Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 341 Eye of the Abyss

Ron's consciousness stretched into the depths of the abyss like invisible threads.

After his dangerous encounter with the chaotic spirits, he once threw the puppet into the fifth layer of the abyss, the "Sea of ​​No Light".

That mysterious sea area, which existed only in written records for him.

Now, almost a month has passed since that incident, and he has finally found the time to revisit that forbidden place.

His consciousness traversed layer after layer of abyssal barriers, and Ron could sense the rapid changes in his surroundings.

From the blood-red wasteland of the first layer to the spatial vesicles of the second layer.

Then comes the black sand wasteland on the third level, and the twisted jungle on the fourth level. Each level has completely different rules and threats.

When his perception reached the fifth level, an unprecedented chill instantly swept over him.

It wasn't a coldness in terms of temperature, but a deeper sense of emptiness, as if even existence itself had been frozen.

"found it."

In the depths of endless darkness, a familiar energy signal flickered faintly.

That was the unique magical characteristic of the substitute puppet. Although it was severely affected by the abyss environment, it could still be accurately located by him.

Ron focused his mental energy and began to activate the deep connection between himself and the puppet.

This process was much more difficult than expected.

The environment of the fifth layer of the abyss had a strong distorting effect on the mental link, and each attempt was accompanied by a violent mental shock.

It took him a while to successfully activate the control chain.

The next moment, a completely new world of perception unfolded before him.

The Sea of ​​No Light, as its name suggests, has no source of light.

It is not simply darkness, but an absolute nothingness that devours everything.

Even starlight, magical light, and even the faint life force within living organisms are instantly absorbed by the environment here.

However, the way the substitute puppet perceives things is completely different from that of ordinary living beings.

It does not rely on light, but rather "observes" its surroundings through energy fluctuations unique to the abyss.

Under this unique perspective, the Sea of ​​No Light presents an eerie and magnificent sight.

This is not a real ocean, but a "fluid" region composed of liquefied abyssal energy.

Those seemingly calm "seawaters" are actually chaos condensed to the extreme.

There are no undercurrents beneath the sea, but there is an even more terrifying "mind storm".

Countless twisted and malevolent creatures flew around, forming eerie vortexes.

These storms appear randomly and utterly shatter the consciousness of any creature that touches them.

Then it merges the fragments into itself, becoming even more powerful and chaotic.

The most disturbing thing is the "activity" of seawater.

When Ron activated the puppet, the liquids reacted immediately, wriggling like living things as they tried to surround the puppet's arms.

Strangely, when these abyssal energies came into contact with the puppet, they did not have a corrosive effect; instead, they showed a certain "affinity."

It's like welcoming a long-lost old friend.

"Sure enough."

Ron made a judgment in his mind that the Abyss adaptability of the stand-in puppet was stronger than he had expected.

Not only are they completely immune to the mental pollution here, but they can even draw energy from the environment to repair themselves.

The energy level on the puppet's chest is slowly but steadily increasing, as indicated by the charging display.

Although the growth rate is not fast, this ability to recharge itself is extremely valuable.

Ron manipulates the puppet to surface and begins to explore this eerie sea.

All the islands here share a common characteristic—they "breathe" slowly, like giant biological organs.

As the puppet approached one of the smaller islands, Ron discovered an even stranger sight.

A type of "plant" unlike anything ever seen before was growing on the island's surface, if those things could still be called plants.

They do not have the traditional root, stem, and leaf structure, but are composed of countless tiny tentacles.

These tentacles were constantly wriggling, their surfaces covered with shimmering fluorescent spots.

Even more frightening is that these "plants" have a clear predatory instinct.

When the puppet stepped onto the island, the entire "vegetation" immediately came to life.

Hundreds of tentacles lashed out at the puppet like lightning, attempting to drag the outsider into their "digestive system".

However, the substitute puppet's reaction speed far exceeded the attacks of these plants.

Ron manipulated the puppet into battle mode, and a longsword appeared in his hand.

This weapon generation ability is one of the extended abilities of the puppet after its advancement, and it can create different types of weapons according to the needs of combat.

The sword light danced wildly like a silver snake, instantly severing more than a dozen tentacles.

The severed parts immediately began to rot, emitting a pungent, acidic odor.

But more tentacles surged in from all directions, their numbers seemingly endless.

"This ecosystem is indeed of research value."

While analyzing the attack patterns of these plants, Ron continued to control the puppet to fight.

Through observation, he discovered that these plants were actually part of a huge network.

Their roots are interconnected inside the island, forming a structure similar to a neural network.

This means that attacking a single plant is ineffective; the core node controlling the entire network must be found.

The puppet leaps and dodges the attacks of the tentacles, each movement precise to the millimeter.

Ron's persistent hard work in the simulation device was perfectly embodied through the puppet.

Whether it's the elegance of the Sunfire Swordsmanship or the ferocity of the Orcish Swordsmanship, they can switch between them at will.

