They arrived at the cave gate—"the same, massive, gnarled structure resembling a colossal tree root, its circular opening a maw leading into the unknown….
"A viscous, almost tangible darkness clung to the entrance, a swirling miasma that felt less like gas and more like a malevolent presence, pressing faintly against their skin as if testing for weakness.
And yet… there was no fear.
The power gifted to them through Piers's naming thrummed in their veins, an unseen shield against the oppressive weight of that dark presence.
Piers's voice cut cleanly through the heavy air, calm but commanding.
"Everyone. Stay close. Keep your guard up. We're going in."
The moment they crossed the threshold, the world vanished. The darkness here was more than the absence of light — it was a living void, swallowing sound, touch, and even the feeling of space itself.
The only visible thing was the faint, eerie glimmer in each of their eyes, reflections of the energy bound to them.
They advanced slowly, the sound of their steps muffled into nothingness. The air felt heavy enough to push back.
Then—
"Ouch!"
Liel's voice cracked the silence like a whip. She stumbled forward, clutching her leg.
"Lein! You kicked me!"
"What? No, I didn't!"
Lein's protest echoed oddly, the cave distorting his voice into something alien.
"I didn't even touch you!"
Liel shot him a sharp glare, but before she could fire back, Piers's head tilted—eyes narrowing at the faintest, almost imperceptible glimmer ahead.
Follow me,
his voice slid into their minds, low and urgent.
They moved as one, slow and careful, hands brushing the damp walls, the glimmer their only beacon in the choking dark. Each step seemed to stretch time.
Piers extended his mana senses, reaching out like invisible feelers.
And then—his stomach dropped.
he instantly froze.
What he felt was wrong. Twisted. Like a smile with too many teeth.
His mental voice snapped into their minds, tight and cold:
Everyone. Don't move. Don't make a sound. When I say "move," you run—quiet and fast—back to the entrance.
Confusion prickled in the group, but they obeyed, sensing the sharp edge in his tone.
The others froze, bewildered. The shift had been too abrupt, the air too heavy. No one understood what Piers had seen—what could possibly be so terrifying that it wrung such urgency from him.
Liel, however, couldn't shake it. That feeling on her leg. Small. Slimy touch..
It wasn't her imagination.
It was… still there.
Ignoring Piers's mental warning, she drew a slow breath and summoned the faintest flicker of healing light into her palm.
She guided it downward, faint and hesitant, a fragile glow pressing against the suffocating dark.
The light kissed her calf—
—and her stomach dropped.
A small, ugly goblin clung there, its wet grin pressed to her skin. One clawed hand gripped her calf, tight.
Liel's breath hitched—once—
—and then screamed.
A raw, piercing sound that ripped apart the suffocating silence of the cave and sent dread ricocheting through the group.
Piers reacted instantly, mind snapping commands to his summoned beasts—
—and then the realization hit like ice.
They weren't here.
His thoughts lashed out in one direction: Mutou!
The swordsman didn't hesitate. Steel hissed free, and his aura flared blue, casting brief, ghostly light into the void. In that instant, the truth hit them—
Not one goblin.
Hundreds.
A crawling, chittering tide, spilling forward from the dark.
The one on Liel's leg didn't even have time to flinch before Mutou's blade cut it cleanly in two.
The death of their comrade snapped the horde.
The goblins erupted into a frenzy—howling, clawing, tripping over one another as they lunged for the group in a maddened surge.
Liel reacted before thought could catch up—her hands snapped together, and a dome of shimmering light exploded outward, sealing the group inside a protective sphere. The goblins slammed into it—
THUD.
THUD-THUD.
Clawed fingers scraped and screeched across the barrier, twisted faces and jagged teeth pressing closer and closer.
Piers didn't hesitate.
Mana flared around him, twisting and shaping into a magnificent stallion wreathed in fire. Its mane and tail burned like molten gold, and each strike of its hooves sent a sharp BOOM echoing through the cavern.
The flames pushed back the dark—
and revealed the truth.
They weren't just surrounded.
They were buried in numbers.
From wall to wall, floor to ceiling, the cavern was a living tide of goblins—a seething, suffocating mass of filthy bodies, clawing hands, and distorted faces, all battering against Liel's barrier.
Fear slid cold fingers down their spines, but it found no purchase.
Grim resolve took its place.
