**Episode 7
Quest (1)**
“Man…”
Du-ho muttered as he stepped off the bus.
“Hearing that announcement twice would give anyone PTSD.”
- Du-ho, please turn off your phone.
“Oh—right.”
He powered it down.
“Thanks.”
- Hehe, just doing my job!
A small smile appeared on his face.
Having someone—even something—by his side in this unfamiliar place was… comforting.
Then—
He saw it.
And froze.
“…This is… the Abyss.”
Before him lay a massive sinkhole, nearly 500 meters wide.
Endless darkness stretched downward—
like a divine spear had pierced the earth.
At the center of it all, surrounded by towering skyscrapers of the five great hunter families…
was humanity’s greatest mystery.
And terror.
And opportunity.
Drawn in—
Du-ho stepped closer.
The black rock at the edge radiated a strange pressure.
‘Can I touch it?’
- Who would dare stop you? It’s not like it’ll wear down.
“…Alright.”
He reached out.
The moment his hand touched it—
Cold.
Then—
Heat.
Energy seeped into him like liquid fire.
- Mana is flowing through it.
“So that’s why normal people are banned…”
- Mana poisoning would kill them.
Du-ho exhaled slowly.
Then—
A sign caught his eye:
“Warning: Do not stare into the Abyss for extended periods.”
“…Why?”
Naturally—
He looked anyway.
The Abyss wasn’t just a hole.
It moved.
Like a living entity.
Inside the darkness—
visions flickered.
A massive tree piercing the sky.
Strange lights like distant stars.
Dreamlike.
Ancient.
Unreal.
His consciousness began to sink—
into the void.
THUD—!
A heavy force struck his back.
“What—?!”
He snapped back.
A hunter stood behind him.
“Trying to die?”
“…Huh?”
“You didn’t see the warning sign?”
“…Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize to me. Just be careful.”
The man walked off.
- Du-ho! Du-ho!
Isto’s voice echoed urgently.
‘What now?’
- You didn’t respond for 10 minutes!
“…10 minutes?”
His blood ran cold.
He thought it was seconds.
‘If that hunter hadn’t stopped me…’
- You must complete conditions on each floor to descend.
“…Conditions?”
- Yes. From Floor 2 onward, you can enter from anywhere.
“…I see.”
- But why do hunters come here physically…?
“…We’ll find out.”
Suddenly—
A system message appeared.
[Cheongcheon Clan abandons Floor 82]
“…What?!”
Murmurs spread.
“Again?”
“What’s on Floor 82?”
“Only 3 months left…”
Fear filled the air.
Du-ho processed it quickly.
- The Abyss system broadcasts to all awakened.
- Even major clans struggle.
- Something big is coming in 3 months.
“…Well, not my problem.”
- Very good mindset!
“…No. Just realistic.”
Then—
[First Abyss Entry Detected]
[Welcome, Im Du-ho]
White light filled his vision.
* * *
“…Whoa.”
He blinked.
A forest.
Massive trees blocked the sky.
Fresh air.
Alive.
“This is nothing like the cracks.”
- Correct. Cracks are just overflow. This is the real ecosystem.
Then—
[Main Quest]
Kill 50 Ratkin (0/50)
“…50?”
- Easy mode.
“…What?”
Isto appeared.
- I’ll handle it. You follow your plan.
“…Alright—”
[Hidden Quest Detected]
Collect Amorphous Alloy (0/3)
“…Amorphous alloy?”
His eyes lit up.
“Metallic glass… high durability, high mana conductivity…”
- Perfect for mana circuits.
“…I want it.”
- Me too.
They grinned.
“Let’s accept it.”
- Do it.
[Main Quest Updated]
Kill 1,000 Ratkin
Eliminate Queen Ratkin
Time Limit: 1 hour
Failure: Death
“…WHAT?!”
His face went pale.
“Why death?!”
- Hmm… difficulty spike.
“1,000 in an hour?!”
- Possible.
“Queen Ratkin?”
- Top of the ecosystem.
“…Guarded by Kings?”
- Correct.
“…I’m dead.”
A Ratkin charged.
THUD!
Isto slapped it.
Dead.
“…Okay, you’re strong.”
“But this forest is huge!”
- No need to search.
“…What?”
SCREEEEEEE—!!
Isto mimicked a Ratkin’s cry.
“…What are you doing?!”
Then—
From all directions—
SCREECHES.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
“…No way.”
- Challenge call. They’ll come to us.
The ground shook.
A black wave of Ratkin surged through the forest.
Du-ho froze.
“…This is insane.”
Isto cracked its neck.
Ate a mana stone.
- Go to the Garage. I’ll handle this.
“…You sure?”
- Hasta la vista.
BOOM!
Dozens exploded instantly.
Blood filled the air.
* * *
Inside the Garage—
Du-ho stood frozen.
Then—
[E-e-e-e…]
[L-l-l-l…]
System glitches—
then—
[Experience gained]
[Level up!]
Notifications exploded.
“…He’s really doing it…”
Du-ho clenched his fist.
“…I can’t waste this.”
He turned—
to the broken android.
“Let’s start with your waist.”
Outside—
battle.
Inside—
a workshop.
A strange contrast.
And the beginning—
of something much bigger.
