The Abyss.
It was a space of infinite chaos where numerous constellations and monsters lurked.
The constellation, Choi Yeonseung, sighed as he looked at the fallen monsters.
“When will I be able to go back to Earth...?”
[Org, the Violent Seven-Headed Dragon]
[Bolgan, the Planet-eating Bear]
[Adio, Dimensional Cave’s Master Spider]
These brutal and powerful monsters reigned like kings in their own territory in the abyss. Even constellations were reluctant to deal with them.
‘The time it took to kill these three... It was around 300 years?’
It would’ve been easier to deal with them one by one. However, the other two rushed in as he was facing one of them, forcing him to fight all of them simultaneously.[You have made an achievement worthy of your name, ‘Incarnation of Undefeated Battles.’ The world resonates.]
[Your power as a constellation has grown.]
A message window from the world. This hunt was a success. He succeeded in increasing his power and strengthening his existence as a constellation. However, there were no longer any monsters around him to hunt now, and he had no idea how far he’d have to travel to find his next opponent. The Abyss was ignorantly wide.
To make things worse, Choi Yeonseung didn’t know how to use spatial teleportation magic. All he could do was run and move, which came with various inconveniences, especially in this place. After all, the Abyss’ terrain would change whenever he blinked.
“Master, if you get lost again...”
“Odaigon. Don’t make such a hasty judgment.”
The goblin Odaigon looked worried. Choi Yeonseung was a young and powerful constellation, but he had no sense of direction. He had been lost so many times!
-Um. I think I’ve seen that planet a couple times now.
-Isn’t that because we’ve been wandering around the same place, Master?
“There must be a way back to Earth somewhere. We should find it.”
“Master. You’re strong enough to set up a new kingdom... Or in my kingdom—”
“No. I have to go back to Earth.”
Choi Yeonseung met Odaigon, the king of goblins and ruler of the Goblin Kingdom, while he was wandering through the Abyss. Choi Yeonseung defeated the giant monster that had been threatening the Goblin Kingdom.
Thrilled, Odaigon immediately swore allegiance to this young constellation who was overflowing with ambition. He even left his kingdom to his servant and chased after Choi Yeonseung alone! In his heart, he wanted to bring Choi Yeonseung to his kingdom. It didn’t make sense for a great constellation to be wandering around the Abyss like this.
“I respect you, Master. You saved our kingdom.”
“It wasn’t a big deal.”
“However, isn’t my kingdom more developed than Earth? We seem to serve you better than Earth does as well, and yet…”
“Who knows? Your magic is definitely more advanced, but I’m not sure about anything else.”
Choi Yeonseung sat down and ripped off the meat of Bolgan, the planet-eating bear. Its muscles were harder than steel. Chewing on them would likely give his teeth cavities.
Odaigon tried to melt the meat with a strong acid spell.
‘Meat, meat, meat, meat. The protein is good for my muscles, but I’m a bit tired of eating meat all the time.’
The Abyss didn’t have a wide variety of dishes available. a variety of dishes. Monster meat was the only thing he could enjoy endlessly here!
“Master. These are special spices made by the chefs of my kingdom. Please use them to season your food.”
“Odaigon. I have the honor of a constellation. How can I take away what your servants have made for you?”
“Ahh... Master...”
Odaigon was moved. However, the real reason why Choi Yeonseung refused was because the goblins’ dishes weren’t delicious. He’d prefer chewing raw meat than eating goblin food!
“Master. If you go back to my kingdom, great chefs...” Odaigon once again suggested to Choi Yeonseung.
“Um. Remember when I stayed there for around a week after killing the monster?”
“Yes.”
“That week was the most difficult and awkward week in my entire life.”
“... W-Why?!”
“Are you seriously asking me that?”
Choi Yeonseung had spent tens of thousands of years in the Abyss, but the Goblin Kingdom was still one of the most terrible places he had visited. Goblin nobles would contact him with trembling hands to offer their sons and daughters. In respect of their sincerity, he managed to refuse them with a smile, albeit barely. Otherwise, his fist would’ve blown them away.
Honestly, what was the difference between the goblin kingdom and a goblin dungeon? He avoided saying that, though, since it would make Odaigon sad if he heard it.
[The Ephes Goblin Kingdom has fallen under your control.]
[The power of a constellation becomes stronger as the souls they reign over increases.]
[The world resonates. Your strength and power of existence as a constellation has become stronger.]
A constellation. A god-like being who grew stronger as the number of souls who believed and followed them increased. That was why the constellations of the Abyss fought fiercely to increase their territory. Attacking each other’s kingdoms, plotting, creating new territories…
The connection between Earth and the Abyss was a tremendous opportunity for the constellations. A golden land with nearly 10 billion souls! The constellations near the gate immediately headed in to get their hands on Earth’s humanity., while the more sinister constellations planned to completely conquer Earth.
The very purpose of Choi Yeonseung in the Abyss was to prevent that invasion.
“Ugh. What kind of meat looks like and is as hard as metal yet smells of blood?”
“But it contains so much magic power. Shouldn’t you eat it?”
A monster that could threaten a constellation was a treasure in itself. If he took this meat with him, the eyes of any goblin hero would light up, and they would try to eat it. After all, just one bit of this treasure could make them dozens of times stronger! However, the constellation Choi Yeonseung didn’t get stronger by eating these things. It was just tough meat to him.
“It’s fine. No matter how annoying the process, I can’t just eat it like this. I am going to cook it. Get out of the way.”
“M-Master is cooking... I’m so grateful I can’t bring myself to eat it...”
“Odaigon!”
“Yes!”
“Get out of the way.”
“Yes...”
After spending tens of thousands of years in the Abyss, even humans who had no hobbies were bound to develop some. Back on Earth, Choi Yeonseung only ever pursued strength. Here in the Abyss, cooking became his hobby. No, it should be called a necessary survival skill rather than a hobby. He mainly specialized in meat dishes, but...
Choi Yeonseung took out a whole adamantium frying pan. The most exciting way to cook meat was steak!
“Can I lend you some spices?”
“No.”
“It is the goblins’ special spices!”
“I hate those even more.”
Meat was easy to obtain in the Abyss. One would just need to wander around. Other ingredients, however, were hard to acquire. He would’ve given up hundreds of billions of monster cores if it meant he could get something like Earth’s pepper or butter...
In the end, Choi Yeonseung was forced to experiment with the Abyss’ suspicious ingredients one by one during his cooking sessions.
Tenacity won! After approximately one thousand years of cooking, he had roughly figured out which ingredients could be used for cooking.
“Master! That is poison!”
“Its toxicity disappears when it’s boiled, leaving behind its stinging taste alone. It’s good for softening meat and getting rid of its smell.”
Choi Yeonseung sprinkled the powder of a poisonous mushroom called ‘Soul-Destroying Toxic Mushroom’ on the meat instead of pepper.
Odaigon became scared. Could he just not eat it?
“Sigh. This butter is precious, but let’s use it. It has been a while since I’ve eaten meat...”
It took him around 300 years to kill this monster, so it was worth using his butter for it. “If you don’t mind me asking... What is that butter made of?” Odaigon asked in a confused manner upon sensing the butter contained a strong magic power.
“Um. What was it... Ah, I came across a constellation in the form of a cow. I borrowed some milk from him instead of killing him.”
“......”
Odaigon almost fainted. The fact that two constellations fought was amazing, but the prize of his victory was just milk!
Seemingly misunderstanding the look in Odaigon’s eyes, Choi Yeonseung gave an excuse. “I was a bit hungry at the time, and I didn’t have the right ingredients. It was quite difficult.”
“N-No... I understand why you did it.”
Even people who didn’t have a talent for cooking would get better at it if they kept cooking. Having cooked for tens of thousands of years, Choi Yeonseung showed no hesitation. He grasped the meat that was cut into large pieces and made it age with a skill. He then sprinkled poisonous powder over the meat and let it soak in...
The meat on the adamantium frying pan was cooked deliciously as it emitted appetizing sounds.
“Add butter and poisonous seeds to replace garlic...”
“Did you just say poisonous seeds?”
“Damn. I’m all out.”
“I’m glad—no, I’m really sorry to hear that!”
“Well, it can’t be helped.”
