Chapter 478: In Search of Knowledge in the Abyss

Flying into the abyss was… interesting. I could see many things in the distance, as well as strange divisions between ecosystems. When the System said the abyss was split into separate ecosystems that didn’t merge, I thought it was just about the monsters.

But no, it’s literally the entire environment. The vegetation, soil type, even the ’air’ of a place changes from one point to another, super abruptly. And flying is when it’s easiest to see such changes.

Although there is a limit to how far I can see, because the abyss is so dark. My vision can only reach so far before it’s too dark to see anything.

’Is that…’ I see something in the distance and stop flying, looking around. I focus my vision on it and immediately my brain freezes.

“…” I try to focus, but my brain refuses to comprehend what it’s seeing. I tilt my head in confusion.

“What the hell? How can a structure have such a form?” I understand, but I don’t understand what I’m seeing. They are hundreds of bizarre, non-Euclidean structures that seem to defy the very concept of physics.

’Am I seeing the inside angle from the outside?!’ My brain, which has all the universal laws etched into it, literally freezes for not comprehending something that lies outside the laws governing the universe.

“What exactly was that supposed to be? Mountains? Rock formations? HOUSES?!” I try to fly closer, and the closer I get, the worse it seems to become. A jumbled mess of angles that close in on themselves distortedly, as if the space around such structures had completely collapsed.

’They really are houses…’ I sense many different auras within them, some weak, others absurdly strong and dangerous, hanging around, inside, and wandering the area of those structures.

“System, what is that?!” I ask, hoping the system will help me since it seems strangely more active here in the abyss.

[In the abyss, the laws of physics, logic, and the way matter behaves sometimes simply do not exist. In zones where physics shatters, monsters tend to build their homes.

Precisely because these locations allow monsters to live in that space without depending heavily on specific environments. However, as a side effect, any structure created within these areas deforms into illogical angles.

With distortions ranging from simple ’spatial crumples’ to complete distortions of an object’s angle, although this doesn’t affect living beings, it causes any dwelling to end up with unique forms.

Another reason for such a choice of dwelling is that since matter no longer respects physics, destroying these structures is much more difficult, making the city extremely resistant to any attack.

As many powerful monsters live in such an environment, this resilience is a necessity. Therefore, any city or large structure in the abyss has unusual and incomprehensible forms for normal sight.

Although there are also monsters of the “visitor” type who do not live directly in the city. They merely wander through it for a while and then leave to return to their homes, repeating this cycle, be it in search of mates, food, or just out of boredom.

Therefore, it is impossible to know exactly if someone is living in one of these structures or not. And outside the area, there will also be structures where monsters live. Monsters who live outside the city and only visit are generally the most dangerous, so it is recommended to avoid them.]

“Hmmm, I see… Useful to know… And it makes sense. Monsters could only live close to each other if the structures around them could withstand such a thing…” I think about going into the city, but the system’s warning about avoiding outside monsters leaves me a little surprised.

’So monsters who only visit the city are more dangerous than the residents themselves… But why exactly? Is it because they only come to the city looking for food? Or could there be extra reasons?’ Just for food doesn’t make sense.

Because the city’s inhabitants also need food, making anyone a risk.

“Forget it! Let’s head to the city first and see what I’ll find.” I start flying quickly toward those structures until I realize everything seems to be darkening further.

I look up and shudder. Something is flying above me, but it’s so gigantic I can’t even see its shape.

’W-What’s bizarre…’ My body senses the danger from afar. This thing is very high up, and yet its body covers everything. That means this thing must be hundreds to millions of kilometers big. It’s like a mini living planet in motion.

Only here in the abyss could something so large move like this. I wonder what giant beings like this eat to stay alive.

“…” I decide to just ignore this thing passing by while I accelerate to finally reach the city. Something so big and strong would never waste its time trying to eat weak and small things like me or that city.

’Although… I’m excited to one day be capable of hunting something so dangerous…’ I can already imagine it. One day having enough power to kill something of that magnitude and devour its body. Just thinking about it makes my mouth start to water.

And in a few minutes, I arrive in the city area, seeing there’s a barrier on the ground, or rather a wall that looks… quite wrong? It’s not straight and defensive; in fact, it’s full of holes in spirals with entrances going inside.

It’s as if someone took a standard square wall and then deformed the space by spinning it around a point, forcing the entire wall to fold around the spiral, generating a hole.

Only the wall is full of them, so it’s not even a giant rectangle anymore, just a tangled mess of material.

’Forget it, I won’t understand this if I keep staring.’ I land on top of the wall and immediately slip, falling headfirst into the city.

“… Very slippery…” I get up, seeing that there are monsters wandering the streets, others talking among themselves, and there are even children ’playing.’ Of course, everyone here can be divided into two categories.

Those who are monsters in appearance, being 100% similar to a monster, and the humanoids like me. But even the humanoids are still full of non-human features.

’It seems rare or almost impossible to find monsters with few non-human aspects like me… That’s bad because it makes me stand out from the others…’ I try to hide my aura as much as possible while observing carefully.

’It’s more peaceful than I expected…’ I miss some things a city would have. Here there are no shops, no places to eat. In fact, it seems there are only houses and monsters and nothing else.

’Looks like the construction level is something similar to cave dwellers or something like that… Although there must be places where you can get weapons in exchange for food…’ I step onto the street’s “sidewalk” and start walking.

Some monsters look at me, but I hide my aura so well that they soon ignore me. I know my aura, despite the similarity, is different from theirs, and I don’t want to seem different.

’Okay, I’m in a city… But what do I do now? Maybe… I try to find out about my mother and where she is? In that case, powerful monsters should be able to answer my questions…’ I look for a monster that seems strong and see one that looks like a slimy black bubble. He has a good aura of strength.

