Chapter 110: The Abyss Sharpens It’s Fang

The city-wide manhunt launched by the Dragon Sovereign Guild and the fierce counterattack of the Abyss Squad collided like two surging undercurrents beneath Ashford City, stirring the entire player community into chaos.

Yet Aiden, who stood at the center of the storm, remained exceptionally calm.

He understood that while a string of tactical victories could provide a temporary advantage, they were never enough to determine the final outcome. In the end, what truly mattered was overwhelming strength. Levels, equipment, attributes, skills, and unique opportunities—these were the foundations upon which true power was built.

After deliberately creating enough chaos to draw the Dragon Sovereign Guild’s attention toward the western districts and the surrounding rift valleys, Aiden decisively withdrew his squad once again. Rather than continue fighting on the enemy’s terms, he turned his attention to a treasure location he remembered from the future—one that had yet to be discovered by any other player.

"Over the next few days, this will be our target."

Inside the abandoned air-raid shelter, Aiden pointed toward a location on the holographic map. It lay in the far suburbs of Ashford City, near a mountainous region that was gradually undergoing data distortion and spatial warping.

The area was marked with a dark-red halo, indicating extremely high energy readings and an unknown level of danger.

The name displayed above it was simple.

[Thunder Ruins]

"The monsters here are generally between Level 15 and Level 18, so they’ll put some pressure on us for now." Aiden’s gaze remained fixed on the map. "But those monsters aren’t our real target."

He enlarged the deepest section of the ruins.

"Somewhere inside is a special Level 20 Field Boss—Thunder Elemental Elder, Voltaris."

"A Level 20 Boss?!"

Silas’s eyes widened.

He was confident in his own strength, but he also understood the gap between their current level and a Level 20 Boss. The three of them had only recently crossed Level 10. Facing an enemy eight or more levels above them meant a tremendous disadvantage in attributes, hit rate, evasion, and damage resistance.

It was almost an impossible challenge.

Luna’s expression also became serious.

Aiden, however, showed no hesitation.

"Don’t worry. Voltaris has a fatal weakness."

He tapped the holographic display, bringing up an image of the Boss.

"It’s not a pure elemental creature. Its body is constructed around an Unstable Thunder Core. Whenever it prepares one of its large-scale thunder spells, that core briefly becomes exposed."

Aiden’s eyes sharpened.

"If we strike the core with enough physical force or an opposing elemental force, such as earth, we can disrupt its energy circulation. That will cause massive damage and force it into a prolonged paralyzed state."

He paused.

"That’s the key to overcoming the level difference."

Silas nodded slowly, his expression becoming more serious.

Aiden then turned toward Luna.

"And that’s not the only reason we’re going."

He revealed the real objective.

"According to the information I have, the first kill of Voltaris is guaranteed to drop a forging blueprint."

Aiden deliberately paused before revealing its name.

"[Stormbringer Cloak Blueprint — Legendary]."

"A Legendary blueprint?!"

Luna’s purple eyes immediately lit up.

She was still wearing a piece of Uncommon equipment that was barely keeping up with her current level. A Legendary blueprint was something completely different.

"Exactly."

Aiden nodded.

"The Stormbringer Cloak greatly increases Spirit and Agility. More importantly, it increases spell critical-hit rate and thunder-type skill damage."

His gaze settled on Luna.

"It was practically made for your dual-class build."

Luna’s fingers tightened around her staff.

Custom-made Legendary equipment was enough to drive any mage player insane.

At this stage of the game, the best equipment circulating through the market was mostly Rare. Epic equipment was already considered a guild-level treasure, while Legendary equipment existed almost entirely in rumors and legends.

If they obtained the blueprint now and managed to forge the cloak ahead of everyone else, Luna’s equipment would immediately pull her far ahead of the strongest mages currently competing for dominance.

Silas’s hesitation disappeared.

"Then let’s do it."

His voice was firm.

For the team’s growth—and especially for Luna’s development—he was willing to take the risk.

Luna nodded vigorously, gripping her staff with renewed determination.

The plan was decided.

After a brief rest, the three left the air-raid shelter under the cover of darkness and headed toward the Thunder Ruins in the far suburbs.

The closer they came, the more active the electrical energy in the atmosphere became. Tiny arcs of electricity appeared and vanished in midair, filling the night with faint crackling sounds.

Above them, lead-gray thunderclouds gradually gathered.

Distant thunder rolled across the sky, growing louder with every passing mile.

