Chapitre 6: Discovery (5)
The Abyssal Guardian towered over them, its grotesque form pulsating with dark energy. Tendrils writhed from its back, slamming against the cavern walls and sending shards of rock tumbling to the ground. Its hollow, glowing eyes locked onto Bruce and Lyra, promising only destruction.
Bruce's muscles tensed. The recent stat upgrades pulsed through him, and he could feel the subtle enhancements in his speed and strength. But this creature wasn't just large—it radiated malice, a living embodiment of the corruption infecting the mine.
"Keep moving. Don't let it pin you down," Bruce said sharply.
Lyra nodded, flipping her dagger into a reverse grip. "You don't have to tell me twice."
The Guardian struck first.
A tendril lashed out at Bruce, but he dodged, rolling to the side and retaliating with a quick Phantom Strike. His fist connected with the creature's leg, cracking its armor-like skin but not stopping its advance.
The Guardian swung again, and Bruce barely managed to evade, flipping backward. "It's tougher than it looks," he muttered.
Lyra darted in from the side, slicing at its tendrils. One of them snapped and writhed before falling limp, but the Guardian retaliated, slamming the ground and sending shockwaves rippling through the cavern.
Bruce stumbled, catching himself against the wall. The system flared with a new alert.
[Battle Tip: Target Weak Points—Abyssal Corruption Concentrated at Core and Eyes.]
"The eyes and core!" Bruce shouted.
"Got it!" Lyra called back, already weaving through the creature's defenses.
Bruce activated Shadow Bind, and tendrils of darkness erupted from the ground, snaring the Guardian's limbs. The creature roared, struggling against the restraint, but Bruce knew it wouldn't last long.
"Now!" he barked.
Lyra lunged, driving her dagger into one of the glowing eyes. The Guardian howled, thrashing violently and snapping free of the shadow binds. Bruce leaped onto its back, his gauntlet blades extending as he aimed for the core pulsating at its chest.
The creature twisted, nearly throwing him off, but Bruce clung tightly, stabbing down. The blade pierced the core, and a wave of black energy erupted outward, throwing both him and Lyra back.
The Guardian staggered, cracks forming along its body.
"Finish it!" Bruce ordered.
Lyra sprinted forward, vaulting over debris and planting her dagger into the exposed core. The creature let out one final, bone-chilling screech before collapsing in on itself, disintegrating into ash and shadows.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Bruce stood slowly, his breath heavy as the system's chime echoed in his ears.
[Boss Defeated: Abyssal Guardian.]
[Rewards: +500 Shadow Points, Abyssal Core, Dark Crystal Shard.]
Bruce's eyes narrowed at the notification. A Dark Crystal Shard? That didn't sound like ordinary loot. He reached down, picking up the jagged fragment. Its surface pulsed faintly, and as he touched it, a chill ran up his spine.
[Item Acquired: Dark Crystal Shard.]
[Effect: Unknown.]
Lyra approached, brushing dust off her armor. "What the hell was that thing?"
"An Abyssal Guardian," Bruce said, still studying the shard. "And this…" He held it up. "This is connected to whatever's corrupting this world."
Lyra frowned. "You talk like you've seen this kind of thing before."
"Not exactly," Bruce admitted, pocketing the shard. "But I've faced monsters before."
She gave him a curious look but didn't press further. Instead, she pointed to the entrance. "Let's get out of here before more of those things show up."
Bruce nodded. He had more questions than answers, but one thing was clear—this world wasn't just plagued by monsters. Something far darker was at work, and he intended to find out what.
....
Back at his room in Eryndor, Bruce laid the Dark Crystal Shard on the table. The system had yet to give any additional information about it, but its faint hum felt almost alive.
He pulled up his stats.
[Shadow Points Available: 575.]
Bruce allocated points carefully:
• Strength: +3
• Agility: +2
• Endurance: +3
• Shadow Affinity: +5
[Stats Updated.]
The boost was noticeable. Bruce's muscles felt tighter, his reflexes sharper, and the connection to his shadow abilities stronger. He flexed his fingers, shadows flickering faintly along his gloves.
Still, he couldn't shake the unease in his gut. The Guardian was just the beginning—he could feel it. And Bat-Mite's meddling hadn't just thrown him into this world for amusement. There was more to this than he could see.
His eyes shifted back to the shard.
Whatever the Abyss was, it wouldn't stop. And neither would he.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone