Chapter 109
The first question was obvious.
Why was Adora here?
No—how had she even entered?
And how could she have arrived before him?
“What trick did you use?”
His tone carried suspicion.
Even if they were allies, she was still a witch. The only being he trusted completely was the God of Offerings.
Adora gave a faintly bitter reply.
“…It seems to be the side effect of our Soul Contract. My territory and this one suddenly became connected.”
The Soul Contract.
The oath that bound Park Chan-woo and Adora.
A connection far beyond the Incarnation contracts—it was absolute.
Its description had called them “soul-bound companions and partners,” so it wasn’t strange that the territory he ruled had merged with hers.
Still—
“What were you doing here?”
Connection aside, immediately coming over—and waiting right by the portal—was suspicious.
If she had harbored ill will, he would have been reduced to Abyss dust the moment he stepped through.
“I was waiting. For you.”
“Waiting for me? Why?”
“…Would you allow me to use this territory?”
She skipped pretense and got straight to the point.
Indeed, Adora had been waiting for him.
Valhalla—land of warriors, ruled by the Master of the Moon Ahheta and used as the site of the Second Night. Its value was immense.
But the sudden request left Park Chan-woo frowning.
“Don’t you already have territory in the Abyss?”
Through the Black Witch’s finger, Adora had acquired the qualification of Creator.
That meant she’d been granted a territory: the right to form a Creation Abyss.
“…Where do I even begin?”
She hesitated, words trailing.
But if she didn’t explain, there was no way he’d allow her to use Valhalla.
When he remained silent, she eventually continued.
“…The land I was given was worthless. Because I had no foundation when I became a Creator. I tried to expand it, but alone, I couldn’t.”
Only Lords of the Abyss could command true dominion.
Adora was a witch, not a Lord. Even with Creator status, she lacked the foundation.
To expand territory, one needed to conquer like Khan the Conqueror, or employ other high-level means. Adora alone had no chance.
With nothing but barren wasteland, growth was impossible.
And more importantly—
Adora was still developing.
Compared to true Lords of the Abyss, she was like a child.
Even the demons they commanded were beyond her ability to handle.
Someday, she might blossom into the talent the Black Witch had coveted—but for that, she needed fertile ground.
Park Chan-woo grasped the outline.
“You want to use Valhalla to build a Creation Abyss?”
“…Yes. Valhalla is valuable among Abyssal lands. It would make forming one much easier.”
Only a territory of immense value could sustain something like the Second Night. That was why Ahheta had ruled here.
Park Chan-woo thought it over.
He had a general idea of how Creation Abysses worked.
‘Creators form them in their territories, then link them to the world.’
That was why intruders were never tolerated.
Crossing into a Creation Abyss was trespassing on a Creator’s domain—of course the Lord would try to annihilate them.
‘And the territory’s value decides the Creation Abyss’s level and effect.’
The higher the quality of the land, the greater the Abyss it could sustain.
That much, he understood.
“I’m not asking to use it for free. I’ll pay.”
She would pay rent for Valhalla.
That was a bold offer.
And payment meant coins. Better that than leaving the land idle.
Clink! Clink!
A cascade of coins piled up in her palm.
He blinked. She had more than he expected.
Sensing his gaze, Adora explained.
“I staked everything on the Second Night. As a result, I earned quite a lot.”
It had been a gamble.
Most Creators had bet on survival rates between 10% and 20%.
Adora had bet on over 80%.
And she’d reaped nearly thirtyfold returns.
From just two coins, her fortune had multiplied.
“…You gambled?”
His head spun.
She’d bet everything.
If anything had gone wrong—if he had died—she would have died too.
Losing Creator status, losing the Abyss’s protection, left vulnerable to the Black Witch.
Adora shook her head.
“I don’t call it gambling when the outcome is certain.”
“A gamble is a gamble. Don’t ever do something that reckless again.”
His voice was sharp with emotion.
If she went bankrupt, it endangered them both.
Her Creator status was her shield—lose it, and the Black Witch would find her.
And then him.
He wasn’t ready to face that nightmare.
At that moment—
‘She’s smiling?’
A small, stiff smile tugged at her lips.
Barely there, but unmistakable.
As though she found his concern amusing.
“Are you worried about my life?”
“Don’t ask the obvious.”
Her life was tied to his own.
If she fell, so would he.
“…I understand. I won’t be reckless again.”
She nodded obediently.
He exhaled in relief.
“Good. Glad you understand.”
“So—what about payment for the land?”
“Fifty coins for permanent use?”
“No. One coin a day. Here’s fifty in advance.”
“If you pay that much, you’ll barely have any left.”
“…About five will remain.”
“Forget it.”
She’d been about to hand over fifty of her fifty-five coins. He refused immediately.
She tried again, cautiously.
“Would one a day not be enough?”
“It’s not that. But from what I know, creating a Creation Abyss consumes huge amounts of coins.”
“True.”
“Can you even build one with just five?”
“…A very small one, maybe.”
Barely worth mentioning.
He knew it usually required dozens, if not hundreds.
Hence the gambling.
No one would enter something that weak.
A waste of coins.
Park Chan-woo considered his options.
‘Coins can be transferred freely.’
That was the key.
The currency of the Abyss could be handed over at will.
Awakeners gave a portion to their Creators through Incarnation Contracts.
But between him and Adora, they could exchange directly.
Which meant—
‘I could stake my coins.’
He could participate in Creator wagers.
But that thought only made him shake his head.
‘…One mistake and I’d lose everything.’
How many Creators had gone bankrupt like that?
Even a small stake could spiral into huge losses.
Jumping into their game was suicide.
The right path wasn’t to play by their rules.
It was to make them play his.
‘Not join their table—make them sit at mine.’
He organized his thoughts quickly, then said:
“I’ll invest.”
“…Invest?”
“I’ll put my coins into the Creation Abyss as a stake.”
“…!”
Adora stiffened, caught off guard.
She hadn’t expected him to go that far.
Park Chan-woo added,
“But—”
“…There are conditions?”
Of course. Investment never came without terms.
She studied him tensely.
Finally, he spoke.
“How about we make it together? A Creation Abyss. And we split all coins earned here—sixty for me, forty for you.”