Chapter 208: The Abyss - Conquest Begins

Ash arrived in the Abyss, and for one had a shock as it looked nothing like what he assumed.

When one hears the Abyss, I’m sure something dark, evil, and all the other things come to mind. However, the three found themselves standing on top of a frozen lake.

The Lake was the realm... it was the Abyss and it stretched further than either of them could see.

Even with their mana sense... that’s just how big it was especially if you take into account that Ash could cover an entire Galaxy with his mana sense.

The ice beneath their feet was flawless and transparent, revealing an endless depth of frozen souls suspended in crystalline stillness—countless figures locked in eternal poses, faces twisted in silent screams or vacant stares, their ethereal forms glowing faintly with trapped essence that cast pale, ghostly light upward through the ice.

The surface itself was unnaturally smooth, reflecting the cracked obsidian skies above like a perfect mirror, where fractures spiderwebbed across the void like shattered black glass, leaking faint wisps of shadow that drifted downward and dissolved before touching the lake.

No wind stirred, no sound echoed—absolute silence reigned, broken only by their own voices and the faint, distant creak of ice shifting under immense, unseen pressure.

The skies above were like cracked obsidian as nothing could be heard... Aside from the three talking.

"What was the point of coming to a place like this?" Celeste asked, glancing at Ash. She had never even heard of something called the Abyss, so she was completely clueless about what was happening.

Ash shrugged, glancing at Kaelthyr.

"Not even I know... I’m just here to see if something catches my eye."

Kaelthyr’s lip twitched at the remark.

"We’re here for a few reasons. First, to find my second disciple. Second, we need to conquer this place somehow—there’s bound to be someone or something in charge. Lastly, I’m searching for the First Soul."

He laid out the plan with complete honesty. Ash had already entrusted him with many things, including his inner cosmos, so it didn’t feel right to hold anything back. Besides, he wanted his Disciple’s help to make things easier.

"First Soul?" Ash and Celeste both asked, though Ash was directing the question to Elysia as well.

[Master... we’ve discovered something fascinating. The Abyss is connected to the entire lower dimension, which means the knowledge we’re about to acquire will be immense,] she said with such excitement that Ash could only shake his head.

[Oh, right... the First Soul. I’ve already started assimilating the knowledge and other insights. From what I’ve learned, it’s truly the very first soul to enter this place—a being from the third Cosmic Cycle, apparently a sword user."]

As she finished speaking, Kaelthyr said, "I’m not sure... that’s why we’ll proceed in order. First, the disciple."

With that, they all began to move.

----

While they had started exploring the Abyss in the Erebus Galaxy, the Valkyries were already embarking on their first official mission—to conquer this galaxy in the name of the Originat.

Achieving this would elevate the Clan from Unrated to Eternal. Still, despite the promise of such glory, the task ahead would be anything but easy.

It’s worth noting that, despite being called "Eternal" Clans, they weren’t truly eternal in the literal sense. None of the clans in the world of Thal actually held Galaxies under their control. Still, the sheer magnitude of their power was enough for them to adopt such a title.

None of the inhabitants had ever left the world of Thal.

It was such an ancient place, rarely visited and impossible for its people to leave. That all changed when Ash took the Mark of the Weaver. In that instant, the world became visible to the entire Erebus Galaxy.

And currently the four Valkyries gathered in on the 95th floor at the entrance of the magnificent palace.

Far beneath them, endless ranks of Cosmic Overlords and Stellar Sovereigns from the lower Middle Veil stood in perfect formation—armies of Primavus women and men with six wings folded like white capes, alabaster skin shimmering under the light, eyes glowing with unified purpose.

Sylvie leaned casually against a crystal railing, her wings twitching playfully as she eyed the other three with a mischievous grin. Her white hair cascaded in loose waves, catching the light like fresh snow, and her teasing gaze danced between them.

