Abyssal Horde

Key's eyes subtly widened at Nythra's rank.

'Damn, she's been double S class this entire time?!'

He knew she was powerful—hell, she used to be a Goddess—but still, seeing it confirmed sent a slight chill down his spine. Meanwhile, the others were either B-ranked or C-ranked, which was still impressive considering they had survived in The Abyss.

Well, time to break the ice.

"Nice to meet you all. My name's Key." he said, introducing himself.

A moment of silence.

Then, Gamble stepped forward.

The man's gaze was piercing, sharp like a blade assessing its prey. His muscles were tense but controlled, like a predator waiting to strike. Key didn't waver, meeting his gaze head-on. A slow smile crept onto his lips. Even in a world like this, some instincts were universal.

They clasped hands in a firm grip. A silent understanding passed between them—no words needed.

Key and Gamble dapped each other up as if they'd known each other forever.

"My Nigga." Key said with a nod of respect.

"…I like this one.." Gamble said, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

Silence.

Speedy, Spam, Sketch, and even Nythra all exchanged bewildered looks.

"Gamble's never been this receptive to, well… anyone he just met!" Spam remarked, her brows raised in disbelief.

"Yeah, it's unreal!" Speedy added, jaw dropping.

Sketch crossed his arms, shaking his head like he was trying to process a glitch in reality. "Knowing Gamble as long as I have… this is something."

Nythra nodded slowly, her expression a mix of surprise and amusement. "Indeed…" Then, her face turned serious as she shifted her gaze to Sketch. "You mentioned an Abyssal Horde approaching?"

Sketch's demeanor immediately changed, any lingering disbelief vanishing. His back straightened. "Yeah. They'll be here in about twenty minutes. If I had to guess, they must've sensed Key's Abyssal Energy. It's… overwhelming."

Nythra's eyes narrowed in thought. I'll have to teach Key how to suppress his Abyssal Energy later.

"How many are we talking?" she asked, turning to Speedy.

Speedy flickered to Nythra's side in a blur, speaking rapidly. "I counted about ten thousand. They definitely want Key dead dead."

Key blinked. Processing.

"Wait… did I just hear ten thousand?"

"You heard right, dear Key!" Spam chimed in with a teasing grin. "Thanks to your overwhelming energy, we're about to face a whole army of Abyssal Beasts. Hope you're ready."

Her voice was playful, but the underlying tension was undeniable.

Key exhaled sharply. "Give me a minute, I'll be right back." he said before turning and disappearing into the hideout.

Inside, Key sank into the sofa, his casual demeanor melting into something far more focused.

"I don't have time to waste."

He pulled up his stats and skills, scanning the glowing numbers.

Name: Key

Level: 5

Title: The Abyss's Chosen

Rank: E

HP: 12,500/12,500

MP: 7,500/7,500

AE: 102,500/102,500

EXP: 0/3000

Stats:

STR: 20

AGI: 15

INT: 30

WILL: 35

CON: 25

Luck: 50

Stat Points Available: 50

Key tapped his chin, deep in thought. "Alright… I'll put 20 into Agility, 10 into Strength, and 20 into Constitution. That should balance things out."

As he confirmed his choices, a sharp surge of energy coursed through him. His muscles tensed, his heartbeat steadied, and his vision sharpened. The world around him felt slower, his reflexes adapting instantly. He rolled his shoulders. "Yeah, this feels right."

A notification flashed.

[Perks are accessible.]

"Good to know. Preciate it, Game." he muttered before pulling up the perk list.

[Perk Points] 2

[Abyssal Pain] +5% damage boost against Abyssal creatures or entities.

[Abyssal Awareness]: +15% perception and detection of hidden enemies.

[Void's Embrace] Temporarily phase out of existence for 5 seconds.

[Overwhelming Aura]: Intimidate enemies within a 20-meter radius, reducing their stats by 10%.

Key smirked. Abyssal Pain and Overwhelming Aura seem like the best choices here.

With a quick mental command, he selected both.

Perks acquired:

[Abyssal Pain LV.1] +5% damage boost against Abyssal creatures or entities.

[Overwhelming Aura LV.1]: Intimidate enemies, reducing their stats by 10%.

The door creaked open.

Nythra stepped inside, her eyes scanning him briefly. "Key, are you alright? It's almost time…" she asked, her tone holding a hint of concern.

Key looked up, his seriousness giving way to a confident grin. "Yeah, I'm good. Just getting ready."

Nythra smiled, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Good… for a second there, I thought you were wimping out on us."

Key scoffed, standing. "Shii, I'm too real to back down from a challenge like this."

She laughed lightly, shaking her head.

As they stepped outside, Speedy was already bouncing with excitement.

"Yo, Key! You ready to kick some ass?"

"Hell yeah!" Key called back, grinning. "What about the rest of y'all?"

Spam gave him a playful salute. "Ready as I'll ever be, dear Key!"

Gamble nodded. "Likewise."

Sketch glanced at Key, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "Not like we have a choice. But… I'm curious to see what you can do."

"Guess that makes two of us." Key smirked.

Nythra chuckled. "Let's just make sure we have some fun and, you know, exterminate the Abyssal Beasts while we're at it."

A low rumble rippled through the ground beneath them. Pebbles trembled. In the distance, a dark wave of Abyssal creatures emerged from the shadows like a living nightmare.

Speedy whistled. "Damn. That's a lot."

Spam grinned. "You scared?"

"Of course not!" Speedy widely smiled. "Just means more fun."

Gamble cracked his knuckles, unreadable. Sketch exhaled slowly. Nythra stood composed, but the flicker of her aura betrayed a readiness for bloodshed.

Key's smirk deepened as Abyssal Pain and Overwhelming Aura activated, sending a shiver of power through him.

"Alright, let's do this."

Then, Speedy's voice rang out.

"Last one to the horde sucks mean balls!"

She vanished in a blur of motion.

Key blinked. Then blinked again.

"I ain't gay."

He was gone in an instant.

"Ditto." Gamble muttered before sprinting after them.

Sketch hesitated. "Wait, that means—oh hell no!" He took off.

Spam tapped her chin, smirking. "Hmm… I might like a good scissori-"

"Spam."

Nythra's tone was flat.

Spam only giggled. "I'm just saying, it's an interesting—"

"We're leaving." Nythra sighed, leading the way as they all charged toward the impending battle