Sai's heartbeat pounded in his ears as he stood before the
Order's Executioner
. The jet-black armor of the enforcer shimmered under the unstable light of the
Lost Gate
, its presence distorting reality around them.
The ruins of Dusk stretched around them, shattered buildings and ancient carvings half-buried beneath creeping shadows. The
Order's forces
were already clashing with Aldrin's hunters—blades clashed, magic roared through the battlefield, and the air crackled with tension.
But Sai had no time to focus on them.
The
Executioner
was watching him.
Waiting.
"You've been marked by the Abyss,"
the enforcer said, voice distorted beneath his helmet. He lifted his
curved black sword
, the edges pulsing with eerie blue light.
"That means you die here."
Sai exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders.
"You can try."
Then—
they moved.
The
Executioner attacked first.
He vanished—
blinking forward faster than Sai had ever seen
. His sword
descended like a falling star
, cutting through the air with terrifying precision.
Sai barely managed to react. He twisted his body,
dodging left
as the blade
slashed through empty space
, the sheer force splitting the stone beneath him.
A second strike came immediately.
Sai raised his
daggers
to parry—
CLANG!
The moment their weapons met, a violent
mana shockwave
blasted outward, shaking the ruins. Sai gritted his teeth as he skidded back several feet, the impact rattling through his bones.
"Tch."
He exhaled, adjusting his stance.
This guy was strong.
And worse—his attacks weren't just fast.
They were precise.
Sai couldn't afford to waste time.
Sai's Counterattack
He surged forward, flipping his dagger into a
reverse grip
. Instead of striking head-on, he used
Abyssal Step
, blinking behind the Executioner in an instant.
His dagger slashed toward the enforcer's
neck—
But before it could land, the Executioner
twisted unnaturally
, his entire body bending at an impossible angle.
Sai's blade
missed.
His instincts screamed.
"Too slow."
The
Executioner's elbow struck Sai's ribs.
A burst of
pain
erupted through his body as he was sent flying
backward
, crashing against a cracked pillar. He barely had time to breathe before the Executioner
was already in front of him.
The
black sword came down.
Sai rolled to the side just in time—
the blade sliced through the pillar behind him like it was paper.
He didn't stop.
He activated
Shadow Step
, phasing into the darkness—
just in time to avoid a horizontal slash.
Reappearing several feet away, he gasped for breath.
This guy was faster than him.
Stronger.
But... not
invincible.
Sai focused.
The
Abyss was part of him now.
And if the Executioner wanted to kill him for it...
He might as well use it.
Abyssal Power Awakens
Sai lifted his hand.
The
shadows stirred.
His System
reacted instantly.
[Abyssal Grasp Activated]
Tendrils of
pure darkness
burst from the ground, twisting unnaturally as they
wrapped around the Executioner's legs
.
The enforcer
paused
, his body momentarily restricted.
Sai
moved instantly.
He dashed forward, daggers flashing. His blades
pierced through the Executioner's armor
, sinking into
the gaps beneath his shoulder plates.
For the first time—
the Executioner staggered.
Sai gritted his teeth.
"Got you."
But then—
the enforcer laughed.
"Impressive."
His
eyes flashed gold.
And then—
his entire body twisted violently.
The
shadows broke apart.
The Executioner's
sword swung up,
faster than Sai could react—
And then—
Pain.
Sai barely registered what had happened before he felt
a searing sensation across his chest.
The Executioner's blade had
cut through his armor
, leaving a deep, burning wound along his side.
He
stumbled back, coughing.
Blood
dripped onto the ground.
"You are improving,"
the Executioner mused.
"But you are still incomplete."
Sai
gasped for breath
, pressing a hand to his wound.
This guy wasn't normal.
No.
He was something else entirely.
The way his body moved, the way he
recovered instantly from attacks.
The
golden light in his eyes.
Then—Sai realized.
"You... you're corrupted."
The Executioner tilted his head.
"Corrupted?"
Sai's stomach twisted.
"The Abyss has already touched you."
For the first time, the Executioner's smile faded.
"You assume too much."
Sai's System
flashed another warning.
[Abyssal Distortion Detected.]
[Timeflow Unstable.]
Sai's breath
caught.
The air
shifted.
The ruins around them
shuddered.
And then—
The
Lost Gate pulsed.
A deep,
inhuman whisper
crawled through the air, slithering into Sai's thoughts like a distant memory.
"You are close."
The
Executioner flinched.
For the first time—
he looked uneasy.
Sai's eyes widened.
The Abyss was reaching out.
Not just to him—
To the Executioner as well.
The Order Retreats
The ruins
shook violently
, cracks forming along the stone pathways. The
Lost Gate's energy surged
, sending waves of
black mist
spilling into the battlefield.
The Executioner's grip on his sword
tightened.
Then, after a long silence—
he lowered it.
"Not yet."
Sai's breathing was heavy, but he kept his stance firm.
"What?"
The Executioner exhaled, glancing toward the Lost Gate.
"The Abyss is watching."
His golden eyes flickered.
"I will not fight in its presence."
And then—
he stepped back.
The remaining
Order forces
who had been fighting Aldrin's hunters
immediately withdrew
, moving with synchronized precision.
Sai clenched his fists.
"That's it? You're just leaving?"
The Executioner studied him for a moment.
"You are still incomplete."
His voice was unreadable.
"But soon, you will have to choose."
"Choose what?"
Sai demanded.
The Executioner smiled slightly.
"Whether you remain human... or become something else."
And then—
he was gone.
The
Order vanished into the night.
Leaving Sai alone in front of the
Lost Gate.
The Gate Beckons
The ruins were silent now.
Sai's chest rose and fell, his wound still aching. He glanced at the
massive rift before him.
It was
unstable
, its edges pulsing as if barely containing what was inside.
His System flickered.
[Lost Gate Unsealed.]
[Dungeon Type: ???]
[Enter?]
[Y/N]
Sai wiped the blood from his lip.
The Executioner had
backed down
because of the Abyss.
That meant
something inside this gate was important.
And that meant...
He had
no choice
but to step inside.
Sai exhaled, tightened his grip on his daggers—
And walked into the
Lost Gate.