The fourth layer of the Endless Abyss…
A bizarre and indescribable plane, at least according to Magnus, commander of the 13th Legion.
He raised his head to the sky.
Above the eternally gray sky of the Endless Abyss, a "sun" hung high.
"A blue sun!"
Magnus could hardly believe it.
In the sky, a blue sun constantly shone over the fourth layer of the Endless Abyss.
The entire fourth layer was bathed in its dazzling blue light.
More importantly, this "sun" was completely different from stars in other worlds.
Ordinary suns emit light and heat, sustaining life in the world.
The sun of the fourth layer of the Endless Abyss emitted…
Blue ice element!
Endless freezing energy radiated from it, continuously transforming the entire plane.
This change made the fourth layer a terrifying world of sharp, blade-like ice.
Every soldier of the 13th Legion had to move with extreme caution.
Exposed skin touching even a single piece of ice would instantly freeze, costing at minimum a chunk of flesh.
Even with strict orders to be careful, these rough men, accustomed only to war and angels, constantly paid the price in blood.
Soldiers would occasionally fall, screaming in pain, unable to get up.
The piercing cold and the sound of flesh being torn sent shivers down everyone's spine.
Moreover, in this environment, they had to watch out for a special abyssal creature native to this plane—the Ice Demon.
A primordial demon subspecies whose skin almost completely merged with the ice.
Extremely cunning, it lurked along the paths soldiers would traverse.
It did not rush to attack the army.
Instead, it waited until most soldiers focused ahead, then swooped down from the ice on either side, targeting the most vulnerable—wounded soldiers.
"Whoosh!"
An Ice Demon darted over several soldiers' heads, snatched a wounded soldier from the third layer, and soared into the air.
The predation was like a flash of blue lightning.
Only when the soldier's scream rang out did the surrounding soldiers realize what had happened.
"Ahhh! Kill me!"
A soldier with a broken arm dangled headfirst in the Ice Demon's claws, like a ragdoll.
Blood poured from his ripped abdomen, spilling onto the blue ice.
And his suffering had just begun.
The winged Ice Demon stared at the soldiers below while devouring its meal.
"Kill me! Quickly! Angels above, grant me release!"
The soldier helplessly watched his intestines being torn out, piece by piece consumed by the demon's grotesque mouth.
The surrounding soldiers shouted angrily, attempting to provoke the Ice Demon to land.
But it merely regarded them with a mocking gaze, showing no intention of descending.
Meanwhile, two squad leaders of stage 8, unable to endure any longer, used blessings from field priests to equip themselves with angelic wings and leapt toward the Ice Demon to protect their men.
Unexpectedly, they were immediately surrounded by other hidden Ice Demons.
Though stronger than normal Ice Demons, the two leaders were at a disadvantage in the sky.
Within seconds, three 13th Legion soldiers hung in the air, not fully dead.
Such scenes occurred repeatedly along the Legion's path.
Each occurrence lowered the morale of the 13th Legion, no matter how high it had been.
Not everyone could remain calm in such perilous, harsh conditions.
Gradually, a new thought took root in the soldiers' minds.
A thought no one dared consider under ordinary circumstances.
The entire 13th Legion pondered the question:
"Are we really the chosen of the great angels?"
Finally, one soldier could not contain himself and shouted.
"Are we truly lucky, chosen by angels?"
His cry sent a shiver through the entire Legion.
Someone had spoken the thought everyone felt.
"If we are truly the angels' favored…"
Shadows clouded his blue eyes.
"Then why… why are we sent to suffer in this cursed, corrupted world?"
"Enough!"
The soldier's commander, a stage 8 leader, punched him, drawing blood from his mouth and nose.
Still, the soldier shouted defiantly.
"No! I will speak!"
Roused by the sudden blow, he voiced his true thoughts.
"If the angels are so great, why don't they come themselves to destroy this world? Destroy this world full of corruption!"
"Why don't they…"
"Enough!"
A sword cut through, lifting his head from his body.
The soldier's eyes still reflected the shocked expressions of others.
"This one has fallen!"
A member of the Angelic Guard, clad in golden-ornamented armor, holding a golden sword, severed the soldier's head and held it high, addressing the remaining 13th Legion soldiers:
"The fallen… will be purified!"
The eerie gaze from the Angelic Guard's helmet chilled everyone.
The Angelic Guard, devoted to order and faith, had the right to execute any "fallen" they deemed necessary.
"Our faith cannot be tainted!"
"For the glory of the angels!"
Hearing this, the 13th Legion lowered their heads and advanced toward the fifth layer of the abyss.
At the forefront, Magnus sighed as they neared the fifth layer.
"Even faith has collapsed… truly fallen."
"It seems we must quicken our pace."
"How many layers does this world have? Five? Ten?"
He rubbed his flaming greatsword, contemplating.
Though casualties in the fourth layer were lower than previous layers, the soldiers' combat effectiveness had suffered most here.
Without exception.
Gradually, more soldiers began experiencing strange illusions.
The beautiful angel on their shoulder emblem…
Began to resemble the demons more and more.
"Guardian angel, protect us… keep us from falling."