Abyss System The Rise of the Lord-Chapter 99 mental punishment pool test

While Zaber sat at the edge of the pool, small ripples appeared on the water’s surface.

He had not moved.

It was as though the pool itself had responded.

Something stirred within the dim gray liquid. At first slowly. Then faster. As if whatever had lain dormant at the bottom had finally awakened.

The Spirit Chain on Zaber’s chest suddenly trembled. The energy inside it began to spread slowly, yet sharply.

"This... what is this?" he whispered.

Zaber wanted to flee, unable to comprehend what was happening, but his body refused to obey.

The old man watched silently from a distance. Limir, frightened, leaped behind him and crouched.

A hand-like shape emerged from the pool and seized Zaber, dragging him inside. Zaber’s eyes remained open as he stood beneath the water. The pool’s mysterious power gradually exerted its influence. Zaber’s muscles suddenly tightened, yet no pain came. His body felt as though bones and muscles were tearing apart and reforming, while his spiritual layer underwent a strengthening process.

He felt every movement with intense awareness. The water’s surface trembled with a single ripple, then fell utterly still.

From behind came the old man’s calm voice:

"Those who enter this place almost never come out alive, boy. He is not yet ready. It pulls at the soul. If one is weak... they remain here forever."

The old man continued in a cold tone, stroking his beard:

"If he cannot endure a trial of this level, then in this world he will be nothing more than something trampled under the feet of other beings."

Zaber struggled to breathe. This place was meant only for the chosen, yet even the chosen were not safe. Zaber was neither chosen nor especially gifted.

His thoughts were no longer clear.

"Is this a trial for me?" he whispered. "I can do it. I am not weak!"

His eyes widened, trembling with fury.

The Spirit Chain vibrated powerfully, beginning to resonate with the water. Each tremor awakened his inner energy. Zaber felt it: even without breathing, beneath the water, his body experienced a strange yet harmless pain.

The entity within the pool slowly revealed its form. Now it was neither human nor demon.

Above the pool, it gazed downward at Zaber. Body, soul, and blood stood in opposition to him.

The old man pondered.

"Did you think becoming my disciple would be easy? For that, you must possess something that sets you apart from the rest. I will not teach you simply because you exist."

Hundreds of tiny ripples appeared across the pool’s surface, as though responding to his inner energy.

"I... will not lose," Zaber whispered again. "I want eternal power!"

He clenched his fists. Slowly, Zaber spread his legs and arms, as though surrendering himself to the pool. The first sensation was cold, yet it harmonized with an inner warmth. The Spirit Chain hardened like lead.

Zaber listened to the inner voice. On the water’s surface, a shape slowly shifted. Now he had to act. If he merely watched, nothing would change. Before him stood a form, gazing indifferently. Zaber extended his hand, placing it on the entity’s shoulder beneath the water, attempting to merge with it.

In that moment, he felt something awaken within himself. This was the sensation of inner pulling, possession, domination — unused until now, yet ready to fight against the entity.

"Is this... how it is?" he said. "I will take the power... but I will control it..."

The entity within the pool gradually changed its shape. Now it turned its face toward Zaber — a face reflecting ancient wisdom and coldness.

The pressure of the water increased, and strange electric vibrations began to appear in the air. The pool felt as though it were breathing.

From behind came the old man’s calm voice:

"Here you have taken the first step. But this selfishness — you want more, and here you will perish."

The entity inside the pool gazed at him, calm yet sharp, waiting. The Spirit Chain wrapped around Zaber’s body, connecting him to the being within the pool. All of this was now the true trial.

"I will make you mine," he thought to himself.

The entity slowly rose from the water’s surface and extended its hands. The water began to vibrate in unison, and the Spirit Chain pulsed in an entirely new way.

The old man watched from afar, a smile on his face, yet a sharp warning in his eyes.

The dark entity’s arms were long and slender, yet powerfully muscled. Its eyes filled the void, displaying the power within. Every movement it made created massive waves across the water’s surface, like a river in an enormous pool.

