Chapter 21: Wrath of the Abyssal Tyrant

Liam darted to the side as the Abyssal Tyrant's colossal fist slammed into the ground where he had stood a moment ago, sending jagged cracks through the stone. Dust and debris filled the air, but Liam remained focused, his mind racing. The world boss was fast, faster than any creature of its size had a right to be. He needed to push it to its limits, exploit the patterns in its attacks before it overwhelmed him with sheer brute force.

The monster bellowed, its abyssal armor shifting as its core pulsed with a sickly violet glow. A notification flashed before Liam's eyes.

[Warning: Abyssal Tyrant is preparing "Void Annihilation"]

Liam's instincts screamed at him. He activated [Shadowstep], blinking to the far side of the chamber just as the Tyrant released a devastating shockwave of abyssal energy. The force obliterated the stone floor where he had just been standing, leaving nothing but a swirling void in its wake. If he had been even a second late, he would have been caught in it, an instant death for any normal player.

He had fought countless bosses before, but this was different. The Abyssal Tyrant wasn't just a monster, it was an apex predator of the dungeon, designed to annihilate entire raid parties. But Liam wasn't a party. He was alone, and that made him unpredictable.

His daggers pulsed with Shadowflame as he lunged, aiming for the exposed gaps between the creature's armor. He activated [Phantom Reaver], splitting into a shadow clone that mirrored his attack. The two of them struck simultaneously, their blades carving deep.

[Critical Hit!] [-22,500 HP] [Phantom Reaver Activated!] [-11,200 HP]

The Abyssal Tyrant roared in frustration, swinging its massive arm in retaliation. Liam barely managed to twist his body in time, feeling the sheer force of wind as the strike missed him by inches. Even a glancing blow could shatter his health bar.

The Nightfall guild had reached the edge of the battlefield, their eyes wide as they took in the scene before them. Liam was fighting the world boss alone, dodging attacks that would obliterate even the most heavily armored players. His movements were beyond human, each step calculated, each strike precise.

Garret clenched his fists. "That bastard is really doing this alone?"

Selene didn't respond immediately. She had seen Liam fight before, but this was something else. His reaction speed, his ability to weave in and out of combat, it was almost as if he knew exactly what the Tyrant would do before it even moved. And despite the overwhelming power difference, he was holding his own.

"He's not just doing it," Selene said, her voice laced with something between awe and frustration. "He's winning."

Another notification appeared in front of Liam.

[Abyssal Tyrant's HP: 620,000/980,000]

He had already shaved off a significant chunk of its health, but the real challenge had yet to begin. The Tyrant's eyes burned brighter, and the ground beneath them trembled. The second phase was beginning.

[Warning: Abyssal Tyrant has entered "Abyssal Frenzy" mode!]

Liam's smirk didn't fade. "Now we're talking."

The boss lunged, moving with unnatural speed, its massive claws aiming to crush him. He activated [Shadow Veil], vanishing just before impact. The Tyrant's attack hit nothing but air, and in that instant of confusion, Liam reappeared behind it, his daggers sinking into the back of its exposed knee joint.

[-28,000 HP] [Movement Speed of Abyssal Tyrant has been reduced!]

It howled in fury, twisting unnaturally, but Liam had already retreated. The fight had shifted. Now, it was no longer the Tyrant dictating the battle, it was Liam, and it gave Liam the chance to attack with more precision and deal more damage.

Selene's eyes narrowed. This wasn't just skill. It was something deeper. Every high-level player could recognize attack patterns and exploit weaknesses, but Liam did it in a way that made it look effortless. There was no hesitation, no second-guessing. It was as if he had already fought this boss before, as if he knew exactly how to dismantle it piece by piece.

"We can't let him take this kill alone," Garret muttered. "We should step in."

Selene hesitated. Logically, it made sense. A world boss was meant to be a team effort. But this wasn't a normal raid, and Liam wasn't a normal player. If they interfered now, it might not go well, for them.

Before she could decide, the Tyrant let out a guttural roar. The abyssal energy swirling around it condensed, forming massive tendrils of dark fire that lashed out in every direction. Liam barely managed to avoid one, twisting midair before landing in a crouch. His health had dipped slightly from the shockwave, but it was manageable.

[System Alert: Abyssal Tyrant has activated "Worldbreaker"]

Liam's expression hardened. This was it, the final desperate attempt by the boss to wipe everything in its path. If he couldn't avoid the next attack, he was done.

The ground beneath him cracked as the Tyrant raised both its fists, abyssal energy coiling around them like living shadows. It was going all in.

"Damn," Liam muttered. He exhaled sharply, gripping his daggers tightly.

Then he moved.

The world seemed to slow as he activated [Shadowstep], blinking between the tendrils of energy. His mind was a blur of calculations, angles, and attack windows. The Tyrant's fists came crashing down, unleashing an apocalyptic explosion of energy that would have wiped out any raid group foolish enough to be caught in it.

But Liam wasn't there.

He had reappeared directly above the Abyssal Tyrant's head, his daggers glowing with the full power of [Phantom Execution]. His clone split from him midair, the two of them descending in unison. In the final moment before impact, Liam's voice was a whisper against the chaos.

"Game over."

Both blades struck true, piercing the core of the Abyssal Tyrant's forehead.

[Phantom Execution Activated!] [Critical Hit!] [-135,000 HP]

The Tyrant let out one final, deafening roar before its massive body collapsed. The dungeon trembled as the monstrous entity disintegrated into pure abyssal energy, leaving only silence in its wake.

[Congratulations! You have slain the Abyssal Tyrant!] [EXP Gained: 375,000!] [Unique Item Dropped: Abyssal Core] [First Clear Reward: Unique-Class Weapon + 10,000 Gold] [Level Up! You are now Level 46!]

Liam landed gracefully, exhaling slowly as the system notifications flooded his screen. His eyes flickered toward the Nightfall guild, who stood frozen at the edge of the battlefield.

Selene met his gaze. There was no arrogance in Liam's expression, no need for words. He had just done the impossible, and they all knew it.

He smirked. "You guys just gonna stand there, or do you want the scraps?"

Garret clenched his jaw, but he said nothing.

Selene exhaled, a slow smile forming on her lips. "Next time, Revenant."

Liam chuckled, turning on his heel as he walked deeper into the labyrinth. The Abyssal Tyrant was dead, but the dungeon had more secrets to uncover.

And he intended to claim them all.