The Situation Inside the Abyss (1)
Shasha, who had been shivering uncontrollably, gritted their teeth and pressed forward. Any lapse in concentration, and their chattering teeth would slam together with a clack.
"Ah, I should've worn a long padding coat. Ugh. I want some hot fish cake soup."
Shasha tensed every muscle in their body and pushed ahead. The blizzard blinded them, and snow piled up to their knees, sinking with every step.
Good thing I'm an Arc. Their high ether affinity and familiarity with the Abyss let them adapt quickly to the 36th floor's harsh environment. Muttering complaints, Shasha trudged through the snow toward the safe zone.
Usually, in a snowy field like this, Abyssal entities move in packs. As long as they avoided running into a group, they could reach the safe zone unscathed.
As they scanned their surroundings and advanced cautiously, something crunched under Shasha's foot.
Crunch—
"……."
For a split second, the raging blizzard seemed to hush.
"No way."
In the brief moment they turned to flee, the snow-covered ground erupted violently.
3rd Level Reinforcement Series
Thunder Body
Blue lightning crackled around Shasha's body in an instant, hurling them backward. Their ether-enhanced physique moved too fast for the eye to follow, but a massive hand seized their ankle.
Their vision spun wildly as they were yanked skyward.
"Gya!"
3rd Level Projection Series
Ion Pulse
Shasha unleashed magic midair, striking the enemy before scouting an escape route. Using magic here would undoubtedly draw hordes of Abyssal entities—this wasn't a place to linger.
Damn, damn, damn!
This was the top floor of the 36th layer; even the weakest Abyssal entities were 5th to 6th grade. For Shasha, whose limit was 4th-level magic, survival bordered on miraculous.
"Damn it! The safe zone was right there!"
The moment Shasha landed, a massive skeletal silhouette loomed faintly through the scattering blizzard.
"S-skeleton?"
The fierce snowstorm blurred its outline, but it was unmistakably a giant skeleton.
The field boss is a Necromancer?!
"Hah."
A wave of despair buckled Shasha's legs.
"Ahh. That nostalgic ether texture."
The cold, sticky feel unique to curse magic. Even now, with their mental core swapped from death to lightning, that eerie ether sensation lingered vividly.
As Shasha traced the faint ether clinging to the skeleton—
The colossal, at least 4-meter frame swung its arm.
Shasha knew their weaknesses and patterns all too well, dodging the skeleton's attack with ease.
"Not bad movement for a skeleton. Made from high-grade Abyssal entities, huh?"
5th Level Survival Series
Force Field
A sharp voice rang out as daggers plunged into the skeleton's skull.
"Ah."
Shasha, caught off guard, shouted,
"Ribcage center! The core's there!"
The airborne daggers shifted trajectory at Shasha's words, shattering ribs and embedding in the core.
"Nice!"
As the massive bones collapsed into the snow, a sharp-featured man stood beyond it. The black-coated figure hurled daggers without a word. The blades floating midair moved with graceful autonomy.
"Who are you? Not human."
Shasha paused at the question, then waved a hand.
"It's me! Me! The one with Yoo Eunha! You guys tied me up and took me when fighting K!"
Despite the rambling explanation, the man silently aimed his daggers.
"For real! I'm on your side! You don't remember me?!"
As Shasha wailed in injustice, the man flicked his black coat, pointing behind him.
"Safe zone's this way."
"Yeah, I know. I just accidentally woke that thing."
The moment Shasha finished speaking, two daggers hovering at chin level targeted their throat again, prodding irritably.
"Eek!!!"
Shasha tensed in shock, and the flat of a dagger pressed firmly against their Adam's apple.
"Hic!"
"First. One mistake on the top floor can wipe the entire party."
"……."
"Second. Never relax in the Abyss, not for a second. If I were a mimic Abyssal entity imitating a person, you'd be dead."
Spot-on advice left Shasha nodding mutely.
They said this guy's a total bad-luck magnet, and the rumors were true.
As Shasha grumbled inwardly, Lee Ju-hyeok murmured lowly,
"Better rude than dead."
"……."
Again, irrefutable, so Shasha nodded.
"It's so quiet—why can't you get out?"
"Step only where I step, rookie."
"……."
Shasha carefully followed, retracting their foot.
"As you see, curses and traps everywhere."
"But aren't you 7th-level mages? Shouldn't be stuck."
"The Coordinators are interfering."
"Hm…."
