Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 

Ha-kyung leaped toward the central island.

Thud!

As he landed, a heavy tension filled the air. The Venom Drake’s eyes glowed with a ferocious light. A wounded beast was always more dangerous, but Ha-kyung continued the raid with bold determination.

'I cannot give it time to recover.'

As he approached, the Venom Drake immediately opened its maw. A spray of green liquid followed.

Sizzle!

It was an acidic mucus attack designed to limit his footing. However, Ha-kyung did not care. He activated Wall-Walking Steps and ran up a nearby stalactite. From there, he began swinging his sword toward the ceiling.

Rumble! Boom!

Massive stalactites began to fall directly onto the Venom Drake’s head. It was a stunningly effective indirect attack. The Black Water Awakened, watching from a distance, muttered in disbelief.

"He is running on the ceiling like it is flat ground. What kind of ability is that……?"

"This is no time to be amazed. We have to support him quickly."

"But we have not received an order yet?"

"Ah, that is true."

While they hesitated, Ha-kyung’s voice came through the Whisperer.

―What are you doing? Just attack. It is impossible to manage the aggro anyway.

Normally, ranged dealers had to time their attacks carefully to avoid hitting their allies. However, there were only two of them left, as the remaining two were healers. They hurriedly began firing arrows and mana guns.

Strange as it was, no matter how much they attacked, the aggro did not shift.

"Wait? Is it supposed to be like this?"

"I know. It should have shifted by now."

However, the scenario the Black Water members feared did not occur. The Venom Drake’s gaze remained fixed solely on Ha-kyung.

'It must recognize me as the most dangerous enemy.'

It seemed that without a tank present, the creature was capable of rational thought. Ha-kyung sliced through the final stalactite and immediately deactivated Wall-Walking Steps.

A jagged mass of rock fell with a thunderous roar.

Crash!

The moment Venom Drake was struck by the falling stone, Ha-kyung suddenly appeared from an unexpected angle and unleashed a barrage of attacks. He had hidden himself by falling alongside the stalactites. It was an incredible display of combat intuition.

The Venom Drake took a sudden blow. The scales around its neck shattered all at once, creating a brief opening. Ha-kyung prepared to thrust his sword into the gap one more time.

It was then.

[Unstoppable waves of Abyss energy detected.]

The Venom Drake’s ultimate skill, Poison Snipe, was deployed without warning. A massive amount of Abyss energy burst forth instantly.

Flash!

"Ugh!"

Ha-kyung twisted his upper body, but a groan escaped his lips. A mass of dark energy had grazed his arm and flank. If he had taken a direct hit, he probably would not have even had bones left to bury.

Clang!

However, his Reactive Magic Armor did its job.

[Reactive Magic Armor activated.]

[Converting impact into mana.]

Ha-kyung’s sword was immediately engulfed in dark red flames.

Whoosh!

The mana amplification from the Reactive Magic Armor had been added to his Abyss Refinement. He lunged forward, thrusting his sword into the Venom Drake’s open maw.

"Hah!"

Stab! Gurgle!

The strike landed perfectly on the roof of its mouth. A thrilling sensation traveled up his arm. Ha-kyung pulled his sword out with all his might.

Splat!

He moved immediately, anticipating a potential counterattack. Blue blood poured out in a torrent, and Venom Drake’s massive head finally hit the ground.

THUD!

The creature lay motionless, its eyes rolled back.

[You have defeated the dungeon boss, Venom Drake.]

[The ‘Miasma-Stained Karambit’ is granted as a reward.]

A heart-pounding system message appeared.

'It is done!'

Ha-kyung celebrated inwardly. This was an Unknown-grade dungeon. Normally, it required a proper raid team of at least thirty people. Yet, he had succeeded in the raid with only a handful of survivors. It was a monumental achievement. A rush of euphoria seemed to race through his veins.

However, Ha-kyung quickly snapped back to his senses. He looked toward the spot the Venom Drake had been guarding.

'This is no time for this. I have to find the Ultimate Abyss Fragment first.'

