Abyssorium
Seoul's shopping mall. I'd come here with Monica to buy some new clothes, and that's where I ran into someone completely unexpected.
"Hmph."
I scratched my head as I stared at the silver-haired boy standing before me.
"This lady is unarmed right now, you know? And this is outside the Abyss, isn't it?"
Alexandr clicked his tongue at my words.
"So, what? You expect me to go easy on you? My mission target?"
I shot back curtly.
"You put on such airs as a mighty tuner and all that, but it was all hot air. Resorting to such dirty tricks."
"……."
The boy clamped his mouth shut, at a loss for words.
I pointed at the chick-drawn wallpaper.
"Besides, we could've met somewhere other than a lost child center, couldn't we?"
"I didn't know you'd be here!"
"I didn't know I'd end up here either."
The woman who seemed to be the lost child center attendant asked me after hearing our exchange.
"You're Yu Eunha, right?"
"That's right. And I'm not a child—I'm a mage."
I pointed at the silver hair.
"That's Alexandr, the infamous Interpol blacklist Mage Hunter."
The woman glanced back and forth between me and Alexandr before clapping her hands.
"Ahh! So it's a game? Then~ would sir like to play the role of Lee Han the mage coming to protect our little Eunha?"
Alexandr smacked his forehead at her words.
"Haa…."
"Milady, it seems this fellow can't stay in character."
The woman giggled at my remark.
"Well, our silver-haired friend is a bit older. If it's okay, would you play with our Eunha buddy?"
Alexandr's ears turned red at her words.
"I'm not! A lost child! No!"
"It's no use, boy. I've told you dozens of times, but you won't listen."
The woman nodded at my words.
"Eunha, they just announced it over the whole shopping center's speakers, so your mom should be here soon."
"It's not Mom—it's my master I came with."
"Ah, right, that's the concept?"
"Yeah, that's the concept…. Whatever happens, happens."
I furrowed my brow. Ever since turning into this body, no one believed the truth no matter how earnestly I told it. Just like now.
"Fine, Alexandr. A 7-level mage is coming soon—you must've lost."
"Hmph…. Faster than I thought."
A woman stood between me and Alexandr, listening to our conversation with keen interest.
Alexandr shrugged it off.
"Last time, I just pulled back for safety. I hadn't gauged the enemy's full strength."
"Always excuses with you, boy."
I scratched him once, secretly drawing in ether. Since he got riled up so easily, he probably wouldn't notice the ether flow.
I kept a subtle casting hold going while observing Alexandr's movements.
"Excuses? Ha! This time, I'll take out you and that precious master of yours in one go, Noise."
"Will you now?"
In that instant, something rare in Korea appeared from the boy's pocket—a heavy black pistol.
"Oh my, a toy gun…."
Bang! Bang!—
The woman's scream drowned in the deafening gunshots.
A bullet whizzed past my side. Thanks to the secret casting hold I'd prepared.
"Tch, dodging at this range!"
"Little miss!"
"Taehyun!"
A massive impact hit my body along with Taehyun's voice. He'd charged in at full speed, scooping me up and throwing us both to the ground.
Bang! Bang!—
The scorching crack of gunfire mixed with the thud of something heavy being struck.
I searched for Taehyun's face.
"Taehyun! You okay? You just got shot!"
"I'm fine, little miss…. I'm wearing a bulletproof vest."
"Haa…. Good."
At those words, a cold voice rang out.
"Tch. Didn't expect to kill a civilian."
I scowled at the boy's words. Looking up at the violet sky, I'd already been pulled into an Abyss bubble.
"Boy, can you create an Abyss?"
Alexandr didn't answer. Anxiety and impatience flickered across his face.
"Can you handle the fallout? Looks like you leaked too much info."
Alexandr just glared at me.
"You're not cut out to be a hunter by nature. Find another line of work."
Alexandr sighed at my words.
"Fine, I'll admit I failed twice."
He tossed the gun to the ground.
"But on my honor as a tuner, I'll eliminate you here."
"Arrogant fool."
"You're one to talk."
Countless abyssal entities rose behind Alexandr. His eyes gleamed with an eerie green light.
"This is my foundation. My family's territory—the Abyss's graveyard."
As his words ended, five massive corpses erupted behind him. Their mage-like robes and intense ether waves made my eyes narrow.
This could be dangerous.
A foul stench poured out, along with corrupting ether laced with images of decay.
"Taehyun, magic's tough here—we need to—"
Taehyun lay slumped, blood gushing from his shoulder. A bullet must've pierced his arm.
"……."
A firm, lightweight Stella Maris dagger was already in my right hand.
"Heh, that sharp gaze suits a fierce look, Noise."
I ignored Alexandr and initiated a casting hold. My right arm, still aching from the fight with Im Gwangcheol, throbbed, and tangled imagery made magic tricky. Definitely a crisis.
But not as bad as back then.
Recalling my clash with Lee Han, I ramped up the casting hold.
Once. If I pushed through internal injury, I could manage one spell.
I eyed the hundreds of abyssal entities, five corpses, and smug Alexandr.
Abyssorium takes too long to cast casually.
But if I herded the enemy into a passive strategy, it could be my finisher.
So all I need to do is corner them.
Glad I'd tested Abyssorium beforehand, I took a deep breath.
Huuup—
"Little miss?"
I switched the Stella Maris dagger to my left hand and hurled it with muscle-straining speed.
Whoosh!—
The enhanced throw pierced the heads of charging abyssal entities in a straight line.
Krunch!—
A dozen writhed on the ground.
"Throwing your weapon? Idiot…."
