《Using Abyss Magic in a Parallel World》 Prologue / Chapter 1 - Released from Isolation As I open my eyes, I stand on a ground unknown to me. It''s a faint whisper of nothingness. I can''t see and I can''t smell anyone or anything. I can''t even feel a damn thing... Out of nowhere, I hear the sound of my stomach grumbling. I dream of a large burger, added with a set of canned soda. I''m really hungry. I still remember the times where I somehow used to dine in an eatery just outside my house. Speaking of home. Where the hell am I anyways? I try moving but... there I heard something rattling throughout the area. Although I can''t feel it, I think I notice both of my wrists shackled to something cuz'' of the weight my hand bears. Should I panic or should I not? But one thing''s for sure. And that''s to get out of this place. Anyhow, even with the chains binding me, I can move unhindered. There are no lights to guide me and I feel lost. It''s just too dark to see. I run, and run, and run some more. Oddly, I don''t feel tired. However, even with the distance I covered up. I don''t think I''m making any progress. It''s an endless loop of darkness. With my hopes of freedom dwindling every second, the pure color of obscurity gets even more sinister. "It''s no use. I can''t get out of this place." I tell myself. There are no exits and no entrances. Before I could give up to this unreachable objective of escaping this dark world, something beckons me to push through even further. So I did. I run the farthest I''ve ever been and I''m surprised how I don''t feel the slightest hint of fatigue building in my body. Although I see nothing and that I don''t know if my body is the way it used be, the solid ground keeps me in knowing that I am in fact running somewhere. The unseen chains fills the area with only the sound of dangling noises. I''m kind of irritated now that I mentioned it. As I move on for what seems to be countless passing hours, it felt like an eternity. My stomach still grumbles and I am hungry. Nonetheless, I don''t thirst for water and I''m beginning to feel more inhuman as I discover new traits developing inside me. I wondered on the previous thought I made ever since I opened my eyes. "Where am I?" Everything is dark and decrepit. Looking at myself doesn''t even begin to describe it since I can barely see.... No, I can''t actually see it. It''s as if darkness itself mended together into everything giving off even the slightest faint glint of light and I am part of that darkness. Days passed on. But the thing beckoning me on moving further intensifies even more including the never-changing sound of rattling metal. It''s still quite irritating though cuz'' the only thing giving off sound is the chains. Nothing more. I hoped for something better but expecting something in the Abyss is just going to fail my expectations and It''d just leave a bad taste. Months passed by. Or was it years? I don''t know anymore. My sense of time is numbed and I can''t predict how long I''ve stayed here, in the dark. But the ''Will'' is still there, forcing me to do the impossible. My hunger has grown to the point that I would consume anything.. if anything at all that''s shown in front of me. But the darkness has repressed that desire and I push onward. Things such as a man''s feeling of pleasure has slowly faded away from me.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. What was I? I can''t recall somehow. Decades, centuries, a millennia. A very, very, very long time has passed but I still stretch those two limbs on the ground and I never did feel tired of it. Until such time that I finally saw a glimpse of flash reflect before my eyes. This is it. The hope I''ve been looking for. I draw closer and closer. It''s been a week or maybe a month and I feel myself getting nearer. Suddenly, just a mile close to that seemingly bright gate shaped blaze, a square-sized panel of even purer darkness falls from who knows where. Written in the panel are words saying, - I commend you, oh soul born from darkness. The one who strides through the Abyss. Although it is apparent, you have been called, moreover, summoned by a race known as Humans. A pact has been made in order to cite a presence of strong origins. Apparently, you have been chosen by the Abyss as it has felt your longing for desires. You will be given two simple choices. - - Do you accept the summons, or will you stay? - As that panel stayed there, afloat. I have thought for a good long while. That "good long while" turned into a day instead. I notice that I''ve grown attached to this gloomy atmosphere. The sound of chains which I thought irritating had rather given me comfort after centuries of running. I have decided. "I accept." Was my answer. But actually, my statement was something else entirely. My vocal cords sounded abysmal. Come to think of it, I haven''t spoken for a long (Too long to even count) time. With that being said, sparks , opposite to that of darkness, began to circle around me. I felt the blazing gate of light instantly facing in front of me. - Very well. You have made your decision. Although you will not be able to return to your original world, the world you wil be summoned in is quite similar. For a final message, the Abyss thanks you for being its only resident. It is gifting you with special characteristics. You will find out what it is once you''ve arrived. Farewell, oh nameless one. - My sight lands at the final statement and then my