Through the Abyss
The silence before battle always had a way of settling deep into the bones. Still. Tense. Like the world itself was holding its breath.
Renji stood at the platform's edge, Chrono Trigger resting against his shoulder, its barrel glowing faintly with magical heat. His breath fogged in the air. Cold. But the heat of combat was already building in his chest.
Yue floated beside him, her long golden hair catching the light like spun moonlight. Crimson eyes shimmered beneath her bangs—calm, unreadable.
Then there was Hajime. Lean. Focused. His coat fluttered as he holstered Donner with his one arm—his right. His left sleeve was empty, tied at the shoulder where flesh had once been.
He didn't need it anymore.
"Stay sharp," Hajime said, his voice low, flat like iron. "Don't hold back."
The metal doors groaned open—and all hell came rushing in.
They didn't hesitate.
Beasts charged from the darkness—fangs, claws, twisted limbs, too many eyes.
Renji surged forward first, sliding across the stone with practiced ease, sparks flying from his boots. Chrono Trigger spun in his grip, mana circuits lighting up.
He pulled the trigger—BOOM—and time distorted around him.
Everything slowed.
He caught glimpses: a snarling lizard mid-leap, a fang inches from his throat, Hajime's single arm leveling Donner with perfect calm, Yue's crimson gaze narrowing in calculation.
BANG!
The round shattered time's grip, reality crashing back in.
Hajime's bullet tore through skulls. Yue raised a hand, and spears of deep red light hovered in the air around her like petals in a storm.
"Fall," she whispered, and the spears dove.
The air exploded in light and death.
The labyrinth twisted with traps—swinging blades, pressure plates, collapsing floors.
Renji ducked low under a blade that carved through the air like a guillotine, grinning. "Come on! This is child's play!"
Hajime didn't even flinch as he hopped over a trapdoor, landing on the wall itself with gravity-defying boots. He shot a beast mid-fall, reloaded with a quick snap of his fingers—and kept moving.
Yue hovered just above the floor, untouched. Graceful. Untouchable. A flash of red light burst from her fingers, disarming a deadly glyph before it even activated.
Renji barked a laugh. "You're way too calm, Yue!"
She looked over her shoulder, eyes glowing faintly. "You panic enough for the three of us."
A massive chamber. Surrounded. Creatures circled like predators sensing blood.
Renji wiped sweat from his brow and cracked his neck. "Tired of these things already."
"Then let's end it." Hajime's tone was cold, clinical. His empty sleeve fluttered as he raised his weapon. No hesitation. Just war.
Yue stepped forward, her voice soft but commanding. "Allow me."
She summoned a field, warping the floor into a sinkhole. The monsters stumbled, screaming.
Renji didn't waste the chance—fired a charged round directly into the cluster.
CRACK-BOOM!
Stone shattered. Bodies flung like dolls. Hajime dashed through the smoke, one arm, one gun, a blur of violence and purpose.
The Chimera
It dropped from above with a screech that made Renji's spine lock.
Twice the size of a horse. Fangs like daggers. Eyes like death.
Renji raised his gun—but not fast enough.
The chimera's tail slammed into him, launching him into a wall. He hit hard, bones rattling.
"Renji!" Yue's voice, sharp and fierce, cut through the chaos.
Dust cleared. He coughed, groaning, blood dripping down his chin. He used rewind to revert his injuries.
"Still... kickin'..." he muttered.
Yue was already at his side, magic swirling like a storm around her. "Stay still."
But he grabbed her wrist. "I got one more shot in me."
Across the room, Hajime was already moving—closing in, firing at the chimera's legs. The beast shrieked.
Yue's spells slammed into it from above, pinning it just long enough.
Renji staggered to his feet. Chrono Trigger charged with crimson light. The barrel hissed.
"Hey ugly... eat this."
BOOM!
The round hit dead center—and the chimera screamed as it burst into smoke and ash.
Bodies littered the ground. The chamber fell into silence.
They stood at the next floor's edge—beneath them, only blackness.
Hajime holstered his weapon with a grunt, the sleeve of his missing arm fluttering in the cold air. "We keep going."
