Gate (1): Poison Gel and Slime Domination
A clearing a bit different from last time. We'd moved spots after that intense light show. Still a place with no people around, just like before, though this one was a tad smaller. But the experiment I wanted to test didn't need a huge open area anyway, so no big deal.
So why'd I come to this clearing for an experiment? Drag, rustle—
"Lemme see, the ziplocks should be around here somewhere..."
It was to mix the Cleansing skill with the barbecue sauce. In other words, to create Max Force Gel—my wheel poison tech.
I'd brought twenty out of the thirty-five ziplocks. I unzipped my bag right away and pulled one out.
"Eww, even looking at it again, the visuals just don't get any less gross."
Unlike the first batch, this barbecue sauce had little chunks mixed in here and there. I'd thought maybe adding ground scorpion meat chunks would make it even stronger, and this was the result.
"I must've been out of my mind... Ugh, look at it."
Staring at that hideous mess burned the lesson into my brain: no more pointless experiments next time.
It was that bad.
Bubble, bubble.
"..."
Not something a human should have to endure visually.
"...As long as it doesn't dilute too much in the Cleansing skill, at least."
I ignored the bubbling sauce rising up and activated Cleansing.
Shwaaa—
A weak stream of water from my hand formed into droplets. I watched closely, pondering how to turn this into proper wheel poison.
Poisons usually dilute in water. How could I make it controllable without losing potency? It was the biggest puzzle of my life.
After racking my brain for a while...
"Fuck this, my head hurts. Just dump it in and figure it out."
Surrender to my dumb brain. I ripped open the ziplock and poured the contents into the water droplet.
I shrank the droplet—originally body-sized—down to head-sized to keep the poison strong even if diluted.
Bubble, bubble.
"Ooh, this looks promising?"
As the barbecue sauce merged with the droplet, the blue water turned purple, then started boiling ominously with purple smoke seeping out.
Visuals that screamed fatal on contact. Looked like experimenting without my brain worked pretty well.
"Alright, now portion it out..."
I pinched off a small droplet with my left hand and dropped it on the grass in the corner of the clearing.
Then...
Sizzle—
Fizzle...
"Oof..."
The vibrant green grass rotted black in seconds.
"Sorry..."
Couldn't help but apologize to that sight. Even diluted, the concentration seemed potent enough.
"This opens up so many uses."
Versatility through the roof now. Like spraying it from a mister, or adjusting concentration for bosses vs. mobs.
"Let's try misting it first."
I tested every idea I'd had. Made a wide barrier with Cleansing from my left hand, sprayed the poison—er, barbecue sauce—like a sprayer, and added more water to dilute the concentration.
This is... kinda fun...!
The more I experimented, the weirder thrill built up. Everything working exactly as I imagined? Felt fucking great.
How long did I go at it?
"Uh... did I go too far?"
Snapping out of it, the surrounding grass was all rotted, the ground turned into a barren wasteland no life could touch.
"Oh... this is kinda a public nuisance, huh?"
No one comes at night, but I'd seen old guys playing baduk or kids playing during the day.
"Sigh, what now."
Too late to undo it. But leaving it would definitely cause trouble. And if that happened...
"I'd get nabbed as Incheon's underworld poison terrorist."
Had to clean it up somehow. But how? No antidote recipe in mind—or even existing.
Brainstorming yielded nothing; my head felt ready to explode.
"Ah—right, Holy Endowment."
An idea flashed while I was stressing. Holy Endowment. Sounded purifying. Holy power feels like that, right?
I used Cleansing to prep enough water to cover the whole clearing.
"Whoa, this is basically a tsunami."
The massive droplet—five times my body size at least—drew a gasp.
I hit it with Holy Endowment. Imagined holy power filling and enveloping it at the original yellow glow concentration.
Fwaaah—
The giant droplet faintly glowed yellow.
"Don't let this hit the news... no, don't let anyone get hurt."
I spread it wide and rained it over the clearing.
Sluuuurp—
The purple-tainted ground washed clean to its original color, the clinging poison vanishing on holy contact.
But...
"...No revival powers, huh."
The dead grass stayed dead.
"This won't get me caught, right?"
Worried sudden dead patches might raise flags, but I'd cleaned up anything traceable. Should be fine.
I dusted my hands and stood.
"Checked everything out, time for real action."
Got more than expected. Straight to the tower next.
I headed to the tower without looking back. That's when the familiar white tower came into view.
Hummm...
"What the hell is this."
A gate popped up right in front of me as I neared the tower, like it was inviting me in.
"Pfft, what, you think I'm going in? Tower's hard enough, no thanks."
I ignored it and turned toward the tower. Already struggling with one tower—no time for gates.
Then—
Whoooosh—!
"What the—fuck?!"
Sudden massive suction from inside the gate yanked my hoodie toward it, pulling harder by the second.
"No fuck, what is this, I said I'm going to the toweryy!"
I resisted the growing pull, but my feet lifted off the ground.
"Fuuuuck—!"
I got sucked into the gate.
*
Thud—
Roll roll roll—
"Uwak—!"
The hard pull slammed me into the ground, tumbling dozens of rolls.
"Crazy... ow, my head..."
I stabbed my knife into the ground to stop. Dizzy as hell from the rolls, cortisol maxed—neck all tense.
"I said I was going to the tower, what gives."
Looked around for the exit, but no sign of the gate opening.
"Fine... just clear it then. Tch."
What gate forces you in just to clear it? Ridiculous, but to climb the tower quick, I'd smash it fast.
Shook off the dizziness and scanned around.
A dense forest like the goblin gate before. Big difference: last was wild woods; this had a clear path like follow me.
"...Gotta follow to end it?"
Felt like a setup, didn't wanna play along. But to clear the gate... Fine, I'd follow its game.
I crept along the narrow path, knife gripped tight, alert for ambushes, watching for variables.
Then...
"...A lake?"
Light leaked from the forest's end. Blinded by the sudden brightness, I shielded my face with an arm and stepped out.
A massive lake and field stretched before me. But something off.
"Why's it so bright?"
Tower or gate forests were always dim and gloomy. Not here.
The sunlight reflecting off the lake was gorgeous, the blue water and green woods a stunning vista.
"Weird..."
Some inexplicable feeling made me tilt my head as I approached the lake. Probably something there drawing me.
I strolled to the vast lake, vacation vibes kicking in as I admired the view for a bit.
Then—
Plop! Boing.
"Slime?"
A slime popped out from inside the lake.
"Huh?"
This the end? For real?
"This guy's the clear condition?"
Unbelievable. Sucked me in for one slime? If the gate had an owner, I'd punch 'em.
"Whatever, just kill it quick."
I approached the slime slowly, swung my knife at point-blank.
Or tried to.
Plop. Plop. Plop. Plop.
Rumble—
"Fuck...!"
Dozens—no, hundreds of slimes erupted from the lake. Panicking, I backpedaled from the slime tsunami.
"What the hell."
Sudden slime horde ambush. What was going on?
Trying to figure it out, but another event hit.
Royal Path () and Lord's Crown confirmed.
Gate and slimes are now under your ownership.
"What...?"
First message like this ever. Trying to make sense of it...
"W-wait, what the hell?!"
While panicking, slimes surrounded me without notice. I got buried in the slime wave.