The Abyss has been destabilized and begins to fall apart around them. Ara and Aren hold of Ran as the rest of the group secure the escape route. They escape the Abyss while a deteriorating Ran attempts to pursue, the Abyss Worshippers drag the Shadow Earl back into its depths as the pit closes.
The ground shakes as the Abyss collapses. It was expected, but the El Search Party felt like the end of the world was here. The rumbling seemed to be counting down until their escape. There wasn't a lot of time, causing them to feel anxious, but there was a twisted sense of relief knowing they're in a better position than Ran. By destroying the Heart Core and the Seed of Life, the El Search Party was able to turn the tides. The demonic energy collected would have impacted Ran when his body shattered with the Seed of Life, along with his resistance to the Abyss. He was, in a sense, drowning in his own power. This, was a satisfactory revenge for Ran harming their guide by giving him overwhelming demonic energy. But it was too early to celebrate as they were still all inside the abyss. If they fail to escape, then destroying the Heart Core will also be their downfall.
Quest Completion Dialogue
Ran:I won't let you get away...!
Ciel:Kugh, too... persistent!
Ran:Kugh, ugh... I'll rip you to shreds... I'll drag you to the bottom of the Abyss for eternity...!
Aisha:He's falling apart...
Raven:But he's not helpless. This is our chance to leave him behind.
Laby:Aren! Come up, quick!
Aren:... Go!
Ara:Brother? No. What are you thinking?
Aren:He's disoriented now, but once he realizes he's cornered, he'll be desperate to make his escape.
Aren:It won't take long. Someone has to buy time.
Ara:We can all stop him together! There's no reason for you to stay back!
Aren:Once you're caught up, it will be too late. If Ran's right and I can handle the Abyss because I'm a Cambion, there's no one more suited than I am.
Aren:Don't worry. I'll be right behind you.
Ara:You... You'll...!
Chung:... What are you saying?!
Chung:Do you know how much Ara looked for you? If something goes wrong, she will be devastated!
Ara:Chung...
Chung:We came here, so everyone can stay safe, and no one will have to lose their family again.
Chung:That's why you have to be safe! If Ara loses you... Even if we make it, we won't be happy!
Chung:If... IF I knew you would make this decision, I wouldn't have let you leave!
Elsword:Come on! We'll make you come even if that means dragging you!
Ara:Chung, Elsword. It's fine. And thank you for saying what I wanted to say.
Ara:Leave the rest to me.
(FLIP!)
Eve:Ara!
Aren:No. If you stay...!
Ara:Everyone, I'll also stay and stop Ran. Don't worry. I'll definitely go back safely!
Elsword:We can't leave you behind!
Ara:You're not leaving me. The Abyss is shrinking, which means the path we came through have changed or disappeared.
Ara:We'll slow Ran down and follow you. So please be our guide!
Laby:Oh, like Vasili?
Chung:.......
Ara:I promise.
Chung:... I trust you!
(RUMBLE...)
Chung:Let's go, everyone!
Aisha:Will they be ok...?
Chung:I believe in Ara. And I know Ara believes in us.
Ain:He's right. Our job is to find the escape route. Let's hurry!
Rose:Pant, pant, good! We came out the... Wah?!
Vasili:Y, you're b, b, back...
Laby:What are you still doing here?! We told you to go back to Magmelia!
Vasili:If I... If I went back... Who... Who would open the gate for you!
Vasili:I told you to listen...
Elesis:It doesn't stay open once you open it?
Vasili:No! Gah... Everyone's here? I really can't take this anymore...
Red Demon King's Eye:He hit his limit a while ago. He's been taking my power to keep the gate open.
Eve:Was that the reason you've barely provided any support when we were fighting Ran?
Laby:You were doing it for us! Thank you!
Lu:Hmph, it's not from the goodness of his heart. I reckon it's because he needs both his eyes back.
Red Demon King's Eye:It's a win-win, right?