Renji popped his neck, smirking despite the bruises. "How many floors we got left?"
Yue, quiet, floated forward, her eyes glowing with crimson light. "Does it matter?"
She stepped into the abyss.
Renji looked at Hajime.
He shrugged with his one arm. "Ladies first."
And without another word, they followed her down into the dark.
The three of them found shelter in a half-collapsed chamber, tucked deep beneath the floor. The glowstones on the wall they put up pulsed faintly, casting dim orange light across ancient stone and worn metal. Smoke from their fire curled toward the ceiling, barely reaching the shadows above.
The flickering fire had died down to embers, the red glow casting long shadows against the cavern walls. The air was still, save for the occasional crackle of coal and the faint, distant echoes of water dripping in the dark.
Renji sat cross-legged, bandaging a fresh cut on his leg he failed to rewind, when Yue quietly approached. Her crimson eyes caught the dim firelight, reflecting like polished rubies. She knelt beside him, almost noiseless, her long hair cascading down her back like moonlight.
"You're bleeding again," she said, voice barely above a whisper.
"Nothing serious," Renji replied, tightening the wrap. "I've had worse."
"You push yourself too hard."
Hajime, leaned back with his hands behind his head across the chamber, yawned lazily. "You're one to talk, Renji. You're turning into a buffet again, huh?"
Renji rolled his eyes. "She needs it. I'm not about to let her go hungry."
Yue, unfazed, stared at him. "May I?"
There was something reverent in the way she asked, like she was asking for permission to breathe.
Renji gave a small nod, pulling his collar aside.
She leaned in slowly, her breath brushing against his neck. Her lips met his skin, and then—pressure. A brief sting. Then warmth. Her eyes slid shut as she drank, gentle but steady, drawing strength from him as naturally as one would sip tea.
Hajime sat up, raising an eyebrow. "Jeez, at least pretend to be subtle about it."
Renji, cheeks tinged red, glared at him. "You said that last time."
"Because you never learn."
Yue pulled away after a few more seconds, licking her lips softly. Her cheeks had gained a faint flush. "Delicious," she murmured.
"Oh god," Hajime groaned. "Don't say it like that."
Renji chuckled weakly, feeling the drain in his limbs but also... oddly calm. "I'm starting to think I should charge rent."
"She's been alive for over three hundred years, Renji. She's got seniority," Hajime teased, tossing a small rock toward them.
"I don't need food," Yue said suddenly, calmly. She picked up Hajime's weapon to examine it, tracing its design with delicate fingers. "I've survived centuries without it."
Renji leaned back against the stone wall. "Don't you ever get... hungry?"
"I do." She glanced up, her crimson eyes meeting his. "But I'm full for now."
"You already ate?" Renji blinked, confused. "Wait—what did you eat?"
She simply pointed at him.
"...Oh."
Across the fire, Hajime snorted. "You're her favorite flavor."
"Renji... you taste good..."
"Th-That's not true, I've eaten so many monsters by now that I
probably taste disgusting."
"Your blood tastes very rich..." Yue said, repeating her earlier words like they meant something sacred.
"I still don't know what that means," Renji mumbled, flustered.
"Rich," Yue said softly. "Like savory soup. Complex. Warm."
Hajime held up a hand. "Okay, I'm officially out of this conversation. When vampires start doing wine-tasting reviews, I'm done."
Yue's tongue slid across her lips again, slow, instinctive.
Renji looked away quickly, his face hot. "Can you not do that when I'm still here?"
"She always does that," Hajime added. "And you always react."
"She's older than both of us combined," Renji muttered. "I don't even know how to act."
"Careful," Hajime said with a wicked grin. "She might start calling you her eternal snack."
"...I'll take my chances."
Once they finished their preparations, Hajime, Renji and Yue had set out for the bottom of the labyrinth. They'd cleared ten or so floors with ease already. Their new equipment and improved skills had been part of the reason, but another important factor was Yue's devastating magic.
She could cast any elemental spell nearly instantly, and supported Hajime and Renji from the rear. Though she was unparalleled when it came to offensive magic, it appeared Yue wasn't very skilled with barriers or healing.
