Gacha Summoner: Pulled into Another World

Chapter 10: Whispers of the Abyss

**Chapter 10: Whispers of the Abyss**

The atmosphere within the dungeon seemed to change as Yuuji and his companions moved forward. The oppressive weight of darkness that had clung to them since entering the Shadow Keeper’s domain had lifted, but in its place was something more unsettling—a stillness that felt unnatural, as though the dungeon itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

Yuuji’s grip on the Blade of Eterna tightened. The sword had saved him again, its light cutting through the suffocating void of the Dark Revenant’s power. But the closer they came to the heart of the dungeon, the more he felt the weight of the blade’s expectations. It was no ordinary weapon. It was alive, in a way—imbued with the spirits of those who had wielded it before him. And each time he used it, he felt more of their presence, their voices whispering at the edge of his mind.

“Do you feel that?” the mage asked, her brow furrowed. “The magic here is… different. It’s almost as if the dungeon itself is watching us.”

Yuuji nodded, though he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was more than just the dungeon. Since facing the Dark Revenant, something had changed. The Blade of Eterna hummed softly at his side, its light flickering in time with his heartbeat. He had a sense that something ancient—something far older than the Revenant—was waiting for them.

The path ahead grew narrower, the walls lined with strange, shifting symbols that glowed faintly in the dim light. The knight took the lead, his shield raised as they ventured deeper into the labyrinth.

“We’re close,” he said, his voice steady but tense. “I can feel it. Whatever lies at the heart of this place, we’re almost there.”

Yuuji couldn’t help but wonder if the knight was right. They had fought their way through the dungeon’s challenges, faced trials that tested their strength, resolve, and even their fears. But something told him that the true challenge hadn’t even begun.

As they moved further into the depths, the corridor widened into a massive chamber, far larger than any they had seen before. At the center of the chamber was a swirling vortex of dark energy, its tendrils reaching out like living shadows. The air around it was thick with power, and Yuuji felt an almost overwhelming urge to step back.

The mage’s eyes widened in recognition. “That’s it… the Abyss Core.”

The Abyss Core. The source of the dungeon’s power, and the key to unlocking its secrets. But it wasn’t just the core itself that filled Yuuji with dread—it was what surrounded it. Standing guard around the core were statues—dozens of them—carved from obsidian and positioned in a circle. Each one depicted a warrior, a mage, or a creature of immense power, all frozen in time. But these weren’t ordinary statues. There was something off about them, as if they weren’t just carved from stone but had once been alive.

“Are they… statues?” the archer asked, her voice barely a whisper.

The mage shook her head. “No… I don’t think they are. They feel… alive, in some way. Like they’re waiting.”

Yuuji took a deep breath, stepping toward the core. As he did, the Blade of Eterna flared with light, and the entire chamber seemed to respond. The air vibrated with energy, and the statues began to stir, their eyes glowing with the same dark energy that swirled around the core.

The knight raised his sword, stepping into a defensive stance. “They’re not just waiting. They’re protecting the core. We’re going to have to fight our way through.”

Before anyone could react, the first of the statues moved. It was a massive figure, towering over them, wielding a stone sword the size of a tree trunk. Its movements were slow but deliberate, as though it had been asleep for eons and was just now waking up.

Yuuji didn’t hesitate. He charged forward, the Blade of Eterna glowing brighter as he swung it in a wide arc. The blade struck the statue’s stone sword with a resounding *clang*, sparks flying as the two weapons collided. The force of the impact nearly knocked Yuuji off balance, but he held firm, gritting his teeth as he pushed back against the towering figure.

The knight was at his side in an instant, his shield raised to block a follow-up strike from the statue. “These things are slow, but they’re strong. We’ll have to wear them down.”

The archer let loose a volley of arrows, each one aimed at the joints of the statues. The arrows embedded themselves in the stone, but the statues barely flinched. The mage followed with a blast of fire, her magic slamming into the nearest statue and covering it in flames, but the stone figures seemed unaffected by her magic.

“These things are resistant to both physical and magical attacks,” the mage said, her frustration evident. “We need to find a way to disrupt the core. If we can weaken it, maybe we can stop them.”

Yuuji could feel the Blade of Eterna pulsing in his hand, as if urging him forward. The statues were powerful, but they weren’t invincible. If they could find a way to break the connection between the core and its guardians, they might stand a chance.

“Keep them busy!” Yuuji shouted, dodging a massive swing from one of the statues. “I’m going for the core!”

The knight and the others didn’t hesitate. The knight charged another statue, his shield deflecting its blows as the archer continued to fire arrows, targeting any weak points she could find. The mage focused her magic on keeping the statues at bay, casting barriers and distractions to give Yuuji an opening.

Yuuji sprinted toward the Abyss Core, his heart pounding in his chest. The energy swirling around the core was almost unbearable, its power radiating out in waves that threatened to knock him off his feet. But he kept moving, the Blade of Eterna guiding him as he closed the distance.

When he reached the core, he could feel its pull—an immense, gravitational force that seemed to draw everything toward it. The Blade of Eterna pulsed with light, and Yuuji could hear the voices of the past wielders once again, urging him to act.

“Strike now!” one of the voices called out. “The core must be severed!”

Yuuji raised the Blade of Eterna high, the sword glowing with a brilliant, blinding light. With all his strength, he brought the blade down, aiming for the heart of the swirling vortex.

The moment the blade made contact with the core, the entire chamber erupted in a deafening explosion of light and sound. The statues froze mid-motion, their glowing eyes dimming as the energy connecting them to the core was severed. The swirling vortex of dark energy collapsed in on itself, its power dispersing in a shockwave that rippled through the dungeon.

For a moment, everything was still. The air was heavy with the lingering remnants of magic, and the only sound was Yuuji’s ragged breathing as he stood over the now-dormant core, the Blade of Eterna still glowing faintly in his hand.

“We did it,” the knight said, his voice filled with awe. “The core is destroyed.”

Yuuji looked around at the statues, now lifeless once more. The chamber was still, but something felt unfinished. The power of the Abyss Core was gone, but the dungeon wasn’t fully at rest.

The mage stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she examined the core’s remains. “This isn’t the end. Destroying the core was only part of the puzzle. There’s still something deeper—something even more dangerous that we haven’t uncovered yet.”

Yuuji nodded, his grip on the Blade of Eterna tightening once more. The battle had been hard-fought, but it wasn’t over. They had only scratched the surface of the dungeon’s true power, and whatever lay ahead would test them more than anything they had faced before.

As they prepared to move forward, Yuuji could feel it again—that unsettling sensation that had followed him since they entered the dungeon. The Abyss was still watching, still waiting.

And whatever came next would be the true test of his strength.