Global Abyss: My Skills Can Enhance Infinitely Chapter 7 - 6 Familiar Fragments

"Damn, this tree is a real pain to scale."

Perched precariously upon a robust branch near the treetop, Tao Yu caught his breath, his chest heaving slightly.

He had no idea what kind of species this timber was. Down on the forest floor, it hadn't seemed so imposing among the other giants, but once he climbed high enough, he realized it stretched as far as a multi-story building.

Scaling it was an exhausting ordeal, especially with a rifle and packs of ammunition weighing him down by over ten pounds.

If not for the physical boost from his Basic Breathing Technique - Modified, his former self would never have managed such a climb.

Physical endurance remained his most glaring weakness.

Yet, this climb revealed another unexpected benefit of his current state.

It was surely the blessing of [One Proof Forever Proof]. Even though his stamina was drained and his muscles burned with fatigue, his raw strength and reflexes never faltered.

The soreness was present, but it did nothing to impede his performance—a strange, disjointing sensation he was still learning to navigate.

It was a shame that the sensation of exhaustion couldn't be ignored via Mental Immunity; that would truly be like abusing an exploit.

Upon reflection, pain and fatigue were vital warnings from his own body, and silencing them with Mental Immunity would likely lead to more problems than solutions.

Still gripping the trunk with one hand to balance himself, Tao Yu checked his receiver. Covered in bits of tree bark, the screen finally displayed a flicker of signal.

He let out a long breath of relief; the device had been set to the company's designated public frequency.

He stood up and hoisted his arm skyward, reaching above the canopy. He waved it rhythmically until a voice crackled through the receiver,

"...there is another radio frequency here, but without any trace of Yuan Force. It is almost certainly a non-combat, innate broadcast local to this world fragment. We advise everyone to converge toward these coordinates whenever possible. I will refresh the broadcast info daily at noon, and the message will loop until 6 PM..."

Tao Yu froze as he heard that cold, detached voice. What was happening here?

The recording soon reset, playing the same mechanical message in a continuous loop.

"It is with great regret that we inform the inhabitants of Starshine City that we seem to have encountered a rare space-time anomaly and failed to synchronize with the company's regional hub. Our gear has detected zero signals from the company..."

The opening statement suggested the speaker was likely one of the wealthy twins from the Floating City.

As privileged elites born into high standing, it made sense for them to possess such advanced equipment, allowing them to broadcast to all nearby survivors.

If their high-end sensors were picking up nothing from the company headquarters, their assessment of a space-time anomaly was surely correct.

A space-time anomaly? What a disaster. Why did he have to get tangled up in such an improbable event?

Wait...

Tao Yu suddenly thought of his own Divinity. Could this entire situation be his fault?

He pushed the thought aside and focused back on the broadcast.

According to the twins, the distance to the company's station was at least 100,000 kilometers—roughly two to three times the circumference of the Earth at the equator!

Even at the most optimistic estimate, there were likely several world fragments separating him from his goal. Between the lethal environment of the Abyss and the sheer distance, it was an insurmountable chasm.

Seeking the company's sanctuary was simply not an option. Besides, anyone strong enough to traverse such a gap probably wouldn't need their protection anyway.

The company had truly lost its only value. How pathetic.

However, there was a silver lining: they had detected radio signals from another station, though the language remained indecipherable.

Since there was no Yuan Force-enhanced signal, it was likely held by the indigenous people of this fragment.

While it wouldn't be a base for other companies or superior factions, it at least hinted at a civilization where he might find shelter and rest.

Even if the language was alien, personal interaction with local natives would allow him to utilize Yuan Force for real-time translation—a gift bestowed by the world’s will to help Pioneers navigate these realms.

Some specialists in mental power supposedly didn't even need that assistance and could communicate through innate skills alone.

Using that radio station as a base, constructing a temporary settlement would be remarkably efficient.

"...Encountering a spacetime anomaly is unfortunate, but you are lucky to be here alongside us. With our group as the core, we will forge a new company hub, and you will all be celebrated as its founding members!"

The pep talk finished, and Tao Yu had gained a better grasp of his predicament.

At that precise moment, he felt the tree shudder.

Even though the trunk was massive, Tao Yu was near the summit and felt the vibration intensely.

Peering through the gaps in the leaves, he observed the canopy swaying violently. Given the rhythm and severity of the movement, something massive was approaching.

No, not just massive—it was something immense and elongated!

A split second later, a snake’s head rounded the bend, as wide as a water barrel, completely shattering his concept of biological proportions.

Normal pythons might be long, but seldom that thick. The snake he’d eaten earlier had been three meters long and barely fifty kilograms. Even a seven-meter python was heavy, but a couple of skilled men could usually bring one down with a blade.

But this monster, with a head the size of a barrel, defied logic and radiated an suffocating aura of power.

Tao Yu scrambled through his memories of his past life’s media.

He had definitely seen creatures like this in fiction.

A strange sensation settled in his gut.

The Abyss consumed countlessly many worlds, and the first things to manifest were often the settings of various fantasy realms.

His own world had been invaded as well, and from the rumors he had gathered during his life, many of these fragments were based on stories and myths from his original world.

Over the years, many of these tales had been suppressed or lost to obscurity, and he only knew fragments from stories his parents once whispered.

Yet, he was certain: this was not Earth, and these stories were independent of it.

Even his Divinity, certified by outer gods, was a form of recognition by the will of the world.

But why were entities from Earth’s movies and shows appearing here?

Was it a uncanny coincidence of legends? Or had parts of Earth been consumed by the Abyss and scattered here by that spacetime anomaly?

Does this mean...

Earth itself is being devoured by the Abyss?

With all his accumulated knowledge as a transmigrator, Tao Yu couldn't stop the flood of dark inferences.

Perhaps even that anomaly was connected to him.

Suddenly, the massive python, likely drawn by the lingering scent of roasted snake meat, gulped down his pack and several surrounding tree branches in one ravenous bite.

"Damn it!"

Discarding his theories, Tao Yu sat firmly on his perch, showing not a hint of panic. He raised his rifle, took aim at the serpent, and squeezed the trigger.

He was confident in the stopping power of his rounds against carbon-based life; it didn't matter how large the beast was, a well-placed bullet to a vital organ would kill it.

With his sharpened senses, there was no way he could miss, right?

Rat-a-tat!

The wounded python immediately coiled in pain, thrashing with his equipment and half-digested food still in its maw. It vanished from his line of sight in a blink, leaving Tao Yu sitting on the branch, completely stunned.

I was certain my aim was true...

Who could have predicted that while his reactions and eyes were up to the task, the cheap quality of the firearm would fail him?

The bullet trajectory was just too damn erratic.