Free Web NovelThe smell of pork clung to the bench, and Yoon Seungryong, busy gnawing at it, didn’t react. Lee Hyunmook noticed a large piece of rock from the cave wall rolling nearby and picked it up. Gripping it, he tested its weight and then hurled it straight at Yoon Seungryong. Instead of the usual dull thud, there was a sharp, explosive sound as Yoon Seungryong’s head splattered.
Kaaaak!
How much pain must he have felt? The centipede monster flailed and collapsed halfway onto the bench. Watching this, Yohan couldn’t help but wince. Yoon Seungryong slowly turned his head to look at Lee Hyunmook, his fangs bared and gleaming menacingly.
“Last time, you gave me your thigh. Today, I’m here to return the favor.”
“You... ■uh... ■yo ■■■... ugh...”
A grotesque voice spilled out, causing Yohan to jump in surprise. Compared to Yoon Seungryong, Lee Hyunmook’s madness was almost tame.
“Hungry... ■, you... tast■...?”
Even after devouring the mountain of pork, Yoon Seungryong’s eyes were still empty and gleaming. His massive body coiled and his upper torso shot up high. His hand reached under his exoskeleton, fumbling around until something long and sharp emerged with a disgusting noise. Covered in something slimy, it was hard to make out its shape, but it certainly resembled a spear.
His body surged forward, and the spear drew a large arc through the air, slashing everything around it. The tip of the spear met Lee Hyunmook’s, stopping abruptly with a sharp sound. Despite the enormous weight of the centipede, Lee Hyunmook didn’t budge. In fact, it was Yoon Seungryong who trembled.
Kaaang! As Lee Hyunmook swung his spear and pushed, the centipede monster staggered backward. At the same time, its tail swung wildly toward Lee Hyunmook’s head. Kwaaang! The tail slammed into Lee Hyunmook with a crushing blow, and Yohan couldn’t help but scream in shock.
But for some reason, it was Lee Hyunmook who collapsed, while Yoon Seungryong writhed in pain. By the time Yohan had realized it, the tip of Yoon Seungryong’s tail had been cleanly severed. He hadn’t even noticed when it happened. Even after the blow to his head, Lee Hyunmook merely spat out some blood and got up, shaking off the acid from his spear and laughing.
“Seungryong, your regeneration’s been failing lately, huh?”
“U, ■, ■, ugh...!”
His body twisted in pain, but Yoon Seungryong sprang forward with great force, as if a tidal wave were crashing toward Lee Hyunmook. He swung his spear to keep the distance and sprayed yellow acidic fluid from his mouth.
Chiiiii! The acid ate away at everything in its path, releasing thick, toxic smoke into the air. The giant centipede hid its body in the toxic cloud. The creatures in the swamp writhed for a moment before melting away.
Seeing this, Yohan scrambled up the tree, releasing his power. Bright light surrounded his body as he nervously watched Lee Hyunmook’s condition, trying to purify the smoke before it reached him.
I hope Lee Hyunmook is okay in all this poison... He had told me not to do anything until the fight was over, so I couldn’t even try to purify it. What if I distract Seungryong and make things harder for him?
While Yohan anxiously paced, Lee Hyunmook’s calm voice echoed from the poisonous fog.
“Seungryong, I’ve told you hundreds of times to watch your environment when you fight. Or ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) maybe, it’s been thousands...”
Suddenly, the poisonous fog flickered with an eerie light. A high-voltage current coursed through the swamp, following the water that had gathered on the ground. Water, being an excellent conductor, was enough to fully shock the giant centipede.
Szzzzzzz! A deafening screech echoed as the current relentlessly surged through Yoon Seungryong’s body, causing excruciating pain. The smell of burning filled the air, and Yohan covered his nose and mouth with his sleeve, shuddering in horror.
Kaaaak! Kaaak!
Boom, Kwaaang! The massive centipede’s body thrashed, shaking the ground. Whenever its erratic movements came toward Yohan, Lee Hyunmook would kick with terrifying strength, redirecting its course. The glowing body tried to crush Lee Hyunmook, but it was futile.
