Abyss City 1.0 -1-

Ichinose gave me her number without hesitation.

Thanks to that, I was whistling away in the training hall shower room.

Her profile picture was of a pint-sized pup snapped on the street ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠somewhere. Just looking at it melted away all my built-up fatigue in an instant.

After that, it was the usual academy routine.

I didn't know what the other instructors' classes were like, but from my perspective, Juyeon's practical lessons were packed with substance and easy to follow.

Starting today, the class focused on body strengthening without any mana leakage. Noah and Ichinose had already mastered that part perfectly.

So the two of them got time to practice more advanced techniques, but the rest of us in Class 1—including me—weren't allowed to join.

I was managing to control this power called mana, which felt similar to yet different from superpowers, but if you asked if it was clean and precise? Not even close.

I'd never been properly taught, after all.

But that gloomy situation was now ancient history.

"Rohan. Mana isn't a force you suppress and dominate."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Don't force it into your body like you're shoving it in. Embrace the mana, accept it softly, let it seep in naturally. At first, the pace might feel frustratingly slow, but..."

Juyeon's guidance, who was basically my first real teacher.

Thanks to her, I was starting to get a handle on reining in my mana.

And then came the dreaded ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠theory class.

"Monsters are rare encounters even in urban areas, but step outside managed zones into uncontrolled regions, and you'll run into them every few steps."

"Most monsters increase their numbers through breeding, but we've observed plenty using special methods like the pitch-black, monolith-shaped Monoliths or dimensional rifts."

They added that the Void Whale that wiped out the south creates massive dimensional rifts in its mouth.

I took notes steadily as the lecture went on.

The rest of the theory stuff... the moment those number-filled formulas appeared, it felt like hitting a brick wall. Drowsiness hit me like a spec-ops team, and my throat tightened up.

But I had someone to ask, so I resolved to feel at least a bit grateful somehow.

"Good work today. Go back and rest."

""Thank you, Instructor!""

Once academy wrapped up, I grabbed a quick meal at the cafeteria and headed straight to my part-time job.

Man, without the cafeteria, I'd have been quartering instant ramen packs.

I checked my pitiful balance with a sigh and made my way to Flower Lily Bookstore.

That's when the notification window I'd been waiting for popped up in front of me.

Time to satisfy my curiosity.

I stopped right there in the street and activated the Shop skill on the spot.

I've got a little points saved up too.

Two achievements from workouts, one from Flower Lily Bookstore shifts.

Plus the one from kicking that Geiro kid in the dead of night during a walk. My remaining points had grown a bit.

Maybe I could even shop right now. With that hopeful thought, I checked the shop.

Unique skill!?

A brand-new mechanic had appeared again.

Just looking at it made my fingers itch. My heart raced thinking about how Weakness Infliction and the Shop skill might evolve.

If it's one purchase available, does that mean all skills level up at once? Or buy once and refresh for more?

In Abyss City, you'd invest energy that built up hourly to farm materials in specific dungeons.

This was clearly the replacement for that.

I started walking again toward the bookstore, slowly.

The price tag tacked on made it impossible to indulge in happy fantasies.

2,000 points...

It was a price that made my mind go blank.

No way a single achievement could cover it.

And as the shop leveled up, even pricier items would appear, no doubt. I could already see the limits of grinding achievements for goods.

Head south? Or circle Academy City hunting every monster I spot...

The shop vanished, revealing Flower Lily Bookstore ahead.

Work first, anyway.

I cleared my head, tied on my apron, and got to it.

A bit later than usual.

Clara showed up at Flower Lily Bookstore right on cue. Planning to stand and read till closing again today?

I eyed the girl and loaded my prepared bait.

Perfect. No other customers besides Clara.

With the manager away, I pulled out my smartphone at the counter and fired up a game.

Volume just one notch up. The game name rang out clearly.

Not loud, but in the silent bookstore, it was impossible not to hear.

Here I am playing gacha games at work too...

I moved my fingers smoothly through the now-familiar interface.

This was Company Wave, the game Clara had been playing last time.

A super popular one—I could tell just from the glimpses on her screen. You run a company that cleans up monsters.

Ranks around 50th in monthly sales, but it's a pillar of the defense genre, with a rock-solid fanbase.

Should've started sooner. Missed the collab ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠event.

Surprisingly fun. High polish too.

Even without angling for a connection with Clara, the game itself sucked you in.

To the point where not pulling what you wanted due to lack of cash was pure agony.

The game sounds could stay this low. The manager wouldn't hear, but Clara's ears would pick it up.

She'd know exactly what game it was just from the skill voice lines.

Daily quests done... time to get serious.

I replayed every bit of Clara's info from Abyss City in my head and settled on a strategy.

A way to poke at a girl who's dead serious about manga and games.

Operation: Pure Spring Water Before Stagnant Pond.

I ran auto on a trash-tier lineup that screamed inefficiency.

Putting healers and DPS up front for self-destruction on easy mode—idiot play 101. Just the order of the characters' defeat voices would raise eyebrows.

A formation with zero synergy was catnip for scratching her itch.

The only issue? Even I was going nuts watching it.

My hands shook seeing the wasted energy.

"Hmm, not clearing."

The pathetic voice signaling mission failed.

Clara's shoulders twitched between the shelves.

"Why'd they make it this hard? Pay-to-win section?"

I could see her hands trembling on the book as she muttered.

She was debating whether to glance over. I turned my head completely away to avoid eye contact.

Never approach first.

Clara was the type to bolt a hundred steps if you took one toward her. I had to make her come to me.

So patience and waiting were the only answers.

I sighed like the game was a shame, pocketed my phone, and manned the counter till closing.

⋯

⋯

Tomorrow's Saturday.

Meaning no academy or part-time.

I hadn't planned on Flower Lily closing too, but the manager mentioned his grandson's birthday this weekend and wanted off. I agreed readily.

What to do for two whole days.

Should I roam Academy City hunting quest precursors, or hole up cramming theory?

As I headed back to the dorm mulling that over, checking subscribed online news...

"...!"

I finally spotted what could be the main story precursor.

It came!

The main story from Abyss City 1.0 open beta—a tantalizing teaser volume.

This incident was definitely it.

The format matched the main story beat for beat.

Nice rewards?

Murder Manual—I knew that skill.

A solid passive boosting damage against humans or humanoid monsters.

And the other reward, Random Point Pouch, sounded intriguing. "Random" was iffy, but points were points.

"..."

Creeeak!

Back at the dorm, I threw on a pitch-black hoodie and grabbed the mask from last time.

A single knife in my pocket.

That was plenty for prowling the twilight ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠streets of Academy City after dark.