The landscape had changed.
After the collapse of the Tower of Black Mirrors, the sky above the continent of Kelyria was shrouded in an artificial eclipse. A blood-red moon hovered in place of the sun, casting eerie shadows across the world map. Players everywhere were murmuring in chats, guilds were mobilizing, and the world event timer ticked down ominously.
> Global Event Announcement:
Final Phase: Obsidian Cathedral has awakened.
Location: Abyss Core – Kelyria Central Ruins.
Level Requirement: 70+
Event Type: World Raid / Dungeon Siege
Time Remaining: 29:59:47
Junzo, Rina, and Kai stood before a massive, slowly forming gateway.
The once-ruined capital of Kelyria was now reconstructed in twisted obsidian stone, its architecture pulsing with dark energy. Spires curled like claws, floating chains bound massive gothic towers together, and in the very center was a massive cathedral surrounded by a bottomless chasm a zone known as the Abyss Core.
> Junzo (Lv. 68 – Abyss Slayer): "This is it. No turning back."
> Rina (Lv. 70 – Arcane Empress): "The entire server's converging here. Look at the map."
> Kai (Lv. 69 – Shadow Striker): "Then let's make sure we're the first ones in."
Their party approached the black monolith embedded at the gateway's base. It pulsed and responded to the Four Abyssal Key Fragments they carried.
[Abyssal Gate Activation – Obsidian Cathedral Access Granted]
You are the first party to activate the final dungeon.
Rewards and achievements will be calculated upon completion.
Entering zone: Abyss Core.
[Dungeon: Obsidian Cathedral]
Type: Raid Dungeon (Adaptive Scaling)
Zone Rank: SSS – Nightmare Grade
Respawns: Limited (3 per player)
Bosses: 5 Guardians + Final Boss – Cathedral Warden: Abyss King Zorath
Estimated Completion Time: Unknown
Dungeon Buff: Fear Corruption – The longer you remain, the more corrupted your soul becomes. Effects stack.
Current Party Corruption: 0%
The moment they stepped through the gate, they were met with silence.
The air was thick with shadow mist. Glitched whispers echoed through the vast cathedral halls. The stained glass windows seemed to move, displaying scenes of death, betrayal, and failure. The cathedral interior was impossibly large, with endless stairways and floating platforms spiraling into a dark vortex above.
> System: Dungeon Map locked. Must defeat Guardians to unlock sections.
A shadow flickered. Then another. And another.
Out of the darkness emerged skeletal knights with glowing crimson runes engraved across their broken armor. They moved unnaturally fast.
[Enemy – Abyssal Knight x30]
Level 72 – Elite Undead
HP: 250,000 each
Special Traits: Fear Aura, Lifesteal Slash, Rune Shield
> Junzo: "We clear them fast before they overwhelm."
> Rina: "I'll cast an AOE debuff. Kai, go for the backline."
> Kai: "Already on it."
Junzo's blade glowed violet as he activated Eclipse Dash, slicing through three knights in a blink, triggering Abyss Echo to strike again immediately.
Rina lifted her staff and summoned Void Starfall, raining purple meteors across the battlefield, weakening enemy defenses. Kai blinked behind the archers and unleashed Silent Dance, a skill that made him momentarily intangible while attacking.
One by one, the knights fell.
[All Enemies Defeated]
EXP Gained: 800,000
Loot: 3x Abyssal Cores, 1x Rune Fragment (Crafting Material)
Corruption: +3%
As the final knight collapsed into black dust, a huge stone door opened with a mechanical groan, revealing the First Guardian Chamber. A long, cathedral hallway stretched ahead, ending in a vast room covered in crimson banners. A single throne stood at its center occupied.
A figure in silver and red plate armor rose, dragging a cursed greatsword behind him. His helmet bore a crack revealing one glowing eye. Chains trailed from his arms, linking him to the walls behind.
[Boss Detected – Abyssal Guardian: Knight of the Crimson Oath]
Level 78 – Raid-Class Mini-Boss
HP: 10,000,000
Special Traits: Blood Vow, Last Stand, Chain Bind, Rage Phases
Corruption Aura: Nearby players gain +1% corruption per 30 seconds.
> Rina: "He's a berserker type. The longer he fights, the stronger he gets."
> Junzo: "Then we end him fast."
> Kai: "I'll bait his binds. Let's go."
The Knight roared and slammed his greatsword into the ground, sending a shockwave that fractured the floor. Chains shot out and wrapped around Kai, pulling him into melee range. He flipped backward, slashing with a dagger coated in paralysis venom.
Junzo dashed in next, parrying a strike that left a deep crater. Rina summoned a zone of gravity reduction, increasing their speed while slowing the boss slightly.
At 50% HP, the boss entered Blood Vow Phase, doubling his speed and damage output. His armor cracked, and his blood began glowing through the gaps.
Junzo activated Abyss Awakening, trading 10% of his HP for a power boost, and slashed across the Knight's chest with Phantom Rift Slash.
> Critical Hit!
5,900,000 Damage Dealt
Kai struck the exposed back. Rina unleashed her Chrono Firestorm spell, stacking time-based damage that exploded every second.
Finally, the Knight let out one last roar then fell to his knees and vanished into crimson mist.
[Boss Defeated – Knight of the Crimson Oath]
EXP Gained: 2,200,000
Corruption: +5%
Loot: Oathbreaker's Sword (Epic – Two-Handed)
Knight's Chain Sigil (Quest Item)
Potion of Cleansing x1 (Reduces Corruption by 10%)
They took a moment to breathe.
> Rina: "We're already at 8% corruption. And that was just the first boss."
> Kai: "What happens if we hit 100%?"
> Junzo: "Then we become like them."
The door ahead opened again, leading deeper into the cathedral's twisting maze. Their path was set. The world was watching.
And in the darkness of the cathedral's throne room, a pair of glowing eyes opened.
> Abyss King Zorath (???): "Come, champions. Let me show you what it means to defy the abyss."