Shuaaa!

    The egg shattered.

    At the same time, a brilliant light erupted, and like water spiraling down a drain, the venomous energy coursing through Su-ho’s body converged at his solar plexus and disappeared.

    The excruciating pain that had been suffocating him—the pounding heart, the splitting headache—subsided like waves gently receding to the shore.

    “Phew...”

    A deep, ragged breath escaped him.

    His once-erratic breathing calmed, and Su-ho shifted out of his meditative position, leaning against the wall to rest.

    As the sense of peace gradually returned, system notifications began to flood his vision.

    [You have successfully hatched the venom-eating snake’s egg.]

    [The quest has been completed.]

    [The venom-eating snake acknowledges you as its master and coils around you.]

    [Congratulations! You have acquired the Venom-Eating Snake (S+).]

    [You have achieved a remarkable feat! The system rewards you with 5 bonus stat points.]

    Seeing the notifications, Su-ho couldn’t help but laugh softly.

    "I finally did it."

    He had endured unimaginable agony to reach this moment. That made the rewards before him feel even sweeter.

    Among the system messages, his eyes lingered on the name of the newly acquired skill.

    Venom-Eating Snake (S+).

    This was no ordinary skill. Dubbed one of the “poison dragons,” it stood among the rarest poison-related S-rank skills in the world.

    "No, it’s not just S-rank—it’s a plus-tier skill."

    This was why he had to obtain it at all costs.

    The Venom-Eating Snake wasn’t just rare; it was one of the few S-rank poison skills with growth potential, signified by the “+” designation.

    Su-ho opened the skill window to examine its details.

    [Venom-Eating Snake]

    Rank: S+

    The legendary serpents born of a single head each possess immense power.

    The Venom-Eating Snake responds to its master’s call.

    The Venom-Eating Snake consumes all poisons provided by its master.

    The Venom-Eating Snake can digest any poison without exception.

    The Venom-Eating Snake combines consumed poisons to create entirely new types of venom.

    The Venom-Eating Snake can only produce venom in amounts equivalent to what it has consumed.

    After carefully reviewing the information, Su-ho extended his hand.

    “Come out.”

    He wanted to confirm the second point in the skill description: "The Venom-Eating Snake responds to its master’s call."

    A small, translucent snake with a dark, black body encircled by a faint purple hue slithered out of his palm.

    “Sssss...”

    It moved fluidly, stretching out across his hand, and let out a wide yawn as though it were bored. Su-ho chuckled at the sight.

    "So even a poison dragon starts this small, huh?"

    The snake was the reason behind the "poison dragon" moniker. Those who wielded the Venom-Eating Snake skill often manifested it like a summonable creature.

    While technically not a summon, the snake was a skill-made physical entity. Given its ability to grow and adapt based on the poisons it consumed, it wasn’t far off from being a proper summon.

    Su-ho spoke to the snake.

    “Your name is now ‘Poison Dragon.’”@@@@

    “Ssss! Ssss!”

    The snake nodded as if it understood, responding enthusiastically to the new name.

    This nickname would now serve as a trigger word for activating the skill, making it much easier to use.

    “Then you’ve got a ways to go. Keep it up.”

    “Aaaaahh!!”

    “I appreciate the effort. Let me know when you’re done.”

    “Your words are the worst... Aren’t you going to work?”

    “I am. That’s why I came up.”

    “Huh? Can civil servants just change their start times whenever they feel like it?”

    “It’s all approved, don’t worry.”

    “This place is so weird...”

    “Whatever. I’m going to wash up. Let me know when you’re done synthesizing.”

    Finally, Su-ho headed off to get cleaned up, scrubbing off the venom and dried blood from his body.

    ***

    “Su-ho, where are you right now?”

    “I’m on my way to the warehouse.”

    “Ah, then I’ll see you shortly.”

    Just as Su-ho was nearing the warehouse after arriving at the Association, his phone buzzed. It was a call from Kim Seok-hoon.

    "Perfect timing."

    When Su-ho reached the warehouse, he found Kim Seok-hoon waiting for him. As soon as they met, Kim began leading him to a different location for the second test.

    “The first test takes place in the Resource Warehouse, but the second test is conducted in the Special Warehouse.”

    “Because it’s filled with cursed items, it’s called the Special Warehouse, right?”

    “Yes, exactly. When I told the Special Team 2 leader yesterday that we needed to move the test up, he nearly had a fit... I barely managed to get everything scheduled.”

    “You’ve had a rough time.”

    “Haha, no, it was my mistake for being too lax. That being said, the theme of the second test is purification and destruction.”

    “Purification and destruction?”

    Though Su-ho already knew what this meant, he feigned ignorance. Kim Seok-hoon eagerly explained.

    “Yes, as you might recall from the theory section, items classified as cursed are generally handled in three ways: purification, destruction, or sealing. Sealing is used for cursed items that can’t be dealt with otherwise—we lock them away in storage. However, most cursed items are either purified or destroyed.”

    It was exactly as he described.

    Cursed items identified by the Research and Analysis Department were handed over to Special Team 2 of the Resource Management Division. The team would then conduct various experiments to determine the best way to dispose of each item.

    "But most end up being destroyed."

    The reason was simple: the conditions for purification were often too difficult to meet, and sealing every cursed item would result in a severe waste of storage space.

    That’s why this department—the Special Team 2 of the Daehan Association’s Resource Management Division—handled more item destruction than anywhere else in the country.

    "And this is where he is."

    Su-ho already knew what the second test would entail. They would give him a mass-produced cursed item with a predetermined solution, and he would need to purify or destroy it.

    For Su-ho, this test was trivial. He had already memorized all the basic formulas for purification and destruction.

    What truly interested him wasn’t the test itself but something else entirely.

    When they arrived at the Special Warehouse, the leader of Special Team 2, Jo Geon-hyuk, greeted them at the entrance.

    “Ah, welcome! I’m Jo Geon-hyuk.”

    Su-ho shook hands with him.

    Following Jo Geon-hyuk’s lead, they entered the Special Warehouse. Inside, members of Special Team 2 were engrossed in their tasks.

    The facility resembled a research lab, with each workspace separated by thick, bulletproof glass. Within the rooms, team members worked on various items, performing complex operations.

    As Su-ho slowly scanned the area, his gaze stopped at one particular spot.

    “There he is.”

    Su-ho’s eyes fixed on a man working alone on purification in one of the rooms. He was thin, with prominent dark circles under his eyes, his movements weak and lifeless.

    Kang Seul-gi.

    Though the name Kang Seul-gi might not have meant much now, he would later become infamous as the "Mad Disassembly Scholar."

    Su-ho’s eyes gleamed as he observed the man known for dismantling items at the molecular level.

    "Found him."