.

Liam activated [Shadowstep], blinking behind them in an instant. His daggers blurred in the dim light as he unleashed [Shadow Rend], his blades igniting with Shadowflame. The searing slashes tore through their cursed armor, carving through their forms like a hot knife through butter.

[Critical Hit!] [-13,000 HP] [-7,500 HP]

The first Guardian collapsed, its life extinguished before it could react. The remaining two swung their weapons wildly, but Liam danced between their attacks, his agility far outpacing their sluggish movements. He countered with [Phantom Execution], his clone once again striking in perfect synchronization. The Guardians howled as their health plummeted.

[You have slain an Abyssal Guardian!] [EXP Gained: 16,200!]

[You have slain an Abyssal Guardian!] [EXP Gained: 16,500!]

The corridor fell silent once more. Liam let out a slow breath, feeling his pulse steady. This was just the beginning. He knew the deeper he ventured, the deadlier the threats would become. But that was exactly what he wanted.

Further into the dungeon, a gathering of players moved cautiously. Clad in high-tier equipment, the emblem of the guild Nightfall gleamed on their armor. At their head stood Selene, her crimson eyes scanning the labyrinth with a keen intensity. Unlike others, she wasn't here for profit or prestige. She was here because she knew Liam was ahead of them all, and she wasn't about to let him monopolize this dungeon.

"We need to stay sharp," Selene murmured. "Revenant is somewhere in here. If he's been farming kills, his level might already be beyond ours."

A guild member, a towering warrior named Garret, scoffed. "Even he has limits. There's no way he can handle this dungeon solo."

Selene didn't share his confidence. She had fought Liam before. And lost. The way he moved, how he calculated every action with surgical precision, he was beyond what a normal player should be capable of. There was something unnatural about him, as if he had knowledge no one else did.

[System Notification: A World Boss has awakened within the Abyssal Labyrinth.]

Everyone froze as the announcement echoed across the game.

Selene's expression darkened. "A World Boss?"

Liam, who had just entered a vast chamber deeper within the labyrinth, read the same notification with a smirk. He looked up at the monstrous figure looming before him. Standing over thirty feet tall, clad in fragmented abyssal armor, its entire form radiated a corrupt energy that made the air itself tremble. The creature's name burned in dark crimson above its head.

[Abyssal Tyrant] [Level: 60] [HP: 980,000/980,000]

Liam's grin widened. This was exactly the kind of challenge he had been waiting for.

The massive beast roared, shaking the entire chamber as it charged. Liam didn't hesitate. He activated [Shadow Veil], vanishing from sight just as the boss's colossal fist smashed into the ground, sending shockwaves through the dungeon. His daggers gleamed as he reappeared behind the beast, carving into its exposed joint.

[Critical Hit!] [-18,000 HP]

The Abyssal Tyrant bellowed in rage, spinning with terrifying speed. Liam barely evaded the counterattack, his instincts saving him from being crushed instantly. He had to play this smart. One wrong move, and he was done.

Meanwhile, Nightfall's party had reached the chamber's edge, their eyes widening at the sight of the towering behemoth and the lone figure fighting it.

"Is that… Revenant?" one of them whispered in disbelief.

Selene's grip tightened on her weapon. "We can't let him take this alone."

Liam, dodging another earth-shattering strike, caught their presence from the corner of his eye. He chuckled. If they wanted to interfere, they were welcome to try. But this was his hunt, and he had no intention of letting anyone steal his prey.

The Abyssal Labyrinth had revealed its horrors, but Liam was more than ready. As the fight intensified, the battle for supremacy in Velantir took another step forward, and Liam, as always, intended to be at the very top.