Leaving The Abyss Of Unknowns

For the past few months, tension between the demons and the Kingdom of Ferlon has increased, with no end in sight. But there's still no movements from the Demon King making many to believe his already dead or the Demon King being born was just rumors. 

The heroes took on missions and other things while being in the academy as they awaited the day true war happens. In the meantime things for them have been smooth sailing. Their levels have increased to where they were mostly S in ranking, which means their levels were in the 600s. Even with the unique skill <Growth x2>, getting to higher levels isn't as easy as they thought.

But it's a different story for Qendrim, who at the moment has been training and getting used to his body, skills and weapon. Even though he now has the <Growth x2> skill he won't level up as much as before but it's not a problem as he was a person who liked to perfect everything he did. So his skills and use of his weapon have reached a high degree of mastery.

Right now he was laying down relaxing even though his face doesn't show signs of fatigue.

"It's about time to leave this place, I'm a little reluctant now" said Qendrim

"I can't tell but I understand, this is where you die and where I was born as well as where you lived again.. It became our home in this world" replied Split

"Home huh.. I wonder how my family are doing. The King did say a year there is ten years here.. I wonder if it's true" said Qendrim

"Maybe, who knows he could be lying for all we know but even if it's not true we'll do something about it" replied Split

"That's true well let's get some sleep because tomorrow we're finally leaving out of here" said Qendrim as he drifted off to sleep even though he doesn't need to 

In the dorms of the Magic Academy, there was a hero who was looking at the night sky from her balcony. She was the one who always spoke to Qendrim and tried to protect him even when he said it was okay, this was really for him to help the ones who still stood by him. Even when he was deemed useless. 

She was the main one who didn't like how he was treated or the King and the ones around him as she felt they weren't trustworthy at all. And it became true when they received their rings from the court magicians. They were tattoos of a ring on the back of their hands that were meant as a status to show that they are heroes but truly it was a slave ring. 

They were slaves for the King and only a few knew it and actually believed it was true. Others didn't believed it because the slaves they saw had slave crest on their backs close to their necks. She knew the rings they received were different since they were heroes so the normal slave crest wouldn't work on them.

But it actually doesn't work on her as she has darkness magic to go along with lighting magic and a high rank mind resistance skill. So she let herself be a "slave" because she wanted to make sure her classmates lives won't be exploited and at the same time gain knowledge of the world and it's inhabitants.

"The stars here are the only thing that seems pure.. Qendrim are you one of them now… I wish I was there to protect you when you need it most, I'm sorry" she said 

She shed some tears at the thought of losing her classmate. It lasted for a while until someone called for her.

"Ria, you're ready" asked the voice that belonged to a female as it was the females dorms

"Yes I'll be there in a sec" she replied

Looking back at the stars one more time she thought.

'I wish you were here.. Qendrim.. I will make sure the ones behind it pay but I need evidence to present to the Emperor' 

With a serious face she left to do some night training as you never know when you'll have to fight.

The next day inside the Abyss of Unknowns, Qendrim woke up.

"I didn't think I could have dreams anymore" he said

"Looks that way but it seems to be about her" said Split

"Ria.... I wonder if how she's doing"  he said what he was thinking

"She should be fine, you know she wouldn't let anyone take advantage of them" spoke Split

"That's why I was always observant of her, she's more than just a pretty face and innocent smile.. She's smarter than she shows but she doesn't need to do everything like when she was in the student council.. But I do remember, there were a few who tried to help me alongside her" he said

"That seems to be the case but you never know who to truly trust when it's their life against yours" replied Split

"That's why if she has the chance she should leave even if it means leaving alone" he said

"But we both know the type of person she is" 

"Yeah, haaaa but if I discover that, that idiotic sly King did something to her, I will completely erase everyone involved from existence" said Qendrim with narrowed eyes filled with cold killing intent

"Even if they didn't we will eventually pay them a visit" said Split as he's the one who could make Qendrim's face show some type of emotion which mostly looks sadistic 

"It's time… I've finished absorbing the remaining mana as well as the mana from the barrier" said Qendrim as his face returned expressionless 

"You finished months ago, you were just getting accustomed to your body as it grew from 5'9 to 6'1 with explosive strength filled inside a compact muscular build so you had to retrain from the beginning but who knew it would only take a few months to do both" said Split

"It's breaking" said Qendrim as he felt the barrier began to break after losing more than 90% of it's mana

Looking around as the place he was standing wasn't the Abyss of Unknowns anymore but just a huge deep wide valley.

