Abyssal Awakening

[This information might be a little outdated, but people aren't struggling to find them. They simply aren't around anymore. Extinct.]

Hearing this, Alice wasn't sure how to react.

All she could think of was simply, why?

'How did they go extinct?' Alice questioned while Cayla shrugged.

[I don't have the answer for that. It's simply a case of researchers and myself noticing that certain beasts have disappeared altogether. No more Sigils were given, no more bounties, no more appearances. It's as though they were completely wiped out.

[As for their abilities, they were eventually split into smaller variants that appeared in different beasts. So some of the candidates that I think would work as a perfect Catalyst for you can't be hunted anymore.]

'Is this the Will's doing? Is he trying to stifle the growth of Hunters by making these beasts unobtainable?' Alice couldn't help but ask.

The only reason she could think of that would answer why these beasts disappeared would be the Will of the Abyss.

[He hasn't done these kinds of things in the past, even when the Abyss was at its strongest with countless hunters obtaining powerful combinations. I don't see why he would begin cutting back the beasts in the last few hundred years.

[Regardless, it's still a fact that some of these suitable catalysts are no longer around.] Cayla shrugged, handing the list over to Alice.

The abilities that she had drafted up varied, but all of them had potential ways of fusing and enhancing her Sigils.

Just to name a few, there was a Sigil that focused on the realm of life and death. Much like duality, it's able to split powers into the power of life and the power of death. Power of life focused on healing, multiplying and enhancing, while the power of death focused on killing, debuffing and weakening the opponent.

A Sigil that focuses on the viral effects. It's similar to poison yet at the same time, it's not the same. The Sigil itself breaks down the abilities to the fundamental powers and allows the user to merge certain aspects.

Take for example, the power of Severance, which focuses on cutting and isolating through slashes. By using this Sigil, she'll be able to apply the effects of Severance on the blood mist, making it turn into a…

'Wait. Sh*t.' Alice blinked her eyes.

If she was to combine Severance and the Viral Sigil, it would essentially make a mini version of her second Sigil right now! Blood mist that isolates the outside powers and turns whoever is trapped inside into a normal human.

Thinking of this, Alice folded her arms as she couldn't help but theorise at what Nyer had thrown together to create her. All of these combinations, was this what Nyer was doing?

Combining different bloods with pieces of Velouria and all the specimens that he's collected over the years.

The power of Null for example, as mentioned by Tiamat.

The list of potential catalysts didn't stop at Viral either.

Phantom Echoes, Mnemonic Splicing, Entropic Decay and so on.

All of these were potential catalysts that she could use, yet all of them were dubbed 'extinct' due to the fact that they're no longer around.

However, the one that caught her attention the most was a Sigil called Paradox Factor.

Paradox Factor was a simple ability. Whatever she hits or uses, she mutates to a certain extent. Cuts that heal, explosions that seal space, corruption that actually purifies.

But with this Sigil, she's unable to directly choose the mutation. Simply put, it creates a sense of chaos with her abilities.

Of course, just because she isn't able to directly control the mutation, it doesn't mean she can't indirectly manipulate the mutation path.

Yet with the beast extinct, it was impossible to get this power.

'Back to the drawing board then.' Alice sighed.

[I wouldn't go that far. I can still draft up a list of potential candidates based on what abilities are still available. Oh wait, I can't. Because I can't access the library of knowledge known as the Abyss.] Cayla didn't give up this chance to add another jab in.

Right now, she was working with outdated information. If Alice had warned her of what she wanted to do, Cayla might've gotten more of a chance to collect more information first before the sealing.

'Urggggggg…' Letting out a fatigued groan, Alice sprawled out on the floor.

Letting Cayla sort out the list for now, Alice put her focus back on reality. With her teleporting the two of them into the Void, she's managed to save them from the Lords for now.

However, until they resolve this… misunderstanding that she's part of the cult, things would be a lot more annoying than it is now.

