The Abyss

Chapter 9: The Human World

The golden rift tore through the sky, revealing a world I hadn't seen in two decades. Below us, the mortal realm had morphed into a sprawling, hyper-advanced metropolis. Towering mana-tech spires pierced the clouds, and the distant, shimmering borders of the Siren Kingdom had expanded far into the oceans.

Suddenly, blaring anti-air sirens shattered the peace. The rift had tripped the kingdom's magical defense grids. Down on the central plaza, automated defense turrets whined to life, flanked by heavily armored vanguard troops. And there, leading the defensive perimeter, stood my family.

A knot tightened in my throat. I stared down at them, a tear slipping down my cheek. "I missed you."

Before the military could lock onto our coordinates, Lucian slammed his staff into the ground. A pulse of gold energy snapped the rift shut, severing the connection. Down below, the sirens died away, and an announcement echoed over the city speakers: "False alarm. A localized mana fluctuation has been neutralized."

We touched down outside a secluded, high-end estate on the outskirts of the capital. Waiting for us were a sharp-dressed man and a woman wearing the dark, ornate robes of the realm’s elite academy.

"These are the boys I spoke of," Lucian said, his voice dropping its usual playful edge. "Enroll them in the class alongside the Eldrions."

The man stepped forward first, a heavy claymore strapped to his back. "I am Ronan Vexmore, Head Combat Instructor at the Godspire Imperial Academy. I run the dungeon excursions and physical conditioning."

The woman offered a polite, analytical nod. "Selene Mooncrest. Alchemy and Mana Refinement. I'll be overseeing your core stabilization."

I kept my gaze neutral, burying the Eldrion name deep. "Sebastian Ashford," I lied smoothly.

Edward stepped up next, his posture rigid. "Edward Ironvale."

Lucian walked over, placing a heavy, warm hand on both of our shoulders. "You've seen the depth of the Abyss. You know what Kristoff is capable of. Protect this world."

"We will, Lucian," I promised.

"Good. My time here is done." Lucian stepped back, his mortal disguise dissolving. The air superheated as six massive, crystalline wings erupted from his back, radiating a divine, blinding pressure. Without another word, he shattered the sound barrier, launching into the upper atmosphere toward the Celestial Realm.

Instructor Ronan cleared his throat, adjusting his collar. "The Godspire Opening Ceremony begins tomorrow morning. Don't be late for the orientation."

"Yes, Instructor," we replied.

With the afternoon free, Edward turned to Ronan. "Permission to scout the perimeter before sundown?"

Ronan waved a hand dismissively. "Be back before dark."

We didn't just walk; we flew. Taking off toward the jagged peaks of the northern mountains, we found a high, isolated ridge overlooking the glittering magi-tech city. We set up two folding chairs, cracked open a ration pack, and just watched the sunset.

The air here was crisp, smelling of pine and fresh rain. "I forgot what real air tasted like," I murmured, leaning back. "It doesn't burn your lungs like the Abyss."

Edward let out a dry laugh, looking down at his hands. "Yeah. Living down there... you get used to the smell of sulfur and rot. It's strange being back."

"Does it feel wrong? Leaving it behind?"

Edward’s eyes darkened, staring into the orange horizon. "It hurts. My family... they died down there because we weren't strong enough to fight the other factions. But they trusted me to survive. I have the strength now. With you at my back, I won't lose again."

"We were both dead weight once," I said, looking at the distant spires of the Eldrion estate. "My family protected me because I was a Void. I was just a burden to them. But I'm back now. And I'm not helpless anymore."

Edward shifted in his chair. "So, what's the play tomorrow? Do we show them what a Level 100 looks like?"

"No," I replied instantly. "We hide it. Keep our statuses masked. If an emergency hits, we go all out. Until then, let them think we're just regular transfers."

Edward grinned, standing up and drawing his blade. "In that case... let's see how much you've grown. Duel?"

"Don't cry when you lose," I mocked, stepping into the clearing.

Edward didn't reply. His eyes flared, and the gravity around my boots multiplied by a hundred. The dirt exploded under my feet as the earth tried to swallow me. I pulsed my mana, shattering the localized gravity well, and launched a volley of black hellfire at him.

The flames tore through the trees, but hit nothing. Edward had vanished.

*A sneak attack,* I calculated, instantly activating *Body Manipulation* to turn my skin into dense, impenetrable stone. But I misjudged him. A sudden shadow flared to my left a clone acting as a decoy. Before I could pivot, Edward used his gravity to hurl a massive, ton-weight boulder directly at me, detonating the clone right against the stone.

The explosion blasted me through a thicket of trees. I crashed into a rock wall, coughing slightly, a small scratch bleeding on my cheek.

I wiped the blood away, a cold smile spreading across my face. "Using a clone as an explosive trigger? Not bad."

"Come at me, Brother," Edward called out, his silhouette fracturing into a dozen identical clones.

Instead of fighting them, I tapped into a fraction of the stolen time-essence within my core. *Time Manipulation.* The rampaging clones slowed to an absolute crawl. Moving through the static air, I pinpointed the real Edward by his heartbeat, slipped past his guard, and tapped his chest. "Freeze."

The time-lock shattered. Edward gasped as my black flames erupted around him, singeing his armor before he managed to break the pressure wave and jump back, laughing. "Dirty trick, Sebastian."

"We're even," I laughed, extending a hand to help him up.

We used our recovery skills to heal the minor burns and scratches, clearing the dust from our clothes before flying back to the estate. We found Ronan hauling heavy logs into the woodshed and silently took over the chore, stacking the timber in seconds with our enhanced strength.

Inside, the smell of roasted meat and rich spices filled the hall. We ate like starved beasts, the flavor of real, mortal food light-years ahead of the raw monster meat of the Abyss.

Selene watched us with a knowing look. "You're officially registered. Good luck with the Orb Test tomorrow."

After washing the dishes, we retreated to our quarters. I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at my hands. "Edward, what if we try to fuse our attributes? Create a new sub-element?"

Edward looked up from polishing his boots, shaking his head. "To force a core mutation or create a new element, you need a massive mana reservoir. Our cores won't stabilize a new element until we hit at least Level 140."

I looked out the window toward the dark forest, where the academy's training dungeons lay hidden. "Then tomorrow, right after the orientation, we find a high-tier gate. We need to level up."

Edward nodded, turning off the lights. "Let's do it."