Chapter 68: Echoes of the Rift

The faint, chilling laughter lingered in the abyssal waters, reverberating through the walls of the Rift of Souls. Daniel and Mira exchanged uneasy glances, their fatigue momentarily forgotten.

"That... wasn't the leviathan," Mira said, gripping her blade tightly.

"No," Daniel agreed, scanning their surroundings. "Whatever it was, it's still here—or watching us."

The glowing symbols on the canyon walls flickered erratically, as if responding to an unseen presence. A faint hum filled the water, growing louder and more discordant.

[System Notification: Abyssal Disturbance Detected. Entity Presence Unknown. Status: Investigate or Evacuate.]

Daniel frowned at the notification. "Investigate or evacuate? Feels like we're being given a choice for once."

Mira smirked, though the tension in her posture betrayed her unease. "When have we ever chosen the easy option?"