Fall of Eden

"EHHHHH?!" I yelled, unable to hide my shock.

The kid—no, the thing—in front of me looked no older than 12, 13 at most. How in the Abyss was this child claiming to be Azure Julius?

"Hohoho... it seems I've startled you," the child said, a sly smirk curling on their lips.

I furrowed my brows, disbelief etched across my face. "Oi, kid, do you even know who you're pretending to be? Azure Julius is a big deal. You're just... what? A lost little brat?" My voice dripped with incredulity, though my mind was racing.

*This can't be real. Azure Julius, the chairman? No way. That guy is a legend. And he sure as hell isn't a kid... right?*

The child laughed, a low, unnerving chuckle that made the hairs on my neck stand on end. "Pretend?" he said, amusement dancing in his tone. "Puahahaha... how adorable of you. I suppose it must be hard to process the truth when it stands right in front of you."

"Truth?" I snapped, masking my growing unease. "You're trying to tell me you're the Azure Julius? Don't make me laugh."

The child's gaze shifted slightly, as though analyzing me, and then he said something that made me freeze. "While I can't see you clearly, your voice tells me everything I need to know. You're a student, aren't you?"

I tensed. *Damn it... this kid's sharper than I thought.*

"I see the gears turning in your head," he continued, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. "You're wondering what to do with me. Whether to help me or leave me here. So indecisive, aren't you?"

I gritted my teeth, his words gnawing at my nerves.

"How about this?" he offered casually, his tone almost mocking. "I'll help you with the remaining tunnels. And in return, I'll prove to you that I am, indeed, Azure Julius."

"Help me?" I scoffed, crossing my arms. "Why should I accept your help? I don't need some cocky kid tagging along. I can handle this on my own."

The child's smile widened, and for a split second, his youthful face looked far more sinister. "Oh, can you?" he asked, voice dripping with challenge. "I've been here far longer than you can imagine. This place... these tunnels... they're more dangerous than you realize. But, by all means, try it your way. Let's see how far your confidence gets you."

His words struck a nerve, but the flicker of malice in his expression kept me wary. *Who the hell is this kid? I thought. And why does he feel more dangerous than the monsters I've face.*

*Damn it... I could go alone, but the kid's got a point. If these tunnels are as dangerous as he says, a setback could ruin everything,* I thought, clenching my fists.

"Ugh... fine!" I growled reluctantly, glaring at him. "I'll accept your help. But let me be clear—if you cause even an ounce of trouble, I will kill you without hesitation. Got it?" My voice was low and threatening, laced with a promise I intended to keep.

The kid, unfazed, chuckled. "Hohoho... no need to be so dramatic," he said with a smug grin, as if my words were nothing more than a toddler's tantrum.

"Alright then," I snapped, my patience running thin. I glanced at the chains binding him. "How do I get you out of these?"

"The chains," he began, his tone adopting an annoying air of superiority, "are made from lost undersea metal, a rare material designed to seal high-ranking figures. It's nearly unbreakable and can only—"

I stopped listening. My mind raced. Lost undersea metal? *That's no ordinary material. It's the kind of stuff used to imprison family heads or high-profile individuals. Just what the hell is this kid... or whatever he claims to be?*

Still, I let him ramble, half-listening as he droned on about the chains' origins and some elaborate process to free him.

"Since you're just a student, your strength alone isn't enough," he continued, gesturing grandly as if giving a lecture. "That's why I'll guide you on how to—"

CRACK.

The sound shattered the air like a thunderclap.

The kid froze mid-sentence, his eyes widening in shock as he stared at the chains. A deep crack had formed along the links, spreading like a spiderweb.

"H-How?!" he stammered, his smug composure replaced by genuine disbelief.

I smirked, flexing my hand as residual energy sparked faintly around my fingers. "You were saying something about my strength not being enough?"

"But that's impossible!" he shouted, his voice rising in pitch. "The chains are supposed to be unbreakable for anyone without—"

"Guess I'm not just anyone," I interrupted, stepping closer. "Now, are you gonna keep lecturing me, or are you ready to prove you're worth the trouble I'm risking by letting you out?"

The kid's wide eyes narrowed into a glare, but there was no hiding the flicker of unease that passed across his face. "Interesting," he murmured, almost to himself. "Perhaps you're not as ordinary as you seem."

"Glad you're finally catching on," I shot back. Then, with a swift motion, I struck the chains again, the final blow shattering them completely. The metallic shards clattered to the ground, and the kid slumped forward slightly, catching himself on trembling legs.

"Now," I said, towering over him, "you've got your freedom. Time to hold up your end of the deal."

The final tunnel loomed before us, dark and ominous. I kept myself cloaked in my shadow form, my presence hidden entirely, while the kid strode ahead with infuriating confidence, as if nothing in this Abyss could touch him.

