Abyssal Ascent

Jinhyeok's grip on his dagger tightened as he stared at the two men blocking his escape.

The burly man with the bloodstained pipe stepped forward, his lips curling into a smirk. "Hand over your skills, and maybe we'll let you live."

Jinhyeok didn't respond. His heart pounded, but his mind stayed sharp. These weren't just random thugs—they had survived the first wave. That meant they had killed before.

But so had he.

The difference was, he had no intention of stopping.

The skinny man chuckled, twirling his knife between his fingers. "You took down a D-Rank Ravager, huh? Impressive. But you're still just Level 2. Do you really think you can take the both of us?"

Jinhyeok's lips parted into a small grin. "You're right."

Both men blinked in confusion.

"I can't take both of you." Jinhyeok's voice was calm. "But you should be asking yourselves—do you think you can take me?"

Silence.

For a moment, doubt flickered across their faces.

And that was all Jinhyeok needed.

---

[Strike First, Strike Hard]

Jinhyeok moved.

His newly acquired Predator's Instincts flared, and his body responded faster than his thoughts.

He lunged forward, dagger flashing toward the skinny man's throat.

"Shit—!"

The man barely had time to react, twisting away as the blade grazed his cheek. But Jinhyeok had already expected that.

Ravager's Agility.

His movements flowed seamlessly. Instead of stopping, he pivoted mid-air, delivering a sharp kick to the skinny man's ribs.

CRACK!

The man crashed into the pavement, gasping for air.

But Jinhyeok didn't stop.

The burly man roared and swung his pipe down.

Jinhyeok dodged, barely avoiding the crushing blow as the ground beneath him splintered from the impact.

Fast. But not fast enough.

Jinhyeok used his momentum, twisting around and slicing his dagger across the man's exposed arm.

Blood sprayed.

The burly man cursed, stumbling back. "You little—!"

Jinhyeok's mind was clear. Kill or be killed.

No hesitation.

No mercy.

---

[The First Human Kill]

Jinhyeok closed the distance in an instant, his dagger already thrusting toward the man's chest.

A last-second parry from the bloodstained pipe deflected the strike, but Jinhyeok had already anticipated that.

With his free hand, he grabbed the man's wrist and twisted.

A sickening snap echoed.

The burly man screamed, his weapon dropping to the ground.

Jinhyeok wasted no time. He plunged his dagger into the man's throat.

The burly man's eyes widened. He gurgled, hands clawing at his wound, before collapsing.

> You have killed a Survivor.

Absorbing skills…

New Skill Acquired: [Brute Force (E+)]

Jinhyeok exhaled. His hands were stained with blood.

He had just killed a human.

But there was no time to process it.

A desperate shriek erupted behind him.

The skinny man had recovered—his knife aimed directly at Jinhyeok's back.

Jinhyeok didn't turn.

He didn't need to.

Predator's Instincts.

He could feel the attack. The hesitation. The desperation.

At the last second, he sidestepped, twisting his body.

The skinny man's knife missed.

Jinhyeok grabbed the man's wrist, twisting it with brutal force. The knife clattered to the ground.

The skinny man's face twisted in horror. "W-Wait! Please! We can work together—!"

Jinhyeok's emerald eyes were cold.

He didn't hesitate.

The dagger sliced across the man's throat.

Blood splattered against the pavement.

> You have killed a Survivor.

Absorbing skills…

New Skill Acquired: [Swift Hands (E+)]

Jinhyeok watched as the light faded from the man's eyes.

His grip on the dagger tightened.

This was the Abyss.

Hesitation meant death.

---

[Abyssal Growth]

Jinhyeok checked his status.

> Name: Kang Jinhyeok

Level: 3

Strength: E- → E+

Agility: D → D+

Skills:

Fanged Crawler's Reflexes (E)

Minor Swordsmanship (F+)

Ravager's Agility (D-)

Predator's Instincts (D)

Brute Force (E+)

Swift Hands (E+)

His body felt different. Stronger. Faster.

A few days ago, he had been a regular college student.

Now, he was adapting to this world at an alarming rate.

Jinhyeok looked down at the corpses.

They had underestimated him.

And he had used that to kill them.

The realization didn't weigh on him as much as he expected.

Instead, a quiet certainty settled in his chest.

He was going to survive.

No matter what.

---

[The Abyss Moves Forward]

Jinhyeok scavenged their bodies.

The burly man had a sturdy iron pipe—stronger than his dagger. The skinny man had a handful of supplies, including a small health potion.

He pocketed the potion and turned to leave.

But then—

A cold, mechanical voice echoed through the ruined streets.

> [Survivor Announcement]

First Wave Complete.

Remaining Survivors: 102.

Second Wave Begins in 24 Hours.

Jinhyeok's eyes narrowed.

Second wave?

He barely had time to rest before the next trial began.

He exhaled.

This was just the beginning.

But if there was one thing he was certain of…

He wasn't the same weakling who had been thrown into this hell.

The next wave?

He was ready.

---

[To Be Continued…]