The ground didn't just crack—
It collapsed.
BOOM—!!
Jin Muyeon dropped into darkness.
No walls.
No light.
No sound—
Except—
THUMP.
That heartbeat.
Closer now.
Stronger.
He landed hard.
Stone.
Cold.
Ancient.
"…So this is below…" he muttered.
The space was different.
No sky.
No ruins.
Just an endless cavern—
And in the center—
Something massive.
Muyeon's eyes narrowed.
"…What is that…"
Chains.
Dozens of them.
Thick.
Black.
Stretching across the entire cavern—
Binding something in the dark.
The heartbeat came from it.
THUMP.
The chains trembled slightly.
The system flickered violently.
[WARNING: UNKNOWN ENTITY DETECTED]
[DANGER LEVEL: UNDEFINED]
[SYSTEM INTERFERENCE: CRITICAL]
Muyeon took a step forward.
Then—
A voice.
Not heard.
Felt.
"…Another one…"
Muyeon froze.
His body didn't move—
But his mind—
It shook.
"…You're alive…" the voice echoed again.
Muyeon's eyes sharpened.
"…Show yourself."
Silence.
Then—
The darkness shifted.
Two massive eyes opened.
Far larger than anything human.
Glowing faintly.
Watching him.
Muyeon felt it instantly.
Pressure beyond anything before.
Even Hwa Ryun—
Even Elder Seo—
Nothing compared.
"…You carry it…" the voice said.
Muyeon frowned.
"…Carry what?"
The chains tightened slightly.
CLANK—!
"…The fragment…"
Muyeon's heart skipped.
"…System…" he whispered.
Silence.
Then—
The eyes narrowed.
"…So you call it that now…"
The ground trembled.
Muyeon clenched his fist.
"…What are you?"
A pause.
Then—
"…I am what remains."
"…Of the first."
Silence.
Muyeon's mind raced.
"…First what?"
The voice deepened.
"…The first to ascend."
THUMP—!!
The heartbeat shook the entire cavern.
The chains cracked slightly.
Muyeon's eyes widened.
"…You're trapped?"
"…Sealed," the voice corrected.
A pause.
"…For becoming too much."
Silence.
Muyeon smiled faintly.
"…Sounds familiar."
The eyes stared at him.
"…You are close."
Muyeon stepped forward.
"…Close to what?"
The voice answered—
"…Becoming like me."
The system flickered violently.
[WARNING: SYSTEM CORE RESONANCE DETECTED]
[UNKNOWN LINK ESTABLISHING…]
Muyeon's body tensed.
"…You're connected to it."
The eyes glowed brighter.
"…I am it."
Silence.
Muyeon froze.
"…What?"
The chains shook violently.
CLANK—!!
"…What you call a system…"
"…is only a fragment…"
"…of me."
Everything went quiet.
Muyeon's expression changed for the first time.
"…So this power…"
"…Is yours?"
A pause.
"…Was."
The pressure increased.
"…And now…"
The eyes locked onto him.
"…You carry a piece of it."
Muyeon exhaled slowly.
"…Then what happens if I take more?"
Silence.
Then—
A low sound.
Not laughter.
Something deeper.
"…Then you break."
The chains cracked again.
"…Or…"
A pause.
"…you replace me."
THUMP—!!
The entire cavern shook violently.
The system flickered wildly.
[NEW QUEST TRIGGERED]
[Abyss Core Trial]
Objective:
Survive resonance
Resist assimilation
Claim control or be consumed
Muyeon smiled.
Not fear.
Not hesitation.
Excitement.
"…So this is the real trial."
The chains snapped slightly.
The darkness surged.
The entity's presence expanded.
"…Show me…" it whispered.
"…if you are worthy."
Muyeon stepped forward.
Even knowing what stood before him—
He didn't stop.
"…I don't climb."
His aura rose.
"…I take."
The abyss responded.
And everything—
Began to break.