The Hollowfang moved like a shadow through the broken land, its claws cracking bones buried in the earth as it trotted forward. Raen sat atop the beast, surveying the nightmare that stretched before him.
The Abyss was far from empty.
Towering spires of black crystal rose from the ground like the broken teeth of a god. Fanged vines writhed between them. Rivers of glowing blood veined the terrain, illuminating horrific silhouettes—twisted beasts, some crawling, some flying, none natural.
And overhead, the sky pulsed like a living thing.
Raen's hand hovered near his sword. It wasn't a weapon of steel anymore, but a blackened blade formed from Hollowfang's own essence—his first system reward after bonding. Lightweight. Cold. Whispering things he chose to ignore.
[Warning: Unknown Beast Presence — 76 meters ahead.]
The system's voice chimed again, cheerfully emotionless.
Raen narrowed his eyes. "Type?"
[Designation: Class B Abyssal—Despair Maw. Soul Trait: Hunger of Hope.]
The Hollowfang stiffened beneath him, emitting a soft, warning growl.
"Problem?" Raen asked.
Hollowfang answered with a low whimper. Not fear—something else. Recognition.
[Additional Note: This beast once preyed upon abandoned cubs. It consumed the emotions of dying creatures. Especially hope.]
Raen's grip tightened around the reins of soul-chain connecting him to Hollowfang.
"Then let's kill the bastard."
They found the creature curled beside a shattered obsidian altar. It resembled a bear, but only in the loosest sense. Its fur was patchy, matted in filth, and its face was a vertical split of razor-sharp teeth that trembled open and closed like a twitching wound.
But worse than its form… was its aura.
Raen felt it before he saw it.
A heaviness.
Memories of failure, doubt, weakness—his own voice whispering:
"You deserved the betrayal.""You let them take everything.""You will never rise again."
The weight threatened to crush his spine.
He staggered. "What…?"
[Status Effect Detected: Emotional Drain — Hope Level: Decreasing]
[Countermeasures Advised: Kill It.]
The Despair Maw raised its head and sniffed. Its maw slowly unfurled like a flower of rot.
Raen looked into its empty eyes—and saw every moment he regretted. Every soul he failed to save.
And then… he smiled.
"You should've come for me before I died."
He leapt from Hollowfang's back and charged, blade humming with abyssal light.
The Despair Maw shrieked and slammed a claw into the ground, causing spikes of despair-infused energy to erupt. Raen dodged left, spun, and slashed into its leg. Black ichor sprayed.
[Critical Hit. Emotional Drain Interrupted.]
The beast snarled, its split-jaw gaping wide as it lunged, trying to bite.
Raen ducked under the jaws and drove his blade upward into its ribcage. The maw screamed—a sound that was less animal, more... human weeping.
Raen's face twisted. "You feast on sorrow? Let's see how you like mine!"
He unleashed a blast of Abyssal Chain Energy through the sword, sending black lightning into the beast's core.
[Bonding Option Available.]
[WARNING: This beast may corrupt user's emotional state permanently.]
Raen hesitated.
He wasn't afraid of the corruption. He was afraid of what it might awaken.
But then he looked back at Hollowfang—standing behind him, watching silently.
A month ago, he might've rejected the idea. But now…
"I don't need a perfect army," Raen muttered, "just one twisted enough to follow me."
He reached forward.
Chains erupted again—black, coiling, sharp like glass. They shot into the Despair Maw's body. The beast roared, fighting back, memories flashing between them:
—A cub, abandoned in a temple.—Priests sealing its soul in this monstrous form.—Hundreds of creatures screaming as it fed.
The beast's howls became sobs.
Raen's brow furrowed. "No one gave you mercy. So you never learned how to stop."
The chains tightened.
And the Despair Maw stilled.
[Bonding Successful.]
[New Beast Added: Despair Maw (Rank B)][New Trait Gained: Aura of Broken Will — weakens morale of nearby enemies]
Raen staggered back. Sweat dripped from his brow, though he hadn't moved in moments.
The emotional feedback had struck deeper than he'd expected.
But he smiled again. "Two down."
He looked up at the twisting sky.
"How many more to go?"
[Approximately… 3,274 viable beasts in Layer Seven. Estimated bonding capacity: 10.]
Raen sighed. "Let's just say ten."
[Noted. Encouraging optimism detected. Would you like a sticker?]
"…Shut up."
They made camp beside a ravine of glass-like stone. Hollowfang curled at Raen's side like a loyal dog, though it occasionally gnawed on a floating eyeball. The Despair Maw remained silent, hunched like a stone statue.
Raen stared into the abyssal fire he'd conjured. It crackled with violet flame, casting long shadows.
[Would you like to review your Codex?]
"Yeah."
[CURRENT CONTRACTS:]
Hollowfang – Rank C – Trait: Phantom Step / Loyal
Despair Maw – Rank B – Trait: Aura of Broken Will / Emotionally unstable
[System Notes: Excellent start. You're building the saddest zoo in existence.]
Raen smirked. "At least I won't be lonely."
The system paused, then added, almost thoughtfully:
[You know… most who end up here forget their names within a week. The Abyss feeds on identity.]
Raen looked up.
"I'm not most."
He drew his blade, pressed it into the earth beside him, and whispered,
"I am Raen Tiberis."
The ground trembled faintly.
Somewhere far away in the layer's deeper zone… something ancient stirred.
It had heard his name.