Abyssal Ascent

Jinhyeok stood over the corpse of the Fanged Crawler, his heart pounding. His hands trembled, still gripping the dagger slick with black ichor. The sudden rush of information from his newly acquired skill, [Fanged Crawler's Reflexes (E)], had been overwhelming.

His muscles felt lighter. His reaction speed had improved. It wasn't a massive upgrade, but it was noticeable.

> Status Updated.

- Strength: F -> F+

- Agility: F -> E-

He exhaled sharply.

"I can do this."

Others around him were still fighting. Some had gained impressive abilities, cutting down Crawlers with ease. Others weren't so lucky—screams filled the air as monsters tore into them.

Jinhyeok had no intention of ending up like them.

But first, he needed a plan.

---

[A Ruthless Battlefield]

Jinhyeok ducked behind a wrecked car, watching the battlefield unfold. His system was unique, but it had one major drawback—he needed to land the killing blow to steal skills.

If he wanted to grow stronger, he couldn't just sit back. He had to fight, but smartly.

He scanned the area. A burly man wielding a massive hammer crushed a Crawler's skull, his face full of exhilaration. Another person, a woman in a tattered dress, was using wind magic to slice through enemies with ruthless efficiency.

But Jinhyeok wasn't envious—he was observing.

Then, he saw his chance.

A young man nearby, wielding a sword, was fighting a Crawler. The monster was on its last legs, bleeding heavily, but the fighter was exhausted as well. He swung sluggishly, barely dodging the creature's desperate attacks.

Jinhyeok gripped his dagger and made his move.

Just as the fighter delivered a final, slow slash—Jinhyeok lunged.

Before the sword connected, Jinhyeok stabbed his dagger into the monster's neck, twisting it violently.

> Fanged Crawler defeated!

Skill Recorded: [Minor Swordsmanship (F+)]

The fighter gasped in shock. "You—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a Crawler tackled him from the side, sinking its teeth into his throat.

Jinhyeok didn't hesitate. He turned and sprinted away, heart hammering in his chest.

[A Lesson in the Abyss]

By the time he stopped running, Jinhyeok was panting. He hid in the shadows of a collapsed building, dagger clenched tightly.

What he had just done… It wasn't honorable.

But the Abyss didn't care about honor.

The first rule of survival was simple—hesitation meant death.

And if he wanted to live, he had to be ruthless.

He pulled up his status screen.

> New Skill Acquired: Minor Swordsmanship (F+)

Another influx of knowledge hit him. It was basic, but it gave him a proper grasp of a sword's weight and movement.

He clenched his fist.

"I need more."

More skills. More strength. More power.

Because the Abyss wasn't going to wait for him to catch up.

---

[System Announcement]

A loud chime echoed through the air.

> First Wave Complete.

Remaining Survivors: 143 / 300.

Jinhyeok's stomach twisted. Over half had died already?

Before he could think further, another message popped up.

> Phase 1 Reward: Status Evaluation.

Ranking Survivors…

A translucent screen appeared before him.

[Current Rankings]

1st – Han Seongmin (Level 5)

2nd – Lee Mirae (Level 4)

…

[Unranked] – Kang Jinhyeok (Level 1)

Jinhyeok frowned. Levels?

Until now, he hadn't even considered that. Unlike others, who had gained strength passively through their awakened systems, his only way to improve was by acquiring skills.

That meant one thing—he had to hunt.

If he wanted to survive, he couldn't just scrape by.

He needed to dominate.

---

[To Be Continued…]