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What just happened?
Frozen in place, I couldn’t comprehend the sudden turn of events.
The bat that had just emerged was undoubtedly the deity worshipped by the residents of the Land of the Undead.
But what in the world devoured that god?
At first, I thought it might be the power of the Gluttony shard, but I quickly realized that wasn’t the case.
‘…Miriam said the shard was a one-time use, and it’s still safe in my pocket.’
Moreover, the power I felt wasn’t foreign but rather familiar.
The abyss had suddenly appeared and devoured the bat.
But why did it react, and how could it devour a god?
Was that even possible?
Racking my brain wouldn’t provide an answer.
For now, the priority was clear.
‘The Darkness characteristic evolved…’
I needed to examine my newly transformed characteristic.
: Race – [ Half Demon ]
: Tendency – [ Chaos ]
: Talent – [ Position Exchange ‘IV’ ]
: Trait – [ Interest ] [ Absorption ] [ Abyss ] [ Killing Intent Ⅴ ] [ Mana Manipulation Ⅱ ] [ Eye of Arrogance ] [ Telekinesis III ] [ Sword Lacquer III ]
: Mana – [ 5032 ]
‘……What?’
The moment I checked my status window, I had to rub my eyes.
The Darkness characteristic had clearly evolved into Pitch Black. But now, it had become something entirely different.
Abyss.
It was a characteristic Adel could only utilize in the latter half of the story, after surpassing the midway point.
Yet,
‘To think I’d already acquire Abyss…’
Abyss was a technique attainable only by reaching the ‘demi-god’ level, like Crete or the Headmaster.
It was a pleasant surprise, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of bewilderment.
I knew that the evolution from Pitch Black to Abyss was triggered by devouring the ‘god.’
The question was, how?
‘Samuel said my Darkness characteristic was an authority.’
Could it be that Darkness, the origin of the Abyss characteristic, possessed the power of ‘deicide?’
……That couldn’t be right.
At least, I didn’t remember giving Adel such power.
‘Then it must be the power of the abyss itself.’
Originally a god of the Demon Realm, the abyss had followed Arsene’s ancestors to the human world.
The most plausible explanation was that the power inherent in the abyss had manifested.
While the mechanics and the reasons behind its ability to devour a god remained unknown… there didn’t seem to be any drawbacks this time, so it was best to focus on the positives.
And there was one more thing to verify.
‘What kind of ability is it?’
The transformed Darkness characteristic had finally become Abyss.
How could I utilize it?
……Let’s give it a try.
Hum-.
The moment I used the Abyss characteristic to create a black wave on my palm…
“……!”
My eyes flew open.
Something flickered into my vision.
A massive lump of ominous darkness, stared at me while emitting a wail.
The abyss.
It was reacting to my Abyss characteristic.
But for some reason,
‘…I’m not afraid like before.’
The first time I faced the abyss, its sheer ominousness overwhelmed me, nearly shattering my ego and driving me insane.
The memory instilled a primal fear of ever encountering it again.
Such a horrifying experience was enough to last a lifetime.
However, the current situation is different.
‘I’m scared, but not terrified. It’s strangely…’
Why was my psychological response different from before?
Even though it was my own body, the reason remained elusive.
After much contemplation, a possible explanation emerged.
‘When I learned Adel’s Mana Method and the Darkness characteristic evolved, I faced the abyss.’
So then, what about now, with the Darkness characteristic having undergone two evolutions?
I felt nothing when I looked at the abyss.
Instead, I felt a strange sense of familiarity within the darkness.
A comforting feeling, like returning home.
The moment I realized my racing heart had calmed down, I spoke in a low voice.
“…..Abyss, bow before me.”
I instinctively knew that I needed to subdue the abyss, to assert my dominance over it.
Samuel said my darkness was an authority.
If I couldn’t control the abyss and let its negative emotions run rampant, it would be no different than losing a crucial card from my hand.
However, the abyss wasn’t an easy opponent to handle.
ˇ ……………… ˇ
Its sharp teeth seemed to grow larger in the thick darkness as it lunged at me.
The sensation was nauseating, but I endured the pain and forced myself to speak again.
“……Oh endless darkness, I command you to obey me.”
But the abyss showed no intention of listening.
It thrashed more violently as if trying to kill me.
Cough-.
The moment black blood trickled from the corner of my mouth…
ˇ …………… ˇ
The abyss eased its assault.
Then, it stared at me, radiating a sorrowful aura.
My shoulders trembled involuntarily.
What the abyss was looking at…
My essence.
It seemed to have pierced through my facade and recognized my true identity.