Raven:Good. Red Demon King! Send one eye to Ara. The remaining one, will stay with us.
Red Demon King's Eye:I don't want to do anything risky... But I guess it's alright. I won't want to miss what they're up to.
Vasili:I, I need to take a nap...
Diana:No! Get up! Eeeeya...!
Ain:You thought you could carry him out the Abyss as a doll?
Unlike the fall tower, the pit collapses, as it becomes more narrow. Their escape route was closing in, and their way back was no longer familiar. It's like a starving creature, trying to swallow them whole. The El Search Party hurries even as they leave marks so that their companions can follow. If someone must be shallowed, then they'll make sure Ran is the only one.
Quest Completion Dialogue
(CRASH, CRASH!)
Elsword:Alright! This passage should be good for a while. Laby? What about the mark?
Laby:Laby left a humongous pink mark!
Eve:Ahead is a straight long passage. There is a path connected to the top, but it collapsed. We can't all make it up there.
Aisha:Can we find a way around it?
Add:Kugh, damn it, stop delaying everyone. There's no time to find another path. I'm going up!
Laby:What?! Add, no fair! Going by yourself!
Add:... Here, grab my hand!
Laby:Uah?
Elsword:But this method will take forever!
Add:We only need a few to drop a boulder! If you can't keep up, I'm going to leave you behind!
Elsword:Oh! I see!
(SLAP)
Elsword:Ow, now what!!
Add:Not you! I'm taking lighter ones!
Raven:... He won't be able to lift both of us. I'm going to jump when they drop a boulder. Is that fine?
Vasili:I'm feeling motion sickness from swaying upside down...
Raven:Good, you're fine. Let's go!
Aisha:Yikes, wha, what's that!
Rose:Abyss Worshipers are approaching! There's too many of them!
Rena:We can't handle all of them! Everyone's exhausted and hurt! We can't battle properly!
Ain:It's fine. Leave them. They won't attack us.
(RUSTLE, RUSTLE, RUSTLE...)
Aisha:Uhh... They still creep me out...
Vasili:I can't see. Can somebody tell me what's going on?
Raven:There's hundreds... thousands... It doesn't matter. The Abyss Worhsipers...
Raven:They are ignoring us and heading down. They are crawling and climbing towards the bottom of the Abyss...
Vasili:They must realize the Abyss is closing. If you see the worshipers, we're almost there. Only a little left to go.
(CRASH! KABOOM! CRASH!)
Lu:Hurry...! Ran is chasing us!
Elesis:Ara... Aren....
Eve:Now is not the time to stand and watch! We have to get moving!
Chung:They'll come. They promised. Noah, hurry! You might fall!
Noah:Wait! Let me leave a mark... Ah!
Laby:Noah! No!!
(BOOM! PSSSSS...)
Ain:Oof, there you go. I got him. Mr. Shadow, you owe me. Right?
Noah:Uck, ah, t, thank you!
Elsword:I'll help. We'll lift together.
Aisha:Give the weapon to me! I'll take it.
Clamor:Are you alright, Noah! Don't look down, and calmly...! Oops....
Aisha:GYAAAH?! WHAT IS THIS!!
(SLIP)
Clamor:ACK, AH, NO! Don't let me go!! Hold on to me!!
Aisha:I, I got you! I didn't let go!
Raven:Red Demon King! Is this the right way?
Red Demon King's Eye:Not anymore. It's blocked. Go around!
Add:Damn it! Not another one!
Rose:Light! I see light!
Chung:We're almost there... We just need to get out!
Elesis:Ugh, but it's a vertical wall. There's nothing to climb on.
Ain:With how unstable the Abyss is, our attempts to create footing might cause a rockslide. Is there anything else we can do?
Noah:It's too high up to pull us up! There must be... There must me a way...
Zero:Rose! Roooooose!!
Rose:Zero! You were waiting for us!
Zero:You're alive! Damn it, if you die without me, I'll never forgive you! Understand?
