Super Ultra Hyper General Ether Shot
A fiercely spinning mass of ether sliced the swimming pool water cleanly in two.
Whoosh—
The Ether Shot rocketed forward at tremendous speed, smashing into the wave pool's artificial cliff and crumbling the rocks.
Kr-boom—
Enormous boulders tumbled down with a roar. Monica stared at the spectacle in disbelief, turning to me.
"Holy..."
It had been a month since I started magic training with Monica. In that short time, my 1-level Projection spell, Ether Shot, was rewriting history.
"Hmm, it's a bit lacking to just call it an Ether Shot, right?"
This was more like a Super Ultra Hyper General Ether Shot, wasn't it? My eyes sparkled as I asked,
"Monica, think this would kill a mage if I shot it at them?"
"It'd probably pierce a 2-level shield...?"
"Ooh."
"What's 'ooh' about it! I've never seen such a brutish Ether Shot!"
"Is that so?"
"It pisses me off every time I see it. Genius or monster, which is it?"
Monica shook her head while repairing the crumbling cliff. I wrinkled my nose at the chlorine-scented pool.
"More importantly! Why not use the training ground and come to Monica's personal Abyss instead? So stingy."
"It costs 100 million an hour of practice~ Think of your master's wallet?"
"Ugh~ Then give back the training ground."
I felt my ether fading and plopped down on the floor. Stretching out my short limbs, I said,
"Three Ether Shots and the Abyss ether runs dry."
"Sigh... You were such a polite kid when I brought you here."
"Just learned from my master."
"...I learned Korean from communities!"
I shrugged at Monica's indignant declaration.
"Noob?"
"Jeez... How'd I end up with a monster like you..."
Monica sat beside me, gazing at the vast wave pool.
"Anyway, seeing your skills, kid, maybe it's time to graduate this place."
"Finally! Leaving the 1st floor!"
This was the 1st floor of Monica's personal Abyss, the entrance to a top mage's private zone.
"Monica's 1st floor has too little ether."
"Yeah. Never thought you'd exhaust it so soon. Usually takes five years."
"Heh, now I can handle most mages no problem."
As I puffed up proudly, Monica stretched her right wrist.
"Hmm, if you're that confident, how about a spar with your master after all this time?"
"Bring it! I'll take you on anytime!"
I jumped up, eyes shining, and Monica looked at me curiously.
"Normal kids would fear or hate sparring with me. You're weird, kid."
I grinned while stretching my legs.
"Fighting the strong is the fastest way to grow."
"True enough."
Monica's left eye gleamed fiercely.
"As long as you can handle it."
"...Huh? Why's it glowing like that?"
Spar, right? Go easy?
I backed away in panic. All the surrounding ether was surging toward Monica at terrifying speed.
"H-hey! Cheat! No fair! Now I can't use my ether!"
A mass of water spun violently above Monica's hand.
"Waaah, go easy!"
"First lesson: Mage tournaments happen in limited ether. No tourney lets you use ether freely!"
Ether poured in like a dam breach. The flow was so strong, gathering my own was a struggle.
"So blocking your opponent's ether is part of the strategy!"
"Dirty cheater!"
"Winning's all that matters! Take this, kid!"
[5-Level Control]
Aqua Stream
Glub!
Suddenly swept by a fierce current, my body flipped, feet rising.
"Urk."
Water blades flew from all directions. They clashed with my shield, flashing brightly.
Kakang—
Kikiik—
When I came to, water had flooded inside my shattered shield.
"Blub blub!"
I hastily gathered ether to repair the shield. Monica's 3-level protection spell, Ether Armor. I couldn't cast it yet, but fixing it was within reach now.
But.
Even fixing is tough. Can't breathe... agonizing...
The relentless currents tossed my body mercilessly.
Blub—
Panic over suffocating filled my mind.
Forget Reverse Flow—even a simple Ether Shot is impossible.
Concentrating just spun me around, disrupting thought.
Monica's voice echoed through the water.
I squeezed my eyes shut, steadying my churning mind.
Focus.
I reached out, interfering with the ether flow.
[Galaxy Flow Special]
Reverse Flow
Instantly, the current halted.
The Reverse Flow was weak, so the spell merely slowed, not breaking.
Water magic, as expected.
