Key's head snapped up, eyes narrowing toward the speaker, but Nythra's expression showed familiarity. Without missing a beat, she responded, "Well, it's about time you all came ba—"
She was quickly interrupted by a fast, giddy voice. "Wait, Nyth! We gotta introduce ourselves! It's only right! If we don't, we'll be breaking the code, and no one's allowed to—"
"Tch, be quiet and hurry up, Speedy!" a raspy, rough voice snapped. The sound was deep, almost reminiscent of Key's own, if he had smoked a pack a day since birth.
"Right!" 'Speedy' chirped, and suddenly, silence fell. The four newcomers were silhouetted like unlockable characters in a video game.
'Is that… music?' Key thought, hearing the faint sound of a catchy tune. He caught Nythra stifling a giggle beside him as the newcomers started their little show.
"First up… Speedy!" a voice announced dramatically. "She's sexy, fast, and nice—!" With a swift 'whiff' sound, Speedy revealed herself, striking a double peace pose. "If you hear the sound too late, your ass just got got twice!" she beamed, her bright smile infectious.
She was petite, around 5 feet tall, with long brunette hair and Korean features. Her futuristic, form-fitting suit looked built for speed—sleek, agile, and glowing with metallic accents that traced her limbs, giving off an aura of power.
Key chuckled as he looked at the next person.
The next voice was calm, intelligent. "Speedy, as much as I'd like to participate in your extravaganzas, we have an Abyssal Beast horde approaching from the north. Let's…Speed things up, okay?" The man smirked. "Oh, and I'm Sketch, by the way."
Key eyed Sketch, who looked similar to Andrew Garfield, he stood at about 5'11", dressed casually in a white shirt, dark gray jacket, khakis, and black boots. The kind of guy who looked way too comfortable in simple clothes, even in the Abyss.
"Aww, no fair!" Speedy pouted. "It was just getting to the good part!"
"Next time, Speedster. Next time." rumbled the same raspy voice from earlier. A tall, muscular man approached. He had light brown skin, hazel eyes, a slit scar over his right eye, and wore what looked like… Abyssal Beast skin? Key raised a brow. Definitely not someone to fuck with.
"Gamble." the man grunted, offering a nod.
Finally, a loud, smooth voice echoed, "And last but not least!" Jazz hands appeared, paired with a wide grin. "I am the beautiful Spam—" She paused dramatically. "Not that kind of Spam… I hate it!" she finished with exaggerated irritation.
Spam's pale skin, long wavy silver hair, and sharp, angular features gave her an ethereal beauty. Her flowing white robe, adorned with glowing symbols and shifting colors, added to the mystical air about her. It looked like the kind of outfit that demanded respect, flowing with power as if it had a life of its own.
"And we are… The Nightcrawlers!" Speedy exclaimed, bouncing with excitement.
Key blinked. 'The Nightcrawlers, huh? Well, they sure don't lack in enthusiasm.'
['Analysis LV.1' has activated.]
['Analysis' has leveled up!]
['Analysis LV.2' has activated.]
The sudden flood of information hit Key.
Name: Speedy
Title: The Sonic Mirage
Rank: B-Rank
Name: Sketch
Title: The Artisan of Reality
Rank: C-Rank
Name: Gamble
Title: The Abyssal Juggernaut
Rank: B-Rank
Name: Spam
Title: The Arcane Maestro
Rank: C-Rank
Name: Nythra, the Forsaken Light
Title: Former Goddess of Radiance and Hope
Rank: SS-Rank (formerly SSS-Rank)
Key's eyes subtly widened at Nythra's rank.
'Damn, she's been double S class this entire time?!'
He knew she was powerful—hell, she used to be a Goddess—but still, seeing it confirmed sent a slight chill down his spine. Meanwhile, the others were either B-ranked or C-ranked, which was still impressive considering they had survived in The Abyss.
Well, time to break the ice.
"Nice to meet you all. My name's Key." he said, introducing himself.
A moment of silence.
Then, Gamble stepped forward.
The man's gaze was piercing, sharp like a blade assessing its prey. His muscles were tense but controlled, like a predator waiting to strike. Key didn't waver, meeting his gaze head on. A slow smile crept onto his lips. Even in a world like this, some instincts were universal.
They clasped hands in a firm grip. A silent understanding passed between them, no words needed.
Key and Gamble dapped each other up as if they'd known each other forever.
"My Nigga." Key said with a nod of respect.
"…I like this one.." Gamble said, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.
Silence.
Speedy, Spam, Sketch, and even Nythra all exchanged bewildered looks.
"Gamble's never been this receptive to, well… anyone he just met!" Spam remarked, her brows raised in disbelief.
"Yeah, it's unreal!" Speedy added, jaw dropping.
Sketch crossed his arms, shaking his head like he was trying to process a glitch in reality. "Knowing Gamble as long as I have… this is something."
Nythra nodded slowly, her expression a mix of surprise and amusement. "Indeed…" Then, her face turned serious as she shifted her gaze to Sketch. "You mentioned an Abyssal Horde approaching?"