However, relying solely on physical attacks is clearly insufficient.

He had previously tried to cast spells through puppets, but the effect was greatly reduced.

The power of "sonic oscillation" is only one-third of that of the original form, and it cannot be precisely controlled.

The casting of spells also consumes the puppet's precious energy progress, which he finds a bit painful.

"Physical combat will still be the primary method."

The puppet moved like a ghost through the jungle of tentacles, each swing of its sword precisely severing multiple tentacles.

The broken plant tissues began to release a certain alluring fragrance.

Guided by the "Hunting Evil" skill, he could clearly perceive the spiritual allure contained within these scents.

For the average explorer, this aroma could be deadly, drawing them willingly toward the plant's "mouth."

But the puppets are completely unaffected and can even draw energy from the "pain" of these plants.

The battle lasted for nearly twenty minutes before the puppet finally found the core of the plant network.

It was a giant flower bud located in the center of the island, its surface covered with countless eye-like organs.

The flower bud suddenly burst open, revealing a dark, hollow interior.

A powerful suction force came from within, attempting to drag the puppet into it.

But Ron was prepared.

He manipulated the puppet to release a compressed "sonic oscillation erosion state," which directly blasted towards the core of the flower bud.

Amidst those eerie murmurs, the entire plant network emitted a piercing scream, and rapidly withered and died.

The once-active tentacles drooped and lost their vitality.

Although its power is far less than that of the user's own body, it still produced a restraining effect at such close range.

He manipulated the puppet to stride forward and began to absorb the withered matter.

The puppet, on the other hand, reaped considerable benefits from this battle.

[Automatically absorbed active abyssal substances, charging progress +0.5%]

Current Energy: 16.5%/100%

"The energy conversion efficiency of abyssal creatures is indeed astonishing."

Ron thought with some satisfaction.

As the devouring continued, the puppet's condition gradually improved.

For a puppet, its "energy reserves" can only rely on this kind of consumption, so it can only sustain itself through war.

After clearing the island, Ron continued to manipulate the puppet to explore deeper into the sea.

Guided by the "Hunting Evil" skill, he could sense that there were even more powerful beings in the distance.

Some exude an ancient and profound aura, while others are filled with a violent desire for destruction.

But what interested him most was the huge energy anomaly in the center of the sea.

There, something beyond conventional understanding seems to be hidden.

The puppet moved slowly on the sea surface in a rather peculiar way. It didn't swim or float, but rather stepped directly onto the "seawater" surface.

The liquefied abyssal energy automatically solidified beneath its feet, providing it with a foothold.

This ability allows the puppet to run at an astonishing speed on the sea, just like the "water-skimming" fantasy he had as a child.

During his journey, Ron encountered a second type of abyssal creature.

They were a group of floating creatures that resembled jellyfish but were as big as houses.

Their bodies are translucent, and inside you can see complex organ structures slowly wriggling.

Human heads were suspended in the "brain" positions of these creatures.

Those heads still maintained vital functions; their eyes moved and their mouths opened and closed, as if they were silently calling for help.

"Brain jellyfish".

Ron immediately recognized the abyssal creature.

They capture intelligent beings and extract their consciousness to use as their own "computing core".

Those trapped heads have actually lost their independent personalities; they are merely tools used by the organisms for complex thinking.

Once these brain jellyfish sensed the puppet's presence, they immediately launched an attack.

Their attack method is extremely bizarre; they shoot out countless fine, spider-web-like needles from their bodies.

These needles are not aimed at the puppet's body, but rather at attempting to invade its "spiritual core".

However, the mental structure of a puppet is completely different from that of an ordinary living being.

When the needles touched the puppet, they were instead devoured by its abyssal nature.

Several brain jellyfish let out painful screams, and their internal organs began to spasm violently.

"This ability to devour... is just the right thing to do, turning the tables on the guest."

Ron keenly sensed the opportunity and immediately manipulated the puppet to launch a counterattack.

He directly grabbed the connecting wires of the needles with the puppet's hands and then activated its "devouring" ability.

The puppet's palms suddenly opened, revealing deep, hollow interiors.

A powerful suction force emanated from it, forcibly extracting the spiritual energy of the jellyfish creature.

This reversal plunged the brain jellyfish into extreme panic.

They desperately tried to retract their tentacles, but it was too late.

Once the puppet's ability to devour is activated, it will create a one-way energy flow until the target is completely exhausted.

In less than five minutes, the three giant brain jellyfish were completely "digested".

Their spiritual energy was absorbed by the puppets, and the trapped human heads were freed, quietly closing their eyes.

[Automatically absorbed active abyssal substances, charging progress +0.5%]

Current Energy: 17%/100%

This battle gave Ron a deeper understanding of the puppet's abilities.

"After advancing, the puppet's adaptability and combat power in the abyss environment are much stronger than when it was at the bloodline altar."

