The Ebon Abyss's depths lingered in Beelzebub's senses long after the Ebon Tyrant's defeat, the air still thick with the scent of shattered void and the faint hum of the S-tier Ebonheart Greatsword in his hand. Its dark blade pulsed with a rhythm that matched the tremor in the ground beneath his feet—a tremor that had begun the moment the Abyssborn's chains fully broke. At Level 27, with 9595 EXP, Beelzebub's stats were a testament to his relentless ascent—Strength at 2399, Speed at 2088, Defense at 1541, Mana at 2964, Luck at 195, Charisma at 195. Yet the voices in his mind—Ebon's shadow, Fate's starlight, Tyrant's rage—clawed louder, a cacophony that threatened to unravel him. He clenched his fists, crimson eyes narrowing as he growled, "I'm Beelzebub," shoving the chaos down, but Gluttony's strain pulsed harder, his identity a fraying thread woven with stolen wills. His aura, a twenty-meter storm of cold dominance amplified by his Devourer profession, flickered with void-like tendrils, a visual echo of the Abysskin bloodline he'd absorbed.
Ryn stood a few paces behind, her cloak tattered from the battle, her dagger still in hand as she scanned the chasm's shadows. Her trust in him had held steady at 42%, but her eyes betrayed a mix of awe and unease as the abyss's darkness seemed to whisper back. "The air… it's alive," she said, her voice a low thread, barely audible over the tremor. "What have you unleashed, Beelzebub?"
He turned, Charisma weaving a flirty edge into his sharp tone. "Power, Blade. The kind that breaks gods. Stay close—you'll see it reshape the Realms." Her lips twitched, a flicker of hope battling the dread of her cursed past as a player turned NPC. She stepped closer, her trust ticking up to 43%, the shared battle forging a quiet bond between them.
The abyss's walls, etched with runes that bled shadow, pulsed with a rhythm that felt like a heartbeat—a heartbeat that echoed the Abyssborn's awakening. Beelzebub's HUD pinged with a new quest, its tone urgent: "Investigate the Abyssal Echoes. Uncover the Abyssborn's Whisper. Reward: 900 EXP, 360 Copper, Achievement." The chasm deepened as they descended, the air growing colder, the darkness thicker, until they reached a cavern where the shadows seemed to writhe like living things. At its center stood a cracked obsidian shard—a relic Beelzebub recognized from the Cavern of Echoes, its inscriptions now partially legible under the faint glow of his Shardlight Halberd. The script spoke of a "primordial chaos," a force the gods feared, sealed in the Depths to preserve their reign. Shattered chains, Beelzebub thought, the symbol of the Abyssborn's freedom etched into his mind, a recurring motif that whispered of the chaos to come.
A vision flickered in his mind, unbidden—a parallel timeline from eons past, seen through the eyes of a god clad in starlight. The god stood amidst a cosmic battlefield, golden threads of fate weaving around him as he faced a Titan-like entity of pure chaos: the Abyssborn. Its form was a void that swallowed light, its voice a scream that shattered stars. "You cannot bind me forever," it roared, as the gods forged chains of divine essence, sealing it into the Depths. The vision faded, leaving Beelzebub staggering, his breath ragged. The voices in his mind screamed—Chaos… void… who am I?—the Abyssborn's will brushing against his own, a whisper of power that both tempted and terrified him.
Ryn caught his arm, her touch grounding him, her eyes wide with concern. "What did you see?" she asked, her voice soft but urgent.
He smirked, masking the turmoil within, but his tone was colder than usual. "The past, Blade. The gods' fear… and their mistake." He pulled away, his gaze returning to the relic. The vision had confirmed what the Mage Guild's tomes hinted at: the Abyssborn was a primordial force, born before the gods, sealed to secure their dominion. But its chains were broken now, and Beelzebub's actions had set it free. A question gnawed at him, one he couldn't voice aloud: Am I its liberator… or its pawn?
The shadows in the cavern surged, coalescing into Abyssal Echoes—Level 55 specters of void and memory, forty strong, their forms radiating a darkness that swallowed the halberd's light. Beelzebub's aura erupted—obsidian cracking as he swung Ebonheart, Strength at 2479 (gear-boosted) cleaving the first Echo's core. Dark damage flared, 30% bonus igniting—darkness spraying as Ebon Slash (Mastery to 2/10) slashed through another, void energy tearing through shadow. The Echoes retaliated—claws slashing in a storm of darkness, their movements a blur of lethal precision. He weaved, Speed at 2118 (gear-adjusted) dodging a flurry, then Phantom Step (10/10) flickered him mid-strike—Ebonheart arcing, Crimson Tide (Mastery to 6/10) carving five more, bloodlight clashing with void.
A claw grazed his side—HP dipping 22%, Paladin's Crest ticking it back. Storm Call (10/10) erupted—lightning chaining through twelve, void sizzling, screams echoing. Horned Frenzy flared, Speed spiking to 3177—Ebonheart whirled, Inferno Burst (Mastery to 9/10) igniting ten in a fiery blast, Emberheart fueling the roar. The last charged—Void Grasp (10/10) pinned it, Strength snapping its core. Forty fell, the cavern trembling, but the shadows didn't dissipate—they coalesced into a single form: an Abyssal Wraith, Level 60, its scythe dripping with ebon essence, its eyes glowing with the Abyssborn's malice.