Zaber struggled to awaken his spiritual and physical layers. With each tremor, the Spirit Chain shielded him as he attempted to absorb the mana from the pool into his body.

A few minutes later, one of the entity’s hands rose above the surface and reached toward Zaber. Zaber extended his own hand, not only physically but opening his spiritual layer as well.

As he merged with the water, something awakened inside him. This was the sensation of inner drawing, possession, domination — ready to fight against the entity.

The entity slowed its movements. Zaber asked with an inner voice:

"I am ready. But you... are you testing me?"

The entity did not reply, only trembled across the water’s surface. With each tremor, it felt as though needles were piercing Zaber’s soul, as though it wished to tear him apart.

Zaber whispered:

"This is what I need. As necessary as breathing."

The entity inside the water now offered only firm resistance — it was not against him, only testing his strength.

Beneath the water, Zaber’s muscles suddenly tightened. This was the power of the pool. Waves began to rise across the surface in opposition to him.

The old man watched from afar. The smile on his face and the warning in his eyes showed Zaber endurance without interference.

In the next moment, the old man stood up. "A little longer and the boy will die," he whispered, leaping into the air. He hovered above the pool, arms extended toward it, glowing brightly.

In the next instant, golden flames erupted from the old man’s hand and struck the pool. The old man smiled lightly and said:

"Do you dare resist me?"

He extended his other palm toward the water and cast a spell. Circles formed around his hand.

In the next moment, a massive golden wave like a torrent of flame surged from the old man’s hand and crashed into the pool. The water in the pool began to boil away. A short while later, the old man noticed Zaber’s body rising toward the surface. He halted the attack and descended.

Standing on the water’s surface, two mirror-like platforms formed beneath his feet. As Zaber’s body emerged, the old man seized him by the hand and lifted him upward. Zaber was unconscious, breathless, motionless.

The old man carried Zaber to the shore and laid him on the ground.

The kitten Limir slowly approached Zaber and gently pressed her small head against his hand.

The old man descended to the shore, eyes half-closed.

"Why are you hiding yourself, little girl?" he said in a calm yet firm tone.

Limir’s eyes widened. She stared at the old man.

"How... did you know? No one has noticed..." Limir began, anxious.

The old man walked slowly toward her, each step deliberate:

"Shape-shifting through an artifact, correct? But you cannot deceive my eyes."

Limir asked in a low, slightly uneasy voice:

"Can we discuss this later?"

The old man walked toward Zaber.

"We can. But hiding yourself from this boy will not last long."

He approached Zaber’s head, sat on the ground, and placed his hands on Zaber’s chest. He closed his eyes.

In the next moment, a yellow light radiated from the old man’s hands and pressed several times against Zaber’s chest. Then a sound was heard.

"Ghhk... ghhk..."

Zaber, still lying down, vomited water, took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and looked at the old man.

"What happened? Did I subdue it?" he asked hurriedly.

The old man replied indifferently:

"Calm yourself, boy. It was all an illusion. You cannot subdue it."

Zaber stared at the pool.

"What? An illusion? But I clearly saw it... from the beginning!"

The old man turned his head toward the pool.

"The true name of this pool is the Pool of Spiritual Punishment. It draws you in through illusion, offering what your heart desires most, in order to devour your soul."

Zaber spoke nervously:

"What do you mean? Was everything you said about body strengthening a lie? Was it all false?"

The old man slowly stood up, his face resolute as he looked at Zaber.

"This was a test to see whether I would take you as my disciple or not. The pool could not harm you even after more than two hours. No matter how hard it tried, it sought only to devour your soul."

Zaber steadied his breathing and said in a cold tone:

"Old man, how dare you deceive me?"

The old man turned back, tilting his head slightly.

"Show me respect like you would your father, boy. Now I am your master." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

He looked back over his shoulder, his voice firm and calm.

"By the way, my name is Larden."

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