'So this is the actual Abyss of Poison… not as pure as the poison in the Abyss of Unknowns but people with low resistance would die before they had a chance to do something about it.. It also has its own barrier too' thought Qendrim

'You don't have to worry about the barrier just walk out it can't keep anyone here other than the things born here' said Split in his head

"I know but…" he started before grinning as he was switched to Split suddenly

"There's people outside the barrier and there seems to be a familiar mana source with them.. What luck" said Split grinning

"...." 

"This will be fun, do you want me to do it" asked Split

"Just don't take too long even though saying it to myself is beyond weird" replied Qendrim

"We've passed that point a long time ago just remember we may be split in personality but we're still one person so we share everything, memories included" 

"I figured that out long ago, just hurry up and finish because sooner or later, we'll be one again" said Qendrim

"Yeah, yeah I know, I look forward to when that happens" said Split with a grin

Letting his other personality take over as it was the norm now, Split walked out the barrier where the ten people were. As the small group of five was preparing to head back after finishing what they were sent out to do They saw someone and what made them shocked was that this person came out of the Abyss of Poison without any clothes or signs of being poisoned.

This caused them to brandish their weapons as the leader, who was the one with the familiar mana source, stepped forward and spoke.

"State your name and how you came out of the Abyss of Poison unharmed" asked the leader in a stern voice

"You already know the answer to the first one as for the second question it doesn't matter" said Split with a grin 

"Who are you? And why did you come from out there? Answer now" said the leader more aggressively 

"Haaa I wanted to play around since this would be my first time but…" stated Split as his grin became more menacing 

They all felt the sudden change which made them tremble in fear. They wanted to leave here at once but stayed as their leader didn't seem fazed by it so they mustered up their courage. But their leader they were talking about was actually the same as them even though he was frozen with fear he still had his pride as the second in command of the Kingdom of Ferlon's espionage second division. 

Even though they're not the strongest or the weakest of the Kingdom's divisions, they have to be good enough to be able to escape if need be. They also had to make sure no one knew where they're from.

'What does he mean I already know.. Does he know me.. Impossible I never seen someone like him in my life' thought the leader 

As Split began to lift his hands up he spoke something that made him confused, shocked, and terrified.

"It can't be helped, after all it's been four years since then. Actually, today should be the anniversary of that night isn't that right Sir Kurt" said Split as he was about to finish things now

"That night…." said Kurt as he started to remember what happened four years ago

"H-How do you know about that night.. Who are you this the last time I'll ask you or I'll have to use force" replied Kurt as he remember the night four years ago when he was just a low rank guard at the castle 

'At that time I was given a mission from the King directly with seven others that included three heroes… We were to dispose of the useless hero and after completing it I got promoted into the espionage group and became the second in command for it's second division…. A couple days ago I was told to go investigate the Abyss of Poison with the safest entrance being in the Kingdom of Xives but the King wanted it done in secrecy so that's why there was only five people but I didn't think there was someone who knew about that night other than the King and a small group of people that included the one who were there that night' thought Kurt as he was ready to kill Split as its was the best decision then to leave him alive

"Well it doesn't matter you'll be dead soon" 

Saying that, Kurt moved at a speed unseen by most but Split saw everything and was quite bored. Coming behind Split, Kurt swung his black dagger at his neck as he smirked but it was soon replaced with a disbelief expression. 

"Wh-what, H-how is this possible? Why can't I move?" asked Kurt trying to move his body but to no avail   

Even his subordinates were confused as to why their leader stopped moving when he was about to cut that person's head off.

