Ah…?

Whenever a surge of beasts stirs in the Abyss, at least one leading abyssal creature emerges, commonly referred to as a ‘Lead Beast’.

Lead Beasts command overwhelming combat power and possess advanced intelligence, capable of subjugating a multitude of abyssal creatures.

Serving as the anomaly’s very core, their defeat simplifies the entire ordeal.

Naturally, such an adversary cannot be handled by a single mercenary group.

It necessitates the collaboration of several mercenary groups and military forces, forming a specialized strike force to confront it.

“This creature is—!”

“A Lead Beast!!!”

“We actually encountered one—”

“Captain, what do we do?”

“…………”

The Captain intently watched the Lead Beast’s movements, his nerves stretched to their absolute limit.

Though the Vulture Mercenary Group was a renowned veteran organization, attempting to defeat a Lead Beast of unknown capabilities alone would be far too reckless.

In that case…

“Plan C!”

““Yes, Captain!!!””

At the Captain’s command, everyone with ranged attacks unleashed a furious bombardment upon the Lead Beast.

This wasn’t meant to inflict damage, but rather to confuse and delay their adversary with a blinding barrage.

Under the cover of dazzling gunfire and deafening explosions, the Vulture Mercenary Group swiftly retreated the way they had come!

“Miss Aimira, hurry!”

“Ah, ah… Alright…”

Still stunned, Aimira was hoisted onto the shoulder of an Amazonian warrior, who then turned and fled.

Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle, gurgle, gurgle!!!

A sickeningly viscous sound abruptly halted their retreat.

The pervasive darkness suddenly coalesced, forming countless inky black tentacles that sealed off their escape.

Writhing shadows consumed the entire space, as if dragging them into a bizarre, alien world.

Mastering the darkness of the Abyss—this was, without a doubt, a high-level skill for an abyssal creature.

“…………There’s no escape. It seems this will be a tough fight.”

The Captain sighed, raising his greatsword—

“Brothers, to arms!”

‘Is Setsuna more important than me!’

‘I don’t want to hear it!’

‘I want to be a school idol who belongs only to you, forever!’

‘So… you must also belong only to me, forever… okay?’

‘Amazing! Yeah! Wakari-masu!’

‘Even if it’s just an act…’

‘Let me see your jealousy!!!’

‘Amazing! Yeah! Wakari-masu!’

‘With your social circle growing larger like this…’

‘Isn’t that good, though?’

‘Amazing! Yeah! Wakari-masu!’

‘I want to run as beautifully as Suzuka did last year!’

‘What about me?’

‘Amazing! Yeah! Wakari-masu!’

‘Ah, wait, I’m still in the Abyss. It probably isn’t a good idea for me to turn into a battle-forum junior here.’

But honestly, it’s so boring… I’ve already scoured layers one, two, three, four, and five, slaughtered all the abyssal beasts I encountered along the way, and even helped a few stranded mercenary groups.

Yet, I still haven’t found any individuals resembling a Lead Beast.

It should be soon, right?

Just as I drifted into thought, the abyssal beast I was using as a mount had already flown to the boundary between the fifth and sixth layers.

This was a vertically descending spiral cave, and all I had to do was go down from here—

“—!”

‘I sensed unusual fluctuations from below. This feeling…’

‘It’s a Lead Beast… and it’s currently battling someone!’

The target had finally appeared.

I jumped off the abyssal beast’s back, not forgetting to tell it, ‘You can commit suicide now; that’s an order,’ to grant it release.

Upon landing, I immediately prepared for battle—it was then that I noticed something sticky beneath my feet, as if I had stepped on something.

A trace of black viscous liquid clung to the cave entrance, resembling paint or ink, like liquefied darkness, and exuding an unpleasant aura.

‘That’s the characteristic of a ‘Corrupted Species’… Tsk.’

The abyssal beast named ‘Gail’ I encountered two and a half years ago was one of these.

Regardless of their combat prowess, the mere existence of a Corrupted Species poses a threat.

Left unchecked, they accelerate the Abyss’s erosion of the material world.

To be safe, they must be utterly destroyed… leaving not a speck behind.

This is no trivial matter.

Therefore, I suppose I should get a little serious.

The vast majority of abyssal beasts possess no intelligence whatsoever.

The lowest-tier abyssal beasts understand only destruction.

Slightly stronger ones possess the hunting instincts of a wild beast, while even stronger ones can discern the power dynamics between allies and enemies.