By the time they reached the ruins, the sound resembled the breathing of some enormous creature lurking beyond the darkness.

The Thunder Ruins were the remains of a massive ancient temple complex that appeared to have been struck by countless bolts of lightning.

Broken stone pillars lay scattered across the ground, their surfaces blackened and cracked. Faint electrical arcs continued to jump between them, while occasional flashes of blue-white light illuminated the ruins.

The creatures inhabiting the area had also been transformed by the overwhelming thunder element.

[Corrupted Gargoyle (LV15)]: High physical defense. Capable of firing Chain Lightning.

[Wandering Thunder Spirit (LV16)]: Elemental creature. Physical attacks deal reduced damage. Extremely fast and capable of self-destruction.

[Thunder Lizard (LV17)]: Extremely durable. Attacks inflict Paralysis.

Every monster here was several levels above the Abyss Squad.

The resulting level suppression was immediately obvious.

Their attacks were harder to land. Their enemies were more difficult to evade. Even attacks that connected dealt noticeably less damage than they should have.

At the same time, every mistake became far more dangerous.

But Aiden wasn’t bothered.

This was exactly what he wanted.

Extreme pressure was the fastest way to sharpen their combat abilities.

"Silas, hold the Gargoyles. Watch out for their Chain Lightning."

Aiden’s eyes moved across the battlefield.

"Luna, use Frost Nova to restrict the Thunder Spirits. Prioritize killing them before they can self-destruct."

His gaze shifted toward the Thunder Lizards.

"I’ll handle those."

The battle erupted instantly.

Silas charged forward and planted himself at the front of the formation like an immovable wall. The first Gargoyle’s attack slammed against his massive tower shield, producing a heavy boom and sending sparks flying across the battlefield.

He wasn’t simply blocking anymore.

Following Aiden’s previous guidance, Silas had begun experimenting with ways to redirect the force of incoming attacks. At the same time, he was gradually incorporating the basic principles of [Shield Counter] into his movements.

His success rate was still far from perfect, but whenever he managed to execute the technique correctly, part of the incoming force was redirected back into his opponent.

Every successful counter reduced his own pressure while steadily wearing down the Gargoyles.

Luna, meanwhile, controlled the rhythm of the battlefield.

With the enhancement provided by [Elemental Affinity], the range and control of her [Frost Nova] had improved considerably. Whenever a Thunder Spirit attempted to break through, a wave of frost spread across the ground and locked it in place.

Then came the follow-up.

A [Fireball] empowered by [Minor Good Luck] tore through the air and slammed directly into the immobilized Thunder Spirit.

Boom!

The explosion sent fragments of unstable lightning scattering across the ground.

Occasionally, [Elemental Resonance] would trigger, causing the Fireball’s power to surge dramatically. On one such occasion, the spell nearly doubled its expected damage and instantly emptied a Thunder Spirit’s health bar.

Luna’s mastery of her two classes was becoming increasingly natural.

Fate and elemental manipulation were no longer separate abilities in her hands. She was beginning to weave them together into a single combat style.

Aiden moved along the battlefield’s edges like a silent executioner.

He never attacked the strongest point of a Thunder Lizard. Instead, his blade repeatedly found their joints, eyes, throat, and other vulnerable areas.

Whenever one of the more dangerous creatures attempted to break through, the shadow-mutated version of [Heaven-Binding Roots] erupted from the ground and bound it long enough for him to finish the job.

The level suppression prevented him from displaying his full combat potential, but his attributes were still terrifying.

His 63 Strength and 50 Spirit gave every physical attack considerable force while allowing him to release his skills with remarkable precision.

Traits such as [Thorn Counter-stab] and [Flower Demon Resilience] also continued to contribute quietly throughout the battle.

The deeper they advanced, the more brutal the fighting became.

Their potion consumption climbed rapidly. Silas’s armor accumulated countless scorch marks and fine cracks. Luna repeatedly drained her Mana to the point where she could barely cast another spell, while several attacks slipped past Aiden’s defenses and left burns across his body.

Yet the pressure was producing results.

Their coordination became smoother.

Their reactions became faster.

Their movements began to complement one another without the need for constant communication.

By the time they finally broke through the final wave of monsters, all three were exhausted.

They had reached the deepest section of the ruins.

A massive circular plaza stretched before them, its center resembling a crater created by the impact of a meteor.

And floating above that crater was their target.

A colossal elemental creature formed entirely from pure lightning energy hovered several feet above the ground. It stood roughly five meters tall, its humanoid body wrapped in silver-white lightning as thick as a man’s arm.

