L'Opéra De Géhenne V

"Mari, what the hell is this thing?"

Where would you like to head to?

The Surface

The Abyss

|X| The Seven Heavens |Lvl.7|

"Oh, there is really no point going to the outside world, The Surface. I think we should head to The Abyss," Mari says assuredly, stepping closer. "Time works differently in The Abyss. Thirty times slower. We can gain strength there, fighting monsters for a month before adventurers come. Only a day will pass here."

"What if someone intrudes in our dungeon and absorbs the dungeon core while we are out?" I ask.

"Core? That red orb I saw above?" Nan ponders aloud. "Hmh. What's that?"

"Shut the fuck up," I tell Nan with a glance.

Then I tilt my head toward Mari again. "So? What's The Abyss? How is our core safe while we're there?"

"Umm… I don't think it completely is…" she says, avoiding my eyes. "Yet I don't think anybody can spot this dungeon in a short duration either…"

"How so?" Nan asks in my stead, her naturally narrow eyes narrowing further. "You three did that just fine."

"...I detected the dungeon from oscillating mana in the air when it formed. After that, the only way to find the dungeon is by physically spotting it, which seems improbable since we're in the Vastforest." Mari lifts her feet, first left, up and down, then right, up and down, then repeatedly, slowly, turn by turn, to warm herself while she talks.

"If there were others nearby who detected it just like me when it formed, then they'd have already been here by now, no?" she asks, wet boogers flowing down her nose.

"Doesn't seem most convincing enough," Nan verdicts, scratching her smooth forehead concealed by loose strands of dark chocolate hair.

"Absolutely. What if some fucker randomly comes here?" I agree with Nan noddingly, leaning to the door as my cannonballs bounce, which angers me as much as it arouses me.

Fucking disgusting.

Disgustingly…

Fuckable…?

It's moments like this when you want to burn your eyes and bury yourself…

I thought I did not care, but I just can not not care.

I really need to find a way to get rid of these…

"It's late, so most are in their beds right now. That buys us at least ten hours. We don't have to worry about monsters either since they don't go to dungeons… usually…" Mari whispers in an explanatory manner.

"See? You are unsure yourself Mari," Nan tsks, shaking her head.

"Absolutely. With my luck, it's no surprise if some random monster randomly roams here while loitering around," I tsk, too, shaking my head too.

I scrutinize the room.

The air cloaks itself in rot and decay, suffocating.

The walls here are uneven, fleshy in some places, petrified in others.

As though living organisms were forced into stone.

From some cracks, red mists seep out and cling to the oppressive fog, heaving it.

Is this my home…?

Hong Kong apartments are better, even.

"Uncle, if you are unsure, you can summon some monsters to look after the dungeon while we're away, no?" Mari looks at me reassuringly.

"It's still a huge risk nonetheless to trust the unknown," Nan disagrees, lifting her head.

"I don't want to trust my life to some gremlins." I find some bullshit reason to disagree just for the sake of it.

Wait, why, though?

Is this because Nan said so?

Why am I so easily convinced…

Ah, it's the fucking codex at work, isn't it?

Did it dumb me down to such an extent? I really became a gullible idiot…

From now on, I have to heavily focus on each word I hear and consider carefully before deciding, to avoid the codex influencing my decisions—

"It's also hot in The Abyss," Mari announces.

"Let's go to The Abyss," Nan immediately insists.

"Let's go to The Abyss," I repeat like a parrot.

"Fuck cold. I hate the cold," I declare.

"Fuck the cold indeed. Also fuck this bullshit fog. It's crawling up my skin most annoyingly," Nan tsks.

Mari, with wide eyes, eyes us incredulously.

She brings her hand up her face, rapping her fingers against her broad forehead tiredly. "I should have known… I'm starting to learn how to talk to you two."

Without hesitation, I pick The Abyss option.

What was I thinking again?

Ah, codex. What codex?

The room begins to shake, the dust swaying across.

Mari coughs whilst Nan wipes her red gown clean.

I watch the metallic double door as it opens gratingly like a beast waking from a deep slumber, the hinges and the frame pitching, the edges grinding.

The grrrrzzssssssss bounce off, screeching in a vibrating rumble.

The doors then slowly reveal a tunnel that goes down.

Welcome, welcome to the first circle! Fools! I welcome you to Gehenna!

Deep and sinister gruffs, throaty and rough, resound in my head.

"Did you hear that?" Nan asks, switching her gaze between me and Mari.

"Yes… I never would have thought a day like this would have come so soon…" Mari mutters, her eyes hazy. Yet she smiles fearlessly, full of vigor.

Wait a minute.

Something isn't right.

Why did I decide to go to The Abyss?

I don't even have any idea what it—

"Ahhhhhhh. A hot breeze~" Nan moans. "I hate the cold utmostly."

"Yes, fuck the cold," I rehearse. "Let's go, girls."

"Fuck the cold indeed," Nan sings the mantra. "Fuck the col—"

"NOT!" I shout, barely regaining reason.

I turn to Nan. "Shut the fuck up for a minute, will you?"

Nan points to her mouth in a zipping gesture.

I then turn to Mari. "Explain. Explain where we are headed and what exactly we can obtain by doing so."