The Abandoned Sea
The rough waves waged an eternal struggle against the rocks, in a place where ominous black clouds never dispersed. It was a place shunned not only by people but even by birds. Occasionally, with a thunderous roar, strange pillars of water would erupt skyward.
The Abandoned Sea. Dalramutu Trench.
Legend held that a colossal sea monster had been slain by two heroes, its black blood hardening into reefs and its final breath becoming the endless storm. Yet even without believing the tale, the Dalramutu Trench lived up to its name as the Abandoned Sea—a forbidden zone avoided by travelers for ages.
The jagged black reefs and countless rock caves that plunged into the depths still radiated an indescribable dread, once thought to be gateways to the underworld or demon realm.
We’ve reached the Dalramutu Trench, but what exactly are we supposed to find here?
Hilde stood upon a platform woven from black mana, gazing down at the churning sea. She had seen the ocean before while serving the Demon King’s army, but only from the shore. Never had she looked down upon it from above like this.
The salt-laden wind brushing her body, the air she drew into her lungs, the ceaseless roar of the waves, and the endless expanse of water stretching to the horizon—none of it felt familiar to a being born in the Ancient Forest. The more she looked, the more repulsive it became.
“I don’t know.”
The last remaining clone of Raiven, standing beside her, answered indifferently as he peered downward.
You don’t know? You brought us all the way out here without even knowing what we’re looking for?
Unlike their previous journey through the shadows, they had traveled the distance on foot this time, then flown across the sea using mana.
“That’s right. Unfortunately, the memories passed down from the original aren’t complete.”
Of course, that same incompleteness was what had granted this clone an independent will unlike the others.
“Still, I’m certain there’s something here that will help me.”
Even though you called the memory uncertain, what gives you such confidence?
Hilde had found it increasingly difficult to remain near this clone ever since he absorbed the shadow clone. Following the enemy who had forced her to slaughter countless kin was already unbearable, but the instinctive terror and chilling malice she had once felt from the shadow clone now radiated from this one as well, though slightly dulled.
“It’s simply what I believe. Right now, I have almost no other options left.”
The black platform beneath them slowly descended. They landed before one of the many rock caves and stepped inside, following the sloping tunnel downward.
Just as the legends claimed a connection to the underworld or demon realm, the wind rising from the unseen depths sounded like the dying scream of some monstrous beast.
“Do you sense anything?”
…Sense what, exactly?
“Something like your wild instincts. Don’t you feel there might be something down there?”
At the question, Hilde silently stared at the clone beside her. The unfamiliar surroundings were one problem, but the true source of her wildly agitated instincts was him. Bound by his command to stay close, she forced down the terror of being devoured at any moment, yet her instincts screamed at her to flee.
Moreover, among the visible caves, more than ten were large enough for them to enter together. If he truly intended to rely solely on wild instinct with no other method, she doubted any hopeful outcome awaited them.
I don’t sense anything in particular.
“I see. Then there’s nothing to be done.”
With a hint of disappointment, he flung himself deeper into the cave. Left alone, Hilde glanced around. The urge to flee was overwhelming. Though they had flown far enough that land was no longer visible, she could still cross this much sea if she pushed herself. But with the mana stones embedded in her body, escape was impossible. Even if she fled, she had nowhere left to return to.
With Granbipra revived, she could never go back to the Ancient Forest. Even if she could, the moment she had torn her own kin apart with her claws and fangs, she had already died.
After learning that the Raiven clones’ goal was a final battle against the hero, she had believed witnessing their end would be her only form of revenge. Yet events had not unfolded as she wished.
If the last remaining clone intended to keep living, even that final wish would remain unfulfilled.
……
Swallowing a low whimper, she gazed into the depths of the cave. Though uncertain whether it would be permitted, a path still remained. Something flickered in Hilde’s eyes—only for the mana stone embedded in her body to flash at that exact moment. The clone’s will, transmitted through the stone, reached her. She hid the light in her gaze and leapt into the cave after him.
The deeper they went, the more a strange stench assaulted Hilde’s nose. The reek of decay mingled with salt and a sharp, sour tang—odors she had never encountered even in the Ancient Forest or during the great war when she had fought alongside countless monsters and magical beasts.
Furthermore……
The deeper they descended, the more her wild instincts stirred restlessly, just as the clone had mentioned.
“What? Didn’t want to get your paws wet?”
