Darkness.

It is without light.

There’s nothing there, except nothing.

The bottom of the hole.

One might think we are crazy to try and go into it, but I say we are not crazy. We are angry.

Angry at the monsters. We are tired of living in constant fear and oppression.

We will be free once we destroy the black source.

We will be free once we fight for our lives. Either way it goes.

Not that I want to die.

I don’t want to die.

I don’t want Lys to die.

But I can’t keep her from coming.

She said she will come. And that nothing I can do or say will stop her. Even if I were to restrain her topside, she would escape and get down to the bottom of the pit.

So… she’s here. With me. Going into the dark.

“Can anyone see anything in there?” She says.

“No.” Brighton responds.

“I can’t see anything, either.” Charlie says.

“Well… I will be able to sense the wall next to us with my skill.” I say.

“Then I guess we have to rely on you to take us down safely.” Lys says.

I continue on down into the darkness. At least, I think it’s down.

If gravity were to be all screwy in here, I wouldn’t be able to tell which way is down.

We’ve been floating down together for the past 15 minutes. That’s how long it took to reach the blackness in the bottom of the hole. I can’t tell how close we are to the ground, because of this blinding black fog. It’s actually not an effect created by distance between the top of the hole and the bottom. It’s actually some kind of fog, likely something made by a creature down here.

Anyway, down I go.

Down…

Down…

Down…

It seems to be bottomless.

Wait…

A floor!

It’s right there!

“We’ve reached the bottom.” I say.

I await a response by someone in the group as I lower the flying convoy.

None comes.

“Guys? Are you with me?”

No response.

I set everybody onto the ground, and one by one, they all fall down.

The ground is made of dust. My movements kick it up into the air, where it hangs. It’s almost like I’m underwater, and the sand is floating. Except, there’s only the air and the black fog.

I rush over to Lys, the closest one to me.

I observe her with my skill, and find nothing wrong physically.

“Lys! Hey!” I shout while shaking her.

Again, nothing.

‘Appraisal.’

[Command Received.]

[Activating Skill – Appraisal.]

Name: Arcadia Lysander Young

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Level: 58

Age: 19

Condition: Entranced

Condition Effect: Catatonic (Entranced).

[…]

What could have made her this way?

I don’t know. But something did.

When did it start?

Nobody said anything once we entered the black fog.

‘Appraisal.’

[Command Received.]

[Activating Skill – Appraisal.]

Name: Skill – Black Web

Effect: Any sentient being will enter a catatonic state upon entering.

Note: Your skill, Mental Influence Immunity, is able to block this effect.

But what could have made this?

I don’t know.

Of course… I already know why.

All monsters have the same goal.

Kill all the humans in existence.

… But what should I do?

It would be best if I brought the others back out of here.

But… I don’t know what would happen to them if I brought them out of the fog without killing the source of the Black Web.

They may die, or be catatonic permanently.

Either of those things would be terrible.

The best course of action would be to kill the source of the Black Web.

That way, I can be the most assured of my three teammates’ survival.

I need to start looking for it.

It could be anywhere in this 5 kilometer wide hole in the ground.

…………………………………………………………………

Resistance.

I can feel pressure being exerted on my mind as I go farther in this direction.

Is this…

Yeah, this it probably it.

There’s nothing else so far to suggest there’s anything else.

This is what I’m looking for.

I take a step forward.

The mental pressure increases exponentially as I move.

Though… I can tell that this pressure will never be enough to stop me from advancing. It’s probably thanks to Mental Influence Immunity.

If I didn’t have this skill, I would likely be stopped in my tracks several steps ago. Every step, I can feel the burden increase, but I don’t care about it. Why would I? It’s not like it can influence me.

Soon, I can sense a large, spherical shape in front of me.

This… must be it.

The black orb.

But… it’s… not whole.

There’s a crack in the back of it, and… the orb is solid.

Unlike any time before, the orb isn’t like a solid gas. It’s solid. And the hole…

What could it mean?

