Chapter 6 Abyssal Vessel
Vaelith’s POV
The dungeon wanted blood. I could feel it.
Beside me, Vark grinned eagerly.
“Master kill humans now?”
The little goblin’s yellow eyes practically sparkled with excitement.
I frowned immediately.
“No.”
Vark looked devastated.
“…No?”
“We observe first.”
The goblin tilted its head. “Observe before killing?”
“…Preferably without killing.”
The undead knight standing nearby remained silent, though I somehow sensed disapproval from him.
Honestly, I didn’t care.
I was already becoming less human by the second. The least I could do was avoid slaughtering random people immediately after transforming into a dungeon core.
I crossed my arms while staring upward thoughtfully.
“How many humans?”
The system immediately answered.
[Foreign Presence Detected]
Intruders: 5
Threat Level: Low
Five. Manageable.
Vark suddenly sniffed the air again.
“Humans smell scared.”
“That’s because they’re entering a dungeon filled with monsters.”
The goblin nodded seriously.
“Reasonable.”
I stared at him for a moment.
Why was I having normal conversations with a goblin now?
The system suddenly flashed again.
[Warning]
Mana Consumption Increasing
Current Reserves: Low
I frowned slightly. Again?
“How much mana does this body consume?”
The undead knight answered calmly.
“You are maintaining both the Dungeon Core and your physical vessel simultaneously.”
I blinked once.
“…Physical vessel?”
The knight looked directly at me.
“The body you currently possess is temporary.”
Cold unease settled in my chest instantly.
“What do you mean temporary?”
“The integration remains incomplete.”
The system appeared again.
[Current Form: Artificial Vessel]
[Stability: 41%]
[Long-Term Survival Not Guaranteed]
I stared at the screen blankly.
“…You’re telling me I could suddenly die?”
“If your vessel collapses.”
Wonderful. I rubbed my forehead tiredly.
“So how do I fix it?”
The knight raised one skeletal hand toward the Dungeon Core.
“Evolve.”
That one word immediately irritated me.
“Why does everything involve evolution now?”
“Because you are no longer human.”
Silence followed.
That sentence was beginning to annoy me more every time I heard it.
Before I could respond, loud footsteps echoed through the upper tunnel.
Vark immediately crouched low.
“They near.”
I focused instinctively. My senses expanded throughout the dungeon instantly. Then I saw them. Not physically.
But through the dungeon itself.
Five humans moving carefully through the ruined corridors above. One carried a torch. Two held swords. Another wore light leather armor. And the final one… a mage.
“…I can see them.”
The knight nodded slowly.
“The dungeon’s vision is your vision.”
The realization sent chills down my spine.
I could literally perceive everything inside my territory.
The scavengers suddenly stopped moving.
One man cursed under his breath.
“Did you feel that?”
“The hell was that pressure?”
The mage looked visibly uneasy.
“There’s something deeper inside this dungeon.”
My crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
Sharp instincts. Unfortunately for them… they were already too deep.
The system flashed before me again.
[New Skill Available]
[Abyssal Vessel]
I froze. The same skill mentioned earlier.
“What’s this?”
The knight’s glowing eyes flickered slightly.
“A humanoid manifestation ability.”
My heartbeat slowed instantly. Humanoid.
Mobile. Exactly what I needed.
“What does it do?”
“It allows the Dungeon Core to create a stable combat body.”
A slow realization settled over me.
“So I can finally leave this chamber.”
The knight nodded once.
“If successful.”
“…And if it fails?”
“Your consciousness may collapse.”
Of course there was a risk. There was always a risk. I looked toward the Dungeon Core behind me silently. If I remained trapped here permanently, this story would become boring quickly.
No adventure. No movement.
Just endless waiting underground.
No. That wasn’t acceptable.
“I’m doing it.”
The knight stepped backward immediately.
“Prepare yourself.”
The system appeared again.
[Would You Like To Activate: Abyssal Vessel?]
[YES / NO]
I selected YES instantly. The Dungeon Core pulsed violently.
THUUUUUM!
Crimson mana exploded throughout the chamber like a storm.
Vark screamed.
“MASTER GLOWING!”
The ground cracked beneath my feet while unbearable pressure slammed into my body.
“GHHH!”
Pain exploded through every nerve instantly. Not the same as before. This felt sharper. More violent.
Like my body was being compressed and rebuilt repeatedly.
The system flickered wildly.
[Constructing Abyssal Vessel]
[Stabilizing Consciousness]
[Warning: Extreme Mana Drain]
I gritted my teeth hard. The crimson mana surrounding me twisted violently, wrapping around my body like chains.
Then, memories flooded my mind again.
Ancient wars. Dungeon monarchs.
Massive underground kingdoms.
And towering humanoid beings made entirely from abyssal mana. So this was how they moved beyond their dungeons.
The mana suddenly tightened around my chest painfully.
“AAAAARGH!”
Vark panicked instantly.
“MASTER DYING!”
“I noticed!” I snapped.
The chamber shook violently. Even the scavengers above noticed.
“What the hell is happening?!”
“Earthquake?!”
“No… something’s waking up!”
The pressure inside my body became unbearable. I could feel my bones cracking. Reforming. Strengthening.
Then suddenly, everything went silent.
The mana surrounding me disappeared instantly.
I staggered forward heavily. Breathing hard. Sweating.
The system flashed calmly before my eyes.
[Abyssal Vessel Successfully Created]
[Humanoid Stability: Confirmed]
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Vark gasped dramatically.
“MASTER LOOK COOLER!”
“…What?”
I looked down immediately. The crimson markings across my skin had changed.
Sharper now. More refined.
My silver hair had grown slightly longer, while faint crimson light glowed within my eyes.
The undead knight slowly knelt.
“The vessel is complete.”
I flexed my fingers slowly. And for the first time since becoming the Dungeon Core…
I no longer felt chained to the chamber.
A slow smile formed on my face.
Then suddenly, the dungeon screamed.
My expression snapped upward instantly.
“What was that?”
The entire underground city trembled violently. Crimson mana surged through the walls erratically.
The system flashed red.
[WARNING]
[Core Territory Under Attack]
Vark panicked immediately.
“Humans attacking!”
“No…”
I focused sharply on the dungeon above.
Then my eyes narrowed dangerously.
The scavengers weren’t alone anymore.
A massive holy presence had entered the dungeon.
Golden mana flooded the upper tunnels like sunlight invading darkness.
The undead knight’s voice became grim.
“…A paladin.”
My chest tightened instantly.
Impossible.
Seredin wouldn’t
return this quickly. Then I felt it. That pressure. Overwhelming. Far stronger than Seredin.
The entire dungeon trembled in fear beneath that presence. And then… a calm male voice echoed through the ruins above.
“Interesting.”
Silence filled the chamber instantly.
The knight’s crimson eyes widened for the first time.
“No…”
“…Seraphel Vaun.”
