Episode 10
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-Thanks to an Awakened One I managed to survive that abyss.
-I am very grateful to the person who fought for everyone in the abyss from which I came out alive along with many other people.
-The mortality rate would not have increased if it wasn't for that person.
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He noticed the news.
The people were grateful.
They were all those who had entered Andariel's Creative Abyss the day before.
It seemed that they were all relaxed and happy to have made it out of that abyss alive.
However, those people did not enter voluntarily.
When a Creative Abyss is newly created, a dimensional rift appears that sends them in, trapping hundreds of people.
These dimensional rifts are called "Entrances". Each entrance can appear in different parts of the world. A high-ranking Creative Abyss has more than 50 entries spread globally.
Creators who generate these chasms with so many entries usually spend more than a thousand coins per entry, making them high-ranking chasms that the Chasm Management Department tries to manage as quickly as possible.
The death rate from these unexpectedly emerging new chasm entrances is one of the leading causes of death among ordinary people.
The world could collapse if this situation continues.
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-The Department of Abyss Management announced that they are searching for this Awakened One.
-Agents of the department entered the Creative Abyss of the demon Andariel and observed everything from the inception to the breakdown of the abyss creator.
The agents believe this is a high-level Awakened One.
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It was absurd.
"High level Awakened...? Now people see me that way."
Freddy continued reading, however.
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-The agents confirmed that the Awakened One who saved over two thousand people is knight class.
-He fought a level 30 or 35 monster and killed it with a sword with surprising ease.
-We believe that this Awakened One is exceptionally talented. Not only did he bankrupt a creator, something normally only level 50 or higher Awakened Ones accomplish, but he also saved all the people single-handedly.
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"....."
Freddy burst out laughing.
The opinions of the people who were in the Creative Abyss were simply hilarious.
Freddy was barely level 1.
If he said he was level 1, everyone would be dumbfounded and look absolutely astonished.
However, no matter how much they insisted, he would not reveal his identity.
At the moment, it would be too dangerous to do so. Gustang could search for him, and his brother would always know where he was.
He currently holds the Sword of Death in his hands, a sword that Gustang holds quite dear at the moment. If he finds it, he would definitely be dead.
Keeping a low profile until he reached level 99 was the best he could do.
Therefore.
"I should get that robe when I enter the next abyss."
It was the best option.
However, it wouldn't be just any tunic.
He knew a high-ranked item merchant, and in the past he bought a robe that was exceptional.
Inexistence.
One of the abilities of that robe was inexistence, which allowed it to go unnoticed by anyone.
It didn't matter his level; it was impossible to be seen, unless Freddy revealed himself of his own free will.
He lost that robe in the past. If not for that, he would have succeeded in raiding the factions and the nine races.
"The Department of Abyss Management... should go get the Awakened license."
***
The Department of Abyss Management was a tall and majestic building, with branches all over the world.
In every country and city there was at least one building of the department, but only one leader presided in each nation. The other branches were under the command of secretaries.
The building across the street from Freddy was known to be the headquarters where, at the time, the leader or chairman of the Abyss Management Department was located.
It took him a long time to get there, but he was finally in front of the huge building, with tall windows and hundreds of Awakened Ones coming and going.
He could not ignore the energies emanating from the building, especially from the top floor.
"So it was true."
The chairman of the Abyss Management Department was there.
In each country there was a chairman in charge of organizing and supervising operations in the department's buildings. In this case, the chairman was in that place.
A high-level Awakened One.
"He must be at least level 90."
Among the Awakened Ones, it was said that the chairmen of the Abyss Management Department in each country were at least level 90.
If they did not reach that level, they could not hold office, as the strongest were to lead the global branches.
If a president was low level, the protection of that country would be severely compromised.
At the same time, high-level people were coming in and out of the building.
Freddy took a step forward and began to walk.
"....."
Or so he thought, until he turned back.
"Excuse me, do you know where the assessment for an Awakened license is?"
"....."
Freddy's eyes widened in surprise, as if he had seen a celebrity.
Because he had.
He looked at a woman he only knew from past news and rumors.
