Infinite System Inheritor Return From The Abyss

The monster turned its head slowly, its many eyes glowing in the red mist. It stopped playing. It knew now—it had to end them.

Minseok was breathing hard, trying to stand firm. Skywing circled above, trying to stay close, but even the falcon looked uneasy.

"You think you can take her from me?" the creature hissed, its voice deep and shaking the dark air. "Then I'll show you what pain feels like."

The red light around it twisted and shot toward Minseok's face. He cried out, dropping to his knees, hands clutching his eyes.

"Agh—my eyes!" Minseok screamed, falling forward.

"Minseok!" Jinhyu shouted, running toward him, heart pounding like thunder.

The creature laughed, sharp and cruel. "Now how can you command your falcon when you can't even see it? You lowly human… receiving great power and wasting it. Tch."

It moved fast, almost like it vanished. Then it appeared in front of Minseok and kicked him hard in the chest.

Minseok was thrown back like a ragdoll.

"No!" Jinhyu rushed forward and caught him just in time. The impact still knocked them both to the ground.

Jinhyu coughed, holding Minseok's shoulder. "Stay with me! Just hang in there—"

But the monster was already beside him now. Its sharp leg stretched out like a blade. It swung fast.

Jinhyu turned too late.

"Ack—!"

The sharp leg hit his side, stabbing through the edge of his waist. Blood spilled out quickly.

His whole body shook. Pain exploded in his nerves. His knees hit the ground, but he refused to fall all the way.

The monster leaned in, voice like poison. "Weak. Powerless. Pathetic. Even now you try to protect each other. It's pointless. She's gone."

Jinhyu gritted his teeth, holding the wound. His eyes burned—not just from pain, but from anger. "You don't know Hannah… and you don't know us…"

The creature laughed again. It raised its leg for another strike.

And still, Jinhyu tried to stand. The insect monster let out a slow, pleased sound, its legs clicking against the ground. It turned its back to them, shoulders relaxed like it had already won.

"How easy," it said with a cold laugh. "They break even faster than I thought. One blind, the other bleeding. What can they even do now?"

It turned back, ready to finish them—

But the space in front of it was empty.

"…What?" it blinked, head jerking side to side. "Where—?"

Then it felt it.

A soft pull. A light touch.

Behind it.

It spun around fast, sharp legs raised, only to see them—Minseok and Jinhyu. They were crouched low behind its large insect body, trembling but trying, trying to pull Hannah free from where her upper body was sunken halfway into the insect's back.

"You—!" it shrieked, its voice breaking through the air like a blade.

Minseok's hands were shaking, blindly reaching.

"Yeah!" Jinhyu whispered, trying to hold onto her arm. "It's her—just a little more—!"

But it wasn't working. Hannah was stuck. The monster's body pulsed, red and black, like it was tightening its grip.

The insect roared.

"You dare still try to steal what is mine?! THEN YOU'LL SUFFER!"

It lifted both arms and slammed them down. A wave of pain spread through the air. The world inside the consciousness twisted. The ground turned soft like mud, pulling them in.

Minseok screamed again, falling to his knees, hands covering his ears.

Jinhyu's arms shook, his side burning with pain. He looked at Minseok, at Skywing flying above, still circling, confused and waiting for a command.

Then he looked down.

He felt heavy.

So heavy.

His knees hit the ground.

He couldn't breathe.

"H-Hannah… M-Minseok…" he said quietly, voice cracking.

He didn't want to give up. But Minseok could die. They both could die here.

The insect stepped closer, rage burning in its eyes. It raised one leg, then brought it down—

Right onto Jinhyu's face.

He screamed, head smashing into the soft dark ground. The monster leaned down, its face close, breath like rot.

"How does it feel? Hopeless, isn't it? That girl you treater like a sister, that friend you protect, all slipping away… and you? Just a broken boy."

It twisted its leg harder against Jinhyu's cheek, pressing him into the ground. Suddenly, a sharp cry echoed above them—Skywing.

The falcon dove low, its wings slicing through the thick air, feathers glowing faintly. It swooped past the insect's face, fast and sharp, making it flinch back in annoyance.

"That bird again?" the monster hissed, swatting at it. "You think that pest can stop me—"

But Skywing didn't stop. It flew higher, then dove again, faster this time, wings humming, crackling.

Jinhyu's eyes slowly turned toward Minseok.

Minseok was no longer curled on the ground in pain. He was sitting upright now, legs crossed, calm. A strip of cloth now covered his eyes like a bandage, tied tight. His face was focused, his head slightly tilted as if listening.

"Skywing…" he whispered.

The falcon let out a sharper cry, flying higher again. The light around it began to grow, sparks dancing across its wings, thunder rumbling faintly in the air above them.

The insect monster turned to look up—

Skywing burst into lightning.

A beam of pure, crackling light shot down from its wings and slammed into the creature's body, electric pulses crawling across its shell.

"AAAAARGH!" it screamed, stumbling, parts of its skin burning and breaking.

Jinhyu's eyes lit up.

"Minseok!" he shouted. "It's hurting it! Do more! Stronger—Minseok!"

Minseok frowned, sweat falling from his brow. His hands trembled slightly on his knees.

"I'm trying…" he whispered. "I… I need more focus… Skywing… just a bit more…"

The falcon circled again, wings glowing bright, sparks building once more.

Jinhyu crawled closer to Minseok, guarding him as best he could, eyes fixed on the monster.

The tide was shifting.

For the first time, the monster didn't look so sure anymore. Jinhyu started to feel something again—hope. Even just a little. His hands clenched into fists as he stood up. His legs shook, but he forced himself forward. Slowly. Quietly. Step by step behind the monster, his eyes locked on Hannah, still half-buried in its back like she was part of it now.

He reached out. His fingers brushed her hand.

"Hannah…" he whispered.

But the monster froze.

Its head turned just slightly—then, with no warning, it spun fully around and snatched Skywing out of the air mid-flight.

"NO!"

Minseok gasped, coughing up blood the moment the falcon was grabbed, as if something inside him cracked too.

The creature squeezed the falcon tight in its clawed hand.

Skywing cried in pain.

Then it laughed.

A deep, ugly laugh. "I was scared for a moment," it said, amused, "You almost made me believe. Almost."

With one cruel swing, it threw Skywing like a rock.

The falcon slammed into Jinhyu's chest, both of them flying back and crashing into the ground with a loud thud.

Jinhyu coughed, blood dripping down his chin, holding the limp Skywing in his arms.

The monster stretched its limbs, slowly walking toward them, the smile wide on its broken face. "You're done. You've lost. And now…"

It tilted its head.

"Who should I kill first?"

It began to hum to itself, a twisted grin spreading. "Mini mini miney mo…"

Its long claw moved side to side, slowly choosing.

"…catch a fool by the toe…"

It stopped.

Pointed.

At Minseok.

Jinhyu's eyes widened. "No. No—Minseok—!"

The monster began to walk forward, one step at a time, each one louder than the last.

"N-No… not him…" Jinhyu's voice shook, pain in every word. He gritted his teeth. "Hannah… Hannah, if you're in there—please—please wake up—"

He turned his eyes toward her, still half-consumed by the monster's back.

"Minseok believed in you! I believed in you! He came even when he couldn't fight! He can't even see! And he still came! For you!"

Jinhyu screamed, tears falling from his eyes.

"HANNAH!!"