Chapter 131

(2)

3.

In the darkness of the Abyss.

In a world devoid of any light, Laurea came to her senses.

She opened her eyes, which had been closed for so long, but all that greeted her was darkness. The first thought that crossed her mind was the possibility of having failed the purification of the offering.

But she quickly shook her head.

‘No, that can’t be it.’

Because she definitely saw it.

The sight of the black pendant shattering.

As forgotten memories slowly started to revive, Laurea attempted to rise to her feet.

She wanted to look around.

But she couldn’t.

‘…My body feels so heavy.’

Her arms and legs felt as heavy as wet cotton, and she couldn’t move her body at all.

It was as if something was sticking to her.

So, when she instinctively checked her body, she caught sight of her reflection in the Reflective Eye. As she recognized what it was, Laurea narrowed her eyes.

“Mud?”

Black mud clung to her entire body.

The reason why her body felt heavy was precisely this. Moreover, the mud wasn’t just clinging to her body.

The entire area surrounding Laurea was covered in thick, sludgy mud.

It felt just like a swamp.

And the moment she thought of the word ‘swamp,’ Laurea’s eyes widened. The memories she had been forgetting came rushing back.

‘Right. The ground suddenly collapsed earlier, didn’t it?’

Right after finishing the purification prayer.

The image of the black pendant shattering was the last thing she remembered before the ground suddenly sank beneath her.

The ground, transformed into a swamp, swallowed Laurea whole, and she hadn’t even been able to resist.

Just as she recalled all of this, a new question floated in her mind.

“Then where is this place?”

All she could see was endless darkness.

It was the same kind of scenery she witnessed when the Abyssal Erosion was rampant. No, upon closer inspection, it wasn’t completely identical.

‘…I can’t see anything.’

When the Abyssal Erosion occurred, there had at least been something visible. Even if it was just stones scattered around the Source of Magic or along the riverbank, there had been something.

Yet here, there was nothing.

Just darkness stretched infinitely, and all she could see was the mud wrapping around her.

‘It’s as if this world lacks essence.’

Just as she was contemplating this,

Laurea’s eyes widened again.

When she started her education at Eloden Academy, she remembered hearing a story eerily similar to her current situation.

“Everything in this world inherently possesses essence. However, there exist things that lack essence altogether, one of which can be found in the first verse of the scripture: the Demon Realm.”

The teachings of the old professor.

And the Demon Realm mentioned in the scripture was the only one Laurea could recall.

‘Could it be that this place is…!’

The Abyss.

The moment this realization dawned on her, Laurea’s gaze trembled.

At that moment.

【I’m surprised.】

A bizarre voice echoed.

Just hearing it sent chills down her spine. Soon after, she felt her body stiffen.

Like a frog frozen in front of a snake.

【Honestly, I didn’t believe it.】

【To think Rakus’ words would be true.】

【His eyes truly see through everything.】

Again, that unsettling voice returned.

It surrounded her from all directions.

Laurea looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. Then suddenly, the voice seemed to whisper right next to her ear.

【Oh, Divine Agent.】

【How does it feel to have fallen into the Abyss?】

The word ‘Abyss’ was mentioned again.

It was the moment her ominous premonitions came true.

“…….”

Laurea’s face hardened like stone.

She also felt a wave of nausea.

Along with a suffocating feeling in her chest, she experienced a choking sensation. It was the same feeling she had experienced several times before she was selected as a Saintess Candidate.

A primal fear.

Right after realizing this,

Laurea clasped her hands together.

She prayed to the Divine Being, hoping to eliminate her anxiety and fear. Whether she was seen or not, a voice tinged with mockery echoed immediately.

【Give up, Agent.】

【This is the Abyss.】

【Your starlight cannot reach here.】

【Submit to your fate.】

Laurea didn’t respond.

She merely muttered her prayer in silence, trying to banish her fears. But no matter how much she prayed, her anxiety would not dissipate.

【If that’s the case, allow me to show you.】

【Every action up to this point was merely—】

【An illusion.】

The moment the unpleasant voice ceased,

The swamp surrounding her quivered. Moments later, an anomaly occurred.

Thud! Squish!

The infinitely stretching swamp began to gather into one spot, slowly taking on a gigantic shape.

“……!”

Laurea’s eyes widened.

At that moment, she realized. The voice that had been speaking to her was none other than the swamp itself.

Soon, the swamp transformed into a singular mass.

It resembled the Swamp Minions she had seen in Zone 3, although there was a fundamental difference.