The incredibly talented woman, who reached level 99 in record time.
She was famous for her peculiar and unique swordplay.
Before obtaining her license, she had been a level 30 Awakened One. According to rumors, she went straight to the Abyss Management Department while still at that level.
Her evaluation was outstanding, and she was considered a talented Awakened, having awakened less than two months ago.
A woman with white hair and ruby red eyes, with flawless skin, with no imperfections whatsoever.
Freddy recognized her immediately.
For she had been known as the "Lady of the Sword" in the past.
"Hello, can you hear me?"
He never met her in person, but she was among the five strongest in the world before her return to the past.
Although she died because Gustang killed her, Freddy came to the conclusion that she had discovered Gustang's secret: she was collaborating with Arhat, the Lord of Magic.
Gustang must have killed her for that.
She was a monster that, even among those of level 99, would be impossible to defeat.
Yet here she was, still alive.
"Hey, hey, are you paying attention to me or not?"
"....."
At the same time, Freddy realized his mistake, came back from the past in his memory and spoke.
"Oh... Sorry, I was distracted."
"Ah, well, never mind. So, do you know where the licensing evaluation is?"
"Ah, actually, I was going to do that too."
"Really? That's great!"
That woman, in the future, would be so strong.
She was in the top five strongest in the world.
If Freddy was the one from before, he could tell that she was almost as powerful as she was in his future. However, because Gustang killed her, he never had the chance to face her in a sword fight.
Because she was known as the Lady of the Sword.
She was said to be the best at wielding a sword.
Meanwhile, Freddy, in the shadows, was recognized as the best master swordsman.
In other words, they both shared an exceptional talent with the sword.
That's why Freddy had always been curious to face the Lady of the Sword in combat. But, unfortunately, that moment never came in the past.
However...
"I see you use a sword."
He noticed a slender black and gold colored sword. It had a shape similar to that of a katana because of its stylized blade, though it was not.
"Oh, yeah. You too, right?"
It was obvious.
He had the Sword of Death hanging from his back at that very moment. It would be absurd for someone not to notice.
"I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Isabella. What's yours?"
"I'm Freddy... Just Freddy."
"....."
For a moment, Isabella frowned.
She looked quizzical because he pronounced her name twice, which she interpreted as peculiar.
After all, saying the last name Verdance would be like humiliating myself. I wasn't even supposed to think about that last name.
That last name belonged to the worst family in the whole world.
"So, Freddy, will you tell me where the evaluation for the Awakened license is?"
"Oh, sure."
Her appearance was pleasant.
Although he had never met her in person in the past, Freddy knew something about her personality.
"She's a very kind woman, always willing to help anyone."
"Hmm, well, I got to know her and she's quite nice, you know? You should meet her before we go to the Abyss."
The leaders of the last resistance even praised her, they being the pillars of the Earth dimension as the most powerful humans.
The rumors could be absurd, though.
In a world where the strong lead, it was suspicious to find someone willing to help you.
If someone helped you, it was best to keep an eye out, because that person might want more than just help. A dagger in the neck would be the last thing you would see before you died for their betrayal.
Trust was not a viable option.
Especially among the traitor factions, there were so many of them that no one trusted anyone.
However, Isabella's personality was different from what Freddy thought at the time.
Freddy nodded.
Because he realized that Isabella had discovered Gustang's secret.
That bastard... Isabella would have been a great help to the last resistance against the Abyss, but the future was a disaster for the Earth dimension.
"Hey, I see you're very weak.... You're a newly awakened one, aren't you?"
"..."
"How do you know?"
"One of my skills is observation. I can see your level, though not your stats or skills."
"Ah... I didn't expect that."
"Well, they all start out the same, don't they?"
"I guess they do."
"You're not too surprised, that's different from the rest too."
They came to a secluded section of the main hall of the building. There, a uniformed woman was looking at a computer.
"We're here for the Awakened license."
Getting an Awakened license was the way to access future Abyssals that were protected from unauthorized entry by the Department of Abyss Management.
The Awakened license omitted restrictions on creative Abysses.