Chapter 45 - The Abyss

Chapter 45 – The Abyss

Although looking at the hole from above, it seemed dark and gloomy, after passing a special layer, light once again began to shine.

"So this is what the first layer looks like." Misaka had stars in her eyes and she began to take in everything she saw.

(She's still a child after all...)

"1st layer, also known as the Edge of the Abyss. Ascending from here causes light dizziness and nausea. It is written that the environment here is consistent and sunny, full of hollows in the grassy rockfaces and petrified trees. The wildlife consists of mostly harmless animals. So there's no danger to worry about basically."

"Hey wait, let me try ascending."

"Agreed."

Misaka prepared herself, and harmlessly stimulating her leg muscles, she burst upwards with inhuman strength. Her body passed the ten meter mark, and she did indeed feel some discomfort but nothing else.

She then magnetised herself and the land, and slowly landed on both her legs.

"Did you just try to forcefully stimulate the full potential in your legs?"

"Yeah."

"..."

"Don't worry, I've done it many times before. It's fine and doesn't have any side effects."

"It better not. So what about the curse?"

"I could definitely feel something in the way and felt a bit dizzy, but it's fine now."

"Have you tried the feather theory then?"

"Not yet. Although I said something about a feather, it will still take time to turn myself into something akin to a feather in this scenario."

"Do you need my help?"

"Hell no. You mind your own business."

"You know you can just use a clone if you want..."

Misaka gave Medea a death glare.

Signalling the end of the conversation, Medea just smiled and took the lead in walking.

To be completely honest, there was no rush to go as quick as possible, since they had one relative year. Medea also wanted to slow down and enjoy the sights a bit more, so they just leisurely descended.

She observed the animals dotted about, running and hunting in various regions.

She also noticed how there were praying skeletons here and there but just ignored it as it was none of her business to question it.

Before they knew it, they were already at the start of the second layer.

"Ahah! I figured it out!"

"The feather thing? You were awfully silent all this time."

"Hehe, watch this."

Misaka closed her eyes and jolts of electricity soon bounced of her body.

Medea just cast a shield around herself and watched.

Eventually, even Medea felt something about Misaka change.

Although nothing on the outside looked different, for some reason Medea couldn't sense 'Misaka', as if she wasn't alive.

"Hehe, not even magicians can do this right?"

"You...-"

"Yes, I changed my entire body into electrons. I look completely normal and in some ways I am, I even have taste buds, organs, a brain and even flowing blood, but my body is made completely of electrons that I control. There is nothing else but that."

"Then how are you alive?"

"Simple, I can put my mind into one electron and control my body remotely."

"And where is that one electron?"

"In your right eye."

Medea subconsciously touched her right eye, before grinning, "so if I destroy my right eye..."

"Hey wait no!" Medea laughed and just continued walking.

"Can you maintain this form for long?"

"Don't underestimate me. I don't normally use this because there is no need to. I am completely normal in the sense that nothing has changed, apart from my body, and also I turned off pain. I practised this before you know. As far as anyone knows, this body is completely human, and I can see hear and everything else perfectly. It's just that with this, the Abyss might think I'm not a living thing and I'm not included in the curse. This is also good because if for some reason my body is ripped to shreds, I can just regenerate since my true body is inside your eye. I actually took inspiration from the clones you know?"

"So if I touch you, I won't get electrocuted?"

"Nope, even my skin is realistic."

"Impressive, try ascending now. We are at the 2nd layer, Forest of Temptation. If you ascend, you should feel intense nausea, headaches, and numbness of limbs."

Misaka then jumped, but this time even without trying, she hit the 10 meter mark easily, showing how much stronger her new body is.

When she landed again, she expressed delight.

"Heh, as expected I didn't feel anything."

"Is it because you turned off pain? Or is it because the Abyss didn't register you as living?"

"Either way, I beat the curse. Be proud of me!"

"I am very proud of you Misaka."

"That sounded sarcastic..."

Enjoying this, they carried on.

The second layer, the Forest of Temptation, consisted of a tropical rainforest with huge vegetation. The creatures that inhabit this layer are much more dangerous.

As they got further down, they saw the inverted forest, where the trees grow upside down, and the updraft wind blew hard. Even the water flow upwards.

Unaffected by anything, both Medea and Misaka calmly jumped from tree to tree, and firmly made their way down.

They would've carried on, but Medea suddenly sensed a pair of eyes on her, and her head immediately spun towards that direction and met the end of a telescope. Misaka noticed this action, stopped, and also looked towards where Medea was looking.

