To the Depth of Abyss

Aiden did it. He without doubt had killed the mad Black Hunter, a person. 

The Black Hunter is still standing, but with a sword that pierced his body. 

"Did he kill him?" asked William.

They don't know, because of the previous incident, they didn't want to immediately celebrate victory.

"Don't let your guard down, stay behind me. Alden, step back!"

Dustin didn't know why, but he had a feeling that Aiden's attack didn't kill the madman. It's not Dustin doesn't trust Aiden, it's just their enemy is a Black Hunter, a mad one.

And from what he heard; Black Hunter with a strong devil seed has the ability to regenerate. Without doubt, the madman right there is so strong. 

Dustin wants to send the apprentices tot he way out. But looking back to the time, the madman's AOE attack is so dangerous. If he not walking with the youngster, he would likely lose all of them.

"Aiden!"

"Hey, why are you just standing there?!"

Aiden also doesn't know why. However, he thought whatever they did would all be in vain.

A black smoke came out of the back of the mad Black Hunter, precisely in the wound from the sword hole. 

[When a Black Hunter dies, their bodies will stiffen and they will not unravel. Their soul is gone, but their body remains whole.]

The mad Black Hunter's body stiffens and not unravel. But because there is black smoke, dark mana coming out of the mad Black Hunter body, it indicated that he is not dead.

"He is, regenerating?"

Aiden didn't know why he thought like that. But Black Hunters are humans turned into monsters, so it is only natural that they could regenerate.

"!"

Suddenly the mad Black Hunter's body is moving. His consciousness that had previously disappeared has returned.

"He is still alive?!"

"How can that be?!"

The two Priest apprentices became very scared that immediately run toward the way out. 

��Where are you doing?!" asked Kane.

"Of course run for our lives!"

The two Priest apprentices don't want to think about anything else but saving their lives. 

"All of you run too!"

While they still have time, Dustin wants to save the lives he can save.

William immediately obeys the order. But that is hard for Kane to do.

"But, sir!"

"Kane!"

Harry pulls Kane to run together. 

"Aiden, get up!"

Before they run, they want Aiden to go with them. But Aiden just stood there still and suddenly fell on his butt.

"I'll get him, you two go!"

Kane and Harry slowly move their feet, then begin to run. 

When the five apprentices have entered the corridor of the exit, Dustin immediately approached the one that for some reason refused to move.

"Aiden!...?!"

When Dustin saw the young man's face, the young man wept.

"I-I am sorry, sir, my feet won't move," said Aiden groaning. 

He must be very scared, because he had failed in the previous big responsibility.

Responding to the young man's despair, Dustin stood straight in front of him.

"Don't worry, take time to calm yourself. Once you can move, start running.". 

Dustin felt very guilty. "I'm sorry."

Because of him, the Platinum Hunter had to stand in front of him. 

"Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!"

Suddenly, the mad Black Hunter wakes up by bending his body back.

"That felt good! But it can't be compared to that saint's attack!"

The mad Black Hunter looked fine, even though there is a sword stuck in his body.

"Hey, isn't that hurt?" asked Dustin.

"What? This?"

The mad Black Hunter pulls out the sword that pierced his body like nothing.

That gave Dustin feeling hurt indirectly.

"Once you have tasted death, this is nothing."

The mad Black Hunter swinging Dustin's sword, even though he got pierced with that previously. 

Dustin smirked. "If you were dead, you wouldn't be standing here with us."

Dustin's statement made the mad Black Hunter grinning. 

"Ah, yeah, that's right! But in this prison hell, what is even death or alive?! We are not in our original world! So what we feel in this world is indeed real!? Or maybe we are just sleeping and all this is just a dream!"

"Is that bullshit is what you heard from that stray saint?"

"Soul Saint is a savior! He is the real saint! Not your stray saint that told you to go deeper into this hell!"

That debate looks ridiculous. Dustin knows that. But he needs to do it until Aiden regains his energy.

"So, what else did your saint told you? To go up to the surface and find a way out of the [Rays of Misguided]?"

"Yeah! But of course there are sacrifices to make!"

Well, looks like Dustin can extract some information from the debate.

"Sacrifice?"

"Sacrifices."

With just that single answer, Dustin would have known immediately what that madman meant.

'What sacrifices? Floor 1?"

"The whole floor?"

That means Floor 1, 2, and 3. 

Dustin smirked again. "Hah. Do you think you can do it? With all strong Hunters that lived to this time, You think you can win with all of them?"

In Floor 2, with Ren Li's death, there are still seven Diamond Hunters who had the strength equal to 1 Emperor.

