Veeryan stopped walking, his boots pressing into the pale dust of the endless land. Slowly, he lowered himself onto the ground, letting his tired body sink into the cold surface. For a moment, he simply lay there, staring at the dim, eternal sky above. A faint, bittersweet smile crept across his lips. His voice, quiet yet echoing in the still air, narrated his thoughts to no one but himself.
"It's been ten years since I've been here…" He exhaled deeply. "Ten years, and in that time, I have killed five billion ghosts. Maybe more. I've lost count. I don't even know if it's truly been exactly ten years—it could be less, it could be far more. Time has no meaning here. I'm starting to forget what Earth even looked like. The streets, the skies, the faces… all fading away."
His gaze grew distant. "Maybe this is my lesson. In my past life, I hated everyone—my family, my friends, my relatives. Even my classmates. In truth, I hated every human I knew. I thought nothing could be worse than living among them. But this…" His fingers clenched into the dust. "This is worse. Much worse."
The weight of his voice deepened. "I never enjoyed my past life because I never cared for others. And now, trapped in this realm, I just want to get out. I never felt what it was like to truly live—not once. And now, when I'm finally realizing how important it is to be happy living a normal life… it's too late. I want to go back to my world."
He sat up slowly, his eyes scanning the endless horizon. "In these ten years, I've gained many abilities—some mythical, some legendary, epic, rare, uncommon, and even common ones. Countless skills, all hard-earned. My stats have increased beyond measure. Every ghost I've faced here has been mindless, except one… the one who told me about this place." His eyes narrowed. "I have to keep moving until I find the way home."
He rose to his feet, brushing the dust from his cloak. "From the ancient texts and ruined architectures scattered across this realm, I've learned of the Ghost Emperor. If I can kill him, maybe… maybe I can leave this abyss. I don't know much about the Abyss or the Emperor himself, but I do know one thing—he's the key."
Without another word, Veeryan's body lifted from the ground, his power carrying him into the thick, heavy air. The windless void seemed to resist his movement, yet he pushed forward, soaring toward a distant point only he could sense. The darkness below stretched endlessly, and far above, the skies swirled with an eerie, pale glow.
He did not look back.