mind blanks out. ??? Everything seems blurry but I could make out some figures in front me. "Your Highness! The summoning is a success!" "By the Gods! We''re saved! The prophecies has been right all along!" "Hail to the heroes!" I see a figure seated on a chair and he stands up. All the other figures in the large room bows down except for others who seemed different somehow. As the man slowly approaches, my vision clears. There I saw an old man wearing a crown, adorned with a robe covered in jewelries of some sort. The first figure that I saw in the large room. "Can someone explain to me why there is a non-human in the summoning? Well, it''s fine as long as it''s a hero." The old man looks at me with complicated eyes. Following the old man, most of the other people gaze at me with curiosity. Currently, I don''t understand what''s going on and everything felt so new to me that I had to adapt to it. Before I could organize my thoughts, a hand was held out before me. It was the old man, or rather, the king. With his hands outstretched, he speaks with a voice loud enough for the people to hear. "My name is Elmer Ban Weaver the VI, the human king that governs this kingdom. I have come to summon you, heroes, in hopes that you would save our species from the brink of extinction." His eyes moves over me and to some others that seem to be located behind me. Then he continues. "We beg you all! Please... please save us. I know it''s very selfish of us to force you our burdens but to our own powerlessness, we seek your help. As a king, I will shoulder any request, any that you heroes desire even if it means staking my life on it. I only ask for the protection of this little kingdom." His left hand beats his chest with his right still held before me. Silence then ruled the area thereafter and I may have seen some people bow. However... "You... will... give anything?" My mouth opens by it''s own, an abysmal voice comes out. Somehow, my body is moving on its own. There I felt a bad premonition. The king''s expression who had a face of helplessness immediately crumbled with uneasiness. The atmosphere is slowly turning tense. "T-that is right. But-" He replies yet I cut him off. I feel my reasoning slowly disappearing. I don''t know but... I think I forgot something... "Is.. That.. So? Then..." My hand grabs his outstretched arms. "I''m sorry... I just can''t help it... Cuz''.." I pause for a while. Without understanding why, his arm is severed from his body. "I''m.. So... HUNGRY..." I''ve been trying to hold it in. But my mind blanks for the second time. Chapter 2 - The First Look of Carnage My name''s Raymond. A random highschool teen who, by the way, is also randomly kicked in the ass by some couple of guys from a class full of delinquents. Today is not that different and I got my ass handed to me by a midget. What the fuuuuckkk!!!? This is totally unfair. I''m serious here! Where does that unbelievably small amount of luck come from anyways!? I get up from the muddy ground as I picked up my stained bag. Looks like they left and didn''t bother that one magazine that could have ruined my reputation though. (If you know what I mean...) I arrive at class late as usual. "You met with those noisy bunch didn''t yah?" "I thought you already knew that by now, dammit. And yes, I have. So please get that darn face outta my sight. It''s very, and by very, it''s hideous by a huge margin." Jim, an annoying friend of mine meets me at the classroom door. Of course, I''d already expected that since he was that kind of guy that would have wanted to know what''s happening on every damn passing event that might or might not happen to me. One huge fault he''s got for me is that he was born with that face. I know, its not hideous. In fact, girls would instantly flock right at him if he was at the least try''n chasing asses. But nooo, he keeps meetin'' me everytime I get beaten up around the school campus and he does it in a way that really pisses me off. Dammit, why is he even my friend? The lecture starts right exactly when me and Jim enter the room. I wonder when the teacher ever turned this considerate. That''s strange... Time passes by like mosquitoes and it''s our lunch break. Makes me think I didn''t do anythin'' though. However, before the whole class could even go out of the room. Our teacher who I felt was different today suddenly ran for the door. Why''d he do that? I was going to ask him but out of nowhere, he brought out with him a grenade. Yup... It looked like the real thing. His finger slowly approaches the safety pin. Jim, like the brave guy he is, nervously reasons with him. "S-sir Alfred? What are you doing? Please don''t startle us with that toy. It''s not like your tryin'' to blow up the entire room... Right?" Jim... you moron... Who do you think brings a grenade at school... The teacher pauses and looks up at us with unsteady eyes. What the hell?! Was he taking drugs?! With a stoned face like that, I bet he took those things last night like a dog in heat. "Aww, don''t be like that Jim. What did I teach you about blowing things up.." "What the fuck Sir! You didn''t teach us shit for the whole hour!!" ''Woahh Jim. That''s pretty vulgar of you...'' I nearly voiced out my thought. "...Is that so? Oh well.."Stolen novel; please report. Without minding Jim, Sir Alfred continues what he was supposed to do with a creepy smile plastered on his face. However, luckily or unluckily, I was quick enough to stop him from pulling