Chapter 26: The Coming Calamity

#26

If Dokyeom had acquired the skill as in the original story, his path might have been much smoother than it was now. He wouldn’t have been forcibly held and subjected to such a torrent of aggression, nor would he have had to endure the occasional moments of disillusionment with a clear mind.

Dagon, it turned out, was a much more formidable beast to tame than he had initially imagined.

“Ah, gently… *hngh*…!”

*Crunch—*

Fangs, which had been grazing his skin, now violently pressed down on the seal. Dokyeom’s vision flickered, making him dizzy as his suppressed breath escaped in short, broken gasps. Dagon’s sticky saliva trailed down his neck. Clenching his teeth, Dokyeom’s eyes spun, and he instinctively slammed his fist into Dagon’s shoulder.

“Hey, you bastard, *gah*…! I told you it hurts, how many times… *hngh*!”

[The demon ‘Orias’ of ‘Lemegeton’ paces frantically, tearing at their hair.]

A low growl rumbled deep within Dagon’s throat as they fiercely sucked at the tender flesh behind Dokyeom’s ear. Even after savagely biting at his skin, once sufficiently sated with mana, Dagon would press their tongue against the seal and suck at it, as if marking their territory.

The number of times Dokyeom had bled over the past two days was countless. Yet, it was considerably better than when it had first begun. As Dagon’s rank increased and their intelligence sharpened, the beast, who once gnashed their teeth into the seal until it was tattered, gradually began to learn a semblance of consideration.

No, rather than consideration, it was more a form of strategic conservation. Dagon had learned through experience that if Dokyeom’s recovery was slow, they would be unable to consume mana. Thanks to this, they no longer bared their fangs with the same brutal ferocity as before.

Of course, Dagon still occasionally raked their itchy fangs against his skin, leaving clear bite marks, though thankfully, no blood was drawn.

The ordeal invariably ended only when Dokyeom’s vision blurred to the point of fading. Overwhelmed by exhaustion, he closed his eyes, his eyelashes fluttering. A sharp, scratching sensation deep within his throat made him shudder, and heat rushed to his eyes and ears, leaving them flushed crimson.

“That’s enough… *Haaah*, get off… you bastard…”

Dokyeom, barely catching his breath, pushed Dagon’s shoulder away. Dagon, who had been fiercely bumping shoulders with him, gave the seal one last pressing lick before finally retreating. Conversely, Dokyeom shivered, as if pricked, and flinched his eyes shut.

Dagon wiped the saliva from their mouth with the back of their hand and rose, their expression unreadable. The sculpted curves of their muscles were sharply defined beneath their casual clothes. In just two days, Dagon had undergone an astonishing growth spurt. It seemed Dagon themselves had been driven by a burning desire to survive, pushing forward relentlessly.

Indeed, it had been a grueling, non-stop period. The growth achieved today was a direct result of that relentless struggle.

An AA-class monster.

This morning, after two days, Dagon had consumed the last magic stone and finally evolved into an AA-class monster. The C-class beast, once driven solely by instinct, was no more. A monster possessing intelligence comparable to humans, and power and combat abilities that could rival—no, surpass—Han Yuseong, had been born.

Dagon’s ‘meals’ were also now at an end. As if vaguely sensing this conclusion, Dagon had buried their face into Dokyeom’s neck, completing an even more insistent feeding than usual.

From this point forward, the fight for survival would take precedence.

*Boom—!*

For several hours already, the cave had been showing signs of an impending event. Intermittent tremors had rumbled through the cavern since dawn, and with each quake, the surface of the blue hole rippled and splashed like a frantic school of fish.

These were the tell-tale signs of the Variant’s movements, stirring up the area. It was safe to assume there were no longer any creatures in this dungeon that the Variant desired.

And now, that Variant was moving towards this very spot, where the gate’s entrance lay, intent on finding other prey outside.

*Boom—!*

The distant roar gradually drew closer. Dokyeom gathered his breath and rose. Han Yuseong and Dagon were already intently watching the surface of the massive blue hole. Beneath it, an unknown, shadowy form churned within the currents, impossibly vast—large enough to rival the entire blue hole itself.

“Han Dokyeom, you must retreat at once.”

Han Yuseong gripped his sword, lowering his stance, and whispered through gritted teeth. The furrow in his brow clearly conveyed the gravity of the situation.

Dokyeom had already intended to flee. An E-class like him would only hinder them, offering no help whatsoever in this fight.

“Don’t worry, I’ll hide well without you telling me. Just focus on fighting carefully, Han Yuseong. Anyway, I’m going!”

“Han Dokyeom.”

As Dokyeom turned to find a gap draped with white cloth, Han Yuseong’s grave voice resonated from behind him. For the past two days, Han Yuseong had gritted his teeth, enduring Dagon’s actions. The exhaustion etched onto his face revealed the extent of his restraint.

