Absolute Dweller-Chapter 159

A black shadow loomed over the dark sky, where the blizzard raged.

Everything was obscured by white snow, making visibility hazy. Yet, at the edge of the murky sky, the silhouette of a colossal figure sent a chill down my spine.

A massive presence with outstretched wings.

It was a catastrophe made manifest.

Beyond the sheer presence that had altered the season upon its arrival, what was even more overwhelming was the intensifying cold that followed its approach.

Snowflakes swirled fiercely, blanketing the world in white, while the biting cold only grew more relentless.

Especially in Gangbuk, the region closest to the creature, the cold had already surpassed even the harshest winter.

Fortunately, the territories established around Seoul Station and Sindorim were impervious to the creeping frost.

"What should I do?"

Summoning my vassals was simple, but there was no feasible way to evacuate the tens of thousands of survivors in Gangbuk into the territory.

"Even if I open the North Gate, only vassals with citizenship can pass through."

Currently, only a few hundred individuals in Gangbuk had been granted citizenship.

The remaining tens of thousands could not use the North Gate.

"And there's no way to physically escort all of them here."

The conclusion was clear.

[Everyone, return to the nearest safe zone immediately! Move now!]

I issued an urgent evacuation order to everyone around the domain.

[If you're too far or unable to reach safety in time, take refuge underground! Hurry!]

At that moment, chaos erupted among the survivors in Gangbuk.

"Evacuate the civilians underground first! Move it!"

The leader of Gangbuk was not incompetent.

Fortunately, South Korea had an extensive network of underground facilities, including subways and underground parking lots.

"Everyone, move!"

The leader’s command structure was highly capable, with many skilled subordinates.

"This is Alpha One! Get everyone underground! Prioritize the evacuation of civilians!"

Using a military-grade walkie-talkie, they swiftly relayed commands.

The chain ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) of command quickly took control, efficiently guiding the civilians to safety below ground.

The fact that their operations unfolded so seamlessly, as if they had rehearsed for this exact situation, was a testament to their competence.

Moreover, many of their settlements were already established within the subway system, making the evacuation even smoother.

[Work together and do everything possible to ensure the safety of the civilians!]

Among those deployed in Gangbuk were Kim Minho’s team, the Moon brothers—Moon Jihun and Moon Sanghun—and Kim Gun.

I called out to Kim Gun.

[I need eyes on the target.]

"Understood."

Immediately, Kim Gun merged with Kkamang, unfurling his black wings as he soared into the sky.

By then, my level-up process had concluded, the searing pain had ceased, and Clear Mirror, Still Water had deactivated.

"I don’t know what exactly it is, but..."

A spark of anticipation ignited within me.

"Maybe I’ll level up immediately."

My faith in my vassals’ strength had skyrocketed after the operations in Seoul.

With their combined power, we might just stand a chance against that monster.

"Judging by its scale... it's at least level 60. No, possibly beyond level 70."

If so, I could experience several levels' worth of advancement in one go.

"That means skill points."

And I would rake in a hefty settlement fee as well.

"I think I received around a trillion won after Jinjo."

With heightened expectations, I watched Kim Gun ascend into the sky.

The violent snowstorm did little to hinder his flight, but I empowered him regardless.

"Enhance."

A surge of black energy enveloped his body, repelling the wind and frost.

Now reinforced, Kim Gun swiftly climbed several hundred meters into the air.

The already frigid air grew even colder as he ascended.

Yet the black energy shielded him from the cold, and even without it, a level 50 warrior like him could endure such temperatures.

As he reached several kilometers into the air, he laid eyes upon the incoming calamity.

"...Shit."

The moment he identified it, he froze in place.

And who could blame him?

What loomed before him was a monster in every sense of the word.

[Ice Dragon (Lv. 87)]

"..."

An artistic masterpiece, as if an entire frozen mountain had been sculpted into a living entity.

That was his first impression upon witnessing the creature in the sky.

From wingtip to wingtip, its wingspan easily exceeded one kilometer.

Its entire body, a massive frozen behemoth, radiated an intense cold so dense it condensed into mist.

Tiny ice crystals glittered as they reflected light off its gargantuan form, evoking a sense of awe.

It was as if nature itself had descended in a divine manifestation.

The verdict was immediate.

"This... is impossible."

This wasn’t something we could consider hunting.

Kim Gun remained dumbstruck, staring blankly at the entity.

Then—

Crack—

"Ugh?"

Frost suddenly formed all over his body.

And then—

Crack, crackle—!

"!!!"

In an instant, ice encased him.

The reason was immediately evident.

"Damn it!"

The dragon was looking at him.

The moment the Ice Dragon’s indifferent gaze landed on Kim Gun, his body froze over completely.

There was no malice in its eyes—none whatsoever.

It simply acknowledged Kim Gun’s existence and observed him.

And that was enough.

His body, encased in thickening ice, began plummeting toward the ground.

[Summon Vassal: Kim Gun!]

Zzzt—

Kim Gun materialized at Seoul Station through teleportation.

His state was appalling.

He was frozen solid, his distorted expression trapped within a massive block of ice.

"He's alive."

Flare!

Black flames erupted, consuming the ice binding him.

"Hah—! Huff!"

Freed from the ice, Kim Gun collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.

"Are you alright?"

"Huff, huff—"

He checked his body, then slowly nodded.

"I-I'm... fine. Huff."

The only reason he had survived was his high level and the durability that came with it.

But he was far from unscathed.

His skin was reddened in places, showing clear signs of frostbite.

Even with the black energy reinforcing his body, he had suffered damage.

If he had been exposed to the Ice Dragon’s gaze any longer, the situation would have been far worse.