the pin by tackling him to the ground. Although he was still holding unto the grenade, at the very least, I halted the disaster. "Get off me Raymond! I need that piece of shit!" On the other hand, Sir Alfred squirms uncontrollably. "Get the grenade Jim!" In quick response to what I said, Jim snatches the bomb from the teacher''s hand. Well now that we''re all good... Just when I thought everything was going my way this time. I hear a clank on the floor. "Don''t tell me..." "Sorry Ray... My hand slipped.." With the pin loosened, of course it would have fallen at some point. And guess what, I had to trust Jim. With me close to the bomb, I see everything turn white. ??? With everything flashing lights before his eyes. The unlucky highschooler named Raymond died, including half of the students in the class that was close to the blast. Incidentally, there they were transported in a world unknown to them. ??? I died. But what is this? I find myself standing at large room covered in bricks with torches hanging on some of the corners. I look around me and surprisingly, I see some of my classmates alive and breathing. Before I could begin to deduce what had happened. "My name is Elmer Ban Weaver the VI, the human king that governs this kingdom. I have come to summon you, heroes, in hopes that you would save our species from the brink of extinction." An old man cosplaying as the king stands before us speaking with a voice that could certainly be called, loud. Now that I look carefully, I see a woman cosplaying as a queen, another one dressed up as prince charming together with a beauty who looked like a princess. Around us are a whole gallery of people. Would you look at that... I think I''ve read this setting once in a book. "We beg you all! Please... please save us. I know it''s very selfish of us to force you our burdens but to our own powerlessness, we seek your help. As a king, I will shoulder any request, any that you heroes desire even if it means staking my life on it. I only ask for the protection of this little kingdom." Yup... It''s awfully familiar. When I thought I should let him explain what kind of movie shooting we''re having here, an unfathomable voice interrupts the silence. I couldn''t see it at first since it''s colour had manage to mend itself with the dark room but then my eyes lands at an unbelievable sight. A bipedal creature that just looked like a man although everything about it is mostly pure dark in colour stands close in front of us. It''s emitting shadow like luster within it''s body and it''s not exactly wrong to say it looked a bit naked though. I don''t know it''s facial structure but whatever it is, everything in my body screams danger. "How did I not see that?" A whisper slipped out of my mouth. Expecting something about to go wrong. What happens next is a bloody heap of mess. Silence returns infused with the sound of crunching bones. After losing his arm, the cosplayer pauses for a second then screams in pain. However for me, I feel the contents of my bowel rising through my lungs. "HUNGRY..." As if the creature isn''t satisfied yet, it plucks the man''s head with only it''s bare hands and... there I saw it. Its jaws which looked like that of a man''s suddenly enlarges. The whole crowd gasps in terror. No way?! Just what the actual fuck?!!! That thing ate his head, whole!! "F-fatherrrr!!!" Both the prince and princess cosplayers shout with an exact timing and the queen seemed to have fainted. Guys suited in metal armor surrounds the creature together with people covered in robes. "Guards! Protect the Royal Family! Surround the monster!" Tension rises within the vicinity. Just what the fuck is going on?! Dizziness hits me as the scent of blood wafts through the air. "Get a hold of yourself man! Let''s get out of this place!" The guy who killed us, Jim grabs my shoulders and pulls me with him. God damn it all, I don''t care anymore. Even after we left this cursed place, the sound of someone firing a rifle resounds through the corridors. Just when I thought I died, I witness a man being cannibalized and now I hear gunshots! Did I just actually enter hell!? Chapter 3: Confusion My father the king, Elmer the VI, is preparing to reason with the heroes. I just couldn''t hide my excitement in the process. "Mother, I can''t believe Micheal would show that kind of face. He never reveals a smile whenever we urge him to. Why is that?" My twin sister, Chlora, whispers to mother at my side. Mom glances at me. "Well... Ever since you were both little, your brother would divulge into reading the tales of the First Ones and would keep asking questions to your father about the Envoys of Justice." "Well that explains it. I still find it funny since brother would only show a serious demeanor everytime we meet him." I ignore both of them as they chuckled and I stare back only at the sight of father''s fleeting back. We all smiled as we knew that father would meet the heroes knowing that this was the second summoning in about a thousand years. Father has been the second king to have the privilage of summoning the heroes, just as the past ancestor had. I smiled... I felt proud... But eventually... I broke. "Fathherrr!!!" Before me was a headless figure standing in the middle of the throne room, blood spraying through the space. I froze with a smile still plastered on my face. I couldn''t quite figure out what was going on. It all happened so fast. "HUNGRY...." A voice brought me back to my