He needed to distract the others. Ha-kyung activated the Whisperer.

"Start gathering the loot. I will look around the area. There might be survivors."

―Ah, yes. Understood.

As the Black Water Awakened moved toward the central island, Ha-kyung headed toward the location he had spotted earlier. Searching for survivors was, of course, a mere excuse. He was simply moving where the Soul Brand led him.

He glanced back and saw that everyone was busy gathering materials. Relieved, Ha-kyung moved forward.

'Is it here?'

He arrived at a deep spot within the boss's nest. To the naked eye, it was just a sunken pit. However, Ha-kyung realized that a massive treasure was hidden here. A thrill ran through his whole body. He immediately began digging at the spot indicated by the Soul Brand.

Thud! Thud!

His shovel moved rapidly, unearthing miasma-tainted soil and rocks. Finally, Ha-kyung pulled out a dark, murky crystal.

'The size is small. In that case……'

Could it be a piece of the Ultimate Abyss Key? With a look of anticipation, he cracked the crystal open.

Crack! Ping!

In an instant, a brilliant beam of light burst forth.

[You have opened an Ultimate Abyss Fragment.]

[The Abyss Ruler’s Authority ‘Distortion’ is internalized as a skill.]

[A massive amount of Abyss energy is transferred.]

Sizzle!

"Argh!"

Ha-kyung groaned. An immense power surged through his entire body. It felt as if balls of fire were racing through his veins.

The pain did not last long. Soon, he opened his eyes.

"Whew……."

White smoke billowed out with his long sigh. He realized he had reached a state several levels higher than before. Even with his mana efficiency reduced by the miasma, he felt a power so great that the debuff seemed insignificant. The vast amount of energy flowed elegantly within him.

Ha-kyung was internally shocked.

'This makes no sense. I feel several times stronger.'

A thrill different from the Soul Brand spread through his body. His heart pounded wildly. He could not help but feel euphoric because the Abyss Ruler’s 'Distortion' was a truly vicious technique.

It could send projectiles to completely different locations, making it a nightmare for ranged dealers. Imagine your own attack killing your comrade. There was nothing more horrific.

Recalling that time, Ha-kyung shuddered.

'At any rate, I have taken another step forward.'

He immediately called up his status information.

<Awakened Information>

Name: Lee Ha-kyung

Refinement Grade: Level 1

Skills: Wall-Walking Steps (A), Soul-Sever (S), Abyss Refinement (S), Soul Brand (EX), Distortion (Authority)

Artifacts: Reactive Magic Armor, Ultimate Abyss Key (1/3)

The Abyss Ruler’s Distortion Authority was now clearly listed in Ha-kyung’s information. This was highly significant. It was as if he were threatening his enemy with the enemy's own weapon.

Ha-kyung grit his teeth against the overwhelming emotion. Just then, the Whisperer vibrated.

―We have gathered all the loot. Uh…… where are you?

It was a transmission from the Black Water Awakened. He seemed to hesitate, not knowing what to call Ha-kyung. Ha-kyung quickly stood up and scanned his surroundings.

'There is no trace left.'

He had looked around briefly, but he was certain. His senses had become razor-sharp thanks to the Soul Brand. Ha-kyung immediately activated the Whisperer.

"There do not seem to be any survivors. I am returning."

―Yes.

When he returned to the central island, he witnessed a somewhat absurd scene. The Venom Drake had vanished without a trace. While some remains were left, they appeared to be useless parts. Ha-kyung clicked his tongue inwardly.

'Their butchering skills are incredible.'

Now that he looked, everyone was carrying large backpacks. They were spatial expansion bags. Being from a top four guild, the quality of their artifacts seemed excellent.

Ha-kyung took the lead in finding the way out. The Black Water Awakened naturally followed behind him. Soon, one of them approached his side and spoke.

"I have not introduced myself yet. I am Seo Jun-hyuk."

"I am Lee Ha-kyung."

"Your skills were truly amazing."

"I was able to catch it easily because you provided care at the right moments."

