The underground chamber fell completely silent.
Ryu stared at the enormous red eyes beneath the cracked floor.
The Shadow Wolf stood directly in front of him, its body tense and ready to attack.
The silver-haired girl had lost the calm expression she had shown until now.
For the first time—
She looked genuinely afraid.
Ryu noticed it.
—You know that thing?
The girl slowly nodded.
—Yes.
Her voice trembled.
—And you should never have awakened it.
BOOM!
The floor suddenly exploded.
A massive black hand burst through the stone.
The Shadow Wolf immediately jumped forward.
—GRRRRAAAAH!
It struck the hand with its claws.
BOOM!
The creature beneath the temple roared.
The shockwave sent Ryu flying backward.
—Whoa!
The silver-haired girl caught him with magic.
—Stay behind me!
Ryu looked toward the enormous hole.
Something was climbing out.
First came its head.
Two enormous horns.
Then its shoulders.
Then its gigantic body.
The creature was easily ten times larger than the Shadow Wolf.
Its body was covered in black armor-like scales.
Red veins of energy ran across its chest.
Two massive wings unfolded behind it.
[Scanning…]
[Target identified.]
Ryu stared at the system.
[Name: ???]
[Species: Abyssal King]
[Level: ???]
[Threat Level: Catastrophic]
[Warning.]
[Do not engage.]
Ryu’s body froze.
—The system is telling me not to fight it…
The Abyssal King slowly looked down.
Its enormous eyes focused on Ryu.
Then it smiled.
—Ryu.
Hearing his name from that monster made Ryu’s entire body feel cold.
—How do you know my name?
The Abyssal King laughed.
—Because I was there.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—There…
where?
The monster leaned closer.
—On the day you were born.
Silence.
Ryu couldn’t move.
The silver-haired girl immediately stepped forward.
—Don’t listen to him.
The Abyssal King looked at her.
—Still protecting him after all these years?
The girl clenched her fist.
—I made a promise.
The Abyssal King laughed.
—A promise?
Its voice echoed through the chamber.
—You couldn’t protect him then.
The girl’s expression changed.
—Enough!
She raised her hand.
A gigantic blue magic circle appeared.
Hundreds of magical arrows formed in the air.
—Sacred Arrow!
WHOOSH!
The arrows flew toward the Abyssal King.
BOOM!
A massive explosion covered the chamber.
Ryu stared in amazement.
—Did that work?
The smoke slowly disappeared.
The Abyssal King was still standing.
Not a single scratch was visible on its body.
Ryu’s excitement disappeared.
—No way…
The monster raised one hand.
A wave of black energy exploded from its palm.
The girl quickly created a barrier.
BOOOOM!
The barrier shattered instantly.
The girl was thrown across the chamber.
—AH!
Ryu rushed toward her.
—Are you okay?!
She slowly stood up.
—I’m fine.
But blood was dripping from the corner of her mouth.
Ryu looked at the Abyssal King.
For the first time—
He felt real fear.
This wasn’t like the Forest Fangs.
It wasn’t like the Abyssal Hounds.
This creature was on an entirely different level.
The Shadow Wolf suddenly stepped forward.
Its eyes glowed crimson.
Ryu grabbed its leg.
—Wait.
The wolf looked at him.
Ryu shook his head.
—You can’t fight it alone.
The Shadow Wolf growled.
Ryu looked at his own body.
He was only Level 5.
The Abyssal King was something the system couldn’t even measure.
There was no way they could win.
Then the Abyssal King spoke.
—You still have that same look.
Ryu looked up.
—What look?
—The look of someone who doesn’t understand his own power.
Ryu froze.
The monster raised its hand.
—You think you’re a weak slime.
A dark aura began surrounding its body.
—But that is only the form you were given.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—What are you talking about?
The Abyssal King smiled.
—Your true form was sealed.
Ryu’s heart began beating faster.
—Why?
The monster answered—
—Because you were too dangerous.
Ryu stared at it.
The silver-haired girl whispered—
—Ryu…
The Abyssal King continued.
—You were not born as an ordinary slime.
Ryu’s mind flashed.
The battlefield.
The dragons.
The throne.
The Shadow Wolf.
The blue slime.
All the memories he had seen before.
He held his head.
—Stop…
More memories began appearing.
A giant army kneeling.
A massive blue aura.
A black wolf standing beside him.
A throne made of ancient stone.
And Ryu—
Sitting upon it.
A voice echoed through his mind.
My king.
Ryu screamed.
—AAAAAH!
Blue energy exploded from his body.
The entire chamber shook.
The Abyssal King suddenly became serious.
—Interesting.