I think…

It…

Looks…

Like an…

Egg?

Wait… an egg. If that’s true, then what came out of it?

What came out? And where did it go?

Where…?

The only other place that contains anything of interest.

The place where my team lay catatonic, sleeping.

If it goes after them, and I’m not there…

Lys!

I start to sprint back the way I came. With the assistance of the map, I can easily retrace my steps, even if I can’t tell directions myself.

I travelled very far to reach the black source, only to find that I shouldn’t have left my team.

I need to get there as quickly as I can.

I can’t just run. It’s too slow.

I need to fly.

I pick myself up, and accelerate as fast as I can towards my squad. As I fly close to the ground, the dust on the ground flies up and swirls in the region behind me.

1 second… 2 seconds… 7…

I’m not fast enough.

I need to be faster. What if I’m late?

If I’m too late to save Lys…

Don’t. Do not think about that.

Just go faster.

Push harder.

I need to…

[You have reached a proficiency rating of Master on Control.]

Suddenly, I can feel myself accelerate much faster.

I can feel myself move begin to move faster than sound. I can tell since there’s a sonic boom forming behind me. I can feel it with Sense.

So… faster.

I will go faster.

Until I’ve reached the others.

Almost there…

500 meters…

200…

I slow myself down. I would shoot past them if I didn’t slow down. And if I just crashed into the ground at the speed I was going, I would certainly be severely injured.

I bring myself near the unconscious group.

Something’s wrong… I can feel it.

‘Appraisal.’

[Command Received.]

[Activating Skill – Appraisal.]

Name: Jonathan Brighton (Corpse)

Cause of Death: Strangulation

No…

‘Appraisal.’

[Activating Skill – Appraisal.]

Name: Charllotte Yuri Andersen (Corpse)

Cause of Death: Strangulation

A tear starts to come out.

“Lys…”

‘Appraisal.’

[Command Received.]

[Activating Skill – Appraisal.]

Name: Arcadia Lysander Young

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Level: 58

Age: 19

Condition: Entranced

Condition Effect: Catatonic (Entranced).

[…]

I heave a sigh of relief. She’s still alive.

What killed Brighton and Charlie?

...And why did I leave them?

No… I had to. I needed to find the monster that made them catatonic. I might not have been able to save them otherwise.

I still haven’t found what did this.

Suddenly, I can feel a change in the mana at the very edge of Sense to my right.

I pull back. As I do, a spear of mana shoots past where I just was.

There’s something there!

Is it what killed Brighton and Charlie?

I take a step toward it, before stopping myself. Instead of charging toward the monster, I go to Lys. I need to keep her safe.

She can’t defend herself in the state she’s in.

I pick her up with Control and put myself in between where the missile-like mana came from.

If anything comes, I’ll either keep her out of harms way, or put myself in its path. I won’t let her die.

I can’t see anything through this insane fog. What can I do?

Mana… air… I can move it both now, right?

I only need an area where there isn’t any fog.

I start trying to push the Black Web away from myself, and I succeed. Soon, the blackness moves away from me. I can’t see anything, since the fog also blocks the sunlight from reaching into the depths of this place, but…

Lys isn’t catatonic anymore.

I can feel her moving. She’s still unconscious, though.

“What... are... you?” I hear a strained voice out of Lys’ mouth.

“Lys?”

“Why have you come here?” The raspy voice asks another question.

“… Who are you?”

A laugh comes out of her mouth. It flows through the darkness like it is its natural habitat.

“I am… the End. I am the Destroyer. I am the Darkness. I am the one who will not allow creation to exist.” It says.

“Are you the one who killed Brighton and Charlie?” I ask, seething.

“Ha ha haa~” It continues with its disheartening laughter. “The ones who got caught in my web… yes. I was about to kill the third, but you came. I was curious about who it was that could so easily move through my web.”

“… I will… KILL YOU!” I shout.

