Absolute Dweller

Chapter 95

The Absolute Dweller cannot leave the domain of the Dwelling.@@@@

This limitation also applied to Descent.

Thus, a preliminary step was necessary: the area where I would descend needed to be transformed into a domain.

In other words, this place now shared the same properties as the Dwelling or an outpost.

The reason I deliberately descended before the progenitor to provoke it was simple:

[A hostile entity to the Absolute Dweller has been detected.]

To activate the system’s feature of eradicating anything hostile to me.

[Eliminating.]

With that concise notification—

Thunk!

The progenitor’s head exploded, and it seemed the situation had been resolved.

But its resilience far exceeded my expectations.

Splaash!

The progenitor’s decapitated body dissolved into a torrent of blood.

And then—

“Grrr!”

I heard Oh Eon-ju’s desperate growl in her beastly form.

Her wide, panicked eyes were focused on something behind me as she extended her hand toward me.

Right after—

BOOOM!

A massive sound erupted from behind.

I turned to see the progenitor glaring at me with blood-red eyes, its gaze burning with hatred.

The blood tentacle it had stealthily extended toward me trembled just inches away from my face, stopped by—

Buzz...

—a transparent barrier, rippling faintly within a one-meter radius around me.

‘How is it still alive?’

Could it be because the true body of vampires lies within their hearts?

No, I was certain that wasn’t the full story.

‘Absolute Dweller’s Eye.’

I used the skill to assess its condition, and it was evident that it was far from unscathed.

Its movements were noticeably sluggish compared to before my descent. Its distorted expression and labored breathing were clear indicators.

This was only natural.

Ordinarily, this space was inaccessible without citizenship and impossible to navigate without my permission.

The fact that it had invaded and moved within my domain was nothing short of miraculous.

‘There’s something about that flame.’

Whoosh!

The progenitor’s entire body was still engulfed in black-red flames.

“Aaaaargh!”

Its agonized screams reverberated as it struggled to endure the pain.

Observing the flames consuming its body, I realized something.

‘Are they fighting each other?’

Thanks to the Absolute Dweller’s Eye, I could see it clearly.

The black and red flames were battling for dominance over its body.

The black energy resembled the aura Ha Dong-geon used.

‘Could it be...?’

Recognizing it instinctively, I knew the black energy originated from me.

At the same time, I understood why the progenitor could resist within my domain.

‘It’s the red energy protecting its entire body.’

The same red energy had enabled it to pierce the transparent barrier earlier and now allowed it to act freely within my domain without permission.

At that moment—

[A hostile entity to the Absolute Dweller has been detected.]

[Eliminating.]

As the system notification appeared again, the progenitor’s floating body and the blood tentacle it had extended toward me swelled grotesquely.

Then—

Boom!

This time, the progenitor’s entire body exploded in midair.

Thud!

Chunks of its flesh splattered onto the blood-soaked ground, melting away as they disintegrated.

But—

I addressed him.

“Hey.”

I could have killed him outright, but I still had questions about the mysterious red energy he had wielded.

“What exactly was that red energy you possessed?”

As I gradually released the force pinning his face to the ground, the man struggled to lift his head.

His face was twisted in despair, but he ignored my question and asked one of his own.

“What... are you?”

He clearly had no intention of answering me.

‘Well, it’s not like he’d just tell me if I asked.’

Since I hadn’t suppressed him specifically to extract information, I wasn’t too disappointed.

The vampire, his teeth gone, spoke with a slurred voice.

“Why... does a being like you... exist in this world— cough!”

He couldn’t finish his sentence, coughing up black blood instead.

It was clear he had reached his limit.

Tears streamed down the progenitor’s face as he muttered to himself.

“Ah... the connection to the Great One... the blessing...!”

He seemed to have lost his sanity.

“Oh Eon-ju.”

“...Yes.”

“Finish it.”

“Understood.”

Oh Eon-ju, no longer in her beastly form, nodded.

Her body was battered and barely holding together.

Before I descended, when the progenitor unleashed his power and bathed Ulsan in blood, a massive shockwave had erupted.

My father, who had been fighting closest to the progenitor, had been flung all the way to the vicinity of the Taehwa River.

Naturally, Oh Eon-ju, who had also been nearby, had suffered significant injuries. Despite this, she had risked her life to approach the progenitor.

It was only fitting that she deliver the final blow.

‘It’s economically sound too.’

I had poured substantial funds into my retainers in preparation for battles against vampires.

Even the newly recruited retainers had been leveled up to their maximum potential, regardless of cost.

‘The higher the level, the worse the efficiency.’

Still, I had no regrets.

If I had invested conservatively, the losses would have been far greater.

Thud!

The progenitor, stripped of all its power, met its end as Oh Eon-ju’s hand pierced its heart.

Its withered body disintegrated from the heart outward, vanishing completely.

[You have hunted Progenitor (True) (Lv. 62).]

[You have gained an enormous amount of experience.]

[9,958,584,949.23 KRW has been deposited into the Absolute Dweller’s wallet.]

‘Huh?’

For a moment, I thought I had misread the number.

‘Millions, tens of millions, billions, tens of billions...’

The money from hunting the progenitor was a staggering—

‘9.9 trillion won?!’

Nearly 10 trillion won had been deposited.

‘Wait... is this right?’

The money from this single kill exceeded all my previous earnings combined.

‘Even with all the benefits stacking...’

It was likely the crown I wore that had played a significant role in this.

The crown amplified the bonuses citizens received and, combined with Oh Eon-ju’s title of Viscount, resulted in a final payout nine times the original amount.

And—

‘If the monetary rewards are this absurd...’

Naturally, the experience points were equally astronomical.

[Your skill level has increased.]

[Your skill level has increased.]

[Your skill level has increased.]

[Your skill level has increased.]

[Your skill level has increased.]

The result was a cascade of explosive skill level-ups.

‘Ah, damn it. This is bad.’

Immediately afterward—

Swish—

As the time for Descent ended and I returned to my Dwelling—

“!!!!!!”

The unbearable pain began.