He analyzed it in his mind:

"Returning to the abyss was like coming home for it."

Just as they were about to continue, Ron's "Premonition" ability suddenly issued a strong warning.

An unprecedented sense of crisis surged into my heart instantly, a feeling like the Grim Reaper's scythe pressed against my neck.

"Turn around immediately!"

Without hesitation, he manipulated the puppet to change course and escape at full speed in a direction away from danger.

The puppet had barely changed direction when the once calm sea suddenly underwent a dramatic change.

A terrifying whirlpool formed on the sea surface, like the giant eye of the sea god opening its eyes.

The vortex was tens of kilometers in diameter, and its center was bottomless, like a gateway to another dimension.

Even more terrifying, all the creatures around the vortex are undergoing drastic changes.

Those already abnormally twisted abyssal creatures began to undergo even more extreme mutations after coming into contact with the energy emitted by the vortex.

A creature resembling a giant octopus, under the influence of the vortex, has its tentacles proliferating endlessly.

It grew from the initial eight to hundreds, then thousands, until the entire organism became a writhing mountain of flesh.

But this change did not make it stronger; instead, it plunged into self-destructive chaos because it could not coordinate so many limbs.

Other smaller abyssal creatures were directly blown apart by the impact of the vortex energy.

Their flesh and blood recombine in the air, forming entirely new and even more terrifying life forms.

"An apostle has awakened..."

Ron uncovered some terrifying truths through his "supernatural perception."

This terrifying fluctuation of power seems to be merely a byproduct of that being's "breathing".

Its true power far exceeds imagination; even the slightest action is enough to change the ecological balance of the entire sea area.

"Can't watch anymore."

He glanced at it and immediately turned off the "superhuman recognition" function.

But even this brief glimpse had a tremendous impact on his mental state.

An indescribable fear began to spread deep within my consciousness.

It's like a speck of dust trying to comprehend the vastness of a mountain range, like a firefly trying to rival the sun's brilliance.

This power gap is not a matter of magnitude, but a fundamental difference in the level of existence.

Despite the pain from the mental shock, Ron began to manipulate the puppet to reduce all energy output.

The puppet's "eyes" dimmed, and its body posture became stiff, disguising itself once again as an ordinary wooden puppet.

Just then, the vortex began to expand, and its edges were spreading outwards at an alarming speed.

The seawater was pulled by the enormous suction force, forming spectacular columns of water before disappearing into the dark depths of the whirlpool.

Even the floating islands began to be torn apart by this terrible force.

Despite its best efforts to disguise itself, the puppet was still dragged toward the center of the vortex by an irresistible suction force.

Sensing this change, Ron decisively severed his mental connection with the puppet.

Maintaining contact would only increase the risk of exposure, and with his current strength, he was no match for the will of the apostles.

The moment consciousness returned to the body, a violent mental shock struck.

Ron felt as if his brain was being cut by a sharp blade, and every breath was accompanied by sharp pain.

Fragments of memories that didn't belong to him began to flash through his consciousness:
Giant tentacles writhe in the darkness, and countless creatures writhe and howl in agony...

These are all "overflows" from the apostles, which are deadly spiritual pollution for ordinary people.

"It must be cleaned up immediately."

Despite the pain, Ron took the silver pocket watch from his pocket.

As the pocket watch was opened, the power of time began to flow through his consciousness.

Those foreign memory fragments were completely erased during the state reset, and the psychological trauma was repaired accordingly.

"This is the difference between a Morning Star Wizard and an Apostle."

He leaned back in the laboratory chair, gazing out the window toward the abyss.

Even though it was just a glance, even though it was indirect contact from such a distance, he was still seriously hurt.

But this experience was not entirely without its benefits.

Through the puppet's exploration, he gained firsthand knowledge of the environment of the fifth layer of the abyss.

He also confirmed the enormous potential of the Substitute Puppet in the Abyss environment.

If its capabilities can be further developed, this mysterious tool could become the key to his exploration of the secrets of the abyss.

As for the puppet's current situation...

Meanwhile, an ancient and chaotic consciousness is slowly awakening.

Nari, the "Eye of the Abyss," has been asleep for hundreds of years, his dreams filled with longing for flesh and soul.

Suddenly, a fishbone got stuck in its throat, causing it great discomfort.

It spat out the "fishbone" and began to examine it closely.

This tiny, strange object exudes the magical aura of a wizard, yet it also carries the essence of the abyss.

The existence of this contradiction aroused its interest, and it couldn't resist wanting to bring it back to its nest.

As an ancient being naturally born from the abyss, it has seen countless rare and exotic objects, but this is the first time it has encountered an object like this.

A confused mind cannot perform complex reasoning, but instinct tells it that this little thing may contain some special value.

So it exhaled a special vesicle that it used to store treasures and carefully wrapped the substitute puppet.

(End of this chapter)