『 Dear Azuma,
Greetings from the Abyssal Authority of Ashai. We are glad to inform you that you have cleared Phase 0 [Prelimniary Evaluation] with a rank C. The detailed result can be accessed » here «.
You are now officially an acting seeker until the end of the selection process.
Kindly collect your new license and report to your regulatory faction as soon as possible.
You have 72 hours to clear all the remaining three phases.
Best Wishes,
Centralized Seeker Registration Cell
Seeker Registration Division, Ashai. 』
It has been a day since Azuma received the message. The three phases were rumored to be differently made by each regulatory faction. And each phase was tied to a quest.
When Azuma reported to the Asura fleet, he was only informed about the first phase. The further would be told when he manages to clear the first quest.
The codex was updated soon after.
〙Daily Quests have been temporarily paused.〘
〙 New Quests Activated!〘
〙 Seeker Selection: Phase I〘
Goal: Complete the given requirements as soon as possible. Delay might lead to unforeseen consequences.
Find a Secret Treasure: The hint to the quest is in your acceptance mail. [ Incomplete ]
Gather 10 A Ranked Abyssal Relics: can be collected from the fossilized nests of beasts, resins, and in the caves of Hollow Goblins. [ Incomplete ]
Rewards: The points will be more the faster a phase is completed.
〙 Penalty: The points will be deducted based on injuries sustained. 〘
The sky was clear right above the Abyss.
Amidst the swirl of densely thick clouds, there was a vast emptiness that stretched into the unknown.
The velvet darkness carried countless stars and Azuma found it ironic. The skies closest to the Abyss were the most bright at night.
He was mesmerized by the sight he saw, and it didn't dim even as he descended further and down the indigo path.
The moss seemed to be trapping some of the moonlight by the way it appeared slightly bright as if neon hues were melted upon them.
It was the first time Azuma was descending by the path seekers used.
There was no rift that opened a way through the suffocating and eerie caverns.
What awaited were a great many cliffs, steep paths, and giant open caves. Many unfamiliar faunas were flourishing at their finest inside the Abyss, and it almost felt like Azuma had entered a new world.
He gazed down at the indigo path and asked as his pace slowed down.
"Do you know why the seekers follow this moss, Zero?"
「 The Indigo Path is formed by a unique luminiferous moss that is native to the Abyss. They are believed to spread more and grow denser as the abyssal energy increases. 」
The moss was abundant near the center of the Abyss and it was hard to come by if someone descends from any path other than the wide giant mouth of the endless Abyss.
In the center, the hypothetical Abyssal energy was dense and grows the deeper one descends.
But there was still little known about it.
"Some say it feeds on death," Azuma said, feeling superstitious but he still liked those beliefs, "The moss is thinner because very few die in the upper levels, but it's vast and wild in the areas where death is certain."
「 It sounds poisonous. 」
"How long have we been walking?"
Azuma left for the Abyss on the same night he received the confirmation message. He met a few hounds, and some serpents, and stumbled across some nests.
They were easier to deal with when his Neuralink system was functioning properly once again. The skillsets helped and it was an easy journey so far if he ignores the dull ache settling his feet from walking so much.
The rocky path didn't help.
「 It has been ten Earthly hours. 」
The time he experienced couldn't be more than a couple of hours.
Azuma froze and then he was rushing down the slippery path. If the boots were ordinary, he would be already getting some broken bones.
But now his chance just increased with every hasty step.
"We can't be that slow," he exclaimed, "Who knows how long the other phases might take?!"
「 I have created reminders for you, Azuma. 」
"What's the quest status?"
〙 Seeker Selection: Phase I〘
Goal: Complete the given requirements as soon as possible. Delay might lead to unforeseen consequences.
Find a Secret Treasure: The hint to the quest is in your acceptance mail. [ Incomplete ]
Gather 10 A Ranked Abyssal Relics: can be collected from the fossilized nests of beasts, resins, and in the caves of Hollow Goblins. [ 3/10 ]
Rewards: The points will be more the faster a phase is completed.