I charge towards the place where the spear shot out from, hoping to get an attack on whatever the monster here is.

“Stop.” A cold voice comes out now.

I promptly do what it says, as I can sense the intent in its single word.

“If you attack me, I will kill my beautiful puppet. And you won’t be able to stop me from doing so, even if you are strong.”

I shudder.

It could kill her. I know it could.

Anything that could fill this entire hole with its web could easily kill somebody that they already have control of.

“What do you want?” I ask.

“What do I want? What a simple answer I have…” It pauses. “I want to be the end. It’s my only desire. I will end this world. I will destroy what was created.”

I think for a moment.

… I can’t.

I can’t stop it.

Not when it has Lys.

I can’t attack without it knowing because I don’t even know where it is.

And if I fail, I’ll… lose Lys.

And if I fail, I’ll lose everything else. Everybody will lose everything. It would be the end of the world if this thing comes out into it.

I must do what I can to try and save Lys. I must save the world.

… Even if it means I lose, I will kill this monster.

I reach out with Sense.

I need to see farther.

Push the boundaries of what I can do… the same thing I’ve been doing ever since I woke up in this walled nightmare over 2 years ago.

[You have reached a proficiency rating of Master on Sense.]

… I can see it.

A form in the dark.

A human shape, but whatever it is, it’s not human.

It is the darkness. It is the end.

I can feel its power.

It washes off with the ebb and flow of the mana in the air.

It seems to be made of mana. At least, some form of it.

I think… I can pull it apart. I can rip it to pieces.

But… how long would it take for it to die that way?

I don’t know.

There’s so many things I don’t know.

Like, how to save Lys, if that’s even possible

There’s nothing else I can do in this situation.

I prepare to pull it apart as hard as I can, even releasing the force keeping the Black Web at bay, and putting Lys on the ground.

And… now!

The darkness that culminates in the human form of the monster shears off in layers.

My adrenaline spikes during this assault on the very essence of its being.

Until I hear a scream.

From Lys.

I turn to her.

Blood is dripping from her eyes, nose, and mouth.

No. No!

I turn my focus back onto the creature.

I tear it apart with everything I have.

It’s not enough…

I need to do more.

I pull out my knife.

It won’t hurt if I attack with my knife, as well.

‘I need more mana. System, put all my unassigned stat points into intelligence.’

[Stat Allocation Confirmed.]

‘Upgrade One With Mana as much as possible.’

[One With Mana has increased in level. Lv. 3 to Lv. 5]

[Remaining Skill Points: 4]

Now, I will attack.

I bring my blade to the ready.

The monster can’t move from the amount of damage I’m continuing to inflict on it.

‘Mana Blade.’

[-1440 MP]

I can’t let it escape. I won’t let it live.

As the infinitely white blade forms, the light from it disintegrates the darkness surrounding me.

“No!” I hear the raspy voice from Lys one more time, before I bisect the dark creature in two. Perfectly vertical, from the top of its apparent head to its groin, the creature lets out a pained scream through Lys, before it completely fades into nothing.

I’m surprised I can still remain conscious, even though I just used up all my mana.

I check what my mana is at, and I can see that my regeneration rate is very fast. It must be a result of leveling up One With Mana.

“Lys!” I shout.

I run over to her.

As the unknown creature has died, its sustained skill is now dying along with it. And as it does, the light of the sun shines down onto the battlefield.

A fair distance away lies Brighton and Charlie, dark rings around their necks.

Near me is Lys, blood streaming down her face, onto her chest.

Once I fall onto my knees next to her, she wakes up.

She takes in a pain-filled breath.

“My HP… It’s low. It’s… dropping.” She says weakly.

She’s dying.

“What do I do?”

She can’t answer now. Her strength is leaving her quickly.

[Searching...]

[Suggestion: Purchase Skill – Heal (4 points).]

“Buy it!”

[Acquired Skill.]

“Heal!”

