Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: The Abyss Hasn't Let Us Go Yet
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The Abyss hasn't let us go yet.
“There’s a place I want to see together.”
On the way to the village, Esira cautiously spoke up.
“Where?”
Esira smiled faintly.
“Follow me. The path might be a bit rough, so watch your step.”
Where could we be going?
More than that, the words “a place I want to see together” kept circling in my mind.
A spot she held dear enough to specifically bring me along.
A landscape she wanted to show me?
Even as I entertained such trivial imaginings, a slow throb built deep in my chest.
My heartbeat quickened bit by bit.
We veered from our usual path, turning our steps toward the depths of the forest.
Perhaps because few people came here, weeds and grass reached up to our thighs.
The feel of grass blades brushing against my thighs and ankles rustled softly.
Heading to a secret spot known only to the two of us.
A small spark of adventure even flickered to life.
‘She walks pretty well.’
Even on sections where the slope steepened dramatically, Esira’s steps never faltered.
With her back straight, not even breathing hard, she climbed the mountain path steadily.
Her leading figure looked more impressive than expected, making me keep staring.
I walked while gazing at Esira’s back as she led the way.
Whatever waited at the end of this path, it was already a sufficiently special journey for me.
“We’re here.”
Esira caught her breath once, then parted the branches blocking the front with her hand.
Before my eyes, a breathtakingly beautiful landscape poured in all at once.
“……This place.”
The lake brimmed entirely with starlight.
As if the entire night sky had fallen, tiny specks of light floated densely across the surface.
It was a windless night, so not a single ripple stirred.
It felt like time itself had stopped.
The lake was utterly transparent.
Depending on the angle of the moonlight, even the pebbles and fine sand at the bottom were visible.
It was so pristine that it made me think once more that this was a game world.
“How did you find this place?”
I asked without taking my eyes off the lake.
“Before meeting you, I explored around here a lot.”
Esira peered intently into the lake as well.
“So I discovered spots like this.”
It wasn’t far from where I first met Esira.
She must have wandered the vicinity often since then.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s not bad. No, more than that. It’s stunning.”
“Thanks for saying so.”
Esira smiled once more, then strode to the lakeside and stopped.
“Come here. Try dipping your feet in. It’s shallower than you think—perfect for cooling off.”
She undid the laces of her boots with both hands.
Pulling the loosened laces, the boots slipped off in one go.
When the sock hem caught on her heel, she pinched it with her fingers and peeled it down smoothly.
Her white foot gradually came into view.
‘Her feet are pretty too.’
Esira leaned her body slightly forward.
Supporting herself with one hand to the side, the other fell naturally to her waist.
She extended one foot first, carefully placing it at the water’s edge.
The moment her toes touched the surface, a circular ripple spread across the still water.
Moments later, the other foot followed slowly into the depths.
I watched every bit of Esira entering the lake.
“Come on in.”
“Got it.”
I edged closer to the lakeside, aligning the tip of my sandal with the water.
“Huh? Just like that?”
“They’re sandals anyway. They’ll dry quick.”
I dipped my feet in, sandals and all.
Not icy cold, nor tepid and stuffy.
A perfect balance between warmth and coolness.
The tension coiled somewhere in my body melted away, flowing into the water.
“How is it?”
Esira asked from beside me.
It felt like she’d inched a little closer.
“Nice. Better than expected.”
I kept my tone even, but the sensation at my toes was quite pleasant.
My overheated feet cooled gradually.
Not chilling me to the core, just right.
“See? I felt the same my first time.”
Esira smiled with evident delight, slowly wiggling her toes underwater.
Each tiny movement sent ripples lapping gently around her ankles.
“You come here alone often?”
Esira tilted her head slightly.
“Whenever I needed to sort out my thoughts, once in a while.”
“Must’ve had a lot to mull over.”
“Even after meeting you, I couldn’t stop thinking.”
“……I see.”
“About what kind of person you are, whether I could trust you, that sort of thing.”
