Chapter 10

Chapter 10.

 

Of course, I could not find the Ultimate Abyss Fragment immediately.

 It was hidden somewhere in the darkness across the river of flowing molten metal. To reach my destination, I would have to endure immense danger.

Lee Ha-kyung quietly closed his eyes.

‘There is no need to be afraid. I just need to go where the Soul Brand leads me.’

Thump! Thump!

His heartbeat accelerated. A thrill raced up his spine. As he continued to focus, his faint senses grew progressively stronger. Then, it felt as though a deep-blue flame were blooming in the darkness.

Ha-kyung snapped his eyes open.

‘There it is!’

The blue flame was an illusion that existed only inside his mind. However, he could see it clearly now. Ha-kyung began to move sideways, driving his karambit into the wall for support.

Crunch! Thud!

As he moved, his senses became more distinct, eventually allowing him to pinpoint the location of the secret space. Ha-kyung assessed the surrounding terrain and the target location.

‘The distance is about fifteen meters. It is not that far. Plus, there are chains I can grab.’

With an Awakened’s physical abilities, it was a distance he could certainly leap across. After taking a brief, deep breath, Ha-kyung stared at his target.

‘The human brain does not understand the concept of negation.’

Instead of thinking about not hitting an obstacle, he had to focus only on the imaginary path he would traverse. Only then would he avoid the obstacles. Ha-kyung erased the existence of the molten metal from his mind.

Finally, he kicked off the wall with all his strength and leaped.

“Hah!”

With a sharp shout, Ha-kyung’s figure soared through the air. He stretched his hand out to grasp the chain.

Grip! Rattle!

Fortunately, the chain was firmly fixed, and Ha-kyung was able to hang onto it without issue. If he used this for a pendulum motion, he would be able to reach the other side easily. But it was then.

Splash!

“Kreeeeeck!”

Something pitch-black erupted from the boiling molten metal. It was a massive form resembling a shark. Like the Fusion Tyrant, it was encased in mechanical armor. The creature opened its maw wide and aimed for Ha-kyung’s legs.

At this sudden crisis, it felt as though his heart had dropped. If he continued the pendulum motion, he would be bitten instantly. Ha-kyung grit his teeth.

‘It cannot be helped. I will break through!’

He stomped downward, striking the mechanical shark on its nose. The sound of something shattering rang out.

Crack!

“Kueck?”

Surprised by the powerful impact, the creature twisted its body and fell back. In contrast, Ha-kyung soared even higher—high enough that he no longer needed to hold onto the chain. He landed at the target location and rolled across the floor before standing up.

Scuttle!

“Phew! What was that thing?”

Ha-kyung looked back with an incredulous expression. The mechanical shark was swimming leisurely through the molten metal again. Perhaps it realized it could no longer catch him, as it seemed to have lost interest in Ha-kyung for now.

‘It will probably attack again when I go back. I must remain cautious until the end.’

He began to search for the secret space in earnest. Since reaching the other side of the river of molten metal, the Soul Brand had been sending signals frantically. It meant the Ultimate Abyss Fragment was right nearby.

Ha-kyung took out a tactical glowstick.

Snap!

As he bent the middle, a green light chased away the darkness. Only then could he see his surroundings more clearly. Ha-kyung stared at the complex, intertwined mechanical structures.

‘This is the entrance to the secret room. But how do I get in?’

He could not dig through the ground, and it did not seem to be a puzzle-solving mechanism. Ha-kyung moved the glowstick here and there. Then, he spotted a keyhole deep inside. He looked around.

“It is quite deep. If that is the case, the key must be quite long as well. It must be somewhere...”

Ha-kyung turned his body while muttering to himself. Suddenly, he discovered a strange object. While all other parts were connected to the structure, a single crumpled pipe was standing alone in the corner.

What else could that mean? Ha-kyung wore a triumphant smile.

‘I am certain. This is it.’

He inserted the pipe into the gap in the mechanical structure. Remarkably, it fit the keyhole perfectly.

Click! Rumble!

