Far Beyond the Abyss

Ethan felt exhaustion creeping over him. He had no idea how much time had passed since they arrived in this bizarre world. There was no sun, no moon, no indication of a normal time cycle. However, there was one thing his body insisted on reminding him: physiological needs. And at that moment, Ethan desperately needed to take a dump.

He looked around, embarrassed, trying to find a solution. There was no sign of a bathroom—not even a discreet corner. His eyes landed on the Bizarre Sorcerer, who was busy stirring his cauldron. The lunatic seemed to be preparing another meal, but thankfully, this time he wasn't pulling ingredients from… uncomfortable places. Just remembering that made Ethan almost gag.

Taking a deep breath, Ethan decided he had no choice. The Sorcerer was the only one who seemed capable of solving the problem. He hesitantly walked up to him.

"Uh… Mr. Sorcerer," Ethan started, scratching the back of his neck. "I need your help with something. I don't know if you can help me, but… I think you're the only one I have the courage to ask." He avoided eye contact, his face red with embarrassment. "I… need a bathroom."

The Sorcerer's mask, always unpredictable, shifted into an ironic grin. "Ah, I see, boy. Mortal needs… very well, I think I can help you." He plunged his hand into his steaming cauldron and pulled out a piece of white chalk. "Here you go."

Ethan took the chalk, confused. "This is… chalk?"

"Yes, chalk," the Sorcerer responded theatrically. "Listen carefully, boy. Draw a full-sized door on any wall. Put a lot of intention into where you want the door to lead. And don't forget to draw the handle. When you're done, call me, and I'll do the rest."

Ethan nodded, still skeptical, but he had no other option. He found a bare wall, held the chalk, and began drawing a door. It wasn't a perfect drawing, but it seemed functional. He even wrote "Bathroom" above the door, just to be safe.

"I did it!" Ethan shouted, calling the Sorcerer.

The Sorcerer stopped what he was doing—Ethan noticed he had been writing something on a kettle—and walked over. "Hm… a decent drawing. Not bad for a desperate mortal."

The Sorcerer twisted the drawn handle and pushed the door. Ethan's eyes widened as something magical happened: the door opened. However, instead of a bathroom, it revealed a bizarre place filled with floating objects spinning aimlessly.

"Oops," said the Sorcerer, completely unfazed. "Thought it'd work on the first try. Hold on, boy." He closed the door and tried again.

This time, the door revealed a sea of purple flames with distant screams echoing from within. The Sorcerer just shrugged and closed the door again. "Okay, that one was my fault. Let's try again."

Another attempt. Now, the portal led to an infinite sky, with distorted shapes floating as if they were watching them.

"This is taking longer than I expected," the Sorcerer admitted. He shut the door once more while Ethan began to sweat. "You know, I was never very lucky…"

"I don't have time for this!" Ethan shouted, nearly doubling over in pain. "Just make it work, please!"

The Sorcerer paused, thoughtful. "Luck… Maybe you should try. Come on, boy, it's your necessity, after all."

With no other choice, Ethan took control. He grabbed the drawn handle and, with every bit of desperate intent he could muster, opened the door.

The portal revealed… a bathroom. Not just any bathroom, but his bathroom from home.

It was simple but perfect: the toilet, the shower, the sink, and the mirror were exactly as he remembered. Ethan wasted no time. He ran inside, slammed the door shut, and finally relieved himself.

After a long thirty minutes, Ethan emerged from the bathroom. His hair was wet, making it clear he had taken the opportunity to shower. He looked around and walked back to the group, feeling strangely renewed.

He cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. "Uh… just so you all know, the bathroom is working. So if anyone wants to use it or take a bath…"

Korrak lazily lifted his head, snorted, and went back to sleep. The little girl on his shoulder kept chewing on skewers, as if nothing had happened. Seryne responded with a slight nod, her usual serenity unwavering. Kaerith, her wings softly vibrating, stated she didn't need a bath.

Lian Xuan murmured, with his usual tranquility:

"A cultivator transcends mortal needs… including baths."

Ethan decided not to even ask Zeta 4. He was a robot, after all.

However, Kiyoshi was watching attentively. The samurai took a step forward, his posture straight and solemn.

"A samurai must remain clean. I will accept your offer."

Surprised, Ethan led Kiyoshi to the bathroom. He opened the door and gestured inside. "Here it is. It's simple. The toilet is for… well, you know. The shower is for bathing. And the sink is for washing your hands."

Kiyoshi tilted his head, intrigued. "This… shower. How does it work?"

Ethan sighed and began explaining, demonstrating how to turn the water on. "See this? Turn the faucet to adjust the temperature. Don't do what I did and turn the hot water on first, or you'll burn yourself."

Kiyoshi watched carefully, as if he were receiving a sword lesson. He nodded solemnly. "Understood. This is more complex than I thought."

Ethan walked out, shutting the door behind him, and let out a long, satisfied sigh.

"It feels good to be useful… for once."