**Episode 9
Ghost (1)**
“Do you want the gold axe, or the silver axe?”
- I’ll take the amorphous alloy axe!
“Here you go~.”
This wasn’t some old folktale.
Yet Du-ho and Isto were goofing around in front of three axes like children.
Up close, it looked wholesome.
From afar…?
Two lunatics dancing among corpses with axes.
“With these… we’re rich.”
Du-ho grinned.
“Isto. All of them—into the Garage.”
- Yesss~
Isto carried the axes inside.
Du-ho followed and said:
“Later, we’ll use these to upgrade your body.”
- Upgrade?!
“Of course.”
“Why wouldn’t we use something this good?”
- I love it!
Du-ho smirked.
Amorphous alloy was hard to process—
but that didn’t matter.
‘I have metal manipulation.’
He had already tested it.
The axe head separated cleanly from the handle.
Meaning—
Perfect compatibility.
“Let’s start with joint replacements.”
- That sounds amazing!
“It’s durable, flexible…”
“And the mana conductivity is insane.”
- You already analyzed it?!
“Who do you think I am?”
- Mechromancer Im Du-ho!
“Hahaha!”
“Ehehehe!”
After laughing like idiots—
they exited the Garage.
[Hidden Quest Complete]
Reward: Legacy of the Forgotten Craftsman
A small box appeared.
Engraved with a gear symbol.
“…So this is the reward.”
He was curious—
but held back.
Stored it in the Garage.
“Focus. Work first.”
He left the Abyss.
Heading to return the repaired android.
* * *
30 minutes later…
[World Announcement]
With the extinction of the Queen Ratkin, Korea’s Abyss Floor 1 will collapse.
“…What?!”
Yeouido erupted into chaos.
“Floor 1… disappeared?!”
“That’s impossible!”
“Queen Ratkin?! Not King?!”
Confusion spread.
“Then… what happens to the rest?!”
And then—
Reality answered.
BOOOOOOOOM—
A deep vibration.
Like the world itself groaning.
“Check the readings!”
“…What the hell is this?!”
Then—
CRACK—!!
Floor 1 collapsed.
A massive void formed.
BOOOOOOOM!!!
Shockwaves tore through the air.
“S-stay down!!”
[Final cleared floor adjusted: 82 → 81]
The Abyss… shifted.
RUMBLE—CRASH—!!
Layers rose.
Worlds rearranged.
Sky shattered.
Earth surged.
[Clear time reset]
THUD!!!
Silence.
[Time limit extended: 3 → 5 months]
“…It’s extended?”
“…We survived?”
Cheers exploded.
“Two more months!!”
“We’re saved!”
No buildings collapsed.
No casualties.
It was a miracle.
But one question remained—
“Who killed the Queen Ratkin?”
Speculation spread like wildfire.
“Which guild did it?”
“Cheongcheon Clan?!”
“No way!”
For 70 years—
No floor had ever vanished.
And today—
Only one person had entered Floor 1 last.
Im Du-ho.
* * *
Back at the Hunter Management Bureau—
Du-ho frowned.
“Isto… what does this mean?”
- Huh?
“Floor 1 disappeared.”
- Ah…
“…You know something, don’t you?”
People were watching.
He stopped.
Entered the Garage.
“Talk.”
- Since the Queen Ratkin was exterminated… the ecosystem collapsed.
“Explain properly.”
Then—
Isto froze.
LED eyes flickering with question marks.
“…Isto?”
- Oh! When did you come in?
“…Not again.”
Same thing.
Memory gap.
“…I can’t even record this.”
- ???
Frustrated—
Then—
[Floor 1 Clear Reward]
Skill Granted: Dimensional Access
“Whoa!”
“…Dimensional access?”
- This shouldn’t even be a reward…
“Explain.”
- Normally, all hunters get this.
“Go on.”
- After the first entry, you can enter the Abyss from anywhere.
“…Wait. That thing you mentioned before?”
- Exactly.
Du-ho narrowed his eyes.
“…Then this means…”
“…Only I can do it now?”
- Very likely.
- Seems the Abyss recognized you, Du-ho.
“Recognized? More like survival luck.”
- Without me, you’d—
“Yeah. I’d be dead.”
Still—
“Thanks.”
- I-it was nothing.
“…He really gets shy over this?”
Du-ho exited the Garage.
Headed toward the Machine Upcycling Department.
* * *
Meanwhile—
Park Gyu-tae was losing his mind.
“IT WAS RIGHT HERE!!”
Rewatching CCTV.
Again.
Again.
Again.
“My eyes are dying…”
No Du-ho.
No android.
“…Did it disappear?”
He checked the time.
2 PM.
“…Should I run?”
Then—
Call.
Manager Ham Bong-sik
“…I’m dead.”
“Five minutes. I’m coming down.”
“…FIVE MINUTES?!”
Panic.
Then—
CLANK—
Door opened.
“Good afternoon.”
Du-ho.
“IM DU-HO!!”
Park charged.
“How did you get in?!”
“…Through the door?”
“NOT THAT—YESTERDAY!!”
“I was home.”
“WHERE’S THE ANDROID?!”
Du-ho blinked.
“…Why would I take it?”
“…Please… just bring it back…”
“…Manager’s coming…”
Du-ho tilted his head.
“…You didn’t even report it?”
“…You made it worse.”
Footsteps.
“…I’m screwed.”
At that moment—
‘Release Isto.’
- Got it~
Isto slipped out.
Placed the android back.
Returned instantly.
Door opened.
Manager entered.
“…What’s going on here?”
Park exploded:
“MANAGER! IM DU-HO STOLE THE ANDROID!”
“…What?”
“He hid it to screw me over!”
He rambled.
Confessed everything.
Six months of bullying.
Then—
Tried to justify it.
“Yes, I went too far. But stealing company property—”
“Park.”
“…Yes?”
“Go see a doctor.”
“…What?”
“…The android is right there.”
“…Huh?”
Park turned.
The android stood in the corner.
“…No… that’s impossible…”
Then—
The android’s eyes moved.
“AHHHHH!!!”
CRASH—!!
Park fell backward in terror.
