FSA 36

Screeeech! Shrieeech!

The troop of monkeys, covered in poison, fled with human-like screams, but it was already too late. The heavy, pervasive, and deadly toxic miasma had burrowed through their skin.

If Lee Hyun-muk’s attacks were suited for facing single targets, Yoon Seung-ryong’s attacks were more useful primarily when they were area-of-effect. Before falling into the Abyss, he hadn’t often used his abilities extensively, out of consideration for his teammates. But now, he could use his energy as he pleased. This was because there was no one in his party who could be affected by poison.

The toxic miasma, surging like a river and grasping at the fleeing monkeys, also spread to Yohan and Lee Hyun-muk, who were nearby. However, upon touching the light surrounding Yohan, it vanished as if melting away.

Lee Hyun-muk, on the other hand, stood silently, as if it didn’t matter if the poison touched him. In reality, even exposed to Yoon Seung-ryong’s poison, he experienced no significant ill effects. Nevertheless, Yohan subtly moved closer to Lee Hyun-muk, widening his purification field a bit more. The tip of Lee Hyun-muk’s eyebrows, which had been sharply focused on the monsters while scorching approaching monkeys with lightning, drooped downwards.

“Yohan-ah… you should conserve your abilities as much as possible.”

“Lee Hyun-muk-ssi, you get hurt if you’re exposed to poison too. This much is fine.”

Even if there were no major ill effects, Yohan didn’t want to purify the toxic miasma alone and be by himself. It was as he subtly pressed himself close, with a hint of selfish intent. A few monkeys, unable to bear the pain of the toxic miasma, leaped into the flower field. The flowers’ reaction was explosive.

As soon as their bodies touched, the fully bloomed petals contracted like buds before scattering condensed pollen. The monkeys that touched the pollen seemed to forget their pain and began to frolic among the flowers. Every time a monkey touched them, an immense amount of pollen was released, and soon, all the flowers began to spray pollen in a chain reaction. The petals even fluttered, fanning vigorously, quickly covering the vicinity in pollen. Yoon Seung-ryong, who had been dealing with the monkeys for a while, cursed.

“Shit, what is this now!”

“Seungryong Hyung! Are you okay?”

It was when the startled Yohan called out to Yoon Seung-ryong repeatedly. A soft yet firm force gripped Yohan’s waist. Soon, the situation became one where not even an inch ahead could be seen. Yoon Seung-ryong, whose form was barely visible, shouted from within the pollen fog.

“Yohan-ah! Stay right where you are—!”

“Seungryong Hyung?!”

Suddenly, Yoon Seung-ryong’s voice cut off, and only the roars of monsters echoed from all directions. Yohan turned his head towards Lee Hyun-muk, who was holding him, and shouted.

“Lee Hyun-muk-ssi, Seungryong Hyung…!”

Yohan’s words, which he had no doubt Lee Hyun-muk was taking him away, couldn’t be finished. This was because, for some reason, what was tightening around his waist was a fluffy, black tail! He stiffly turned his head and looked back to see red eyes glinting in the bright yellow fog, watching him. Yohan, filled with terror, screamed.

“Let go! Let go! Lee Hyun-muk-ssi! Seungryong Hyung!”

As he thrashed wildly to escape, the grip around his waist grew more ferocious. The monster then leaped into the air, taking Yohan with it.

“No!”

The monster’s strength was so immense that with just one leap, it seemed to have soared several meters. Yohan desperately looked around, but neither Yoon Seung-ryong nor Lee Hyun-muk was visible. Whether it was because the monster was too fast, or because the two hadn’t noticed Yohan’s disappearance or couldn’t catch up. Yohan punched wildly at the tail wrapped around his body, recalling Lee Hyun-muk’s advice.

‘It’s best if you don’t attack unless absolutely necessary.’

‘If you don’t know the monster’s characteristics well, you might end up being counterattacked by attacking. For example, it might explode when hit, or stick to you like glue, or you might be in an illusion, attacking an ally instead of an enemy.’

And in such cases, he was told to confuse it with purification…! Yohan grabbed the tail with all his might and infused it with purification energy. Then, the pitch-black tail, instead of transforming into an animal’s tail, swelled up even larger as it was purified.

“Huh? Uh oh?”

In his dazed state, the flower field was no longer visible, having receded far into the distance. Yohan had already entered a dense jungle. He hoped Lee Hyun-muk or Yoon Seung-ryong would find him, but still, no one seemed to be pursuing him.

He had thought it would be difficult to find each other if they got separated here… As he thought this, a profound despair washed over him. The bigger problem was being captured by the monster. Since he wasn’t a Dealer, he could be finished in mere seconds. To immediately revert the opponent to a bear, wolf, or monkey, Yohan emitted light with all his might.