Sketch's demeanor immediately changed, any lingering disbelief vanishing. His back straightened. "Yeah. They'll be here in about twenty minutes. If I had to guess, they must've sensed Key's Abyssal Energy. It's… overwhelming."
Nythra's eyes narrowed in thought. 'I'll have to teach Key how to suppress his Abyssal Energy later.'
"How many are we talking?" she asked, turning to Speedy.
Speedy flickered to Nythra's side in a blur, speaking rapidly. "I counted about ten thousand. They definitely want Key dead dead."
Key blinked. Processing.
"Wait… did I just hear ten thousand?"
"You heard right, dear Key!" Spam chimed in with a teasing grin. "Thanks to your overwhelming energy, we're about to face a whole army of Abyssal Beasts. Hope you're ready."
Her voice was playful, but the underlying tension was undeniable.
Key exhaled sharply. "Give me a minute, I'll be right back." he said before turning and disappearing into the hideout.
Inside, Key sank into the sofa, his casual demeanor melting into something far more focused.
"I don't have time to waste."
He pulled up his stats and skills, scanning the glowing numbers.
[Name] Key LV.5
[Title] The Abyss's Chosen
[Vitality] 12,500/12,500
[Mana Points] 7,500/7,500
[Abyssal Energy] 102,500/102,500
[Stats]
[Physical]
[Strength (20)]➪[Agility (19)]➪[Dexterity (22)]➪[Endurance (25)]
[Mental]
[Focus (21)]➪[Intelligience (30)]➪[Perception (20)]
Stat Points Available: 50
Key tapped his chin, deep in thought. "Alright… I'll put 5 points into each one with the last 5 in Strength, Agility, and Dexterity. That should balance things out."
As he confirmed his choices, a sharp surge of energy coursed through him. His muscles tensed, his heartbeat steadied, and his vision sharpened. The world around him felt slower, his reflexes adapting instantly. He rolled his shoulders. "Yeah, this feels right."
A notification flashed.
[Perks are accessible.]
"Good to know. Preciate it, Game." he muttered before pulling up the perk list.
[Perk Points] 2
[Abyssal Pain] +5% damage boost against Abyssal creatures or entities.
[Abyssal Awareness]: +15% perception and detection of hidden enemies.
[Void's Embrace] Temporarily phase out of existence for 5 seconds.
[Overwhelming Aura]: Intimidate enemies within a 20-meter radius, reducing their stats by 10%.
Key smirked. Abyssal Pain and Overwhelming Aura seem like the best choices here.
With a quick mental command, he selected both.
Perks acquired:
[Abyssal Pain LV.1] +5% damage boost against Abyssal creatures or entities.
[Overwhelming Aura LV.1]: Intimidate enemies, reducing their stats by 10%.
The door creaked open.
Nythra stepped inside, her eyes scanning him briefly. "Key, are you alright? It's almost time…" she asked, her tone holding a hint of concern.
Key looked up, his seriousness giving way to a confident grin. "Yeah, I'm good. Just getting ready."
Nythra smiled, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Good… for a second there, I thought you were wimping out on us."
Key scoffed, standing. "Shii, I'm too real to back down from a challenge like this."
She laughed lightly, shaking her head.
As they stepped outside, Speedy was already bouncing with excitement.
"Yo, Key! You ready to kick some ass?"
"Hell yeah!" Key called back, grinning. "What about the rest of y'all?"
Spam gave him a playful salute. "Ready as I'll ever be, dear Key!"
Gamble nodded. "Likewise."
Sketch glanced at Key, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "Not like we have a choice. But… I'm curious to see what you can do."
"Guess that makes two of us." Key smirked.
Nythra chuckled. "Let's just make sure we have some fun and, you know, exterminate the Abyssal Beasts while we're at it."
A low rumble rippled through the ground beneath them. Pebbles trembled. In the distance, a dark wave of Abyssal creatures emerged from the shadows like a living nightmare.
Speedy whistled. "Damn. That's a lot."
Spam grinned. "You scared?"
"Of course not!" Speedy widely smiled. "Just means more fun."
Gamble cracked his knuckles, unreadable. Sketch exhaled slowly. Nythra stood composed, but the flicker of her aura betrayed a readiness for bloodshed.
Key's smirk deepened as Abyssal Pain and Overwhelming Aura activated, sending a shiver of power through him.
"Alright, let's do this."
Then, Speedy's voice rang out.
"Last one to the horde sucks mean balls!"
She vanished in a blur of motion.
Key blinked. Then blinked again.
"I ain't gay."
He was gone in an instant.
"Ditto." Gamble muttered before sprinting after them.
Sketch hesitated. "Wait, that means—oh hell no!" He took off.
Spam tapped her chin, smirking. "Hmm… I might like a good scissori-"
"Spam."
Nythra's tone was flat.
Spam only giggled. "I'm just saying, it's an interesting—"
"We're leaving." Nythra sighed, leading the way as they all charged toward the impending battle.