Every movement produced a deafening crackle.

Above its head floated a blood-red identifier.

[Thunder Elemental Elder · Voltaris LV20 (Boss)]

Even from the edge of the plaza, the pressure radiating from its body made the three of them instinctively hold their breath.

Aiden tightened his grip on his blade.

"Follow the plan."

The instant the words left his mouth, Voltaris detected their presence.

The elemental creature raised one arm.

A massive bolt of lightning erupted from its body and shot toward them.

[Chain Lightning]!

The attack was as thick as a barrel.

"Hah!"

Silas roared and slammed his tower shield into position.

The lightning crashed against him.

-345!

A massive damage number appeared above Silas’s head.

More than one-third of his health disappeared in an instant.

Worse, the lightning carried a powerful paralysis effect. Silas’s movements immediately became sluggish.

"Luna!"

Aiden’s voice cut through the battlefield.

Luna understood immediately.

Instead of attacking Voltaris, she raised her staff and activated one of her fate dice.

The bright green [Minor Good Luck] die spun rapidly before releasing a stream of light that wrapped around Silas.

[Fate · Elemental Blessing (Weak)]!

The moment the blessing took effect, Silas felt the paralysis weakening.

His resistance to the surrounding lightning energy also increased slightly.

Voltaris raised its hand again.

Above the ruins, the thunderclouds began to churn violently.

Aiden’s expression changed.

"That’s it."

Voltaris was preparing a large-scale spell.

[Thunderstorm Descent]!

"Now!"

Aiden’s pupils narrowed.

He remembered the Boss’s pattern clearly.

Whenever Voltaris prepared Thunderstorm Descent, the Unstable Thunder Core inside its chest would briefly become exposed.

Sure enough, as the energy gathering reached its peak, the lightning around Voltaris’s chest suddenly intensified.

A brilliant blue light pierced through its body.

A fist-sized crystal resembling a blue diamond appeared beneath its chest.

The Unstable Thunder Core.

"Silas! Taunt!"

Aiden’s voice became sharper.

"Luna, earth-element interference. Maximum power!"

He immediately rushed forward.

Shadow Cloak surged around his body, pushing the skill to its limit and reducing his presence to an almost invisible afterimage.

"Get over here!"

Silas endured the paralysis and pain coursing through his body before activating the skill attached to his [Taunt Arm Crossbow].

An invisible force swept across the plaza.

Voltaris’s attention was forcibly drawn toward him.

Its unfinished [Thunderstorm Descent] faltered for a fraction of a second.

That was all Aiden needed.

Seven-colored light swirled through Luna’s purple eyes.

She activated [Minor Good Luck] on herself while simultaneously pushing [Elemental Affinity] to its limit.

She couldn’t directly cast an earth-type spell.

But she could manipulate the earth element already present in the surrounding environment.

The thin earth energy gathered around the Thunder Core, forming a dense interference field that disrupted its energy circulation.

It wasn’t an attack.

It was interference.

And because the Thunder Core was already inherently unstable, even that tiny disruption was enough to create a momentary imbalance.

A fraction of a second.

Aiden appeared directly in front of Voltaris.

His blade no longer carried the dark-golden glow of his usual attacks.

Instead, all of his mental power and Spirit attribute were concentrated into a single point at the tip.

There was no flashy technique.

No complicated movement.

Just a straight thrust.

Direct.

Fast.

Precise.

The blade pierced directly into the exposed Thunder Core.

Shlick!

-888!

[Critical Hit!]

[Weakness Attack!]

[Energy Core Destroyed!]

A staggering golden damage number appeared above Voltaris.

"Awoo—!"

The Thunder Elemental Elder released a shrill energy howl.

Cracks spread across the Thunder Core.

Violent lightning immediately began leaking from the damaged crystal, surging through Voltaris’s massive body.

The Boss’s movements became completely rigid.

Above its head, a new status appeared.

[Energy Disorder · Paralyzed]

[Duration: 15 seconds]

"Full output!"

Aiden didn’t need to say anything else.

Silas immediately abandoned defense.

He gripped his heavy sword with both hands and unleashed a storm of attacks against the immobilized Boss.

Luna didn’t hesitate either.

She activated her bright red [Great Luck] die and poured its overwhelming fortune into her next spell.

Her staff flashed.

[Fireball]!

One after another, fireballs erupted from the tip of her staff and hammered into Voltaris’s frozen body like artillery shells.

