I didn’t want to stand around too long, so I headed straight back to my room. Didn’t see anyone on the way—just walked straight in and sat on the bed.
"System, can I create a skill that can locate dungeons in this world?"
'No, stop—don’t do that. We’ll just end up with some overpriced, overcomplicated, and useless answer. Be more specific. [Identification] can work as a scan for now. We just need it to detect dungeons within a 10 km range—nothing more. System, can you upgrade [Identification] to see dungeons 10 km away?'
> Ding! Host needs 100,000 energy to upgrade [Identification] to include dungeon detection within 10 km.
‘Okay, do it.’
> Ding! -100,000 energy consumed.
Host will experience pain skill upgrading in 10… 9… 8…
‘It’s really good to be the thought part right now.’
"Wait—why does it only give a 10-second warning?"
‘Like you could even do anything with more time. It just deys the inevitable. Just accept it.’
"It’s easy for you to say..."
Before I could finish, pain exploded in my skull. My eyes felt like they were being sucked into my sockets. I could feel the veins in them bulging, bursting, regenerating—again and again. Blood ran from my eyes and nose. I instinctively tried to cover them with my hands, but that made it worse. Instead, I pulled my hair back, gritting my teeth.
I knew my other half—my thoughts—was saying something, but I couldn’t hear a damn thing. Pain swallowed everything. I rolled off the bed, smearing blood across the sheets. I didn’t even notice hitting the floor. Every time I bumped into a wall, I’d twist and crash in another direction, pain pushing me like a ragdoll caught in a storm.
I don’t know how long it sted.
But eventually... it stopped.
---
"Man, that ride was insane. I was spinning so much I could see the group and the floor at the same time—and you didn’t even blink."
"F*ck you. How long did it st?"
'System, how long was that? I’m not good at counting time—it’s boring.'
> Ding!
Host rolled around for approximately 2 hours.
'Haha, it even said "rolled around" but didn’t mention the pain.'
I stopped arguing and went to prepare food. I ate without bothering to clean the bloodstains. Afterward, I [Decomposed] the clothes I was wearing, washed the blood from my face, grabbed a new pair of jogging pants and a pin white t-shirt, and stepped outside the supermarket.
I looked around and activated the [Identification] skill, focusing on the idea of "dungeon." Everything in front of me faded into a bnk white space, then red spherical lights began appearing in the distance—each beled with its distance and direction. To the west, one was 6 km away. Another, to the northwest at 290°, was only 2 km away—the closest.
It was 2:35 p.m., so I sprinted toward the nearest one at a steady 3 meters per second, ignoring zombies along the way and weaving around them. Based on my pace, I’d reach the location in 11 minutes.
Halfway there, I heard loud banging to my left. I came to an abrupt stop and turned toward the sound, changing course to check it out.
When I arrived, I saw a creature pounding on a door—repeatedly, violently. It was clear the door wouldn't st much longer. I stepped out from behind a corner.
The creature seemed to notice me—or maybe it just smelled me. It turned in my direction. This thing was 3 meters tall with a thick, solid frame. Its arms and legs looked half a foot thick. I quickly used [Identification]:
---
[Creature: Zombie Lv. 15]
Css: Tank
Ability: Physic Lv. 10
Skill: Self-Regeneration
(Note: This is an ability created using [Infection]. No matter how many limbs are cut off, it will regenerate as long as there's enough infection energy.)
---
I was pnning to end the fight quickly, but I was stopped by crow. I was faster than this thing anyway.
"RROOOAAARRRGHH!!"
'F*ck—it’s shouting, not growling. Is it calling for something? No… it doesn’t feel like that. It’s more like it’s repelling something.'
Then it ran straight at me. When it got within 2 meters, it suddenly leapt 7 meters high in a single jump—and came crashing down like a meteor, feet first.
I stepped back 3 meters just as—"THUD–CRRRKKK!"—the creature smmed down, cracking the concrete where I’d been standing. The instant I noticed the shadow beneath me darken, I didn’t bother looking—I instinctively moved 2 meters to the left, still watching the creature.