Perhaps it was because she unconsciously regarded them as unnecessary since she was able to automatically heal any wounds.
Furthermore, They had their Ambrosia with them, so he had no need for healing spells either. They are ready to face anything the abyss may throw their way or so they thought
"Daaaamn it—!"
Renji's voice cracked through the thick jungle air as he dashed forward, tall grass slapping him in the face. He had Yue on his back, her arms loosely around his neck, her golden hair brushing against his cheeks with every frantic stride.
"You're doing great, Renji," Yue said calmly, as if she wasn't being carried through a literal death run.
"Are you seriously this chill while we're being chased by two hundred monsters?!"
"Shaaaaaaaa!"
Behind them, the thunderous stampede of grotesque creatures roared through the underbrush like a tidal wave of claws and fangs.
"Oh, c'mon, are there more of them now?!"
A sharp crack of gunfire rang out to their right.
"I told you we shouldn't have taken that shortcut!" Hajime shouted, running alongside them, his massive Donner in one hand, sparking as it recharged. "I swear, every time I let you two lead, we end up in a monster parade!"
"Oh, now you're blaming me?" Renji snapped, dodging a low branch while still carrying Yue.
"Well, someone insisted on checking that suspicious glowing stone!"
"It looked important!"
Yue, serene as ever, nestled closer into Renji's back and murmured, "It was important. It was a trap."
"Thank you, Yue!" Renji wheezed. "Really helpful after the fact!"
Another monster leapt through the foliage—Hajime turned mid-stride and blew it apart with a single shot. Gore splattered the grass as he grinned and looked over.
"Damn, Renji. Carrying a beautiful vampire princess through hell? You sure you're not trying to one-up me?"
Renji stumbled over a root, barely catching himself. "This isn't romantic! This is survival!"
Yue's crimson eyes twinkled. "I'm quite comfortable, though."
"See?" Hajime barked a laugh. "You're her gallant knight now. Say the line, man. Tell her you'll never let her fall."
"I won't let her fall, alright?!"
"Oh-ho!" Hajime raised an eyebrow mid-run. "Now that's what I call commitment."
Yue smiled softly and rested her chin on Renji's shoulder. "You taste good… and you carry me well."
Renji groaned. "Why do you always bring up the bloodsucking in front of him?!"
"Because it makes you blush," Yue replied.
"Oh my god—"
"Guys, focus!" Hajime pointed up ahead where the trees started to thin. "Clearing's close! We take a hard left, I'll drop a grenade and buy us a second!"
The trio veered left together, weaving through vines and ducking low branches. Just as the stampede surged forward, Hajime flung a grenade-like gem into the thicket behind them.
BOOM!
The jungle lit up in crimson and gold as fire ripped through the monster horde, sending scorched beasts flying.
Breathing hard, the three of them finally stumbled into a shaded clearing, sweat slick on their skin. Renji let Yue slide down gently. She stood perfectly composed, brushing leaves from her hair like she hadn't just been riding piggyback through chaos.
Hajime collapsed onto the grass with a sigh. "And that's what I call cardio."
"You're insane," Renji muttered.
"Thanks," Hajime grinned. "But hey—you're the one carrying your "girlfriend" through a monster field while getting roasted by a vampire."
"She's not—" Renji started.
Yue interrupted, her voice soft and teasing. "...I wouldn't mind being."
"Gah—! Not helping!"
"Honestly," Hajime chuckled, "watching you two is better than monster-hunting."
They sat there for a moment, breathing, laughing, recovering. In the middle of the abyss, surrounded by madness, they were still together. Still fighting. Still human.
Well… mostly.
Three Dungeon Floors Later
The three of them had set up camp just outside the next floor's entrance. A thin mist hung around the cavern, moonlight filtering through the canopy above. Crackling embers danced in the small fire Hajime had started, and Renji sat nearby, sharpening one of his emergency blades while eating. Yue stood a little ways off, her hands clasped behind her back as she gazed quietly into the distance.
They'd barely lifted a finger that whole floor.
Scratch that—she had cleared the entire floor before they'd even drawn their weapons.
