Clash with the Ability Devourer
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Rookie: Baek Jaesung 46
Suddenly, the Utuview server went down. With that many viewers piled on, even a massive corporation couldn't handle it. Hoseok and Minyoung let out heavy sighs.
"I want to check the situation..."
Minyoung muttered softly, and Hoseok wagged his finger.
"We have one of our researchers in the dungeon. I'll have them send live footage via video call."
Enemies that possess both terrifyingly immense power and agility that's hard to track with the naked eye aren't all that common. The monster T-Rex we just took down was relatively easy to handle because its massive bulk came with sluggish movements befitting its size.
If I had to name one such opponent around me, it'd probably be Master Kim Minyoung. Expanding to other worlds, Danyuha and Cheonhwa fall into that category too.
And this bastard right in front of me.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
My bones hummed and rattled. Each attack felt like it could make me cough up blood. It was like facing a natural disaster—a raging storm.
For this thing to be dead serious about killing me... My blood boiled in reverse. Adrenaline surged through me like I'd been injected with a massive dose.
The opponent, exuding blatant final-boss energy that didn't match its bizarre outfit, exchanged fists and kicks with me without retreating an inch. If anything, every time our fists collided, I was the one getting pushed back ever so slightly.
The only reason I was holding my own was thanks to Light Control. This guy's weakness seemed to be the light attribute. You could tell easily from this space overflowing with darkness.
(Light's power. Annoying as ever. Makes me want it even more. I'll devour you and become complete.)
"What a load of bullshit!"
The bastard was utterly relaxed. I was going all out, matching its pace, but it showed no signs of strain whatsoever.
Each attack left me gasping for air. There was a clear gap between me and this thing. Right now, I was barely bridging that gap with my light-attribute abilities.
Whoosh!
A Water Arrow shot toward the bastard. From the opposite side, Rina's chains blocked its escape. I wasn't alone. I had solid comrades backing me up.
(You think these pathetic attacks will work? Primitive natives and their delusions.)
But Sujin's and Rina's combo was sealed with a single gesture from the bastard. Purple orbs formed around it, sucking in Sujin's Water Arrow and Rina's chains. It was unmistakably the exact same power as Shim Chunsik's Gravity Control.
"You fucker. Don't tell me you've absorbed abilities from other dungeon hunters who fell here?"
(You'll make fine nourishment for me too.)
The bastard didn't deny it. Shocking words. Absorbing abilities? Was that even physically possible?
Well, in a dungeon, that line of thinking doesn't mean much.
There were surreal things like the Unix Cube, so ability absorption wasn't out of the question. Hell, my own Unix Cube could even create abilities.
What mattered to me now wasn't how its powers worked—it was what kinds of powers it had.
If it has Dobyeongseok's ability too...
Before my thought could fully form, the bastard spread its arms wide. The biggest opening it had shown so far.
I charged instinctively. The holy light enveloping my hands morphed into a single magnificent sword.
Light Saber! Time Acceleration!
As I shaped the sword of light, I accelerated time. In one breath, the distance shrank by over 10 meters.
I vividly felt the sweat beading on my forehead trickle down my cheek as I moved beyond my limits. The gap between me and the bastard closed in an instant—a mere blink.
Strength automatically surged into my hands gripping the sword. Light was clearly its counter. This guy screamed darkness attribute. My Light Saber slash would deal serious damage for sure.
The light sword illuminating the pitch-black space swung toward its torso. The speed was so swift and crisp, even I felt refreshed watching it.
The blade's trajectory was flawless, and I was well within striking range. One clean cut!
But the light sword was blocked by a flower blooming in midair. I realized instantly it was Dobyeongseok's ability.
It wasn't just one flower. Dozens of grotesque, man-eating plant-like blooms erupted in the inky darkness, baring greedy fangs.
Flowers with teeth? Like those from some run-and-gun game. Made me want to blast them with a flamethrower.
(Annoying small fry first.)
The bastard raised one hand high. Not to draw attention, but the prelude to some technique. The writhing mana in its grasp confirmed it.
Vrrrrm!
Suddenly, my head throbbed like it was splitting open. An intangible wave from its hand felt like it was turning my brain to mush. Every evil emotion in the world swirled in my mind. Anyone with weak willpower would've offed themselves on the spot.
I squeezed my eyes shut despite myself.
(Abandoning your vision on the battlefield? Foolish.)
Boom!
Pain flipped my guts inside out as my body flew backward. If I hadn't instinctively raised my left arm to block, my ribs would've been pulp. I tumbled through the air for a good while before crashing into the ground.
"That's it! Mental attack! ESP-type ability!?"
Yeonji said with a pained expression. The attack hadn't targeted just me—it spread to everyone in this space. The other party members all looked dazed too.
At least I recovered quickly. Thanks to Mental Resistance.
Mental Resistance 4Lv (A-rank)
↳ Grants 40% resistance to status ailments.