A moment ter—"Boom!"—its massive arms came crashing down exactly where I’d just been.
‘It knows how to pn attacks. That wasn’t random.’
It realized it missed, gnced at me, and immediately sent its left arm swinging sideways, fully extended like a fil on a rope. The momentum made its massive fist whistle through the air. I stepped back just enough to dodge, the wind from the blow brushing my chest.
Then it turned fully toward me, raised its right arm straight up, and smmed it down again.
‘It’s not punching… just swinging like a club.’
I dodged right, three quick steps, then sprinted around to its back, tracking its movements the entire time. As it reset its stance, I closed in and jumped—3 meters high—aiming for its neck with my axe.
But I missed. The bde buried into its thick upper trapezoid instead of the neck.
"Khrrkk!" It didn’t scream, but the sound of axe meeting flesh and bone echoed out.
The bde stuck. It didn’t budge so I yanked hard pulling the axe .
Looking at the axe—barely thicker than a zombie’s arm—it didn’t inspire much confidence. It looked like it wouldn’t cut through anything.
I stepped back and activated [Decompose], watching the axe dissolve. In its pce, I created a one-meter sledgehammer weighing 10 kilograms. Just the sight of it brought a sense of satisfaction.
The creature swung its right arm in a wide 180° arc from the side, slicing through the air with a sharp "SWOOSH!" The force cracked the wind—far more dangerous than its left. I backed off five steps just to be safe. Sometimes even the sound alone could rupture an eardrum.
As its mouth began to open—probably to let out another roar—I didn’t wait. I dropped the sledgehammer down, gripping the handle tightly, aiming to use the wide side to crush from back to front. The arc of the swing connected perfectly with its head.
"THWAK—CRACKK!"
"SNAP—KRK!"
The head exploded into pieces, fragments of skull and flesh scattering. At the same time, the sledgehammer’s handle split apart from the force of the impact.
---
Looking at the headless corpse, I couldn’t tell if it was because it had evolved, but it didn’t smell like a normal zombie anymore.
'Let’s try this.'
“Is this really necessary? I mean… we can touch the opening part.”
‘Don’t say it like that! If someone hears me saying that, they'll think I’m freaking gay.’
“What kind of bullshit is that? It just doesn’t feel right sticking my hand in there. If a man can avoid it, then he will. No one wants to do unnecessary things.”
‘What do you mean unnecessary? This is necessary. How about this—let me do the work.’
“Yeah... good idea.”
I activated [Infection] and pushed my hand into the corpse’s neck stump. It felt slimy—cold, not warm—and as I shoved deeper, my whole wrist submerged until I touched bone. I gripped it tightly. The moment I did, the ability began collecting. Within a minute, my nails were fully coated with infection.
I waited.
One… two… three minutes—nothing.
Four… five… six… I was getting impatient.
Mark: ‘How about I start with just one finger, not the full hand?’
Crow: “Is it because you’re there that it seems like you’re smarter now?”
Mark:‘Just focus. There are people inside.’
Crow:“So... it’s like I just don’t want to create unnecessary problems.”
Focusing on that thought, I concentrated on my right pointer finger. I held the focus for ten minutes straight.
Success.
Something shifted. I felt a response—and the infection spread, coating the upper part of the finger like it had done with my nails.
I looked at the corpse again,and switched position
Crow:‘Let’s upgrade the [Converter] first.’
Mark:“System, convert 600 tons of atom into energy and upgrade the Converter. Prioritize daily capacity.”
> Ding!
-600 tons of atom converted
+600,000 energy
-350 energy to upgrade Converter
Upgrading in 3... 2... 1...
Heat and Mass Atom Converter: 700,000/day
‘How much energy do I have left?’
> Ding!
Host has 530,700 energy.
‘Okay, upgrade [Spatial Storage] skill and
add another 5m3.’
> Ding!
-500,000 energy
Upgrading [Spatial Storage]...
3... 2... 1...
Then I stored the whole corpse and proceeded toward the nearest dungeon.
