Mage Manual
Chapter 433 - 362 ’Family Rankings

Chapter 433: Chapter 362 ’Family Rankings

Abyss, Ash had heard many rumors about this place before.

Apart from a small part that came from firsthand encounters at Shattered Lake, most were complaints from the Sword Maiden during their casual conversations.

Almost every place crowded with mages would see the emergence of an abyss, possibly even beneath cities, and they could never be completely eradicated. The monsters appearing inside were endless, and a small lapse could lead to towns being overrun by abyssal monsters.

In times past, when the population and civilization were not yet developed, the abyss could even become a major concern for the nation, an essential defense issue.

However, as the number of mages surged and mage civilization entered an era of rapid development, even though the abyss grew stronger with the increase in mages, the strength of the monsters couldn’t keep up with the explosive growth of mage technology, and the threat of the abyss declined year by year.

Eventually, the status of the abyss dropped from a ’major concern’ to a ’daily task’, and it could no longer be seen as a defense task.

The Kingdom of Blood Moon opted to hand over the abyss for adventurers to deal with, or rather, handed over the barbaric adventurers not fitting for civilized society to the abyss to handle, virtually treating the abyss as a trash recycling center; the Kingdom of Gospel arranged for Bluebeard to suppress each abyss, but Bluebeard was not a part of the national defense forces but a corporate private army—simply put, the Kingdom of Gospel rented out the abyss to corporations to manage and trade in it themselves.

What used to be "humanity, I am coming in" had switched to "don’t you come over here".

Of course, this only specifically refers to the first layer of the abyss. The real deep abyss is still a dangerous zone where even Holy Sanctuary Mages and Legendary Mages could perish.

For the Sword Maiden, someone like her, a village girl mage, the best way to earn mage provisions and hone practical experience was to enter and train in the abyss.

Materials from abyssal monsters were often very valuable; they could be used to make equipment and also potions that enhance ’specific Technique Spirit and Void Realm Resonance’—like producing a ’Wave Motion Sword Potion’, which could significantly increase the likelihood of summoning the Wave Motion Sword through resonance.

Besides, abyssal monsters could even burst out Technique Spirits, essentially mini Void Realms.

But the issue lied in the fact that the abyss was not a Void Realm.

If a mage died in the abyss, they were truly dead.

Moreover, the abyss was highly unpredictable, and if you were unlucky enough to encounter an abyss boil, where deep-level monsters wandered up to the first or second layer for a breath of air, even Holy Sanctuary Mages might fall, and it was not a small chance—especially if Holy Sanctuary Mages were farming and golding on the first or second levels, actually attracting deep-level monsters.

You bully my weak monster with your strength, and I bully your little friends the same way, it was essentially a mutual swap of the younglings.

Thus, venturing into the abyss could be said to be a confluence of risk and opportunity. In the past, when society was not yet developed, everyone had to delve into the abyss to grab more mage resources; now that society has developed, everyone naturally prefers to comfortably become a Legendary Mage at home before venturing out. Who would want to literally fight for their lives in the abyss?

At that time, the Sword Maiden hadn’t yet competed in school competitions and was still in a financially tight situation. She repeatedly complained about the dangers of the abyss to Ash, obviously with only one goal in mind: I am cute, please provide for me, could you really bear to see such a cute girl like me venture into the abyss?

Every time, Ash nodded vigorously—of course he could bear it, it wasn’t him going into the abyss. Sword Maiden, you have to try hard to farm so that I can lead a good life.

And it’s not that he refused to provide, he just really couldn’t afford her.

"But I remember, doesn’t the abyss terrain change frequently?" Ash asked, "Exactly because it changes and erupts frequently, mages can’t set up a base and progressively clear through the layers of the abyss."

"That’s right, the abyss does indeed change frequently," Hanna nodded, "But when the abyss changes, it doesn’t take people with it. And although the terrain changes, the overall style remains the same, an underground city remains an underground city, a cave stays a cave, a labyrinth remains a labyrinth."

"It’s then a simple matter—because mermaid scent hasn’t ’died’, the abyss changes won’t take them away, and even the surfaces, buildings, and walls they directly touch won’t change. As long as there is a sufficient and widespread distribution of mermaid scent, the abyss terrain can be stabilized."

"How are the abyss monsters dealt with?"

"Currently, the Beauty Mist is being suppressed by a Wonder, but you guys haven’t forgotten that this is the source of Beauty Mist, right?" Hanna said softly with a smile, "If even our mages are affected by the Beauty Mist, do you think those monsters can be spared?"

"Beings affected by the Beauty Mist are constantly filled with joy and happiness, inherently losing the desire to fight. And because they are always exposed to a high concentration of Beauty Mist, their threshold quickly elevates to the extent of consciousness collapse, and about once a month, mages come to collect the bodies of the monsters—our current protective suits were actually designed for those mages."

"Controlling excess population, producing strategic resources, defending against abyss invasions, efficiently massacring monsters... Such a practical architectural facility," Igula said, "You could even tell me now that the mermaid scent farms integrate sewer and hospital functions, and I wouldn’t be surprised."

"What about the Abyss Channel then?" Ash asked, "This is my first time hearing about this mechanism."

"Simply put, an abyss does not exist independently," Hanna explained, "At least, the abysses within each nation are interconnected; the channels between abysses are special pathways that compress spacetime, enabling rapid transference across space and time to another abyss miles away. When needed, they serve as a convenient route for quick movement."