As he turned the pipe, the secret room finally unveiled itself. The mechanical walls split to the left and right. Soon, Ha-kyung found an object. It was a black crystal sitting alone atop a crude stone. He reached out with his right hand as if possessed.

[You have opened the Ultimate Abyss Fragment.]
[You have acquired an artifact lost in this dungeon.]
[Assimilating ‘Kin-Eater’ as a skill.]
[A vast amount of Abyss energy is being transferred.]

Ssssss!

The dispersing grayish energy began to gather around Ha-kyung. It was the same phenomenon that had occurred when he obtained the power of Distortion. It was the process of absorbing the Abyss energy contained within the fragment.

Though he had experienced it once before, Ha-kyung grit his teeth.

‘The reaction feels like it is getting stronger.’

The pain felt as though his entire body were being torn apart and reassembled. Still, he had no choice but to endure it now. Once the Abyss energy permeated his being, immense growth was guaranteed.

After a moment, Ha-kyung opened his eyes.

Hummmm!

It felt as though a piercing blue light were shooting from his eyes. He felt the formidable power flowing through his entire body.

‘I think I know how to utilize Abyss energy more efficiently now.’

It felt as though he had stepped into a new realm. Until now, Abyss energy had been nothing more than a supplement to his mana. Of course, that alone had been sufficient, as even a small addition produced incredible power. However, he could now handle a much larger amount.

Ha-kyung slowly stood up.

“It is a bit disappointing that it was not a key fragment.”

Furthermore, he had not obtained any of the Abyss Ruler’s powers. What appeared this time was a lost item called ‘Kin-Eater.’ This was a skill that had been used by Ha-kyung’s comrade, his uncle Seo Kang-min, the Mad Bullet Shooter.

Ha-kyung felt a new surge of emotion.

‘The things my comrades lost are also inside the Ultimate Abyss Fragments.’

It was a profound feeling. Encountering the mementos of his fallen comrades in this way made his heart sink slightly. Ha-kyung thought of Seo Kang-min. He was a cold-blooded sniper, but usually, he was a man full of playfulness. He even remembered the expression on his face when the Kin-Eater skill appeared from an artifact.

However, he was no longer in pain.

‘I will use this to deliver a proper blow to the Abyss Ruler, Uncle.’

Seo Kang-min used to say that Kin-Eater was a useless skill. Even if one stole mana from an ally, the total power remained the same. Of course, there was a way to use it—stealing mana from an injured ally was beneficial.

But Ha-kyung was different.

‘What if I use this to steal the Abyss energy from monsters?’

It would be possible to increase his power without any loss. Of course, he would have to try it to see if it worked. Ha-kyung crossed back over the river of molten metal and returned to the boss' nest.

***

“For God’s sake...”

A curse erupted from Ma Do-hyuk’s lips. Although they had fought fiercely to the point of being covered in blood, the Fusion Tyrant was remarkably intact. It was all because of those damned metal pillars.

[Fusion Tyrant deploys Energy Circulation Cores.]
[If you fail to destroy them within 5 minutes, the Fusion Tyrant’s physical restoration will be completed.]

Whir! Click!

Four pillars shot up once again. Every single one of them was in perfect condition because the Energy Circulation Cores themselves were also being restored. Ma Do-hyuk looked around.

“This is bad. This is really bad.”

More than half of the raid team had fallen into a state of mana exhaustion. It was the result of overextending themselves to break the Energy Circulation Cores. Just before they could destroy the final one, five minutes had unfortunately passed, and the Fusion Tyrant had instantly returned to its original state.

It was from that moment that a somber atmosphere spread across the entire raid team.

—Is it even possible to win this?

—I think it would be best to look for an escape gimmick even now.

The team leaders offered opinions to retreat. Yoon Chang-ho quickly comforted everyone.

—The scouts are currently looking for a way to retreat. Let us hold out as long as possible until the retreat path opens.

However, even after a significant amount of time had passed, there was no news. The crisis of annihilation was now right in front of them. Ma Do-hyuk muttered to himself.

“Would it have been different if that man were here?”

