“Hyunwoo Kim, I’ll give you one way out. Just go in there, hit the jackpot, and come back loaded.”

  That’s what the loan shark told me a few days ago.

  “Damn it. This is survival? Feels more like walking to my grave.”

  The Abyss of the Dead—a dungeon even A-rank Hunters avoid. And here I am, an E-rank nobody, reckless enough to step inside.

  I had no choice. Drowning in debt back in the city, one desperate gamble seemed better than a slow death. One shot—live or die.

  Two days ago, I heard a Hunter party was planning to raid this Abyss.

  I could follow behind, use their cleared path, and grab any leftovers.

  But the reality was brutal.

  All I found were bloodstains and scraps of ruined gear.

  A single sign: total party wipe. And the moment I realized that I knew I was next.

  Leaning against a wall, drenched in cold sweat, I heard a low roar echo from deep within the dungeon.

  “Grrr…”

  It sounded like some twisted blend of beast and man.

  Definitely out of my league.

  But going back?

  I pictured the loan shark’s grin, flicking a rusty utility knife in my face.

  “Ah… screw it.”

  Those bastards are after me. No matter how far I run, they’ll find me. Rumor has it they’ve left more than a few people buried naked in the ground, or missing an organ or two if they couldn’t pay.

  I could wake up tomorrow in a tub of ice, missing a kidney.

  A cold draft swept through the corridor, biting into my bones. My hands shook as I gripped my dagger. I stepped forward.

  One way or another, I’m getting something valuable out of this.

  I moved down a hallway and passed a broken door. Two bodies, horribly mangled, lay there.

  Probably members of that party. Hard to tell with their features so distorted.

  My throat tightened. My legs threatened to stop.

  Should I bail before I end up the same way?

  But I already knew I couldn’t turn back.

  Footsteps echoed on the cramped path. Something crunched under my boot. Bone fragments? My heart nearly stopped.

  And then—closer now, I heard the shuffle of a monster.

  It’s here…!

  I flattened myself against the wall. A shadow loomed, and an undead soldier appeared, eyes glowing an angry red.

  Undead are said to be manageable for E- or D-rank Hunters… but not the ones in this Abyss. I’d heard rumors, and they were all bad.

  Sure enough, it dragged a limp Hunter’s arm behind it, reeking of death.

  I held my breath, waited for an opening, then lunged with everything I had.

  Take it out in one hit. One shot.

  “Haaah—!”

  My dagger slashed deep into its neck, cutting half of it off.

  “Grrrk!”

  It was still moving. The rumors were true: even after you slice them apart, they rise again.

  The undead swiped at me in a wild counterattack.

  “Argh!”

  I rolled backward on instinct.

  A second strike—this time, I managed to sever its head completely.

  Just one undead, and I was already halfway spent. My breath tore at my throat. How was I supposed to keep going?

  But deeper in the corridor, I heard more monsters. Two, three… maybe more?

  This is it. I’m done.

  Desperate, I sprinted deeper into the maze-like paths. I barely had a flashlight, and it flickered like it could die any second. Darkness swallowed me as I ran.

  My lungs burned. My heart pounded so loud it hurt my ears.

  I braced myself to see more twisted corpses at every turn, but I had no choice except forward.

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  Please… anything… anything at all…

  Eventually, I found a curved stairway. Probably led down to the dungeon’s second underground floor. Maybe I’d find surviving Hunters or something worth salvaging.

  I staggered down the steps and came upon a small dead-end room. There, I saw a bizarre statue.

  What the hell…?

  It looked like some ancient demon—horns, wings, elongated arms. Magic circles faintly glowed at its base, like part of a dark ritual.

  I tried to step away, but an eerie presence tugged at me.

  “…Come. Do you seek true ‘Corruption’…?”

  A voice? My imagination?

  I whirled around. No one there. The statue’s eyes gleamed red.

  Suddenly, the ground caved. I lost balance and crashed onto the floor.

  “Ugh…!”

