The 7,358,475th layer of the Abyss — [Eternal Obelisk Tower].
This layer wasn't ruled by an Abyssal demon but by a lord from another race entirely.
As a result, the internal order here was far better maintained than in typical layers, and a strong commercial atmosphere permeated the region. The tower functioned as a massive interplanar trade hub, where resources from across the multiverse could be found.
Though both Eternal Obelisk Tower and the Lava Wastelands belonged to the Abyss, they existed on entirely different dimensional levels.
Unlike most planes, the Abyss had a much more complex structure.
Each layer's size and physical laws were determined almost entirely by its ruler. As such, the aesthetic and functional differences between layers were vast—so much so that they were practically separate planes.
Even though the layers had numerical positions—Layer 7,358,475 was technically above Layer 7,358,474—it wasn't a simple matter of moving up or down.
The distance between layers couldn't be traversed by conventional means.
Only space-related abilities could bridge the gap, and even then, communicating or traveling between layers took significant effort.
---
After a prolonged teleportation sequence, the scene around them shifted.
Orsaga and the others arrived at their destination.
At first glance, the hall looked much like the Abyssal Layer Transfer Hall back in the Lava Wastelands.
Countless beings from various layers and even other planes were gathered here, each with their own agendas.
The sounds of clashing languages and overlapping speech flooded the space, creating a kind of chaotic surround-sound effect.
As Orsaga and his companions stepped slowly out of the teleportation array, a staff member quickly approached them.
Judging by his appearance, he was likely human—dressed in a standard-issue uniform, his manner polite but professional.
"Welcome to Eternal Obelisk Tower, honored guests," he said respectfully. "To complete your entry, each of you will need to pay an entry fee of one blood-gold coin."
Teleportation costs were covered by the sender, making it a one-way fee.
But entry into the city itself still required a separate charge.
Travel fare is one thing; entrance fees are another.
And a single blood-gold coin was a trivial cost for anyone who could afford to use teleportation.
Without hesitation, Orsaga tossed three coins his way.
Accepting the payment, the staff member took out three small crystals and handed them over.
"These contain the rules and layout of Eternal Obelisk Tower. Please make an effort to follow the guidelines," he advised with a courteous smile. "If you find it difficult to comply, most rules can be bypassed by paying the appropriate fine—except for a few absolute taboos."
"In short, break what you want—as long as you can afford to pay for it."
Orsaga nodded calmly.
This was standard protocol across most Abyssal layers.
No complaints—he wasn't strong enough to rewrite the rules anyway.
The information in the crystals wasn't extensive. Orsaga read through his almost instantly.
Aside from a basic layout of the city's main sectors to prevent newcomers from getting lost, it contained a summary of the laws and restricted areas.
Once finished, he passed the other two crystals to Golarial and Alison so they could read for themselves.
When they were done, he gestured toward the exit.
"Let's go."
---
After a long walk, the three exited the Transfer Hall.
What greeted them at the gate left Orsaga scratching his head.
"…Are these supposed to be taxis?"
Indeed, parked along the roadside were countless floating vehicles that looked suspiciously like high-tech flying saucers.
He had to admit, they radiated serious sci-fi energy.
Only then did Orsaga realize—the entire Transfer Hall complex was suspended midair, isolated like an island.
Due to an anti-flight field, the only way to leave was via these "taxis."
After inspecting the surrounding barrier and the defensive enchantments embedded in the structure, Orsaga understood the situation.
"Looks like even in a place like this, they have to guard against lunatics who think they can rob the lord of the layer…"
But that had nothing to do with him.
After browsing briefly, he picked one of the more luxuriously outfitted "taxi-pods" and boarded.
The vehicle's controller greeted him respectfully:
"Welcome aboard the Ailea-Maintenance, my lord. Where shall we take you today?"
Thanks to the earlier crystal's contents, Orsaga already knew which district sold what.
"Sector 1747," he replied without hesitation.
"Understood. That'll be 300 black-silver coins."
Compared to the Lava Wastelands' carriage drivers, these flying transports were part of the Abyssal Lord's official industries—meaning everything was regulated.
The prices were set by market value—no haggling.
Orsaga, unsurprisingly, couldn't be bothered to argue. He casually tossed over the fare.
The pilot gave a courteous nod. "Please hold on. We'll depart shortly."
He then sealed the passenger compartment and walked into the pilot cabin.
The rest of the transport—lavishly decorated with spatial expansion magic—was left entirely to Orsaga and his companions.
Thanks to advanced spatial manipulation, the interior was huge—capable of holding over a hundred people comfortably.
But with just the three of them, it felt oddly empty.
Orsaga didn't seem to mind.
He casually grabbed the menu from the center table.
After glancing through a few pages, he raised his eyebrows and let out a low whistle.
According to the description, the taxi could use teleportation tech to summon goods from the central depot—including food, drinks, medicine, and even… slaves.
Essentially, it was a mobile palace.
After browsing for a while, he lost interest—he had just eaten, after all. He handed the menu to Golarial and Alison.
"If you see anything you want, just order it."
Then he found a nearby couch, leaned back, and closed his eyes.
The two women skimmed through the menu for a few minutes, but like Orsaga, weren't particularly interested.
The only thing that caught their attention was the novelty of the interdimensional ordering system, which reminded them a bit of online shopping.
They ended up ordering a few drinks and left it at that.
Then they walked to the window and looked outside as the landscape sped past.
The most eye-catching feature was a massive white wall stretching infinitely in all directions.
It was so large that even just lying flat, it could be mistaken for a continent.
But thanks to the crystal's intel, they already knew—
It was one of the exterior walls of the Eternal Obelisk Tower.
A miraculous structure beyond mortal understanding.
It existed only because the Abyssal Lord of this layer had modified the physical laws of the realm itself, then reinforced it with incredibly rare materials and advanced construction techniques.
Otherwise, with its sheer size, the tower would've collapsed under its own weight long ago.
It was said that one-third of the entire layer was occupied by this unimaginably vast tower.
In terms of raw size, it was larger than many small and mid-sized worlds combined.
If brought into another universe, its sheer mass would generate a gravitational field strong enough to collapse into a black hole.
Staring at the awe-inspiring creation, Golarial and Alison couldn't help but widen their eyes in amazement.
"…Incredible," Alison murmured.
They couldn't even begin to fathom how much power and resources would be needed to construct such a marvel.
A faint sense of fear crept into their hearts.
Orsaga, meanwhile, was quietly impressed—but his thoughts were far more direct:
'I want one.'
And right then, he made a silent decision—
Once he rose to the rank of Demon Lord, he was going to build something like this for himself.
While Alison and Golarial stood there feeling small and overwhelmed, Orsaga wasn't the least bit discouraged.
He respected the might behind such a structure…
But not once did he feel that it was beyond his reach.
Instead, he simply thought:
'One day, I'll build one even bigger.'
__
T/N:
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