Diana:Hey you! Talking disk! Good timing. We're near the Abyss!
Lu:Yes! Tell the Dream Demons to pull us up! It's urgent!
Rose:Hear that, Zero?! I'm glad to see you, but go!
Zero:Oh, ok!
Rena:Good! What about Ara and Aren? Are they coming?
Aisha:Please... Please hurry...!
Elsword:Should we head down? We might be cutting it close, but we might barely have enough time to find them!
Right before their last hurdle, it was fortunate that help was nearby. Perhaps it's thanks to all the help the El Search Party stubbornly gave, but nobody felt entitled to it. They were thankful because they knew what kind of risk and sacrifice their helping hands had to endure. Now the only thing left is actually to leave.
Quest Completion Dialogue
(BOOM! CRASH... CRASH!)
Ara:Hmph! What about you? You left me without a word!
Aren:Because you might follow me if I did! I wanted you to stay with your friends to stay safe!
Aren:But then what! Staying behind like this! You shouldn't be so reckless!
Ara:Hmph! I wasn't being reckless!
Ara:If you were alone, you would have given your life to stop Ran, but with me, you'd do your best to stay alive to keep me safe!
Aren:Ha! Of course I will! I can't leave you to die! Since when were you so stubborn! You weren't like this when you were little!
Ara:That's what I want to say! You used to be well behaved. I didn't think you'd grow up to be a troublemaker!
Ciel:You were destroying walls to slow down Ran...!
Rena:Hey! Hello?
Aren:It's the fox spirit, isn't it? She changed you!!
Rena:Hey guys...?
Ara:Change? What do you mean change?! You're the one who was captured by Ran!
Aren:That... That's different! It's not fair you'd bring that up!
Ara:Nope! It's exactly!! The same!
Rena:HEEEEYYYYY!!!!!!! STOP FIGHTING AND GET YOUR BEHINDS UP HERE!!!!
Ara:Kya! Ye, yes!
Aren:I'm sorry!
Elsword:... It's been a while since we last saw Rena lose her patience.
Noah:I'm glad everyone made it safely. Only thing left is leaving!
Eris:Uahhhh... So heavyyyyy...!
Diana:Hold on! I'll come help!
Raven:Take Vasili first. I'll stay here.
Elesis:Stay? Why?
Raven:The moment Ran escapes the Abyss, all our efforts will be for nothing. Someone has to stand guard and make sure it doesn't happen.
Elesis:Then I'll stay, too.
Raven:Hm, I don't think a swordsman who can't use her left arm would be that useful?
Elesis:What? That's not fair. Do I have to find a machine arm for myself?
Raven:I entrust you with the group outside. Rena's taking care of the injured, but she can't take care of them all.
Raven:And we have to stay on guard. There needs to be someone who can command outside as well.
Elsword:Yeah, sis. If we fail, you'll have to stop him outside.
Elesis:... Fine. I'll go. See you up there!
Ciel:Ran is sure persistent.
Elsword:Is that Ran? I can't see from how dark it is... But he doesn't look the same.
Aren:He kept changing shape as he climbed the Abyss wall.
Chung:Which means he's that unstable.
Ain:'He's nothing more than a monster now.
Lu:Hm?! Tir, do you see that? Is it really happening?
Red Demon King's Eye:Yes. The Abyss Worshipers are latching onto him.
Raven:What?! Where!
Abyss Fanatic:(evael ton yam uoy gnik ruo)
Abyss Worshiper:(m evael ton yam uoy ssyba fo retsno)
Ran:GRAAA! KEEE...
Raven:It wasn't the Abyss. They were going towards Ran...
Ara:Are they... helping us?
Ain:'Who knows. Maybe they're stopping their master from leaving.
Ain:'The enteral master of Abyss...
Ran:KEE, EE... GAH...
(CRASH... BOOM!!)
Raven:Was the Seed of Life completely destroyed?