Choi Yeonseung took out a set of orichalcum cutlery. Orichalcum was a rare metal in the Abyss. How long did it take to collect one or two pieces to complete the cutlery set?
Choi Yeonseung couldn’t use dimensional pocket magic so he threw away most of his luggage. However, there were a few things he always carried with him.
His orichalcum cutlery set(Ingredients touched by it regained their freshness).
An adamantium frying pan and cutting board(any ingredients can be placed on top of it).
They were a chef’s equipment! Choi Yeonseung had worked hard to make them, so he really cared about them.
“Let’s eat.”
“Yes! Thank you for the food!”
Delicious! The taste of the meat itself was delicious, but the rich magic power it contained made Odaigon happier.
Odaigon was the king of the goblins and the most powerful goblin magician. For such a magician, meat with more magic power than a special magic power potion was a pure blessing.
[You have eaten the ‘Constellation’s Improvised Bear Meat Steak’!]
[The power of adamantium locks the meat’s magic power inside it, preventing it from leaking out through the meat’s juices.]
[The butter made by an unidentified constellation has raised the meat to a higher level...]
[Your magic power is greatly restored!]
“Ah... Ahh... Ahhhh!!”
The goblin Odaigon fell into a trance and screamed with joy. As a magician, the taste of this magic power was a pleasure he couldn’t compare to anything else. Meanwhile, Choi Yeonseung slowly backed away from him with a tired expression. As expected, goblins were a bit...
‘I miss Earth.’
Choi Yeonseung was a constellation. However, he wasn’t born as one. In order to explain how Choi Yeonseung became a constellation, he had to go quite far back in the past.
***
Choi Yeonseung had been obsessed with strength since he was young. He didn’t know if it was because he was an orphan. Every day, he thought he had to become stronger to defend himself.
-Choi Yeonseung. Why are you doing bench presses?
-To become strong!
-... That isn’t what I am asking... Isn’t it Korean Language time right now?
One day, as he was training himself through various sports and martial arts, dungeons appeared and a gate connected to the Abyss opened on Earth. Monster cores and byproducts, artifacts from dungeons...
All of them were priceless treasures.
Countless people entered the hunter profession to earn wealth and fame.
Choi Yeonseung had nothing to lose and wouldn’t have any regrets even if he died, so he became one of them. Luckily, he was strong enough to become a C-grade hunter. C-grade likely seemed insignificant at first glance, but it was quite the opposite. Many hunters had failed to rise from D or E-grade.
While D or E-grade hunters could only play supporting roles and do chores, C-grade hunters and above could actively participate in monster hunts and dungeon attacks! Only those ranked C-grade and above could earn large amounts of money.
However, Choi Yeonseung wasn’t satisfied. He wanted to reach B-grade someday! Only monsters could ascend to B-grade. After all, it was impossible to reach that rank unless they were lucky or gained a special talent. Nevertheless, Choi Yeonseung was determined to reach that rank at all costs.
Choi Yeonseung wasn’t obsessed with money or fame. The only thing he was obsessed with was strength.
***
“Yeonseung. Let’s take it easy. A dungeon with B-grade monsters is a bit over the top. Even C-grade is already cutting it a bit close.”
Basically, C-grade hunters would have to form a party to attack a dungeon with C-grade monsters. Even then, accidents still happened from time to time. Although humans had learned skills, they were still fundamentally weak beings!
“Don’t we need to attack stronger dungeons to become stronger?”
“That’s true, but... It’s also dangerous. Honestly, aren’t we already making good money right now? Last time, we reached our first ever monthly income of 100 million. I even got to buy an apartment because of that. Isn’t that enough? You also have a girlfriend.”
“We broke up.”
“...S-Sorry.”
The clan leader apologized with a bewildered voice. Choi Yeonseung was in a small but pretty good clan. It was thanks to the clan leader.
“Why did you break up? You’re not the problematic kind.”
“I told her that I had to train during our dates, so she told me to go and date a monster...”
“......”
The clan leader covered his face. Was he even human?! However, Choi Yeonseung had a clear conscience.
“I don’t harbor any ill feelings toward her. We broke up nicely.”
“My heart hurts. Can we stop talking about this?”
The clan leader waved his hand.
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