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Awakening in the Abyss

  Kairyuuha stood in the bloodstained ruins of the alleyway, the dragon egg cradled tightly against his chest. His heart, once hardened by endless struggle, now felt strangely hollow after witnessing the love and sacrifice of a parent.

  "I swear," he muttered under his breath, "no matter the consequences... I will protect this young one."

  But not just the egg, he realized. His team. Mei, Yuno, Kael, Thora, Reiya... and Kazuki. His only real family in this broken world.

  Footsteps approached him.

  "Is that... a dragon egg?" Mei asked carefully, her eyes wide with wonder.

  "And who was that dragon...?" Reiya added, glancing around warily.

  Kairyuuha looked at them, his expression unreadable. "A parent. One who fought to protect... and lost." His grip tightened on the egg. "That's why we must grow stronger. We must save the others trapped here."

  His voice carried a weight that made the team straighten, nodding without hesitation.

  Kairyuuha’s eyes briefly glowed with cold fury. "Tell me... why must the innocent suffer while monsters thrive? Why does this world reward cruelty?" His voice dropped into a vow. "I will change that. Someday, I’ll be the one to bring hope."

  The group pressed forward, finding an open path that led down a spiraling staircase.

  At the bottom, they found an ancient map on the wall — three places were marked:

  Summoning Chamber (where they first entered)

  Research and Experiment Wing

  Subject Containment

  Kairyuuha pointed to the third. "The creatures... they're held captive there."

  They hurried. As they reached a wide, metal alleyway, a grotesque guardian monster blocked their path, snarling.

  Without hesitation, Kairyuuha stepped forward. His eyes narrowed.

  "Blade Technique — Mist of Uncertainty!"

  A thick mist burst forth, blinding everyone — everyone except Kairyuuha. He could see through it perfectly. In a flash, he teleported forward, daggers flashing.

  "Blade Technique — 8th Petal Blade Dance!"

  Blades of light weaved through the mist, petals of death slicing through the monster from every direction.

  When the mist cleared, Kairyuuha stood atop the monster’s dismembered corpse, his daggers dripping with blood.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  The team stared in stunned silence.

  He turned toward them and gave a small, apologetic smile.

  "Sorry... I might have startled you."

  They exhaled slowly, relieved — Kairyuuha hadn't lost himself.

  Not yet.

  They reached the prison area — only to find corpses everywhere. Monsters that had been dismembered, suffocated, tortured. A massacre.

  Yet in the darkness, there were survivors — wounded and terrified:

  Selis, a lizardfolk child

  Orin, a winged wolf cub

  Vesha, a centaur girl

  Roux, a tiny golem

  Lani, a fairy with torn wings

  The team quickly freed them, wrapping them in cloaks and soothing them.

  "Now," Kazuki said, grimacing at the carnage, "we find a way out."

  They made their way into the Research Zone, a cold labyrinth of failed experiments, broken sigils, and forbidden books.

  But what they found next shook them —

  Another Deyrith.

  A twisted, humanlike figure, identical to the clone they had fought before.

  Deyrith recoiled in fear. "How... how did you get past my clone?!"

  The team readied their weapons, but Kairyuuha raised a hand. "Stay back. Be alert."

  Suddenly, five grotesque monsters emerged from the shadows.

  Kairyuuha handed the egg to Reiya. "Protect it. I’ll handle this."

  He pulled out his daggers and whispered,

  "Blade Techniques — Dance of Darkness!"

  He shot forward like a dark beam — but when he slashed at a monster, the blade barely scratched it.

  "Tch," he clicked his tongue, landing heavily. "This technique’s useless against them."

  He gathered all his mana into his palm — it crackled violently.

  "Sphere of Mortality!"

  The dark orb shot forward, annihilating two monsters instantly.

  But three remained.

  "Kazuki, Mei! Get out of here! Protect the egg!"

  Kazuki gritted his teeth. "We fight together!"

  But before he could move, Kairyuuha unleashed a shockwave, forcing them and the others out through the doors, slamming them shut.

  Inside, Kairyuuha knelt, breathing hard.

  "Sphere of Mortality... drained all my mana."

  "Blade Techniques won't work anymore."

  He wiped the blood from his mouth and stood up.

  Then I’ll fight with my speed, strength, and mind.

  Outside, Kazuki pounded on the door, shouting. Mei and the others pulled him back, their faces filled with fear — but also trust.

  "He’ll come back," Mei whispered. "He’s Kairyuuha."

  Inside, Kairyuuha ran, leaped, slashed — injuring the monsters, but never fatally. He could feel it — his body was reaching its limit.

  "I can’t die here..." he thought desperately.

  "Not yet. I have too much left to do."

  He forced his breathing higher — unlocking Dual Breathing at maximum.

  It shredded his body from within — blood pouring from his mouth, his nose, his ears.

  "Even if it kills me...!"

  He moved faster, slashing another monster's neck — but was thrown across the room.

  Suddenly — a lightning lance pierced him.

  A searing pain bloomed through his chest.

  He looked down — a hole, straight through him.

  Deyrith laughed cruelly, preparing a syringe. "Now, let’s see what makes you special, boy."

  But just as he neared—

  The syringe shattered midair.

  The air trembled.

  An overwhelming force erupted from Kairyuuha's kneeling body.

  His wound began sealing — skin stitching itself closed, muscles reforming, bone snapping back into place. In seconds, he stood whole again.

  Deyrith staggered back, eyes wide.

  "Impossible... that regeneration... only lifeless clones could do that!"

  But Kairyuuha wasn’t lifeless.

  He was alive — and more than that, awakened.

  ---

  Inside Kairyuuha's mind:

  "I see now..."

  "The principle I developed... the one meant to enhance the body... it failed at strengthening me..."

  "But it succeeded in another way."

  "By taking two mana atoms — forcing one to divide, then using the other to stabilize the division — I can create an endless cycle of mana production."

  "Infinite mana."

  "And with infinite mana... regeneration becomes easy."

  "Transmit mana into the wound. Copy missing cells. Cover the damage in a blink."

  "Even... even if my head is cut off, I would return."

  "If I master this technique fully..."

  "I could outlast any enemy."

  "I could be... unbeatable."

  ---

  Kairyuuha opened his eyes — void-black, endless.

  Deyrith tried to flee — but too late.

  Kairyuuha appeared behind a monster and kicked its head clean off.

  Another monster — crushed with a single punch.

  The last — its skull caved in like a donut.

  Deyrith collapsed to his knees, suffocating under the sheer weight of Kairyuuha's aura.

  Kairyuuha walked slowly toward him.

  "You said you'd dissect me," he said, voice cold.

  "But I told your clone — I would be the one to end your little games."

  He raised his dagger.

  "Blade Technique — 8th Petal Blade Dance."

  Slashes rained down — but this time, carefully placed.

  Leaving Deyrith crippled, but alive.

  Kairyuuha muttered a curse, binding Deyrith's soul.

  "Submitting him to the Guild... will raise my rank and wealth," he thought with a wry smile.

  With a flash of divine-like power, Kairyuuha opened a teleportation gate.

  The team — Kazuki, Mei, Yuno, Kael, Thora, Reiya — and the rescued survivors, all gathered.

  "Let's go home," Kairyuuha said.

  And they stepped into the light.

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