Chapter 440: Abyss Difficulty Shadow Den [1]
The Shadow Den lived up to its name the moment Leon stepped through the portal.
Fwoosh!
The world around him shifted from the cold exterior of the Frostbite Cavern to something far more oppressive and suffocating, where even the air itself seemed to resist his presence.
Darkness pressed in from every direction, thick and almost tangible, a suffocating blanket of pure shadow that would have rendered any normal player completely blind.
The only source of light came from faint purple crystals embedded in the walls that pulsed like a dying heartbeat, casting just enough illumination to remind you of the darkness that surrounded you.
This was the mechanic of the [Abyss] difficulty: total darkness.
A realm where sight was rendered meaningless and only those with the right abilities could hope to survive.
But for Leon, with his SSS-Level [Essence of Darkness] sub-talent, the darkness was not an obstacle, it was an extension of himself.
His eyes cut through the gloom as if it were broad daylight, every shadow, every flicker of movement, every hidden corner laid bare before his gaze.
Leon took a single step forward, and immediately, the shadows around him began to stir, their forms writhing and contorting as they took shape.
From the darkness, shapes emerged, their forms barely visible against the gloom to any normal eye.
But to Leon, they were as clear as if they stood in sunlight, their bodies composed of pure shadow, their eyes glowing with a malevolent crimson light.
---
[Shadow Stalker]
[Level: 100]
[Talent: Embodiment of Darkness (A-Level)]
[Combat Power: 8,500,000]
[Details: A creature born from the pure darkness of the Shadow Den, it moves unseen and strikes without warning, its claws capable of tearing through even the toughest armor, but it is most dangerous when its prey cannot see it coming.]
---
Leon didn’t even flinch as the first Stalker lunged at him from the side, its claws aimed directly at his throat, its movements swift and silent, designed to catch its prey off guard.
The attack connected with a resounding clang.
But instead of tearing through flesh, it simply rebounded off the shimmering barrier of darkness that surrounded Leon’s body.
The [Ultimate Darkness Barrier] absorbed the blow without so much as a flicker, and immediately returned the damage to the monster.
’Heh, good time to test my new skills I guess.’
The Stalker recoiled, confusion flickering in its crimson eyes, clearly bewildered that its ambush had failed so completely, and Leon simply smiled.
"Nice try," he said, his voice calm and steady, "but you can’t hide from me."
With a flick of his wrist, he summoned his new skill.
Fwoosh!
The ground beneath the Stalker erupted with an explosion of twisted, gnarled vines, their surfaces covered in thorns that seemed to drink in the light around them.
Their movements were guided by Leon’s will as they sought out their target.
Vines of Desolation!
The vines shot upward around the Stalker, squeezing with enough force to shatter its bones instantly.
Its body dissolving into particles of shadow that scattered across the chamber floor, the remnants of its existence fading into nothing.
But the Stalker was only the first of many, because the moment it fell, a dozen more emerged from the shadows around him.
Their forms flickered in and out of existence as they circled him like predators sizing up their prey, their movements coordinated and precise.
Leon could sense them all, every single one, their shadows betraying their positions.
They lunged simultaneously, their claws extended, their forms merging with the darkness to make themselves even harder to track.
But Leon was already moving, his body a blur of motion as he channeled his power into his sword, the blade glowing with an intense, almost blinding light.
Eclipse Annihilation!
He swung his sword in a wide arc, and the world seemed to darken as hundreds upon hundreds of slashes erupted from the blade.
Their power so immense that they tore through the shadow creatures effortlessly, each one disintegrating as the slashes connected, their forms scattered to the wind.
The remaining Stalkers, witnessing the fate of their brethren, paused for a moment, hesitation flickering in their crimson eyes.
But that moment of hesitation was all Leon needed, his senses already tracking their movements as they attempted to retreat into the darkness.
Lightning Cataclysm!
He raised his staff high, and the ceiling of the cavern seemed to split open as a storm of pure lightning erupted from above.
Bolts of crackling energy rained down with devastating precision, striking each Stalker with pinpoint accuracy, not a single one escaping his awareness.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
[You have killed x15 "Shadow Stalker" and gained...]
[100% Drop Rate has triggered...]
He quickly che
Leon barely glanced at the notifications, though he did open his [Storage Space] to check what dropped.
[x15 Shadow Stalker Essence: Consuming will increase Strength by 300 and Agility by 250.]
[x15 Skill Book: Eye of Shadow (Epic)]
"Oh?" Leon looked at the drops with an intruged gaze, "The essence is really good, and as for the skill book..."
[Eye of Shadow (Epic): Allows the user to see in the dark as long as the darkness power doesn’t surpass S-Level.]
It was indeed an incredibly useful skill for such a dungeon, and Leon simply stored them for the girls, as well as to sell them.
Ding!
["Celestial Hand" has activated on "Shadow Stalker"]
He simply selected the "Shadow Stalker Essence" and vowed to evolve Celestial Hand to max as soon as he could.
Then he turned his attention deeper into the den, where he could sense more presences lurking in the shadows.
’Come to me,’ Leon grinned as he moved forward, ’I need to gain more strength.’
The deeper he went, the stronger the monsters became, their shadows thicker and more oppressive.
But Leon cut through them all, his new skills making short work of anything that dared stand in his path, his senses never faltering even in the deepest darkness.
After all, no matter how strong any of these monsters were, they could never hope to defeat someone with the [Essence of Darkness] sub-talent.