Chapter 13
Morning came to the Abyss too. Though instead of the sun, the blood-red moon simply shone a bit brighter, the body's rhythms didn't lie.
"Ughhh... my back."
Korea’s Rank 2 hunter, the Destroyer King Ma Dongtak, rose like a zombie and stretched.
He picked up the broom made by tying hair to a skeleton's spine bone—familiar as ever—and started sweeping the hospital courtyard.
It was to clean up the beast entrails and stones left behind as thank-you gifts by the magical beasts who'd come for treatment yesterday.
"Hyungnim Lee Shinwoo! Get up! Time to fetch water!"
"Mmm... five more minutes..."
Korea’s No. 1 hunter, Lee Shinwoo, pulled a mammoth-hide blanket over his head.
Seo Jihu was already up, squeezing out mana in the corner to make ice. Essential work for drinking water and powering the fridge.
An unimaginable sight back on Earth. The world's S-rank hunters turned janitors, water boys, and ice makers. This was the Arcana Animal Medical Center - Abyss Branch.
And on the hospital's second floor, in the director's office doubling as a VIP ward, Jinhyeok sat by the bed, seriously filling out a chart.
Yoo Isu lay on the bed. After a few days of hot meals and solid sleep, some color had returned to her face, but her condition was still a ticking time bomb.
"Awake?"
Jinhyeok adjusted his glasses and asked.
"Yeah..."
Yoo Isu weakly opened her eyes. She tried to sit up but clutched her chest and groaned.
"Ugh..."
"Don't move. Your heart rate spikes, those things'll go wild again."
Jinhyeok laid her back down. His gaze drifted to her chest, to the gap where her armor had shattered.
The skin near her heart had turned transparent, and inside, pitch-black veins writhed. Not ordinary veins. They were the Chains of Binding, linked straight to the Abyss floor.
"Precise exam today. Brace yourself."
"Exam? What kind here? No MRI."
"I'm the MRI."
Jinhyeok stood, drew the curtains, and yelled out the door.
"Lee Shinwoo! Ma Dongtak! Seo Jihu! Everyone upstairs! Set up the OR!"
Moments later, the three hunters plus mini-sized Balakas—all the hospital's manpower—gathered in the ward.
"Director, the vibe's off?"
Lee Shinwoo asked tensely.
"We're doing a precise diagnosis on Patient Yoo Isu. Not just a checkup—we're ripping open her mana circuits."
Jinhyeok solemnly donned his gown. He sprinkled mana stone powder around her bed, drawing a magic circle.
"Seo Jihu-ssi, maintain body temp. Even one degree drop means shock."
"Got it. Warm Temperature."
"Ma Dongtak-ssi, grip the bed tight. She might seize mid-exam."
"No worries. Won't budge an inch."
"Lee Shinwoo-ssi, space barrier up. No external poison gets in."
"Roger. Absolute Barrier."
Perfect setup. Jinhyeok took a deep breath and placed his hand on her chest.
"Gonna hurt. Bear it."
"...Okay."
Yoo Isu gripped his hand tight. Jinhyeok's eyes glowed blue. Not just an A-rank skill. An evolved S-rank—or beyond—absolute insight.
Eyes of God - Deep Analysis Mode
Whumm—.
The world flipped in Jinhyeok's vision. Skin, muscle, bone turned transparent, revealing only mana flows and life's essence.
"...What the actual fuck."
A curse slipped from Jinhyeok's lips. He'd suspected, but reality was way worse.
Yoo Isu's heart was no longer human.
Transmuted into black crystal, thousands of dark roots extended from it, fused to her entire nervous system.
And those roots pierced the ground, linking thousands of meters down to the Abyss Core.
Like an IV line, the core sucked her life force—and pumped in Abyss mana.
She wasn't human anymore. She was a living cork plugging a massive dam.
"You see it?"
Jinhyeok asked the hunters.
"No... nothing to our eyes..."
"Balakas, you?"
[...I see. That woman's the land itself now. Rip her out, she dies.]
The dragon sent grave telepathy.
Cold sweat beaded on Jinhyeok. Force the link? Her heart stops.
Leave it? She fully assimilates into a monster. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
"Urk... aaagh!"
Deeper scan triggered rejection from the Abyss Core. Her body arched like a bow. Black veins wormed up her skin like earthworms.
"Hold her! Ma Dongtak!"
"Grr! Strong as hell! This human strength?!"
Even S-rank Ma Dongtak was pushed back. Beastly growls poured from Yoo Isu's mouth.
"Grrr... get out..."
The Abyss's will. Jinhyeok didn't retreat—poured in more mana.
"Who gave you permission to squat in my wife's body? Payin' rent?!"
Absolute Medical Authority
Golden aura from Jinhyeok's hand crushed the black roots.
Like a doctor restraining a patient, the rampaging Abyss energy was forcibly calmed.
Yoo Isu slumped, gasping raggedly.
"Haa... haa..."
Jinhyeok pulled his hand away, staggering. Mental drain was massive. But diagnosis complete.
"Results are in."
Jinhyeok wiped sweat and stood before the blackboard (bone plank with charcoal).
