Chapter 61: Trial of the Abyssal Sentinel

The cavern pulsed with an otherworldly rhythm, the air heavy with an ominous energy that seeped into Daniel's scales. Each beat resonated like the heartbeat of a colossal creature, alive and watching. The path ahead was no longer defined by jagged rock or faint luminescence; instead, veins of glowing energy twisted through the stone, illuminating a path that felt more like a summons than a choice.

Daniel swam cautiously, Mira at his side. Despite the newfound calm after their skirmish with the Abyssborn remnants, a tension lingered in the water. Mira's sharp gaze flicked over their surroundings, her blade ready in her hand.

"I don't like this," she muttered.

Daniel didn't respond immediately. The rhythmic pulse of the veins seemed to sync with the pounding in his chest, a connection that made his gills tighten. "It's leading us somewhere. Or something is."

The system chimed, its detached tone a sharp contrast to the oppressive atmosphere: