Outside the Suncrest City Base, the Abyss lood like a massive, gaping maw, as though it were waiting to devour any prey that ca too close.
Within a radius of several hundred ters, everything surrounding the Abyss was swallowed by endless darkness.
Even the air above it behaved strangely, fluctuating with mysterious distortions that defied all natural laws.
Gravity itself seed uncertain in this place.
At tis it pulled downward as expected. At other tis it twisted in subtle, unnatural ways.
rely gazing at the phenonon felt like staring into another world, another dinsion entirely.
Several hundred ters away from the entrance of the Abyss tunnel stood the Suncrest City Army Base.
It was the city first line of defense against any horrors that might erupt from the depths below.
The base walls were tall, reinforced with steel and heavy artillery.
Soldiers patrolled the walls with unwavering vigilance.
Their eagle-sharp eyes remained locked on the distant darkness, as though expecting their worst nightmares to erge at any mont.
Tension filled the air.
Hands tightened around weapons.
Fingers rested close to triggers.
Apart from the steady rhythm of boots striking the cold stone ground, the entire base remained silent, quiet as a graveyard.
Then suddenly, the calm, eerie darkness of the Abyss trembled.
A sharp wind howled outward, catching everyone’s attention.
Every soldier imdiately straightened.
Fear and tension gripped their hearts like iron claws.
Heavy weapons were raised.
Mounted cannons rotated into position.
Massive artillery units prepared to fire at a mont’s notice.
Then, from within the swirling darkness, a lone figure slowly appeared.
"I-Is that...?" a soldier whispered, his voice trembling.
Standing atop the defensive wall, the base commander stared at the figure erging from the Abyss with a solemn expression.
The silhouette gradually beca clearer.
It was a human figure.
Tall.
Calm.
Walking forward without hesitation.
"C-Commander... w-what should we do?" another soldier asked nervously, sweat trickling down his cheek.
Many of the soldiers stationed here had witnessed the horrors that erged from the Abyss.
They knew better than to underestimate anything that ca from that darkness.
"Stand down," the commander ordered in a firm voice.
"Huh?"
The soldiers froze for a mont in confusion.
But despite their surprise, they lowered their weapons slightly.
The commander then stepped forward and shouted loudly.
"Halt!"
His voice echoed across the open space.
Hearing the command, the approaching figure stopped walking.
Thoren halted in his tracks and slowly raised his head, looking toward the direction of the commander.
The mont their eyes t, a chill ran down the commander’s spine.
His fingers trembled slightly.
His heart pounded violently in his chest.
For a brief mont, he forgot how to speak.
The young man’s gaze carried an indescribable pressure.
The commander stood frozen, unable to react.
Finally, the young man spoke.
"My na is Thoren Starfall," he announced calmly.
He then averted his gaze slightly before continuing.
"I lived at North Dock. I was part of the last batch of awakeners who entered the Abyss."
His voice was neither loud nor aggressive.
It was calm.
Almost gentle.
Yet every soldier standing on the defensive wall heard his words clearly.
Perfectly.
It felt as though he were speaking directly beside their ears.
That alone was enough to terrify many of them.
The commander swallowed the lump in his throat and forced himself to remain composed.
"Will you please wait a mont while we confirm your identity?" he called out loudly.
"Very well," Thoren replied calmly.
Imdiately, the commander hurried down from the wall to verify the information.
He could have contacted the intelligence unit through his communication device.
But for so reason, he chose to confirm it personally.
Watching their commander leave, the soldiers remained tense.
Their palms were sweaty as they continued staring at the young man standing outside the base.
To many of them, this was the first ti they had ever seen a human return from the Abyss.
To them, the sight felt almost unreal.
Minutes passed slowly.
Finally, the commander returned to the wall.
This ti, he was accompanied by several high-ranking military officers.
Every one of them wore expressions filled with disbelief.
Shock lingered in their eyes.
"It’s true?" one of them muttered quietly.
The speaker was a middle-aged woman with a large scar running across her face.
"Yes," the commander replied quietly.
Then he stepped forward and raised his voice.
"Young Hero, please co in. Your identity has been confird."
The army base general himself stood beside the commander.
Even the normally stern general could not hide the astonishnt in his voice.
Unlike ordinary soldiers, the high-ranking officers understood that returning from the Abyss was possible.
Many awakeners had done so in the past.
It was not unprecedented.
However, what truly shocked them was sothing else.
Thoren had only entered the Abyss twelve days ago.
And now he had already returned.
How was that even possible?
Even the most talented awakeners they had ever seen required several months to clear the first floor of the Abyss.
Yet this young man, a necromancer, no less, had accomplished it in less than two weeks.
While they were still lost in their thoughts, Thoren calmly walked toward the base with steady steps.
When he reached the massive gate, several high-ranking officials were already waiting on the ground to welco him.
"Welco, Young Hero," they greeted one after another.
Thoren simply smiled politely.
He did not respond verbally.
"Although your na and appearance match the records, we still need to conduct further confirmation," the general explained respectfully.
Thoren nodded.
He was not surprised.
Security procedures around the Abyss were always strict.
Without hesitation, he followed them into a specialized facility inside the base.
There, a series of thorough examinations were conducted.
Magical scans.
Identity verification.
Aura analysis.
Ten minutes later, the tests were completed.
The results confird that the man standing before them was indeed Thoren Starfall.
Inside the general’s office, the general looked at Thoren with a warm smile.
"Young Hero, I have made all the necessary arrangents for your return to the city," he said. "If you require anything, please do not hesitate to let know."
Thoren nodded politely.
"General, thank you for your assistance."
As he spoke, he reached into his inventory and took out a small bottle.
He placed it gently on the table.
"Please accept this as a gift for your hard work in protecting humanity," Thoren said calmly. "It is a healing potion."
The general was stunned for a mont.
However, he did not refuse the gift.
He knew just how valuable a healing potion was.
Within the Federation, whenever such potions appeared in the market, they were imdiately seized by powerful families and wealthy organizations.
Ordinary people rarely had the chance to obtain one.
Yet now, one had been placed directly before him.
"Thank you," the general said sincerely, genuine appreciation filling his voice.
Thoren nodded slightly.
Then he stood up.
"I should be leaving now."
"Ah—yes, of course," the general replied quickly.
Carefully, he stored the healing potion away as though it were a priceless treasure.
Outside the base, a military convoy was already waiting.
Without delay, Thoren was escorted into one of the military jeeps.
Monts later, the convoy departed from the base.
As the vehicles disappeared into the distance, the general stood quietly, watching them go.
After a mont, he sighed softly.
"I bet the city won’t be quiet for the next twenty-four hours," he muttered.
The return of an awakener from the Abyss was always a major event within the Federation.
And this one, would certainly be no exception.
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