THE WAR GOD MADE OF STEEL

The Abyss Awaits

Rowan majestically walked toward them, a mocking smile on his face.

He stopped in front of Hawthorne, his hands still tucked inside his pockets, then spoke with a broad grin that almost consumed his entire face.

“I don't have much to say, but let me say this because I will truly miss you.”

He folded his arms and continued, the sarcastic smile still written all over his face.

“Good luck. I'll take it from where you stopped because as it stands now, you've already lost.”

He firmly tapped Hawthorne's shoulder and finally said, shaking his head slightly.

“Your time is over.”

His eyes gleamed with triumph and satisfied betrayal.

Then he turned toward the few soldiers, wearing the same broad smile, and said,

“You can take him out.”

Master Draxson was already losing patience. He couldn't wait for Rowan to finish and quickly added in his deep, terrifying voice,

“Discard him before I lose patience!”

Behemoth mockingly looked at Hawthorne, fuming with rage as the veins across his massive frame continued to bulge.

His deep voice almost swallowed the entire room.

“I fully believe you've learned your lesson the hard way, but more is coming.”

He slowly stepped closer, clenched his massive fists, then continued.

“In case you don't know, I'm not done with you yet. You dared to challenge me without showing any fear or respect. I haven't forgotten your last words to me, and I can never forgive them. The next beating will surely consume your miserable life. I swear it.”

Hawthorne, drifting in and out of consciousness, heard every word. Yet he didn't bother reacting. Instead, he decided to speak to Rowan.

His voice had nearly failed him, but he forced the words out without fear.

“May your leadership be more successful than mine. Good luck and success.”

“Go and dominate.”

Rowan nodded proudly, but deep inside, he felt threatened by those words.

He had expected anger.

He had expected resentment.

He had expected a reaction.

Instead, Hawthorne's calm response unsettled him.

For a brief moment, his conscience judged him. A trace of remorse surfaced within him, but he quickly buried it beneath the same mocking smile and excitement.

Master Draxson nearly rose from his mighty throne and angrily shouted at the soldiers.

“I don't want to repeat myself again!”

The soldiers immediately turned, bowed, and responded respectfully in unison.

“Understood, Master.”

They quickly turned and dragged Hawthorne away.

As he was being taken out, he calmly glanced back one last time at Rowan and Master Draxson, still looking completely unbroken.

From the beginning of the battle until now, the men had been unsettled by his boldness.

He had refused to beg.

He had refused to break.

Even now, he remained unshaken.

Although they hid their reactions, none of them wanted to appear weak in front of him.

As Hawthorne was finally taken outside, he overheard Master Draxson's deep voice.

“The garbage has been discarded.”

Deep down, he already knew that Rowan's words were merely sarcasm intended to mock him. He could already see him plotting to use his betrayal towards him as a stepping stone to rise higher and secure his position.

He wasn't a child who could be easily deceived.

Then, he thought with unwavering confidence.

“He should enjoy the position.”

“I will come back stronger.”

He smiled coldly, still being dragged away by the few soldiers.

Minutes later, they arrived at a passageway within the villa and continued deeper into its silent section, an area separated by a massive iron gate.

The soldiers opened it, quickly passed through, and locked it behind them.

One of the soldiers suddenly lost patience and shouted angrily at Hawthorne.

“Walk faster!”

“Don't waste our time!”

They moved forward for a short distance before one of the soldiers opened a heavy underground metal hatch.

Minutes later, they found themselves walking through a vast underground passage that stretched endlessly into the darkness.

Far ahead, a faint, trembling light flickered in the distance.

Hawthorne frowned and thought,

“The Abyss?”

“It sounds dangerous.”

“An abyss is usually described as a bottomless pit filled with countless demons. Perhaps this place must have shared the same features. That's probably why it carries the same name.”

“Yes, that must be the reason.”

They continued moving through the cold underground tunnel.

As they dragged him deeper into the cold underground, the painful realization struck Hawthorne—he would be away from his beloved wife, Irene, for a very long time.

He slowly shook his head, his heart aching as he thought of how much he would miss her because of Rowan's betrayal.

Giant spiders and ants crawled across the walls and floor.

Spider webs covered nearly every corner.

Several terrifying poisonous giant spiders suddenly appeared.

The soldiers immediately opened fire.

BANG!

BANG!!

They advanced carefully, sweeping their flashlights across every corner to avoid the venomous creatures.

Even Hawthorne remained alert of the giant creatures despite being dragged forward.

As he observed his surroundings, he couldn't help but thought.

“This is an entirely different world. I've never seen spiders this large before—this is unbelievable. I wonder what this Abyss truly looks like, and what secrets it holds. Still, I'm not afraid. Whatever awaits me ahead, I'm fully prepared to face it.”

They continued walking for several more minutes.

The soldiers repeatedly fired at giant spiders whenever they appeared, while their flashlights cut through the darkness.

Cold water trickled through narrow channels beside the passage, creating an eerie atmosphere beneath the earth.

Finally, they arrived before a gigantic iron gate.

A large skeleton emblem was carved into its center.

Beneath it were bold words:

THE ABYSS

Then—

One of the soldiers pulled out a massive set of keys and lowered his voice.

“Maintain absolute silence.”

He turned toward the enormous gate and carefully began unlocking it.