As Alexandr sneered, a dagger slick with purple fluid slapped into my left hand—the Stella Maris's recall ability bringing it back to its owner.
"W-Wait a sec!"
Whoosh!—
The dagger flew again, felling another dozen.
"Hey! Where'd you get such a cheat weapon?!"
Each toss dropped swarms of abyssal entities around us.
"Damn it! Ancestors of the family, unleash your wrath on our foe!"
No sooner had Alexandr spoken than the five corpses stirred. They muttered in eerie voices.
Ice and fire arrows, lightning and wind spears hurtled at me in an instant.
"Magic won't work, boy."
As I prepared Reverse Flow, a familiar ether pattern hit me.
That death magic from before.
Too risky to reverse. I abandoned spell theft and chucked the Stella Maris dagger fast.
Whoosh!—
A wind spear snapped my left arm, but the dagger rocketed toward his heart. Alexandr's ether faltered as he rolled away.
"……!"
"Just as you know my Reverse Flow, I know your weakness, boy."
Fury flashed in Alexandr's eyes after barely surviving the abandoned cast.
"Looks like you lack combat experience, boy. Slow on the uptake."
"Not something a seven-year-old should say."
He glared, then summoned the five corpses.
"How about surrendering? Tired of the criminal life?"
Alexandr smirked wryly.
"For my kin, I'd do anything. My pain's nothing."
"Kin…. That's a heavy burden."
Five protective barriers layered around him.
"Time to end this, Noise. Sleep eternally under death's crush."
I curled my lip.
"Yeah. Perfect timing."
"?!"
"I've been waiting for this moment."
Ether surged around me wildly. Alexandr stared in shock.
"Wh-What?!"
A massive ether cloud gathered over his head.
"Impossible…. No 2-level mage could handle this much ether…."
He gawked at the magic circle, forgetting to cast.
Then the abyssal deep-sea magic poured down on the dazed boy.
[2-level Control]
Abyssorium
The layered barriers shattered like glass.
"Impossible…."
Before he could finish, he was crushed into a bloody pulp.
No abyssal entity could survive that finale.
"Hoo…. Lucky he's an inexperienced mage…."
Dizziness from twisted imagery dropped me to my knees.
"Urk… bleeech."
Everything from breakfast came up.
"Little miss! Are you alright?!"
"Ah! Yeah! Urp—bleeech. Just…. dizzy…. ugh."
Regaining my senses, I looked toward Taehyun. Behind a blood-smeared boulder, his fist rose with a thumbs-up.
"Hmph. A pro, as expected."
I gazed at the five vanishing corpses and hundreds of abyssal entities.
If he'd used his resources more thoroughly, I wouldn't have stood a chance.
"Well, if it'd dragged on, Monica would've shown up—so not the best strategy anyway…."
His all-out blitz was risky too. I lived because he was arrogant and green.
Exhaustion flooded me; I collapsed.
"Miss!"
"I'm fine. Just tired…."
Thinking I needed to boost my stamina, I closed my eyes.
*
I awoke in the hospital, wrapped head to toe in bandages. Monica watched me with worried eyes.
"Passing out this much is starting to feel routine."
But.
"……."
Wasn't it just my left arm injured? What's with all this?
I scanned around in confusion.
"Monica? What the heck is all this?"
Monica sniffled, her eyes puffy.
"Our little one's *sniff*, facing that terrifying Mage Hunter twice…. And I couldn't do a thing…. Waaah, I got distracted shopping. Should've sent Taehyun alone…. I should've gone to pick you up myself."
"His panic was all thanks to you, so you've earned your due."
Monica hugged me tight at my words.
"Little oneeee~"
"More importantly, what's with all these bandages?"
"Oh, this~ We needed something dramatic for the photos outside."
"?"
"A 2-level mage meets an Interpol blacklist, and walks out unscathed? Suspicious, right?"
"……."
Tsking at the petty reason, I ripped off the bandages.
"There. My left arm's fine too—must be your healing magic."
"Yup. No more pain? There was tons of ether left in the Abyss, so I blasted you with 7-level recovery."
"……."
A broken arm getting 7-level healing….
"Well~ Free magic—waste not, want not."
"Ah…."
I nodded at Monica's words.
"True. 7-level spells must cost billions in ether alone."
"Yup. So practice when it's free. Got it?"
"Got it."
Feeling refreshed, I stretched.
"Anyway, Spectrum's settled. One thing left."
"Yeah, check your foundation for anomalies."
"No, visit Taehyun. Didn't he get shot?"
Monica's eyes rolled dramatically.
"Taehyun got my healing too—he's fine."
I poked her forehead with my index finger.
"Still, take care of your people, Monica. Resentment lingers."
"Ungh, I gave him gifts and vacation too."
"Good job."
Monica and I turned to the TV in the hospital room. It covered the Abyss bubble, Alexandr, and me—the 2-level mage.
I chuckled.
"Bright future ahead, huh."
"Heh heh heh. Wait till they see your real power."
*
Days later in the hospital, Monica and I headed to the [Gangnam Dungeon].
🏛 Type: Gangnam / Abyss / Core-grade / (Disaster)* / (Cleared)**
⚔ Ether Density: Weak [Weak–Stable–Unstable–Collapse–Disaster]
💀 Status: Personal Abyss clearance procedure
"Hm."
Unlike the terrifying warnings of disaster, clearance, and core-grade Abyss.
The first floor's scenery carried a strangely eerie vibe.
"Hm. What now?"
I tilted my head at the silver-haired boy standing before me, while Monica gaped in astonishment beside me.
"Does this sort of thing happen too?"