The Return of the Wicked Player

Chapter 05 —

“What’s this now?”

Kang-hyuk wiped the sweat dripping like water from his face and checked the notification.

The Primordial Abyss.

What in the world was that supposed to mean?

He looked closer at the alert.

[Achievement – ‘Chosen by the Primordial Abyss’]
[Grade] EX
[Description]
You have shown qualities worthy of an Abyss Lord that even the Primordial Abyss itself admired!

• Requirement 1: Before ascending as Lord, all vassals must bow to you.
• Requirement 2: Sin Points must reach 999,999,999.
• Requirement 3: Must have deep understanding of death.
• Requirement 4: ???

[Reward]

• Skill: ‘Abyss Insight (EX)’ obtained

Kang-hyuk carefully read the achievement details.

“So basically… out of all the Abyss Lords in history, I was the greatest?”

He was recognized by the Primordial Abyss itself. That’s what this meant, right? It even said first ever achievement.

The conditions about vassals bowing and Sin Points maxing out made sense. On his way to the citadel, all the undead he passed had lowered their heads to him, and even the knight he just fought had acknowledged him as the new king.

But—

“What about the last two conditions?”

A deep understanding of death.

Was it because he had witnessed so many deaths? Or because he had saved so many lives? Or… could it be—

“Because I actually died and came back?”

That made sense. He had experienced death firsthand.

And then there was the final requirement—

“What’s with the question marks?”

No hint, no clue at all. Something even greater than maxing out Sin Points?

“Well, it’s not like I can just go ask the Primordial Abyss.”

It was frustrating. For now, there was no way to figure it out.

What mattered most was this:

He had earned an additional skill by completing an EX-grade achievement.

[Authority – ‘Abyss Lord (EX)’ obtained]

At last, the Authority he had desperately wanted was his.

“Ha… I did it.”

Relief washed over him. He leaned on his sword and let out a long breath. Honestly, when he faced that knight at the end, things had gotten dangerously close.

[You have slain ‘Captain of the Guards, Rodrick (Lv.52).’]

He had to fight an opponent more than 50 levels higher. That was insane. So he avoided direct confrontation. He dodged attacks, let the knight tire himself out, then slipped in with a decisive strike.

“Having Sin Points to suppress him helped… but the real lifesaver was the body enhancement buff.”

Luckily, the buff lasted just long enough for him to land the killing blow.

And then—

[You have slain a monster over 50 levels higher than you (maximum gap).]
[Bonus experience granted.]
[Level +9.]
[All stats +9.]

[Unbelievable achievement for a Level 1 player!]
[Achievement – ‘Little Giant’ obtained.]

[Achievement – ‘Little Giant’]
[Grade] S
[Description]
Obtained by defeating a monster 50+ levels higher while still at Level 1.

[Reward]

• All stats +10
• +50% experience gained (up to Level 50)

“What the… All stats +10 and 1.5x experience?”

That was insane. He had never seen such absurd bonuses in his life. Of course, no sane person would ever challenge a Level 50 enemy while at Level 1, so it made sense why nobody had seen this before.

“If I use this bonus with the level-gap experience system, hitting Level 50 will be fast.”

The system gave extra experience based on level difference, in increments of 10 levels. That’s why skilled players usually grinded mid-level gates to quickly climb early levels. Kang-hyuk himself often hunted monsters 20+ levels above his own.

But with this buff plus level-gap exp? He’d fly to Level 50 in no time.

“Alright… time to check the real jackpot.”

There was still something bigger left—

The Authority of the Abyss Lord.

[Begin your coronation.]

Buzz—

The golden crown in his hand started vibrating. Was he supposed to wear it?

He set it on his head.

“Huh?”

Black smoke erupted, swirling around him and wrapping his entire body. After a moment, the smoke burst apart.

“…This is—”

When he opened his eyes, he was standing atop the fortress wall. He must have been teleported.

“What a sight.”

Endless cliffs, and below them—undead filling every inch of land, stretching all the way to the horizon under a dark sky.

This was his kingdom now. He was the new King of the Abyss.

Clatter, clatter—

As if to acknowledge him, the undead turned toward the wall and dropped to their knees.

The coronation was complete.

The vassals who once tested him as heir now recognized him as the rightful lord.

[Some of the former Lord’s vassals swear loyalty to you.]
[The loyal vassals are now part of the ‘Abyss Legion.’]
[Vassals in the Legion can be summoned and commanded at will.]

“Legion…?”

Kang-hyuk muttered as he read the message. So this was the power of the Abyss Lord.

“Status window.”

[Name] Baek Kang-hyuk
[Level] 10
[Title] ‘Sinner’
[Authority] Abyss Lord (EX)
[Unique Trait] None
[Sin] 999,999,999 (MAX)

[Stats]
Strength: 24 | Agility: 23
Magic: 23 | Stamina: 24

[Condition]
Doomed (time-limited body)

[Skills]

• Abyss Insight (EX)
• Master of the Abyss (EX)
• Vassal Summon (EX)
• Vassalization (EX)

Compared to when he first opened his eyes here, he was a completely different being.

Time to check the new skills.

First up—Abyss Insight, the one granted by the Primordial Abyss itself.