"Another floor, another boss disintegrated before I even got to pull Donner," Hajime muttered.
Renji didn't look up from the ration. "You did pull it. Then she nuked the entire corridor and you almost shot me by reflex."
"Details," Hajime grumbled.
Monsters leapt from trees? Gone—incinerated mid-air.
Traps triggered? Yue vaporized the mechanisms before they clicked.
Even a giant behemoth they thought would be a mid-boss had dissolved into ash from a casual flick of her wrist.
Renji finally let out a breath and slumped forward.
"…So, uh, remind me again why we're here?" he muttered.
Hajime grunted in agreement, his usual smirk dulled. "I dunno, moral support? Dead weight? Handsome luggage?"
Renji gave him a deadpan look. "We're not handsome enough to be luggage, bro."
They both watched as Yue hummed softly to herself, conjuring sparks of golden light in the air like she was playing with fireflies.
"…She's really on another level now, huh?" Renji said under his breath.
"Yeah." Hajime scratched his head, looking somewhere between impressed and emotionally bruised. "I used to be the one blowing everything up. Now I'm just the guy holding the flashlight."
"You got a flashlight?" Renji asked. "Lucky bastard. I think I'm just here to trip over rocks and get healed after."
They both chuckled, but there was a truth underneath the humor that weighed on them.
Hajime leaned back, watching Yue more closely. "She's been pushing herself more lately… like she's got something to prove."
"She's probably just trying to protect us," Renji said.
"Yeah," Hajime replied. "But it kinda feels like we're the ones slowing her down now."
He hesitated for a moment, then holstered his gun, deciding to ask her directly. "Yue… I'm glad you're always so ready to fight, but... I feel like I'm not really pulling my weight lately."
Yue turned to him, her golden eyes unreadable. She seemed surprised by his words but didn't show it much. Still, Renji noticed the faintest glimmer of pride in her gaze.
"I want to be useful. Because I'm your partner," Yue replied, her voice soft but firm.
Renji frowned, his mind racing. She was always so determined to help, but this felt different. Her words reminded him of a time when she had overexerted herself during one of their earlier battles. She had collapsed from mana exhaustion, and he'd had to carry her to safety. She had beaten herself up about it, and to comfort her, Renji had said, We're partners. We need to rely on each other, no matter what.It had been a casual promise at the time, but Yue had clearly taken it to heart. She wanted to show him that she was a partner worth relying on, and now, she was fighting harder than ever to do so.
Renji forced a smile, trying to reassure her. "You're more than useful, Yue. Your magic is incredible, but… you're not exactly built for close combat. That's why I'm here—so you don't have to worry about that part."
She frowned slightly at that, but didn't say anything. Renji tried to press the point, hoping to ease her mind. "I'm the frontliner, remember? You've got enough to do in the back."
Yue looked at him, her expression becoming a little glum. "I know… but I want to protect you, too."
Renji couldn't bear to see her looking like that. He sat beside her, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "It's not that I don't want you to help—far from it. But you don't need to carry all the weight. That's why I'm here."
There was a long pause as he tried to find the right words. He knew she wasn't trying to overstep, but the sight of her taking charge in every fight made him feel… useless. As if his abilities was just a formality in their journey.
Yue's eyes lowered a bit. "...But I don't want to drag us down."
"You're not. You're not." Renji stepped closer, brushing a strand of golden hair behind her ear. "You've already saved us more times than I can count. But if you burn yourself out trying to prove something you don't need to… what's the point?"
Yue looked up at him for a moment. Then, slowly, she nodded.
"…Okay."
That one word carried the weight of her understanding. Of trust.
Renji smiled and gently ruffled her hair, the tension in her shoulders finally easing. She let her eyes close, just for a second, resting her forehead lightly against his chest.
Back at the campfire, Hajime sighed again and flopped onto his back.
"So now I'm definitely the third wheel, huh?"
Yue peeked at him from over Renji's shoulder. "You're a useful third wheel, Hajime."
"…Thanks? I think?"
"Third wheels still make the cart move," Yue added with a straight face.
"Okay, I take it back. That was actually kinda deep."
Renji smirked. "See? She likes you."