Ara:Yes. The worshipers latched on to him. It won't be easy to shake them off. He also slowed down significantly.
Ciel:Do you think it will be faster for the Abyss to close, or for Ran to escape?
Chung:... Let's destroy where we stand!
Chung:The rocks should be large enough to impact Ran when they hit.
Elsword:Not a bad idea. Come here everyone. We'll strike down on three.
Elsword:Ready? One, two, three!
(CRASH! KABOOM! CRASH...)
Ran:KEE... EE... E...!!
Abyss Worshiper:(hton ot kcab nruter gni)
Abyss Fanatic:(syba htiw eno emoceb eroc traeh wen eht sa s)
The monsters of the Abyss that ignored the El Search Party latched onto Ran. It can't actually be because of the size difference, but it looked like they were dragging him down, giving them the chills. They should be happy from stopping Ran and making their escape, but there are so many mysterious left unresolved that it feels unsatisfactory. Why do Abyss appear? Where do creatures of Abyss come from? What is their purpose that they initially showed aggression, only to ignore them now and stop Ran... One thing for certain is that they lost their chance to find answers with the closing of the Abyss. But should all mysteries be solved? It's best to leave these thoughts behind with the Abyss. They have what they wanted. There's no reason to wish for more.
Quest Completion Dialogue
...... BEBEEP.
Lilith:Lilith. Report.
Lilith:The assailant mutated using the Seed of Life. Upon which he was categorized as subject and his changes observed.
Lilith:The subject went through two stages of mutation. The last mutation looked to be on par of stage 4 mutation.
Lilith:But with multiple variables such as the seed changing in property due to another substance,
Lilith:... the power leaking due to damage,
Lilith:... and the subject's species...
Lilith:The final conclusion is to categorize the subject as stage 3 subtype.
Lilith:.......
... BEBEEP.
Diana:Vasili! You're a complete mess, but I'm glad you're alive!
Vasili:I'm so exhausted I want to die...
Diana:No! You have to stay with us forever! Tomorrow, the day after, the day after that, and the day after that...
Vasili:AAAHHHH...
Diana:... and the day after, and the day after that...
Chung:... It's not closed yet.
Aren:It's almost gone. Ran dropped to the bottom of the Abyss. There's no way he can escape.
Elsword:You sure he won't shrink and slip past us? Who has a shovel? Let's cover it completely.
Ciel:You go ahead. I'm exhausted.
Ara:... Chung. Are you disappointed? That you couldn't defeat Ran yourself...
Chung:No. I think this is a fitting ending for him. What about you, Ara?
Ara:I agree. There was a lot of casualties and sacrifices. Even death from battle would be too kind for Ran.
Ain:At least Ran go one thing he wanted.
Ain:I'm sure this was not his intention, but he will be the eternal king of Abyss.
Lu:It's what he asked for.
Raven:In any case, it's over. Let's go. You should take care of your injuries.
Lu:Yes! Let's celebrate our victory!
Stirbargen:Congratulations. You truly exceeded my expectation.
Stirbargen:When you started falling one by one against Ran, it made me all nervous!
Aisha:For what? You were watching from a safe location!
Rose:But without Red Demon King's help, it wouldn't have been possible. Thank you.
Laby:But why are you crying? Is it happy tears?
Stirbargen:It's a side effect from using my eyes too much. It's been a while since I used so much power.
Lu:... Tir. About the Demon King...
Stirbargen:I have nothing to say. It's all in the past.
Lu:... I suppose...
Stirbargen:Meeting old friends and talking about the past, you've aged.
Stirbargen:But... did you lie about your age or something? They're acting like your around their age. Isn't that fraud?
Lu:GYAAA! Shut up! That damn mouth! I'll stitch it together!
Aisha:Aahhh... I think I used all my magic on our way back. I can't even take a step. I need rest...
Elsword:You can't rest here. Get on my back. I'll carry you.
