Monster rifts are also known as the monster abyss, or dungeons.
The last name is what players came up with.
Strictly speaking, this place is a void world separate from reality.
The surroundings are very open, with roads crisscrossing in complex patterns.
The nearby walls may make people feel somewhat uncomfortable.
They slowly rise and fall like purple writhing lumps of flesh, with membrane-like blood and flesh sticking between the meat masses.
On the flesh walls, it looks as if something has carved them, constantly changing their shapes.
Between that purple flesh, wisps of smoke spill out, followed by black-purple cracks that keep swaying.
Looking up, endless purple looks like a basin of paint poured over the dome of this space, constantly churning.
Occasionally, monsters slowly squeeze their bodies out from those cracks.
Covered in mucus and membranous flesh, before they can even stand steadily on the writhing ground, a demi-human instantly draws the sharp blade at their waist, stomps hard with their foot, and rushes at the newborn monster at extreme speed.
Slash!
A cold flash streaks by, and in the blink of an eye, the monster's body freezes in place.
Before it even has time to form its shape, it is split cleanly in two and slides onto the ground.
A burst of flames follows closely after, wrapping the monster's fragile body. Fierce fire burns wildly, completely reducing the monster to ashes.
Weak. Far too weak.
Compared to the well-equipped demi-humans, these monsters are nothing more than natural cannon fodder.
Viktor walks with his hands in his pockets, Aurelian following by his side.
The deeper they go into this space, the more puzzled Aurelian becomes.
She raises her head and asks Viktor, "Teacher, why are we coming here to train?"
'And on top of that, why bring so many people with us in such a grand manner?'
She doesn't really understand.
Because the monsters here are pitifully weak and won't give her any sense of pressure at all.
However, since this was her teacher's choice, Aurelian, though confused, could only obey.
Viktor's voice sounds by Aurelian's ear.
"The place you're in right now is the first ten layers of the abyss, the Pain Demon Dark Field."
The monster abyss is divided into many layers, and every ten layers, the surrounding scenery and monsters change.
The Pain Demon Dark Field of the first ten layers is the most basic and simplest tier.
Only by going deeper into the rift and advancing further down will you encounter increasingly powerful monsters.
Even their respawn speed will become faster and faster.
So the monsters here being weak is a very normal thing.
Aurelian seems to understand and doesn't continue asking.
The team continues moving forward, advancing while clearing out the miscellaneous monsters along the way.
Those monsters are completely unable to resist and are swiftly wiped out in just a few moves.
But soon, the team comes to a halt.
Because they have reached the end.
Ahead, it looks like a surging purple bottomless abyss.
Within it, there seems to be a pair of enormous eyes, constantly flickering as they examine the approaching group.
From that purple abyss, a stone bridge slowly rises.
Behind the bridge, a gigantic gate gradually emerges from the flesh wall.
"Move forward, and you'll reach the eleventh layer."
Viktor says calmly.
"After the eleventh layer, you'll encounter real challenges."
Of course, most of the monsters in the rift have already been cleared out by guild members.
And with a fourth-tier mage like Cocotte accompanying them, this team won't run into danger.
Aurelian looks at the gate with some surprise. Then Viktor's voice sounds by her ear again.
"Do you know why I brought Elsa along?"
Hearing this, she can't help but look toward that cold, solitary assassin among the demi-humans.
She is clearly a powerful fourth-tier adventurer, yet at this moment, she's like a tool, always carrying out Viktor's orders.
She doesn't think too deeply and shakes her head in a dazed manner.
"Because she was once an adventurer too."
Aurelian blinks, seemingly not understanding Viktor's meaning.
But the moment his words fall, Viktor's figure gradually becomes slightly transparent.
"By the way, what comes next is your own trial."
Hearing this, Aurelian's eyes widen. She instinctively reaches out, trying to grab Viktor's coat.
But she only grasps a handful of air.
Clearly, her teacher is right in front of her, looking at her.
She stands there blankly, her heart pounding violently.
Waves of unease flood her heart.
"T-teacher?"
His voice, carrying a tone of advice, continues to sound around Aurelian.
"Next, Elsa will guide you. Gwen will stay by your side to protect you."
"And finally, trust Cocotte. No one here is stronger than her."
Viktor's figure gradually turns into white powder.
It begins to slowly crumble.
Before Aurelian's disbelieving eyes, his body scatters as if blown away by the wind.
"Lead this team to below the thirtieth layer."
"This is your lesson this time."
Only a trace of powder remains, dispersing before her along with Viktor's final words.
Everyone quietly watches as Viktor, coat and all, disappears.