"So, this is the official meet-and-greet, huh? We blew through Nocturne, but I barely caught your names between all the screaming and blood." She smirked, tilting her head toward Lithia.

"You’re the one who turned that vampire lord guy into a pincushion with your tail, right? What a bad ass... I like it."

Lithia laughed—a low, sultry sound that carried the edge of a predator’s purr—as she lounged on a floating chaise of solidified desire essence, one leg crossed over the other, her purple-streaked white hair spilling like silk over her shoulders.

Her small wings fluttered lazily, and her heart-shaped pupils gleamed with amusement.

"Oh, you noticed? I figured you’d be too busy carving hearts with that pretty sword of yours, O leader" She winked, her voice laced with playful mockery.

"The name’s Lithia. And yeah, I like to play... it keeps things interesting. What about you, Sylvie? Master’s favorite little bird—do you always fight like you’re dancing, or was that just for show?"

Mira stood nearby, her posture alert yet gentle, six massive wings of white feathers edged in soft gold folded neatly behind her.

She smiled sweetly, but there was an edge of readiness in her voice.

"Easy, you two. We’re sisters, not rivals." She cast a curious, kind but probing look at Sylvie.

"I’m Mira, harpy leader before... all this. You fought beautifully back there, and Lithia’s right—you do have a certain grace. A master’s touch, I’d guess?"

Sylvie smiled, unable to deny it.

Since becoming a Primavus, her fighting style had changed dramatically, and these women, still new to the role, had yet to grasp the true magnificence of the sub nexus.

’Heh, soon enough we’ll all be graced by Master’s touch,’ she thought, certain they would soon transform into something beyond even their wildest dreams.

Diana stood with her arms crossed, her massive wings of white feathers edged in silver rising behind her like a regal crown.

Even as a Primavus, she dressed more simply than any of the others—plain white cloth draped over her strong form, leaving little to the imagination—and her very presence seemed to make the air grow heavier.

"Enough chatter," Diana said, her commanding voice slicing through the banter like a whip. "We’ve got a galaxy to crack. Sylvie, you’re running this operation, so take the lead."

Sylvie chuckled, pushing away from the railing with a playful roll of her eyes.

"Oh! Yes, ma’am. So fiery... makes me wonder how you handle losing control." She tossed Lithia a conspiratorial wink, drawing a throaty laugh from the Succubus-turned-Primavus

Lithia sat up teasingly. "Oh, she doesn’t. Trust me—I tried pushing her buttons back on the 95th and ended up pinned before I could even blink. Ah... Good times."

Kagami stood apart from the group, his expression still as unyielding since the last time Ash seen him, nine tails of mirrored reflections fanned behind him like fractal shadows.

His white hair held a single black strand, pale skin unmarked, fox ears twitching faintly as he surveyed the billions below.

"Enough talk," Kagami said, his tone calm yet edged with certainty. "I’m sure the clans and other factions can feel the shift... We hit now, or we lose our edge."

Sylvie nodded, putting an end to her teasing as she finally began.

The plan was simple enough—looking down at the troops, every one of them was a Primavus with nothing less than Divine blood, except for Kagami’s soldiers, who still hadn’t undergone the transformation.

She said, "Alright, let’s get started. The armies will be divided among the five of us, and we’ll split the Galaxy into sectors. I’ll take the North, Diana will take the South, Mira the East, Lithia the West, and the Foxes—you’ll handle the central worlds while we work our way inward."

As she wrapped up giving the orders, she spoke again, a sword forming in her hand with a soft hum of rose-pink void.

"Now... let’s paint this galaxy the finest rose-pink it’s ever seen!"

Lithia rose with a languid stretch. "Ah, my first conquest... Here’s hoping it turns out to be a good one."

As billions of Cosmic Overlords and Stellar Sovereigns roared in unison—the sound shaking the very foundations of Thal—the Valkyries took to the skies, portals ripping open across the horizon as the siege of the Erebus Galaxy began in earnest.