Hajime groaned into the dirt.
"Several Dungeon Floors Later"
The cavern was unnervingly quiet, its deep darkness only broken by the faint glow of magic and the occasional scrape of boots against the rocky floor. Hajime led the way, his senses alert for any signs of danger. Yue and Renji flanked him, their expressions serious but calm.
They had entered the dungeon together, after all—their entrance marking the start of what they all knew would be a perilous journey. As always, Renji was a quiet presence, his hands occasionally sparking with energy as if his body was constantly tuned to the currents of time. Yue, ever graceful, had a sharper focus than most, her golden hair a slight beacon in the gloom.
The path ahead twisted like a serpent, winding them deeper into the bowels of the earth. Hajime's mind raced. The next floor, maybe? He glanced at the fissure across the room, a faint light flickering from within. But before he could investigate, a sharp sense of unease surged through him.
They had reached the center of a wide, shadow-filled chamber. The air felt wrong—too still, almost suffocating.
"I don't like this," Hajime muttered under his breath, his hand instinctively reaching for his weapon. Something's off. Why can't I sense any presence here?
As if on cue, green orbs—small, round, and eerily luminous—began to appear from the shadows, darting toward them from every corner of the room. The barrage was swift, relentless, and nearly impossible to avoid.
"Move!" Hajime barked, immediately stepping into action.
Yue, at his side, was already casting her wind magic, creating a barrier of sharp gales that swirled around her, slicing through the orbs that approached her. Hajime raised a stone wall with a swift gesture of his hand, protecting himself from the onslaught. The green orbs crashed into the stone with little force, but their sheer number made it impossible to keep up.
Renji stood still for a moment, watching the chaos unfold. He didn't need to move—not yet, anyway. His eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the pattern. The orbs weren't the real threat. It was what followed them.
"Yue, watch out!" Hajime shouted, noticing a faint glimmer in the air above her head.
A delicate flower—one that shimmered with an almost supernatural allure—was blooming right above Yue's hair. Hajime's blood ran cold. That's the source.
But just as he was about to react, he felt a sudden shift in the atmosphere. Yue's body froze for a moment before she started moving again, but this time her motions were stiff, forced. Her eyes lost their usual sharpness, and her hand shot out toward Hajime in a defensive gesture.
"No," Hajime muttered, eyes wide in realization. "It's controlling her."
Yue's gaze flickered over to him, but there was no recognition in her eyes. Only a blank, almost robotic expression.
"Hajime…Renji?" Her voice was distant, as if muffled by a heavy fog.
The flower above her head pulsed with a faint light, and Hajime understood. It was controlling her movements, guiding her actions. He needed to act fast.
"Hajime, Renji... Unngh..." Her usual poker face was replaced with a grief-
stricken expression. When he'd shot the flower off the raptor's head it had stamped on it with a surprising amount of hatred, which meant that it had recalled the time it had spent under the flower's control. The flower controlled only the body and not the mind.
Fortunately, he already knew how to free her from it. He took aim at the flower and prepared to pull the trigger.
However, it seemed his quarry was aware of what their weapons were
capable of, and that he'd shot down a flower before. It controlled Yue, forcing her to protect the flower. It made her bob
up and down, meaning that if he missed he was liable to shoot right through her skull. They ran forward, intending to pluck it off, but Yue pointed a hand at her own head as he did.
"Oh now you've done it..." The message was clear. If they tried to get close, the monster would force Yue to attack herself with her own magic.
Though she was practically immortal, Hajime and Renji couldn't say with confidence she'd still be able to regenerate if she blew herself to smithereens with a powerful spell. And she was more than skilled enough to cast even the strongest of spells in seconds. He wasn't willing to risk Yue's life on a gamble like that.
Sensing their hesitation, the monster slithered out of the crack in the
back of the room. What crawled out of the depths was a woman-plant hybrid that closely resembled something like a Dryad or Alraune. There was no
better way to describe the creature they faced. According to legend, they took on the forms of beautiful women to sap their opponents' will to fight, and if one treated them well they would be blessed with good fortune. However, the creature standing in front of them didn't seem anything like the legends.