Now, however, he spoke of his own death.

“If I should die, hide until the Variant leaves this place… then extract my skills. Any skill, I assure you, will be of great benefit to you.”

“An A-class Hunter like you, making such weak remarks? Please. Just look after my Dagon for me. I’m really leaving now!”

Dokyeom didn’t look back, heading straight for the rock crevice draped with white cloth. In the interim, the ground rumbled grotesquely, as if something was thrashing beneath it.

Upon reaching the crevice, Dokyeom pulled a belt from his inventory and strapped it around himself. He secured the white cloth to the belt, then tightly wrapped it around his thighs and waist. He tied the knots securely so they wouldn’t come undone, then gripped the metal object attached to the belt and pulled it back.

*Click—*

The sleek, long barrel of a pistol. At its end, a dark, menacing muzzle.

This was a Hunter-exclusive firearm, usable only within dungeons where gate energy flowed. Its market value alone was enough to squander all the money he had saved, easily exceeding ten million won. He had specifically purchased this, purely for this very moment.

He had hoped he wouldn’t need to use it. Yet, he had come here prepared for every contingency, for he absolutely had to obtain the ‘Authority’ embedded within the Variant.

“So, Orias, you’re going to have to help me from now on.”

[The demon ‘Orias’ of ‘Lemegeton’ tears at their hair, practically begging to be left alone and quiet!]

[The demon ‘Orias’ of ‘Lemegeton’ shrieks, proclaiming that something is rising from behind them!]

‘I know, I know,’ Dokyeom thought. ‘Such a high-ranking demon, yet so terrified.’

Instead of answering, Dokyeom pulled a sturdy rope from his inventory. His gaze had already settled on the brilliant, snowflake-like crystals blooming across the cavern ceiling. Observing the sapphire minerals that completely covered the roof, Dokyeom flung the knotted end of the rope towards a jagged rock wall.

He had never intended to hide, not for a single moment.

****

The vibrations resonating through the floor intensified. The surface of the blue hole also exuded an ominous aura. Han Yuseong’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he tightened his grip on the sword in his hand.

Dagon, too, lowered their body, their brow furrowed, eyes fixed on the blue hole. Every second ticked by with urgent intensity. Then, after a brief pause, the mutilated carcasses of fish began to float to the surface of the blue hole.

*Boom—! Boom—!*

Whether it was the sound echoing from an unknown location that instilled fear, sweat beaded on their hands. The noise steadily grew, intensifying until it felt as though eardrums would burst. Just as the roar reached its most extreme, unable to grow any louder, all sound abruptly died, plunging the cave into an eerie calm, like the eye of a storm.

Han Yuseong moved instinctively. Dagon followed suit. As if by unspoken agreement, both beings simultaneously split off to either side from their positions.

Moments later, something erupted from the water’s surface amidst a violent surge.

*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack—!*

What burst through the surface was a grotesque, swollen arm, like a mass of fat. A massive, root-like hand viciously slammed down precisely where Han Yuseong and Dagon had just been.

*Thud!*

A series of colossal tremors, powerful enough to shake the entire cave, erupted. The monster that hauled itself onto the land was a grotesque beast with a hideously distorted face. Its scales were embedded haphazardly all over its body, an abominable sight, and its flesh, seemingly forced into lumps, swelled like cancerous tumors, making it a truly hideous spectacle.

Before Han Yuseong could even grimace at the repulsive sight, a monstrous shriek erupted from the beast’s gaping maw.

*Screeeeeech—!*

The Variant, having devoured its kin, stood there in a form that could no longer be called Dagon. Seeing its face, utterly ravaged, the Dagon who was once of the same species could not hide their grief. That grief escalated into fury over the murder of its kin and a bitter rage at the loss of its home. Amidst this hollow anger, Dagon unleashed its killing intent.

It was Dagon who moved first. With a scraping sound against the floor, their taut legs propelled them towards the Variant at terrifying speed. Han Yuseong, pursuing Dagon’s shadow, also surged rapidly towards the monster, gripping two swords in his hands.

*Crash—!*

A colossal sound, like two massive stones colliding, reverberated through the air. Dagon’s fist directly struck the Variant’s hideously distorted face. Han Yuseong’s swords then slashed through the swollen, membrane-like flesh, yet neither attack managed to inflict any significant injury.

The Variant’s flesh, bulging like fat, possessed the hardness of ore. Faced with such absurd durability, Han Yuseong gritted his teeth and imbued his sword with a skill.

‘‘

An unsettling, crimson light shimmered above the two blades. A reddish glow also danced within Han Yuseong’s dark pupils. With a rasping sound from his throat, Han Yuseong swung his swords horizontally with all his might.

In that fleeting instant, however, the Variant’s massive body vanished from their sight. When Han Yuseong’s eyes snapped open in surprise, the Variant reappeared—directly in front of Dagon.