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Chapter 5: The Abyssal Wraith
Owusar stood on the floating shards of Voidreach, each piece of jagged obsidian suspended in a thick void mist. The wind howled between the shards, carrying whispers that prickled his skin. The Umbra System flared, its panels floating in his vision:
[ Alert: Abyssal Entity Detected ]
Name: Abyssal Wraith
Level: 14
Difficulty: Extreme
Recommendation: Maximum Caution
From the mist, a form emerged—shifting, incorporeal, almost a shadow of shadows. Its eyes were dark pools of night, piercing him even through the haze. Owusar's pulse spiked. This enemy could phase through shadows, appearing unpredictably to strike, making conventional attacks almost useless.
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Assessment
Owusar studied the Wraith's movement carefully. Every appearance and disappearance seemed calculated, like it anticipated his instincts. Floating shards offered little room to maneuver, and a single misstep could send him plunging into the endless void.
[ Sigil Status: Shadow Dominion Tier 4 ]
[ Available Techniques: Shadow Bind, Obsidian Veil, Glyph Trap, Umbra Lash ]
[ Mana: 100 / 130 ]
[ Soul Stability: 85% ]
Sweat pricked his brow as he traced glyphs in midair, analyzing the Wraith's pattern. He noticed a rhythm: the creature vanished, then reappeared at calculated intervals, testing his focus and reflexes. His heartbeat thundered as he prepared for the first strike.
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Engagement
The Wraith struck suddenly, claws slashing across empty space. Owusar rolled across a shard, shards biting into his clothes, drawing thin lines of blood. He cast Shadow Bind, chains lashing toward where the Wraith had been. They struck only air—but for a split second, the Wraith phased incorrectly, snagged by the tendrils.
The Umbra System flashed:
[ Combo Potential Detected: Shadow Bind + Glyph Trap ]
[ Warning: Mana Consumption High ]
Owusar gritted his teeth. He traced glyphs midair, weaving them into a Glyph Trap on a distant shard. As the Wraith phased through, it was briefly restrained by the trap, howling as its form twisted violently. Owusar's chest heaved; sweat and blood mingled with the lingering mist.
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Tactical Maneuvers
Realizing brute force would not suffice, Owusar blended with shadows using Obsidian Veil, partially invisible as he anticipated the Wraith's next reappearance. Floating shards shifted beneath him, threatening to collapse. He had to fight while balancing on the precarious platforms.
[ Skill Synergy Detected: Shadow Bind + Glyph Trap + Obsidian Veil ]
[ Soul Stability: 70% ]
He weaved chains and glyphs, striking as the Wraith reappeared, dodging its claws, anticipating each phase. The creature tested his limits, forcing him to adapt constantly. Every strike drained his mana, every dodge tested his Soul Stability. Shadows twisted and coiled around him, responding to instinct and will as he pushed past exhaustion.
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Critical Phase
The Umbra System flashed urgently:
[ New Technique Available: Night Veil – Rank F ]
[ Recommendation: Critical Phase Engagement ]
Owusar activated Night Veil, his form flickering as he merged with the shadows. Now partially invisible, he could predict the Wraith's phase-shifts. Timing was everything. With precise coordination, he struck: Shadow Bind + Umbra Lash + Glyph Trap, chaining the attacks seamlessly.
The Wraith shrieked, phasing violently, writhing against the restraints. Mana burned him; muscles screamed; Soul Stability wavered:
Mana: 35 / 130
Soul Stability: 60%
The Wraith made one final, desperate lunge. Owusar leaped from a floating shard, Umbra Lash coiling around its torso while the Glyph Trap erupted beneath. The Wraith flailed, phasing erratically, before collapsing into the mist, leaving silence behind.
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Aftermath
Owusar sank to his knees, chest heaving, trembling from exhaustion. Umbra System notifications scrolled:
[ Abyssal Wraith Defeated ]
[ Sigil Progress: Shadow Dominion Tier 4 → 5 ]
[ New Sigil Unlocked: Night Veil – Rank F ]
[ Soul Experience: +23% ]
[ Warning: Abyssal Lord Detection Increased ]
Voidreach was quiet, but the sense of being watched lingered. Shadows whispered, testing, guiding. Mana was dangerously low, Soul Stability stretched, and limbs ached. Owusar rose slowly, feeling the pulse of Night Veil across his palms.
The Abyss was patient, watching, growing stronger. Each victory drew attention, and he knew Abyssal Lords were aware of his ascent.
Owusar clenched his fists. He had survived, adapted, and grown stronger. But the next trial would demand all his skill, cunning, and shadow mastery—and he would be ready.
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