〙 Penalty: The points will be deducted based on injuries sustained.〘
Azuma pressed his lips into a thin line.
「 N.A.B just picked a spike in Abyssal Energy. You should find a shelter soon, Azuma. 」
That meant some highly ranked beasts were close or have been on that same path recently. Azuma's goal in the Abyss, as an aspiring seeker, was to survive and not fight unless necessary.
He was having a strong urge to forget that.
"The seeker shelter should be at this level," Azuma checked his system, "Somewhere near—"
『 Distance from closest Seeker Base: 4,200 Meters 』
『 No temporary shelters were found nearby. 』
Azuma caught glimpse of a small run-down shack. It seemed to be made from poorly patched-up tin sheets and all kinds of random junk.
He doubted that place could house more than one person.
And there was already a young lady nearby.
Judging by the looks, she appeared to be one of the hunters who would often live inside the Abyss. They were usually the poor people who couldn't afford a living outside.
Her beautiful grey eyes widened slightly when she saw him approach. She threw a brief glance at her makeshift house and then worriedly looked at Azuma.
"Can I have that?" he asked, there was no time to spare.
"I am afraid not," she placed a hand on her hips and declared firmly.
Azuma sighed, "I will pay."
She was confused and then slightly blushed when she realized he was looking at her hoverboard.
"You don't have to—"
Azuma quickly accepted the hoverboard and was hurrying down the next moment, "Alright, bye! Thanks!"
「 My database says that was a cruel thing to do. 」
"Why would you have such data?"
「 It is to understand human values and emotions, Azuma. Why didn't you pay the seemingly poor woman? 」
"She said no," Azuma fumbled inside his pockets, "And it's broken. Why will I waste my money when it's already so little?"
He then suspiciously raised a brow, "How did you see her?"
「 The codex is connected to your Neuralink System. 」
Azuma slowly nodded and wasn't sure how to feel about that. He took a short break to fix the hoverboard.
『 Master Technician Skill Activated! 』
The system message was soon followed by another one.
『 You lack the tools to successfully finish the task. Master Technician Skill deactivated. 』
But by this time, Azuma had managed to make the hoverboard start at least. The sleek black gadget won't be able to function for much longer as the energy levels were nearly exhausted.
He can only hope it takes him as far as possible.
The steep path stretched wide soon. It was hard to see any kind of plants besides the indigo moss and even that faded when Azuma deviated from the path that lead towards the central core of Abyss.
He was now surrounded by a large open space of nothingness, there was a dry green grass beneath his feet that wished with the speed of a hoverboard.
All he could see was a narrowing gap in the clear starry sky, and feel the grass that now brushed near his knees.
『 Alert! The boundary of the Abyss Level Two is approaching. High beastly activities are reported near the boundaries of Abyss, Proceed with caution. 』
「 You are not going towards the Seeker Base, Azuma. 」
"I need relics," he said with creased brows.
「 The dawn is near. 」 Her soft voice made him finally notice a layer of mist subtly spreading and seeping through the tall grass.
「 Abyssal mist will become thick soon, Azuma. It can be dangerous to stay unsheltered during this time. 」
He said nothing for a while and simply continued down the path but then the hoverboard stopped working.
It was tangled in the grass.
And the dry spikes seemed to be moving along the mist.
Azuma looked around the endless plain. He could faintly hear running water, some rustling of grass, and a distant incoherent noise that was hard to make sense of.
But then he saw a flicker of light, accompanied by smoke.
"A campfire?" he wondered with both relief and a certain cautiousness.
「 Azuma, I sense a thick layer of mist in that direction. 」
There were few other options.
"Well, fortunately, the system is still connected."
He warily smiled, feeling and realizing that the time for an actual fight is very close. Strangely, he felt none of the fear or hesitation he should be feeling.
The mist was unpredictable.
It took a short while to reach the campfire he has noticed.
The flames were coming from a valley that descended towards a cliff. It was filled with an unbearable rotten stench that made Azuma instantly nauseous.
But the only thing worst than the stench were huge leeches—as big as a baby elephant—sucking and devouring the fallen seekers and hunters.
Some of them were alive.