“Hey! Could you answer a question for me?” I get the monster’s attention. He looks at me, his strange mouth opens, and he starts emitting sound like a vibration, but I understand what he wants to say because I can hear the molecules vibrating.

“What do you want to know?” His question is simple, and he seems quite cooperative.

“Would you know how to tell me about my…” I almost say [My mother], but it might not be good to reveal that I’m the daughter of the Goddess of the Abyss. After all, I don’t know if the abyss beings like her or hate her.

“I want to know about Echidna Tiamat,” I call her by her name.

“… Hmmm… the Goddess of the Abyss… I’m sorry, I can’t say anything about that… and I suggest you don’t look into it much either…” He turns around and leaves.

’Strange… What was that reaction? Discomfort? But there was no fear? What’s discomforting?’ I go to another monster. This time it’s a male humanoid, though his torso is kind of bizarre, full of arms that close into a ball around him.

“Hey! Could you tell me something about Echidna Tiamat?” I ask, and the monster stares at me.

“No…” He denies and leaves. Again, the same reaction. Discomfort, but no fear.

“What the hell is that reaction supposed to tell me?!” If they were afraid, I’d know that mentioning my mother is dangerous, possibly because some strong monster who hates her would kill anyone who talks about her.

But they aren’t afraid, just discomfort as soon as they hear her name. And that confuses me because I have no way of knowing where the discomfort comes from.

…

…

…

I walk around the city looking for food. I just entered, so I’m in the barrier area of the city until I see something strange. My many legs move uncomfortably with what I hear.

“Hey! Could you tell me something about Echidna Tiamat!?… Tsk, damn worm, why did you leave without even answering!!…” A pale girl asking about the Goddess of the Abyss. She looks angrily at the citizen who leaves, burying himself in the ground.

’What a foolish girl, why is she asking about that woman? No one would answer… wait…’ I stare at the girl briefly. She tries to hide it, but her aura is quite different, and she seems really weak.

’A meal? She seems to be below level 1 million… that smell… is good…’ I approach the foolish girl who asks what she shouldn’t.

“Hey!! Do you know anything about Echidna Tiamat?” She asks another monster who walks away. She just sighs and turns around to come face to face with me, and then she shivers.

“O-Oh, a… spider…” She looks at my legs and the lower part of my torso with some bewilderment.

’Spider… hnmf’

“I’m not a spider…” It’s not like I don’t understand her. The entire lower part of my body is similar to that of a completely black spider, with 8 legs with plates resembling armor, the tips of the legs sharp like spears.

My abdomen and back are 100% similar to a spider’s body, while only the upper part of my torso is similar to a humanoid being. Additionally, my long purple hair and 6 pairs of red eyes again remind one of certain types of poisonous spiders.

And despite being quite beautiful and seductive in the humanoid part, the lower part, truly reminiscent of a spider, generates certain… problematic comparisons. Mainly because from torso to head I’m 120 centimeters, while in the spider part I’m 2 meters and 30 centimeters, making me over 3 meters in total.

Again, it reminds one of abyssal spiders that can be found. But calling me a spider is too humiliating.

“Well… h-hahaha don’t take it personally, you’re very pretty even with the lower part being kinda… spider-like.” She keeps at it.

“I heard you were… wait, what smell is that?” I sense another strange smell on her. Something appetizing but unusual, reminding me of something.

“Smell? I don’t know what you’re talking about…” She avoids my gaze while I think about how to devour this girl.

“What’s your name?” I ask, trying to create some closeness.

“… Pandora, and yours? Miss Spider.”

“…” I bite my tongue to keep from cursing her.

“Don’t call me a spider. It’s… insulting to compare me to mere irrational insects… I’m Arak’Tess.” I say to this little snack who’s annoying me.

’You bitch, if you call me a spider again, I’ll make sure your death is slow and painful.’ I NEED food urgently. I’m in my egg-laying season and can’t waste time with irritating girls like her, since I need to accumulate a lot of food.

’I need to trick her quickly and get her out of the city…’ I need to bring food to my “home” outside the city, and she seems weak and not very smart, since she’s asking about Echidna around here.

“Forget all that. What matters is, I saw you asking about Echidna, and I have information about it and can give it to you…” I say honestly, still feeling that sweet smell I know I recognize, but I can’t remember.

’This tasty smell… what could it be…’ My hunger is clouding my judgment a bit.

“Oh, you know!? I’d love to talk about it…” She gives me a dangerous look. She seems to understand I’m dangerous.

’Doesn’t matter… she’s weaker than me. If I take her out of the city, I don’t need to worry…’

“How about we go to my house? Talking outdoors or near others about Echidna Tiamat will get us into trouble.” She seems to know nothing about Echidna, and I’ll use that to trick her.

“… Hmmm, sure… we can go… but if you’re trying to eat me, I’ll make sure to give you a very painful death,” she foolishly threatens.

’Stupid. You don’t threaten others like that.’ Beginner’s folly. Threats only put people on extra alert. No one in the abyss cowers because of threats like that unless they come from someone thousands of times stronger.

“Don’t worry, just talking, of course! And maybe we can even form a brief partnership to hunt, don’t you think? You seem hungry.” When I say that, her stomach growls and she blushes.

“… Okay, maybe. Let’s just go quickly. I want to know more about Echidna Tiamat as soon as possible…” Her haste is strange, but I decide to ignore it. After all, the wishes of my future meal don’t matter.

’But what is this smell… it’s unsettling…’ I shake my head, trying to ignore it. Getting food is more important now.

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