MTLNOVEL Chapter 6: Chapter 5 – The Abyssal Throne
Kael's breath came slow and measured as he knelt before the abyssal queen—his supposed mother. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to rise, to assert his dominance, but another, deeper instinct kept him in place.
She stood before him, her presence an overwhelming force that made the air tremble. The shadows around her moved, as if they were alive, coiling and whispering in a forgotten language.
"Rise."
Her command was soft, yet undeniable. It wasn't a request. It was law.
Kael pushed himself up, his newly reborn body still adjusting to the sheer density of mana in the air. His eyes met hers, and for a moment, he felt as if he were staring into an endless abyss—one that could consume him whole if he faltered.
"You are Abyssborn," she continued, circling him with slow, deliberate steps. "The blood of the void runs through you. And yet, you are not complete."
Kael's fists clenched. "What do you mean?"
She stopped behind him, her presence sending chills down his spine.
"You have been reborn, but rebirth is not enough. The Abyss does not grant power freely. It demands strength. It demands submission. You must prove yourself worthy of the name you now carry."
Kael turned to face her fully. "And how do I prove myself?"
The queen smiled, and for the first time, he saw something flicker in her gaze—amusement.
"By surviving."
The shadows around them twisted violently, forming a gate made of writhing darkness. A surge of instinct hit Kael like a tidal wave—something lay beyond that gate, something hungry.
"Step through, and you shall receive your baptism."
His eyes narrowed. "And if I refuse?"
The queen chuckled, a low, sultry sound that sent an unfamiliar heat through his blood.
"Then you will die as nothing more than a failed experiment."
Kael's jaw tightened. He had died once before. He had felt the cold steel of betrayal pierce his heart, the helplessness of being weak. He would never allow himself to be that powerless again.
Without another word, he stepped toward the gate.
And plunged into the abyss.
---
Trial of the Abyss
The moment Kael crossed the threshold, the world around him vanished.
Darkness stretched endlessly in all directions, an eternal void with no ground, no sky—only emptiness. Yet, in that emptiness, something moved.
A growl echoed, reverberating through the abyss like a beast awakening from its slumber.
Kael's instincts screamed in warning. He spun around, eyes narrowing as a form took shape in the distance.
A colossal creature loomed before him, its body shifting between shadow and solid mass. It had no distinct shape—only writhing limbs and a gaping maw lined with rows of jagged teeth.
[ Abyssal Devourer – Tier 1 Predator ]
A screen flashed before Kael's eyes, projected by the Abyssal Codex, but he barely had time to process it.
The creature lunged.
Kael barely dodged, rolling to the side as its monstrous maw slammed into the void where he had stood. A shockwave rippled through the darkness, sending tremors through his body.
He gritted his teeth. He was still adjusting to this new body, still unfamiliar with the depths of his strength. But hesitation meant death.
His claws flashed, slashing at the beast's side. The moment his talons sank into its flesh, a strange sensation coursed through him—something instinctual.
[ Predation Activated ]
His veins burned, and for a brief second, he felt himself pulling at the creature's very essence. But the Devourer shrieked, its form twisting violently as it broke free.
Kael staggered back, his mind reeling. That brief moment of contact had given him something—a fragment of the creature's existence.
He grinned.
"So, that's how it works."
The Devourer howled, its shadowy limbs thrashing wildly. It lunged again, but this time, Kael met it head-on.
He wasn't just fighting.
He was hunting.
---
Abyssborn Awakening
As the battle raged, Kael felt something shift within him. The more he attacked, the more he consumed, the more he felt himself changing.
The Abyss wasn't just testing him.
It was transforming him.
[ Essence Absorbed: Abyssal Devourer – Shadow Flesh (Incomplete) ]
He could feel the creature's power melding with his own, its very essence becoming a part of him. It wasn't just about killing. It was about evolution.
Kael's grin widened, his claws gleaming in the abyssal darkness.
The battle was far from over.
But he was just getting started.
---
To Be Continued…