Absolute Dweller-Chapter 114

The timeline for when the precognitive dream might come true was uncertain, so I wasted no time assembling a team.

Ha Dong-geon, Kim Ga-young, Moon Byeong-ho, Kang Deok-su, Kim Geon, Seo Ye-jin, Yoo Hye-rin, Kim Da-jeong, Oh Eon-ju, Lee Jun-hyuk, and finally, my father.

The structure was straightforward: Ha Dong-geon’s party, with my father and Lee Jun-hyuk hired as mercenaries.

‘This is the best option for now.’

There was no concern about Lee Jun-hyuk’s party. Recently, he had been operating solo, while the rest of his team focused on clearing minor dungeons within the domain to level up.

Aside from the party leader, Lee Jun-hyuk, the only member I had taken in as a retainer was Lee Hyun-chan, who possessed the “Mini-map” ability. Even so, the other 19 members were formidable, all having surpassed level 30. Among citizens who were not retainers, they stood at the pinnacle.

Their party’s strength wasn’t merely a product of the abilities gained through subordination contracts—it was their natural aptitude for dungeon clearing.

They had no qualms about killing monsters, adapted quickly to various scenarios, and made excellent use of available resources.

In short, they were exceptionally capable.

‘That’s how they survived in Seomyeon’s chaos.’

Before I expanded the domain, Lee Jun-hyuk’s party had managed to survive in monster-infested Seomyeon.

Only the strong could endure such an environment. These were the ones who had been weeded out and proven their worth.

As I reflected on this, I received a telepathic message from Kim Dabin.

[Representative Jae-hyun, everyone is assembled.]

[I’ll be there soon.]

In the living room, my father sat on the floor, strumming his guitar and humming a tune.

"Dad, it’s time to go."

"Alright."

He carefully set his guitar aside and approached me. Hesitating for a moment, I spoke.

"Dad."

"Yes?"

"You need to be careful."

The place we were heading to was arguably more dangerous than vampire-infested Ulsan.

It was like walking into a ticking time bomb—a place where a nuclear explosion could happen at any moment.

‘If the plant were to explode during the operation...’

It would be nearly impossible to guarantee the safety of anyone there. That included my father.

Sensing my concern, my father chuckled softly.

"Son, remember the Ferrari and the Rolls-Royce?"

"...Yes."

"You promised to find one and gift it to me this time, didn’t you?"

"...I did."

"I’m looking forward to it."

"Don’t worry about it."

How could I not worry?

Not just about my father, but about all the retainers I was sending to the nuclear power plant.

Truthfully, part of me wanted to ignore the issue altogether. The transparent barrier would block radiation, after all.

But I knew that abandoning the plant would doom countless survivors outside the domain.

Soldiers who risked their lives to protect the plant, scientists who stayed out of duty, and ordinary people struggling to survive—it would be their end.

Knowing they existed, I couldn’t turn a blind eye.

At least my retainers had an advantage: I could summon them back via the retainer contract, even with a slight delay.

The person in the most danger was my father.

Even though I’d repeated myself several times, I couldn’t help but remind him again.

"If things get dangerous, I’ll open the North Gate immediately. You need to retreat right away."

"I got it, I got it."

"...Alright. Let’s go."

Using the Absolute Dweller’s Door, I opened a portal, revealing the gathered retainers in the administrative management division’s conference room.

Kim Dabin, standing by the whiteboard at the front of the room, began speaking.

"Now that Representative Jae-hyun has arrived, we’ll start the briefing."

A map of Gyeongsang Province, including Busan and Ulsan, was displayed, with the precise location of the Kori Nuclear Power Plant marked.

"The primary goal of this mission is to prevent the explosion of the Kori Nuclear Power Plant. While we don’t know the exact threat it faces, the facility is in imminent danger of a catastrophic explosion."

Dabin wrote on the whiteboard as she explained.

"The most likely threat appears to be monsters. The plant is currently guarded by soldiers, but it’s possible that a lack of resources has led to their inability to contain the monsters, resulting in an accident."

If that were the case, the solution was straightforward.

If the monsters were of a type that could be dealt with using firearms, this team alone could wipe them out. Additionally, supplying ammunition to the soldiers through the shop system would resolve the issue.

"Alternatively, a monster so dangerous that the military can’t handle it may have appeared."

Even in this scenario, sending retainers would suffice. Few monsters existed that this team couldn’t defeat.

Honestly, unless it was something akin to a progenitor vampire, my father alone could likely handle it.

‘Especially since the “Power of the Stars” has significantly boosted everyone’s strength.’

Although the stars’ power capped at three-star enhancements, even that had elevated the retainers to a whole new level.

If monsters were the cause, there was little reason to worry.

However—

"Lastly, there’s a possibility of internal conflict among the people guarding the plant."

Dabin and I both considered this the most plausible scenario.

The fact that the Kori plant had remained intact so far suggested that its defenders had successfully kept monsters at bay. It was more realistic to assume an accident stemming from internal strife than the sudden appearance of a new monster.

Battles against monsters, dwindling resources, and the hopelessness of the situation—these were perfect conditions to drive people to madness.

