Devouring Abaddon
“Keeek!”
Countless eggs poured from Abaddon’s stiffened tentacles like rain.
“Fuckin’ hell.”
I hadn’t planned on taking it on alone. But now that things had come to this, I had no choice. I couldn’t leave the dungeon without killing the dungeon master.
Vroooom!
A swarm of locusts filled the air in an instant, charging straight at me. Thousands of them, at a glance. I had to break through that barrage and hit the main body to end this.
“Keehihit!”
Abaddon let out a sinister chuckle, already convinced of its victory.
“You little shit. Laughing at me?”
I swung my fist rapidly at the oncoming swarm.
Pop pop crack!
Just like in the training room earlier, the shattered locust fragments crashed into the others. Each swing killed a decent number, but even more spawned to replace them.
This is a headache.
Earlier, I’d had over ten Gu-guk Guild members with me, so it was manageable. But now I was solo. And my main fist strikes boiled down to three: Chung (Impact), Pa (Break), and Sae (Shatter).
The problem? None of them were suited for a locust swarm. Chung and Pa went without saying, and even Sae just pulverized a single locust into dust—useless against hordes.
I tried ripping the surrounding air apart like I had against Jin So-wol, but the thousands of locusts churning the atmosphere made it impossible.
In the end, all I could do was swing as fast as possible to thin the numbers.
Crack! Crack!
The swarm engulfed me, tearing at my body. I’d tensed every muscle, so it was just light scratches, but at this rate, I’d never reach the bastard.
If only I had some pesticide. All I had on me was my own damn body.
“...Ah.”
Then it hit me—something perfect for bug extermination.
“Hup...!”
I dropped my guard and pulled both fists to my waist.
Thud thud thud!
The locusts sensed weakness and attacked harder, but I ignored them, focusing my mind. My arms bulged, veins popping out. The power surged into my fists.
I clenched as hard as I could. Heat began radiating around them.
“Haaah...!”
The air shimmered from the intensifying heat.
“Kee, keeek?”
Abaddon finally noticed, letting out a twisted screech.
“Keeek!”
It unleashed an even fiercer swarm assault to stop me. Too late.
Tsss.
A locust clinging to my fist dropped limply. Then the ones on my hands, arms—soon my whole body—collapsed, shriveling like they’d been burned.
“Nothing beats fire for roasting bugs.”
I wasn’t some kid from the locust-eating era of my forties, but I’d done plenty of backyard bug shows with a spray can and lighter when pests swarmed the fields.
Abaddon probably wondered where the flames came from. Truth was, fire didn’t always need fuel.
“Adiabatic compression, right?”
“Keeek?”
“Yeah, figures you wouldn’t know.”
Honestly, even I didn’t believe Lebron until he showed me. Clench your fist hard enough, and it ignites. Felt like a unique ability. But once you got the hang of controlling power, anyone could do it. I just didn’t use it much.
Whoosh!
“A highly developed physique is indistinguishable from a unique ability.”
“Keeek!”
Another wave of locusts. Sorry, not anymore.
Fwoosh!
I thrust my fist into the swarm. The flames wreathing my hand devoured them. Thousands turned to black ash in seconds.
“Kee, keeek!”
It desperately spat more eggs from its tentacles, but I’d already closed the distance.
Kwaaack!
“Kieeek!”
I grabbed both arms and twisted hard. They tore off like crab legs.
Squish!
Insectoid legs from its side lunged for my neck. I snatched those too, gripping its collar with my free hand.
“Hey.”
“Kee, keeek?”
“Can’t say anything but that cackling shit?”
“Keeek!”
Abaddon thrashed wildly to break free. Fresh locusts from its tentacles bit everywhere, but my tensed skin snapped their fangs on contact.
“Why’s this dungeon identical to that other world I was in?”
“Keeek!”
“And what the hell are you monsters? Why do you all have horns like demons?”
“Keeek...!”
“Sigh. Fuck.”
As expected, it just screeched disgustingly. I thought I’d get a clue, but no dice.
Baaang...!
Right as I went to snap its neck, two horns sprouted straight from Abaddon’s forehead, glowing red.
Point-blank Destruction Cannon. Red beams erupted from the horns, a vile grin creeping across its face.
No dodging at this range.
“...Heh.”
Normally, you’d back off and counter the beam. The monster expected that.
But I wasn’t normal. I was pissed—finally meeting another of my kind, and it wouldn’t even talk.
Kwajik!
Instead of dodging, I chomped the Destruction Cannon between the horns.
Residual energy exploded around my mouth. Lips scorched a bit, but fine.
