Gift from the Endless Abyss

"Your original race is Demon."

"The lord's trial has officially begun. Initial resources have been released to your private space. Please quickly establish and improve your territory."

In the darkness, Shine opened his eyes.

"Endless... Abyss?"

"What kind of place is this, and what does it mean to be a Demon? How come I've never heard of it until now? Wait... This is!"

As Shine's eyes adjusted to the dim light, a sense of dread washed over him.

There were no lush jungles, no vast elemental planes—only a desolate expanse of cracked, barren earth beneath a blood-red sky. Fetid air mingled with the ceaseless roar of storm and thunder, while a colossal, ominous vortex loomed overhead.

It was as if a malevolent force had twisted the very fabric of reality, rendering chaos the only constant. Here, there were no rules, only primal disorder—a realm where destruction reigned supreme.

This was the birthplace of violence and ruin, the final destination of the wicked and the fallen.

This place was the Endless Abyss.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Shine's erratic breaths were interrupted by a sudden surge of pain in his chest, followed by a disturbing sight—blood, staining his lips and spattering the ground beneath him.

Less than a minute in the Endless Abyss, and already he was coughing up blood. The air here was toxic, the environment relentless in its hostility.

Could any civilized being survive in such a place?

"There's no turning back now, not after that one chance to choose," Shine muttered, his gaze flickering to the resources already released into his private space.

Regret was futile; he had to establish his territory, no matter the challenges this world presented.

The two random selections had granted him an extra 50% of initial resources—but also heightened the risks he faced. Yet Shine had prepared meticulously for the dangers ahead, leaving no room for remorse.

"The first step: determining the location of my territory."

According to the [Age of Lords] textbook, his birthplace should be surrounded by various resource-rich areas. He needed to locate them and use them as the foundation for his territory. Once established, his territory would grant him the ability to adapt to the harsh environment.

As Shine ventured further into the Endless Abyss, he soon realized that the textbooks were a poor guide for navigating this chaotic realm. The Abyss defied easy definition, its true nature far beyond the grasp of any mere words on a page.

Despite gradually adapting to the environment, Shine found himself fruitlessly searching for a suitable location to establish his core territory. By noon, he hadn't even stumbled upon a single resource production site—a stark contrast to the swift progress of his peers.

Frustration mounting, Shine abandoned his solitary search, opting instead to recruit Territory people to aid him in the hunt for a suitable location.

Finally settling on what appeared to be vacant land, Shine initiated the creation of his territory.

[The territory is being created..]

[Territory construction completed.]

[Congratulations, you have your first block of level 1 territory!]

[You have officially become a level 1 lord.]

With a flash of digital symbols, a decrepit throne materialized before him. Crafted from the remnants of unknown creatures and stained with dark red blood, it bore eerie abyssal symbols etched into its surface.

This throne, the core of Shine's territory, served as his main base—a seat of power from which he could command his Territory people and erect new structures. But it was also a symbol of vulnerability; should it fall, so too would his territory.

[The basic buildings in your territory have been dispersed.]

[ You obtain the basic building Abyss Sacrifice X1!]

[You obtain the basic building —— Abyss Hatchery Pool ( Dry state ) X1, you obtain the architecture —— Gate of the Abyss X1!]

Every new territory established in the Age of Lords comes equipped with 2-5 basic structures tailored to the characteristics of the chosen race. For instance, a dwarf's territory might feature taverns and smelting rooms, while an undead territory might boast graveyards, halls of the dead, and observation towers of the dead. In the rare case of a dragon clan territory, basic structures might include dragon nests, hunting grounds, shelters, and Dragon Bone land.

In Shine's territory, three distinct structures emerged: a gray and weathered high platform, a closed pond enveloped in withered black tentacles, and a door emanating shimmering crimson light. Each served essential functions, strategically positioned not too far from one another.

As Shine surveyed his territory from atop the core throne, he scrutinized each building in turn.

"The Abyss Sacrifice... Sacrifice anything of value—treasures, resources, even hope and souls—to acquire abyss treasures later?"

Surveying his private space, Shine found nothing that could be sacrificed.

Shine's mind raced with the sudden, unsettling thought of sacrificing his soul for wealth. It was a dark impulse he couldn't explain—a fleeting whisper in the depths of his consciousness.

As a gust of dark wind passed, Shine shook his head vigorously, banishing the idea from his mind. He pushed aside the notion of Abyss Sacrifice and turned his attention to the next building.

"The Abyss Hatchery Pool... But why is it dry?" He mused aloud.

"Does it require resources to activate?"

Seated upon the ancient throne, Shine pressed the Abyss Hatchery Pool. What he saw next left him speechless.

"What is this? Why are there so many types of soldiers available for exchange, and each one requires no scientific or technological expertise to unlock?"

[Abyss Hatchery Pool exchange selection.]

[Level 0 Soldier type: Little devil, selling price: 0.25 souls, 25 kilograms of flesh and blood (Regardless of race, no limit to completeness ).]

[Level 1 Soldier type: Native lemurs, selling price: 0.5 souls, 40 kilograms of flesh and blood (Regardless of race, no limit to completeness).]

[Level 2 Soldier type: Snake devil, selling price: 1 soul, 60 kg of flesh and blood (Regardless of race.)]

...

[Level 10 Soldier type: Gargoyle, selling price: 5 souls, 540 flesh and blood, 20 kilograms of precious metals.]

[Level 11 Soldier type: Demon Artisan, selling price: 3 souls, 20 kilograms of flesh and blood, 100 kilograms of precious metals, requires Devil's Workshop architecture.]

...

[Level 25 Soldier type: Succubus, price: Requires Special Soul.]

...

[Level 50 Soldier type: Legendary Balrog, price: Molten core X1, need to create an Abyss Hatchery Pool in a living volcano.]

..

[level 100 Soldier type: Demon Prince, selling price: Son of God X1!]

Looking at these countless Soldier-type exchanges, Shine simply couldn't be more excited than he was.

This is the first gift given by the Endless Abyss to Shine.

The Best Gift!