I ran without looking back, plunging deeper and deeper into the forest. The cries of the tribe faded behind me.
Finally, out of breath, I stopped. I found the entrance to a cave, a dark crack in the rock. It was a good place to hide and gather my thoughts. I slipped inside.
Meanwhile, in the clearing, Yoo-Na was getting what she wanted. The tribe's chief, grateful for having been "saved" by her, gave her information about a "wound in the earth" that was driving the animals mad. The rift.
Satisfied, she left in the direction he had pointed, alone, leaving me for dead. She was going to close the rift herself and take all the credit.
On my end, I was exploring the cave. It wasn't just a cave. It was the entrance to a dungeon. The walls were too smooth, the corridors too regular to be natural.
After walking for a while, I arrived in a large cavern. Old torches, long extinguished, were fixed to the walls. And the walls themselves were covered in carvings.
The drawings were primitive, but clear. They showed humans, kneeling, worshipping a creature. A tall, thin, humanoid being with fish-like features: gills on its neck, huge, lidless eyes, and webbed hands. One of the "Creators." One of the parasites from the Abyss the director had spoken of.
I was looking at these writings, fascinated and disgusted, when a series of notifications exploded before my eyes in a golden light.
[System performance analysis in progress...]
[Detection of multiple feats exceeding current rank parameters.]
[Survival in extreme combat situation. Absorption of Aura concepts. Transgression of the code of conduct. Combat performance against higher-ranked targets.]
[Rank recalibration required.]
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
[Name: Kang Ji-Hoon]
[Rank: F -> C]
[HP: Slight increase]
[Aura: Slight increase]
[Stamina: Slight increase]
[Skill: Dagger Summoning (Rank F) -> Void Dagger (Rank D)]
['Absorption' ability improved: Skill copying now lasts longer and can reach Rank E.]
I felt a new strength flow through my body. Not a dark explosion like in the Pit. A stable, solid increase.
I had gone from F to C in one go.
A cold smile appeared on my face.
Yoo-Na thought she had abandoned me. She had only given me time to become stronger.
The new strength flowing through me rekindled my hunger. I hadn't eaten anything since morning, and the run through the forest had exhausted me.
I continued walking through the dungeon. The corridor widened and opened into another, even larger cavern. And this one was completely different.
It wasn't a dark cave. It was an underground oasis.
A soft, bluish light emanated from crystals on the ceiling, illuminating an incredible sight. There was lush vegetation, plants I had never seen before, and in the center, a lake with water so clear you could see the sandy bottom.
Silver fish swam lazily in it.
It was surreal. After the danger of the tribe and the tension of the escape, this place was a paradise.
The water looked so inviting. I was covered in sweat and grime. Without thinking, I took off the clothes Mrs. Lee had given me and placed them on a rock.
I stepped into the water. It was cool, perfect. I swam for a bit, washing the dirt and fatigue from my body. Then, I let myself float on my back, eyes closed, enjoying this unexpected moment of calm.
I was relaxing when I felt something soft and plush press against my back. It was an incredibly pleasant sensation. I thought it might be a large aquatic plant.
Then, a feminine voice, soft and melodious like the sound of water, whispered right next to my ear.
"Hello, stranger."
I jumped and turned around in a flash.
The woman floating in front of me was not human. From the waist down, her body was that of a long, silver fish. She was a mermaid.
She had long blue hair that floated in the water, huge, curious eyes, and a charming smile.
And her chest was completely bare.
I turned as red as a tomato, looking away, my heart pounding. Her assets were... very convincing. And she was looking at me with amused innocence, seemingly not understanding my embarrassment.
"Oh, don't be shy," she said, laughing, her laugh making little bubbles in the water. "We don't often see people from the surface down here. Especially not one who smells of blood and hatred like you."
She swam around me, curious, her long fishtail creating gentle ripples.
"What are you?" I asked, trying not to look where I shouldn't.
"My name is Lyra. I am the guardian of this spring. And you? You don't seem like a normal dungeon raider."
"My name is Ji-Hoon. And I'm just... lost."
Lyra tilted her head. "No one arrives here by chance, Ji-Hoon. This spring is connected to the 'wound' you are looking for. The rift."
My expression must have changed, because she smiled.
"Yes, I know why you're here. You, and the other one. The ice girl. She's approaching the rift, by the way. She is powerful, but she is foolish. She doesn't know what's waiting for her."
"What's waiting for her?" I asked, suddenly interested.
"The rift isn't just a portal. It's a nest," Lyra explained. "And the monster guarding it is much stronger than a simple B-rank. It's an Abyss Guardian. The ice girl is going to get herself killed."
She paused, staring at me with her large eyes.
"But you... you are different. Your dagger... it has the same smell as the Abyss, but at the same time, it's its opposite. It's strange."
She came closer, her face just inches from mine.
"If you want to survive, and maybe even save the foolish girl, you're going to need a little help. And I happen to like strange things."
"Save the ice girl?" I let out a cold laugh. "I couldn't care less. She can die for all I care, it would suit me just fine."
I looked at Lyra with a small smirk. "I'd rather have a good time with you than worry about her fate."
Lyra seemed surprised, then she laughed, amused by my boldness. "You're direct, I like that. But even if you don't care about her, you'll still have to face the guardian if you want to close the rift and finish your mission. And for that, you need my help."
She swam back a little, looking at me with a playful expression.
"So, let's make a deal. I need you to do a small task for me."
"What is it?"
"Your dagger," she said, her eyes fixed on my empty hand. "I want to hold it. Just for a moment. I want to feel its energy up close. Give it to me."
I frowned. My dagger was my only weapon, my only defense.
Lyra saw my hesitation. Her smile became more flirtatious.
"As a reward..." she said, leaning forward, showing off her generous chest. "...I'll let you touch this. You've been wanting to since you got here, haven't you?"
My cheeks turned red again. It was an... unexpected offer.
I thought for a second. Giving her my dagger, even for a moment, was a risk. But the idea of the reward was very tempting.
A mischievous smile appeared on my face.
"No," I said. "We'll do it another way."
She raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"First, I touch. Then, I give you the dagger."
Lyra seemed surprised by my counter-proposal, then a wide smile spread across her lips. "You're a little devil, you are. Alright. Deal."
She swam towards me, straightened up in the water, and adjusted her chest, pushing it forward slightly in an incredibly exciting way. "Go on. Enjoy."
My heart was pounding. I reached out a trembling hand and touched.
It was even softer and plusher than I had imagined.
A small moan escaped Lyra's lips. Her eyes closed for a moment. "Ah... that's... that's sensitive."
It was clearly one of her erogenous zones. I continued to touch her gently. The sensation was unreal. It was like plunging my hands into the softest, warmest ocean in the world. I could have stayed like that for hours.
"Enough," she finally whispered, a little breathless. "Your reward. The dagger. Now."
With regret, I pulled my hand away. I summoned my dagger, black and menacing, contrasting with the beauty of the oasis.
I handed it to her.
She took it, looking at it with fascination.
Then, she burst out laughing. A loud, triumphant laugh, completely different from her charming laugh from before.
"Idiot," she said, her eyes shining with a malicious glint. "You really fell for it. All surface men are the same. Completely stupid."
Before I could understand what was happening, she opened her mouth. Much wider than normal.
And she swallowed my dagger.
The dagger disappeared down her throat. She had absorbed it.
I stood there, in the water, completely stunned. My weapon. My only defense. Had just disappeared.