Mirror Abysses.
They were small worlds resembling each of the Abysses. It was an exaggeration to call them as worlds.
If Low Dungeons were comparable to a continent of earth, then Abysses would be comparable to the planet itself.
Then Mirror Abysses were the size of a large country.
They were artificially created using precious 8 star treasures. Even the inner environment was replicated to a fine degree.
The most important ingredient, Abyssals, were kidnapped from the Abysses and thrown into their respective mirror Abyss.
This only started 20 years ago and was yet to be self-sustainable.
However, it served its purpose. Train cadets to fight Abyssals of different Abysses.
It even created a legal trafficking, fancily called Abyss resource industry.
For any awakener, experience of fighting all Divine paths was crucial.
The Abyssals of Demon Abyss, the one linked to Earth, were practitioners of Body Path.
The Abyssals of Thunder Abyss, the one linked to Neptune, were the practitioners of Thunder Path.
"Mirror Hollow Abyss." Varian chuckled and headed out.
It was still noon, and the classes just ended. The first years he came across pointed at him and whispered.
The core point of their gossips was he devolved from tardy into a truant. This was a military academy, for fuck's sake. How could one be so wilful?
'My reputation hit rock bottom.' Varian passed several dormitories and entered the central region of the academy.
After passing the teaching blocks, dueling grounds, he reached a different area.
There were no buildings there. Instead, there were eight portals of different colors.
For the first time, Varian saw guards in the academy. Their secondary duty was to inspect students going in but their primary duty to prevent the Abyssals from wrecking havoc, if they escape.
Varian reached the guard counter and his comm identified itself.
"Level 2. Hollow Abyss."
There were several Mirror Abysses to the same Abyss, depending on the level of peak combat power.
{You'll be charged 1 mp per hour.}
Of course, nothing was for free.
'I got only 9 mp. 9 hours. I should be able to do it.' Varian took a breath and stepped into the sixth portal from the left.
"This is your first time. Don't venture in too deep." The guards muttered.
Varian nodded with a smile and stepped in.
That was his plan.
The moment he passed through the portal, Varian felt something fundamentally change.
He was in a different world.
The sky was dark. The moon was red. But this time, there was no Abyss Will. Mirror Abysses weren't that advanced.
He appeared in a valley. The mountains were made of yellow stone and the valley itself was filled with purple flowers.
Varian focused on his hearing. Except for some exotic insects, he couldn't hear the trace of a single Abyssal.
He took a deep breath and walked through the valley.
Abyssals of Hollow Abyss were practitioners of Space Path. Their ruler, Hollow Abyssal Queen, was a Sovereign in Space path.
The idea behind Mirror Abysses was to train cadets in combat. The inner environment was recreated to the greatest possible extent.
Spacorts were natural elements of Hollow Abyss.
'This means Mirror Hollow Abyss will have the spacorts, even if they are of the lowest quality. Space stones, as far as I know, are one of the most precious materials. But spacorts are not.'
Varian walked with caution as he searched for the trace of Abyssals.
A Level 2 Mirror Hollow Abyss meant there were both Level 1 and Level 2 Space Abyssals here.
'These Abyssals must also have the spacorts with them. They could find it in here and use them to progress. If I can snatch them…' He smiled.
Spacorts were useless for Level 2s. Only Level 1s benefitted. But all cadets were Level 2. So no one tried to get them.
Except him. A Level 2 Body Awakener with a Level 1 Space Path.
Varian saw the exit of the valley and felt something was wrong. There were several tents outside. They were made of animal hide and were propped by special wood.
He dashed to the settlements in an aggressive mode. There was no one. Not even the sound of breathing.
But he could feel the air was still warm. There was also the smell of roasted meat.
'Something is wrong.' Varian frowned.
His heightened senses couldn't capture any information until —
"Wheeez"
Varian dodged a danger to his back, which was followed by wind whistling.
He turned around to see. But there was no one. However, he could still feel the wind being sliced in his previous position.
He equipped his gauntlets and looked around cautiously.
"Huu" There was the sound of breathing inside a tent and Varian rushed at it.
"..." The sound disappeared, and he paused.
"Shaa"
Varian felt something from behind with his heightened sense of sound and touch and ducked.
"Boom!"
An axe cut over his head and flew into the distance.
"Hua"
"Hua"
There were sounds of breathing inside multiple tents.
"Damn it." Varian gritted his teeth and dashed to a tent.
He pulled it out.
"Shhh"
Varian side stepped and there was an arrow passed through his previous position with a whistle. It was made of a rare metal and could pierce even his skull.
"Hiss"
Varian moved again and this time, he was able to glimpse behind.
An Abyssal was behind him and tried to slice him off with a sword.
Varian turned around, but he was already gone.
"Fuck!" Varian cursed, and rolled down the next moment.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
Three spiked metal spheres were blasted into the ground with great force. The dust rose and obscured the vision.
"Ting"
Varian dodged to the side, but it was only a tent's support collapsing.
'I never expected this.'
This fight was significantly different from fighting any Body Awakener or even an Elemental.
'The types of attacks and the number of attacks are increasing.'
Varian thought as he dodged another arrow.
"Wheez"
It was immediately followed by a sword slice aimed at his back.
"Boom!"
Then dangerous darts smeared with poison. Thankfully, only the darts.
He was in a disadvantageous position since the beginning. He needed a way out. Varian took a breath and tried to find a solution.
'My Space sense!'