From the sky, a jet-black feather drifts down leisurely and lands in Aurelian's palm.
She lowers her head, looking at that intact crow tail feather.
As if in a daze, her mood gradually sinks.
Unease, restlessness, fear.
All kinds of emotions surge up along with Viktor's departure.
Her teacher… left her?
A dull sound of armor clashing echoes by her ear.
Gwen stands beside Aurelian, kneeling on one knee.
"Your Highness."
At the sound of her voice, color returns to Aurelian's unfocused eyes.
She lowers her head, looking at Gwen with a helpless gaze, staring blankly.
"I… where is my teacher?"
At this moment, she seems like a little princess who has lost all support after the adults left her side.
Gwen speaks with great respect, "Viktor has other matters to attend to. He informed us in advance."
"Please don't worry."
Aurelian lowers her head, gently tightening her grip on the black feather in her hand.
The crow's black tail feather is squeezed slightly out of shape in her palm.
'He informed you in advance?'
'Then why… didn't he inform me in advance?'
'Just because I'm his student?'
Gwen raises her head and looks at the silent Aurelian.
"…Your Highness?" There is concern and confusion in her tone.
"No, I'm fine." Aurelian lifts her head again, as if restoring her usual bright smile.
Viktor's departure seems to have had no effect on her at all.
"Thank you for telling me this, Teacher Gwen."
"Let's continue. My lesson isn't over yet."
"Yes."
Gwen stands up and returns to the front of the team, leading the demi-humans as they follow behind Aurelian.
The surrounding demi-human guards regroup, adjusting their armor and tightening their grip on the blades at their waists.
Following Gwen, they step onto the stone bridge and continue deeper into the monster rift beyond the gate.
———
[At this Moment, Deep Within the Tenth Layer]
Viktor's figure gradually solidifies as he steadies himself in place, looking at the writhing cave before him.
Vega stands on Viktor's shoulder, covering its beak with a wing as it yawns.
"I say, you left that little girl behind. Won't she end up resenting you?"
Viktor doesn't look at it, continuing to walk deeper into the cave on his own.
When encountering a fork in the road, he doesn't even need to think, decisively choosing one of the paths.
So familiar, as if he's returned home.
At the same time, Viktor calmly says, "She needs to become more independent."
"There should've been a better way, though, right?"
The crow giggles, making it hard to imagine what kind of trash is stuffed inside its impoverished brain.
"Tsk tsk, I wouldn't want you to end up with some kind of imprisonment ending in the future."
"But…"
The crow raises its head and looks through the wall toward the purple dome above.
In that single eye, a faint glimmer flickers, as if sensing something.
"For you, sending them away really was a good choice."
"You really calculated everything, Viktor."
Viktor remains expressionless and ignores Vega's praise, silently continuing forward.
The paths grow more complex, with more and more branching roads.
Yet it's as if Viktor has a map in his mind, always choosing the correct path.
Finally, the road extends to its end.
Viktor walks to the end and quietly observes his surroundings.
All around are extremely neat walls, completely out of place compared to the previous writhing flesh.
As if they were specially manufactured.
And within those orderly walls stands an enormous… door.
Calling it a door feels inaccurate, it's more like a circular disk.
Carved on that disk is an extremely terrifying demonic beast. Its ferocious form and sharp fangs are vividly displayed before Viktor.
Vega widens its eyes slightly and can't help but marvel at this ghostly, godlike giant stone door.
"A door? Interesting. The earlier maze and layers were already enough to amaze me."
"The miraculous monster abyss, just which god created this thing?"
As if sensing someone's presence, the massive stone door slowly twists and gradually opens to both sides.
Creaking, grinding sounds echo through the narrow passage and enter Viktor's ears.
BOOM!
The moment the door fully opens, a deafening roar erupts.
A damp, cold stench pours out, drilling into the noses of Viktor and Vega.
A moldy smell clings to Vega's body, making it awkwardly raise a wing to cover its nose.
At last, the void behind the door gradually reveals itself, like a gaping maw that completely swallows the two of them.
Viktor doesn't hesitate, stepping forward into the void with one foot.
"Before the real show begins."
"Let me warm up first."
As the words fall, Viktor's body fully disappears into the void.
The door slowly closes once more.
With another heavy sound, it locks completely.
As if a voice echoes throughout the entire door.
Ethereal beyond measure, light beyond measure.
[Trial Activated!]
[Challenger: Viktor Clavenna (Lv43)]
[Adjusting Difficulty: Adjustment Complete]
[First Trial: Survive five waves of beast tides without taking damage, and eliminate all monsters]
[Challenge Start!]