senses, as well as it had brought chaos. He was there, another figure close to the falling lifeless body of father. I looked at him, and he looked back. Even as he bit through another piece of father''s arms, there was only the look of emptiness. I''ll never forget that voice. "Y-you monster!! I''ll kill you!" As the crown prince of this Kingdom. It is also my duty to show a cold and majestic character just as father had. But now... I can''t think properly. It''s as if my body wouldn''t respond to me. I rushed in on that dark figure like a mad man. My thoughts were confused whilst saying.. I''ll kill him.. I''ll break him... But before I could pounce on him, he raised his arms as if I was welcomed to do it. Then he said... "Feed... Me..." ..... Wait! Wait! Waitttt!! I snapped out of my rage. It was his voice all along! Before I figured out what had happened, I realised I was at his arms reach. There, a hand the size of mine grabs me at my neck. ''What in the world!'' His grip was icy as frozen water and was like a steel-like vice. He pulled me close to his face. This was the first time I looked at the face of terror. His dark distorted mouth quickly misshaped to that of lizard like jaws. I tried removing myself out of this situation with all my strength. This is not how I wanted everything to end. I can''t even avange father!! But no matter how hard I swayed to and fro, it was useless as he seemed to have made his grip even more constricting. All that I''m now asking is that.. Somebody.... Please help me... ??? His majesty, King Elmer... Died. Did he knew this would happen... Did he even know he''d die like this...? The world revolved around slowly as I was deep in thought. I''m his royal advisor and the sole commander of his army, as well as his friend... However, I did nothing as he had been instantly killed in front of me. For all I know, I could have stopped that from happening. But I didn''t... Something seemed to have stopped me. I''m confused. "Commander!! Commander Conrad! Your orders! The prince is in danger!" As I hear a voice, my head automatically turns to see a dark figure... strangling his higness, Prince Micheal. What am I doing!!? "Guards! Protect the Royal Family!!" I thought I saw my men pause there for a moment but then they do as I say and perform a defensive formation. I see all the noble families running around like headless chickens so I order two of my men to lead them out of the castle including the summoned heroes. They have yet to know why they were here in the first place. I look back at the existence grabbing hold of the prince. "Unhand the Prince!"This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. As I held my sword, I retain little amount of hostility as possible. This thing might straight out kill Micheal if I don''t hold back. The creature turns his head to look at me as if sizing me up and down. Unexpectedly, I didn''t think he''d let go of the prince that easily but still, he suddenly threw the prince slamming him on the floor. The impact must''ve made the prince faint. "You bastard! Someone get a healer!" I felt chilling air coming from the creature as it looked at me with bad intentions. He then starts walking towards me so I prepare my sword awaiting for his next actions. I took the rear so I could observe this creature first-hand while my men would surround it on the sides. When he stopped, I discern a small movement coming from his shoulders before it became an instantaneous hand grab to my face. Nonetheless, I had barely parried with a similar movement after casting myself with enhancing magic to which I counterattack with a single stab infused with energy qi. Reading his movements were too simple. This causes the entity to take a blow to the chest all the while forcing him to land on the opposite side of the room while he hits the walls with a crack. It should be enough to neutralise that thing. As I thought that, I hear something breaking only to see a seriously bent sword with a seriously damaged edge in my left hand. "How hard is that thing?!" I deepen my gaze. I look back at the creature only to find it standing up like it had been when it previously killed the king. "What... Is... this feeling?.." I hear a low groan from the entity as I find him touching the area I stabbed my sword with. He stares at me turning over to the broken sword. I don''t know how but I think he''s feeling threatened. Before anything else, I feel distressed with the way he stares at the space between me and my men as the atmosphere around us tightens. I caught sight of the ground beneath us turning dimmer as though the grey tiles were shaping into something sinister. ''This is bad...'' I thought. I don''t feel mana fluctuations on the surroundings, just freezing temperature. This isn''t even glacial magic! What is this?! It''s as if I couldn''t move anymore. My body froze but there''s no sign of ice developing through my body. My eyes stares only at the incoming figure in front of me. Those empty white eyes are directed only at me. ''Come on!! Move!!'' Just when I thought I''d tell my men to retreat. Something small but really fast whizzes in the air along with the sound of what may seem like thunder. It took me by surprise when I see a small single hole in the creature''s torso. To make it more astonishing, another series of holes appears in his body followed by similar crackling sounds. Silence ruled the throne. "I-I can move?" "What was that?" I hear the voices of my