Huxian, the Fox Queen. Alexander, the Black Dragon. They are the two of five Emperors, children of the Staff Saint, who remain on Floor 2.

With that much power, Dustin didn't think the 2nd Floor could be drowned. However, the madman's face somehow told Dustin that could happen.

"You probably won't live to see that happen. But we are stronger than you think."

Dustin knows that very well. "But, I will live long enough to warn my comrades your rotten plan."

Aiden is so confused. 'Not our real world?' 'Abyssal Terra is a prison hell?' 

Those strange words made his head dizzy. The conversation between the two adults seemed not meant for children like him.

"Then, wanna bet that you can come out here alive or not?"

The bet is going to happen fast. That is why - "Aiden." 

Aiden looks at the guardian that kept his eye on the enemy.

"Right after he fired his attack, move your feet. Don't look back. Just run."

That was a tough order, and Aiden knew what the consequences would be. But if he didn't do that, he would once again fail and disappoint his guardian.

That is why, Aiden nodded even he is trembling.

"Are you ready!?"

The madman is ready, but now he uses Dustin's sword. 

"I thought you are a Caster?"

"Isn't that boy a swordsman?! But why is he throwing sword as an attack?!"

Dustin can't argue with that.

"If you don't have any more questions, then I'll kill you right away! Then the kids who ran away earlier will catch up with you!"

"That won't happen as long as you cannot pierce my shield!"

Behind Dustin, Aiden forced his feet to get up, then looked at the madman who was about to launch an attack.

The order list is; after the madman attacked, Dustin blocked the attack, running right away.

But something is strange from the madman. He somehow uses the sword like he is about to throw it. 

"You ready?! Set! Set!"

Aiden once again stood stiff, couldn't believe the things he saw. 

"Catch this!"

"[Spirit Wall]!"

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, wait!"

Kane stopped their group for some reason. 

"Do you think he can still run away with his cowardice?"

William directly refused the idea of waiting for Aiden. 

"But at least we need to wait even just for a moment!"

"Wait for that mad man catch and kill us?! You better do that alone!"

William and his two subordinates escape the labyrinth, leaving the two Sword apprentices. 

Kane didn't know why he tried to stop the Priest apprentices. Even though they were enemies from the start, and it was impossible for them to care about each other.

Harry pat Kane's shoulder. "We will wait for him. I'm sure Sir Dustin could get him out from that situation."

They tried to believe in their guardian capability and wait for their leader. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

Aiden can't believe that could happen. 

"I knew it! Your defense can withstand all of my AOE attacks! But it won't be able to withstand sharp attacks at high speed!"

In front of him, the guardian that he trusted can withstand every that madman's attack, is now bending over with a sword pierced through his right chest.

The attack was extremely fast, and his [Golem Spirit Wall] could not withstand that unexpected attack.

"*Cough!* *Cough!*"

Dustin begins to cough up blood, and start losing consciousness. 

"SIR!"

Dustin tries to stay up and stand up, but after all the battles he's been through before, and the fatal injuries, he can't.

"What are you doing, young man? Didn't I told you to run?"

Aiden wanted to, but given the state of his guard, he couldn't do it easily.

"Yeah, why didn't you run!? Run boy, run to your friends so I can finish you all at the same time!"

That's right, Kane, Harry, William and his two subordinates. They should be escaping this labyrinth. But if this madman were to catch up with them now, he would definitely catch them, and kill them.

"Hey, my shield still can withstand you attack!"

Despite her circumstances, Dustin still hadn't given up on restraining the mad man.

"Oh, is that so?! Then with pleasure I will scorch you to ashes!"

The madman creates a giant dark mana ball with his two hands. 

Aiden couldn't believe on what he saw.

"Young man, run!"

Once again, Dustin told him to run. 

Everything that happened at that time made it difficult for Aiden to move his body. But the strong gaze of his guardian gave him strength, to run away, to save his life.

"Yes, like that! Run! Don't worry, I'll catch up with you after this!"

He did a very cowardly thing. He threw away his pride, and sacrificed his guardian, to escape for a moment from death.

But what else can he do? All the resources and power to fight that madman are gone. Running also only slows their death.

'Don't forget to seek help if you need it.'

Those gentle words calmed Aiden a little. 

"Of course, you can come to me if I can help you with anything.'

But unfortunately, that person is not with them at the time.

However, if magic did exist, Aiden wanted to believe it.

"Die!"

The madman fired one giant dark mana ball to the helpless Dustin.

Dustin knew it was a waste, but at least he wanted to believe it.

"Somebody! Please save us!"