She's fine with fighting a single Lord, might be fun. But more than one? Yeah nah she's not ready to roll over and die yet.

###

"I'm back, did you miss me?" The man shouted out as Nyer didn't even glance back.

His focus was entirely placed on the woman inside the container.

"Did you deal with the lake of Outer God's blood?" Nyer asked, noting down some minor changes on the body.

"Done and dusted. Rosalyn wasn't wrong though, it's a bit of a pain. More so than before." The man stretched his body, walking over to the sofa and sprawled out.

"It's only to be expected. Outer God's blood isn't something we of this realm can casually touch without consequences. Though this is a beneficial situation for you as well, is it not?" Nyer spoke calmly.

Even for him, he had to take extra precaution when it comes to dealing with samples related to the Outer Gods.

Their… Energy and blood were highly unstable, corruptive and overall difficult to work with.

Trying to balance it and fuse it with elements of their world would result in failure 98% of the time. The other two percent would turn them into monstrosities that need to be put down.

What he desired was not a ruined world.

"Again you're speaking in riddles. Don't you get tired of that? How hard is it to just speak like a normal person?" The man asked lazily.

Nyer chose not to answer.

"I'm in need of some more materials. Get them for me." He instead chose to give the man some more chores as he let out a groan.

"Why don't you get your followers to do it? They're practically at your beck and call." The man clicked his tongue while reading through the list of what he needed.

All of them were rare samples of blood, flesh, plants and other materials that couldn't be retrieved easily.

And even if they could, the issue was rarity.

"If I give out the command, a lake of blood will follow, regardless of what I desire. It's far easier to have you do it."

"Well if you put it that way, I'm more inclined to help out. But you know how trades between us go." The man smiled a twisted smile as Nyer frowned ever so slightly before nodding.

"This body is reaching the end of its cycle anyways. Do as you please."

Receiving his permission, the man let out a cackle as his body began to break down into a black mist with countless eyes floating within. A corruptive energy began to spread out before black tendrils and maws latched onto Nyer's body, breaking and consuming him.

"Satisfied?" Nyer's voice rang out as the realm trembled.

A tear manifested nearby as another, younger, variant of Nyer stepped out. There was the same fatigued look in his eyes while the man nodded.

"Somewhat. I should've asked a little earlier since the blood and flesh were already beginning to rot away." He picked away at his teeth using his fingers before standing up.
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"So how fast do you need these materials?"

"Within a week." Nyer walked over to his table and organised his notes.

There was a single sheet on the table that made him pause. A report regarding a certain individual in the east.

As expected, the hands-off approach was more desirable when it comes to growth of a specimen.

"Yikes a week? Aren't you a slave driver?"

Furrowing his brows, Nyer understood this tone of voice.

"I've given you the payment, it's your turn to respect the exchange and fulfil your side of the deal."

Before the man could even reply, an invisible pressure crashed down on him as cracks appeared across his body.

Divinity began to leak out with the realm crying out in pain.

Trying his best to stand up straight but failing, the man gritted his teeth and held up his hands in surrender.

"Sh*t alright, I got it. Just a joke." He forced a smile as the pressure disappeared.

He thought that Nyer would be a little weaker now that a new vessel took over, but to think he could cultivate another 'Hunter' to such an extent was forever going to be a mystery.

After all, the Abyss creates contracts that modify the soul.

So for Nyer to have so many 'usable bodies' with different Sigils, and power combinations, it was defying the natural order of the Abyss.

Watching the man leave the room, Nyer turned his attention back to organising his notes.

When dealing with someone of his nature, Nyer had to make sure the vessel he uses can kill him. Otherwise, things will begin spiralling out of control. A high risk high reward situation that wasn't of his own doing. But one that he'll take advantage of.

After all…

The man he was talking to…

Is an artificial 'offspring' of an Outer God that humanity created.

One that he picked up and one that he's keeping confined and controlled.