The Shadow Wolf stepped closer to Ryu.
The silver-haired girl stared at him in shock.
—His seal…
Cracks of blue light appeared across Ryu’s body.
[Warning.]
[Memory seal destabilizing.]
[Power restriction weakening.]
[Current seal integrity: 87%]
Ryu looked at the message.
—87%?
The girl immediately shouted—
—Don’t break the seal!
Ryu looked at her.
—Why?!
She hesitated.
Then said—
—Because if you break it now…
She looked at the Abyssal King.
—You won’t be able to control what comes out.
Ryu froze.
The Abyssal King laughed.
—Exactly.
It suddenly raised its hand.
Dark energy gathered around its palm.
—Show me, little slime.
Ryu’s body trembled.
—Show me how much of the old you remains.
The Shadow Wolf stepped beside Ryu.
Their shadows touched.
[Shadow Link activated.]
Blue and black energy surrounded them.
Ryu clenched his fists.
—I’m not afraid.
The Abyssal King smiled.
—Then prove it.
It attacked.
A gigantic wave of darkness rushed toward them.
Ryu shouted—
—SHADOW CLAW!
The Shadow Wolf attacked at the same time.
Their combined attack collided with the darkness.
BOOOOOOM!
The entire chamber exploded with energy.
Ryu was thrown backward.
He crashed into the stone wall.
—UGH!
The Shadow Wolf was also thrown across the room.
The Abyssal King slowly walked toward them.
—Too weak.
Ryu tried to stand.
His body was shaking.
—I’m…
He forced himself upward.
—I’m not done yet.
The Abyssal King stopped.
Ryu looked at the Shadow Wolf.
The wolf slowly stood up.
They looked at each other.
No words were needed.
Ryu activated Shadow Link again.
[Shadow Synchronization: 7%]
[New skill available.]
[Skill: Shadow Step]
[Description: Allows the user to move through connected shadows for a short distance.]
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—Shadow Step!
The Abyssal King suddenly attacked.
Ryu disappeared.
WHOOSH!
He appeared behind the monster.
The Abyssal King turned around.
—What?
Ryu used Shadow Claw.
SLASH!
For the first time—
A small wound appeared on the Abyssal King’s arm.
Silence.
Ryu stared at the wound.
The silver-haired girl’s eyes widened.
The Shadow Wolf growled.
The Abyssal King looked at the tiny cut.
Then—
It laughed.
Not angrily.
Not painfully.
It laughed with excitement.
—Yes.
Its red eyes became brighter.
—That’s the power I remember.
Ryu stared at it.
The Abyssal King looked directly into his eyes.
—You’re finally starting to wake up.
Suddenly—
The entire temple began collapsing.
CRACK!
CRASH!
Huge pieces of stone fell from the ceiling.
The silver-haired girl shouted—
—We have to leave!
Ryu looked at the Abyssal King.
The monster was already disappearing into the darkness beneath the temple.
Ryu shouted—
—Wait!
The Abyssal King stopped.
—Where are you going?!
The monster smiled.
—I’m not going anywhere.
Its body slowly dissolved into black smoke.
—I’ll be waiting for you.
Ryu’s eyes narrowed.
—Why?
The Abyssal King gave one final answer.
—Because one day…
The red eyes disappeared.
—You will remember everything.
The chamber went silent.
Ryu stood there breathing heavily.
The silver-haired girl rushed toward him.
—Ryu!
He looked at her.
—Tell me everything.
She remained silent.
—No more secrets.
Ryu’s voice became firm.
—Who am I?
The girl looked at the ancient mural.
Then at the Shadow Wolf.
Finally, she looked back at Ryu.
—You want the truth?
Ryu nodded.
She slowly answered—
—You were once known as the King of Slimes.
Ryu froze.
—King…
of Slimes?
The girl nodded.
—And the Shadow Wolf was your first guardian.
Ryu looked at the wolf.
The wolf lowered its head.
Then the girl said something that made Ryu’s entire body go cold.
—And three hundred years ago…
She paused.
—You were the one who sealed the Abyssal King.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
—I sealed him?
The girl nodded.
—Yes.
Ryu stared at his tiny blue body.
—Then why don’t I remember?
The girl looked toward the collapsing temple.
—Because you sacrificed your memories…
Her voice became quiet.
—To seal your own power.
Ryu remained silent.
Outside, thunder rolled across Everdark Forest.
And deep beneath the ruins of the ancient temple—
Two red eyes opened once again.
The Abyssal King’s voice echoed through the darkness.
—Welcome back…
—My old enemy.
And somewhere inside Ryu’s sealed memories—
Something began to awaken.