Chapter 305: Existence Erasure

Chapter 305: Existence Erasure

Inside the containment chamber at Abyss Research Center, the air felt so dense it could have been wrung out like water.

Luo En stood before the display pedestal, his gaze fixed on a Memory Crystal radiating a profound purplish-black hue.

This crystal was unlike any sample he’d seen before.

Its internal mana flow formed an incredibly complex multi-layered spiral.

Each spiral pulsed at a different frequency, like a miniature universe breathing slowly.

Disturbingly, staring at the crystal for more than a few seconds induced a strange vertigo.

This wasn’t ordinary visual fatigue, but a deeper cognitive disorientation.

Consciousness itself seemed dragged by an invisible force, as if the observer’s very existence would be pulled into the crystal.

"Felt it, didn’t you? That subtle ‘tugging sensation’?"

Uther’s Phantom Husk materialized slowly within the chamber.

Today, his projection appeared more solid than usual, his silver glow tinged with rare solemnity.

"This is today’s lesson’s centerpiece."

Luo En nodded slightly, activating his Perception skills—"Transcendent Perception" and "Hunting Evil"—with practiced calm.

The sensation was faint, yet unmistakable. It felt less like encountering evil or danger, and more like brushing against an essence-level "void."

"The crystal’s memory belongs to Edmund, a veteran explorer and Bloodline Knight, as well as an experienced Abyss guide."

Uther’s voice carried an indescribable sorrow:

"Edmund discovered a rare ‘Forgotten Places’ deep within the labyrinth. This find could have advanced Abyss exploration, but..."

The Phantom Husk dimmed slightly.

"...he never truly ‘entered’ it, let alone returned."

"Never entered?" Luo En seized the keyword with characteristic sharpness.

"Forgotten Places are among the most mysterious—and terrifying—locations in the Abyss."

Uther’s tone turned cautious as his projection drifted.

"These places possess supernatural ‘erasure’ abilities, capable of wiping beings from existence entirely. I don’t mean death—I mean the total annihilation of their presence from reality itself."

He paused, silver light flickering with deep concern:

"Those consumed vanish not just from the physical world, but all memories, records, and even historical traces disappear. They become as if they’d never existed. Without this preserved Memory Crystal, we’d never know Edmund had existed at all."

A chill surged through Luo En. A vague unease rose like a tide, that nagging sense of dissonance he’d felt for weeks.

It was like a missing face flickering at the edge of his memories, always slipping beyond reach.

Like a word on the tip of his tongue during an English dictation exam—visible yet unreachable.

"Professor, is this kind of memory erasure... permanent?"

He forced calmness into his voice, though tension seeped through.

Uther noted the subtle shift, silver eyes gleaming within the Phantom Husk:

"Theoretically, yes. But exceptions exist."

His voice darkened:

"Certain mages with soul-related Special Innate Talents, or those possessing unique Soul Anchors, might leave faint traces. These often manifest as vague déjà vu, inexplicable sadness, or that gnawing feeling you’ve forgotten something crucial. But the specifics remain lost forever—a void in the mind that can never be filled."

Luo En’s pupils contracted.

The description matched his recent experiences perfectly.

If someone had been erased, and he retained a trace of memory...

Who was it?

The name hovered on the edge of consciousness, yet remained maddeningly elusive.

"You’re experiencing this, aren’t you?"

Uther’s question struck like a blade.

"Just... a vague sensation. Probably overthinking."

Luo En answered carefully, offering no details.

As a rational researcher, he knew emotions shouldn’t cloud judgment before evidence emerged.

Yet the unease in his chest swelled like a storm approaching in the night.

"The existence of Forgotten Places also proves Supreme Apostles’ control over the Abyss exceeds our assumptions."

Uther shifted topics, silver light casting intricate shadows across crystal walls:

"While they can’t dominate the entire Abyss, their environmental manipulation and bioengineering capabilities are formidable."

The Phantom Husk drifted closer, its glow dimming slightly:

"More concerning, our recent observations reveal abnormal mutations in previously safe shallow zones—including sightings of legendary ‘chaotic wraiths.’ Beings that should only exist in the Seventh Layer’s depths."

"Chaotic wraiths?"

The familiar name caught Luo En’s attention, his researcher’s instinct momentarily pushing aside unease.

"Madame Ellen mentioned they’re apex Abyss entities capable of random teleportation and localized reality distortion."

Uther’s projection brightened faintly:

"Ellen clearly cares for you. These wraiths attack unpredictably, appearing behind targets instantly or projecting attacks from past or future timelines. They destabilize surroundings—gravity might vanish, time flows could warp randomly."