"You bear its mark," the Wraith intoned, voice a void that swallowed sound. "The Devourer… the breaker of chains." Beelzebub grinned, aura surging—obsidian dust swirling—as he charged, Ebonheart Greatsword raised. The Wraith swung—scythe arcing in a wave of ebon energy, reality fraying at its edge. He leaped, Speed at 2118 weaving through, then countered with Radiant Strike (Mastery to 9/10)—holy light slashing its arm, void hissing. It retaliated—ebon wave rippling, slamming him into a wall—HP dropping 40%. He laughed, aura pulsing, Mana Surge spiking Mana to 4446. Abyssal Rend (Mastery to 4/10) roared—void clashing with ebon, Void Whisper amplifying the darkness.
The scythe spun—Dark Aegis (10/10) rose, splintering under the blow—HP dipping 30%. Beelzebub darted, Shadow Bind (10/10) locking its arm—scythe faltered. He lunged, Crimson Tide slashing its side—bloodlight cutting deep, a bleed igniting. The Wraith roared—ebon storm erupting, throwing him back—HP falling 35%. He rolled, Speed weaving through debris, then Horned Frenzy flared—Speed at 3177—Ebonheart a blur, Inferno Burst exploding across its chest, Crimson Rage igniting as HP dropped below 50%, damage surging. It thrust—ebon piercing stone. Void Grasp countered, tendrils snapping its wrist—scythe clattered. Beelzebub leaped, Wraith Slash (Mastery to 8/10) carving its neck—mana flared, void damage searing. The Wraith roared—Storm Call crashed lightning down, obsidian shattering. He gripped Ebonheart, Strength at 2479 driving it through its core—ebon exploded, HP dropping 40%. The Wraith collapsed, darkness pooling, its final whisper echoing: "The Abyssborn… speaks."
"Ding! 40 Abyssal Echoes defeated. Absorbed: Strength +200, Speed +160, Defense +120, Mana +240, Luck +40, Charisma +40."
"Ding! Abyssal Wraith defeated. Absorbed: Strength +300, Speed +240, Defense +180, Mana +360, Luck +10, Charisma +10, Bloodline: Echo of the Abyss (Shadow Resistance +10%), Talent: Abyssal Resonance (Boost shadow-based skills), Whisper of the Void (Skill). Loot: Abyssal Shard (A-tier, Accessory, +50 Mana, +20% Shadow Damage), Copper x1800."
Skills: Whisper of the Void (Unleash shadow wave, Mastery: 1/10)
"Ding! Quest Complete. Reward: 900 EXP, 360 Copper, Achievement: Echoes of the Abyss – Heard the Abyssborn's Whisper. Reward: 600 EXP, Title: Whisperer of the Void (+5% Mana)."
"Ding! Level Up! Reached Level 28. EXP: 11445/5000."
The voices screamed—Ebon… star… void… who?—Wraith's shadow, Fate's light, Tyrant's rage. His skull split—Echo of the Abyss's chill, Abyssal Resonance's hum threading into him. He staggered, aura flaring—obsidian dust swirling. "I'm Beelzebub," he growled, but Gluttony's strain pulsed harder—identity fraying further. His aura shifted, void-like tendrils now laced with shadow, a visual cue of his evolving magic.
Ryn stepped closer, her hand brushing his arm, her touch a quiet anchor. "You're… changing," she said, her voice soft, laced with concern. "That power—it's not just strength. It's… something else."
He turned, Charisma weaving a flirty edge into his tone, but his eyes held a flicker of vulnerability. "It's me, Blade. Or what's left of me." Her trust ticked up to 45%, the moment of honesty deepening their bond. They sat against the cavern wall, the relic between them, its inscriptions glowing faintly. "What did it say?" Ryn asked, her fingers tracing the shard.
Beelzebub's voice was low, almost reverent. "The Abyssborn… it's older than the gods. They sealed it to rule, but I've broken its chains. It's awake now—and it knows me."
Ryn's eyes widened, but she didn't pull away. "And what does it want?"
He smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Power. Chaos. Maybe me." A philosophical question lingered in his mind, unvoiced: Is true power worth the price of my soul?
In Eldrin, the sky darkened further, violet storms swirling with whispers of the Abyssborn's voice. Players crowded the leaderboard crystal: "1. Beelzebub (Lv. 28), 2. Kael (Lv. 25), 3. Mira (Lv. 23), 4. Lia (Lv. 22), 5–10 TBD." Beelzebub emerged, Abyssal Shard glowing at his side. Lia and Mira approached—Level 22 and 23. "Level 28? S-rank already?" Lia gasped, ambition alight. "SS-rank—help us?"
Mira smirked. "We'll claim it."
He winked, flirty yet sharp. "Earn it." Their resolve burned.
Kael stormed up, Level 25, fury etched. "Abyss whisperer?" he spat. Beelzebub's aura splintered stone. "Trash chases. I'll bury you." Kael backed off, dread beneath rage.
The Mage Guild summoned—trust at 92%, tense. A tome glowed: "The Abyssborn speaks—gods tremble as its shadow grows." Ryn stepped closer, trust at 45%. "SS-rank?"
"SS-rank," he agreed, flirty and cold. "Stay close, Blade."