Man... thinking about it now, I was ridiculously clueless. If a Tier-5 dragon acts like someone's a big deal, they're probably a walking calamity. Gray appears adorable, reminiscent of a plush toy, but behind that cute face hides a monster brain. It's the cutest scam imaginable, causing people to melt the moment they see him. No shock, he walks like a tiny emperor. He's been dying to show off. Got to admit, it's kind of legendary. "Good work." Aiden closed his Attributes Panel and grinned. "Gray, I'm trusting you with the rest." "Rraggghh!" Gray puffed out his chest proudly, lifting his chin to look Aiden in the eye—finally, as he ought to. "Abyss Trial time. Let's move." Aiden felt anticipation buzzing through him. Watching Gray fight at full power sounded way more fun than anything else today.... Two hours later, Aiden reached the Level 30 Trial Temple. "Honored Mr. Nighthale, will you be attempting the Abyss difficulty again?" The gatekeeper approached instantly, posture straight and respectful. His eyes drifted to the Medal of Dominion on Aiden's chest, recognition flickering there. Very few knew what that symbol meant, but gatekeepers knew it by heart. "Yes." Aiden gave a brief nod. "Understood." The gatekeeper activated the sequence without further small talk. A bright flash swallowed Aiden as the Abyss difficulty loaded. ... A bone-deep wind cut across the frozen landscape. White blanketed everything like a burial shroud. Frost coated the earth in a glittering sheet. Boom, boom...A hulking white-furred humanoid paced across the field, each step punching deep holes into the snow. Another Mutant-enrage boss. Just as expected. Whoosh! Gray shot forward before Aiden formed a single thought. His tiny body blurred through the air, then a column of Dragon's Breath crashed downward. A fist-sized spark of gold expanded into a roaring blast several times larger than Gray himself. The blast of Dragon's Breath slammed directly into the snowman boss. Ding! 'You dealt 100,138 damage.' Ding! 'Target Flufffrost Mutated Titan has been eliminated.' Ding! 'Rewards acquired...'Aiden stared. No way. One tap and it's dead? I didn't even get to read its stats. This is busted. Gray wandered back with his tail sagging, looking like he wanted to grumble that the boss died before he could enjoy himself. "You enjoyed that way too much," Aiden muttered, a wry smile forming. The mental link made Gray's mood perfectly clear. Still, erasing a boss with one ability wasn't a challenge. It felt like breezing through a tutorial zone. Where was the tension? "Arww?" Gray tilted his head innocently. Isn't this normal? Aiden replied, "Go for it. Have fun. Four more bosses are waiting." He wasn't going to lecture the Mythical Beast. If Gray ever let him pet him without complaint, Aiden would probably rub that fur flat. Where else would he find a partner this adorable and this ridiculously strong? His only flaw? He listened selectively. The pair charged onward, unstoppable. Trial difficulty was supposed to climb steadily, yet Gray was clearing stages even faster than the previous two tiers. His growth bordered on absurd. Corrupted-level bosses fell in a single hit, like cutting through paper. Boom. Boom. Ding! 'Congratulations! Target Hoarfang Behemoth has been wiped out.' Ding! 'Congratulations! Target Frostveil Nine-Tail has been defeated.' Ding! 'Reward distribution complete...' Zero resistance. Four Corrupted-level bosses folded instantly.The final boss emerged at last. The boss identified as the Abyss Pursuer, a Monarch-level beast, registered at Level 30 with 400,000 health, 6,000 strength, 40,000 vitality, 6,000 agility, and 5,000 energy. Both its talents and battle arts remained completely unknown, and its lore described it as a being born from the Abyss and fated to return to it. "A pursuer..." Aiden's eyes narrowed. Yet, another creature tied to the Abyss. Its description avoided labeling it an eerie creature, though Aiden felt certain: if this thing killed someone, their real life ended with it. "Grrrrawrr!" Gray didn't hesitate. He dashed forward like a fired cannonball. Commands were unnecessary by now. With his current stats, the pursuer didn't stand a chance. Monarch-level boss? Hardly worth mentioning.