Ethan stepped through the swirling portal, and in an instant, everything around him changed. A crushing weight pressed against his body, and the air turned thick with an ominous presence. Darkness stretched as far as he could see, broken only by faint, eerie blue glows flickering in the distance.
The Abyssal Rift.
He landed on solid ground, his boots sinking slightly into damp earth. A putrid scent of decay filled his nostrils, and the distant sounds of wailing echoed through the void-like landscape.
[Passive Ability: Colossus Rebirth—Activated]—Damage Reduction: 40%—Increased Endurance—Critical Injury Recovery Boost
Ethan smirked. "Good. I'll need that."
He surveyed his surroundings. The terrain was uneven, filled with jagged rocks and deep fissures, some of which glowed faintly with an unknown energy. The sky—or whatever passed as the sky here—was a swirling vortex of black and violet, and something about it made his skin crawl.
A sudden snarl snapped him out of his thoughts.
He turned just in time to see a monstrous figure emerging from the shadows. It was tall, hunched, with elongated limbs and hollow, glowing eyes. Its skin looked stretched and cracked, as if its body barely held together.
[Abyssal Wraith - Level ???]
Ethan's smirk widened. "Finally, some action."
The Wraith lunged.
Ethan dodged, his reflexes sharper than ever. His foot slammed against the ground, and he spun around, delivering a powerful strike to the creature's midsection. A sickening crack echoed as the Wraith was sent tumbling back.
But it didn't stay down. Instead, it twisted unnaturally and let out a chilling screech.
More howls answered from the distance.
Ethan's grin faded slightly. "Well… that's not good."
Within moments, shadows shifted, and more figures crawled out of the darkness—dozens of Abyssal Wraiths, all with hollow, glowing eyes locked onto him.
"Of course. It's never just one."
Without hesitation, Ethan charged forward. His fists slammed into the first Wraith, caving its chest in. Another swiped at him, claws aiming for his throat, but he ducked and countered with a devastating uppercut.
[Iron Stride—Activated]—Increased Agility and Balance
He weaved between attacks, his movements fluid and precise. A claw raked across his side, but his Colossus Rebirth dampened the damage. Blood trickled from the wound, but he ignored it, focused entirely on the battle.
He fought relentlessly, his blows breaking bones, his dodges just barely avoiding fatal strikes. The creatures were fast, but he was faster. Strong, but he was stronger.
After what felt like an eternity, the last Wraith crumbled into dust, and silence returned to the Rift.
Ethan stood amidst the remains, panting slightly.
"Alright…" He wiped some blood off his arm. "That was fun."
But just as he was about to move forward, a sudden movement caught his eye.
Not a monster.
A person.
A woman, cloaked in black, with twin daggers glistening under the faint blue light.
She was fast—unnaturally fast. Before Ethan could react, she was already closing the distance, her dagger aiming straight for his neck.
[Warning: Attack Incoming]
Ethan barely managed to step back in time. The dagger missed his throat by inches, slicing a lock of his hair instead.
His eyes locked onto the assassin.
She was tall and lean, her body wrapped in form-fitting armor that allowed for swift movement. Her eyes, sharp and calculating, glowed faintly beneath her hood.
"Persistent, aren't you?" Ethan muttered, cracking his knuckles.
The assassin didn't respond. Instead, she lunged again, this time faster. Ethan sidestepped, grabbing her wrist mid-strike. But before he could counter, she twisted unnaturally, breaking free from his grip and flipping back to gain distance.
Ethan smirked. "Not bad."
But the assassin didn't stop. She rushed in again, her daggers a blur.
Ethan dodged, blocked, countered—each of her attacks came with precision and lethal intent. Unlike the monsters he had fought, she didn't rely on brute strength. She was skilled, methodical, and unrelenting.
But so was he.
He feinted left, then abruptly changed direction. The assassin reacted too late. His fist connected with her stomach, sending her skidding back.
She coughed, but to his surprise, she didn't fall. Instead, she straightened, wiping a trickle of blood from her lips.
Ethan raised a brow. "Still standing? Impressive."
The assassin finally spoke. "You were supposed to die here."
Her voice was cold, devoid of emotion.
Ethan chuckled. "Yeah? Guess I ruined your plans."
The assassin's eyes narrowed. "You'll regret it."
She vanished—literally disappeared into thin air.
Ethan tensed, his senses sharpening.
A whisper of movement.
He turned—too late. A sharp pain bloomed in his side as a dagger plunged into his ribs.
His vision darkened for a moment. The assassin was behind him, her grip firm on the hilt of the dagger.
She twisted the blade.
Ethan gritted his teeth. "Tch—"
But before she could finish him off, a deep growl echoed through the Rift.
Both of them froze.
From the shadows, a massive creature emerged. A towering beast, covered in obsidian-like armor, its multiple glowing red eyes locked onto them.
The assassin immediately leaped back, her posture tense.
Ethan yanked the dagger from his ribs, blood dripping down his side.
"Well… that's new."
The creature roared, and in an instant, it charged.
Ethan barely dodged as its massive claw slammed into the ground where he had stood. The impact shook the earth, sending cracks rippling outward.
The assassin cursed. "Damn it. Not now."
Ethan smirked despite the pain. "Looks like we're in the same boat now, huh?"
The assassin shot him a glare but didn't argue. Instead, she twirled her daggers and faced the beast.
Ethan rolled his shoulders. "Guess we'll have to kill this thing before we finish what we started."
The creature roared again, and the battle truly began.
To be continued…