The individual who had played a decisive role since the Gear Crusher fight. A man so skilled that it was no exaggeration to call him the best melee dealer. Lee Ha-kyung. He felt certain that man would have opened a path forward.

However, Ha-kyung had been knocked away by an unexpected attack. Since then, the situation has only worsened. They were on the verge of being wiped out. Ma Do-hyuk grit his teeth and stood up.

“I have to do something. I cannot just die like this.”

Of course, he could not simply charge in recklessly. A massive number of subordinate monsters had begun to pour out.

[Fusion Tyrant summons Fusion Units.]

“Ki-rik! Ki-rik!”

Dozens of creatures, each about two meters tall, crawled out. It was like looking at the skeletal mechanical weapons from the Terminator. Since every single one of them was a formidable opponent, the raid team fell into a crisis once again.

Ma Do-hyuk swung his greatsword frantically.

“You irritating piles of scrap metal!”

Clang! Boom!

Some Awakened joined him in his efforts, but it was simply not enough. The raid team was enveloped in the aura of defeat. But it was at that exact moment, when everyone had hung their heads.

Clang!

A sharp noise echoed from one of the ventilation shafts connected to the ceiling. Soon, a somehow familiar silhouette suddenly emerged. The moment he saw that figure, Ma Do-hyuk cheered.

“Yes! I knew you wouldn't be dead!”

The person who had broken through the ventilation shaft was Ha-kyung. Landing on the floor, he calmly surveyed his surroundings. Then, he picked up his Whisperer.

“What should I do first?”

In truth, the action he needed to take was clear. The fully restored Energy Circulation Cores and the subordinate monsters—he had to deal with those first to continue the raid on the Fusion Tyrant. Yoon Chang-ho’s bewildered voice came through the Whisperer.

—First, try to bring down the pillars. We will open a path for you with long-range attacks.

Yoon Chang-ho also seemed to know that Ha-kyung was the only person left to place his hopes on. Soon after, massive firepower was sprayed toward the center.

Whish! Boom! Bang!

It was a strike that truly squeezed out every last bit of their strength, as the long-range dealers who used the skills collapsed one after another. It was the aftermath of mana exhaustion. Eventually, the mechanical weapons were knocked down one by one.

Thanks to that, Ha-kyung was able to approach the metal pillars.

‘This is a good opportunity to test the skill I just obtained.’

[Kin-Eater Skill Target Acquisition]
[Target: Fusion Tyrant]

Ping!

A sharp sound pierced through his head. The Fusion Tyrant sounded an alarm as if having a seizure.

“Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep!”

Soon, a massive amount of Abyss energy began to gather. Grayish flames erupted across Ha-kyung’s entire body. He felt a momentary sensation as if his whole body were being crushed.

‘The pressure is immense. As expected of the final boss of an Incomprehensible-grade dungeon.’

His breath caught in his throat. Even though he had only stolen a portion of the Abyss energy, it felt as though his will were being broken. However, Ha-kyung steadied his mind. He had something to protect him in such a moment.

[Cloak of Command Activated]
[You are immune to pain.]

Ssssss!

The feeling of his heart being constricted vanished. Ha-kyung was able to handle the Abyss energy with relative ease. Soon, a grayish blade grew from his karambit.

Vzzzzzt!

Soul-Sever was deployed along with a strange vibration. Normally, it should have stopped at five meters. However, this time, the length increased by about one point five times. Furthermore, the blade became incredibly wide.

It was the result of a vast amount of Abyss energy being concentrated. Ha-kyung swung his karambit in that state.

“Cha-aaaat!”

Soul-Sever struck home along with his shout. It was a truly simple and brutal strike. In truth, it was the best Ha-kyung could do, as he could not handle the sword properly due to the massive amount of Abyss energy. Still, it was a sufficient blow against the Fusion Tyrant.

Then, an amazing thing happened.

Crunch! BOOM!

All four Energy Circulation Cores were brought down at once. Furthermore, the Fusion Tyrant’s torso was sliced in half. Ma Do-hyuk, who had been watching the scene, could not close his mouth.

“Actually... maybe that guy is just the dungeon boss himself?”