The specific, chaotic rumble of the tavern filled a void in Tars's soul that had been dry for far too long.

  He didn't have to wait long. A bug shell roughly the size of a head was placed before him, filled with stewed meat and a hodgepodge of unrecognizable ingredients soaking in a murky broth. It smelled surprisingly decent.

  Tars didn't care about the presentation; he dug in with a spoon, relishing every bite. Not long ago, a hot meal was a luxury he rarely saw. With his current digestive tract, he wondered if he was supposed to eat the shell too, or if the establishment intended to reuse it as a bowl.

  Across from him, Karyu looked equally intrigued, though he was far more elegant. He used his spoon to sample a piece of every different ingredient, chewing slowly as if critiquing a gourmet feast.

  Black-Bug Ale was exactly as advertised: a large cup of black liquid. Tars didn't particularly enjoy it, but he downed it anyway. He then turned his attention to his cup of Sour-Mushroom Wine, sipping it slowly between bites of stew.

  Creeeeeak!

  The tavern door was pushed open gently.

  Tars looked up, cheeks bulging with food. He had been sitting there for a while and hadn't seen anyone push the door so softly; in this melting pot of grit, rudeness was the standard.

  "Even in an Abyssal Zone, casters are not entirely unheard of," Karyu said suddenly, chewing a piece of meat. "You might find low-level wild wizard apprentices in mercenary groups, or those hiding from the bounties of Cavern City nobles. Usually, they're just wild apprentices; even nobles don't dare provoke a true wizard."

  Karyu seemed to favor the Black-Bug Ale, having set aside his Sour-Mushroom Wine after a single sip. Tars noted this and reached out to "help" him finish it.

  Just then, a handsome youth entered, followed by a red-haired beauty who looked slightly older than him. The gentle door-pusher and his companion scanned the room and took the table next to Tars and Karyu. Seeing Tars watching him, the youth offered a friendly smile and a nod.

  The boy seemed fascinated by everything, touching the table and surroundings with wide-eyed wonder. The woman sat stoically, ignoring his antics, only casting a brief, sharp glance at Tars when she felt his gaze.

  Tars buried his head back in his food, successfully reclaiming Karyu's wine. He decided he needed a second helping; the stew was filling and the variety of textures suited his palate.

  "Do you have any recommendations? Or perhaps you could leave a menu for me to consider..."

  Tars vaguely overheard the conversation at the next table and felt that the words sounded familiar. As he looked up to call the waiter, he saw the scarred man standing by the neighbors' table, scowling and casting a sidelong glance at Tars. He relaxed when he saw the boy, like himself, leave the bill to his companion.

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  Soon, Tars's second shell arrived. He continued his feast, having already crushed and eaten the shell from the first round. The neighboring table received their stew shortly after, but by the time Tars finished his second bowl, the youth had only taken a small bite, while the red-haired woman had already cleared her plate.

  "We should leave, unless you want to stay for the show," Karyu said with a smirk.

  Tars, holding his half-finished wine, looked over. Sure enough, the drama was beginning. Several drunks stumbled into the youth, and within seconds, a group of five or six surrounded the table. Two of them turned to glare at Tars for spectating, but he merely took a calm sip of his wine.

  Suddenly, a flash of light was followed by a chorus of screams. Tars instinctively looked at Karyu, who merely curled his lip.

  "Casters aren't only wizards, you unobservant little kobold," Karyu said.

  Tars blinked, realizing he had been blinded by his own assumptions.

  "Of course, if you climb high enough, only wizards remain at the top. So your thinking isn't entirely wrong," Karyu laughed. "Other supernatural paths usually plateau at a level equivalent to a standard One-Ring wizard. They rarely reach the peak, and often require a wizard’s assistance to even try."

  Tars looked back. The thugs blocking his view had collapsed. Two pink gemstones were glowing and orbiting the red-haired woman like a pair of flying insects—one larger than a human eye, the other half the size of a fingernail. The smaller gem suddenly shot forward, piercing the knee of a man trying to flee. He collapsed, howling.

  "A caster!" "It's a caster!"

  The tavern erupted in belated panic before falling into a deathly silence. The sound of Tars slurping the last of his wine was clearly audible. The woman glanced at Tars, then led the silent, wide-eyed youth out the door.

  "Her path is that of a Gem Summoner," Karyu explained as he stood up. "Not very common. It requires contracting a Fairy Gem. They're popular in mercenary bands because they usually possess a knack for finding and identifying treasures. The supernatural world is more interesting than you think; seeing different paths is a vital step for a wizard. Some five-ring apprentices travel for years before their advancement just to find their true path."

  Tars followed him out, deep in thought. After some wandering, they spent five Moon Coins to secure a small, private courtyard on the edge of town.

  "This room is mine. Don't disturb me unless it's an emergency. You can explore as you like; I'll wait for you when it's time to leave," Karyu said, disappearing into his room and shutting the door.

  Tars looked at the closed door, then scanned the modest courtyard. Excitement bubbled up in his chest.

  Is this a home? A temporary home. My first home in this world.

  It wasn't as grand as his "Three-Sides-Open" Abyssal Bedroom, but at least it had four walls. He paced the yard, straightened the rickety gate, and was about to check his own room when a voice called out.

  "Hey, big guy—"

  Tars tilted his head. The voice came from the neighboring yard. A child was standing on tiptoes, peeking over the wall.

  "Wow, you're really ugly! But I've seen uglier. There was a mercenary captain whose face was smashed flat—he had to eat from the side of his mouth. And a vice-captain with cat eyes and scales on his face..."

  "Is there something you want?" Tars asked, amused.

  "You got cheated. This isn't a 'solid' house. In the Abyss, 'solid' is the only standard. You look like outsiders; they trick people like you. Though, they probably didn't see your face or they'd have been too scared. Also, your floor stones are bad. Some are missing and filled with rubble. Watch out for burrow-worms popping up to swallow you whole!" the child said solemnly.

  Tars mimicked a look of exaggerated shock, while secretly thinking that his familiar, Squeak, was about to have some snacks. If there are so many 'ugly' guys wandering around here, he thought, maybe I can actually let Aiskin and Big Dumb Hum out for a walk.