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War in the Abyss has never been as simple as it appears on the surface.
After the first encounter battle in the Abyss, the vanguard squads serving as escorts gradually reduced their involvement in subsequent purging missions. During that initial encounter, the newcomers were essentially treated like children under a nanny's care—every task unrelated to combat was handled entirely by the vanguard forces.
But as the battlefield simulation became increasingly realistic, the true nature of these Abyssal conflicts slowly began to reveal itself.
In the Abyss, the hardest part isn't the fighting—it's the reconnaissance. Wizards have already developed a complete set of countermeasures against Abyssal demons, but progress in reconnaissance has been severely limited. Within these endless fields of black stone, the demons' ability to camouflage is the greatest headache for spellcasters.
In this low-magic environment, many demons choose to enter a hibernation-like slumber. Their rocky bodies blend seamlessly with the black terrain, rendering them nearly invisible to the naked eye. While dormant, they passively absorb free-floating magical energy from the air to slowly grow stronger. In this state, their external awareness is virtually nonexistent—they awaken only when certain conditions are met.
One of the key triggers for awakening is the presence of high-energy magical sources. In this mana-starved land, such sources include spellcasters themselves, intense magical combat, and—most dangerously—high-purity magic crystals brought from outside. However, these crystals are extremely rare. Naturally formed over long periods, they are strictly regulated to ensure sustainable extraction. As items capable of directly replenishing a wizard's mana, their strategic value is immense.
Low-grade magical lures, like decoy rounds that disperse a light mana mist, aren't nearly effective enough to awaken dormant demons. But if the concentration is too high, it risks triggering a dangerous mana surge. Non-hibernating demons can detect mana gathering from hundreds of kilometers away. This is why battlefield cleanup is critical—after each battle, spellcasters immediately retrieve spoils of war and ignite special alchemical flames to rapidly burn off any residual mana. This erases evidence of combat and prevents demons from converging on the site.
If a small-scale mana surge—commonly known as a minor "mana tide"—does form, it can interfere with spellcasting. This is especially dangerous for teleportation spells, which are often the only means of escape. If more than five times the number of demons than spellcasters close within a hundred meters, the accuracy of teleportation begins to falter. In such conditions, misfires become likely, and any limb lost to a botched teleport may never be recovered.
Scouting—a task that may sound simple—is, in fact, more dangerous and important than actual combat in the Abyss. When faced with an overwhelming fight, one can always retreat or call for reinforcements. But if a scout steps too close to a dormant demon, the resulting ambush can be deadly.
Professor Carlisle was lucky to lose only a leg—an outcome considered extremely fortunate. Even if the dormant demon is just a grunt-tier soldier, when they ambush at point-blank range, their nearly two-ton, five-foot-tall goblin frames can easily smash a fragile spellcaster into a pulp with a single blow.
Once the veteran vanguard troops stopped providing pathfinding services, the newcomers' true nightmare began.
On their first mine-sweeping advance, Durmstrang's squad had the misfortune of triggering a hidden demon. If not for their alchemically reinforced exosuits, the poor kid would have been torn in half on the spot.
"Professor Carlisle, I intend to have my battle regiment detach from the main group to conduct independent purging operations."
"Please hear me out before you respond."
After nearly ten engagements with small demon units, Harry approached Professor Carlisle and laid out his proposal.
"If there isn't a suitable reason, I can't allow your squad to operate independently from the trial group. Headmaster Grindelwald authorized me to grant you command over the battle regiment squad, but I'm still responsible for your safety here."
"I understand. Thank you for your concern, Professor Carlisle. This idea wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision."
Harry paused to organize his thoughts before delivering the arguments he'd prepared.
"The battle regiment's exosuits are custom-made and among the world's first to incorporate insulated magic alloy. When the armor is in full sealed mode, their naturally emitted magical fluctuations are completely contained. That means even if we step on a mine, the dormant demons won't detect us. Granted, this makes it impossible for us to perform effective mine-clearing, but it also means we won't fall victim to the most dangerous kind of ambush."
"But your alchemical armor isn't the same," Professor Carlisle narrowed his eyes. Alchemical armor must fuse completely with the body, making the use of insulated materials impossible. It's designed to enhance the wizard's physical body and provide a new magical circuit for second-stage Animagus hybrid transformation.
"But I'm not afraid of close combat," Harry replied with a confident smile and shook his head. "My magic has unique properties. Demons absorb it at an extremely low rate, and even then, the process is very slow. Even in direct contact without protection, they can't drain me effectively. At worst, they'll choke on it—it's like trying to drink ice. They have to melt it first before they can take it in."
"For any demons below the centurion rank, I can break their bodies with my bare hands, even without wearing the alchemical armor."
He flexed his bicep proudly. "A single unenhanced punch from me carries twenty tons of force. You saw me sparring with the pandas yesterday, didn't you? My raw physical strength is basically on par with theirs. As for those five-foot-tall cannon fodder types—I could twist off their rocky heads barehanded. A two-ton midget weighs less than the barbells I train with."
"Tch~" Professor Carlisle reached out and poked Harry's bulky arm. Still, such brute strength wasn't unheard of in the Abyss. Physical cultivators were walking calamities—each capable of tossing one- or two-ton loads like handballs. The camp's strongest resident was a rather unique giant—possessing both Einstein-level intelligence (for a giant, anyway) and a body more robust than most giant kings. This 45-foot (13.7-meter) colossus could shoulder a 100-ton siege cannon and fire it like a rifle, obliterating a demon warlord in a single blast.
But even that monstrous powerhouse wouldn't dare engage demons in close quarters. If grabbed by a demon of centurion rank or higher, his magical reserves would be drained dry in under ten seconds. Demons absorb magic with all the efficiency of a high-speed pump—the higher their rank, the faster they drain.
"There's also a third point."
Seeing only hesitation—but not outright refusal—in Professor Carlisle's expression, Harry brought out his final bargaining chip.
"The 7th Squad of the 3rd Vanguard Corps is happy to temporarily team up with our battle regiment squad. They've agreed to carry out joint missions with us. Their 1st and 2nd squads just finished upgrades with the new-generation exosuits, and I provided them with some materials."
"You didn't think to come to me first?" Professor Carlisle immediately perked up upon hearing that. "I know loads of people here! Not just in the Vanguard Corps—I've got friends in the Abyssal Inquisitors too. Old war buddies!"
"You have no idea how awkward I've been feeling lately. Tons of Vanguard guys have come asking me for leads. Everyone wants in, especially since they know the Abyssal Inquisitors won't finish their outfitting until sometime next year."
"Well… Uncle Tian kind of counts as my teacher. He's taught me a lot." Harry scratched his head awkwardly. He genuinely appreciated everything Uncle Tian had done for him.
"I see—so he's your mentor. In that case, with veterans involved, I can rest a bit easier."
"But you need to understand—Vanguard missions are different from the lower-intensity ones we've been running. They handle Tier 6 to Tier 12 operations, which require leaving the fortress cities and heading deep into the Abyss. Listen to your teacher—there's no room for sloppiness."
"I understand, Professor. You only get one life—I won't treat it like a joke."
(End of Chapter)