Then, the monster’s tail wrapped around his body seemed to become sticky for a moment, before becoming even more voluminous and soft.

Yohan’s pupils wavered, wrapped in the voluminous tail. As all his attempts failed and he was left bewildered, he began to cry. Just then, the monster finally stopped. Only then could Yohan properly see the monster that had captured him.

It was simply a pitch-black void.

Yohan recalled a black he had seen in an internet video before. It was something called ‘Vantablack,’ said to be the blackest in the world, and he remembered being fascinated by how it remained black even when illuminated by a flashlight. And the monster before him seemed to be painted with it. No, it seemed to be sculpted from darkness itself…

No matter how dark the Abyss, or this jungle, it was strangely, unfathomably dark. It seemed as if Yohan’s emitted light was not reaching the opponent at all. In the center of that darkness, roughly formed with only a long tail, a chilling red gaze shone.

“Hngh, ugh…”

Trembling, Yohan backed away as the monster let him go with a chilling growl. As he immediately turned to flee, he screamed.

“Aargh!”

Suddenly, another monster had appeared. This one too was pitch-black, with a smooth, wriggling appearance. No, that wasn’t right. It wasn’t just two. Yohan discovered two more smaller monsters that he hadn’t noticed due to their size. A total of four monsters…! The worsening situation made him feel like he would faint at any moment.

He tried to seize an opportunity and lunged. He thought he had become quite agile and quick after becoming a High-level Awakened, but it was no use. He was immediately wrapped by the tail again and brought back to his original spot. The two monsters growled gloomily and eerily, emitting strange cries. They then approached Yohan.

They’re going to tear me apart any second now. They’ll bite me to death. But since I’m a High-level Awakened, I won’t die easily and will suffer for a long, long time while alive… The cruel and terrifying reality that was about to dawn occupied Yohan’s mind. His stomach, which had been feeling queasy since earlier, churned at the monsters’ cries. He couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“Ugh… Ewww…”

He vomited on the spot and crawled away, curling into a ball like a hedgehog, crying until he was exhausted.

“Don’t come, don’t come… Please…”

He cried because he worried if Lee Hyun-muk or Yoon Seung-ryong had been hurt or turned into a Madman back there, and he cried because if he, a Purifier, were to die here, what would happen to the two of them?

But for some reason, even after crying and waiting for a long time, his body wasn’t torn apart. Trembling, he raised his head and saw that the monsters, which had been approaching him with terrifying forms just moments ago, were gone. Yohan, hiccuping, quickly looked around.

“Hic, hic… Wh-what is it…”

Yohan couldn’t understand why the monsters had retreated instead of attacking him. Left alone in the jungle, which had become even more terrifying and gloomy than before, he cowered. It was fortunate he wasn’t eaten or torn apart, but being alone made him feel an even more piercing fear.

Somewhere, a faint, nervous giggle echoed. Frightened, Yohan staggered to his feet. After a few steps, he collapsed against a tree trunk and sat down. He then fell forward and began to weep uncontrollably.

“Hooong…. I’ve become lost…. What do I do now…!”

Where Yohan’s tears fell, the soil became moist, and tender new shoots sprouted from dark purple, flat bushes, and green moss grew. After crying until that spot was covered in a light green color, Yohan finally wiped his tears with his sleeve and came to his senses.

“Hic, I have to go back…”

He mustered his courage. If Lee Hyun-muk or Yoon Seung-ryong had become Madmen, Yohan would be the only one to look after them. Still, he believed the two were very strong and wouldn’t have died. Yohan examined the monster tracks and estimated the direction of the flower field. If they weren’t at the flower field, he planned to return to the shelter where he had stayed on the first day in the jungle. As he sniffled and walked diligently towards some part of the dark jungle, it happened.

“…Aargh!”

A monster that had definitely not been there moments ago suddenly reappeared before him! Yohan screamed and tried to run away, but was caught again. He attacked the tail wrapped around his body fiercely, but it seemed to suffer no damage at all.

“I, I don’t taste good…! I don’t taste good!”

What good was being a High-level Awakened if he had no attack skills! Yohan recalled a knife he had brought just in case. Relying on his strength, which was comparable to a mid-tier Dealer, he stabbed the tail with the knife. Clang! The knife broke with a cheerful sound. Watching the blade disappear into the bushes, Yohan screamed silently.

‘This must be why they said not to attack unless absolutely necessary…!’

Then, the wriggling monster opened its maw wide and swallowed the hand holding the knife handle. Frozen, unable to breathe, it merely snatched the handle and spat it onto the ground. It was fortunate his hand wasn’t bitten off, but as all resistance became futile, Yohan wept sadly. As he tightly shut his eyes and trembled, waiting for the pain that was about to come.

[Weak]

[You’re weak, so weak]