The Phantom Husk trembled slightly:

"Normally, Abyss mana layers restrict them to extreme depths. But if Supreme Apostles manipulate Abyss mana to create artificial habitats, they could deploy these horrors into shallow zones."

Luo En stored the information, analyzing implications rapidly. If Supreme Apostles actively manufactured threats, traditional exploration strategies would require urgent revision.

"Now, let’s begin today’s analysis."

Uther steered the conversation back.

Luo En sensed these weren’t idle remarks.

"This crystal’s analysis will be challenging—proceed carefully. If you feel any anomalies, especially a ‘dilution of existence,’ I’ll interrupt the connection immediately."

Taking a deep breath, Luo En steadied his spirit, cautiously extending spiritual energy toward the deep violet crystal.

Unlike previous attempts, this contact met no resistance—only an eerie smoothness, as if his energy slipped into an empty void.

A powerful spatial distortion surged, dragging his consciousness into an alien dimension.

Reality blurred and twisted—distorted reflections of the world seen through warped glass.

The scene sharpened, revealing a breathtaking Abyss vision:

A colossal hall of unimaginable grandeur. Towering columns, each carved from glowing black stone, pierced an invisible ceiling. The material absorbed light itself, radiating a deeper darkness.

The space was terrifyingly vast—seeming to exist in its own pocket dimension.

At its heart: a massive ring-shaped stone platform.

Fifty meters in diameter, over ten meters high, its surface etched with endless complex runes.

At its center yawned a bottomless pit, pulsing with pure void essence.

Not darkness or shadow, but absolute "nothingness"—a force that swallowed light, sound, and thought alike.

Edmund, the memory’s original owner, stood at the hall’s edge, using a precision mana observation device to record everything.

Through his eyes, Luo En felt the explorer’s deep dread.

Not fear of a tangible threat, but primal instinct screaming this was forbidden ground—a place where existence itself became questionable.

Edmund, clearly an experienced explorer, maintained distance from the platform, observing only through remote devices.

Every movement Edmund made demonstrated a razor-sharp awareness of danger. He never remained in the same location for more than three minutes, constantly shifting his observation angles to avoid predictability.

Yet even with such meticulous caution, the mysterious power within the hall had already begun exerting its influence.

Luo En observed as Edmund’s physical outline started to blur, as though an invisible eraser were slowly wiping his very existence from existence.

The process was agonizingly slow, yet utterly irreversible.

First, his shadow grew fainter. Then the edges of his clothing became indistinct.

Next, Edmund’s hands became semi-transparent, his veins and bones faintly visible beneath his skin. His entire palms gave the uncanny impression of gradually fading from reality itself.

Most terrifying of all, as his body dissolved, Edmund seemed to be forgetting the very events unfolding around him.

His recorded voice grew increasingly fragmented, his thoughts sluggish—as though his capacity for reasoning was being systematically stripped away.

Luo En heard Edmund’s voice hollowing out within the Memory Crystal’s playback:

“Observation Record… the… the how many-th time?

Where is this place… why am I here?

Who… who am I?”

By the time Edmund’s torso began dissolving, he had completely forgotten his own identity and purpose.

He stared blankly at the observation device in his hands, no longer comprehending its function.

Finally, when the explorer’s head itself became translucent, the Memory Crystal’s playback abruptly cut out entirely.

Only empty darkness and a chilling, absolute silence remained.

Luo En carefully severed his connection to the Memory Crystal, discovering his back drenched in cold sweat. This analysis had been far more horrifying than any previous experience.

The sensation of watching a person’s very existence being erased felt disturbingly immersive, nearly producing a visceral fear response within him.

Worst of all, during the analysis, he had briefly felt an overwhelming urge to step into that hall himself. The impulse had been so intense that he nearly forgot he was merely observing a memory, not standing before the hall in reality.

【Breakthrough! History Research (Entry-Level 50/50) → History Research (Proficient 1/100)】

【Additional Trait Acquired – Sensory Perception】

【Sensory Perception: Allows perception of historical traces through spiritual energy, reconstructing scenes from specific moments in time.

Warning: Excessive use may attract the attention of Time Hounds.】

As the skill reached breakthrough, Luo En felt an unprecedented perceptual ability awakening within him.

If the original History Research skill had merely allowed him to faintly sense temporal imprints on objects, then Sensory Perception now gave him eyes capable of directly observing history itself.

He could feel every object in the room silently recounting its own story—

How many experiments had the display case endured? How many secret meetings had the containment chamber’s walls witnessed? Even the air itself carried echoes of countless fragmented historical moments.

This heightened perception filled him with immense satisfaction, akin to a nearsighted person suddenly seeing the world clearly through perfectly prescribed lenses—sharp, vivid, and multidimensional.