While it did still look like a woman, its face was as ugly as its fighting
style was dirty, and the countless vines writhing around it like tentacles only served to make it look all the more disgusting. It might have been better to call it an Alraune wannabe. There was a wicked grin plastered across its hideous face.
The room was thick with tension, the red flower above Yue's head flickering ominously. She stood still, her body rigid and controlled by the flower's magic, while the Alraune wannabe nearby cackled menacingly. But Yue, to her credit, had made up her mind.
"Hajime! Renji! Don't mind me... just shoot!" Yue said, her voice determined but tinged with frustration. It seemed she'd resigned herself to the fact that she was just going to be in the way, so why not let them handle it?
Normally this would be a scene where the main character said something like, "There's no way I can do that!" or, "I'll save you, no matter what it takes!" and strengthen his bonds with the heroine. And in fact, the old Hajime and Renji might have done just that. But the current Hajime and Renji was a much harder man.
"Wait, really? Thanks." And then, in perfect synchronicity, both Hajime and Renji fired.
Upon hearing Yue's words, Hajime and Renji had fired without hesitation.
Silence filled the room as the gunshot's echoes faded away. The red rose spun through the air before soundlessly falling to the ground.
Yue blinked in surprise. The Alraune wannabe did too. Yue uncertainly patted the top of her head. The flower was gone, but the hair near it was frizzly and torn. Even the Alraune wannabe,
wicked as it was, glared scornfully at Hajime and Renji.
"You of all people don't have the right to judge us!" Bang! Hajime fired angrily at the Alraune wannabe. Green goop splattered everywhere as it lost its head. Its limbs spasmed momentarily before
the whole thing crumpled to the ground.
The dust settled, and the aftermath of the battle with the Alraune wannabe hung heavily in the air. Hajime and Renji both stood, wiping their hands and admiring their work. The silence, however, was soon broken by Yue's voice, filled with irritation.
"Are you alright, Yue? You don't feel weird anywhere, do you?" Renji asked, walking over casually, ready to check on her.
Yue, however, did not look the least bit reassured. She glared at him with an intensity that made even Hajime and and Renji pause.
"...You really shot me."
Her words were simple, but the venom in her tone was palpable.
"Huh? I mean, yeah, you told us to," Hajime replied, clearly unbothered by the accusation.
Yue's eyes narrowed further as she continued to flatten down her hair, which was now slightly ruffled from the bullet's graze. "...You didn't even hesitate..."
"Well, yeah, I was planning on shooting from the start," Renji admitted, scratching his head with a slight grin. "I mean, I have confidence in my skills, but I figured you'd get mad if I just shot without warning. I was just being considerate by waiting for you to say something first."
Yue's eye twitched in irritation. "...You grazed... my head..."
Renji waved it off nonchalantly. "It'll heal up right away though, won't it? So there shouldn't be any problem."
Yue's face contorted in frustration, her hand clenched into a fist. "Ughhh..." she groaned, turning away from him. Her expression screamed "So what!" as she beat on his chest with her small fists, which only seemed to make her angrier.
It was true that Yue had given them permission to shoot, and deep down, she would have preferred it over continuing to get in his way. But Hajime's and Renji's complete lack of hesitation stung. Yue had hoped—just for a second—that Renji might have at least hesitated, thought about it, or shown a little more care. Instead, he acted like it was just another day on the job, no emotion, no second thoughts.
Hajime and Renji sighed to themselves and started thinking on how they could
improve her mood. Something that proved to be infinitely harder than
defeating the Alraune wannabe
It was a few days after they'd taken down the Alraune wannabe—and after Yue's temper had hit volcanic levels. Renji, unfortunately, had borne the brunt of it.
She'd nearly sucked him dry before even thinking about forgiving him.
But as he laid half-conscious against a tree afterward, pale as parchment and woozy from blood loss, he admitted it might have been worth it—if only to see her smile again.
Once Renji had recovered enough to walk without swaying, and Hajime had stopped teasing him with IV jokes, the group resumed their journey through the labyrinth. Though now, whenever Yue gave Renji even the slightest glance, he instinctively covered his neck.