Abyss Sovereign: Lin Yuan's Awakening

Chapter 002: First Blood

Lin Yuan stood frozen, cold sweat streaming down his neck and soaking the collar of his shirt, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of his chest. This was nothing like the blood-soaked, monster-infested hell he had imagined the Abyss would be—no snarling beasts, no mangled corpses, just an endless stretch of suffocating darkness and icy black water beneath his feet that felt solid enough to walk on. The eerie silence and the faint hum of unknown energy made his skin crawl, a primal fear creeping up his spine as he realized he was truly alone in a world unlike any he had ever known.

“System, where the hell am I?” He forced the words out through gritted teeth, his voice shaking slightly as he tried to suppress the panic threatening to overwhelm him. His palms were soaked with sweat, his fingers trembling as he clenched them into fists, clinging to the last shreds of calm.

【Current Location: Abyss Floor 1 · Edge Safe Zone. This is a buffer zone generated during Abyss expansion, with extremely low monster density—safe for short rests.】

【WARNING! Safe Zone will fully collapse in 2 hours. After collapse, it will merge with Floor 1’s main area, and a large Monster Tide will flood in. Host survival probability will plummet to less than 10%!】

Two hours? Only two f*****g hours to prepare for a Monster Tide? Lin Yuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed heavily as panic surged through his veins, his mind racing. “s**t! My stats are only triple that of a normal person—who knows if I can even take one hit from an Abyss monster? I’m not ready for this.”

He didn’t waste a single second, gritting his teeth and focusing on the task at hand. “System, show me Floor 1 monster info! I need to know what I’m up against, or I’ll be dead before the tide hits.”

【Insufficient permissions. Current Host Rank: F-Rank. Unlock Requirements: Abyss Sovereign Lv.5 OR Kill 10 Abyss monsters.】

Frustration boiled up inside Lin Yuan, his jaw tightening until his teeth ached. “Are you kidding me? What useful information can I even access right now?”

【Available queries: Host Status, Abyss Points, Unlocked Skills, Current Area Basic Information.】

“Query current area basic info! Now!” He ground out the words, forcing himself to stay calm—panicking would only get him killed, and he wasn’t ready to die, not yet.

【Abyss Floor 1 · Edge Safe Zone】

【Area: ~500 square meters】

【Environment: Stable, no aggressive creatures, safe for short rest】

【Special: 1 hidden resource point detected, contains basic Abyss resources that can be used to boost strength or exchange for supplies.】

A hidden resource point? Lin Yuan’s eyes lit up instantly, the frustration melting away as a spark of hope ignited in his chest. In this hellish place, resources were everything—they meant power, they meant survival, they meant a fighting chance to make it out alive. “Where is it? Tell me exactly where to find it!”

【37 meters directly ahead, beneath the black water. Host can retrieve it directly by reaching into the water—no additional tools required.】

Lin Yuan marched forward without hesitation, counting each step under his breath to keep track of the distance. At 37 meters, he knelt down, wincing as his hand plunged into the icy black water—so cold it stung his skin, sending a shiver up his arm. His fingertips brushed against something hard, cold, and faintly pulsing with energy, and he grinned, yanking it out of the water with all his strength.

It was a fist-sized crystal, pitch-black on the outside with swirling, star-like flecks of light inside, radiating a faint, cool energy that made his skin tingle. “That’s it! An Abyss Crystal!” He held it tightly, his hands trembling with excitement. He knew what this was—Abyss currency, used to upgrade gear, boost stats, or buy supplies. Back in the real world, one of these would sell for at least 300 bucks, more than he could earn in a full day of scavenging the streets.

【Obtained: Low-Grade Abyss Crystal ×1】

【Abyss Points +10】

“System, can I absorb this? Convert it to more points?” Lin Yuan asked, his eyes fixed on the crystal. Money didn’t matter here—only power and survival did.

【Absorption available. Conversion rate: 1 Low-Grade Abyss Crystal = 10 Abyss Points.】

【Recommendation: Retain some crystals for the Abyss Shop. Current Shop Level: Basic (sells basic supplies and skills that can improve survival chances).】

A shop? Lin Yuan quickly pulled up the shop interface, only to frown in disappointment. He had a measly 10 points, not enough to buy even the cheapest item. The screen displayed a list of goods, each more tempting than the last—stamina potions, combat manuals, and most importantly, Abyss Sense, a skill that would let him detect monsters and resources before they found him.

【Abyss Shop · Basic】

Available Items:

[1] Minor Stamina Potion 50 Points (Recover stamina fast, life-saving in tight spots!)

[2] Basic Swordsmanship Manual 80 Points (Boost melee skills, deal more damage!)

[3] Abyss Sense (Skill) 200 Points (Detect monstersesources/hidden rooms—SURVIVAL SUPREMACY!)

[4] Random Basic Skill Scroll 100 Points (Gain a random skill to aid in combat!)

[5] Abyss Map Fragment 30 Points (Collect to unlock full Floor 1 map!)

Lin Yuan’s gaze locked on Abyss Sense—this was a lifesaver. With it, he could avoid ambushes, find resources faster, and double his chances of surviving the Monster Tide. But 200 points? He only had 10. “s**t! That’s a massive gap. I need to grind points fast, or I’m dead when the Safe Zone collapses.”