"Haha! That is just what a healer does. It was not that great of a feat. You were much more impressive, Ha-kyung."

"You flatter me."

"By the way, were you not a rising star once?"

"……No."

The answer was slightly delayed. It was a past he did not particularly want to reveal. The Axis Prime Guild had already vanished into history, and the rising star Lee Ha-kyung was dead. Now, he was merely a ghost roaming around in search of the Ultimate Abyss.

He immediately understood Seo Jun-hyuk’s intention.

'He is probably asking because he is a rising star of Black Water himself.'

It was likely an attempt to find common ground, since they were around the same age. The conversation seemed to end with Ha-kyung’s words. However, Seo Jun-hyuk did not seem to have any intention of stopping.

"The boss reward is the Miasma-Stained Karambit. Since it is a dagger-type weapon, you should be able to get the right of first refusal."

"I am lucky then."

Ha-kyung nodded. On one hand, he wondered why the man was being so friendly. But he soon understood. Seo Jun-hyuk’s eyes were sparkling way too much. He looked like a fan meeting a superstar.

Ha-kyung shook his head instinctively.

'This is a bit burdensome.'

***

After escaping the Abyss of Collapse, Ha-kyung passed through the Abyss Gate. Following the cleaning and exit procedures, he headed straight for the Black Water Guild headquarters. He was there to negotiate the purchase of the artifact.

By the time he arrived at the headquarters, Yoon Chang-ho happened to appear.

"I heard the news. I was told you continued the raid even after we were expelled?"

"Yes."

"You did well. Let us go inside and talk for now."

Yoon Chang-ho remained polite throughout. Ha-kyung was led to a clean, formal reception room. As soon as he sat down, drinks and light snacks were placed before him.

'The treatment is good.'

It had to be. Ha-kyung was the one who had carried a failing raid to success. The issue was not just the right of first refusal; they were in a position where they might have to hand over the ownership itself.

Soon, Yoon Chang-ho spoke with a heavy voice.

"As you know, moving a raid team consumes quite a lot of resources."

A dungeon raid was not accomplished just by gathering Awakened. There were potions, various supplies, repair costs for damaged artifacts, and even labor costs for guest members. Operating a raid team came at a high price. Ha-kyung understood this well enough.

"Yes, that is inevitable."

"How about we reach a compromise at a reasonable level?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"I will give you the right of first refusal, but the price will be half of the market value. Is that acceptable?"

To be honest, it was not a bad deal. However, Ha-kyung was cautious.

"Let me see the item first."

"Ah, of course. That comes first."

Yoon Chang-ho placed a hook-shaped knife on the table. The Miasma-Stained Karambit. Befitting an Unknown-grade artifact, it gave off an unusual aura. After examining the blade for a moment, Ha-kyung nodded.

"I will buy it."

"This is a bit of a shame for us."

"It is an Unknown-grade artifact. I cannot miss an opportunity like this."

"Whew! I understand. Please deposit the payment here."

"I will."

Ha-kyung picked up the Miasma-Stained Karambit. It felt good in his hand and seemed quite useful. He stowed the Karambit on his belt. Soon, Yoon Chang-ho spoke with a meaningful smile.

"Lee Ha-kyung."

"Yes."

"Do you have any interest in joining our guild? I will give you the best treatment in the industry."

"……."

Normally, it would have been a very tempting offer. Black Water was one of the top four guilds in Korea. Various forms of support would surely follow, and dungeon raids would be easier to access.

However, Ha-kyung’s goal was to find the Ultimate Abyss. Joining a guild would only place restrictions on his actions. He shook his head.

"I am sorry. I have a path I must follow on my own."

"I roughly expected that after seeing you travel alone. So, do not worry too much about it."

"Thank you."

"Instead, how about this? Participate in our next raid as a guest member, just like you did this time."

Ha-kyung was about to refuse again, as he still felt the intent to recruit him. However, he stopped at Yoon Chang-ho’s next sentence.

"We have found another Unknown-grade dungeon."