Her frankness left me momentarily speechless.
Not knowing how to respond, I turned my gaze to the lake.
Our reflections overlapped beneath the surface.
Slightly distorted by the ripples, my shoulder and hers seemed closer than in reality.
Space for a hand between us, yet they looked like lovers leaning side by side.
“So, what’s your conclusion?”
I looked back at Esira.
Suddenly curious.
“Which is it? Decided to trust me?”
Esira lifted the corner of her mouth slightly.
“Can’t you tell from this situation?”
Esira chuckled softly.
Her laugh blended halfway into a breath, striking that delicate balance between tease and truth.
“The two of us, deep in the forest at night, sitting side by side with our feet dipped in.”
Hearing it spelled out, it did sound pretty suspicious.
I was about to laugh it off as banter.
Tap.
Something brushed lightly against the top of my foot.
At first, I thought it was lakeweed.
Or a fish swimming by.
Another faint nudge came from underwater.
“Wait.”
As I peered into the water, Esira’s bare foot inched toward my sandal.
“What are you doing?”
Esira replied nonchalantly.
“Can’t you tell?”
She’s playing around.
Esira tapped the front of my sandal a few times with her toes underwater, then wedged right in.
A soft sensation slipped through the straps.
Her wet toes groped between them, sliding slowly inside.
“Wait—”
Before I finished, half her foot nestled into my sandal.
So soft.
Even underwater, skin met skin with vivid clarity.
“It went in.”
Esira smiled faintly.
“Warmer than I thought?”
To say it so casually.
Her ease made me the awkward one.
“Don’t play weird pranks.”
I meant to scold her, but my voice softened despite myself.
I tried easing my foot away, but the sandal’s confines left little room to maneuver.
Esira’s toes wriggled once more.
Each brush of skin against my toes tickled, snagging my focus.
“You don’t seem to hate it that much.”
Esira looked up, eyes a mix of mischief and curiosity.
“I never said I hated it.”
I stared at Esira, muttering half to myself.
“It’s just... a little strange.”
With feet that pretty pulling this prank, annoyance didn’t stand a chance.
More than any bother, it struck me first how much she’d opened up to tease me like this.
I wished these peaceful moments could stretch on forever.
How much time passed?
The gods weren’t on our side, it seemed.
No breeze, yet a chill crept over my skin.
The air twisted subtly.
No birdsong, no footsteps, no rustling leaves.
Not a sound.
Something approached.
An indescribable presence.
My Asrania instincts fired first.
Colder than chilled blood—it felt like something hollowed me out.
‘……What is this?’
Unconsciously holding my breath, I locked eyes on the lake.
I figured the starlight warping underwater was it.
Ripple-induced illusion.
That’s what I tried to chalk it up to.
Deep in the lake, blackness bloomed.
Like a drop of ink hitting water.
Darkness gathered slowly.
A shape formed.
‘What the hell is that?’
As I narrowed my eyes to peer closer.
The black shape hurtled forward at speed.
“Esira.”
Her name slipped out on reflex.
Then my body sprang into motion.
Esira read my tension and yanked both feet from the water.
I pulled my sandaled feet out, seizing the greatsword on my back.
Droplets splashed across the lakeside.
“Get up. Something’s coming.”
Esira was already on her feet.
Droplets trailed down her calf.
The lake’s center thudded like a drumbeat in my chest.
No real sound, but that’s how it felt inside.
“Get behind me.”
I reached back, shoving Esira behind me as I stepped forward.
Blackness erupted through the surface.
“Urk—!”
I squinted hard.
Not a human arm or beast leg— a black tentacle, form defying easy definition.
Tentacle?
Tentacle?
Lumped as one mass, it plunged straight at us.
I raised my sword, pivoting my stance.
The tentacle grazed close—no breath to spare, I slashed fiercely.
Straight on.
Water and black ichor sprayed into the air from the gash.
“What is that thing?”
Esira gasped, voice thick with bewilderment.