Then escaping's gonna be tough.
The safe zone they reached had a small camp cleared of snow.
"……."
Seven people enduring in a thin tent, wooden windbreak, and a fire on the verge of dying out. Three were critically wounded, hovering near death by the flames.
"…Impressive they're still alive."
"So you came to the top floor for a reason?"
All eyes turned to Shasha, their gazes hollow, almost lifeless.
"Uh…."
Under the piercing stares laced with killing intent and despair, Shasha stepped back.
The burliest mage glared at Shasha.
"Lee Ju-hyeok. That one's not human."
The killing intent nearly stopped Shasha's breath.
"Met outside the Abyss. SEED vetted their identity thoroughly."
"Nonsense."
The man with deer antlers on his head rose, casting a massive shadow. Over 2 meters tall, he radiated hostility at Shasha.
This guy's the 1st Army's No. 2, the Dragon King…?
Shasha's gaze lifted sharply. Staring into the Dragon King's unnaturally slit vertical pupils, Shasha swallowed hard.
"I'm the envoy from the Mayor—no, from Yoo Eunha."
"Yoo Eunha? That kid mage?"
Noting the slight easing of suspicion, Shasha hurriedly added,
"E-even if I'm an Abyssal entity, I'm that guy's familiar!"
"Familiar?"
"What? For real?"
"You can make an Abyssal entity a familiar?"
A few mages perked up at Shasha's words. True to form, mages stayed curious even on the brink of death, crowding closer to inspect Shasha.
Finally settling in a female mage's arms, Shasha savored the menacing ether, smacking their lips.
The brown-haired mage with droopy eyes stroked Shasha's head repeatedly.
"Whoa~ You smell rotten and burnt—multiple affinities, huh?"
"Ho-ya, it's an Abyssal entity. Don't baby it."
At the Dragon King's words, Ho-ya plopped down, snorting.
"Pfft, don't worry. I'll kill it if it tries anything."
"Hic."
Ho-ya's hand brimmed with lethal refined ether. Shasha's instincts screamed what would happen if touched, tears welling up.
1st Army folks really are half-crazy.
"So when does the envoy deliver? Slice the neck for a message system?"
As Lee Ju-hyeok drew a dagger, Ho-ya stopped him.
"Hey! Who uses an envoy like that? Baby, did ya bring a telegram or somethin'?"
As Lee Ju-hyeok and Ho-ya eyed Shasha, a man slumped by the fire muttered,
"What's the point? Communication or not, they're all dead."
A chill wind blew at his words.
"Huh?"
Shasha blinked.
"What happened?"
"You don't know…?"
"?"
Shasha frowned.
"The Mayor kept sensing something off, sent me to check the Abyss top floor."
The Dragon King's eyes shifted subtly at Shasha's words.
"That kid noticed something weird…?"
"Tch…."
"What? So it was that kid's doing."
"Uh…."
As Shasha gauged reactions, Lee Ju-hyeok spoke lowly.
"The field boss went berserk. Caused a dimensional rift. 1st Army couldn't seal it."
"What…? Dimensional rift? Couldn't seal it?"
"Yup. Half the 36th floor's Abyssal entities escaped outside."
Understanding hit Shasha like a brick; they collapsed.
"W-wait, that means Code Black."
Every 1st Army mage whipped around at the words.
"No way… Can't be! Then our Mayor…!"
Panicking, Shasha patted themselves down before snapping back.
"Ah! S-since I'm the familiar and alive, the M-Mayor hasn't died yet!"
"Maybe…."
"Outside might be worse than here."
At the Dragon King and Lee Ju-hyeok's words, Ho-ya exhaled deeply.
"What? Y'all givin' up?"
"Not exactly."
Ho-ya pressed Shasha's head firmly; Shasha hurriedly pulled out the communicator.
"C-communicator for outside contact."
"Communicator?"
"What? Everyone knows machines don't work here."
At Lee Ju-hyeok and Ho-ya's disappointed tones, Shasha shook their head frantically.
"This links to the Mayor's Foundation, then relays out. Works anywhere in the Abyss."
"What?!"
"Such a method exists…."
Faces brightened.
"Then we can assess the situation."
"Rescue request might be tough, eh?"
"……."
"Even if connected, obvious… They're all dead. Code Black…."
All eyes turned to the pessimistic male mage. Indeed, the situation was dire.
Shasha prayed fervently inside and pressed the communicator's power button.