"There’s no way we can kill that thing."

The Ice Dragon wasn’t just a monster—it was a walking natural disaster.

The only saving grace was that my domain could neutralize the cold it emitted.

"But the real problem is the survivors who haven't been evacuated yet..."

Now that I had seen the dragon up close, I understood.

The snowstorm and cold engulfing Gangbuk had only just begun.

A far harsher freeze was on the way.

Despite Gangbuk’s leader, Lee Kanghyun, making quick decisions and his officers working tirelessly, the civilian evacuation was only halfway complete.

The situation had unfolded far too abruptly.

Shhhh—!

Moreover, the snowstorm was worsening, the accumulating snow making evacuation increasingly difficult.

Fwoosh!

"This way!"

Some attempted to clear a path with flames.

Crack, crack—!

"Everyone, over here!"

Some individuals were using ice to pave pathways, facilitating evacuations.

Everyone was leveraging their abilities to the fullest to help people escape.

However...

"The cold seeping underground alone could be fatal."

Simply retreating underground would not suffice.

Luckily, the Moon brothers—Moon Jihun and Moon Sanghun—had ice manipulation abilities. I turned to them.

[Moon Jihun, Moon Sanghun. Can you prevent the cold from penetrating underground?]

“We’ll try...!”

Given their affinity for ice, their resistance to cold was nearly at an immune level.

This allowed them to move more freely through the raging blizzard than others.

The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.

Moreover—

"Enhance."

As I amplified their powers, the effects manifested immediately.

“Haaah!”

Crack—!

An ice wall began forming around the subway station where people had taken refuge.

Swoooosh—

The ambient cold acted as a catalyst, empowering them further and expanding the scale of their work.

Crack, crack, crack—!

Massive ice pillars shot up from various locations.

Towering tens of meters into the sky, the ice columns branched out like blooming flowers.

The branches intertwined, gradually forming an enormous dome.

A massive igloo was taking shape.

Crack, crack, crack—!

The blizzard raging outside aided in the igloo’s completion.

Eventually, an immense ice dome, shielding against both snow and cold, was fully constructed.

After its completion, the twin brothers focused on preventing the chill from seeping into the underground refuge.

“......”

They had done far better than expected.

The nearly 10,000 people who had sought shelter in the subway station under their protection would be safe.

But the people hiding in underground parking lots of apartment complexes or building basements were still directly exposed to the freezing cold.

"There has to be a way..."

At that moment.

[Hey.]

A familiar presence approached.

A spirit that wandered freely around Seoul Station but always sought me out at a specific time.

[I’m hungry.]

It was Salion, the Fire Spirit King.

This guy always came at set times to demand the World Tree’s Life Force as if it were his due.

Looking at him, I suddenly had a realization.

“Salion, you said I stole your power, right?”

[That’s right.]

“Can you explain in detail how that power is used?”

I asked, grasping at straws.

To save these people, I needed to use every means at my disposal.

[Why should I tell you?]

“Because you won’t get fed otherwise.”

[...]

For a moment, Salion hesitated, then sighed.

[It’s simple. My power is the dominion over all fire spirits. You have gained the absolute authority to command them.]

“So how do I actually use that authority?”

[That’s...]

***

At first, Lee Kanghyun hadn’t thought much of the snowfall.

In a world already descending into madness, summer snow didn’t seem like such a big deal.

Maybe, he thought, climate change had gone completely haywire before the monsters even appeared.

But when the blizzard grew fiercer and something appeared at the edge of the sky, he realized how gravely he had misjudged the situation.

And now, they had reached their limit.

Crack, crack, crack—

The tops of high-rise buildings were freezing over.

Lee Kanghyun despaired.

"It’s over."

This eerie cold couldn’t be avoided simply by hiding underground.

Unless they were in a deep underground bunker, there was no way to withstand this bitter frost.

"How many will survive?"

Half? No—far fewer.

Most would freeze to death.

Only awakened individuals might endure.

"...At least they’re here."

The newly emerged power in Seoul.

A group that had suddenly appeared, offering massive relief supplies and urging his faction to join them.

Each of them had monstrous abilities.

Every single one of them seemed as strong as he was.

"Should I have joined them?"

The so-called safe zone they boasted about.

Maybe that place could withstand this cold.

"Should I not have doubted them?"

He had assumed there was always a price.

Nothing came for free—his entire life experience had taught him that.

The people following Kim Jaehyun—they had to have an ulterior motive.

The ones who obtained citizenship with them praised their group almost excessively, showing signs of light brainwashing.

He was convinced that their intention in accepting people was not purely benevolent, and instead of taking the risk of serving under Kim Jaehyun, he chose to maintain a cooperative relationship while receiving supplies.

"But now look where that got us."

The people who trusted him, who stayed because of his decisions, were about to die due to his mistake.

Lee Kanghyun turned to the man beside him.

“Minho.”

“Yes?”

A representative from their faction.

“Can your so-called safe zone block this?”

Kim Minho nodded without hesitation.

“Yes. That place is safe.”

“...Then shouldn’t we all move there immediately?”

“We can return whenever we need to. But for now, we will stay and help.”

“...Thank you.”

However, to Lee Kanghyun, there was no hope.

In this hopeless frost, nothing seemed to matter anymore.

The darkness of the storm-clouded sky seemed to whisper of an inevitable end.

And then—

Fwoosh!

A small flame broke through the darkness.

And then—

Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

The number of flames multiplied.

Tiny embers, flaming lizards, birds engulfed in fire—unreal creatures illuminating the city.

“What... is this?”

Fwoooosh—!

A multitude of fire spirits had appeared, driving back the cold.