When morale crumbles, conflicts and disputes are inevitable, and such unrest can easily spiral into irreversible consequences.

Which meant—

"In the worst-case scenario... killing may be necessary."

A heavy silence enveloped the room.

But it didn’t last long.

"No problem," Ha Dong-geon said calmly. "After dealing with vampires, I’ve realized that my abilities are just as suited to killing humans."

The retainers steeled themselves one by one in response to Lee Jun-hyuk’s words.

“I’m the same. My abilities are specialized for assassination.”

Moon Byeong-ho.

“My sniping skills aren’t to be underestimated either.”

Kim Ga-young.

“I hope it doesn’t come to that, but...”

Kim Da-jeong.

“If necessary, I’m always ready.”

Even Oh Eon-ju.

Watching everyone solidify their resolve, Kim Da-bin spoke.

“Best of luck. Kim Geon, please head out first.”

Kim Geon, who possessed the ability to merge with Kkamang, could reach the Kori Nuclear Power Plant in just a few minutes.

For that reason, he was entrusted with the role of the advance scout.

His mission was to recon the plant while preparing for the others to follow.

‘Once Kim Geon arrives, I can use the North Gate to send everyone else.’

In truth, the presence of Kim Geon and the North Gate significantly reduced any limitations imposed by distance.

“Then, I’ll be on my way.”

As Kim Geon exited the office, the Absolute Dweller’s Eye was activated to monitor him.

Outside the office, Kim Geon gave a light whistle.

“Caw!”

In response, Kkamang and about a dozen other crows flew toward him.

The other crows landed on nearby trees or windowsills, but Kkamang flew straight to Kim Geon.

Swoosh—

The moment Kkamang touched Kim Geon’s body, his entire form transformed into a massive crow.

And then—

Flap—

With a single beat of his wings, his body rose into the air, ascending vertically into the sky.

The other crows followed suit, taking flight alongside him.

Whir—

At some point, the space ahead of him distorted, and the East Gate appeared.

Without hesitation, Kim Geon threw himself into it, instantly traversing from the domain's center in Seomyeon to its very edge.

“Caw!”

The crows, empowered by Kim Geon’s abilities, followed through the East Gate without falling behind.

True to South Korea’s mountainous terrain, rugged ridges stretched out below. From the vantage of a crow’s eyes, the forests teemed with various monsters.

The cities nestled deep within the mountains were no different. Beyond the domain, monsters abounded.

‘This area hasn’t been cleared yet.’

Since Kim Jae-hyun’s domain had expanded significantly, monster hunts had primarily focused on Ulsan.

The South Gate provided direct access to Jeonpo Station, making it easy to reach the Ulsan forward base.

As a result, countless monsters had been left unattended on the outskirts of the domain.

‘These will naturally be dealt with as Jae-hyun’s domain continues to expand, so there’s no need to worry.’

It was then.

While flying over a densely packed high-rise apartment complex midway up a mountain—

“Hm?”

From the apartment complex, about a hundred massive monster birds soared into the sky.

“Kreeeehh!”

This rocky terrain resembling a mountain was actually the nesting site of the Kellycans.

The creatures displayed intense hostility toward Kim Geon for intruding into their territory.

The Kellycans were twice the size of Kim Geon, even in his merged form with Kkamang, and dozens of them now took to the skies, their menacing presence palpable.

However, neither Kim Geon nor the crows following him faltered.

They simply flew on, silently trailing behind Kim Geon.

The reason was simple.

Foll𝑜w current novℯls on ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm.

‘Rapid Growth.’

As Kim Geon activated Rapid Growth, the crows trailing him suddenly began to enlarge.

Already larger than ordinary crows, their bodies doubled in size, now comparable to adult humans.

Yet even with their increased size, the Kellycans remained larger, boasting superior numbers and ferocity.

With sharp claws and fangs, the Kellycans charged at Kim Geon with overwhelming momentum.

The two forces rushed toward each other at high speed, colliding mid-air.

Crash! Rip!

The outcome was one-sided.

“Kreeeehh!”

A massacre.

The victims? The Kellycans.

Despite their numbers and size, the Kellycans, at a mere Level 20, were no match for Kim Geon, who was Level 50.

There was no need for guns or other weapons.

Slash!

With each strike of Kim Geon’s claws, wings, or talons, the Kellycans’ bodies were torn apart like paper.

And it wasn’t just Kim Geon dealing out destruction.

Screech!

One of the crows trailing Kim Geon accelerated sharply.

The Kellycan, unable to react in time, was caught off guard.

Shhk!

The crow’s wing slashed across the Kellycan’s throat, severing it cleanly.

The Kellycan’s decapitated head separated from its body, and before it could hit the ground, its corpse was absorbed into the air, vanishing without a trace.

Such overwhelming dominance.

Only after losing more than half their numbers did the Kellycans understand the situation and attempt to flee.

Kim Geon didn’t bother chasing those who ran.

‘I’ve wasted time.’

Two minutes.

That was all it took to annihilate over a hundred Kellycans.

But the mission he was carrying out demanded urgency.

The precognitive dream could become reality at any moment.

‘I’ll speed up.’

The crows began cutting through the air at an even faster pace.