Slick! A sharp cutting sound rang out, and the centipede’s body was severed in half. Despite the hazy view from the poisonous cloud, Yohan could make out the outline of the centipede shrinking as it was reduced in size.
The swamp, now tainted with acid and blood, turned a grotesque color. No creature in the forest dared approach. The frantic sounds of creatures fleeing could be heard from a distance.
As Lee Hyunmook returned from the battle, Yohan, still clinging to the tree, released his purification power. The area around him was purified, turning the swamp’s murky waters into clear liquid wherever the light touched.
“Are you okay?!”
Lee Hyunmook, still not blinking, didn’t even flinch when Yohan rushed toward him. Only when Yohan reached him did he raise an eyebrow and step back.
“Yohan, don’t touch me. Just purify me.”
Yohan, terrified and on the verge of tears, couldn’t help but shed them once again. He hurriedly began to purify, relieved when the sizzling, eerie burning noise finally stopped. Lee Hyunmook absentmindedly wiped away the tears streaming down Yohan’s face.
“Crying again.”
“No, no...! How could I not? That was really scary. I didn’t know Seungryong would be that huge.”
Yohan, sniffling, circled around Lee Hyunmook, anxiously checking if there were any places he missed in his purification. Lee Hyunmook casually scooped him up into his arms. Yohan, having seen Lee Hyunmook not budge in the face of the giant centipede, wasn’t worried about the weight. He simply felt embarrassed.
“Do you think you can purify it now? If not, we can do it later.”
“Eh? You want to do it again later? I can’t do it twice!”
Yohan strongly protested at the thought of doing it again later. But instead of heading off, Lee Hyunmook glanced at the struggling Yoon Seungryong, half-submerged in the poisonous cloud, and said,
“Then maybe it’s best to close your eyes.”
“Why, why?”
“Because it’s not exactly a pretty sight.”
Yohan nearly nodded without thinking, but stopped as he realized that Yoon Seungryong’s body had clearly shrunk. It was undoubtedly a brutal, agonizing scene, and Yohan didn’t want to look. He tried to look away from the cloud and instead shut his eyes tight and shook his head.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll just go.” frёeωebɳovel.com
After living in the Abyss, Yohan had resigned himself to witnessing many horrific things. He didn’t want to be a burden by avoiding them out of fear.
“...Alright, if you’re sure.”
After a tense and exhausting battle, Lee Hyunmook gently touched the back of Yohan’s neck, wiping away the sweat, and began walking again. Still clinging to him, Yohan tried to pull back slightly and said,
“No, I meant ‘just go’ as in I’ll walk by myself!”
Lee Hyunmook ignored him. The poisonous fog slowly dispersed, becoming fainter as they moved. Gradually, Yoon Seungryong’s grotesque form became more visible.
“Huff...”
Yohan sucked in a breath. Yoon Seungryong’s long, massive body lay sprawled out, his body severed, and he was drooling on the ground. Yohan struggled to avoid looking at the severed part. Yoon Seungryong, probably wanting to hide in the broken cave, bared his jagged, broken fangs at Lee Hyunmook as he blocked the path.
“■■, ■...”
Muttering something under his breath, Yohan strained to listen. It sounded like “too much” or “hungry.” Despite his burnt state, Yoon Seungryong glared at Lee Hyunmook while constantly picking up filthy, disgusting mud to shove in his mouth.
Lee Hyunmook kicked him hard in the chest, and Yoon Seungryong screamed silently, rolling around. Then, he vomited up the mud he had been eating.
Yohan panicked and shouted, “Ah, no! Stop hitting him!”
“...But isn’t it better than letting him eat that filthy stuff?”
Lee Hyunmook stepped on Yoon Seungryong’s writhing arm and spoke calmly. Only then did Yoon Seungryong slowly turn his gaze toward Yohan, his eyes completely black, tracking him relentlessly. Acidic fluid dripped from his mouth as his upper body tensed, ready to strike.
“Seungryong, don’t be rude.”