With her heightened control over elemental energy, nearly every attack triggered [Elemental Resonance].

The resulting damage was devastating.

Aiden circled around the Boss, his blade repeatedly striking the weakest points in its unstable energy structure.

For fifteen seconds, the three of them unleashed everything they had.

When Voltaris finally recovered from the paralysis, its health had already plunged to the brink of death.

Aiden stepped forward.

The power of the [Sovereign of Souls] surged through his body.

His final strike pierced through the remaining energy at the Boss’s core.

The Level 20 Thunder Elemental Elder released one final, unwilling roar before its enormous body collapsed.

The lightning composing its form scattered across the plaza, dissolving into countless fragments of light.

[Ding! Your team has successfully achieved the first kill of the Level 20 Boss-level creature "Thunder Elemental Elder · Voltaris"!]

[Reward: 15,000 Experience Points!]

[Reward: 500 Reputation Points!]

Three pillars of golden light simultaneously descended upon the battlefield.

[Ding! Congratulations! You have reached Level 12!]

A powerful surge of energy swept through Aiden’s body.

His exhaustion vanished.

The wounds inflicted during the battle rapidly recovered, while a profound sense of strength spread through every part of his body.

Aiden exhaled slowly.

Then his attention shifted toward the loot scattered across the plaza.

Several pieces of Rare and Uncommon equipment lay among the drops, along with a collection of valuable materials.

But one item immediately stood out.

A scroll surrounded by an orange glow, its surface seemingly woven from strands of lightning.

[Stormbringer Cloak Blueprint — Legendary]

Aiden picked it up without hesitation.

Luna had been staring at it expectantly.

He turned and handed the blueprint directly to her.

"I’ll help you craft it when we get back."

Luna accepted the blueprint with both hands.

They trembled slightly from excitement.

Her purple eyes shone with unmistakable joy.

"Thank you, Sir Aiden."

Aiden gave her a faint smile before opening his attribute panel.

More than anything, he wanted to see how much the Sovereign of Souls had benefited from killing a Level 20 Boss.

[Name: Aiden Cross]

[Codename: Reaper]

[Level]: Level 12

[Experience]: 8,400 / 25,600

[Health]: 720 / 720

[Mana]: 270 / 270

[Attributes]

[Strength]: 74

(Base 9 + Upgrade 7 + Absorbed 46 + Equipment 5 + Free Attribute 6 + Energy Level Reward 1)

[Agility]: 54

(Base 9 + Upgrade 7 + Absorbed 32 + Free Attribute 1 + Energy Level Reward 1 + Equipment 4)

[Constitution]: 60

(Base 9 + Upgrade 7 + Absorbed 36 + Equipment 6 + Energy Level Reward 1 + Free Attribute 1)

[Spirit]: 61

(Base 9 + Upgrade 7 + Absorbed 38 + Equipment 5 + Energy Level Reward 1 + Free Attribute 1)

[Absorbed Attribute Share]

[Strength]: 84.5%

[Agility]: 78.4%

[Constitution]: 80%

[Spirit]: 83.3%

A flash of satisfaction crossed Aiden’s eyes.

The numbers on the panel were enough to explain everything.

Soul Essence Absorption was the fastest and most direct path for him to grow stronger.

Even at the same level, his attributes were already more than double those of ordinary players.

And raw attributes alone didn’t tell the full story.

It wasn’t simply a matter of being twice as strong.

Against an opponent of the same level, there could be a situation where they couldn’t land a single meaningful hit on him, while one clean attack from Aiden was enough to end the fight.

That was the terrifying advantage of the Sovereign of Souls.

Aiden closed the attribute panel.

His gaze swept over Silas and Luna, who were still enjoying the exhilaration of their level-up and the spoils of their first Level 20 Boss kill.

Then his eyes shifted toward the distant silhouette of Ashford City.

The Dragon Sovereign Guild.

The manhunt.

The kill order.

Aiden’s expression remained calm.

In the face of overwhelming strength and the advantage of foresight, none of it mattered.

With Luna about to receive the [Stormbringer Cloak]and his own attributes having surged once again, the Abyss Squad’s strength had reached another level.

The fangs of the Abyss would only become sharper from here.

Aiden looked toward the distant city, his eyes carrying a faint, cold anticipation.

He was looking forward to the next time he crossed paths with the Dragon Sovereign Guild.

And, more than anything, he wanted to see the expression on their faces when they finally realized just how far the Abyss Squad had grown.