On the other end, a very shaken up person gasped.

"Master... some delvers arrived..."

"What's with the shaken attitude?"

"Well... when I looked at them they immediately looked back."

"Oh? So they have a very good sense. What whistle are they?"

"I can't see. It's covered up."

"Then receive them then, Marulk."

"Yes master."

Without hesitation, Marulk ran outside and started preparing to lower a gondola.

The two people soon approached, and seeing the lowering gondola, Misaka couldn't help but question, "isn't that more than 10 meters high? Do they expect so much from others?"

"Hmm, actually it's fine. We are quite far away from the centre, so the force here is very weak. Even if we are affected, perhaps only slight dizziness would be felt."

"Oh."

Both then stepped onto it, and waited in silence as it rose.

They then saw the young boy called Marulk waiting for them.

"Umm, hi. Welcome to the seeker camp. *gulp, please enjoy your stay here."

"Uh, thanks?"

"Oh yeah, please follow me. I'll guide you around."

Following this boy, Medea then questioned him, "a seeker camp?"

"Oh yeah, this is a seeker camp. It's to provide any delver with rest and refuel them for their journey down, or if they are injured in any way. You see, we are quite far from the center of the Abyss so the curse is weakened. This place is built from a large tree called the Great Tree of Porta, so there's no need to worry about anything."

"I see... then why is there someone very intently staring at us?" Medea once again snapped her neck in another direction, and met pitch black eyes.

Before Marulk knew it, his master suddenly appeared in front of them.

"Very nice, you have extremely sharp senses."

"Thanks, so why were you spying on us?"

"Oh, I was just curious. My apprentice here told me that you sensed her when she was watching you, so I couldn't help but look."

The person was a very tall and slim woman. She has a strangely shaped hairstyle and her eyes are pitch black and lusterless, giving her a rather unsettling and disturbing gaze.

"Oh, my name is Ozen by the way, nice to meet you." Despite the formalities, no visible joy could be seen. It's as if she had no emotions whatsoever.

"My name is Medea and this is Misaka."

"Ozen? I remember your name from somewhere. Ozen the Immovable? One of the white whistles?"

"Ahh, you are very well read Misaka, indeed I am that Ozen. Now may I ask what two moon whistles are doing on the second layer? Are you going down for a dive?"

"Well, what else do you think we're doing?" Misaka really couldn't wrap her head around that question.

(It's not like we're doing this for fun... well maybe...)

"Hmm, are those moon whistles even yours?"

"What?" Misaka was stunned whilst Medea kept quiet.

"Although there is no way to identify them and they all look the same, I've seen those exact whistles before, and they definitely didn't belong to you." She narrowed her eyes, "so, why are you here? And what happened to the previous owners?"

"Umm-"

"I stole them." Medea came to save the day.

"Stole them?"

"Yes. We don't have whistles, so I stole them for convenience and to not appear suspicious, but as expected of a white whistle, you saw straight through it."

"So, you don't have whistles and decided to steal moon whistles? How strange, although it does make a little senses considering your abilities."

In that instant, Ozen vanished, and blinked behind Medea. As she appeared, she threw a vertical chop at her neck, but when she connected, she felt like she just tried to chop through densely packed metal.

Smoke even began to rise from the force, but Medea still remained calm and turned around.

"You done?"

"Yeah. You are indeed befitting of moon whistles, although the way you acquired them is somewhat questionable, but I'll let it slide. On the other hand, why are you descending anyway?"

"We wish to reach the 6th layer, the Capital of Unreturned."

Ozen raised her eyebrow, "that's a very specific destination. I won't ask why but I'm just going to tell you that you need a white whistle that belongs to you to reach that layer. Otherwise, it's impossible."

"Impossible?"

"Yes. I'm not going to explain more since you will find out in due time if you really are serious about going there."

"Then... do you know of someone called Irumyuui?"

"Irumyuui? Never heard of them."

"Oh, worth a shot I guess."

"So that's the person on the 6th layer?"

"We don't know that yet, but it is likely that we can find some clues about her."

"Oh? Going all the way down just for some clues. Seems like I underestimated you. Nevertheless, please rest here if you wish. Marulk, guide them to the rooms.

"Yes master!"

(We haven't even told them if we're staying yet... oh well.)

Beckoning with Misaka with her gaze, they followed and just decided to rest here until the next day, then setting of on their journey down.

"This is the room. Please rest carefully."

"Thanks."

When he left and the door closed, it was Misaka who spoke up first, "they gave us one bed..."