Piers's hand twitched—he was a breath away from unleashing his skill when the others moved first.
Gyuunyuu clung tighter to his head, her tiny bottle-body trembling, peeking out at the chaos with wide, unblinking eyes.
"NOW!" Luci's voice cut like a blade through the noise.
It was the trigger—one sharp note in a perfectly synchronized strike.
Liel drew in a sharp breath—then let her barrier drop.
In the heartbeat of exposed vulnerability, Mutou stepped forward, planting himself like an immovable wall between Liel and the oncoming tide.
Steel gleamed in the dim light as he braced for the impact.
CRACK!
Thog's massive hands slammed together, the crack of colliding palms followed by a shockwave that ripped through the first wave of goblins.
They were hurled backward, limbs flailing, hitting the cavern walls with bone-snapping force.
Luci's crimson eyes flared. Shadows writhed up from the floor, snaking around the closest goblins. They convulsed, their bodies twisting into unnatural shapes before collapsing into drifting black ash.
But it was Lein who stole the show.
He stood almost motionless—just his eyes and hands, weaving an intricate dance.
Goblins lunged at him from every angle, his hands like blades always met them first.
One flick—dead.
A step back—dead.
Each strike precise, surgical.
The pile of bodies at his feet grew into a gruesome hill in moments, yet not a single drop of blood touched him.
They were a machine—each role fitting seamlessly into the next.
Within minutes, the hundreds of goblins lay broken, scattered across the stone.
The only sound was their ragged breathing.
Piers's eyes narrowed.
This… wasn't it. This was nothing compared to what he'd sensed deeper inside.
He sprinted toward the faint glow ahead, intent on throwing up a protective barrier—
Nothing.
The magic sputtered, refusing him.
What—?
His mana didn't answer.
A blur erupted from the glow.
Red skin. Eyes like molten gold.
—and then the red blur hit.
A goblin, faster than thought, exploded out of the light.
The jagged blade flashed—
white pain exploded through Piers's side—
and his arm was gone.
There was no time to think.
No cry.
Just instinct.
Mana roared through him, raw and unshaped, condensing in his palm before his mind even caught up—
FWOOOM!
The fireball detonated point-blank, swallowing the red goblin in an inferno.
The stench of burning flesh hit an instant later, followed by the dull, wet thud of his severed arm hitting the stone.
Everyone jolted into motion.
Mutou moved fast—an armored blur interposing himself between me and any further strike.
The others followed, faces pale with shock, eyes fixed on where his arm had been.
Luci's fury was palpable, rolling off her in waves. Her crimson eyes burned like coals.
But Piers's regenerative abilities were already at work.
Flesh knit, bone reformed, and within seconds the severed arm was whole again with a faint, almost anticlimactic snap.
Liel's voice trembled.
"Piers…" She threw herself at him, wrapping him in a small, shaking hug.
Easy, Liel… I'm okay. Mostly.
Luci, still seething, turned toward that cursed glow.
She took a step—then froze.
Whatever she was seeing…
It wasn't just bad.
It was worse.
"Master… it healed?" Lein's voice wavered as his eyes flicked from Piers's regenerated arm to his face.
Piers gave him a brief, reassuring smile.
Thog stood frozen for a moment, eyes wide in shock, before his expression shifted to one of quiet admiration.
He didn't speak—just gave a firm nod, as if to say yeah… that's our master.
Gyuunyuu's eyes brimmed with tears.
"Sorry, Master! I… I wasn't able to protect you!"
she cried, her tiny voice shaking.
Piers glanced at her, the flicker of a reassuring expression in his eyes, but before he could speak, Mutou's voice cut in—sharp and urgent.
"Young Master, we must establish a barrier at once. They are climbing…"
The warmth in Piers's face vanished. Climbing. Already. That meant they had no time to waste.
He turned toward Liel, who was still swiping at her tears.
"Liel," he said firmly, "use your barrier. Cover that area."
Her breath hitched, but she nodded.
Green mana surged from her palms, unfurling in a shimmering sheet until the strange light source was sealed beneath a protective dome.
Piers turned to Mutou and the others.
As they stepped closer, they finally saw what Mutou had meant—and the sight wrenched the breath from their lungs.
Lien, back to his usual excitable self, blurted,
"What is that?! It's never-ending,
His wide eyes darted between the writhing sea of goblins and the distant cavern walls.