"Isn't it obvious why… it's because I stopped you" said Split grinning as he turned to face Kurt

"What do you mean, that's not possible unless you have time-space magic….. It can't be, time-space magic is one of the rarest and hardest magic to use how are you able to use to this degree without effort" asked Kurt as he was signaling the rest to attack Split while he has his back turned

They say it and move fast but not as fast as Kurt. They were about to shoot their magic at Split but were shocked to feel that they also couldn't move anymore.

"Wh-What's going on"

"Why can't we move"

"Is this time-space magic"

"How? That's impossible… even the people who can use it can't do something to this degree nor do they have the mana capacity to use it for so long" 

"Who is he, is he even human" 

Were what the four people saying as they were also frozen in place like Kurt.

"Y-You… What… Who are you?" asked Kurt as he didn't know what else to do as he didn't have a way out of this

"I already gave you the answer to it, you're just not listening" said Split as he moved his hand and aimed it at them

"I don't know who you…" Kurt paused as he took a closer look at Split and it finally clicked as to who he was. Qendrim looked different but he still has some of his old features if one looks long enough

"Have you finally realized it" asked a smiling Split that was more fear inducing than before

"I-It can't be.. A-are you Qendrim that useless hero.. No it can't be, it's impossible… we saw you die and was burned by the hero's fire as well as being thrown into the Abyss of Poison… How are you still alive.. Impossible, impossible it's a lie it has to be" said a trembling Kurt 

"Oh but it is true I'm alive and better than ever… well mostly... but that's enough of the reunion it's time to send you away now" said Split as he smiled sadistically 

Hearing his confirmation, Kurt didn't want to believe it but something was telling him that the person in front of them was truly the once useless hero name Qendrim who supposedly died four years ago. 

"W-wait can we talk this out… I didn't have a choice back then. I was put in a difficult situation and had to.. I'm sorry, can you forgive…" before he could finish Split interrupted him and said something that made him see hope 

"Forgiving you is easy but that's not why I'm doing this"

"Then why?" asked Kurt confused but it soon turned for the worse

"Because I enjoy it" he replied back with a sadistic grin

He used his negation skill to negate the gravity around them as they were crushed alive, screaming, crying, pleading to not kill them even bringing up their families and cursing at Split while in pain as their life was forfeited in a less than ideal way.

When Split negate the gravity around each individual he negated the principal that lets people move around while also not having to worry about floating away without control of ones body.

The part that keeps them from floating away which in turn caused them to receive unending gravity pressure that was a thousand times or more stronger than the world's gravity onto their bodies all at once. So you could imagine how that felt.

"That was exhilarating" said Split smiling

"Whatever, switch back, hopefully you didn't damage the storage rings they had on.. Since the clothes are unwearable" said Qendrim as he became dominant between personalities

"Don't worry I made sure to keep them harmless" said Split

"Good I'm tired of running around here naked and I'm surprised they didn't react to that.. I guess being in the espionage division makes you immune since they must have seen lots of things" said Qendrim

"Well that was for the others but for Kurt he was special in that regards" said Split 

"Yeah I know I always felt that he was for the other team so there was no reason like doing it for family as he didn't have one in that sense" replied Qendrim with his trademark emotionless face

Gathering the five rings, he opened them as the owners were dead, so there was no need to override the mana in it to open it. He found some normal looking clothes in one of the rings that could fit him and put it on. He also saw all the silver, and gold coins they had as he put the rings into his own subspace that work as a space storage. 

After finishing getting dressed and putting on some boots he spoke as he went to the entrance of the valley.

"So this is how it looks outside the Abyss, not bad"

"Yeah not bad indeed… so what's the plan now" asked Split

"To find a place with people and a bed.. I want to lay on a soft bed for once…I'll think about the rest afterwards" answered Qendrim as he left the entrance to the valley that leads to the Abyss of Poison as well as the subspace where the Abyss of Unknowns is located