Chapter 426: Abyssal Creatures

Chapter 426: Abyssal Creatures

“You only got around to this now?” Zheng Yichen stared blankly when Lena gave him the news. Immediately shifting his focus to the Underground Base, he found not one Sorceress remained. All he spotted were the Ghost Maids bustling about and the Alchemical Puppets maintaining and building the base.

“The timing makes little difference. We can reach the destination either way, and variables are minimal now,” Lena replied. Though the gathered Sorceresses were trustworthy, she wouldn’t act sooner. More people meant greater risk of leaks, even unintentional ones—especially concerning Qin. Dan Marina preferred controlling outcomes. A half-day’s notice sufficed; distance hardly hindered Sorceresses. Teleportation Magic Arrays demanded heavy Mana, scaling with distance, but a few people? Easily manageable.

“Focus on your own tasks.”

“Tch. Not much left for me to do.” Zheng Yichen shrugged. His belated decision meant maximizing influence was all he could manage now. Exposing every hidden identity? Unthinkable.

“Yet you seem deeply uneasy about something.”

“You know exactly why,” he rolled his eyes. “My Mana pierces the Containment Barrier!”

“Ah… that is serious,” Dan Marina conceded, a miscalculation on her part—underestimating the Undying Witch’s obsession. Risking universal enmity to exploit the Barrier? Some Sorceresses might bargain, but the Undying Witch? This felt like more than a simple trade. “What’s done is done. We’ll manage. It won’t unravel completely.”

“I hope so.” Zheng Yichen frowned. His core problem? Power disparity. Years versus centuries—impossible to bridge. Beating a Sorceress head-on in a few years? If that were feasible, returning home across realities in another thousand years might not seem so far-fetched. He wouldn’t just wait idly, though. Peering into his Personal Space, he eyed critical items—his final reserves. These better be worth it.

Deep within a Black Mist-shrouded Barrier, the Undying Witch glared at a Magic Weapon Summoning Book. She’d avoided it due to its Creator, but now it felt crucial. Her location? Often leaked through this very thing. Trapped individuals couldn’t use Communication Magic, yet could post freely on the Magic Weapon Forum. Even her isolation measures failed. How did it bypass the Containment Barrier? Pushing the book aside, she decided—later. Her goal was finally near. The Sanctuary Church had sensed anomalies and was investigating, but so what? Shattering the Barrier wasn’t her aim—it was impractical and reckless. Evil, yes, but not mad. She didn’t want a ruined world.

The only irritation? The Church discovered her sooner than expected again, halfway through her preparations the last time. Now, history repeated. But this time, she had countermeasures ready!

“ They want to interfere? Let them deal with the Abyssal Creatures first,” she muttered, approaching a three-meter-wide “black hole”—an enlarged Abyss Entrance. A faint, intensely focused barrier of Mana emanated from one edge, piercing the Containment Barrier. Expanding this opening exponentially increased cost; the current five-centimeter gap minimized drain. This size prevented powerful Abyssal Monsters from squeezing through. Brainless Fiends hurling themselves? The Barrier erased anything touching it beyond the gap. Intangible entities slipping out? Meaningless—the Barrier killed them instantly.

Have you decided?” she addressed the swirling darkness inside the gap. “Deal with those intruders, and this reserve of Mana is yours. Enough to lead thousands through here. Then hunt the source freely, agreed?”

“A Sorceress? We do not trust you,” a guttural voice echoed from within. The Abyss’ denizens had spent centuries failing to breach the impregnable Barrier. This Mana offered their first gleam of hope—though they craved more information. Who possessed such power?

The Undying Witch withheld it. Any leak might tip off the outside world prematurely. When she opened the passage, Fiends surged out only to disintegrate instantly. An Abyssal Creature extended a tendril; the Barrier vaporized it, violently recoiling the creature.

“The choice isn’t yours,” the Witch sneered. Both sides plotted—her scheming to use cannon fodder, them plotting to seize resources. “Do not test my patience. Today is your final chance!”

A grey, crescent-shaped eye materialized in the darkness, mocking her. “Pressed for time, Sorceress?”

“I can abort and restart. You lose your only opportunity,” she retorted coldly. Agreements meant nothing with these creatures. Even Contracts held little weight. “You might glimpse the outside world through cracks, but if he dies? Pointless.”