“Kee, keeek?”
“You. Demon?”
“Kee, keeek...”
“Demons fight like this.”
“Keeek...?”
As if reading my intent, a glossy, hard shell grew over its skin. Some unique ability.
Sorry, not enough.
Kwaduk!
I bit deep into its head. The shell just added crunch.
“Kee, keeeaaak!”
Abaddon’s agonized scream echoed through the Masinjeon Dungeon.
Kwak! Kwaddduk!
I ignored it, tearing into the head relentlessly. This was how demons fought—how I survived the abyss, devouring demons and corpses daily to live.
Kwajik!
Half its head gone, Abaddon’s body slumped lifelessly.
“...Urk.”
In rage, I’d gone full old-demon mode. Tasted as awful as ever. Slimy, rotten stench with every chew. No human eats this. Demons, maybe.
I wiped the blood from my mouth.
“...Huh?”
My right hand itched suddenly.
Crunch.
“W-What the...?”
My normal peach skin sprouted a glossy beetle-like shell—the same as Abaddon’s.
I knew this sensation.
“Predation...?”
The Jellun demons’ unique ability. Devour a foe with one, absorb one of theirs.
Even a one-horned demon like me wasn’t exempt. It was one of my two starting abilities in Jellun.
“So another unique ability’s manifesting.”
The other one should trigger too.
Probably won’t get much use.
I tried the ones I’d stolen in Jellun with Predation. Failed.
“Tch.”
Disappointing, but whatever. A hardening skin ability? Meh.
“...Mr. Park Soo-hyeok?”
“Gah!”
Someone called me. I turned—Lee Shin-yul in his armor.
I hid my hand behind my back, shook it off. The shell reverted.
“P-President Lee Shin-yul?”
“Did you... take down Abaddon alone?”
“Uh.”
Shit, was that bad? Dispatch guy overstepping?
“W-Well, got lucky somehow...”
“Incredible.”
Lee Shin-yul grabbed my shoulders, face full of genuine awe.
“Clearing an S-rank dungeon solo...”
“Haha...”
Being praised to my face was embarrassing.
“I know I’ve mentioned it before, and I apologize for being rude, but... would you consider joining my guild?”
“Hmm. It’s a family guild thing...”
“Sigh. A shame.”
He slumped, dropping his hand, looking truly disappointed.
Seems he was the only Gu-guk Guild member who entered. No hard feelings toward the others. Grateful to him for coming to save me, even.
Getting trapped in Masinjeon was a mistake. Nearly turned into total troll, but it worked out.
Psssh...
Abaddon’s headless corpse crumbled. In its place: a small potion vial and fist-sized mana core.
“This is...”
“An artifact. We’ll figure out its use later.”
“Hm, right.”
They said you get artifacts after killing the dungeon master. Like this.
I picked it up and handed it to Lee Shin-yul.
“Then this...”
I soloed the boss, but everyone worked hard. Didn’t feel right hogging it.
“Haha, no need. It’s yours, Mr. Park Soo-hyeok.”
“Really?”
Hard to resist that.
“Yes. You cleared Masinjeon single-handedly. No need to split credit—take it.”
“Ahem, still...”
“If it bothers you, ‘donate’ to the guild.”
“Uh, no.”
“Hahaha!”
Lee Shin-yul burst out laughing. His rare grin made me chuckle too.
I pocketed the artifact. The purple sky and scenery collapsed. Blue sky returned, warping back to the Masinjeon Dungeon entrance.
“Whoa!”
“W-What happened?”
“Did you two take down Abaddon?”
Gu-guk Guild members gawked.
“Ahem.”
Truth might draw too much attention. More scout offers? Pass.
President, can we say we did it together?
Ah, works for me.
Thankfully, he covered: I distracted, he beheaded Abaddon.
“Whoa, amazing!”
“Heh! This young guy’s no joke!”
“Ahem.”
We wrapped up casually. Gu-guk members boarded their guild chopper.
“Not coming?”
“Gonna sightsee a bit while I’m here.”
“Ah.”
Classic awkward split line. But I really planned to look around after coming this far south.
“I’ll put this artifact to good use.”
“Yeah.”
Everyone boarded. Lee Shin-yul lingered to see me off.
“Thanks for all your hard work.”
“Haha, no biggie. And drop the ‘Mr.’—just Soo-hyeok. ‘Nim’ feels distant.”
“Heh. Soo-hyeok! too much?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“Heh.”
Lee Shin-yul smiled faintly at his own joke.
“Well then.”
The Gu-guk chopper took off with him aboard, vanishing from the island.