[-10 MP]

[Healed for 500 HP.]

The blood instantly stops flowing from her orifices. Her breathing is is returning to normal.

I think that after she spends some time recovering, she’ll be fine.

I sigh, and look at her bloodied face. Then, I look up at the clear sky.

I did it.

The monster is dead.

The monster that would bring the end of the world is dead.

It’s over.

Now, the world will be peaceful…

Suddenly, I feel a burning sensation in my body. It’s penetrating me. From my back to my front, and then even further, right into…

A dark spear.

I turn around.

A small piece of dark smoke floats where I thought the monster had died.

Then, it flickers out of existence.

[Level has increased by 1.]

I cough once. Blood comes out.

I don’t think I can survive this injury.

...Maybe Lys can.

The spear vaporizes in the next moment, leaving a very bad wound in both of us.

“Heal.”

[-10 MP]

[Healed for 500 HP.]

Lys…

“I’m sorry. I love you…”

And then, I collapse onto the dusty ground. A plume of it escapes from beneath me as my vision goes black.

[You have died.]

…………………………………………………………………

- Lys’ Perspective -

I feel weak.

Very weak.

What happened?

The last thing I remember is coming into the hole…

And pain. Lots of pain.

I jerk my eyes open, and see that I’m still in the hole.

But, the darkness is gone.

I look to my left.

Brighton and Charlie are… not moving. Are they…?

I… think so.

I feel like crying, but I can’t find the strength. I don’t know what happened. Or if I’m safe.

I look to my right.

...Hunter?

“...-ter… Hunter.” I barely manage to eek out.

I reach out to touch him. He’s laying on his side, clutching his chest.

… He’s cold.

“Hunter! Hunter!!’

I stumble forward on all fours and move his arm out of the way.

There’s a 2-inch hole in him.

“Hunter…” I say in disbelief.

I can’t… understand.

Why?

Why is he dead?

I collapse onto him.

And cry.

I can’t believe it.

Is this real?

I hit my head with my hand.

I can feel the pain. This isn’t a dream. If it is, it’s too real.

“Hunter…”

I won’t… live without you.

I pull out my gun.

I put it up to my temple, and put my finger on the trigger.

If this is a dream, I’ll wake up… If it isn’t… I don’t want to live without him.

I pull the trigger, but something stops me from doing it.

It’s not something I’m in control of. I literally can’t pull the trigger. I try, and I can’t push it down at all.

And then, I hear the only voice I want to hear at this point say, “Don’t. Please.”

I look down, and I see Hunter.

He’s looking back at me.

“Hunter?”

“Don’t kill yourself.”

He reaches up and takes the gun from my hand.

“But… you were dead?”

“I’m back.”

A million questions run through my mind as I look at him.

“How are you alive?”

He looks as if he wants to tell me something, but I ignore it.

I question if I’m hallucinating, but decide to just accept it.

I embrace him.

He holds me from his place on the ground, but groans as he does so.

His injury!

I back off and look at the hole that made a home in him, and as I observe it, it closes on its own.

He looks at it himself as he says, “That’s better.” Pausing for a moment, he asks, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine! Are you?!”

“Yeah. I’m fine.” He looks over at the others.

Following his gaze, I say, “I know.”

I reach for him again, this time…

I kiss him.

“I love you too much to see you die. Don’t ever leave me again.”

“I won’t. I promise. And… I love you. Until the end of the world and beyond, I will always love you.”

…………………………………………………………………

[You have died.]

“Welcome back, Old One.” A familiar voice says to me.

I know you…

“Fate.”

I observe the two others who are near me.

“Life. Death.”

“I’m glad to see you can remember again.” Life says.

“The ‘void.’ I remember this place now. And… I don’t want to be here.”

“What do you mean, Old One?” Fate asks.

“I’m going back. But first…”

Death screams in agony.

“I won’t let you exist anymore.”

His existence erases as I will it.

The other two look on with ambivalence as I enact my plan.