He sneered at Hilde, who had lagged behind. The slope had grown steeper, and seawater pooled in the crevices due to the waves and storms. His remark was aimed at her leopard-like form.
Of course, both of them were currently wrapped in mana, so their feet remained dry.
Even if you don’t know for certain, is there nothing you can anticipate?
Hilde asked as the slope grew even steeper, her tone and transmitted thoughts carefully neutral to conceal her true intentions.
“…Nothing.”
She could sense the unease in his reply, but it vanished with his next words.
“But the only options left to me are this or bowing my head to the hero’s party.”
Though he claimed an independent will separate from the original, that was one path he desperately wished to avoid. It was his last shred of pride—and loyalty to his fallen brethren.
“Oh?”
Ssssss—
Yet the moment they descended further, the walls in the darkness began to writhe.
It seems this isn’t the right place after all.
“No. They may have been placed here to ward off intruders.”
They were massive crabs with black, hardened carapaces and razor-sharp pincers. Each one the size of a child, they clung densely to the steep walls, clacking their claws at intervals as though signaling one another.
It seems the title of Demon Commander is nothing but a relic of the past.
“You’re no different. Manager.”
Normally, such lesser creatures would have fled in terror from Raiven or Hilde. These crabs did not. Instead, they crept closer, pincers raised as though ready to strike.
“This is a good sign. It means there’s something—or someone—below that even they fear more than us.”
Or perhaps they’re simply too primitive to recognize the difference in power?
Light began to emanate from the bandages covering the clone’s body, and strange runes and symbols rose into the air.
“We’ll find out soon enough.”
An enormous surge of mana crashed through the cave. Even Hilde felt momentarily suffocated by the pressure, yet the crabs advanced as though they felt nothing, pincers leading the way.
Though no light reached the depths, both Hilde and the clone could clearly see the crabs crawling through the darkness. There were well over a hundred of them. The places where the crabs had been were littered with the rotting carcasses of massive fish and sea serpents. A cruel smile curved the clone’s lips at the sight.
“I’ve thought of a rather amusing method.”
As he extended his hand, several bandages turned violet. The scattered carcasses began to convulse violently before gathering together.
Bones, decaying flesh, and the remains of sea serpents twisted and merged, transforming into a serpent far larger than the crabs.
The power of the Nether King?
Hilde cried out involuntarily. During her time in the Demon King’s army, she had witnessed Nether King Georges and his undead legions. The power to raise the dead. The undying army. And the overwhelming might of Nether King Georges who commanded them.
She had fought alongside Granbipra against Demon King Thanatos and his royal guard, and after joining the Demon King’s forces she had faced other commanders such as Zeka and Raiven. Yet never had she felt such crushing terror as she did now.
And now this clone of Raiven was wielding—even if weakly—the power of the Nether King. Hilde could only feel shock. As far as she knew, even the original Raiven had never possessed such power.
“True, I can’t compare to the Nether King. Still, I can manage this much of a parlor trick.”
The serpent lunged at the crabs. The crabs fought back with their pincers, tearing into the rotting flesh of the corpse-made serpent, but it was futile.
They were crushed beneath it. Their carapaces shattered and pincers were torn away as they died. The serpent continued its relentless advance, devouring them.
The entire cave trembled from the battle between the massive serpent and the crabs. The brutal struggle raged on in the darkness.
……
……
Yet the light gradually faded from both their eyes as they watched.
…Did you really need to create that thing?
After cleaving several crabs that had strayed from the swarm, Hilde looked down and asked.
“……”
No answer came. He merely averted his gaze toward the empty cave wall, looking somewhat embarrassed.
“…I was only testing it.”
Once the number of crabs had been reduced to less than half, he extended his hand again. The serpent of corpses lost its form and collapsed to the floor. With their enemy’s sudden dissolution, the remaining crabs—whose small minds had only vaguely registered victory—failed to notice that the darkness around them had changed. The moment their pincers began clacking once more, the darkness of the cave swallowed them whole.
You should have done that from the start.
Hilde spoke flatly, yet with clear meaning, as she watched the Raiven clone retract the shadows that had stretched from between his bandages. Where the shadows had withdrawn, not a single crab or fragment of one remained. They had all been absorbed into his shadow.
“Let’s go.”
He leapt deeper into the cave once more, and Hilde reluctantly followed.