I Ascend Alone-Chapter 159: Everdeep Bastion Part XI

I narrowed my eyes.

'Of course. A domain-level concealment-type.'

Seraphveil lowered into a ready stance, eyes glowing faintly.

"Permission to engage, my Liege?"

"Granted."

He vanished instantly, wings flaring outward in a burst of abyssal energy, sweeping the area with overlapping arcs of blacklight.

And yet, the shadow behind me twitched.

A whisper, right at my ear:

"Almost..."

I turned in a blink, hand raised to cast—But again, the presence was gone. Not a trace.

Seraphveil moved fast, wings spread wide as he sliced at the shadows with both blades. He hit everything that looked suspicious—broken pillars, cracks in the walls, strange flickers in the dark. But nothing stayed solid. Every time his sword landed, the shadow broke apart like smoke.

"It's not just hiding," Seraphveil muttered. "It's watching us."

A soft, eerie laugh echoed all around us.

"You see my shape. But not the truth."

Suddenly—CRASH!

The ground right in front of me exploded upward as a long, black claw lunged out from beneath. I jumped back just in time, feeling the wind from the swipe brush past my face. Seraphveil blocked the attack mid-air, but the force still pushed him back across the floor.

Then the enemy was gone again. No sound. No trail.

"Tch," I clicked my tongue. "This thing's fast. It's using the shadows like they're part of its body."

Seraphveil narrowed his eyes and darted forward again. He slashed down at a dark pool beneath a cracked statue—and this time, he struck something solid.

A distorted shriek rang out.

A figure spilled out from the dark, tall and thin like a stretched human. Its body was black like burnt paper, arms long and bent at weird angles. It wore a cracked, white mask with no eyes. Behind it, long strips of shadow trailed like torn robes.

It had taken damage—but it still smiled.

Then it slammed both hands into the ground.

BOOM!

The entire floor shook as the shadows beneath us twisted into a spinning whirlpool, sucking everything toward the center. I slid back, trying to stay balanced. Even Seraphveil grunted, wings flapping hard to keep himself from falling in.

The enemy rose from the middle of the chaos, standing tall, arms spread like it was welcoming us.

"This floor belongs to me," it said, voice quiet but clear. "Your light cannot reach here."

Dozens of black tendrils shot out from its body like spears. Seraphveil cut through a few, but more kept coming. I raised my hand and fired a blast of abyss energy—but it bent off course, like the air itself was warped.

My spell missed completely.

Seraphveil returned to my side, one of his wings slightly scorched.

"This thing's not fighting to kill," he said. "It's fighting to wear us down, My Honored Sovereign."

I nodded. "It's smart. It's turning the whole floor into its trap."

Just then, another spike shot up—not at me, but at my shadow.

"Damn—!"

Seraphveil blocked it again, his blade clashing with the spike in a flash of blacklight. The enemy hissed and pulled back into the darkness, body melting into the floor like water.

From my own shadow, Vorathos whispered urgently.

"Be careful, my Lord. This monster—it's feeding off our shadows. If it roots itself too deep, tearing it out might destroy this whole floor."

Umbraezer's voice followed, quieter but serious.

"If it keeps this up, we might not be able to fight it without hurting ourselves."

Suddenly—shhk!

A spike of black shot out again, aiming low at my ankle. I sidestepped, barely dodging it.

Another tendril shot from behind me, but Seraphveil intercepted it mid-swing, his blade slicing clean through. The creature hissed again from the dark, but didn't reveal itself. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

"Enough," Vorathos muttered from my shadow, voice colder than usual. "My Lord... allow me."

I glanced down. His glowing violet eyes stared up from the darkness under my feet.

"This thing... It's dancing around because it believes it's the only one who understands shadow."

His tone sharpened.

"But as I've said before—I specialize in it."

I didn't respond right away.

The enemy had proven slippery and smart—never showing its full body, always striking from the edges. Its control of the floor's shadows was advanced, maybe even instinctual. And yet... Vorathos sounded completely certain.

"Do not worry," he added, more firmly now. "If you give the word, I'll erase it. Instantly."

Seraphveil glanced toward the shadows, breathing lightly. "He's not bluffing."

Umbraezer said nothing, but I could sense even his attention shift.

The floor rumbled again—shadows rippling in waves, circling us.

Another attack came, thin as a thread, shooting from under a broken stone—aimed at my ribs this time.

Seraphveil moved fast and blocked it again, but he was starting to slow slightly. Not from injury—but from exhaustion. The constant, small interruptions were beginning to stack.

"This thing's not strong," Seraphveil muttered, eyes narrowing. "Just annoying."

Another hiss. More laughter from the walls.

"Then... shall I end this, my Lord?" Vorathos asked again, calm, polite—but eager.

I met his gaze, and nodded once.

"Do it."

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