Shadows of the Black Mist
Skeleton Master Chapter 349
He exchanged part of the gold earned from selling the black longsword for cash and stopped by a general store to pick up a few items.
After that, he contacted Rakak via the magic crystal orb, gave him some instructions, and headed to the Red Mountains with Sung Min-woo, Yerin, and Kim Ji-yeon, who had just arrived.
"So, we're focusing on the linked quest from the Baekho family, right?"
"Yeah. Since the main episode is about hidden power, I figure there must be something in the unexplored areas. We got the quest anyway, so let's do this properly."
"Sounds good. We were gonna clear it eventually."
With Sung Min-woo's agreement, Mu-hyuk turned to the others.
"What about Yerin and Ji-yeon?"
"Of course I'm with you, oppa!"
"M-me too, I like it."
"Everyone's on board, so let's pick up the pace."
"Okay!"
They raced forward energetically and soon reached the foothills of the Red Mountains.
"Oppa!"
"Yeah?"
"Someone hit the emergency bell. Looks like it's time for dinner."
"Oh, past 7 already?"
"Yeah."
"Alright, everyone eat up and meet back at 8."
They set the time and Mu-hyuk logged out as well.
Chiiiik.
The moment he emerged from the capsule, the door opened.
"Oh, you're out?"
"Yeah."
"Time for dinner."
Mu-hyuk nodded at Kang Ji-yeon's words and headed to the living room.
The family was waiting.
"Come eat."
"Yes, Father."
Back when Mu-hyuk first started playing Illusion, his parents always had dark expressions.
But now, there wasn't a trace of worry on their faces. The family all understood just how much money he was making lately and what position he held in Illusion.
"What'd you do today?"
Mu-hyuk opened his mouth at Kang Ji-yeon's question.
"Eh, nothing much. There was a banquet in the Hemil Empire. I went to that and..."
"A banquet? Like, with nobles?"
"Yeah."
"You went there?"
"Yeah, the princess invited me."
"Whoa, no way. The princess! Dad, Mom—the princess invited him!"
"Ahem, we're listening."
"Wow, that's insane. What's the princess like? Pretty?"
"Eh, her personality's kinda weird."
"No, is she pretty?"
"Yeah, she is."
"Whoa, you're gonna get it from Yerin."
"Hm?"
Yerin suddenly popped up.
At her words, Mother looked at Mu-hyuk.
"Son."
"Yes?"
"When are you gonna introduce us to your girlfriend?"
"Uh, well..."
"Ahem. I'd like to see her face at least once."
Mu-hyuk thought for a moment before answering.
"I'll make time and bring her over."
"Good, do that."
"Yes."
Kang Ji-yeon, listening from the side, grinned slyly.
"Heh heh, sorry. Anyway, so after the banquet?"
"There was a quest to show off my skills at the banquet, so I did some sparring, got rewards after. Sold a few swords at the public auction too."
"Oh yeah, how much?"
Mu-hyuk smiled and held out his phone.
He'd shown them similar things a few times before, so his parents weren't surprised anymore. They just had one thing to say whenever a huge sum like this came in.
"Don't spend too much just 'cause you're making good money."
"Yes."
"Don't let money control you."
"I won't."
"Good, that's all."
Just like now.
The topic shifted as Kang Ji-yeon jumped in again.
"Ooh, heading to the Kaion continent, huh?"
"Yeah."
Mu-hyuk answered while eating dinner.
A little later.
After dinner, he checked the time: 7:35.
Guess I should check the homepage real quick.
With nothing urgent in-game, he killed time fiddling with his phone on the living room couch.
He logged into the homepage and browsed the free board. There were a few posts about the auction.
I joined too, but early on it was total trash vibe. Like, damn, so the rumored collusion was real. Even after a while, barely 2k gold, then stuck around 3k. I was thinking of just bidding 4k and snagging it, but figured I'd get marked by those colluding guilds and PK'd to death, so I passed. Then I spotted it. Every time someone bid in 100 gold increments, players nearby would approach that user. Looked like they were saying something from behind—anyway, no one bid more than once. Then the overwhelming monster appeared! Jumped it by thousands of gold...
The huge amount made it impossible not to be an issue.
Lots of comments too.
Mu-hyuk skimmed them, checked the time, and stood up.
He went to his room and logged back into Illusion.
Welcome to the new world.
His waiting companions were there.
"Oppa, you're back?"
"You made it?"
Mu-hyuk smiled and nodded, then mounted his warhorse again and pressed on. Once they passed the base of the Red Mountains and reached the mid-slope, he dismounted and traveled on foot with other users.
