Abyssal Awakening - Chapter 856

Chapter 856: Fourth Realm

“How do you think one would go about artificially creating a new, fourth realm? One of nightmares and blood?”

Alice furrowed her brows.

How would one go about creating a new realm?

First of all, she needs to consider how a realm even exists.

How were they classified?

She knew that the Void was simply the ’empty space’ between the Abyss and the surface.

And despite calling the surface well… the surface, it’s not like it’s above the Abyss. The two realms simply intersect at certain locations, forming gateways.

Then there was also the case of the natural laws along with the Realm Rulers. Would a new space require a new ruler? How was a ruler chosen?

“Don’t think too hard about it. Even if you give me an answer, I can’t verify it for you. After all, I don’t know the answer either.” The Informant chuckled as Alice’s smile twitched.

“Okay, let’s say that’s the case. But how would I even ‘experience’ this? You told me to experience it for myself before looking for you.”

“Wait till sundown. The realm of nightmares will naturally ensnare you. And come daybreak, find me if you still remember.” The Informant chuckled.

After saying this, she simply sat down without saying anything else.

“Don’t you need a payment?” Alice raised an eyebrow.

“What for? You’ll naturally find out when you go to sleep. I’ve simply told you to keep your request on hold for now. Ah… Actually, there is a piece of information I suggest you buy right now.” The informant clapped her hands together.

“That being?”

“If I told you, how would I get paid?”

“. . .” Holding herself back, Alice gave the informant a few platina coins and got some change in return.

“When you are in the realm of nightmares, there are three things you must not breach. First, do not stare at the sentinels, the watchers of the realm. Your eyes may brush past them but do not stare.

“Second, do not chase or delve after shadows of familiar ones.

“Third, no matter what, do not cause a scene. Accept the world for what it is, do not mention the abnormalities.” The informant held a finger over her lips.

Folding her arms, Alice thought about it for a moment before nodding her head.

“Thanks.”

Stepping towards the elevator, she left the room.

Watching the girl leave, the informant contemplated to herself for a moment before reaching into her mouth.

Pulling out a strange deck of cards, she laid them out and picked three.

The first card was upright.

The Fool.

The second was reversed.

The High Priestess.

And the last card was also reversed.

As she flipped over the card, her expression fluctuated for a slight moment.

The Empress.

“Uwaa~ How ominous. Though… I wonder if it’s a good thing or bad.” She tapped her finger on the three cards, landing on the fool.

“The first step shall be taken towards the songs of nightmare. The boundary that echoes its lullaby.”

Her finger traced the reversed High Priestess.

“The veil will whisper words meant for the silent void, an audience of ruins.”

And finally, her finger stopped at the reversed Empress.

“In the silence, a gaze holds the world. It will not sleep, it will not look away. It will not blink for anything.”

###

Elias darted across the rooftops.

His eyes constantly scanned the streets, at the guards. As Alice had mentioned, none of them exhibited side effects.

But that wasn’t even the strangest part.

The more he observed, the more he realised that there were a few people who were actually moving based on a designated route.

They would follow the path till the end before looping around, repeating it without stop.

It felt fake, robotic. It was only after observing everything from above that he saw the abnormalities.

Hell, there were even a few people walking around with abnormal shadows yet no one said anything.

If one had a brief glance at this city, it would seem normal. As though nothing was wrong.

But the longer they stare, the uncanny feeling would only grow stronger.

Making a mental note of this, Elias turned his attention towards the main building within this city.

A part of him wanted to investigate it but at the same time, his gut was telling him not to.

Elias narrowed his eyes.

His gut feeling has kept him alive for a long time. Rather than going against it, he wanted to trust in his survival instincts.

Making a decision, Elias turned around.

“!!!”

Widening his eyes, he quickly stepped to the side as a needle blade narrowly missed his back, brushing past him and stabbing into the rooftops.

The people below didn’t care about the commission.

“How did you spot me? This umbrella should make it pretty difficult.” Elias narrowed his eyes, slowly turning around.

His assailant was a strange woman with dark tanned skin, bleached white hair and a golden crown of horns protruding from her head. In her spare hand, she had another needle blade.

She wore a tattered white robe that covered most of her body, keeping her physique hidden beneath the layers.

‘A dual wielder.’

It wasn’t just that either.

Something about her felt… unnatural. As a healer, his mind was telling him the person in front of him wasn’t a person.

