ABYSS OF DUAL CULTIVATION: GODDESS'S LUST SYSTEM

“Waaaaaaahhhhhhh! So this is the abyss? Looks like an abandoned cliff. Man, how disappointing.”

For Aurora, time passed in an instant. One second, she felt like she was outside of the abyss and into that facility, the next second she had entered the abyss with the exploration team.

‘Time is not a constant factor in this illusion. I should not treat the passage of time here similar to the one outside the illusion.’

The more Aurora focused on the facts, the more they slipped out of her mind. Someone wanted Aurora to follow a script but Aurora was stubborn as well.

“Hey, you feeling alright? You are looking for a little pale.”

Lady Clara was standing on Aurora’s side, her blue eyes gleaming with concern. It seemed like she had adopted Aurora into the group without hesitation.

“Oi lovebirds, stop wasting time and hurry up.” Aurora shook her head at Mei’s teasing tone. The fiery goddess was a teenager right now and being impatient came with the territory.

The colder wind of the abyss blew Aurora’s white hair away, an abnormality from her real body and also the reason Aurora found it easier to blend in with the others.

She had adopted the persona of an outsider in the group. But strangely enough, such a person was never mentioned when the subject of the ancient gods and goddesses was raised.

They were always hailed as the original ‘7’, not the original ‘8’.

“You don’t need to pay any attention to Mei. She’s just agitated since we have not made any progress in the past week. But I feel like we are getting closer and closer to the truths of the abyss.”

Lady Clara’s reassurance felt good but hollow. Aurora knew how deep the abyss went in her current time. No one had seen the end to this place.

But still, Aurora decided not to dash Lady Clara’s hopes. There was nothing cruel in this world than a broken heart and broken hope.

“I am not bothered by Mei’s words since I can understand why she is trying to distract herself from everything. She joined this operation for her parents, right? To get them a better life since they were sick.”

“Yeah. That and she was compatible with the abyss. We all were selected from the human race because we had compatibility with the abyssal powers. It would be nice to finally get our hands on some.”

Alan followed Aurora’s words, heading toward her with a gentle smile on his face. It seemed like all he could do was smile at the circumstances.

“It’s not compatibility but our effort that led us to be selected. Do not belittle our experiences.”

Lady Minerva had a lot to say as well. Aurora felt like she could understand the older lady a little more after a week. (Not that Aurora had any memories of this past week.)

“I don’t know about you but I think Seraphina should not be here with us. Chosen or not, she is too young for all this.” Lady Asami’s predecessor also walked over toward the group with sharp steps.

She carried the small goddess of victory in her arms while trying to get her to sleep. The young teenager was not equipped for such a situation.

“She’s here because she needs to be. Besides, she is safer with us than back home.” Lady Minerva’s words caused the former goddess to quieten down.

Aurora did not have the full details but she had a feeling that the small goddess did not have the best home life.

“Hey, enough chit-chatting. I think I found a way out of here.” Lord Karan finally returned from the scouting. All of a sudden, the eight of them were present in the same place.

This was a rare occurrence ever since this expedition had started. They all had different objectives but all had the same goal – finding a source of their power.

“According to the data we have, we need to find beasts to make a contract with. The research department already chose for us but it will be up to us to steal the appropriate artifact needed.”

This was the part that Aurora did not know. She had never taken any interest in how a god or goddess was born.

She did know that a medium was needed for the lesser gods to be born in the current time but she was not aware that it was something similar in the past.

“I don’t know if we should do this. I mean, how much can we even trust the science department? Humans are flawed by nature.”

Even if Lady Clara’s statements were upsetting, they were justified. These people she was with were experimented on for a very long time before being abandoned into the abyss, according to what Aurora had witnessed during the previous few days.

Aurora had been a last-second addition so she had gotten lucky in that regard. But the others bore marks of shame on their body.

“The science department did what it needed to make us compatible. Since we were the lucky ones to survive the tests, we must help humanity out.”

Lady Minerva seemed to be holding great love for humanity even at this time of her life. Some things were not meant to change.

“Minerva, you are so lucky to still have your faith. For me, this is all a nightmare I want to end. The only thing that is holding me back is you, people.”

Lady Clara’s remarks were initially interpreted as humor, but Aurora knew they would eventually prove to be very accurate.

These people did not have a stable mentality. Most of them were already coming to hate humanity and this new world but their faith in each other was keeping them close.

Anyone would not see these cracks forming at the surface but Aurora had seen the fissure at its finest. She knew these bonds would break soon enough.

And she also had a feeling that her ‘current’ body would become the trigger for that separation.

After all, there had to be a reason the eighth companion was never mentioned in the stories about the past.

“Let’s hurry up. I just received a report from the main center. Our first target has shown up in the vicinity. We will have our first core now.”

Aurora got up as well, her body held at ready. She knew that this was an important moment for the group. It will be the crowning of the first goddess.

The battle passed in a flash. Maybe it was not important or the soul did not remember what had happened on that day but Aurora could not recall a single detail of how the core was retrieved or how it was absorbed.

She did not even know what kind of core it was or how got it. Aurora was just going with the flow right now.

“Aurora, help me out here. I think I am feeling sick.”

But it was not long before disaster began to strike. The team began feeling ill one by one until none of them could stand it any longer.

“We need to get out of the abyss. This place is making us all sick. We need to retreat and then come back.”

Aurora had to take charge of the situation. No one else looked remotely healthy in this place except her.

Maybe it was because Aurora had not taken in any core or maybe it was because she was immune to the abyssal corrosion, but Aurora felt alright to continue.

“T-Then we will be counting on you Aurora. Take us back home.”

To be trusted in such a situation was an honor for anyone but Aurora could not help but feel burdened. She had the responsibility of carrying so many innocent lives on her shoulder and the pressure was massive.

Still, Aurora knew she would be able to do this.

No, she had done this in the past and that was why these gods and goddesses had survived this long.

“W-We made it out. The scientists said that they would meet us nearby.”

Aurora had sent a message out before exiting the abyss. She just needed to wait a little longer and they would all be rescued.

Around her, most of her companions were in various forms of andromorphic changes. Even Clove had half her arm covered in black scales of unknown origin.

“You did well. Now, we shall take it from here on. Hurry up and upload these precious specimens for us shall dissect them and use their information well.”

Aurora knew that humans were cruel but she had not thought them capable of doing this.

Mainly, Aurora felt that it was all happening too fast. Things were happening but Aurora was not able to react to it all happening. Even her body was beginning to feel heavy and tired.

“Sleep. You won’t wake up again. You are the most interesting of all these people. You went in there but came out without any mutation. We need to study this effect well.”

Aurora felt the scientist hover over her but she was unable to react to him.