men then I realise that I too can move. The creature stopped walking while staring at the holes in his body. ''Who did that?'' I glance back to find a man dressed in green heavy leather clothing and in his hand was some sort of rod or weapon. "I don''t know what the hell''s going on here but seeing that guy over there loosing his head like a bottle cap and that guy eating it up like a cracker, it feels shit on my conscience." He speaks out while directing his sights at the fallen king towards the entity in front of me. If I recall. "You''re one of the heroes?" The man raises an eyebrow. "Hero? Well, that''s not exactly wrong though but I''m a soldier. The rank and name''s Private Richard." Hearing his answer, I turn my sight back at the creature. "Thank you for assisting us Sir Richard. It may be hard explaining some things since his majesty had just passed away, but right now we need your power. You made the hole in that thing''s chest right?" Richard agrees. "If you''re talking bout my gun, then yeah, I shot the-" "Annoying..." Before Richard could complete his sentence, something really ominous grabs my attention and the sensation of death suddenly strikes my mind. ??? Everyone in the room including both Conrad and the modern soldier felt a really cold sensation on their spines as the human-like entity spoke. But when they thought he was going to do something even more dangerous, the entity finally fell down with a small thud. Ending this horrid event, the chilling atmosphere around the throne slowly changed. "W-what was that?" One of Conrad''s men broke the silence. "It''s over. That''s for sure." The modern soldier answers with a shrug. "Wait... That thing''s still breathing..." Conrad replies. Following his line of sight, they all cock their heads as they stare at the fallen figure. With dark streaks coursing around him as if wrapping him up, it looked like he only suffered injuries to some degree even with bullet holes covering his entire body. "We should finish the job." "That thing killed his majesty, the king. We have to!" The royal guards were voicing out their thoughts. However, Conrad stops them. "We don''t know if it was summoned together with the other heroes or even if it is a hero itself. And according to the Olden King''s Decree, killing a summoned hero means threatening the rights of every hero within other kingdoms. We don''t want that to happen. Finding loopholes around that decree is treason itself." As he said this, the expression of the guards were filled with bitterness. "In order to find out what it is that happened with the summoning ritual, we need to know about the people involved. If it turns out that this thing was summoned to kill the king on purpose, then and now can we slay it in the name of his majesty." He looks at his second in command. "Fergus, I need you to dispatch your men. Stop the news of the death of his majesty. If even one of the demon lords finds out about this, there''s no kingdom to protect anymore. I trust you can do this with consideration." The man named Fergus salutes and immediately leaves the room with other guards. Conrad turns back to the modern soldier. "As for the heroes." He bows deeply. "I am terribly sorry for the sudden commotion." Conrad apologizes. Richard looks at him, confused. So he asks. "Though you say that, didn''t the said king just die. If it''s that, shouldn''t it be an even bigger commotion?" Although seeing a medieval styled room coupled with metal armor suited guards, it took a while to adapt himself with what was going on. But to the composed Conrad, he thought it would be of a shock knowing that an actual king who ruled a kingdom had just died in front of them. "His majesty the king prepared for this moment even if it risked his life. If one of the heroes were in rage knowing we just took them away from their worlds, he had told me himself that he would bare the consequences. He left a message for the crown prince just in case it would truly happen." Conrad bends his head down with a gloomy expression cast around his face. "Just not the way I was expecting he would die." Richard sensed this and immediately changed the topic just to remove the state Conrad was in. "So what now?" "Now? Now that you mention it, we have to gather all the heroes. Also, the creature needs to be detained. We don''t know its weakness but seeing that we can wear it down to that state, throwing it in the dungeon would be fine. Just don''t forget to bind it down with the manacite chains." Before everything was finally over, several other guards enters the throne with agitated expressions on their faces. One of them who seemed to be the leading captain nervously answers. "C-commander Conrad, when you ordered us to protect the heroes, t-two boys managed to get away before we could calm them down..." "What! How did that happen!?" "W-we don''t know but one of the them might have panicked and had cast some kind of magic that suspended us midair. With unknown reasons, it took us some time to get down however those two already ran away.." ''No way.... It''s too soon for the heroes to show signs of awakening...'' Conrad begins to fear something and orders his men to search for the boys in the town nearby which would likely be the place they would ran off to. On the otherhand. "So this isn''t Earth anymore... I just can''t believe something like this is happening.." Richard felt strange knowing he was in a different world and it was still hard to accept it.