Hyun-Jae stood for a long while, staring at the shimmering veil of the waterfall. The air here never changed, no wind, no sun, no night. Just that endless sound of falling water and the faint hum of the abyss beyond.
If this place wouldn't let him die, then he'd use it.
He started small, the same training routine he'd done back on Earth. Push-ups. Sit-ups. Squats. Sprints along the moss-covered rocks. The ground wasn't solid everywhere, but it didn't matter; his body moved on instinct. Each repetition grounded him, reminded him he was still human.
Hours bled into what might've been days. He couldn't tell anymore. There was no hunger, no thirst, only the ache of repetition and the dull echo of his own breath.
When the exhaustion finally caught up to him, he staggered toward the waterfall and stepped beneath it.
The freezing water hit him like a shock, and in an instant, everything vanished. The soreness. The fatigue. Even the burning in his muscles. His body felt light again, as if he had just started training.
He looked down at his hands, flexing them in disbelief. "So that's how it is… This place doesn't want me to rest."
He tried to lie down, to see if sleep would come. It didn't. No matter how long he closed his eyes, there was no drowsiness, no dream, only silence.
So he got back up and kept going.
Time became meaningless. He just trained, over and over. Each dip in the waterfall erased the pain, and each cycle left him stronger than before. His movements sharpened, his strikes grew heavier, and his breathing steadied like a warrior's.
By the time he finally stopped to look at his reflection in the water, he barely recognized himself. His frame looked firmer, his eyes calmer, his presence heavier.
Hyun-Jae exhaled softly. "Alright… let's see if it's enough."
He turned toward the abyss again. The same void that had killed him once was waiting, silent and unchanging.
But this time, he wasn't the same.
Hyun-Jae tightened his grip on the blade. The air around the abyss felt heavier this time, as if it was watching him, waiting to see if he'd fall again.
He took a deep breath and stepped forward.
The moment his foot crossed the threshold, the world twisted. The same suffocating darkness. The same cold, distorted cries. And then, the same five bird-like monsters appeared in the distance, their crimson eyes glowing faintly in the void.
The screen flickered above his vision:
[Level 1: Eliminate all targets within 60 seconds.]
A sharp cry split the silence, and the first Ravager Talon dove at him. Hyun-Jae moved on instinct, the endless days of repetition had carved movement into muscle memory. The bird's claws scraped past his shoulder, missing by inches.
He ducked under another strike, rolled across the rough ground, and slashed upward with all the strength in his arm.The blade connected. The creature screeched as black ichor sprayed into the air and it fell lifeless to the ground.
One down. Four to go.
The timer ticked, 38 seconds.
Two more came at him in a frenzy. He sidestepped the first, grabbed a loose rock from the ground, and threw it at the second's face just as it lunged. Its flight wobbled, enough for him to drive his sword through its chest. The other he caught on the downswing, cleaving through its neck before it could recover.
The world spun around him as he gasped for air. His muscles burned, but the waterfall training had hardened him; he could endure this now.
15 seconds. Two left.
The fourth one screeched and charged, faster than the others. Hyun-Jae barely managed to parry the blow, the impact sending a shiver down his arm. He pivoted on instinct, brought the blade across its body, and tore it open.
The last Ravager Talon flapped its wings violently and turned tail, trying to flee deeper into the void.
Hyun-Jae's eyes darted to the timer, 10 seconds.
"No you don't," he muttered under his breath, raising his arm.
He exhaled sharply, aimed, and flung his blade praying that it would hit.
It spun through the darkness, whistling past the haze, then a faint crack echoed as it pierced through the fleeing creature's skull. The Ravager Talon let out one final shriek before collapsing into nothingness.
The timer froze at 00:03.
A glowing text shimmered in front of him:
[Level 1 — Completed.]
Hyun-Jae fell to his knees, panting, sweat dripping down his chin. For the first time since entering this endless cycle, he smiled.
"…Finally."
The abyss trembled faintly, and the light from the screen reflected in his eyes as it began to change once more.
The world around him dimmed as the last traces of the slain creatures faded into particles of light. Then, the screen appeared again, clearer this time, almost expectant.
[You have leveled up twice.] [All base stats have increased.]
Hyun-Jae blinked. "…Stats?"
Small windows appeared before him, listing terms unfamiliar to him, Strength, Agility, Durability, Endurance, Intellect. Each had risen slightly. He couldn't help but let out a breath of disbelief.
He wasn't one for games. As a kid, while others his age spent hours in front of glowing screens, he'd been outside, running drills, lifting, sparring, bleeding in preparation for the tournament. But his growth had always resulted in aching bones and exhaustion, not progress.
But here… he could see this progress of his.He could feel it.
The power surging faintly through his limbs wasn't an illusion. It was real, tangible.
Hyun-Jae stared at the blinking "Stat Points: +2" at the bottom of the screen.
He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head."No," he muttered. "Not yet."
He had already grown stronger from the level-ups themselves. Spending points recklessly without knowing how this place worked didn't sit right with him. Better to hold on to them, to understand before acting.
