CHAPTER 2
The Abyss Awakens
Kael's lungs burned as he struggled to steady his breathing. The forest around him was silent, but he could feel eyes watching from every shadow. Something about this place… felt alive, almost sentient.
He clenched his fists. The black runes on his arms pulsed faintly, responding to his heartbeat. He didn't understand what they were, but instinctively, he felt power surging within him.
|ABYSS SYSTEM – ACTIVATED
Core functions unlocked.
Kael stared at the glowing text hovering in the air. A strange interface floated before his vision:
• Level: 1
• Experience: 0
• Skills: None
• Status: Anomalous
"What… what is this?" he whispered. His voice sounded small in the vast forest.
Suddenly, a rustle came from the bushes. Kael's instincts screamed. He raised his hands defensively. Out of the shadows emerged a small, wolf-like creature, its eyes glowing yellow, fangs bared.
|Enemy Detected – Weak
Kael froze. Weak? How could he know that? The system had just appeared in his vision.
The creature lunged. Kael barely dodged, rolling to the side. Panic surged, but alongside it, a strange clarity. The runes on his skin glowed brighter.
Activate Skill: Abyss Strike?
Kael didn't understand the words, but a voice echoed in his mind. "Use it… survive."
He clenched his fist. The runes blazed red. When he struck, a dark energy shot from his hand, hitting the creature. It yelped and vanished into thin air.
Kael staggered back, breathing heavily. He looked at his hands. They were untouched.
|Experience +20
Skill Learned: Abyss Strike (Level 1)
"What… just happened?" he muttered, trembling. A sense of awe mixed with fear coursed through him. This system… this power… it was unlike anything he had ever known.
A low growl echoed from deeper in the forest. Kael turned, eyes widening. Dozens of glowing eyes stared at him from the darkness, larger, sharper… hungrier.
The Abyss had begun.
|Warning: High threat detected
Kael took a deep breath. He clenched his fists, the runes on his arms blazing brighter. He couldn't run. He couldn't hide.
—If this is my life… I will fight.
The forest seemed to pulse around him, alive with the presence of countless enemies. Kael knew one thing for certain: this world was merciless. And he would either master the Abyss… or die trying.
END OF CHAPTER 2