One hour later, all students exited the Abyss and returned to their academy 590 kilometres away in a Tier-D Tulip city, on their academy's airship.
"Students. What you streamed has been recorded, and it will be reviewed by various guilds looking for recruits. If you are desired by a guild or any agencies, you will get a notification at your home."
Another teacher continued speaking.
"Our journey of three years finally ends here, and today was our graduation ceremony." The teacher smiled. "Of course, we'll hold another one for those students who were not in the little adventure here. You can join that one in the academy tomorrow as well."
"No thanks, teacher! I'm going to enter the Abyss all day from now on!"
"All day? Buddy, make sure to look at your corruption meter, or you'll be lost forever."
"We didn't even explore much, but when I saw that dark spot deep in the forest during our path, I got chills! I looked it up, and it's a C-rank Trial Area! Once I hone my B-rank Blessing, I'll go attempt it."
"I think that trial is called Carnage Crabs. Basically, you'll have to fight bloodthirsty giant crabs for an hour straight. The reward is supposed to be a magic armor or a weapon, as all people who cleared it so far got either one of those two."
"Magic items are important. I'm going to buy a set and a weapon before heading in next time."
…
Rave soon arrived at his home. A medium-sized apartment with three bedrooms, one small hall, and a kitchen.
It was past noon, so his parents were still at the academy as their shift was 7 AM to 3 PM.
"Brother!"
But his sister returned from the academy at the same time as him daily, at 12 in the noon.
She came running as soon as Rave entered.
"What blessing did you awaken!?"
Her twin orange ponytails flung around as she came to a sudden halt before him, her eyes sparkling and shining.
Rave smiled and patted her head. "Dear little Vini, it's a D-rank Blessing. Not that good, but don't worry, your brother has a good plan for his future."
Vini opened her mouth and closed it before she smiled and hugged him.
"Heh, so what if it's a D-rank blessing? You're an awesome brother. I'm sure you'll get better Blessings and become a famous Streamer."
Vini grinned at him as she moved back after hugging. "Since you graduated, all of us will eat outside tonight."
TRING! TRING!
"Oh, someone called. Lemme take it."
Vini energetically dashed to the small hall in her petite frame, grabbed the glassy phone attached to a stand, and put it in front of her face.
The screen on the phone shifted as she accepted the call, showing the face of a woman in her forties with orange hair just like Vini.
Agatha Mox, the mother.
But her face was a mess from crying, and she looked haggard. Looking at Vini, her eyes teared up again as her lips trembled, unable to speak as a lump blocked her throat.
"Mom?! Why are you crying?!" Vini shouted, shocked to see her mom like that.
Rave arrived as he put down the bag and stood behind Vini as he looked at his mother.
"What happened, Mom?" Rave frowned.
A bad feeling welled up in him as he looked at her in that state.
"Y-Your father…He…he was be-beaten to d-death by a group of students."
Agatha wiped her face, her eyes a whirl of despair and anger. "It was those bully bastards led by Aldin Rockford! Y-Your father just reprimanded him with words because he was harassing new students, b-but then Aldin led a group of fifty students and surrounded…"
Agatha couldn't continue as she burst into tears. "H-He barely survived until he got into the ambulance."
Vini's legs weakened as she hit the ground, and the phone tumbled from her hand.
Rave just blanked out while standing still.
Except…a silent scream was raging in his mind, fighting to reject this reality.
…
Orlon Rockford, a famous streamer in the top 100 with a following of 59 million viewers.
Orlon Rockford also ran an agency called Rockford Survival Agency, where anyone who wanted to become an Abyssal Streamer could pay to hire them for an adventure in the Abyss, guiding and basically boosting them.
They only operated on the first and second floors.
The third floor was a bit too dangerous for that.
Fourth and fifth floors were only for the strongest, and the sixth floor hadn't been discovered yet.
Orlon Rockford had earned a name, respect, and recognition of millions.
And his son, Aldin Rockford, had grown to be an arrogant prick, given that his father provided him the luxury and a big ego, but not the manners.
'Aldin Rockford.' Rave stood in front of his father's pyre at Tier-D Tulip City's Beach.
With a torch in hand and tears in his eyes, Rave lit the fire to his father's funeral pyre.
As the fire burned brighter and fiercer, so did the wrath in Rave's eyes.
The conclusion of the police investigation gnawed at him.
According to the investigation, the mob violence was incited by the words of Jason Mox, which resulted in his death at the hands of the mob.
There was no mention of Aldin Rockford anywhere in the report, even though it was he who called the mob and beat his father. He was the one beating his father from the beginning until he took his last breath, while the mob surrounded them completely from all sides.
People knew that. But the official conclusion was different.
Rave's fists clenched. The wooden torch in his right hand shattered due to intense gripping after a couple of seconds.
'Aldin Rockford.'
'I will have my revenge on you and your father.'
…
After the funeral, the family returned to their apartment in silence and sadness.
"I can almost see your dad here…" Agatha's tired voice cracked in the hall as she looked at the house.
Vini hugged her mother as she couldn't help but cry loudly again as the memories of her father overlapped in reality, but he wasn't here anymore.
A big part of her life was forever gone.
"I want him! I want my dad!" Vini cried. "Why did they beat him to death?! WHY?!"
Vini and Agatha cried for the nth time.
But Agatha composed herself soon as she wiped her face and led Vini to her room, where her already low energy put her to sleep.
Returning to the hall, Agatha looked at Rave and saw him just looking at the place where his father used to sit.
"Rave, can you get some food for us. I'll have to start packing some stuff. We will have to move out tomorrow."
Rave looked at his mother. "Move out? Why?"
Agatha sighed. "We can't afford to live in this apartment with my salary alone."
"We can stay for a few more days, but we have to start packing. I…have a place in mind. It's smaller, but the neighbourhood is good." Agatha forced a smile. "Wouldn't want that good and cheap place snagged by someone else."
"Mom." Rave looked at him, his eyes blazing up, fuelled by fury and determination. "How much do we need to buy this apartment?"
"Buy? It's…I think it cost four hundred and thirty-six thousand union credits."
Rave nodded. "Got it. Now go and rest. I'll bring the food."
He left and bought food from a nearby restaurant.
After eating with his mother, Rave said. "Alright, I am leaving now. I'll return tomorrow."
Rave adopted a solemn look as he said. "Tomorrow, I'll have enough credits to buy this apartment. So go to sleep and rest properly. I'll make sure that our lives get better only, so that Father watching us from above will be happy and peaceful."
Agatha asked him where he was going, but Rave looked at her with an utterly serious face. "Mom. I want to tell you, but I can't. So assume that I am going to a high-paying job in a big company."
"A-Abyss?" Agatha's lips trembled. "Are you going there? Don't be reckless, son. Vini and I won't be able to bear it if you are also gone from our lives."
Rave's eyes reddened as he held back tears. "Mom, I promise you. I will return. And we will live happily. And dad will also get justice."
"I promise you."
Rave left and stood behind the door outside for a few seconds as he took a deep breath.
Calming himself and sharpening on the objectives.
His fist clenched and then released as he entered the elevator.
It was time to enter the Abyss and use his X-rank Blessing to change the situation.