"My, my," he mused, his voice echoing lightly in the narrow space. "Even after breaking free, I still can't see your appearance clearly. That spell of yours is quite powerful."

*Of course it's powerful,* I thought, my eyes narrowing as I silently followed.* This isn't something you can just learn in some academy. It's knowledge from the divine Nyx itself.* But I kept that to myself. No need to give him more reasons to pry—or panic.

The tunnel opened into a cavernous expanse, the sheer size of it taking me aback. Staggering columns of web-like material stretched from floor to ceiling, a grotesque combination of black and white fibers pulsating faintly with Abyssal energy. And then there were the eggs—hundreds, if not thousands—large, liquid-filled spheres that shimmered in the dim, unnatural light.

"Huh... DAMN IT, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" I burst out, my voice slipping before I could stop myself.

The kid came to a halt beside me, his previously smug demeanor fading into something more serious. "I've never seen anything like this before," he muttered, scanning the scene. "Just... what kind of creature could have created this?"

I clenched my fists, my eyes darting between the eggs and the webs. The oppressive aura in the cavern made my skin crawl, and I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, what we were dealing with.

"There's only one monster with the characteristics to create something like this," I said grimly, my voice low but steady. The name tasted bitter on my tongue, but there was no denying it.

"Arachirion."

The kid's eyes widened, genuine shock crossing his face for the first time. "Arachirion?!" he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief.

He fell silent, lost in thought, but I caught the flicker of curiosity in his expression. All my life, he seemed to be thinking, *I've never heard of such a monster. So how does this mysterious student know about it?*

A smile crept across his lips, one that didn't reach his eyes. He glanced at me, or rather the empty space where he assumed I was. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?" he murmured, more to himself than to me.

I didn't answer. My gaze remained fixed on the pulsating eggs, dread curling in the pit of my stomach. If even one of these hatched, we were in for hell. And judging by the faint vibrations in the air, I had the sinking feeling we were no longer alone.

"We need to move quickly," I said, my voice tense with urgency as I began to retreat. "The creature's already aware of us. Fighting here would be foolish."

The kid, as if understanding the gravity of the situation, followed my lead without question. We made our way back through the winding tunnels, our steps silent but swift, the oppressive atmosphere of the cavern still weighing heavily on us. Arachirion's presence loomed in the back of my mind. If that thing ever made it to the surface... The academy would be nothing more than a battlefield.

Once we reached the three-way split again, we finally stopped to catch our breath. The tension in the air hung thick, and I couldn't suppress the sense of dread.

"To think Arachirion would be down here... How insane is this pretender?" I muttered under my breath, running a hand through my hair. "If that thing breaks free and makes it to the surface... The academy will descend into chaos."

The kid didn't respond immediately. Instead, he glanced around, his gaze flickering with curiosity and something else—amusement, maybe? Before I could question him, I added, "What about you? It seems like you never got a chance to prove yourself."

The child chuckled softly, an almost eerie sound. "Well, indeed, with the situation as it is, I can't exactly show off. But..." He reached into his cloak and pulled out a crystal-like object, no larger than a pen, and tossed it toward me.

I caught it instinctively, my fingers closing around the cool surface. "What's this?" I asked, studying the object in my hand.

"Since we don't know the full extent of the pretender's plans, this will help you," the kid said casually, as though the entire situation were no more than a passing inconvenience. "It's a tool to spy on the chairman's office. You might find something useful in there."

I looked at him, suspicion prickling at the back of my mind. "How did you even get this? The key to the chairman's office?"

He smiled, his eyes glinting with something I couldn't quite read. "Heh, I have my ways," he replied cryptically, shrugging nonchalantly as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

I studied him for a moment longer, a slight unease creeping over me. Something about this kid—his calmness, his knowledge—didn't sit right. But I didn't have time to dwell on it.

"And what about you?" I asked, suspicion in my voice. "Surely the pretender will notice you're gone when he sees the chains are broken."

The kid's smile only widened. "Don't worry about me," he said, voice laced with a calm confidence. "I've already placed a clone in my stead. The mimic won't notice a thing. He'll be none the wiser."

I couldn't help but feel a chill at the sheer audacity of his words. A clone? This kid, whoever he was, wasn't just a simple prisoner or some innocent child. He was playing a dangerous game—and I was in the middle of it. But for now, I had no choice but to take his offer.

"Fine," I said, slipping the crystal tool into my cloak. "I'll make use of this. But remember, if you're playing me, I won't hesitate to deal with you."

The kid just grinned, his eyes glimmering with something far darker than mere amusement. "Heh, don't worry. You'll find me helpful. For now, anyway."