“Now, I’m going back. If you stop me, I’ll kill you.”

I turn my attention to the world of my own creation.

Back to where I died, in a deep hole in the earth.

I put myself back into my vessel.

I feel small again. Human senses are certainly limited.

I open my eyes, only to see Lys holding a gun to her head, with tears in her eyes. She’s crying harder than I’ve ever seen before.

Her finger is on the trigger.

...No!

As she pulls on the trigger, I stop her with Control.

She tries again, and I stop her dead in her tracks.

“Don’t. Please.”

She looks down at me.

“Hunter?”

“Don’t kill yourself.” I say.

“But… you were dead?”

“I’m back.”

“How are you alive?” She asks with extreme confusion visible on her face.

I contemplate telling her about what I just did. About what I can remember now.

But… I can’t. Rather, I won’t.

She doesn’t wait for an answer. I guess it was a rhetorical question.

She moves toward me, and puts me in her arms.

I hug her, as well, but instantly regret it, as I still have a hole in me.

‘Regeneration.’

[-16 MP]

[+320 HP]

We both look at my injury as it closes.

“That’s better.” Pausing for a moment, I ask, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine! Are you?!”

“Yeah. I’m fine.” I look over at the others.

‘But they’re not.’ I think

“I know.” She says aloud.

She comes close again, only to put her lips on mine. She stays there for longer than last time, and when she finally comes away, she continues talking.

“I love you too much to see you die. Don’t ever leave me again.”

I smile at her.

She returns my smile a hundredfold, and it causes me to feel euphoric.

“I won’t. I promise. And… I love you. Until the end of the world and beyond, I will always love you.”

…………………………………………………………………

Name: Hunter

Age: 20

Race: Human

Titles: Old One, Instant Death

Title Effect: Grants Skill Set – Mind Over Matter.

Level: 100

Experience: 0.00%

Condition: None.

Condition Effects: None.

HP: 2104/2104

MP: 1440/1440

Strength: 293 (143+150)

Intelligence: 240

Wisdom: 72

Dexterity: 138 (+42% Move Speed) (-30% Inertia)

Constitution: 263 (63+200)

Unassigned Stat Points: 5

Skills

Swiftness (Passive) [F] – Lv. 42

Increases movement speed.

Sturdy (Passive) [E] – Lv. 20

Increases constitution.

Dismantling (Active) [E] – Lv. 5

Dismantles the target corpse. Higher levels increase chance for bonus materials.

Regeneration (Active) [D] – Lv. 16

Regenerate HP at the cost of MP. Can restore lost limbs.

Appraisal (Active) [A] – Lv. 4

Appraises the target.

Mana Blade (Active) [A] – Lv. 10

Create a blade of pure mana. Increases damage and cutting ability.

Cartography (Passive) [A]

Maps the area which can be sensed. A map can be applied to a medium at the cost of MP.

Heal (Active) [A] – Lv. 1

Heal the target at the cost of MP.

Atlas’ Strength (Passive) [S] – Lv. 3

Increases strength.

Mental Influence Immunity (Passive) [S]

Grants complete immunity to mental influences from external sources.

Instant Hit (Active) [S] - Lv. 3

Guaranteed to instantly hit the target. The more difficult the hit, the higher the MP cost.

Instant Movement (Passive) [S] – Lv. 30

Reduces inertia, allowing you to alter your movements much quicker.

Inventory [Special] – Lv. 5

Grants an extra-dimensional space for the storage of allowed items.

One with Mana (Passive) [Special] – Lv. 5

Increases mana capacity.

Mind Over Matter [Special]

Control (Active):

Control what you can sense with Sense and what you can see.

Skill Strength: 2930 kg of force

Master Proficiency

Sense (Passive):

Allows you to sense your surrounding at all times. Focus on an area to sense greater detail. You may sense mana as well as matter.

Skill Range: 72 meters

Master Proficiency

Unassigned Skill Points: 1