【Tip: Killing Abyss monsters grants 1-5 Points each (Elite monsters grant 10-15 Points). No monsters in Safe Zone—recommend proceeding to Floor 1’s main area to hunt and grind points.】

Lin Yuan hesitated for a split second. The main area meant facing monsters head-on, something he wasn’t sure he was ready for. But staying in the Safe Zone meant certain death when the Monster Tide hit. “Better to strike first than wait to die,” he muttered, squeezing the Abyss Crystal tightly in his hand.

He took a deep breath, steeling his resolve, and crossed the invisible boundary of the Safe Zone. The moment his foot stepped over, the world around him shifted dramatically.

A putrid, rotting stench hit him like a punch to the gut, making him gag. The calm black water was gone, replaced by a desolate gray wasteland covered in jagged cracks. The sky turned a sickly blood-red, and a bitter, icy wind cut at his skin like a knife. This was the true face of the Abyss—harsh, unforgiving, and full of danger.

Suddenly, a low, guttural snarl echoed through the air, sending a chill down Lin Yuan’s spine. He spun around, his heart hammering, and saw it—ten meters away, a humanoid monster stood staring at him, its single red eye glowing with ravenous greed.

It was nearly two meters tall, covered in rough, gray-brown skin that looked like stone. Its limbs were thick as tree trunks, and in its massive hand, it held a sharpened bone club caked in dried, black blood, reeking of rot and death.

【Abyss Monster: Cyclops (Common Floor 1 Creature)】

【Rank: Low E-Rank (Basic Abyss combat monster)】

【Weak Points: Eye (most vulnerable, a direct hit can disable it), Back of the Neck (vital organ, a powerful blow can kill it instantly)】

E-Rank. Lin Yuan’s stomach dropped. He was only F-Rank, with no weapons or special skills—even the weakest E-Rank monster could kill him in one hit. Before he could think of a plan, the Cyclops roared, swinging its bone club and charging at him, the ground shaking with each heavy step.

Lin Yuan didn’t back down. He locked onto the monster’s movements, his mind racing. His Strength was 15, Agility 18—triple that of a normal human. He couldn’t go head-on, but he could outmaneuver it. As the Cyclops closed in, swinging its club downward, Lin Yuan used his Agility to dive to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow. The club slammed into the ground, shattering rock and sending debris flying—some of it grazed his arm, leaving a shallow cut that stung sharply.

“Holy s**t! That was too close!” Lin Yuan gasped, seizing the moment while the Cyclops was off-balance. He charged forward, throwing a punch with all his strength at the back of its neck. The punch landed with a loud “BAM,” but the Cyclops only howled in rage, black blood oozing from the wound—it was like hitting a brick wall.

The monster spun around, swinging its club wildly, forcing Lin Yuan to dodge left and right, his lungs burning as he struggled to keep up. “System! Any weapons in the shop? I can’t fight this thing with my bare hands!”

【Current Shop Level too low for weapons. Requirement: Intermediate Shop (Abyss Sovereign Lv.3).】

“GOD DAMN IT!” Lin Yuan cursed, backed into a corner by a large boulder. The Cyclops roared triumphantly, lifting its club high above its head, ready to crush him into the ground.

In that split second, Lin Yuan’s eyes darted to a sharp, jagged rock at his feet. He grabbed it, rolled to the side, and narrowly avoided the club, which slammed into the boulder with a deafening crash, leaving a massive dent. Before the Cyclops could react, Lin Yuan lunged forward, driving the sharp rock straight into its glowing red eye.

“SQUELCH!” Black-red blood sprayed across his face as the Cyclops screamed in agony, clutching its eye and swinging its club wildly. Lin Yuan didn’t hesitate—he grabbed a heavier rock from the ground and slammed it into the back of the monster’s neck, once, twice, three times, until the Cyclops’ movements slowed and it collapsed to the ground with a thud, twitching once before going still.

【Cyclops ×1 Killed】

【Abyss Points +5】

【Obtained: Rough Monster Bone Club ×1】

Lin Yuan stumbled back, sliding down the boulder, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. Every muscle in his body screamed in pain, his face covered in blood and sweat, but a triumphant grin spread across his lips. “I did it… I actually killed it.”

He knew it was a close call—if he had hesitated even for a second, he would be dead. Two Cyclops would be impossible, and the Monster Tide would bring hundreds. “I need to get stronger, and fast.” He checked the system timer—less than an hour and a half left until the Safe Zone collapsed. He had 15 points now, still a long way from 200.

Lin Yuan picked up the Rough Monster Bone Club, testing its weight—it was heavy, caked in blood, but far better than fighting with his bare hands. He wiped the blood from his face, his resolve hardening. “Let’s keep killing. I’m not dying here.”

As he stepped deeper into the desolate wasteland of Floor 1, he didn’t hear the faint, guttural snarls echoing in the distance—growing closer and closer. A small pack of Cyclops was heading straight for him, drawn by the sound of battle, and he had no idea the next fight would be even deadlier than the last.