I Ascend Alone-Chapter 101: SSS-Rank Dungeon Part XXIII

But amidst the awe, a memory sparked in Raiden's mind—one that was too significant to ignore. His gaze shifted from the throne to the others, his face paling as he spoke, voice low and cautious.

"Korthar..." he murmured. "He mentioned it before. He said we weren't ready to face the direct servant of the Abyss sitting here..."

Gabriel's wings rustled slightly as he took a step back, eyes narrowed. "That's right. Korthar warned us about this. The Keepers... they were just the gatekeepers." His voice trembled slightly. "This throne—it's not just a symbol. It's the seat of power. A throne meant for something far worse than we can imagine."

Before any of us could say more, a sudden, intense pressure slammed into the room. The very air around us thickened, and the ground beneath our feet trembled.

It was as if the dungeon itself had come alive, reacting to our presence, or perhaps, to our words.

The throne—a monument of dark power—began to pulse. A low hum emanated from it, deep and primal, resonating through the very core of the dungeon.

And then, without warning, the atmosphere shifted. A suffocating, oppressive aura flooded the space, so thick that it felt like we were suffocating under an invisible weight.

And then, from the throne, a voice rang out—not through the air, but inside our very minds.

"Fools..."

The voice was deep, resonant, and impossibly ancient. It felt as if the very walls of the dungeon were whispering in unison, a chorus of unseen entities giving shape to this one voice.

The words weren't spoken aloud—they reverberated in our minds, filling our consciousness with a crushing weight.

"You dare to approach my majesty's throne... to challenge what is beyond you?" The voice was mocking, yet there was a venomous power behind it that sent a shiver down our spines. It felt as if the entire dungeon itself was the voice's instrument, vibrating with dark energy.

The voice continued, its tone now filled with contempt.

"You are nothing but insects in the presence of the Abyss... You cannot fathom the power that sits upon this throne. And yet, you come closer still. Why? Do you seek your doom?!"

The voice's power intensified, forcing a chill down my spine. I could feel my connection to the abyss strengthening in response.

The throne was calling out to me, a subtle pull that resonated with the core of my being.

The others were struggling to maintain their stance, their faces drawn with concentration as they fought against the oppressive presence. Gabriel, his wings twitching nervously, gritted his teeth and spoke through labored breaths.

"Who... what are you?"

The voice let out a laugh—a low, rumbling sound that made the very walls shake.

"I am the direct servant of the Abyss, the one who sits upon this throne. I am the manifestation of the very will of the Abyss. You are nothing but mortals, trespassers in a world far beyond your reach."

Raiden's eyes widened in realization. "This... This is what Korthar was talking about..." His voice was barely audible, trembling with fear and awe.

I clenched my fists, feeling the weight of the throne's power pressing against me, but I didn't back down. I stood tall, locking my gaze on the throne, letting the abyssal power inside me surge forward.

"We are not afraid." My voice was calm, but filled with certainty. "I will face you. Whatever you are, this ends here."

The throne seemed to react to my words, the aura around it flaring brighter, a surge of dark energy coursing through the air like lightning. The laughter from the entity seated upon it grew louder, more mocking.

"You are brave, but it is futile. You cannot defeat me... you cannot even comprehend the power that lies before you."

I met the entity's challenge with unwavering resolve.

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"We'll see about that," I said, my voice cold as the abyss itself.

The voice echoed again, reverberating through the chamber, its contempt palpable.

"You think you can defy me, mortal?!"

I took a step forward, feeling the aura pressing against me, the weight of the Abyss itself trying to choke my will. But I kept moving, one step after another, my feet grinding against the fractured earth beneath me.

"I am not afraid of you," I muttered under my breath.

Raiden's voice broke through the silence, strained with effort as he fought against the pressure. "Ryzen, this power... it's like nothing we've ever faced. It's suffocating! You can't fight it alone!"

But I wasn't alone.

I could feel the Abyss within me, coursing through my veins. The throne was powerful, yes, but I had the same essence flowing through my very being. The abyss was my ally, my strength, and I knew it better than anyone else here.

"Stay back," I said quietly, my voice carrying the weight of authority. "I'll handle this."

The voice from the throne cackled again, mocking my defiance. "You think you can command the Abyss? You are nothing more than a pawn, a vessel."

I gritted my teeth, the mocking tone fueling my resolve.

"I'm not a pawn," I replied, my voice unwavering.

"Such arrogance," the voice sneered, but there was a trace of something else in its tone now. Fear. Fear of the power I wielded. "You have no idea what you're meddling with."

Without another word, I focused, channeling every ounce of my power into the transformation.

My body trembled as the darkness around me swirled like a living cloak, wrapping itself around my form. The shadows twisted, bending to my will, and the very air grew heavy with the essence of the Abyss. I could feel the transformation taking hold—the cold, suffocating power of the Abyss flooding my senses, reshaping me.

I stood before the throne, feeling the cold, calculating gaze of the entity still fixated on me, but now there was something different. The voice that had once been mocking, contemptuous, now trembled with uncertainty.

"Is this how a direct servant should act toward his liege?" My voice, cold as the grave, reverberated through the chamber, each word laced with the raw power of the Abyss itself.

For a moment, there was silence—a long, tense pause. The air crackled with energy, the presence of the throne pushing back, but not with the same certainty it had held before. The entity's voice faltered as if it had been struck by the weight of my words.

"Impossible..." it muttered, the voice now filled with a flicker of doubt. "You... you are the Abyss itself..."