Chapter 2: Into the Abyss

Ren stepped through the Abyssal Gate.

Cold.

A darkness unlike anything he had ever known swallowed him whole. It wasn’t just the absence of light—it was alive, whispering in languages he didn’t understand, pressing against his skin like unseen hands trying to drag him deeper.

[You have entered the Abyss.]
[WARNING: Unauthorized beings will be consumed.]

His breath turned to mist. A heavy weight settled in his chest, his instincts screaming at him to turn back. But fear had no place here—not anymore.

The void pulsed around him. His new power stirred in response, and the whispers grew louder.

Then, he saw them.

Shadows in the distance—monsters.

Abyssal fiends, their bodies formless and writhing, their eyes glowing with a violet hunger. Their movements were unnatural, jerking like broken puppets, yet their intent was clear.

They had sensed him.

And they were coming.

Ren tightened his grip. His shadows coiled around him, responding to his will. The System had given him power—now it was time to test it.

The first fiend lunged.

Too slow.

Ren sidestepped, the air trembling as he struck out with his bare hand. Shadows erupted from his palm, piercing straight through the creature’s skull. It let out a shriek before collapsing into dust.

Another one followed—then another.

Ren moved like a predator, his newfound strength guiding every motion. His body no longer hesitated. Every strike was precise. Efficient. Lethal.

With each kill, the System reacted.

[Void Essence Absorbed.]
[Strength +1]
[Agility +2]
[New Skill Acquired: Abyssal Step]

The changes were instant. He felt lighter, faster. The Abyss wasn’t just a battlefield—it was a feast.

But something else lurked here.

A presence. Watching.

The whispers sharpened. A heavy force pressed down on him, and suddenly, the shadows around him recoiled—as if something deeper in the Abyss had noticed him.

A message appeared.

[Abyssal Sovereign has awakened.]

The air itself trembled.

And Ren knew—he was not alone.