Prince of The Abyss

Aether’s eyes moved around, trying to calculate which one of the beasts would be the one to attack next. But to his luck, they were all attacking at one. He watched as all five of the approched him.

But he smiled.

”Dumb beasts.”

He twisted to his right, escaping. But not for long, as they were already prepared. He didn’t waste any time, starting to run towards a broken piece of concrete that had fallen from the monsters smashing their heads into the walls.

He picked it up, as he rolled away just in time to avoid one of them biting his leg.

”Here”

He screamed into the rock. Throwing it far away. Then he stopped in his tracks, waiting for all of them to approach. Or rather, he waited to see how they would react.

All of a sudden, from where he had thrown the rock, came a sound.

”Here”

The plan was simple; if the beast were so naive as he thought, they would revert their attention to the rock. And that was exactly what had happened. Completely forgetting about him, they rushed to the rock, destroying it with their strong jaws.

Aether stepped forward, raising his weapon and thrusting down straight into one of the beasts.

[You have killed a Reader Fragment, Two-Headed Canine]

[Your knowledge grows stronger.]

Even with the codex rewarding him for his accomplishment. He didn’t waste any time, already drawing back his sword to pierce the second.

But the beast had turned just in time to bite the sword. Digging its many teeth into the blade.

”Shit.”

He tried getting it out, seeing as the others were ready to attack and devour him whole. But he couldn’t get it out; the power of its jaw was way too powerful. His force wasn’t enough to go against it.

What was he going to do now? Well, that was what he expected them to think, if they even had a brain.

”Stupid beast.”

He smiled. Instead of trying to pull his sword out and go against the force of its jaw, he would help it. He pushed the sword right into its throat, sticking out the back. As its muscles loosened, he finally drew his blade out.

[You have killed a Reader Fragment, Two-Headed Canine]

[Your knowledge grows stronger.]

Seeing that the others were now trying to bite him, mindlessly, as they always did. He twisted to his side, making them run past him, and trip on what seemed to be a trap made out of blonde hair. His own hair.

He grabbed the body of one of the deceased beasts, using all his force to throw it onto one of them, trapping it under. The other two staggered slightly, which allowed him to draw his blade and thrust it into one of them.

[You have killed a Reader Fragment, Two-Headed Canine]

[Your knowledge grows stronger.]

”Two more.”

He heard a growl, which quickly reminded him that there was one more free. He glanced at it, seeing it rush to his face. But it was too close to try and evade its attacks. So instead, he wrapped one of his hands around the blade. Cutting some of his skin slightly, and stuck it into its mouth.

He tried to push, but the beast was overpowering him. But it was still a dense beast. Nothing else.

He chuckled.

”Here.”

The beast turned its head to where the sound had come from. Which was one of the pebbles they had created after biting the rock into pieces. Each piece being something he could use.

Aether took advantage of the fact that it was distracted. Forcing his muscles to draw the blade out and thrust the tip of his blade right into the top of its head. Coming out on the other side. Like it was on a stick.

[You have killed a Reader Fragment, Two-Headed Canine]

[Your knowledge grows stronger.]

And then there was one more. Aether took a deep breath, watching as the last beast tried to escape from the body of his fellow beast. But it couldn’t. He snapped the blade close to his chest, coiling like a spring, and drove it right into the stomach of the dead body, putting a hole through the other beast too.

[You have killed a Reader Fragment, Two-Headed Canine]

[Your knowledge grows stronger.]

Aether took a deep breath as the system announced his last kill. He fell to the ground in exhaustion. As he smiled in celebration.

This had been the seventh time he had tried to challenge this floor. And while it wasn’t the first time he was able to clear it. It was the first where he had yet to get an injury, which was what he was looking for to advance to the last.

This was the first time he would finally be able to try and fight The Ace. He didn’t think he was going to win, but neither was it his purpose. He wanted to learn about his powers, maybe even weaknesses. And if he was lucky, to lay down some traps, like he did on this floor. Of course, if he was able to land an attack and get the poison in, it was amazing, as he didn’t think it would disappear even if he left. Meaning he could challenge him later and have him weakened.

But first... he wanted to see something.

[Character Codex: Sync Stable]

Name: Aether Moirai

Age: 14

Race: Human

Affiliation: Royal Family

[Path]: —Promise Child—

>A child that wasn’t born from the beginning, yet meant to be the one who chooses the world’s end.

Knowledge Rank — [Fragment]

>198/1000 knowledge shard

Codex Class — [Reader]

> Sync Rate: 9%

Affinity —[Restricted]

>---------------------

[Affinity Bane]: —Stranded Resolve —

...

***

”This is great!”

He was almost at the two-hundred mark, and all he had to do was to challenge this zone over and over again. If the other were like this too, together with the Knights, and the Queen. He should be able to become an echo rank. Which would make him stronger, exactly what he needed when he came back to the Withered.

But now, it was time to finally ascend.

He walked the stairs, his eyes gleaming with conviction, not scared of anything beyond the door. As he entered, the light turned on, revealing an empty room with a man staring at the window opposite where he was.

The man turned to him, which made Aether nervous.

He was gigantic, if he had to say more than two meters tall, and he was bulky, but it was muscle that made it seem that way. He was wearing some white shorts, and his shirt was tied to his waist. Letting his bare chest out. Which intimated Aether.

Could he really defeat this giant?

He smiled at he noticed him standing in his doorway.

”How surprising. I wasn’t expecting a visit from our precious Fool. I would have dressed better. I don’t want to kill you like this!”

And for a moment, he thought that he was able to escape the Queen’s control, just like The Jack had done. But no, he was still under it. It just seems like they don’t forget their memories, which was intresting.

Aether clenched his blade in his hand, leaning on one foot forward, as he situated his blade to his side, slightly driven back.

”I’ve changed my ways. You should know, I don’t like being called a Fool now.”

Without waiting a second, he dashed forward, ready to slash down on his chest, but as the sword fell. The Ace caught it with his bare hand, making Aether pale, as he heard his laughter.

”That has to be the funniest thing I’ve heard. You really know how to be a Fool. Sadly, you’ll have to die by my hand. Guliot, The Ace.”

His grip tightened onto Aether’s blade as he raised it into the air, together with him, and threw him into the air.

While in the air, he managed to get his feet down, making him able to stop just in time to not hit a wall. This impressed The Ace, even making him clap.

But Aether took it as mockery, so he dashed forward again, which made Guilot roll his eyes because of the repetitive attack. Catching it in his hand once more.

Instead of throwing him into the air again, he pressed down on the blade, putting Aether under a lot of pressure. Even making his knee bend. He felt the floor under him crack.

But instead of being worried, he smiled.

”You arent so much better than those beasts, you know?”

...

”I hope this is how it works...”

He didn’t say anything, and yet, he called out to his blade, specifically its rage.

’Do you see this? He is mocking us. He wants to crush us. Will you let that happen...’

Not even a second later, Aether felt himself grow stronger, but that strength already seemed to be deflating, so he didn’t waste any time. Pushing the sword through the crack of his palm and right into his chest, barely getting through his tough skin.

Aether smiled as he looked at The Aces’ unimpressed expression.

Happy to witness his expression change whenever the poison hit.

”You... you rat!”

”You’re not the first to call me that.”