Nothing felt right just like the rest of this city.

“You’ve been snooping around a bit too much. Should’ve just left it alone earlier.” She warned, flicking her finger and retrieving her blade.

But before the blade could reach her, Elias twisted his body, snapping the invisible thread using his umbrella.

While the needle blade was still travelling through the air, he twisted his body and kicked the blade towards her!

*BANG!!!

Leaning to the side to avoid her weapon, she kept her eyes on Elias, ensuring that he didn’t escape her view.

“Stop staring so hard, I might get embarrassed if you do.” Elias chuckled, scratching his chin.

Snapping his fingers, three Sigils lit up on his arm.

“As a healing, taking lives is usually the opposite of what I usually do. So I would be grateful if we just walk away from this peacefully. Don’t you agree?” Elias narrowed his eyes.

The woman ignored it. With a flick of her arm, the needle blade returned back into her hand while white bone spikes burst out from the rooftop!

*Sigh

“Must we really do this? It’s not like I saw something I’m not supposed to. I even decided against looking at the city hall.” Elias groaned.

Clenching his fist, a barrier of sorts expanded around him, destroying the bones.

“A healer must keep their surroundings sterile when performing an operation.” He smirked.

His eyes shifted colour as rings could be seen.

*CLANG!!!

Leaning back, he parried the lady’s needle stab with his umbrella.

Despite being parried, she wasn’t done.

She kneed towards his wrist in an attempt to disarm him but he had already caught it with his palm.

She followed up with an elbow but Elias ducked down.

A quick two hit combo with her needle blade aimed at the chest.

Both parried with the umbrella.

No matter what moves she was doing, his eyes would dart towards exactly where it would land.

And as her second strike was bounced off his umbrella, he lunged forward, slamming his palm against her stomach and sending her sliding back.

With some distance created between them, Elias glanced down at his hand and frowned.

“Yeah you’re not normal. That body composition… Seems like you’re one of the monstrosities she spoke about.

“A hybrid between man and beast.” Elias forced a smile.

That last hit should’ve applied one of his abilities. But since her physical body was different to that of a normal human, the skill didn’t take effect.

If he wanted to harm her, he would need to study her body thoroughly before he can perform an operation.

The lady tilted her head.

A frown deepened on her face.

Without hesitation, she activated all of her Sigils as her form began to shift.

The golden crown erupted from her skill, covering the upper half of her face.

Her skin turned pure white as her robes broke apart, revealing the black understand that turned into a strange skirt.

Her body split open in the middle with bone spikes and eyes staring at Elias while her lower half transformed into a mass of skeletons.

“What the f*ck.” Elias blinked.

He had not expected this kind of transformation.

Even if he knew that she was a hybrid, seeing it in person was something else entirely!

Jumping back, he wanted to create some distance between them but she created a bow from within her own body.

Using the needle blade as an arrow, she took aim and fired!

Right as he was about to parry the arrow, Elias watched as a skeleton manifested behind the needle blade, changing the trajectory into a swing at the last minute!

*KRK!!!!

The slash broke through his chest, shattering his ribs and tearing his lung in the process.

Slamming against the rooftop, blood began to flow against the tiles.

The hybrid took aim once more.

Her arrow focused on Elias’s head.

Right as she was about to fire, she felt an invisible slash against her chest.

A deep gnash manifested on her body, breaking her ribs and digging into where her lung should’ve been.

“Well this isn’t far at all. Do you even have a heart that I can damage if you stab me there?” Elias’s voice rang out as he appeared behind the hybrid.

Placing his palm against her spine, he narrowed his eyes.

Rearrange.

*CRACK!!!

Her spine immediately bent to the side twice, breaking the natural arc and transforming it into the shape of an S. The ribs flared outwards while the rest of her bone structure began to bend in unnatural ways.

*BANG!!!

Jumping away before he could be caught in a maelstrom of bone splinters, Elias looked up and watched as she shredded her own body.

“Crazy b*tch. Is your regeneration enough?” Elias’s smile twitched.

As she stepped out from the maelstrom, the hybrid’s body was now healed. She had destroyed her bones to undo the damage he did!

Taking a deep breath, Elias narrowed his eyes.

He entered a stance favouring speed.

Leaned forward…

Took aim…

Spun 180.

And ran.

“F*ck this sh*t I’m out.”