The colossal bronze gates of the Adventurer's Guild Capital Headquarters groaned open as Junzo and his party stepped into the courtyard. The familiar bustle of adventurers had turned into organized chaos. High-level players darted through the plaza, mages summoned protective barriers, clerics healed the wounded, and guild banners were lowered to half-mast. A war-like atmosphere hung in the air.
Inside the vast marble hall, Junzo's party was met with a wave of silence as they marched toward the central tower. Gairos, the Guildmaster himself, had summoned them. That alone made every adventurer stop what they were doing. Whispers followed them like shadows:
> "They're the ones who entered the Abyss Dungeon…"
"That's the Elemental Knight Junzo, right?"
"I heard they fought the Abyssal Leviathan and lived…"
Ignoring the murmurs, Junzo pushed open the ornate doors leading to the Guildmaster's chamber.
[System]
Main Quest Update: "Shadow of the Abyss"
Speak to Gairos and reveal the truth about the Abyss Dungeon.
Warning: This decision will affect the fate of the world.
Quest Type: Narrative Branching Quest (Irreversible Choices)
Inside, Gairos stood with his arms folded behind his back. The man was built like a fortress Level 99 Paladin King, one of the original Founders of Aetheria. His white-gold armor shimmered with radiant energy, and his silver beard gave him a wise, yet fierce, presence.
Without turning, he spoke.
Gairos: "So, it is true. You released it."
Junzo stepped forward, kneeling out of respect.
Junzo: "Yes, Guildmaster. We entered the Abyss Dungeon believing it was a Level 45 World Event. We didn't expect the seals to be real. We didn't know what was buried under there."
Gairos turned slowly, eyes sharp and glinting with ancient fury.
Gairos: "The Abyssal Leviathan is not just a monster. It is the first of the Seven World-Eaters sealed away during the First Era. Its release marks the beginning of the Second System Collapse."
Rina gasped.
Rina: "Wait System Collapse? That's just a myth!"
Gairos: "No. The System is real. It governs this world's balance, keeps magic in check, levels fair, and monsters stable. If the seals continue breaking, the System AI Core will fracture... and reality itself will become unstable."
[System Notification]
System Stability: 94% (WARNING)
Global Event: Abyssal Threat Progression – STAGE 1 of 7
Event Timer: 72 hours until Stage 2
The room fell deathly silent.
Kai: "We have to reseal it. Right?"
Gairos: "You can't reseal a World-Eater. The only way is to eliminate it permanently. But that is not something I or even the other Founders can do anymore."
Gairos turned to a large table displaying a glowing map of Aetheria, pulsing with red dots unrest, monster outbreaks, and cracks in the System.
Gairos: "However... a new power has been discovered. A subclass hidden deep within the System: the Abyss Slayer."
[System Alert]
New Class Discovered: Abyss Slayer
A rare subclass designed to destroy corrupted system cores and world bosses.
Only one player can inherit this class at a time.
Requirement: Survive direct contact with an Abyssal World-Eater.
The party turned to Junzo.
Rina: "You fought it... you were the only one to touch its core..."
Kai: "You triggered the class unlock."
A glowing black and gold icon hovered in front of Junzo.
[System]
Do you wish to inherit the subclass: Abyss Slayer?
This choice is irreversible. All class progression will evolve into the Abyss Tree.
[YES] [NO]
Junzo stared at the screen. His current class Elemental Knight was powerful and versatile. But to save the world, he needed more than power. He needed a path built for war against the Abyss itself.
Junzo: "Yes."
[System Update]
Class Evolution Complete.
New Class: Abyss Slayer (Stage 1)
Subclass: Elemental Blade of Ruin
Special Perks Unlocked: Abyss Vision (Passive): You can now see through illusions, detect corrupted entities, and reveal hidden abyssal monsters.
Core Breaker (Active): Strike the weak point of any abyssal entity, dealing true damage equal to 25% of its HP (Cooldown: 3 hours).
System Pulse (Passive): Immune to System Glitches and Environmental Corruption effects.
Gairos watched solemnly.
Gairos: "Then the world has chosen its champion. You will lead the counter-invasion against the Abyss. But be warned, Junzo... the other World-Eaters are awakening. The Leviathan was only the harbinger."
The table shifted. A new red dot pulsed to life.
New Abyssal Signature Detected: "Eclipse Dragon – Moraz'Thur"
Location: Southern Continent, Desolation Range
Threat Level: Calamity-Class
Junzo: "How long do we have?"
Gairos: "Three days. That's when the next seal breaks."
Junzo clenched his fists. There was no more room for hesitation. The world was sliding toward destruction, and only he could stop it now.
[System Update]
Main Quest: Hunt the World-Eaters
Next Objective: Reach Desolation Range before the Abyss consumes the Southern Continent.
Time Remaining: 72:00:00
Difficulty: SSS-Rank Global Event
As Junzo's eyes locked with the rising storm on the horizon, a new determination surged through him. From this point on, he wasn't just another adventurer.
He was the only Abyss Slayer in the world.