My Foundation

A massive hemispherical shape loomed before me, space-time warping around it.

"So this is the Gangnam Abyss..."

Called the [Gangnam Dungeon], it was a ticking time bomb everyone feared. The examiner beside me eyed me with a tense expression.

"Unaffiliated apprentice mage Yu Eunha. Here are today's metrics for the Gangnam Abyss."

I checked the screen the examiner showed me.

"Today's Gangnam Dungeon has low spatial distortion, but the Abyss concentration is extremely thick. Please be careful."

"Yep."

"Everything ahead is the real Abyss. If you get nervous, you can cancel anytime."

"I'm fine."

"...When you're ready, place your hand on the surface. You'll be transferred inside the Abyss."

I drew in a breath and pressed my hand against the massive hemisphere's surface. Suddenly, that white-haired mage, Lee Han, popped into my mind.

'First time since then, huh.'

Now in this shrunken body, it felt like I'd returned to my original place.

'Where the hell did that guy disappear to, anyway.'

As I pondered, I steeled myself and pushed my hand into the black sphere. In an instant, the world flipped upside down, and slowly, a new world unfolded before my eyes.

"Ah."

I'd expected a burning house, naturally.

"What in the world is this...?"

The starry seaside left me stunned for a moment.

"What...?"

In my confusion, a distant memory surfaced.

'You'll definitely become a great mage. Quit hunting mages and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠become one for humanity.'

The beach where I'd been offered to become a mage. My foundation looked remarkably like that place.

The realization drained the strength from my body.

"No way. No way this could be...!"

As crashing waves echoed, I wept endlessly.

"Why here? Why! Where's my family? Where's the burned house!"

I couldn't believe this was the foundation of my magic.

"I've ignored it my whole fifty years. And now! Why!"

As I clutched the sand with trembling hands, a gurgling sound rose from around me.

The voice like a drowning corpse came from the sea—the sound of abyssal entities emerging. I gasped for breath and unleashed magic.

Glowing ether shattered the abyssal entities rising from the black sea. The demon-like creatures spewed dark liquid as they sank back into the waves.

Only then did I take in my surroundings.

"A nighttime beach, huh..."

Perfect for learning water magic from Monica. I sniffled, wiping my eyes with my sleeve.

"Right, no point in moping. Nothing changes."

A starry sky, endless ocean. Vast beach and towering forest. Just scouting the first floor would take ages.

"What an absurd origin this is."

Had that offer to become a mage lodged so deeply in my heart? Had those words brought such joy? Enough to eclipse my family's death and my hatred for mages?

"I cannot accept it. An origin like this... I absolutely refuse."

The reappearing abyssal entities vanished in the magic's wake. Headaches pounded from repeated casts in such a short time, but I wanted to keep using it. If I didn't sweep them away, I'd explode.

"Come on, more! All at once!"

As if answering, abyssal entities surged from the black sea.

A sharp vibration buzzed from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my bracelet at the piercing alert.

"......"

I steadied my breathing at the words.

"So... my magic has naught to do with family? Unrelated to vengeance? Think you I can accept this!"

To absorb the shock, I bent my lower body and gathered ether in my right arm.

I'd screamed for vengeance across forty years.

"Was that enough? Mother, Father, Eunha."

Just forty years. Had I paid the price for abandoning you and fleeing?

Tears blurred my vision, filled with abyssal entities. Hundreds of 1-level ones, at least.

"Ha, they said five at most on the first floor."

They poured endlessly from the black sea.

"Very well, if you would test me, I shall claim your lives."

Ignoring the bracelet's warning, I took my stance. My mind was set—only one thing left to do. I scraped ambient ether, converting it through my mental core. The translucent ether spun, gradually absorbing moisture.

Black sea lit by starlight.

If ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that was my mental image.

The moist ether sparkled brilliantly.

The ether mass infused with my origin exploded against the abyssal entities like fireworks.

BOOM—

The blast upturned the beach. Sand and seawater flew, abyssal entities soared through the air. But soon, the beach refilled, the black sea calm once more. More rose from the depths.

"Come as you will. With ether this abundant, none of you shall survive."

In my life, I'd never spared the vermin who tormented the weak. Nor shall you.

*

Near the Gangnam Dungeon, Monica sat in a massive coffee shop, biting her lip.

"Ugh."

"Worried, miss?"

Taehyun's words made Monica twirl her sky-blue hair.

