Chapter 8: [Void of Abyss] (1)

I packed some more canned food and water, fixing my slightly broken bag from the fight. Once I finished, I headed towards the city exit, which led to another black forest.

Claire and Sara, who were waiting for me at the gate, saw me headed towards them and waved at me. As I arrived, Sara spoke and said, "Do you really have to leave?" I hummed, and Sara sighed with disappointment. "Well, I hope you have a safe trip. Take care," she said. Claire and I hummed in agreement and said, "You too."

As soon as we bid our farewell, Claire and I walked through the darkness. We often encountered monsters as we passed through but were able to defeat them thanks to the skill that the [Judge] "Iris" gave us.

Facing a D-Level monster, a cyclops, I pulled the trigger and shot it. As my bullet exploded, it covered its face, and Claire took this chance to surround and tie it up using her golden rope. The moment she tied the cyclops, I charged and used my gun. Boom! As soon as smoke covered the cyclops' sight, I appeared from it and used my dagger to slash its neck. Swish. The scene looked elegant and gentle, if you ignore the blood that splattered.

After its large body fell with a loud 'thud!', I fixed myself and grabbed Claire's wrist as I said, "Let's go." Claire hummed, and we ran away silently, fearing that the other monsters would sense us.

...

Days later passed, and we finally got out of the Dark Forest and arrived at another city. But unlike the city that Sara came from, this time there was not a single building standing up. It was like an open field, but with buildings that had barely half of their structure still intact.

This was the city I had been searching for, the one I asked Sara about at the end of our deal. Looking around the city, I couldn't sense anyone and frowned. 'He' must be here, I'm certain. According to the player I faced called [Chicken_Winner], his character was said to have gone to this place when they entered the [Trial].

This is also the place where his character would be betrayed by his so-called companion...

As I walked, I noticed a massive crack on the wall of a nearby building, indicating that a fight had taken place. I furrowed my brow and came to a halt. Claire, sensing my concern, quietly inquired, "What's the matter?"

"It seems there might be other people here," I said solemnly. Claire became vigilant, and we silenced our presence as we continued to walk. Then, we saw something that made our stomachs groan. The place was filled with corpses, and from the appearance of the field, it seemed that a great fight had taken place.

Claire couldn't bear it and puked. I patted her back to ease her while I was lost in thought. 'Could it be... I was late? Did 'he' already get betrayed?' Just as I was thinking, I suddenly heard a low groan from the corner and saw a person that was badly wounded trying to move.

Claire and I looked at each other before approaching the person with caution. Sensing our arrival, the person on the ground asked in a hoarse voice, "Who...?"

I did not answer his question and instead said, "We are humans." Hearing this, the person widened his eyes before he tried to get up and said, "Please... help me... I'm... begging you."

Claire was about to give a hand when I stopped her. She looked at me and saw that I was frowning. I looked down at the person and did not approach and asked, "Why should we help you?"

"What?" The person was surprised, not expecting such words from me. He then said, "B-Because... I have something that will help you!" He then coughed a mouthful of blood, and I frowned in disgust. I asked, "What exactly is it? No, what exactly happened here?"

"No wait, can you see in the dark?!" The person asked in surprise, but I became impatient and asked in a domineering tone, "What, exactly, happened?"

The person's eyes dodged, and he seemed to have thought of something and exclaimed, "M-Monster! Yes! There was a monster that attacked us! And I'm not talking about another being, but a human!"

"What do you mean?" Claire asked with furrowed eyebrows. "It was one of our companions. We were just walking through this city when 'he' suddenly started attacking and slaughtering us! He is a psycho! A monster! Ugh!" The person groaned in pain before he puked out more blood as I stabbed him with a dagger in his heart.

"Why...?" The person was shocked, not to mention Claire and the [Judge]s.

[Judge "Dionysus" is shocked and says, "Oh my god, this [Defendant] is a psychopath!"]

[Judge "Iris" is terrified and says, "Please tell me you have a reason for this action?!"]

I understand why the [Judge] "Iris" reacted this way because she is an archangel. They belong to the [Good], and they cannot tolerate an [Evil] person. I hummed and said, "Don't worry, I have a reason for my action."

[Judge "Ares" asks, "What is your reason?"]

I answered with pleasure as I explained, "Why would a person attack you all of a sudden? They have a reason." Everyone listened carefully amidst the grunting pain of the person. I continued, "It is either the person holds a grudge against you, they are ordered to do so, to save their life, or, speaking of saving their lives, maybe--"

"You betrayed that person and tried to kill him?"

Hearing this, everyone was stunned, and the person's eyes shook greatly as if asking how did I know? I scoffed at his reaction and said, "I don't tolerate scums like you." Before the person could react, I slashed his neck, dead.

Standing up, I wiped off the blood stain of my dagger on the wall, and Claire asked, "How did you know?"

I turned to her and asked, "Know what?" She pouted and said, "Know that they betrayed that person." I was silent before I said, "I did not specifically say that they betrayed him. I just thought that the person would not kill them for no specific reason, that's all." Claire was not satisfied with my answer and wanted to say more but held it back.

Seeing that what I thought was true about being late, I decided to go to 'that' place and said to Claire, "Claire."

"Yes?" Claire was confused by my seriousness. I spoke solemnly, "The place we are going to go to now is where the 'Core of Light' is." Claire widened her eyes in surprise, not just her, but even the [Judge]s.

[Judge "Ares" is doubtful and asks, "How do you know where the 'Light of Core' is? How is that possible?"]

I ignored the message and said to Claire with confidence and seriousness, "Trust me. I know where it is, and it's not just me, even the other [Defendant] knows it."

Claire looked at me with an obscure gaze, and I said, "It's fine if you don't believe it. It's your choice whether you'll come with me or not, so..." Reaching out my hand towards her, I asked, "Will you come with me?"

I don't know where it came from, but a gust of wind blew past us, and Claire's golden blonde hair fluttered. Her emerald green eyes widened, and her lips parted slightly. After some time, she lowered her head and closed her eyes. Then, she looked at me with determination and grabbed my hand. Looking at me, she said, "Let's go." Seeing this, I was stunned before I narrowed my eyes and smiled before humming.

With that, a new companionship and trust were built unknowingly.

...

"Huff, Huff." At another location, there could be seen a dark void, and in the middle of it, a dark stone tower could be seen.

A person with fiery crimson hair came out of the forest, holding a sword in his hand that was covered in blood. Wiping it off using the skin of a monster he just killed, he clicked his tongue in dismay and stared at the tower.

He muttered, "So this is where the 'Light of Core' is located, huh? It's pretty fancy." As he said that, he threw away the skin and hid back his sword in a scabbard and walked towards the tower.

And above the tower, the familiar white aura-like appeared.

[Welcome to the [Void of Abyss]! I congratulate everyone for being able to come here!]

[Now claim your ticket, the 'Light of Core,' and you'll officially pass the [Trial] and become a [Guide]!]

[That is, if you can obtain it~]

[I wish the best of luck to everyone!]