"Diagnosis: Abyss Assimilation Syndrome, terminal stage."
He sketched on the board. Her heart linked to the underground core.
"Team Leader Yoo's heart is synced with the Abyss Core. Simply put, she's the key and lock sealing the Abyss gate."
"So... can't go back to Earth?"
Lee Shinwoo asked gloomily.
"Go now? Gate opens, Earth ends. Link snaps, she drops dead. Like cutting an umbilical cord."
Heavy silence. Even S-ranks fell quiet. Foes you could fight? Charge in. But this was structural—life itself.
Yoo Isu turned to the window. Resigned eyes.
"Told you to go... no way."
"Who said no?"
Jinhyeok smacked the board sharply. All eyes on him.
"There's a way. A damn solid one."
"What? What is it?"
"Swap the lock."
Jinhyeok grinned.
"Your heart's the lock pinning it, so you can't move. Plug in a tougher, stronger replacement. Something to hold the core instead of your heart."
"Replacement? What energy pins the Abyss Core? Truckloads of S-rank mana stones wouldn't cut it."
"Mana stones? Nah."
Jinhyeok unrolled a map.
Not from Earth—a crude hide map hyenas fetched yesterday.
Demon world entire. Jinhyeok circled four spots red.
East, west, south, north. Massive domains.
"To replace the Abyss Core, need equivalent authority. Like... Demon King essence."
"De... Demon King?"
Hunters recoiled.
"Yeah. Local bosses."
Jinhyeok pointed like a conductor.
"North: Plague King."
"West: Madness King."
"South: Gluttony King."
"East: Illusion King."
"Rip out their hearts—or mana cores—fuse 'em... make an Artificial Abyss Core. Implant that instead. You're free."
Insane. Demon Kings weren't for one S-rank. Disaster monsters, god-like regional rulers.
Four? Harvest hearts?
"Director... that's a suicide mission?"
Seo Jihu asked, pale.
"Who said fight?"
Jinhyeok looked baffled.
"We're medical staff."
"Huh?"
"Treat 'em, collect fees. They don't get sick? Bigger they are, more chronic crap."
Jinhyeok's eyes sparkled.
"Plague King? Skin issues, hygiene for sure. Gluttony? Obese diabetic. Madness? Anger disorder. Illusion? Mental case."
"......"
Hunters speechless. Treating demon lords as hospital patients? Only Kang Jinhyeok in the universe.
"Perfect timing too. East heard rumors, customer's coming."
Jinhyeok pointed out the window. Far wasteland haze, someone approached. Orderly steps. Faint mana.
"Illusion King's forces. Let's greet."
Hospital front yard. Jinhyeok and guards lined up.
Haze cleared: 50 cavalry.
Not horses. Black-skinned elves on twin-headed panthers.
Dark Elves.
Lead: armored female warrior.
Illusion King Legion 3rd Commander, Kaila. She haughtily glared down from her panther.
"You? Pathetic human nesting here without leave?"
Killing intent sharp. Ma Dongtak raised shield, but Jinhyeok blocked.
"Welcome. Reservation?"
Jinhyeok business-smiled.
"Reservation? Ha! Arrogant. I'm proxy for great Illusion King. This his territory. Penalty for unauthorized building, bewitching beasts: death!"
Kaila raised whip. Combat imminent.
Jinhyeok unflinching. Sniffed, frowned.
"Hey, Commander."
"Die!"
"Itches, right?"
"...What?"
Whip halted mid-air.
"Groin, armpits, nape. Drives you mad? Scratching all night, bleeding."
Kaila's eyes shook.
How'd he know?
Dark elf chronic shame.
Abyss-Type Athlete's Foot & Fungal Dermatitis from humid poison.
Wash all you want, no cure. Magic meds? Temporary. Endless curse.
"See you fighting not to scratch for pride. Sweat makes it worse, huh?"
"Sh-shut up! What do you know!"
Kaila's face flushed. Bullseye.
"Doctor. I know."
Jinhyeok pulled a small tube.
Earth steroid ointment mixed with hyena Abyss herbs. Custom cream.
"Try once. Instant heaven."
"Ridiculous! Human poison!"
"Test it. Free sample."
Jinhyeok tossed tube. Kaila caught reflexively.
Toss? But armpit burned now.
'Just once...'
Glove off, dabbed rash on inner wrist. Three seconds later.
"...Ah!"
Ecstasy from Kaila. Burning gone, cool relief spread. Century torment? Vanished.
"Th-this... impossible..."
She rubbed wrist. Smooth. Redness faded. Magic? No, beyond magic. Miracle.
Looked at Jinhyeok. No invader. Savior.
"M-more... ointment?"
Voice trembled.
Jinhyeok grinned.
"Plenty. Tons. But we don't do free."
Pretended calculator taps.
"Not just you—subordinates scratching too? Group clinic welcome. Pay in goods. Oh, and."
Jinhyeok's eyes sharpened.
"After treatment, refer your king. He hurts somewhere too."
Demon world conquest—no, Abyss medical monopoly—first button fastened.
One ointment, commander knelt. No force.
This: Kang Jinhyeok dungeon strat.
Give meds, take loot (not illness). The start.