One-Eyed Monster

The final result was about to be revealed. Everyone eagerly awaited what lay at the end of this thread.

Perhaps at the end of this long thread, a Dark Force was waiting for them to walk right into its trap. Or perhaps an unknown power lay at its end; it was hard to predict. The end might even be Reed, the Dark Wizard who had already been devoured. He was now also the target of that Dark Force, though he had already become its captured prey.

No matter what lay at the end, everything would soon be settled. Whether it was friend or foe, the truth was about to be unveiled.

Kadi and his team followed this network-like thread, gradually nearing its end.

There wasn’t much light or darkness at this end. It seemed like a very ordinary path.

The only thing Kuren and the others found unusual was that the end gave them a sensation of sinking deeper and deeper.

”Do you feel like we’re falling?” Stan Sol was the first to voice his thoughts. To him, this sensation of falling seemed peculiar.

”I feel it too. We might genuinely be about to encounter that Dark Force,” Yuga said softly. He knew mentioning the Dark Force would make everyone nervous, so he deliberately kept his tone gentle, trying not to add to the oppressive atmosphere.

”Why do you say that?” Kadi asked. Such a pronouncement would startle anyone sensitive, and Kadi, who was currently in an unnatural state, certainly seemed to be taking this matter very seriously.

”The Dark Abyss. We might be falling towards it,” Kuren added.

”Of course, none of us has ever seen this abyss. This is all just our speculation. Perhaps it’s merely a misjudgment.” Sensing Kadi’s tension, Yuga quickly spoke a few words to ease the situation. Since he was the one who had first mentioned the Dark Abyss, he felt he had to reassure Kadi.

”How certain are you that the place we’re about to reach is the Dark Abyss?” Kadi pressed, clearly exceptionally concerned about this.

”Fifty-fifty, I’d say.” Unlike Yuga, Kuren didn’t like to hide things or offer comfort. What is, is. He never left people feeling uncertain.

”The probability is quite high then,” Stan Sol added, twisting the knife.

Yuga, deeply afraid Kadi would break down, quickly added, ”There’s also a fifty percent chance we’re not falling into the abyss, but somewhere else...”

”Then where do you think we might be falling to?” Kadi asked calmly, not at all on the verge of breaking down as Yuga had feared.

”Well...” Yuga paused, taken aback. Few things could make him, a Sage of Six Elements, feel so awkward; he was actually stumped.

”We’re almost there. No need to dwell on it. The truth will come to light soon enough,” Kuren interjected, helping Yuga out.

”Even if we face the Dark Abyss, we mustn’t be afraid. We possess the will of light and can definitely defeat them!” Yuga added. He felt he had to deal with the consequences of his own words.

”I hope so.” In truth, Kadi wasn’t bothered by these things at all. He had made up his mind long ago; no matter how great the danger, he would brace himself and face it.

So, Yuga had truly worried for nothing.

Still, this consideration he showed for his teammates in every situation was admirable.

Soon, they reached the end of this thread, which was distinctly different from the others.

At the end of the other threads, they could clearly see an image: a depiction of everyone’s resolve to fight against the Dark Force.

But now, what lay before them was a vast emptiness.

”Is this the Dark Abyss?” Kadi asked, seeing this peculiar scene.

”Unclear. We’ve never faced the Dark Force before, so naturally, we don’t know what form it takes,” Kuren replied truthfully.

”Alright.” Kadi sighed in relief. They had reached the end, and the time for the truth to be revealed was gradually approaching.

The observant Stan Sol quickly noticed something unusual. It’s incredible, Stan Sol couldn’t help but marvel. If this place truly is the enemy’s Dark Abyss, then I would have to offer my admiration to the Dark Force.

Truly, the details displayed here completely astounded Stan Sol.

”Look, there’s an enormous thing in there. It looks very special,” Stan Sol said, eager to share what he had seen.

”Let me see,” Yuga and Kuren said in unison.

From Stan Sol’s excited tone, Kuren and the others could tell that this new discovery was far from simple.

Following the direction Stan Sol indicated, they looked down and saw an enormous entity entrenched in the center. This massive thing extended countless tendrils in all directions, as if these tendrils were meant to absorb some special substance.

”This is...” As they continued to watch, both Yuga and Kuren felt a sense of déjà vu from the sight before them.

”It looks like a gigantic tree root system,” Stan Sol was the first to voice his initial impression.

”My heavens!” Kadi exclaimed. It was the first time he had ever seen such a sight.

”It’s rare to see roots this massive...”

Murmurs of awe arose again.

”Actually, what I’m considering isn’t the sheer size of these roots, nor that I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s these tendrils,” Kadi said quietly.

When Kadi spoke, the others fell silent.

The sight of those tendrils made everyone close their mouths. If they had to follow each one to its end like before, the journey would be quite terrifying!

With so many tendrils, even if they divided the task and explored separately, it would take a very, very long time...

Why would the end of my last network thread be another source entirely...? Kadi was also filled with many doubts, even though they no longer needed to consider if this place was the Dark Abyss.

”Hey, Kadi,” it was Stan Sol again; the meticulous observer once more interrupted Kadi’s thoughts. ”I don’t think we need to investigate every single tendril.”

”Hmm?” Kadi was suddenly incredulous. Why would he say something like that now?

He followed Stan Sol’s gaze and saw that a large hole had suddenly appeared beside the enormous tree root.

Even stranger, the hole was human-shaped.

”According to my calculations, this hole was likely prepared for you, Kadi,” Stan Sol continued.

Kadi carefully examined the human-shaped hole. It really did seem as if it was tailor-made for him.

”I think... this place is yours, Kadi,” Stan Sol began to deduce.

”Hmm?” Kadi didn’t quite understand.

”The end of the last network thread... is you, Kadi,” Kuren explained.

A moment of silence followed.

This was a bold conjecture, and now it all depended on Kadi...