Wizard: Unlimited Profession Slots Chapter 735 - 340: Eye of the Abyss

Ron’s consciousness permeated the deep reaches of the Abyss, moving outward like invisible strands of silk.

He drifted through layers of dimensional barriers, hunting for the Stand-In Puppet he had previously discarded into the mysterious "Sea of Darkness."

Following a narrow escape from a Chaotic Spirit Monster, Ron had seized the chance to relocate the puppet to the Abyss Fifth Layer.

This was an enigmatic ocean—a place that, until now, had only existed within the pages of ancient records.

Over a fortnight had elapsed since that event, providing Ron with the necessary respite to reconnect and probe this forbidden realm.

As his consciousness breached layer upon layer of abyssal fortification, he sensed the environment undergoing drastic, unsettling shifts.

He transitioned from the sanguine wasteland of the First Layer to the ethereal space bubbles of the Second Layer.

Following this came the Black Sand Wilderness of the Third Layer and the Twisted Jungle of the Fourth, each domain governed by its own malignant laws and lethal perils.

When his awareness finally brushed against the Fifth Layer, a bone-deep frost, like nothing he had experienced before, struck him.

It was not a chill of temperature, but an ontological void—as though existence itself were being drained of warmth.

"Found you."

Hidden deep within the impenetrable gloom, a familiar energy signature pulsed with a faint rhythm.

Despite the chaotic interference saturating the Abyss, the unique Magic Power signature of the Stand-In Puppet remained discernible.

Concentrating his Spiritual Power, Ron initiated the delicate task of tethering himself to the automaton.

The undertaking proved far more arduous than he had anticipated.

The environment of the Fifth Layer exerted immense distortional pressure upon all spiritual links, with every attempt triggering bursts of intense mental shock.

Nevertheless, by utilizing the meticulous spiritual manipulation techniques he had mastered, and drawing upon both the "Hermit’s Knowledge" and the "Seeking Heart," he eventually secured a stable connection.

In an instant, a completely alien landscape was unveiled before his inner eye.

The Stand-In Puppet’s "eyes" flickered to life, capturing a vista of utter desolation.

True to its label, the Sea of Darkness offered no light whatsoever.

It was not a mere absence of illumination, but an absolute void that consumed all phenomena.

Starlight, magic emanations, and even the flicker of vital energy from living entities were instantly devoured by the surroundings.

Yet, the sensory mode of the Stand-In Puppet functioned quite differently from that of a biological being.

It did not rely upon light, instead "perceiving" its vicinity through the unique energy fluctuations native to the Abyss.

Under this artificial sight, the Sea of Darkness revealed itself as a magnificent and grotesque tapestry.

It was not strictly a body of water, but a fluid expanse composed of liquefied abyssal energy.

The deceptively serene "waves" were, in reality, highly concentrated manifestations of chaotic consciousness.

A single droplet contained enough raw power to fracture the sanity of an ordinary mortal.

Beneath the surface lay no simple currents, but rather horrific "consciousness storms."

Drifting fragments of twisted intent and shattered memories whirled through the air to form spectral vortexes.

These mental squalls manifested randomly, pulverizing the consciousness of anything they touched and assimilating the debris to expand their own chaotic reach.

Even more unsettling was the peculiar "vitality" of the fluid.

When Ron maneuvered the puppet to touch the dark expanse, the liquid reacted instantly, writhing like a sentient entity seeking to wrap itself around the puppet’s limbs.

Curiously, rather than suffering erosion, the puppet seemed to share an affinity with the energy.

It reacted as if greeting an old acquaintance after an age apart.

"As I suspected."

Ron reached this conclusion in his mind; the Stand-In Puppet’s Abyss Adaptability was more robust than his initial projections.

Not only was it entirely immune to the local Spiritual Contamination, but it possessed the ability to siphon energy from the very air to repair its structure.

The charge indicator on the puppet’s chest showed energy levels rising slowly and steadily.

Though the rate of growth was modest, the ability to perform autonomous, indefinite recharging was an invaluable asset.

Ron commanded the puppet to ascend, initiating a reconnaissance of the eerie domain.

The scattered islands shared a common characteristic—they seemed to "breathe" in rhythmic intervals, much like giant biological organs.

As the puppet drifted toward a smaller islet, Ron witnessed a truly baffling sight.

The island’s surface was carpeted with "plants" unlike any he had ever indexed, provided they could be considered vegetation at all.

Lacking stems, roots, or leaves, they consisted of swarms of writhing, thin filaments.

The surface of these appendages teemed with flickering fluorescent nodes.

More menacingly, these organisms exhibited clear predatory instincts.

The moment the puppet set foot upon the island, the surrounding growth surged with sudden activity.

Dozens of tentacles lashed out with lightning efficiency, desperate to drag the visitor into their waiting gullets.

The Stand-In Puppet’s reflexes, however, far exceeded the sluggish strikes of the flora.

Ron channeled his focus through the puppet, manifesting a longsword with a lethal, fluid motion.

This materialization was an enhancement gained during the puppet’s recent advancement, enabling the creation of specialized armaments tailored to specific combat scenarios.

Silver arcs of blade-light shattered the air, severing a dozen stalks in a heartbeat.

The severed biomass began to decay instantly, releasing a sharp, acrid stench.

More tentacles rose from the gloom, appearing in numbers that suggested they were bottomless.

"This ecosystem is genuinely worthy of study."

While dissecting the attack patterns, Ron continued to guide the puppet through the fray with clinical precision.

Observation led him to realize that these plants were merely peripheral extensions of a singular, vast, interconnected network.