??? AM – The Price of Escape
Blood dripped from his leg.
Kyung-min gritted his teeth, pressing his palm against the torn flesh. The Abyss Hound's claws had carved deep, jagged wounds that pulsed with pain.
🔹 [HP: 135 → 120.]
His breath was shallow. He was losing blood—too much. His heart pounded as he pressed his back against the cavern wall. The air was thick with silence. The Abyss Hounds had stopped chasing him, but that didn't mean he was safe.
They were still hunting.
Still waiting.
His only advantage? They hadn't found him yet. Not yet.
??? AM – A Crawling Hunger
No food. No water. No way to heal his wounds.
His stomach twisted in protest, but he ignored it.
"I need a plan."
But what plan? The moment he moved, he'd be hunted. The moment he fought, he'd be outmatched. And even if he won—what then?
He was starving.
He was bleeding.
And he was alone.
🔹 [HP: 120 → 110.] (Blood Loss)
"Damn it."
His fingers trembled as he wiped the sweat from his brow. His body felt colder. Weakening.
He needed shelter. Somewhere to hide. Somewhere to survive.
??? AM – The Nest of Red Eyes
Then—
He saw them.
Small figures. Lurking in the dark.
At first, they looked… harmless.
But then—
The eyes.
Glowing red. Unblinking.
Their bodies twitched unnaturally, fur bristling like needles.
🔹 [Bloodfang Burrowers – Level 12-15]
Rabbits.
But wrong.
Their fangs were too large. Their claws too sharp. And the way they moved—
They weren't just animals.
They were monsters.
Kyung-min exhaled sharply. "I need to get away from them."
But he didn't run. Not yet.
Because in the distance—
There was a small opening in the wall. A hole. Too small for hounds. Too small for golems. Too small for anything but him.
And in his current state—
It was the only chance he had.
??? AM – The Burrow
Kyung-min forced himself forward.
Every step burned. Every movement cost him HP.
🔹 [HP: 110 → 105.] (Exhaustion)
"Just a little further."
The Bloodfang Burrowers twitched. They were getting closer.
His fingers clawed at the stone as he shoved himself into the opening. It was tight. His wound screamed as he dragged himself deeper inside.
🔹 [HP: 105 → 100.] (Blood Loss)
But he made it.
The moment his legs disappeared into the hole—
The rabbits lunged.
Claws scraped stone. Fangs snapped inches away from his feet.
But they couldn't reach him.
Not here.
Not inside this tiny, suffocating space.
For the first time since waking up—
He was safe.
??? AM – The First Kill
Kyung-min didn't move.
He didn't breathe.
The Bloodfang Burrowers were still outside. Waiting. Watching.
But they didn't leave.
Because they were hungry too.
"They're not leaving."
He stared at them through the darkness. Small. Quick. Vicious.
But not invincible.
Not like the others.
For the first time, Kyung-min felt it.
A predator's gaze.
Not from them.
From himself.
"I need to eat."
His fingers tightened.
His body was breaking down. And there was only one way to survive.
Slowly, he moved.
One hand found a jagged rock. The other, a sharp bone.
And when the next Bloodfang Burrower wandered too close—
He struck.
??? AM – The Hunt Begins
The first strike missed.
Kyung-min's jagged rock scraped against the creature's thick hide, but it barely left a scratch.
The Bloodfang Burrower twisted unnaturally, its elongated spine snapping backward as its glowing red eyes locked onto him.
Then—
It lunged.
Kyung-min barely jerked away in time. The monstrous rabbit's fangs slammed into the wall where his throat had been, leaving deep bite marks in the stone.
"I can't fight this thing head-on!"
He scrambled backward, slamming his wounded leg against the cold stone behind him. Pain exploded through his body.
🔹 [HP: 100 → 95.] (Injury Aggravated)
The creature's breathing was heavy. It sniffed the air, sensing his weakness.
It knew.
He was prey.
"No, I need… something."
His mind was spinning. His muscles were shaking.
His summon.
It was his only option.
Kyung-min thrust his bloody hand forward.
🔹 [Corpse Reclamation Activated.]
Cold energy surged from his fingertips, latching onto the half-rotted corpse near the burrow entrance.
The dead twitched.
Then—
It rose.
A mangled undead Bloodfang Burrower—its body still half-decayed, one of its legs missing, its throat torn open.
But it moved.
And that was all that mattered.
??? AM – The Hunt Begins
The first strike missed.
Kyung-min's jagged rock scraped against the creature's thick hide, but it barely left a scratch.
The Bloodfang Burrower twisted unnaturally, its elongated spine snapping backward as its glowing red eyes locked onto him.
Then—
It lunged.
Kyung-min barely jerked away in time. The monstrous rabbit's fangs slammed into the wall where his throat had been, leaving deep bite marks in the stone.
"I can't fight this thing head-on!"
He scrambled backward, slamming his wounded leg against the cold stone behind him.
Pain exploded through his body.
🔹 [HP: 100 → 95.] (Injury Aggravated)
The creature's breathing was heavy. It sniffed the air, sensing his weakness.
It knew.
He was prey.
"No, I need… something."
His mind was spinning. His muscles were shaking.
His summon.
It was his only option.
Kyung-min thrust his bloody hand forward.
🔹 [Corpse Reclamation Activated.]
Cold energy surged from his fingertips, latching onto the half-rotted corpse near the burrow entrance.
The dead twitched.
Then—
It rose.
A mangled undead Bloodfang Burrower—its body still half-decayed, one of its legs missing, its throat torn open.
But it moved.
And that was all that mattered.
??? AM – The First Command
The moment the undead rabbit twitched, the living one hesitated.
Just for a second.
But a second was all he needed.
"Attack it."
His voice was hoarse, strained.
The undead lurched forward.
But it was slow.
Weak.
The living Bloodfang Burrower twisted its massive body, fangs sinking into the reanimated corpse's throat.
A sickening crunch filled the air.
The summon collapsed instantly.
It hadn't even lasted five seconds.
"Shit—"
The Bloodfang Burrower turned back toward him.
It was faster than him.
Stronger.
Smarter.
He had no weapons.
No armor.
No hope.
But he still had one more summon.
Even if it was useless.
🔹 [Corpse Reclamation Available.]
He didn't hesitate.
He couldn't.
He activated the skill again.
The same corpse twitched.
Again.
And once more—
It rose.
The Bloodfang Burrower hesitated again.
But this time, Kyung-min moved first.
??? AM – A Battle of Attrition
The fight lasted minutes.
Then more.
Then more.
Over and over—
Kyung-min summoned.
The rabbit killed.
He summoned.
It killed again.
🔹 [Corpse Reclamation Activated.]
🔹 [Corpse Reclamation Activated.]
🔹 [Corpse Reclamation Activated.]
Each time, the undead lasted just a little longer.
Each time, the living Bloodfang Burrower slowed just a little more.
It was getting tired.
Kyung-min was too.
🔹 [MP: 45/200.]
"One more."
His vision blurred. His body shook.
"One more and I'm finished."
The Bloodfang Burrower was panting.
And for the first time—
It hesitated.
Because it wasn't just hunting anymore.
It was being hunted too.
🔹 [Corpse Reclamation Activated.]
The undead lunged one last time.
The Bloodfang Burrower dodged left.
And that was a mistake.
It exposed its side.
Kyung-min moved.
His jagged bone knife plunged forward.
Not deep.
Not clean.
But enough.
The rabbit screamed.
And then—