That difference was its size.

While the Swamp Minions were already the size of a small building, they were mere ants compared to the mass before her.

A size so colossal that one could believe a mountain was moving. An indescribable fear overwhelmed her, rendering opposition infeasible.

And at that moment,

Countless mouths developed on the surface of the swamp. They all began to speak to Laurea simultaneously.

【I am the ruler of all swamps.】

【The king who reigns over the boundary of earth and water.】

Just hearing that voice alone felt oppressive, weighing heavily on her shoulders.

【Kneel and beg.】

【Worship face down in the swamp.】

【Then I shall show you mercy.】

【I will make you my apostle.】

As the voices continued,

A massive hand made of mud reached out to grab Laurea. Stunned by the sight of futility,

Crack! Crack!

A high wall rose up around Laurea. An intangible wall, the Holy Shield.

【—Protector’s Sacred Item.】

【A relic of starlight.】

The instant she heard that voice, the silver necklace around her neck glowed once.

The Protector’s Sacred Item, Kuertos.

It was the relic of Eloden designated for the next Saintess. Upon realizing this, Laurea managed to free herself from the horrendous fear.

‘Right, it’s still too early to despair.’

She possessed not just Kuertos. Her earrings, bracelet, and even the candlestick she wore on her thigh were all sacred items.

Of course, using all of them still wouldn’t take down that monster.

‘But still…’

It might be possible to buy time.

And if she endured while buying time, help would surely come. Outside, there was Ian and, more importantly, Ulan and Noa, who knew the future.

‘They will definitely come to save me.’

Right after recalling her comrades,

Laurea swiftly regained her composure.

She understood what she needed to do.

‘So I must hold out as long as I can.’

Her bright yellow eyes sparkled.

At that, the Swamp Ruler grinned mockingly, as if finding it amusing.

【It’s all a futile struggle.】

【The Abyss devours everything.】

【Even if it is light.】

【So just watch from there.】

【As your light flickers out.】

As soon as that voice ceased,

The giant swamp surged over Laurea.

4.

Meanwhile, at that moment.

Noa focused her mind to reactivate the magic circle that would open the Abyssal Rift.

As she did, she continuously recalled the memories of having played as an Abyss Worshipper previously.

‘…Estelle Autra.’

One of the Six Lords of the Abyss.

An Abyss Worshipper and witch who served Rakus Clanman Duratus, the Howling Eyeball.

Additionally, after the Gate of the Abyss opened, her purpose was to become Rakus’ apostle and cover the world with the Abyss.

‘However, Estelle had never made it to the latter half.’

The reason was simple.

She had failed to clear a specific critical path designated for named characters.

‘Because the enemies encountered right before entering the latter half were…’

One of the seven heroes.

It was none other than Ulan.

At this time, Ulan had already reached Master level, becoming the so-called perfected hero.

And as a result,

Noa had experienced her body being split in half every single attempt, ultimately deciding to give up on playing as Estelle.

So even though she hadn’t reached the latter half, she didn’t need to worry too much.

‘I clearly remember how to open the Abyssal Rift.’

Noa’s eyes glimmered seriously.

Therefore, she had the confidence to open the Abyssal Rift much faster than Delia.

Additionally,

There was another reason she stepped up to open the rift in Delia’s stead.

‘Simply opening the rift isn’t enough.’

She needed to open the exact gap that matched the coordinates of the place where Ulan and Laurea had vanished. Only then could she save them.

‘Alright, let’s do this.’

Noa slapped her palm against her cheek.

Hard enough to bring her senses back to reality.

Afterward, she fixed her gaze on the magic circle left by Diplyn and activated her skill immediately.

[Notification]

*Unspecified skill activated.

*Ultimate Sorcery: 【Reflective Eye】

—Mirror effect granted.

—Interprets and remembers all spells.

Right after using that skill,

The magic circle of the Abyss split into hundreds and thousands of spells. Each one was meticulously organized in Noa’s mind without missing a single detail.

Meanwhile, at that moment.

Delia, who was watching Noa with a skeptical face, suddenly widened her eyes.

“Noa! Your nose… it’s bleeding…!”

Her voice was filled with clear signs of shock.

Just as she said, blood trickled from Noa’s nose as she stared at the magic circle.

That wasn’t all.

Her eyes were bloodshot, and her complexion had gone pale. This was due to the overwhelming amount of information being relayed to her brain.

However, Noa didn’t respond.