  My head felt ready to burst. When I lifted my gaze, crimson light beamed from the demon statue’s eyes. A concentrated mana stream shot out, latching onto my right hand.

  “What the—?!”

  It burned hot and cold at the same time, a jolt that cut through my skin.

  Was this “Corrupted Mana”? A dangerous surge crawled under my flesh.

  But something told me if I rejected this power, I’d die. I was out of options. So I did the only thing I could: I let it in.

  “…Dominate. Seize their corruption…”

  The crimson light seared into my palm, then raced up my arm into my heart.

  Heat stabbed through every nerve. My veins felt like they’d burst.

  Damn it… this isn’t normal mana.

  My knees buckled. My head pounded—thump, thump, thump.

  And then—

  A red sigil appeared on my palm.

  “Gah…!”

  My blood felt like it was boiling. A foreign power rushed through me, something clearly not my own.

  “Hah…!”

  I thrashed in agony. At some point, the light vanished. The statue turned as still as stone again, as if it had served its purpose.

  But on my palm, a razor-edged symbol glowed. I could feel it, writhing just beneath the skin.

  “This… could it be…?”

  Panting, I stared at my hand.

  It wasn’t like any Hunter skill I’d known. Still, a spark of hope flickered. Maybe this could keep me alive.

  A New Power, First Trial

  From the stairs, I heard the snarl of another monster. No place to run now.

  This is hopeless…

  Sure enough, an undead soldier crawled through the gap in the steps. Its ribs were exposed, eyes burning with murderous intent. I clenched my palm.

  Will this work… even on the undead?

  A crimson flash flared from my hand, wrapping around the undead like living flame. It froze, shuddering in place.

  But that was it.

  …That’s all?

  It stumbled, then lurched upright again. Domination meant nothing to a creature that moved even without a head.

  Yet something was off. Its mana flow twisted, like it’d been scrambled.

  …Hold on.

  Focusing my thoughts, I realized this power wasn’t just about controlling—it could disrupt the enemy’s magical core, too.

  The undead’s movements slowed, as though it suddenly questioned who owned its body.

  Now’s my chance.

  I tightened my grip on the dagger, then sliced its neck clean the moment it wavered.

  My heart hammered in my chest.

  Is… is this what Corrupted Mana can do?

  I was dizzy, not fully used to it yet. But I felt a thrill surge through me. I really was stronger.

  That rush lasted only a second. Cracks spiderwebbed along the walls, and the entire dungeon started to cave in. I turned toward the stairs.

  But—

  Somewhere nearby—maybe next room, maybe a floor below—I heard a faint voice. A woman’s plea.

  “...help... me…”

  So quiet, so fragile, like it could vanish at any moment.

  My heart skipped a beat. Sure, I was in danger. But if someone was still alive... could I just walk away?

  My life was already in shambles. One more burden wouldn’t change much, right?

  My palm tingled with a soft heat again.

  Could this power… actually purge someone else’s “corruption” too?

  “...someone…”

  Her voice wavered once more, barely there.

  I crept toward the sound, as if pulled by a compulsion—or maybe a certainty that what I needed was there.

  Soon, I found a corner pooled with red, viscous fluid. A faint silhouette lay slumped against the wall.

  A pale arm, a woman collapsed like she’d lost consciousness…

  A black mark writhed around her, crawling into her skin.

  Who is she? Is she still alive?

  Ignoring the dust and metal shards falling behind me, I moved in close.

  And then—

  When I saw her face, my eyes went wide.

  She was... devastatingly beautiful, in a tragic way. Her breathing was shallow but real.

  So I’m not the only survivor…?

  My heart pounded. Heat surged from the crest on my palm. Red mark, black mark. What would happen if they clashed?

  I still barely understood this power. Should I use it on her? Should I even try?

  “...ugh… hah…”

  She coughed weakly, the color drained from her lips like it was her final breath.

  “If I just leave her here… she’ll die.”

  —To be continued