Only then did I understand why it had been so hostile. It refused to cooperate because I had taken over the original owner’s body.
However,
“Abyss, what do you fear, what worries you? …I have inherited his will, so shouldn’t you cooperate with me?”
I came here to fulfill Adel’s final wish.
Therefore, the abyss had to cooperate.
As I spoke with unwavering conviction, the abyss seemed to understand my true intentions and ceased its hostility.
Instead,
ˇ ……… ˇ
Woong-.
It merely shed black tears before disappearing.
At that moment,
Thump-.
“Gasp, huff……”
As the darkness that had been binding me vanished, I gasped for air.
The abyss had ‘acknowledged’ something and recognized my right.
…The sudden change of heart must have stemmed from the realization that I sought to honor the original owner.
And so…
“…….”
Woo-.
I was finally able to utilize the Abyss characteristic.
A thick darkness began to surge from my hand, threatening to engulf the entire space.
Crackle-.
I quickly extinguished the Abyss.
Then, with a soft murmur, I marveled at its power.
It was…
‘…Does this temporarily grant me the power of a demi-god?’
The power wielded only by demigods.
I had just experienced it firsthand.
Though it was a shortcut, a temporary state rather than a true ascension to their level, it was more than enough.
A trump card.
It was finally complete.
‘…This is insane.’
I couldn’t help but feel awestruck.
How and why the abyss had devoured the god of the Land of the Undead remained a mystery, but those were not pressing concerns.
A direct confrontation with another god was unlikely in the near future.
Thud-.
As the tension drained away, my legs gave out from under me.
I collapsed onto the ground and stared blankly at the sky.
…The sunlight pricked at my eyes, but I was too exhausted to even turn my head.
I’m sleepy.
Why am I so tired…?
Unable to muster the strength to move a finger, I slowly closed my eyes.
Just…
Five minutes.
* * *
How long had I been asleep?
A sound from nearby roused me from my slumber.
“Hey, you’ll catch a fly sleeping out here.”
“……Just, taking a break.”
Kyle and Rene were looking down at me with disapproval.
Since I couldn’t tell them about the abyss, I scratched my head sheepishly.
“My apologies. I must have dozed off.”
“Ugh, leaving me to do all the work. Living the good life, aren’t you?”
Kyle clicked his tongue.
I simply offered a wry smile in response.
Sensing that I wouldn’t hear the end of it, I quickly changed the subject.
“Did you find anything?”
“Nope, nothing.”
“……Me neither.”
It seemed neither Rene nor Kyle had any luck.
It was to be expected.
The priests had fought to protect that skeleton who had chosen death on his knees.
They probably believed there was hope if they could just revive him.
Well, the truth remained unknown.
One thing was for sure: there was nothing more to gain from the Land of the Undead.
Pat, pat-.
I stood up, brushing the dirt off my clothes.
“Let’s go. The Lord will be angry if we’re late.”
“What, already? We haven’t found anything.”
“It’s best we get going.”
I urged Kyle, who was staring at me curiously.
But my response only fueled his suspicions.
“……You found something, didn’t you.”
Kyle had hit the nail on the head.
I avoided his gaze, pretending ignorance.
“…….”
But when I turned away, I met Rene’s suspicious eyes.
I was trapped!
Only I knew the truth.
But I couldn’t tell them…
“What makes you think I’m hiding something? If you wish to search further, be my guest.”
“Hmph, as if I wouldn’t.”
Kyle, with his insatiable thirst for information, readily took the bait.
He declared that he’d search the forest further and disappeared into the woods.
I turned to Rene.
“Aren’t you going with him, my lady?”
“No.”
“I, I see.”
“……Come.”
She grabbed my arm and started leading me somewhere.
I offered no resistance and allowed myself to be pulled along.
Where was she taking me?
“My lady, where are we going?”
“I found a nice place.”
Rene replied curtly to my question, unable to contain my curiosity.
A nice place, huh?
Having no clue what she meant, I followed behind her.
After a few minutes of brisk walking…
“Here it is.”
Rene released my hand and spoke.
I couldn’t help but gasp at the sight that greeted me.
A small waterfall cascaded into a crystal-clear pool, the surrounding trees creating an almost mystical atmosphere. It was a place untouched by human presence.
As I looked around, Rene settled onto a nearby rock.
Splash-.
She kicked off her shoes and dipped her feet in the water.
I sat down beside her, taking in the serene beauty of the place.
The valley was enveloped in a tranquil silence.
“…….”
“…….”
We gazed at each other, smiles gracing our faces.
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