[Abyss Insight]
[Grade] EX

• Grants deep understanding of the Abyss and Sin.

“…That’s it?”

The description was vague. Was it passive? Hard to say.

“Well, I’ll figure it out eventually.”

Besides, he still had three more EX-grade skills.

[Master of the Abyss]
[Grade] EX

• Use magic to materialize and control the Abyss.
• Infuse things with Abyss attributes and control them.
• Command the Abyss Legion.
• Abyss Legion members’ stats increase by 50%.
• No limit on the number of vassals in the Abyss Legion.

[Vassal Summon]
[Grade] EX

• Use magic to summon vassals of the Abyss Legion anywhere, anytime.
• No limit on summon uses.

[Vassalization]
[Grade] EX

• Use magic to infuse a dead body with Abyss attributes, turning it into a vassal.
• Vassal retains its former power, appearance, and name (degree depends on rank/value).
• Controlled vassals automatically join the Abyss Legion.

After reading, Kang-hyuk nodded.

“…So, basically like a Necromancer.”

He had expected as much. The Abyss Lord’s avatar he fought had commanded undead, and this whole place was crawling with corpses. The Abyss Lord was the ultimate necromancer—on a completely different level from ordinary ones.

The reason?

“Attributes.”

Elemental attributes normally had strengths and weaknesses, tangled like a food chain. But the Abyss ignored all that. Even divine power.

“That’s why Ji Seok-hoon and the Saintess struggled back then.”

During the Abyss Throne Gate raid, the two betrayers who used holy power were almost useless. The Abyss devoured divine energy like a starving beast.

And now—

“I can use that power.”

Thanks to Master of the Abyss, Kang-hyuk could wield Abyss power himself.

“With this… I can kill them.”

The fog over his path of vengeance finally began to clear.

“Let’s test it.”

He steadied his breathing and pushed magic into his palm.

Fwoosh—

Black smoke flickered to life, like a small flame.

“…This is my limit for now.”

The mana drain was enormous. To wield larger powers, he’d need far higher Magic stats. Still—stats could be trained as well as leveled. Soon enough, he’d command vast black mists.

For now, he dispersed the smoke.

“Now for the Legion.”

He checked the details.

[Abyss Legion Forces]

• Guard Captain Rodrick (A)
• Skeleton Soldiers (F) × 999

“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Was this a bug? A thousand soldiers already?

“You mean I can control 999 skeletons?”

Most Necromancers at his level barely managed five weak skeletons. But he had an army two hundred times larger—plus an A-rank knight.

His heart pounded.

“Summon Rodrick.”

A black vortex opened on the ground. From it climbed a towering figure in armor—the undead knight he had cut down earlier.

The knight knelt.

“Greetings, my new Lord. I, Rodrick Darkfell, pledge eternal loyalty!”

“Wow…”

It really worked.

“Well then, Rodrick, nice to meet you. But, uh, how’s your head back on?”

Rodrick answered crisply:

“Ah! We vassals are always resummoned in perfect condition, no matter the damage. The only difference is how long it takes and how much mana is required, depending on the severity.”

“I see…”

So as long as he had mana and time, he could summon infinitely. Low-grade necromancers often summoned disposable undead, but this Authority was on a different scale.

“Truly… this is different.”

He grinned, though he felt a pang of disappointment. Summoning Rodrick had drained a huge chunk of his mana.

“Figures. I can’t possibly summon a thousand at once.”

Each summon consumed mana. Meaning his legion was limited only by his own capacity. But in a way—

“If my mana is high enough, I can summon them all.”

They were his already. All he had to do was grow strong enough.

“More reasons to get stronger.”

To use the Abyss’s power. To command an army. He couldn’t stop now.

[You have successfully completed the ‘Proof of Succession.’]
[Some of the former Lord’s vassals remain dormant.]
[Continue the ‘Lord Qualification Trials’ to claim them.]
[Next requirement: Reach Magic 50.]

“…So there are more?”

Not all of the previous Lord’s vassals were awake yet.

“Right. The only ones I got were the ones I fought today.”

The skeletons from the bridge, plus Rodrick. The rest of the Legion must be dormant.

“Then new trials will appear as I grow stronger.”

He thought about the Abyss Lord’s avatar he had once fought—commanding Death Knights, Liches, even giant dragons. He had ruled over all death.

“Which means… I’ll have to face those things eventually.”

As he murmured, the heavy mist below the cliff began to part.

Beneath it weren’t endless swamps, but piles of sleeping undead.

“…Spearmen, dragons… They’ve all been lying there.”

They must be the former Lord’s vassals, waiting.

Wait a little longer.

“I’ll be back soon… and I’ll make you mine.”

Kang-hyuk scanned the field of corpses.

And then—

“…Red?”

Among the black bones, he spotted something crimson.

In this gray wasteland, the bright red stood out immediately. He squinted, and the outline sharpened.

It was a corpse. A human body, still intact with skin and muscle.

Why was it preserved like this?

He soon realized.

“…Blood.”

Blood was wrapped around the body, protecting it.

Kang-hyuk’s eyes trembled violently. That aura, that flow of blood—he recognized it instantly.

That corpse—

“…It’s me.”

It was his lost body.