They were perched high in a vast cavern, the floor lost beneath a teeming horde stretching thousands of meters down. The sheer height and endless mass of goblins made even a moment's pause feel dizzying—and terrifying.
Beside him, Liel kept her barrier steady, her voice trembling.
"Piers-sama… it's… scary."
She didn't dare glance down at the dizzying drop beneath them.
Luci, still simmering with the memory of Piers's injury, stood rigid.
Her crimson eyes burned and her fist clenched so tightly her knuckles whitened.
Piers glanced at her, reading the storm in her expression.
Without a word, he reached over and took her hand.
The tension in her shoulders eased, just slightly, though her gaze stayed hard and fixed on the horde below.
"Young Master," Mutou rumbled, eyes never leaving the swarming masses,
"What are your orders? Should we retreat, or—"
The moment the word retreat hovered in the air, Liel's eyes flicked toward Piers, hope breaking through her fear.
"We'll fall back," Piers said at last. "For now."
Liel let out a quiet sigh of relief,
her barrier shimmering faintly as she readied to move.
And then— The familiar ping in his mind.
You have entered the Abyss of Kokonei
A chill ran down his spine as faint glyphs of insight flickered, revealing more.
Maze 1 - The Green Fang Labyrinth of Goblins
A sprawling labyrinthine network teeming with Green Fang goblins. Survive the maze, overcome its challenges, and escape within the allotted time.
Estimated goblin population: 10,000,00.
Duration: 3 days
Restrictions:
{ Barrier Usable only by individuals with innate healing capabilities. Entry prohibited for magical entities.
Failure to complete the maze within the time limit will result in: Termination. }
The final word pulsed once—like a heartbeat—before fading into stillness.
A sudden chill ran through Piers, confirming his worst fears. His expression darkened, thoughts halting as the weight of the situation settled on him like stone.
Gyuunyuu floated closer, brow furrowed.
"What is it, Master?"
Piers's voice came low.
"We can't leave. We're trapped here."
"The words hit like stones. Liel's knees gave way, and she sank to the ground, shoulders shaking. 'We… can't leave? This is the worst… the worst…'
Lein, in sharp contrast, cracked his knuckles, grinning ear to ear.
"So we just smash all these ugly mugs, right? Count me in!"
Thog wordlessly rolled his shoulders, flexing in slow, deliberate motions like a predator preparing to pounce.
Luci stepped forward, her crimson eyes burning with cold fire.
"Piers-sama," she said, voice low and lethal,
"Anyone who dares spill your blood I will tear them apart by my hand."
"Yeah! And we'll be right here cheering while you crush them all!"
Gyuunyuu added from his shoulder, trying to sound fierce despite her tiny bottle-body.
Mutou bowed his flame helm, voice calm but laced with steel. "As you command, Master. I am ready to purge this infestation."
Their conviction hit Piers like a wave—warmth welling in his chest, chased by the sharp edge of fear. He gave them a small, softened smile. "...Alright."
"Master," Gyuunyuu said suddenly, "where are your summoned beasts?"
Piers's frown deepened.
"Outside the gate. They couldn't come in—purely magical beings can't enter. The Abyss suppresses them."
His gaze lingered on the dark entrance.
"If they could have, they'd have warned us."
A beat.
"...Maybe they did try."
"Then can I go out and start killing them?"
Luci asked without hesitation.
Piers didn't even let her finish. His head snapped side to side so fast it was almost a reflex.
"No. We hold here until at least half the horde is gone—then we'll see."
Mutou stepped forward, his voice calm but firm.
"Young Master, with numbers like these, close combat—whether mine, Thog's, or Lein's—will be of little use at the outset.
It would be far more efficient if you, Luci, and Liel handle the opening from a distance.
Rest assured, when the situation demands, we will intervene."
Lein's shoulders sagged, lips curling into a pout. "Aw, come on! That's no fun. I wanted to smash a few."
In the corner, Thog had gone still, massive shoulders hunched, his gaze fixed on the floor. It wasn't fear—more like the heavy slump of someone who believed they couldn't be useful when it mattered most.
Piers noticed. He crossed the cavern, resting a hand on Thog's shoulder.
"You are strong, Thog. When the time comes, I'll call on you."
Gyuunyuu zipped closer to his ear.
