Infinite System Inheritor Return From The Abyss

Minseok rubbed the back of his neck, still crouched beside Jinhyu, and sighed. "I thought she was just trying to catch up with her classes… That's why I didn't bother her and just focused on Professor Jihoon's lessons."

Jinhyu was silent for a moment, then spoke up. "Why don't we ask Master for help? Can you talk to him? I can't join his class because I'm stuck in that forced awakening program…"

Minseok nodded slowly, understanding what Jinhyu meant. "Alright, maybe he'll know something."

But then, when they turned back to where Hannah had just been walking, they both froze.

She was gone.

Minseok stood up straight, his eyes scanning the path. "Wait, where did she go?!"

Jinhyu rushed forward a few steps, his face pale. "She was just here! I didn't take my eyes off this spot for more than two seconds!"

Minseok held up both his hands. "Hey, calm down, Jinhyu, okay? She probably just turned a corner and we didn't notice."

"No!" Jinhyu shook his head, his voice rising. "I know what I saw. Something's not right. I never removed my sight from her that long. It doesn't make sense…"

Seeing how tense his friend was, Minseok placed a hand on Jinhyu's shoulder. "Relax. We'll find her. Don't panic."

Jinhyu clenched his jaw, then let out a slow breath, nodding. "Sorry, man… It's just… It doesn't feel right."

Minseok glanced around the area. The wind was colder here, and the back of the building was quiet—too quiet. The walls were cracked in places, and shadows stretched long along the edge of the path. He frowned. "Yeah… This place feels weird too. Let's go. We're better off in a more crowded spot. It's not good to stay alone back here."

Jinhyu agreed with a small nod. The two turned around to walk back toward the main path, but just as they took a step forward—

Someone dropped down beside them with a loud thud.

Their eyes widened instantly.

Everything happened too fast.

There was a flash of movement.

Then—

Far away, inside Seojun's private building at the academy, he sat at a desk reading something on a tablet when he suddenly paused.

He blinked, then slowly stood up.

His eyes narrowed as he turned toward the window. A strange cold chill ran through his body—an unnatural signal, a warning from his system.

"…Astral Ward: Activate—Minseok."

A faint crackle of electricity surged in the air beside him. In less than a second, Minseok appeared behind him, slamming onto the floor with a loud thud. The teleportation had yanked him away just in time.

Seojun turned sharply.

Minseok was on his knees, breathing hard, his face pale. His shirt had a large hole burned into the middle—right over his stomach—and his eyes were wide like he had just seen death itself.

He looked up slowly, trembling. "M-Master…"

Seojun's gaze sharpened. "Minseok, what happened?"

Minseok shook his head fast, tears forming in the corner of his eyes. "J-Jinhyu… Master! Help Jinhyu!"

Without saying another word, Seojun vanished on the spot—teleporting to where Minseok had been.

Minseok remained kneeling, his hand gently touching the hole in his shirt, his fingers trembling. "H-How…? I… I should be dead…"

He stared at his hand.

It was covered in faint, glowing residue. Something had hit him—a strike that should've pierced straight through.

And yet…

He was still breathing.

Back at the rear side of the building, everything was quiet again, too quiet. Jinhyu and Minseok were just about to walk away when suddenly, without warning, someone dropped down from above and landed right in front of them with a dull thump.

Jinhyu froze instantly, his body reacting with a chill that ran down his spine. He took a step back unconsciously, but Minseok, letting out a breath of relief, smiled and walked forward.

"Hannah!" Minseok said with a short laugh. "You startled us. Where did you go? Jinhyu was being paranoid, saying th—"

But he couldn't finish his sentence.

Minseok's smile vanished.

His eyes widened.

He looked down slowly, confusion growing in his expression.

A hand—Hannah's hand—had pierced clean through his stomach.

The sound of tearing flesh and the sudden rush of blood hit the air.

Minseok's body shook. "W-Why…? H-Hannah…?"

His voice was weak and shaking, his legs already giving out.

Jinhyu's world stopped.

"MINSEOK!" he shouted, panic exploding in his chest. He didn't think—he just moved, ramming into Hannah with all his strength, shoving her away from Minseok.

Hannah was pushed back, but she didn't fall—she jumped backward with an unnatural lightness, her expression completely blank.

Jinhyu caught Minseok's falling body, lowering him to the ground with trembling hands.

"Minseok, hang on! Please!" he shouted, his voice cracking. "Don't die on me, you idiot! You… you need to see me awaken, remember?! You promised we'll stand on the same stage!"

Blood covered Jinhyu's hands. He pressed down on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding, his heart pounding with fear and helplessness.

Then, just as Jinhyu was about to scream for help, a warm light wrapped around Minseok's body—a shield, glowing faintly like a barrier.

And in the blink of an eye—Minseok disappeared.

Teleported.

Gone.

Jinhyu gasped, looking up, but before he could even get to his feet—

That chill returned.

A sharp, paralyzing cold that made the hairs on his neck stand.

His instincts screamed at him.

He threw himself to the side, rolling on the ground just as something slammed into where he had been.

CRACK!

The earth split under Hannah's strike. Her hands were no longer normal—they were covered in blood, her fingers twisted into long, black nails that pierced deep into the stone floor like blades.

Jinhyu's breath caught in his throat. He crawled back, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

"H-Hannah…?"

But she didn't answer.

She didn't even look like she was listening. Her face was pale, her lips stained red, and her eyes were dull—empty, like a broken doll.

Jinhyu stood up slowly, chest heaving. "Hannah, what's going on?! Why… why did you hurt Minseok?! What happened to you?! Can't you reognize us?! It's me—Jinhyu!"

Still, no response.Only silence… and those cold, dead eyes.

Then, without warning, something opened behind her.

Jinhyu's eyes widened in disbelief as two dark wings slowly spread out from her back, tearing through her uniform and stretching wide. They pulsed with corrupted energy, mana so dense it made the air heavy.

Jinhyu took a step back. "W-What… happened to you…?"

He could barely breathe.

"Hannah… please… say something…"

But the girl in front of him—whatever she had become—didn't even flinch.