She was entirely focused on interpreting the magic circle, oblivious to Delia’s voice.

And as a result,

[Notification]

*Interpretation successful.

*Saving spell.

*Forbidden Magic: 【Abyssal Rift】

Finally, she completed all her preparations.

Noa staggered, experiencing dizziness and a sudden shift in her sense of balance.

And who could blame her?

The number of spells interpreted through the Reflective Eye was an astounding three thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.

“Hah, huff!”

Noa exhaled harshly.

However, she couldn’t afford to rest yet.

After barely steadying her breath, she hastily wiped off the blood from her nose.

‘…Ulan.’

She had received a lot of help from Ulan.

Without him, there was no guarantee she would have made it safely to Arsen Academy.

The journey from the prairie to Arsen was treacherous, filled with moments of danger.

‘So this time…’

It was her turn to help Ulan.

Most importantly, Ulan and Laurea were essential forces that needed to be present when facing the Abyss.

Therefore, she could not afford to lose them here.

‘I absolutely must save them!’

Noa’s eyes flared with determination.

Thus, she combined the interpreted spells and repaired the magic circle in the blink of an eye.

Furthermore, she placed the Magic Stone handed to her by the White Wolf in the designated spot and activated her skill.

But at that moment.

[Warning]

*Exceeding permissible range.

*Time remaining until Magic Exhaustion: 26 seconds.

—Life force is deteriorating rapidly.

—Risk of magic rampage is increasing.

A crimson window appeared before her eyes.

A warning message.

But Noa didn’t care.

Having come this far, she was prepared for her body to be a wreck.

‘What do I care about that?’

That’s why Noa smiled.

Warnings or whatever, what mattered now was opening the Abyssal Rift. More importantly, saving Ulan and Laurea. That was all that mattered.

Just then,

“I’ll help too.”

Delia, noticing that Noa was low on magic power, came over while clutching the remaining Magic Stones.

Then, she positioned herself back to back with Noa, converting the magic absorbed from the Magic Stones to lend it to her.

Instantly, her magic was replenished.

Once the magic deficiency was resolved, the warning signals also started to fade. Thus, she regained her focus to concentrate on completing the remaining tasks.

After some time.

[Notification]

*Skill activated.

*Forbidden Magic: 【Abyssal Rift】

—Creates a gap leading to the Abyss.

—Activates skill.

The air abruptly tore in half.

Wham!

The space twisted noisily.

Following that, a crack appeared, revealing a pitch-black rift. The sight was terrifying just to behold.

It was none other than the Abyssal Rift.

5.

Boom! Ka-boom!

The earth-shaking sound resonated through the darkness.

The swamp’s forces unleashed by the Swamp Ruler crashed against the Holy Shield, sounding like a furious pounding.

Yet the shield held firm.

It boasted solid defenses, shielding Laurea like a steadfast castle gate. However, her complexion was not good.

‘I’m low on Divine Power.’

She had focused all the power of her sacred items on Kuertos, reinforcing the Holy Shield to its limit.

But she had already hit her threshold.

Due to the relentless barrage from the Swamp Ruler, the Divine Power housed within the sacred item was beginning to dwindle.

‘At this rate…’

The shield wouldn’t last much longer.

Just as a sense of urgency washed over her,

Laurea knelt down.

To offer her prayer. During this process, the mud seeped into her body uncomfortably, but now was not the time to care about that.

“O starlight that illuminates all things.”

The faithful of the Holy Nation could slightly recover their Divine Power through prayers.

Among them, the Saintess could regenerate all her Divine Power with just a single prayer. That’s why Laurea prayed.

However, this time was different.

“…Huh?”

Though she completed her prayer, her Divine Power did not return. No, she didn’t even hear the Holy Being’s voice.

Silence returned with no response.

Laurea concealed her confusion and tried again. With sincerity and faith. But again, the outcome remained the same.

The Divine Power was still not restored.

“What, why?!”

In a situation where she couldn’t even hear the Holy Being’s response.

Since being selected as a Saintess Candidate, this was the first time she’d experienced something like this, and she was flustered.

The Swamp Ruler spoke to her.

【I clearly stated so.】

【Your starlight shall not reach here.】

A voice filled with derision.

He gazed down at Laurea’s pale face before spreading his immense arm made of mud wide.

【This is the Abyss.】

【No light is permitted here.】

【As such—】

【There is naturally no way for starlight to intervene.】

The instant his chant ceased,

Boom!

The giant mud arm struck the Holy Shield once more. And then, cracks began to form on the once-sturdy shield.