"And I'll be here too, Master! I'll protect you with everything I've got!"
Her fierce tone drew a ripple of chuckles from the others, tension easing for a heartbeat. She puffed her tiny chest at the attention—then pouted when she realized they were laughing.
The moment didn't last.
From the shadows below, they came—first a trickle, then a flood.
A wall of green bodies burst into view, clawed hands scrabbling and snarling as the goblin tide surged across the cavern floor.
"Now, Luci," Piers said, his voice cutting through the rising tide of snarls.
Luci's manic fury cracked her calm façade. Her voice dropped to a dangerous purr.
"You… ugly, stinking hogs… you dared—"
A strange, bubbling laugh slipped out, then her tone snapped into a razor's edge.
"—you dared touch my Piers-sama."
Her shadows erupted in a violent wave, swallowing the front ranks whole. Darkness surged up the cavern walls, snatching every goblin mid-climb, their cries dying in an instant.
In the next heartbeat, she stood at the edge, hands shaping a massive cube of black shadow. She slammed it down with a force that rattled stone. The darkness withdrew, revealing a perfect square gouged out of the goblin sea—everything inside it gone.
Piers felt a cold prickle down his spine.
…Yeah. Not crossing her. Ever.
Liel's shaky voice broke in, determination just managing to mask her fear.
"I'll help too! Piers-sama—watch me!"
Lein and Thog chuckled, and even Gyuunyuu snickered at her brave-but-scared energy.
Liel joined Luci's side, green mana pooling in her palms.
A barrier swelled outward, growing and growing until it hung over the horde like a looming wall. With one last push, she brought it crashing down.
The crunch echoed through the goblin ranks far below—then came the spreading river of green blood.
When she turned back with an innocent smile, Piers just stared.
…Seriously?
A bead of sweat slid down his temple.
Okay, so I'm not crossing her either.
"Alright," Piers said, stepping forward.
"Let me lend you a hand."
Luci tilted her head, curiosity glinting in her crimson eyes.
"And how will you do that, Piers-sama?"
A mysterious smile tugged at his lips.
"Let me show you," confidence coiling in his voice.
Behind him, Gyuunyuu, Thog, and Lein leaned forward with wide, expectant eyes, while Mutou's flame held a flicker of curiosity—and maybe a touch of skepticism.
He turned to Liel and Luci, his tone shifting to something clear and commanding.
"Kneel. Backs to me."
Liel hesitated, cheeks coloring faintly, while Luci dropped into position without a moment's pause, as if this were a perfectly normal request.
Their backs, of course… were just backs. Ordinary, unimpressive, completely un-magical backs.
"Right," Piers said, deadpan.
"Here we go.
Skill—Mana Fusion."
Mana surged from him in a controlled, steady stream, threading into their bodies like molten light. The air around them hummed; green and black flares of energy wrapped them both, pulsing in sync with his heartbeat. Their forms shimmered with the unmistakable glow of amplified power.
"Thank you, Master!" they said in unison, voices laced with sharp, renewed vigor.
"With this, we will annihilate them."
Piers offered a faint, approving smile.
Luci's hands spread wide—giant shadow cubes bloomed around her, their surfaces rippling like oil. Beside her, Liel's emerald barrier swelled into a towering wall of light, its edges crackling with force.
They each took a side of the cavern, magic surging outward in opposite tides, ready to tear into the still-swarming horde.
As their attacks roared outward, information slammed into his mind without warning— tallying numbers in a crisp, cold font:
Estimated Goblins Eliminated: 4,461 / 10,000,00
Piers's brows lifted—not quite shock, but a flicker of relief.
At this rate… it won't take as long as I thought.
He called out over the roaring magic,
"Good, you two—keep it up! I'll step in when you're spent."
"Yes, Master! Leave it to us!" came the dual reply, their voices firm, eyes alight with focus.
But Piers had another thought brewing.
He raised a hand and conjured a scatter of tiny, flickering embers—mere sparks, at first. They drifted outward, carried on invisible currents, then shot across the vast expanse of the cavern.
Far into the black, those sparks blossomed into faint light, revealing just how immense the place truly was.
The entrance was sealed tight; there was nowhere for the horde to pour in faster.
The dim glow revealed heaps of mangled goblin corpses, half-buried skulls, and ancient remains—of gods-knew-how-many past fights
* * *