"No way. Dying here would be the most pathetic death ever."

"But Lady Eunha will surely manage. It's just the first floor."

Just then, an alert pinged on Monica's phone.

Seeing it, Monica burst into tears.

"Waaah! It was too soon after all! She's only 7! Seven! Even that prodigy Isara wasn't allowed in till she was over 8! I was too hasty!"

Taehyun shook his head at Monica's outburst.

"First battles are always like this. They overexert and tense up. It's perfectly normal, miss."

"R-Really?"

"Yes, of course. It'll return to normal soon."

As Taehyun said, the alert vanished.

"See? Gone."

"Yeah, it is."

As Monica held her breath staring at her phone, someone approached.

"Monica! Fancy meeting you here."

It was the 6-level mage Kang Yejeong.

"Oh, Yejeongie."

"Long time no see. But hanging out at a cafe near the Gangnam Dungeon... You're here to~"

'Did she find out I took a disciple...'

As Monica racked her brain for an excuse, Yejeong narrowed her eyes with a grin.

"Hunt some mages? Any 7-level would jump at you—no need to come all the way here."

"...No."

"Huh? Not hunting? Then what?"

Monica sipped her warm coffee at Yejeong's question.

"Checking mage trends and the current Core Abyss situation."

"Hmm, still hustling even in retirement?"

"Of course. Gotta be ready if something pops off."

Yejeong's eyes flicked to Monica's right arm. Monica smiled faintly and lowered it.

"And you?"

"Running ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠an academy~ Abyss registration season. Just sent my disciples to the first floor."

Yejeong sat in the chair before Monica.

"Thanks to Isara, interest in next-gen mages is hot. In five years, she'll be 15—Olympia-eligible."

"16 is rare enough; 15 as a special case is absurd."

"Haha, true~ But a mage building Olympia experience from 15? Who knows in 2-3 years."

"That damn Olympia... Five years from now."

Yejeong's face hardened at Monica's words.

"Korea still has no Olympia champ."

"I know, but Abyss raids matter more."

Monica recalled nations lost to unchecked Abyss expansion.

"Korea's Abysses are small and slow-growing anyway~"

"That's why you're eyeing elsewhere...?"

Yejeong waved dismissively at Monica's sharp remark.

"Not like that. China, Japan have champs! Even Taiwan! Korea alone? Pride issue!"

Monica nodded. 'Yeah, East Asia politics.'

"How's this year?"

"Everyone's given up. America's got Pike."

"That punk?"

"Yeah~ 15 and already 7-level rumors!"

"...Impressive."

"Says he'll sweep Olympia then raid Abysses."

"......"

Monica smiled bitterly.

"Olympia winners retire from raids quick, right?"

"Ah, Olympia's curse?"

"Hope he survives."

"......"

Yejeong checked her phone and stood.

"My kids must be done."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Open an academy? Raising them's fun. Swing by mine sometime."

Monica nodded at Yejeong's words.

"Sure, I'll visit. But keep it secret."

"Ah..."

"No showing off to parents."

"Okay! Secret it is... Bye!"

As the slightly downcast Yejeong left, Taehyun spoke.

"Friendly with the Karmic Fire mage too."

"Karmic Fire? More like campfire. Korean mages' nicknames are so grandiose."

Taehyun raised an eyebrow at Monica's words.

"...Aqua Queen?"

"I'm a 7-level mage."

Monica Newell jiggled her leg and sipped coffee.

"Touchy means you're worried about Lady Eunha."

"With her skill, she should've been out ages ago. Broken records even. No clear message yet... Something's wrong."

"......"

They stared at their phones, anxious. Nothing to do but wait for the clear alert.

*

Abyssal entities respawned endlessly, no matter how many I killed. I'd taken out nearly a hundred—end of story.

"Damn, this is it."

Dodging into the forest, their gurgling faded.

"Huff... huff..."

I caught my breath, massaging my numb hands. My tiny fingertips were purpled.

Ether overuse side effect.

"Urgh..."

Every movement screamed through my body. Limits closing in.

"First floor this tough? Dead soon."

Grumbling as I pushed through trees, a small clearing appeared—with a burned shack.

"Ah."

Dizziness hit at the all-too-familiar sight.

"Hiding here, were you..."

Dizziness overwhelmed; I collapsed forward.

"Huff... huff..."

Tears blurred my vision as someone appeared.

"I've waited so long, my son."