【Historian (Two-Star and a Half) Class Advancement Conditions Updated:

1. Skill – History Research reaches Proficient Level
2. Spiritual energy reaches 5.5 or higher
3. Successfully peer into a historical event without becoming lost
4. Possess sufficient historical knowledge】

“Outstanding analysis, Luo En.”

Uther’s voice pulled his attention back to reality.

“Being able to complete observation of Forgotten Places’ Memories without succumbing to their influence proves your History Research skill has reached remarkable proficiency. Maintaining self-awareness while facing that ‘existence erasure’ threat demonstrates exceptional control.”

The old professor’s Phantom Husk glowed brighter, reflecting his inner satisfaction.

“You should understand—many seasoned Historians experience identity confusion when analyzing similar Memories.”

“Thank you for your guidance, Professor.” Luo En responded sincerely, carefully examining the transformations from his skill breakthrough. “Without your patient instruction these past weeks, I couldn’t have progressed so rapidly.”

“Your innate talent and dedication are equally important.”

Uther’s Phantom Husk rippled gently in the air, silver light undulating like water.

“However, to truly become a full Historian, you must complete one final challenge—personally experiencing a historical event’s temporal immersion rather than relying on Memory Crystals as secondhand sources.”

He paused, his tone growing cautious.

“But considering your previous… unpleasant encounter with Time Hounds, I strongly advise postponing this attempt until your strength reaches the next tier, or you’ve mastered specialized time protection techniques.”

Luo En nodded in agreement.

As a rational researcher, he understood the dangers of reckless action. After experiencing the terror of Time Hounds firsthand, he had become exceptionally cautious about any time-related operations. Furthermore, he had many other developmental directions demanding attention—temporarily delaying Historian class advancement wouldn’t significantly impact his overall plans.

“Additionally, there’s something I wish to discuss privately.”

Uther’s Phantom Husk solidified further.

“Regarding Cassandra’s imminent return… there are matters you should understand beforehand.”

Luo En immediately focused completely.

From Uther’s tone, he sensed profound concern and unease. For a being who had lived thousands of years to express such visible anxiety, the gravity of this situation was undeniable.

“First, you must understand this.”

Uther’s voice deepened with worry.

“Cassandra’s return signals the rise of a radical faction within the Schoolalliance—what we call ‘Conquerors’ or ‘Expansionists.’”

“She and her followers advocate large-scale conquest of other worlds, treating beings from different planes as exploitable resources. The Conquerors believe traditional exploration is too conservative, advocating aggressive expansion to establish a ‘mage empire’—a multiversal order ruled by mage dominion.”

The old professor’s voice carried growing concern.

“To achieve this objective, the Conquerors support extreme measures to enhance mage power—massive live experimentation, soul transactions, and even cooperation with Abyss Apostles.”

“Meanwhile, traditionalists like myself—what you might call ‘Balancers’—advocate maintaining relatively balanced relationships with other planes.”

Uther’s Phantom Husk swayed slowly in midair.

“We fear excessive plundering will provoke united retaliation from greater enemies, or worse—contamination from Exotic Old Gods that could fundamentally corrupt mage civilization. We believe strength should come through knowledge accumulation and natural evolution, not forced external exploitation.”

Luo En listened silently, rapidly analyzing both philosophies’ advantages and drawbacks.

From pure pragmatism, the Conquerors’ strategy could indeed yield massive short-term gains.

Yet long-term, such exploitative development would likely trigger uncontrollable chain reactions.

“What’s the current balance of power within the Schoolalliance?” he asked.

“Approximately four to six. The Conquerors hold slight advantage.”

Uther’s response made Luo En’s heart tighten.

“Cassandra’s rapid power gains through conquest have become their strongest argument. Many previously neutral mages now lean toward the radical path, especially younger Full Mages—who are particularly susceptible to promises of quick power.”

The old professor paused, as though recalling unpleasant memories.

“Cassandra is also a practitioner of The Murmuring of the Star Devourer.”

This revelation startled Luo En, immediately invoking a sense of ominous familiarity.

The same meditation technique. The same ascension path…

“Practitioners of the True Path often develop profound resonance with the essence of their ‘observed existence.’”

Uther seemed to sense Luo En’s unspoken thoughts.

“For The Murmuring of the Star Devourer specifically, that endless devouring desire—the insatiable hunger for greater power—gradually erodes practitioners’ rationality and compassion. Cassandra exemplifies this perfectly. Her current actions stem largely from the Devourer’s original will influencing her.”

His Phantom Husk drifted closer, silver eyes glowing with deep concern.

“That’s precisely what worries me most. As the new generation’s practitioner of The Murmuring of the Star Devourer, could you be walking the same path? Can you guarantee you won’t succumb to that primal devouring impulse?”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end