"At this very moment, it's highly likely we're being watched by the Abyss."
Dainsleif spoke slowly. Rover glanced at the flickering firelight on the distant rock wall and decided to investigate.
The campfire burned steadily. One after another, the group discovered wooden sticks, shields, and other items typically arranged by Hilichurls—clear evidence that Hilichurls had been living here.
Paimon rubbed her chin and turned to Aether with a question.
"Could these be the Hilichurls mentioned in the commission?"
Upon hearing this, Dainsleif looked at Rover, his expression puzzled.
"A commission? Now that you mention it, you still haven't told me why you're here. Ordinary people have no reason to venture into The Chasm's depths."
Rover briefly explained the commission. Dainsleif nodded, indicating he understood.
"Just as I thought. The environment here is weakening the effects of the curse."
Now it was the others' turn to be confused. Dainsleif slowly began walking as he spoke.
"Having been afflicted with the curse of immortality, the suffering it brings has haunted me intermittently over the years. But since arriving here, I've found momentary respite."
Dainsleif stopped, crouched down, and picked up a Hilichurl mask.
"The Hilichurls are the same. They, too, are cursed. They dare not remove their masks to see their own faces because, compared to the memories of what they once were, they are now too hideous, too despairing.
"So, when their lives near their end, they instinctively seek a place to die quietly. And this place, where the curse is weakened, is the perfect spot for that."
Dainsleif paused. Rover slowly drew his blade. Paimon hadn't yet realized what was happening when, in the next instant, Rover stepped forward. A cold glint flashed, and the crisp sound of clashing weapons sent the heavily armored knight staggering back several steps.
Rover's eyes narrowed. He raised his crossbow and fired in a specific direction. Then, the Havoc energy enveloping his blade devoured the knight before him. He calmly walked over to another knight, frozen in place by the crossbow bolt, and beheaded it with his sword.
"Black Serpent Knights—once part of the Royal Guard of Khaenri'ah. But now, corrupted by the Abyss, they've abandoned their once-honorable combat methods."
Dainsleif sighed. Rover suddenly felt an intense gaze upon him. He looked up and saw another knight in dark green armor observing them from a distance.
Aether noticed something unusual.
"That Black Serpent Knight seems different..."
Before he could finish speaking, the knight turned and vanished from sight.
Dainsleif's frown never eased. He suppressed the hope rising in his heart.
"Let's continue toward that city."
When they reached the entrance, the group realized the city was surrounded by the aura of the Abyss, forming a thin barrier.
Rover and Dainsleif exchanged glances. In the end, it was Dainsleif who stepped forward.
"Your power is too overwhelming. Let me handle this."
Dainsleif clenched his hand, and a dark blue energy tore open a gap in the Abyssal barrier.
"The technology of Khaenri'ah, the scent of Abyssal power—I'm all too familiar with them."
Aether gazed at the massive structure before them and couldn't help but marvel.
"No wonder the Abyss is targeting you."
Dainsleif shook his head.
"There's no necessary connection. This structure wasn't built by Khaenri'ah but by an even older civilization. The Abyss simply got here first."
Paimon's eyes widened.
"Huh?! An even older civilization than Khaenri'ah? I can't even imagine that!"
When they entered the structure, they found its layout highly complex. The crumbling walls added to the ancient building's sense of desolation.
At a corner, they encountered another group of Black Serpent Knights, seemingly guarding something.
But they didn't charge immediately. First, they roared at Rover's group. Only when Rover and the others refused to leave did they raise their weapons and attack.
Dainsleif seemed lost in thought at the sight. By the time he snapped out of it, Rover had already sheathed his blade. Under the power of Havoc, not even scraps remained.
Aether stepped forward and finally understood what the Black Serpent Knights had been guarding.
A group of Hilichurls lay collapsed inside the structure, black curse energy seeping from their bodies.
"I should have realized it sooner. These Black Serpent Knights have nothing to do with the Abyss Order... These Hilichurls grow aged, fear the light, and even merge with the darkness."
Rover added to what Dainsleif left unsaid.
"In other words, the Black Serpent Knights are guarding those Hilichurls nearing their end—just as they would in their original duty, protecting their people. Even though neither the knights nor those they guard are what they once were."
A heavy silence fell over the group. Dainsleif looked toward the depths of the structure. A feeling crept over him—the deeper they went, the more likely they were to encounter what he least wished to see.