"Watch out!"
I shouted as a man-eating flower hurtled toward Yeonji with ferocious momentum. It stretched its stem like a spring, trying to swallow her whole. The sight of it baring its greedy teeth at her was utterly grotesque. Even Yeonji couldn't avoid injury if it chomped her.
"Tch! You think that'll work!?"
Yeonji barely leaped away, dodging the man-eating flower's attack. A razor-thin evasion.
"Dispel Bless!"
Suddenly, blue energy enveloped my body. Not just me—everyone in the room was wrapped in a clear, ocean-like azure glow.
It melted into us, restoring my dizzy head and numb sensations to normal. The user was Kim Seonuk. Come to think of it, that bastard was a healer too.
Finally pulling his weight.
Silver lining in the misfortune. But we still had mountains to climb.
"Kieeeek!"
Dozens of man-eating flowers surrounded us from all sides. The boss bastard watched us leisurely, arms crossed. These were its creations. It wielded the ability better than Dobyeongseok ever did.
(Still think you have hope?)
The bastard mocked us with its bullshit.
"Damn right we do. The hopeless one here's you, fucker."
(So full of bravado. Well, with that much power, maybe it's courage?)
"Fuck, I hate bastards who talk during a fight the most!"
Ignoring its words, I ramped my focus to the max. The Light Saber's glow sharpened even brighter.
(I'll humor your last words.)
The bastard appeared before my eyes again. That's when I realized it had spatial teleportation abilities too. A headache-inducing array of powers.
(Slow.)
My light sword kept slicing empty air. It wasn't that I was slow—the bastard was getting faster.
It definitely had acceleration abilities. It was matching my Time Acceleration. Each time its sharp attacks were blocked by speed, my mind reeled.
The other party members were battling the man-eating flowers. If I couldn't keep this thing marked, our party would be wiped in seconds. The weight of responsibility in my swinging sword was immense.
Purple orbs formed around the bastard. Gravity orbs from Gravity Control. Five of them.
I countered with five Holy Missiles. Its orbs launched at me, and I fired mine back. Our attacks collided midair, exploding with a deafening roar.
BOOM!
Amid the blast, a massive rainbow-colored flower bloomed behind the bastard. It was as grandiose as a centuries-old ancient tree—dozens of times larger than the one Dobyeongseok summoned.
Whoosh!
The flower gaped its maw and spat a fireball. Its heat rivaled the T-Rex's breath, and the fireball's diameter easily exceeded a meter.
"Water Wall!"
Sujin, locked in combat with the man-eating flowers, spotted me and erected a water barrier.
Nice assist.
Sizzle!
The flaming projectile vaporized the high-pressure water wall rising from the floor entirely. Terrifying heat.
But its weakened state gave me an opening. I launched myself at the rainbow flower. Better to eliminate summons early.
A purple orb hurtled toward me as I charged. The rainbow flower caught my movement, thrusting countless roots from the ground to surround me. Just like Rina's ability.
Purple gravity orbs on the flanks, dozens of plant roots ahead. Felt like a porn star being chased by hundreds of extras.
Not that I'd ever film porn as a woman. I predicted the trajectories of the incoming attacks in my head and unleashed my power.
Time Acceleration!
The answer was speed. I pushed my body to the limit. Move before the attacks hit—the basic rule of evasion.
Not enough!
But the barrage pouring like bullet-hell patterns left no gaps. To make matters worse, the boss bastard was flying at me too. No teleport—probably on cooldown.
Just a bit faster!
Just as my heart felt ready to burst from overexertion, blue energy appeared again. It filled my missing 2%. The surging wave absorbed into me, and my internal speedometer shattered its gauge, breaking limits.
"Seonuk! Nice assist!"
Kim Seonuk's Aqua Bless was a healing and buff skill. His power granted me even greater speed. I dodged every attack by a hair's breadth and reached the rainbow flower.
Speed is power. Becoming a point of light, I channeled my momentum into the blade's edge. Then I spun counterclockwise.
True Full Moon Slash!
The spinning light sword traced a brilliant arc like a sparkler, cleaving the air. Empowered by the Light Saber's cutting and the Full Moon Slash's physical penetration, the rainbow flower's massive stem was shredded miserably.
"Kieeeek!"
The rainbow flower bellowed in agony, its petals flapping as it collapsed. Severed, the massive petals withered instantly, losing their beauty. As if its time had accelerated hundreds of times over.
(Quite the mana investment, and you take it down...)
The boss turned its gaze to me and spoke.
"Can't use that shitty teleport anymore?"
(I can. Like this.)
Its body vanished. I raised my sword. But it didn't reappear before me—it was in front of Kim Seonuk.
(Thought you were small fry, but you're a nuisance. Gotta handle this first.)
Targeting the healer—a classic big-monster hunt tactic. It thrust its hand at Kim Seonuk with blinding speed. The power in that hand could punch through a human gut like butter.
Splat!