The screen flickered once more, the text shifting into a single glowing prompt:
[Continue to Level 2?]
Hyun-Jae's reflection stared back at him from the pale light, sweat-soaked, eyes hardened, body trembling from both fear and anticipation.
He thought about the waterfall. The endless training. The pain of dying again and again.
And how, for the first time, he felt like he was finally moving forward.
"…Level 2, huh?" he whispered, exhaling slowly.
He clenched his fists, then nodded once.
"Alright. Let's see how far this goes."
The moment his words left his lips, the abyss around him rippled, and the ground beneath his feet began to dissolve into shadow once more.
The shadows swallowed him again.
When the world solidified, Hyun-Jae stood in the same dark expanse as before, the same floating stone platform, the same abyss stretching endlessly around him. The only difference was the air. It felt heavier, thicker, like it pressed against his skin.
[Level 2 — Begin.]
The familiar shriek cut through the silence.Five… no, seven Ravager Talons burst from the darkness this time, wings slicing the air like blades.
Hyun-Jae's pulse quickened, but his movements were sharper now. He ducked under the first swipe, rolled past another, and countered with a clean strike across one creature's neck.
Still, they came faster, smarter. Their claws raked his shoulder, blood spraying across the black stone. He gritted his teeth and pushed forward, fighting through the pain.
When the last bird dissolved into dust and the screen flashed
[Level 2 Complete]
he collapsed to his knees, panting. But before he could even wipe the sweat from his brow.
The pain was gone.His torn skin sealed.His muscles felt new again.
And then
[You have leveled up.] [All base stats increased.]
He stared down at his steady hands. The fatigue that should have crippled him after such a fight… wasn't there.
It was strange. Every level, every fight, it was as if the Abyss reset him, rebuilt him stronger, faster, more resilient.
So he continued.
Level 3. The birds multiplied again, darting from every direction. He learned their rhythm, their timing, cutting through them with growing precision.
Level 4. The air itself turned violent, gusts of black wind slashing through him as he fought. Still, he survived, barely.
Each time he won, the same thing happened.The screen would flash.His wounds would close.The exhaustion would fade like it was never there.
Hyun-Jae lost track of how long he'd been here. Time didn't exist in this place only battles, death, and the pulse of Etherea that fueled everything.
By the time he stood before the words [Level 5 Ready?], his breathing was steady, his grip sure, and his eyes calm.
He finally understood what this Abyss was doing to him.
It didn't just test his strength.It reforged him.
The world flickered, then stilled.
The familiar black stone underfoot, the choking silence of the Abyss all around.But this time, something felt off.
[Level 5 — Begin.]
At first, Hyun-Jae saw the same dark silhouettes circling above, the Ravager Talons, five of them lower than the previous level, screeching in the air. He exhaled slowly, lowering his stance. He'd fought these before. He knew their movements.
But then the ground trembled.From the far edge of the platform, a guttural growl rolled through the air.And from the shadows stepped something far larger, fur matted, fangs gleaming with cold saliva.
A wolf.The same kind they fought in the cave.Only this one was different.
The Etherea around it shimmered with raw density, like heat haze. [Abyss Wolf] flashed above its head.
Hyun-Jae froze. His hand tightened around the hilt of his blade. This wasn't like the birds. This thing could tear through stone, through him.
The fear he thought he'd beaten clawed its way back up his spine. His breath came short. His legs tensed as every instinct screamed to run.
But then he saw it. Rylan's sneering grin. Daesung's quiet laughter. Their voices echoing in his head,
He's lucky we even let him tag along.He's just scared.
Hyun-Jae gritted his teeth until they ached.
"Tch."
He pulled up the screen. The glowing words of his status spread before him. His unspent points glimmered faintly, waiting.
Without hesitation, he dumped every single one into Strength and Agility.The moment he confirmed it, energy ripped through his body, a rush so sharp it felt like his veins burned. His vision sharpened; every breath felt electric.
He raised his blade. The wolf snarled, crouched low, then launched forward, a streak of muscle and fury.
Hyun-Jae didn't retreat this time. He charged toward it.
Steel met claw, the impact echoing through the endless dark. The force of it sent him sliding back across the stone, sparks flying where his boots scraped the ground.
But he held his stance.The pain was there, the fear was there, but it didn't matter anymore.
For the first time, Hyun-Jae wasn't fighting to survive.He was fighting to prove them wrong.
The wolf lunged again, claws carving deep scars into the obsidian floor. Hyun-Jae barely ducked beneath it, rolling aside just as a Ravager Talon swooped down from above. Its screech split the air, he felt its wingbeat sting his cheek as it passed.
He didn't have time to think. The wolf spun, snapping its jaws at him. He parried the first bite, the shock running up his arms, and slashed across its muzzle, just deep enough to draw dark, shimmering blood. It howled, thrashing back, and three more Talons dove in unison.
Hyun-Jae dropped to a knee, twisting his body as one bird's talon barely missed his throat. He swung upward, slicing its belly open in one smooth motion. Feathers and blood scattered in a dark rain. The other two circled, waiting for an opening.