“…….”
I glared at the lake instead of answering.
My grip tightened on the greatsword.
How to even explain.
I knew its identity.
No way I wouldn’t recognize that shape.
Though seeing it firsthand was a first.
Abyss.
Something was deeply wrong.
By the game’s canon, this was the past era.
No reason for that to show now.
The Abyss first surfaces much later.
Only as scattered records and hints as the story unfolds.
Linked eternally to the final boss, fueling endless theories.
Why now for the Abyss.
‘Why this exact moment?’
Not a damn clue.
‘Why show itself to us?’
My mind blanked white, then flooded with shock.
“We have to get out of here.”
Esira’s voice shook—uncharacteristic for her.
She sensed it too.
“……Too late.”
Now a greatsword in each hand.
I glanced back.
Our descent path swallowed whole by darkness.
Too inky to pass as mere shadows from eclipsed moonlight.
Abyss barred the way.
No path remained.
Rear severed.
Only charge ahead.
“I can fight too.”
Esira drew her waist sword.
Her grip trembled faintly.
“Esira.”
“I can fight.”
Esira’s eyes wavered between fear and resolve.
Esira is strong.
The original story proves it.
Too young for the Abyss now.
No matter that it’s Esira.
Still just a little girl.
One needing protection.
“Leave it to me.”
I sheathed one greatsword on my back.
Before Esira could react, I scooped her waist firmly.
“Wait, what—”
Straight into my arms.
Startled, Esira looped her arms around my shoulders on instinct.
Her grip clenched tight.
Yes, just like that.
“Hold on tight.”
I dropped into stance again.
From the lake ahead, another Abyss tentacle surged.
Behind, black darkness crept up the path, domain widening.
‘......Aiming to encircle.’
Fat chance.
“Here we go.”
I hurled forward.
Tentacle slashed diagonally from the side.
Swept the greatsword.
Weighted cleave split it.
Black mass erupted.
Neither blood nor water—viscous darkness rained down.
The girl flinched, hugging my neck harder.
‘Good. Just endure like that.’
Second and third tentacles burst in quick succession.
One clove the earth upward.
Another hammered vertically from above.
Twisted sideways, slashed twice mid-leap.
Crisscrossed arcs.
Both tentacles sheared clean.
Black shards flew every which way.
Each breath snagged a briny, cloying reek in my throat.
“What the hell is this...?”
The girl’s voice whispered right by my ear.
“Don’t look.”
More power into my legs.
Ground blotched black everywhere.
Tentacles writhed anew.
Stomp to sever, slash to advance. No other way.
Each overhead strike carved just enough room for one.
“I’ll watch the rear.”
Esira said, voice quavering.
Told her not to look, but here she is.
Childlike to the end.
“......Alright.”
I’d handle every frontal assault.
Just mind the back.
Another tentacle lanced from the dirt.
Leaped off it like a springboard.
Spun midair, sword plunging along descent line.
Tentacles burst all around.
“Left rear!”
Twisted, greatsword whipping back.
Unseen, pure instinct—the blade bit dull resistance.
Tactile confirmation.
Rear tentacle severed mid-lunge.
“Good job.”
Praise came naturally.
Esira’s shoulders eased a fraction.
Forest thinning ahead.
‘Almost out.’
Abyss hadn’t devoured the whole woods yet.
One sliver gap gleamed.
“Just a bit more.”
Esira’s arms around my neck gripped fiercer.
Last frontal tentacle loomed.
Thickest by far.
Like a century-old tree trunk.
Kicked ground with all force, body low.
Timing its overhead skim.
Sword dragged low to high.
Riiip.
Tearing sound rang out.
Massive tentacle cleaved center to twins.
Vision cleared abruptly.
Untouched Abyss zone.
Plain night.
Esira still in arms, I burst from the forest.
“Haa...”
Breath exploded forth.
Lungs emptied in a rush.
No need to look back.
I knew.
The Abyss hasn't let us go yet.