Add:...... Hey, you.
Elesis:Yes? How's your head? I'd help you out, but you know I can't exactly support you with my arm like this.
Add:Not that! Tsk, it's about the handkerchief.
Add:You shouldn't have bothered. But... It, it wasn't completely useless, so I guess... thanks.
Elesis:Oh, I'm glad it helped! See? It's nothing if you have a distraction!
Elesis:But that's not mine. If you're going to give it back, give it back to the owner.
Add:... What?! It's not yours?
Elesis:Nope. I do have one... But this one's for wiping my sword after battle.
Elesis:I couldn't give this to you. You'll get infected!
Add:You... grrr... Then whose is this?!
Elesis:It's Ciel's.
Add:.......
Ara:Thank you for rescuing us.
Victoria:Aww, don't mention it! We're glad to be of help.
Chung:Is it fine to leave the Abyss like that? It's not fully closed...
Victoria:It just looks that way. It closed a lot when I checked as we were rescuing you.
Victoria:Everyone's tattered, but alive. And you all seem to have dodged the curse of Abyss. Problem solved!
Noah:Huh? The curse of Abyss is real?
Victoria:Of course! Abyss may look like a natural phenomenon, but it's actually almost like a living organism.
Victoria:They lure some with demonic energy and turn them into Abyss Worshipers, while slowly draining others to devour them slowly. Oooooh!
Laby:But how did you know about that? Laby thought nobody came back from an Abyss.
Aisha:Hm? Come to think of it, didn't you say your arm's not moving, Elesis?
Elesis:BY the time we escaped, my left foot was stiff as well. I'm feeling fine now.
Rose:Maybe your contribution's getting better because we left the Abyss...?
Victoria:Haha! Don't take it so seriously. It's all superstition.
Ara:Huhu, who knows? It's not tested because no one made it back alive, right? Maybe there really is a curse.
Aisha:Ara! Don't make this scary.
Eve:... Raven?
Raven:What is it?
Eve:How are you feeling? You seem to have a low fever.
Raven:Ah, it's fine. My temperature tends to run high.
Eve:You're... sweating.
Raven:It's from the heat of battle.
Eve:...... You're over 40 degrees Celsius.
Raven:Is that so?
Raven:...... I see.
(SLUMP)
Elsword:Raven!!
Laby:Raven! Are you sick? ... What!
(SLAM!)
Elsword:Laby, you too?!
Laby:Whaa! What's happening? Everything's spinning and making Laby fall!
Rena:... Ah, Victoria? Sorry, could you let us stay at your village for a while?
Victoria:Of course! Anything for the heroes that saved my family. How long?
Rena:I'm not sure... But I think for some time.
Rena:I have a bad feeling everyone's going to be sick for a while.
Finally, all the challengers of the Abyss safely returned. They were all exhausted and wounded, but will all recover. But perhaps they will rest for a while, since it seems they used all the luck they had for times to come. Those leaning on others and those lending their help were all struggling to stand, but their expressions were bright. They've done it. Save, rescued, and lived! The brave conquerors of the Abyss won the right to enjoy their victory. And the strange legend about the curse of Abyss... Well, surely it's nothing.
Quest Completion Dialogue
(... BEBEEP)
Lilith:.......
Lilith:Additional report?
Lilith:... You must have seen my memory.
Lilith:.......
Lilith:I didn't think it was necessary as it wasn't a part of my mission.
Lilith:.......
Lilith:... Understood. Report on the group that entered the Abyss.
Lilith:Species: 10 humans, 2 demons, 1 Elf, 1 Nasod, 1 unknown and later, another human. Total 16.
Lilith:The group managed to escape before the closing of the Abyss.
Lilith:Every single one of them injured, including the demon they brought from the Abyss.
Lilith:The demons on standby helped with rescue and transported them to heal.
Lilith:For more details, I'm sending an image of what I've witnessed.
Painful Reunion
Serpentium
Atmaram