It is only after evolving to a certain degree that they gain intelligence comparable to a ten-year-old human child—a state which, in the words of the Cultivation Association’s cultivators, is ‘awakening their spiritual intellect’.

And now, this newly awakened Lead Beast was reveling in its newfound power.

The once spacious cavern was now completely consumed by darkness.

Deep, viscous, writhing shadows twisted into countless tentacles, effortlessly plunging the two dozen experienced mercenaries into a bitter struggle.

Tentacles shattered the paladin’s shield, snapped the mage’s staff, smashed the mechanic’s equipment, and strangled the summoner’s familiar.

Attacks against these writhing appendages were like stones sinking into a bottomless mire, stirring no ripple.

And these were merely physical attacks.

““You bastar—””

The Captain, wielding a greatsword blazing with holy light, slashed towards the Lead Beast.

Yet, before he could utter the full expletive, the liquid darkness overflowing from beneath the Lead Beast’s cloak formed a vortex, effortlessly dissolving the strike.

Even the holy light, a potent deterrent against abominations, was easily suppressed.

[Worth… less…]

!!!

For an abyssal beast to speak human language was a clear sign of its rapid intellectual evolution.

[Heeheeheehee… heeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehee]

Watching the distorted expression of the man his companions called ‘Captain,’ the Lead Beast felt a deep, intrinsic pleasure.

It had only awakened its spiritual intellect three days prior, and this was merely its fourth battle since that awakening.

Yet, these four engagements were enough for its intelligence, comparable to a ten-year-old elementary student, to grasp the meaning of ‘the joy of battle’.

‘What is the joy of battle?’

‘It is simply the word “crushing”.’

‘For instance, to flatten this seemingly formidable Captain?’

Boom!!!!

It swung down a colossal hammer of darkness, a blackness that permeated the entire space, crashing down like an avalanche.

When the darkness dissipated, the Captain’s paladin plate armor had been reduced to nothing but shattered fragments.

The other two dozen or so were no different, lying on the ground like dead fish.

Their bodies were either torn apart or corroded by darkness, exposed organs strewn everywhere, creating a scene like a living hell.

‘…Though, this wasn’t the human world; it was the Abyss.’

[Heeheehee… hohohohohoho…………]

The Lead Beast was content, laughing like a child piloting a Z Gundam.

‘However, one thing was still missing.’

Among these two dozen, there should have been one more woman—a woman whose aura differed from the others.

She had clearly been there at first, so where had she hidden?

Did she truly believe she could escape?

Utterly laughable!

[You… think… hiss… I… am…………]

[For so long… gurgle…]

[Darkness… and… hardship………]

[Now, finally… hohoho… hahahahahaha……]

When abyssal beasts are first birthed from the murky darkness, they possess only frail bodies and negligible power.

How much tribulation must a nascent individual endure, what kind of opportunities must it encounter, and how much power must it acquire to grow to the level of a Lead Beast?

How many abyssal beasts must perish for one Lead Beast to emerge?

Who could truly comprehend the hardships involved?

With its current power, merely annihilating a small mercenary group—

“—You speak of ‘hardship’? It couldn’t have been that hard, could it?”

[Ah…?]

The heavy pressure that filled the space suddenly vanished.

Or rather—it was enveloped by something even heavier.

“According to statistics, out of two hundred thousand newborn abyssal beasts, approximately ten thousand survive to adulthood. Among those ten thousand, typically one to seven individuals become Lead Beasts.”

A man appeared.

A man dressed in flamboyant pajamas, complete with a pointy sleeping cap like a comedian.

The Lead Beast had no idea when this man had appeared—just as the mercenary group had been completely unaware of its own sudden appearance.

By the time it registered, the man was simply there, as if he belonged.

“Considering your proliferation rate, that ratio really isn’t low…”

Half-kneeling amidst the scattered mercenaries, he paid the Lead Beast no mind.

With a languid tone, he mumbled mysterious lore while healing them.

“So, stop constantly whining about how difficult your life is, as if you’re the only one in the world burdened by bitter hatred.”

From the void, chains emerged, pulling the scattered limbs on the ground slowly back together.

Organs strewn across the floor returned to the injured bodies, and even the spilled blood flowed back into their veins.

Some chains even pierced directly into their hearts, forcing them to beat.

In mere seconds, everyone was restored to their original state, albeit in a deep slumber.

“That was close, that was close. If I had arrived even a second later, they would have truly died. Even I can’t save those who are truly dead.”

Therefore—

“To be slaughtered after suffering, or to actively commit suicide. Which do you choose?”