"Nice to meet you."
"Yeah, summoners first..."
They swept monsters with summons first, then summoners rested while the rest hunted and advanced. When summon cooldowns ended, summoners took over combat again. This rotation got them through the Red Mountains.
"This is seriously fast."
"We'll be there quick."
Minimizing breaks, they reached the summit in no time.
"Thank you, Mu-hyuk!"
"That was so easy."
Mu-hyuk smiled softly.
"It was easy for me too."
They exchanged quick goodbyes and used the warp gate to cross to the Kaion continent.
A bright light enveloped him, his body floating. Vision darkened, then a new world appeared. Mu-hyuk casually summoned his warhorse, mounted up with his companions, and headed to a quiet spot.
"Alright, let's rest here a bit."
"Okay!"
They dismounted, settled in.
He pulled out the map and spread it.
"As the Baekho family said, the X-marked spots are unexplored. I'm sure one of these has the hidden power."
"100%, no doubt."
"Let's hit the closest ones first, one by one."
Plan set, they moved out again.
The warhorse sped up.
It was past midnight by the time they neared the first destination.
"Whew, 30 more minutes, but no village nearby. Let's rest here and log back in tomorrow to finish."
"Okay."
"See you tomorrow then."
"Good night, oppa!"
"G-good night."
They logged out, promising tomorrow.
The next day.
The four logged in, mounted the warhorse, and raced across the plains past the village.
About 15 minutes in, users thinned out. Five more minutes, and it was just Mu-hyuk's group.
"It's quiet."
"Unexplored territory now."
No monsters yet.
Silent stillness.
Only occasional wind rustled their ears.
"Oh, there."
A mountain range shrouded in black mist appeared.
"Kinda creepy."
"Hm, location matches."
Mu-hyuk spread the map again.
At the eastern edge, under the X-marked spot, text read:
Darkness passed through my body.
Darkness appears suddenly and devours life.
Darkness is... weak to flowers.
Darkness vanished, but reappeared after some time.
Light smiles only after everything is perfectly destroyed.
Everything was fine except one thing.
The third line had a character smeared away, as if scratched out.
"Hm, been thinking about this on the way."
"Yeah."
"What if darkness is souls? So maybe a flower related to souls? Like one that soothes them or something?"
Mu-hyuk pondered Sung Min-woo's words.
Souls, flowers...
Nothing came to mind.
"For now, let's buy a few of each flower type from the auction house that might fit."
They all started browsing the auction house.
Mu-hyuk too.
[Search: Flower]
Items with "flower" in the name popped up.
More than I thought.
He bought promising ones: Flower of the Sky, Flower of Heaven, Flower of the Apocalypse.
Sung Min-woo, Yerin, and Kim Ji-yeon had bought some too, holding them.
They checked what everyone got—some overlaps. About 20 types total, clutched in both hands as they eyed each other.
"Um, oppa."
"Yeah?"
"How do we use these?"
He hadn't thought of that.
"Just hold them?"
"Or throw them."
"Hm, hold one of each type, throw the rest."
Agreed, they headed to the black-mist forest.
The closer they got, the creepier it felt, but it's just a game, they pushed down the rising fear. Not easy, though.
"Ugh, I hate this stuff the most..."
"Scary?"
"Yeah, fighting monsters is easier. Eek...!"
"Me too."
As they grumbled, they entered the black mist—vision narrowed sharply.
As if waiting, a gust of wind swept over Mu-hyuk and the group.
-10% HP
All four froze.
"10%...?"
Mu-hyuk's brow furrowed.
One wind had taken 1,500 HP.
Even with regen, 11 hits in a row meant death at 0 HP.
Mu-hyuk scanned around, hurled flowers one by one at the distant black mist shape.
No reaction.
Whoosh.
The darkness shape closed in instantly.
"Hup...!"
No time to dodge—darkness pierced his body.
-10% HP
All Stats -1%
Stats dropped too this time.
Whoosh.
Wind again.
30% HP gone in seconds.
Pathetically fast.
"This is dangerous."
"Fall back first."
They retreated from the black mist.
Vision cleared, ghost attacks stopped.
Safe, but how to break through? The four huddled, stumped.
"Man, tough one. Can't just charge in—dead in seconds."
"Flowers didn't work either..."
No answers, just growing hunger.
"Whew, let's eat something first."
Mu-hyuk paused his pondering.
Swish.
He pulled out cooking tools and started preparing food.
Light the fire first...
Then, one word flashed by.