Chapter 2: The Start of A New

A jolt coursed through Zenith's body, abruptly waking him. "Where am I?" he said, disoriented by the surrounding darkness.

'Maybe I'm still in the abyss,' Zenith speculated, recalling memories. However, he realized he could move his hands.

A voice echoed in his head, 'No, you're not. You're currently in a burial, in a graveyard. If you don't get out in t-minus two minutes, you will suffocate to death.'

Panic set in as Zenith exclaimed, "Who are you? Wait, I'll suffocate to death?" The realization hit him, and he unintentionally swallowed the surrounding dirt, causing a brief moment of shock.

Quickly, he shut his mouth, used his fists, and began punching the dirt above him. The burial wasn't too deep, allowing him to create holes. However, this flooding of sunlight into the burial blinded Zenith momentarily. Undeterred, he continued punching until he had made a sizable hole, enabling him to escape.

The moment Zenith emerged from the burial, he expelled the dirt from his mouth and sought a water source. Fortunately, a pond lay nearby, allowing him to rinse his mouth cautiously, ensuring he avoided swallowing potentially poisonous water. As he glanced around, he found himself in a graveyard shrouded in an eerie calm.

"Guess this couldn't have started any better," Zenith quipped.

After a few minutes of cleansing, he inquired, "Who are you, and where are you?"

'Are you talking to me?' the voice echoed.

Zenith replied, "Yep, is there anyone else?"

'I am the master tool, and I am in your mind,' the voice asserted.

Zenith queried, "So you're the tool that made me pass out?"

'Not my fault that you were so weak,' the voice retorted.

Zenith asked, "Got a name?"

'Nope, but I think Abyss is a good name,' the voice suggested.

Zenith said, "Don't I get to decide that? How are you just going to let yourself pick a name for yourself?"

'You're the one who asked me if I got a name,' Abyss retorted.

Zenith replied, "You got me with that one. Made in the Abyss, so you're called Abyss. Makes sense."

'Yep,' Abyss acknowledged.

Zenith asked, "How are you going to help me?"

'Oh yeah, I've got to do that,' Abyss said. 'Blink your eyes three times in a row.'

Zenith didn't understand but did, and a purple display popped up showing:

Name: Tatsuo (Controlled by Zenith)

Level: -1

Legacy: ???

Bloodline: ???

Affinity: ???

Skills: None

Stats:

- Health: 100/100

- Strength: 8

- Agility: 20

- Stamina: 10

Zenith inquired, "Am I strong or am I weak?"

'Your current stats are equivalent to a typical human, which means yes compared to a world filled with monsters.'

Zenith said, "I am quite weak; perhaps my best option is to run when it gets dangerous. Why am I named Tatsuo?"

Abyss explained, 'You bear the name Tatsuo because during the transmigration process, you inhabited someone else's body, and Tatsuo happened to be the chosen vessel. However, I strongly advise against relying solely on speed. While it's true that it is your highest stat, it doesn't guarantee superiority in speed.'

Zenith acknowledged, "That makes sense, but won't people recognize me since I am using his face and body?"

'No, they won't recognize you because I implemented subtle alterations during the transmigration process into Tatsuo's body. Unless someone is intimately familiar with him, it's highly improbable' Abyss said.

Zenith pondered and remarked, "Alright, now the primary concern is how to become stronger."

Abyss responded, 'You'll encounter two types of quests: main quests and sub-quests. Main quests offer greater rewards and benefits but demand more time compared to sub-quests. Main quests don't refresh and must be completed to progress, whereas sub-quests have a time limit. If not completed within that timeframe, they will refresh, possibly resulting in penalties if left undone.'

Zenith inquired, "Alright, what is the main quest, and do I have any sub-quests?"

Abyss explained, 'Your main quest is to conquer an F-rank dungeon, and as for sub-quests, they are not assigned yet.'

Perplexed, Zenith questioned, "What do you mean by 'not assigned yet'?"

Abyss clarified, 'Sub-quests are generated based on your actions; they aren't predetermined like main quests.'

Zenith considered and decided, "Alright, what should we do next?"

Abyss responded, 'That's for you to decide.'

Zenith suggested, "Let's do some exploration."

'Okay,' Abyss agreed.

Zenith, who had previously paid little attention to his surroundings, suddenly realized he had unintentionally disrupted the graves. "Looks like I've got some work to do before leaving this graveyard," he sighed.

Rolling up his sleeves, Zenith began the task of restoring the disturbed burial sites. As he moved the dirt back into place and flattened the ground, he whispered, "I hope you're not upset that I'm using your body. If you are, I apologize, and I'll ensure you won't face death a second time." With that, Zenith left the graveyard behind.

Exiting the graveyard, they entered a sprawling forest draped in majestic spruce trees. As Zenith ventured deeper, the woodland expanse unfolded, a tapestry of emerald hues. as they were walking a sudden thrill emerged as an acorn whizzed towards Zenith. 'Dodge it,' advised Abyss, adding an unexpected layer to their woodland journey.

Zenith swiftly reacted to Abyss's instruction and then inquired, "Thanks. Who or what was that?"

'A Slivin,' Abyss explained. 'They're slender creatures, about one meter long. Their notable strengths lie in their speed, while their weakness is their lack of physical strength. Congratulations, you've just received your first sub-quest.'

Zenith inquired, "What's the sub-quest?"

'You have to defeat a Slivin,' Abyss responded.

Slightly uncertain, Zenith asked, "Do you think I can manage that?"

'Yeah, given your current stats, as long as you avoid doing anything foolish,' Abyss assured.

Zenith retorted, "Can't you just give me an answer without an insult?"

Abyss cheekily replied, 'Where's the fun in that'

Undeterred, Zenith questioned, "Should I engage it barehanded?"

Abyss suggested, 'You can, but it might be wiser to use a branch from a tree.'

Zenith located a suitable stick, approximately the length of a sword, and confidently declared, "This should do. Time to find a Slivin."

Zenith searched through the bushes and trees, but couldn't spot any Slivin until Abyss warned, "Dodge!"

Reacting swiftly, Zenith dodged and caught sight of the Sliven—a creature resembling a squirrel but larger, with silver fur and red eyes.

The Sliven darted away, and Zenith gave chase, realizing its superior speed. However, he noted its diminishing stamina due to its body structure. Determined, Zenith kept up the pursuit.

As anticipated, the Sliven began to slow down. After another ten minutes of relentless pursuit, Zenith closed in and delivered a powerful smack to its head. Though not fatal, the blow seemed to have a significant impact on the creature.

Before Zenith could land another hit, the Sliven swiftly stepped back, unsheathed its claws, and lunged towards Zenith at full speed. However, Zenith effortlessly blocked the attack with his stick and countered with a decisive strike, ultimately killing the creature.

'Congratulations on your completing' Abyss began, but Zenith, eager to know the rewards, interrupted with, "Yeah, I get it. Tell me what the rewards are."

'Okay, Mr. Impatient. You've gained 37 experience points,' Abyss responded.

"That's it?" Zenith complained.

'Yep,' Abyss confirmed, but their conversation was abruptly halted by the thunderous sound of approaching footsteps.

'You should get out of here as fast as possible,' Abyss warned. Before Zenith could react, he found himself surrounded by hundreds of Slivins.

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