The wolf didn't wait. It charged through its own allies, crushing a bird underfoot as it lunged for Hyun-Jae. The sheer force of its presence froze the air around it.
He forced his exhausted legs to move, side-stepping at the last second and dragging his blade across the beast's side. The cut wasn't clean, but it was enough to stagger it. Pain flared up his shoulder where another Talon raked him.
Hyun-Jae gritted his teeth. He didn't have time to feel pain. He dashed forward, ducked beneath the wolf's snapping jaws, and plunged his sword straight into its neck. The creature convulsed, its growl turning to a choked gasp as blood leaked from the wound.
Before he could even catch his breath, the last two Talons dove at once. He ripped his sword free, spun on his heel, and slashed twice, one blade cutting through both.
The Abyss went quiet again.
His chest heaved. His arm throbbed where the claws had raked him, his leg burned from the wolf's kick, but as the Level Complete message pulsed before him, all the pain faded away like smoke in wind.
[Level 5 Complete.][You have leveled up three times.][Physical condition restored.]
Hyun-Jae dropped to one knee, staring at the screen as new text flickered into view.
Choose your reward:1. D-Rank Armor — "Scaled Mantle of the Abyss"2. D-Rank Weapon — "Erelin Blade"3. Ethereal Tome — "Path of Flow: Beginner's Etherea Control"
Hyun-Jae stared for a moment, his breath steadying.Armor meant protection. The book could teach him something new, something powerful.
But his hand already hovered over the second option.
He remembered the dullness of his current blade, the way it chipped when striking the wolf's hide.
Then he remembered the sound of Rylan's sword, sharp, confident, deadly.
Hyun-Jae pressed the weapon option.
The air shimmered, and before him materialized a sleek, dark-metal blade, its surface humming faintly with restrained energy. The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt, the weapon resonated, like it recognized him.
[D-Rank Weapon Acquired: Erelin Blade.]Forged from condensed Etherea, balanced perfectly for adaptability.
Hyun-Jae exhaled, the corners of his mouth curling upward. he felt ready.
He tightened his grip around the new sword and looked at the next line on the screen
Continue to Level 6?
Hyun-Jae took a deep breath and accepted the prompt.
[Level 6: Begin.]
The air shifted immediately. This time, instead of one wolf, there were three. Their growls reverberated through the black stone floor of the Abyss as the familiar screeches of Ravager Talons filled the distance above.
Hyun-Jae gripped both blades, the chipped one in his left hand, the new Erelin Blade in his right. The difference between them was almost jarring; the Erelin felt weightless, an extension of his body, while the old one dragged slightly with every movement. But that imbalance forced him to adapt, forced him to move differently.
The wolves lunged first. He twisted sideways, deflecting one bite with his left blade and countering with his right in a clean arc that split open the creature's flank. Blood misted the air. The second wolf closed in, snapping its jaws, and Hyun-Jae crossed his blades, catching its fangs in the X of steel. Sparks flared, muscles strained, and he twisted, sending it tumbling.
The Talons dove next. He spun on instinct, slashing upward with the Erelin Blade, cutting one clean in half while the other grazed his back.
Every fight became a storm of movement, cuts, parries, rolls, strikes. The timer counted down each time, but now, Hyun-Jae wasn't fighting for survival. He was learning the rhythm.
By Level 7, there were five wolves and the Talons attacked in coordinated waves.
By Level 8, he no longer panicked when they surrounded him, he flowed between them, his blades like streaks of dark light.
By Level 9, he had stopped counting the enemies altogether.
Each completion filled him with power.
[Level Complete.][You have leveled up.][All injuries restored.]
The rhythm became almost addicting, the rush of battle, the precision of motion, the clarity of growth. His body felt sharper, faster. His reflexes honed with every fight.
When the last of the creatures fell in Level 9, he finally dropped to a knee, panting hard. The abyss was silent again except for the faint hum of the glowing text before him.
[Level 9 Complete.][Continue to Level 10?]
Hyun-Jae exhaled slowly and dismissed the prompt for the first time.He walked back out toward the waterfall, the only peaceful place in this realmand sat at the edge, watching the water crash into the basin below.
He dipped his hands into the cold flow, staring at his reflection.His body looked stronger, firmer muscles, sharper focus in his eyes.But when he closed his eyes and tried to feel for Etherea like Soo-Min had… nothing.
It was as if his body held no trace of it.He knew he was growing physically stronger, but if he couldn't use Etherea, if he couldn't even sense it, then he'd hit a wall sooner or later.
He clenched his fists. "How… do I even start?"
The abyss didn't answer. Only the constant sound of the waterfall echoed around him.
But after a moment, he stood up again. His body still thrummed with energy, his mind clear.
Even if he didn't understand Etherea yet, the drive in his chest burned too strongly to stop now.
He turned back toward the hole in the earth, the entrance to the abyss.
[Continue to Level 10?]
Hyun-Jae nodded."Let's see what's next."