Thud! Crack!

The Holy Shield began to shatter slowly.

As Laurea’s gaze flickered like a flame before the wind, the Protector’s Sacred Item, Kuertos hanging around her neck also cracked.

【Behold as the light of your sacred artifact flickers out.】

【Now all hope is lost.】

【I shall grant you one last opportunity.】

Like the flood rushing towards her,

An unnameable feeling of helplessness and despair pressured Laurea’s body.

Watching the light residing within the Reflective Eye die out, the Swamp Ruler smiled with glee.

【Embrace the Abyss, Agent.】

【Worship the swamp.】

【And become my apostle.】

【You have the qualifications for that.】

Simultaneously, blood-red eyes appeared just beyond the surface filled with countless mouths.

Desire, obsession, greed, and so on.

The eyes were saturated with intense emotions.

As she stared blankly at them,

a memory suddenly flickered in her mind.

‘At some point…’

She had seen eyes similar to those.

No, in fact, the only similarity was the color of the eyes. But she distinctly recalled those eyes shining as fiercely as this.

Radiant scarlet eyes.

The moment she remembered,

“…Ah!”

Laurea’s eyes widened.

She recalled who he was.

Simultaneously, the words he had whispered to her naturally floated to mind.

He had definitely said something like this.

「One day when the voice of the stars cannot be heard, and when the divine touch is absent, do not hesitate to call for me.」

The man who had claimed to come from the future, who also said he was Laurea’s comrade.

On the day he confessed his secrets,

that single sincere whisper had stained her mind.

「Do not forget: If you find yourself unable to wield the Divine Power, the moment you recognize the change, call my name.」

At the time, it had simply sounded blasphemous.

So, Laurea had questioned him.

Even if such a situation were to occur, what would change by calling your name when divine power itself couldn’t reach her.

He had answered,

「I will save you.」

As her memories sharpened,

the darkness covering her mind dissipated, and a vivid face emerged. A man from the barbarian tribe, with blazing red hair and scarlet eyes.

The memory of him whispered,

「I will definitely save you.」

Just after recalling all her memories,

Laurea made her decision.

She halted her prayer and lifted her head. Then she put the advice from her memory into action.

“Ulan—!”

Her voice resonated, echoing throughout the Abyss.

Laurea squeezed out every last ounce of her strength, yelling his name with all her might.

“Ulan! I’m here! I’m right here!”

Her desperate call reverberated.

However, just like with her prayer, there was no response.

No, there was not even a hint of presence. In the vast Abyss, only Laurea’s existence remained.

Yet she didn’t give up.

Just as she prepared to raise her voice again,

【It’s already too late.】

A voice heralding despair echoed.

The sound of the hope she had barely clung to shattering played in the background.

Crack! Shatter!

The Holy Shield fell apart emptily.

The Protector’s Sacred Item, Kuertos turned to dust and disappeared. And with that, the final shield that had protected Laurea vanished.

Gulp!

The swamp of despair swallowed her whole.

“…!”

Her body was engulfed in mud.

She couldn’t move, couldn’t shout, and couldn’t even breathe properly.

As her form sank deeper, the voice of the swamp echoed in her ears.

【The rift has long since closed.】

【So no matter how much you shout.】

【Your voice will not reach—】

【It doesn’t exist.】

Listening to the greedy voice,

Laurea sank to the bottom without offering any resistance. Everything before her turned dark and obscured by the mud.

Just then.

Suddenly, there was a halt!

It felt as if she had reached the bottom.

But that wasn’t correct.

The moment her movements paused, her body shot back up as if something was pulling her back forcefully.

Moments later.

Splash!

Laurea’s head emerged from the swamp.

After completely freeing herself from the muddy clutches, she sat on the ground and coughed violently.

“Ugh! Cough, cough!”

Mud filled her mouth as she spat it out.

Just as the sensation in her body began to gradually return, she felt a new presence that hadn’t existed until now.

“No, that’s wrong.”

A voice softly brushed against her ears.

He stood before the Swamp Ruler, denying what he had said directly to her face.

“This time, I’ve truly reached you.”

It was fire.

A flame that proved its existence solely by burning brightly, without hiding anything.

From what Laurea knew, only one individual possessed such a nature. Beyond her blurred vision, scarlet eyes sparkled.

“I’ve come to save you, Laurea.”

The voice she remembered.

The barbarian man with red eyes grinned widely.

Chapter 31. Just trust it for now.