Silence followed. Finally, a grudging reply came: “…Your threat holds weight. We’ll act. But require extra assurance!”

“Name it.”

“The Magic Weapon Summoning Book.”

“Delusional.” She laughed sharply. Surface-dwellers acquired it easily, but getting it inside? Magic Artifacts couldn’t penetrate the Barrier! Even Projections relied on Magic for formation, which the Barrier suppressed. Someone ensnared by Abyssal temptation surrendering their Magic Weapon Contract? Impossible. Seeding one into the Abyss would grant them outside influence instantly. Just one low-tier Contract could multiply over time, fueling rebellion. Worse—could they possibly hijack the system entirely?

“Time’s short. I reject all your terms.”

“…Very well.”

“Also,” she added sharply, “do not try exploiting my borrowed Mana to slip past the Barrier. You cannot bear the cost.” Full exposure severely weakened powerful Abyssals, reducing their strength by over two-thirds. Only vast numbers—tens of thousands—could mitigate the suppression. This small opening couldn’t channel that horde. For now, her control remained absolute. This Mana, though uncontrollable for direct commands, allowed precise manipulation.

“Understood. Open the Barrier.”

The Witch snapped her fingers. The gap widened. A distorted figure emerged—humanoid yet nightmarish. Black skin, horns, gleaming exoskeletal plates covered portions of its frame.

“Haaahh… The outside world, at last…” It inhaled, its many-pored nose flaring, excitement twisting its face. Its alien gaze fixed greedily on the vial in the Witch’s hand—overflowing with the crucial Mana. “…but you cannot truly wield this.”

The creature vanished—instantly reappearing frozen mid-lunge. It collapsed dead, bone-faced features locked in shock.

“I need no direct control,” the Undying Witch stated flatly. “And did it know my title?” She gestured. Two Skeleton Soldiers dragged the soul-shattered corpse away. She fixed her gaze upon the resealing gap. “Send a smarter negotiator next!”

A whisper slithered from the void: “The Undying Witch…”

“…Ominous presence.” Staring at the mist-shrouded Barrier, Deya murmured coldly. The Undying Witch alone wouldn’t radiate this hate—something older, deeper stirred within those fumes: a primal loathing.

“Combat positions,” Achille ordered. Discovered meant immediate disruption, motive be damned.

“We retreat.” Seeing holy auras ignite around Church Knights, Oss commanded. Battlegods clashing? They’d be shredded in the periphery. As they pulled back, a Church Knight pressed a pearl-like Magic Artifact into Oss’s hand—it would shield their escape. Report? The Magic Weapon Forum already carried their findings. Reinforcements surged towards them! This time, she won’t flee.

“Er… can’t run.” Zheng Yichen glanced around abruptly. Pettyng his Magic Weapon Summoning Book, he yanked out a blazing greatsword. “Anyone know what those shadowy things are?”

Five Aberrations, sleek and swift, oozed from the fading Black Mist.

“…No idea.” Oss shook his head, three Magatama symbols flaring crimson in his eyes. Not bloated parasite-hosts like before? These radiated a predatory aura, making his skin crawl—a prey animal’s dread.

“…S-s-sht.” Gale stared at his trembling hand, forcing calm through a bitten tongue.

“Abyssal Monsters? Nay. Higher forms. Abyssal Creatures.” Lena’s smile vanished. She stepped behind Zheng Yichen, her eyes fixed on his fiery sword—now seeming comforting. “They exert a natural, fear-based suppression over Humans. Requiring Mental Ward Magic to counter.”

“Abyssal Creatures?!” Wood gasped, horror dawning.

“The Barrier’s useless?” Rick hissed. A basic ward spell could temper this paralyzing fear… but Lena only knew the Fireball Spell!

“Look out! They’re charging!” Lena shrieked, ducking instinctively.

“Hold here! I’m going in!” Oss roared, his Blood Essence igniting like a crimson beacon. His Magatama-enhanced sight showed the creatures’ blurring speed—even slightly slower, their velocity dwarfed his own.

Zzzt-THUNK! His blade sparked against hardened bone-armor. The impact jarred him. Burning more Blood Essence wildly, he pushed back a momentarily startled creature. Futile. Four others flanked them impossibly fast!

Without his Magatama? They’d all be corpses already. Panic surged. How do we SURVIVE?!