The Rich Cultivator-Chapter 295. Abyss Hunters (1/2)

Somewhere in a Random Abyss Floor

A dense, oppressive darkness loomed over the land, stretching endlessly in all directions. The air was thick with an eerie silence, only occasionally broken by distant, indistinct sounds.

In the heart of this forsaken landscape, a group of more than 500 individuals—a mix of beastmen, elves, humans, and other races—sat together in small clusters of twos and threes. Their faces were illuminated by a soft glow from the lanterns they carried.

Each lantern housed a single, luminous butterfly, its delicate wings pulsing with a warm, golden radiance. These magical creatures were not only a source of light but also a lifeline, offering warmth in the merciless cold of the Abyss. It has same characteristics of a Luminous flower.

A heavy, unnatural fog rolled through the encampment, swirling in slow, ominous patterns. The land beneath them trembled.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

The tremors grew stronger, sending ripples through the ground. The warriors instinctively reached for their weapons, their eyes darting in every direction.

Something was moving in the darkness.

The footsteps—deep, thunderous—reverberated through the fog. The sheer intensity of each step sent vibrations through their bones.

But they couldn’t see anything.

Despite their numbers, despite their sharp senses honed through years of experience, not a single person could lay eyes on whatever was causing the tremors.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

The sound continued, like the beating of a colossal heart.

A sense of dread gripped the group.

One of them, an elf-like being, narrowed her sharp eyes, trying to pierce through the thick darkness. Suddenly, a vague silhouette materialized—a massive figure, its outline barely visible. She caught sight of an enormous jaw, its shape unlike anything she had ever seen before.

Her instincts screamed at her.

Without hesitation, she threw her lantern toward the shape. The glowing butterfly within was flung forward, illuminating a small portion of the fog.

For a brief moment, everything seemed still.

Then, the lantern shattered.

The elf froze, her breath catching in her throat.

These lanterns weren’t ordinary objects; they were crafted using special materials resistant to extreme force, enchanted to withstand the hostile environment of the Abyss.

And yet... it had broken effortlessly.

The butterfly, now freed from its glass prison, fluttered upward. It glowed brightly, its golden light pushing against the consuming darkness.

The elf followed its path, her gaze drifting higher and higher.

And that’s when she saw it.

A colossal eye—so large that it took her a moment to fully comprehend its sheer size—hovered in the air, staring directly at her.

It was thousands of meters high above them, its monstrous pupil expanding and contracting as if analyzing its prey.

Her breath hitched.

Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the butterfly was swallowed by the shadows, its light snuffed out.

The camp was plunged back into darkness.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

The footsteps resumed.

The elf spun around, her heartbeat hammering in her chest. Panic surged through her veins.

She opened her mouth to scream—to warn the others—but the words never left her lips.

Because they were gone.

Her companions were missing.

The hundreds of warriors who had been standing beside her mere moments ago had vanished without a trace.

Her breathing became ragged. She turned wildly, searching for them, but all she saw was the endless darkness.

Then, she heard it.

A deep, inhuman breath, so immense that she could feel the air being sucked inward. It was as if the very atmosphere around her was being pulled into a void.

A wall of spikes emerged in front of her, massive and sharp, blocking her escape route. The elf instinctively backed away, her mind racing.

The footsteps had stopped.

She could no longer hear the creature moving, but she knew it was still there.

She had no choice.

Without hesitation, she climbed the spikes, ignoring the sharp edges scraping against her hands. The structure was massive—each spike as tall as an average house. She pulled herself up, using every ounce of strength to reach the top.

Then, she jumped.

She landed inside what she thought was another area of solid ground. The surface was warm and soft, almost welcoming. The elf took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

Then, she took a step forward.

Her foot sank slightly, and a sickening realization dawned upon her.

The ground wasn’t solid.

It was flesh.

A sticky, warm substance clung to her boots. A musky, suffocating scent filled her nostrils.

Her heartbeat pounded as she finally understood where she was.

The spikes weren’t obstacles—they were teeth.

She was inside the creature’s mouth.

She whipped her head around, eyes widening in sheer terror.

The spikes trembled.

From above, more spikes—or rather, more teeth—began descending, lowering ever so slowly.

The walls around her tightened.

Panic set in.

The elf sprinted forward, desperate to find an exit, but there was none. The space was closing in, the monstrous jaws sealing shut.

She clawed at the walls, screaming for help, but there was no one left to hear her.

And then—

Silence.

The Monster swallowed her whole.

Outside, the fog swirled as if nothing had happened. The lanterns lay scattered across the ground, their butterflies long gone.

The darkness remained. The footsteps sound resonated again.

Somewhere in the Fog

A heavy silence blanketed the area, broken only by the distant sound of faint footsteps echoing through the thick, suffocating mist.

A beastman with the lower half of a horse and four powerful legs stood still, his sharp ears twitching as he scanned his surroundings. His breath came in short, tense bursts.

Something didn’t feel right.

The fog was unnatural—dense, shifting, almost alive. It seemed to move with a will of its own, hiding the unknown horrors lurking within.

Then—

A hand touched his back.

"Ahhh!"

The beastman swung his massive axe, his instincts kicking in. His heart pounded in his chest as his weapon cut through the air.

"Wait! It’s us! It’s us!"

The familiar voices snapped him out of his panic. He turned to see two humans, both breathing heavily, their faces pale from fear.

He exhaled sharply. "Idiots! What the hell are you doing creeping up on me like that?!"

The men hesitated, glancing at each other before one spoke.

"The elf who was with us... she disappeared—along with her lantern. We can’t find her anywhere."

The beastman’s expression darkened. "Damn it. My companions are missing too. I can’t find them either."

Their conversation was cut short by another sound—one that sent a chill down their spines.

Footsteps.

Deep, heavy booms, vibrating through the ground. Something enormous was moving through the fog.

Then—

"Attack that thing!"

A loud voice cut through the tension.

Instantly, dozens of spells and projectiles shot out, illuminating the thick mist. The sudden burst of light finally revealed the lurking terror before them.

A massive, mountain-sized creature stood in their path.

It was a Tyrannosaurus Rex—but unlike any they had ever seen before.

Its body was covered in spiked, armored scales, glowing faintly with an eerie, otherworldly light. Its jaws stretched unnaturally wide, revealing rows of teeth as long as greatswords.

Then, it roared.

The deafening sound tore through the battlefield like a storm, sending shockwaves in one direction.

In an instant, hundreds of warriors—beastmen, elves, humans—were shattered into pieces, their bodies exploding into a fine mist of blood and flesh.