Unlike others, its freeform nature made Reverse Flow tricky.
But escape should be easy.
I gathered ether and fired.
[1-Level Projection]
Ether Shot
The water surface hit by the Ether Shot bulged massively, finally tearing.
I kicked off the ground and leaped through the rip.
"Puhah!"
Free of the spell, I gulped air.
"Hah...! Hah... Cough! Cough!"
Sprawled on the floor, I glanced back at the cube-shaped water mass.
"Hmm~ Even with interference, can't avoid the slowdown."
"This spell's too much."
"Heh, but you broke it quick?"
"Drained... I was total noob."
"Not noob, total scrub."
Monica paused, then shook her head.
"...Nah, scrub feels bad too. What's it in Korean?"
"Rookie, greenhorn."
"Good one, kid."
I pouted at my dripping hair.
"Drying hair's such a pain. Wanna shave it all off."
"Heh, can't let such pretty hair go. Master'll help."
Her touch dried my hair fluffy.
"Dry my body too."
"Nope. Penalty for getting hit defenseless."
As I grumbled, Monica placed a hand on my head.
"Anyway, your skills are solid. Time to register your personal Abyss?"
I bounced up.
"Finally registering as a mage?!"
Magic was learnable by anyone with talent through training.
But a Mage meant someone registered with a personal zone in an Abyss core.
"Finally! I'm a real mage!"
"Heh, excited? 1st floor'll reveal your image."
"Image?"
"Yeah. I nearly drowned in a wave pool as a kid. Must've desperately wanted magic then."
"That's why your 1st floor's like this?"
Monica smiled faintly at the waves.
"Yup. Abyss 1st floor's the foundation of your image. Called Foundation."
Her blue eyes met mine.
"But Foundation's the root of your magic."
"..."
"Oh, rumor is bigger 1st floor means greater mage."
I replied uncomfortably.
"Then mine's set..."
"...Yeah, family killed by a mage."
Monica frowned.
"But recently? Not the 70s or 80s—mages like that don't exist now."
"Ahem, it happened! Family died..."
"Ah! Not doubting you, kid."
She stroked my head.
"Just wish your foundation was happier."
"Happier?"
"Like... Isara's is a massive supernova."
"Hmm..."
"Planetarium supernova explosion stuck deep. Wanted supernova-like magic."
"So she uses star magic?"
"Yeah, her 1st floor's vast space."
"Sounds fun."
"Negative Foundations like mine depress mages."
Monica kept petting.
"So pray yours is beautiful..."
"Monica's 1st floor's plenty good."
"Huh?"
I grinned at the wave pool.
"This wave pool's cool. Looks like a happy origin to me."
"Kid..."
As Monica hugged me, bitterness rose in her arms.
My life started worse. Foundation won't differ.
Sensing my gloom, Monica met my eyes.
"Don't worry. Whatever Foundation, you'll conquer it. You're my gem."
Her words flushed my cheeks bashfully.
Now commencing the 52nd Abyss Test.
It had been ages since I last saw the Gangnam Abyss up close.
Kids lined up before it, teachers repeatedly checking safety protocols nearby, gear scattered everywhere.
"Reactive armor blocks abyssal attacks two or three times, plus auxiliary artifacts. 1st floor's no issue."
As Monica pinched my cheek, a staffer approached.
"Unaffiliated 7-year-old Yu Eunha?"
"Yes..."
The staffer paused at my speech, then fitted a bracelet.
"Yu Eunha's Abyss registration: A-132580. This is an Abyss-exclusive auxiliary AI. You're the youngest tester today—be extra careful."
"...Got it."
The bracelet hummed with ether. Seeing my confusion, Monica smiled.
"That bracelet costs over 5 billion each."
"Cough!"
A tiny bracelet worth building a skyscraper.
"..."
As I stared flustered, Monica tapped it.
"Packed with protection spells and ether capture."
"Protection spells?"
"Blocks low-level abyssal hits a few times. If wearer faints or falls, deploys 5-level shield for 24 hours."
Her face hardened.
"Kid, until you clear the 1st floor, no one can rescue you or let you flee. You're alone in there. Know that?"
"Of course. No worries."
Pfft, just handle a few abyssals in a burning house.
That's what I thought, at least.