Adam flew low over the blood-dark surface, the faint pulse of Ouroborosâs Fang against his back syncing with his heartbeat. The cavern stretched on endlessly, the jagged walls occasionally reflecting the dim light from his compass. The needle remained steady, pointing forward.
Then the path ended.
A wall of solid darkness rose before him, smooth and featureless, stretching from the waterâs surface to the lost ceiling above. It wasnât stoneâit was something denser, more absolute, as if the void itself had condensed into a barrier.
Adam landed on a small outcropping of rock, his boots splashing lightly in the blood. He stared at the wall, then down at the compass, then back at the wall. His brow furrowed.
"Whereâs the path?" he muttered, his voice echoing in the vast emptiness. He took a few steps forward, reaching out to touch the barrier. His fingers met cold, unyielding darknessâsolid, yet somehow not solid. Like pressing against the surface of still water.
Adamâs expression flattened. "Please donât tell me youâre broken, compass. I just got you fixed."
He tapped the compassâs face lightly, as if that might jostle it back to working order. The needle didnât waver. It remained fixed, pointing straight into the wall of darkness.
Adam let out a long, slow sigh. "This is a dead end. A dead end in a lake of blood. In a prison of darkness. Of course it is."
He reached out again, running his palm along the barrierâs surface. Nothing. No seams, no cracks, no hidden mechanisms. Just endless, impenetrable darkness.
His hand dropped to his side. "What if this is the path?" he murmured, the thought settling into his mind. "What if the wall itself is the door?"
Adam drew Ouroborosâs Fang from his back. The blade hummed in his grip, the golden veins along its surface pulsing with light. He raised it, holding it before him.
The swordâs edge gleamed with a soft, golden radiance, the golden veins along its surface pulsing as if responding to the darkness before it. Adam studied the barrier, then the sword, then the barrier again. A slow, thoughtful smile spread across his face.
"Well, the description did say it could strike incorporeal beings and resist corrosion. Letâs see if it can cut through âabsolute darknessâ."
He took a breath, planted his feet, and swung.
The blade cut into the barrier like it was parting water. The darkness rippled, then split, revealing a narrow passage beyond, its walls lined with the same smooth, absolute shadow, but now there was a path forward.
Adamâs eyes widened. "No way. It actually worked."
He stepped through the gap, the darkness reforming behind him as he passed. The passage stretched ahead, curving gently, and the compass needle continued to point forward.
Adam let out a low, impressed whistle. "Ouroborosâs Fang. You keep surprising me."
He sheathed the blade and continued walking, his footsteps echoing in the newly opened corridor. The darkness pressed in from all sides, but for the first time, it felt less like a prison and more like a path.
Adam stepped cautiously through the newly opened passage, the darkness pressing in from all sides like a living thing. The air grew heavier with each step, thicker, more suffocating, as if the void itself was becoming more concentrated.
"The darkness is getting denser," Adam muttered, his crimson eyes scanning the path ahead. "Thatâs why the path was blocked. The barrier wasnât just a wallâit was the darkness itself, condensed to the point of being solid."
He continued forward, Ouroborosâs Fang still in hand, its golden veins pulsing faintly. The passage curved gently, and the walls seemed to shift slightly, as if the darkness was breathing.
Then he felt it.
A presence.
Adamâs muscles tensed, his Apex instinct flaring. He didnât turn, he simply moved.
He threw himself sideways, Abyssal Step carrying him through a patch of shadow as a massive, shadowy claw slammed into the space where heâd been standing. The ground cracked, stone exploding outward.
Adam emerged from the shadow of a jagged rock, his eyes locking onto the figure that had attacked. A massive, hulking formâmore shadow than substance, its body constantly shifting, its limbs too long, its head a featureless void with two burning red pinpricks for eyes.
The Abyssal Shadow Titan.
"Already knew you were still here," Adam said, his voice cold and flat. "I could feel you lurking."
The Titan let out a low, guttural roar that shook the ground beneath him. Its form swelled, shadows coiling around its limbs, ready to strike.
Adamâs lips curled into a sharp, defiant smile. "Is this the same place where I went to rescue Ignis? Or did you follow me here?"
The Titan didnât answer. It lunged, its massive claws sweeping toward Adamâs head.
Adamâs Abyssal Step carried him through the shadow beneath his feet, emerging behind the Titan. His claws extended, dark energy coiling around his fingers.
"[Abyssal Claw]!"
He slashed across the Titanâs back, dark energy tearing through its shadowy form. The creature roared, its body flickering as it spun, its claws sweeping toward Adamâs chest.
Adamâs Apex Instinct flared. He twisted, dodging by inches, his body moving before his mind could catch up. The Titanâs claws passed through empty air.
But Adamâs senses caught something else.
Two more presences. Approaching fast.
His eyes snapped toward the darkness as two more figures emergedâtaller than the first, their forms sleeker, more defined. One carried a massive bow of solidified shadow, an arrow already nocked and aimed at Adamâs heart. The other held a long, wicked spear, its tip gleaming with void energy.
Adamâs jaw tightened. "No... this is different."
He retreated a few steps, his eyes darting between the three Titans. The first one was already recovering, its form flickering as it repaired the damage from his Abyssal Claw.
âTwo more? And they have weapons.â
The bow-wielding Titan drew its arrow back, its burning red eyes fixed on Adamâs chest. The spear-wielder shifted its stance, its grip tightening on the void-tipped lance.
The first Titan lunged again.
Adamâs mind raced. âI canât fight all three at onceââ
The bow-wielding Titan released its arrow.
Adamâs Apex Instinct screamed. He threw himself sideways, Abyssal Step carrying him into the shadow of a nearby rock. The arrow embedded itself in the stone where heâd been standing, the impact sending a shockwave rippling through the ground.
The spear-wielder was already moving, closing the distance in a blur of shadow and void energy.
Adam emerged from the shadow behind the spear-wielder, Ouroborosâs Fang already in his grip. He swung the blade in a wide arc, aiming for the Titanâs neck.
The spear-wielder twisted, its weapon coming up to block. The clash of steel against void-silver sent sparks showering across the chamber. The spear-wielder was fastâfaster than the first Titan, its movements precise, controlled.
"Tch." Adam gritted his teeth, pushing against the spear. "Theyâre not just brutes. These ones actually know how to fight."
He pushed off, putting distance between himself and the spear-wielder. The archer was already nocking another arrow, its burning eyes tracking Adamâs movements.
The first Titan rose again, its form fully healed.
Adamâs grip tightened on Ouroborosâs Fang. "Three-on-one, and they actually know how to coordinate." A cold, sharp smile spread across his face. "This is going to be fun."