Sweeping Through the Death Wave
About 10 minutes ago.
"This thing's pretty damn big. Even from this distance, it's massive."
Transformed into a crow, Lucifer headed toward the site where the Death Wave had activated.
A black curtain blanketing an entire city.
Its pitch-black surface, like the night sky, made it impossible to peer inside from the outside.
A considerable number of guilds had gathered below Lucifer.
"Are we really supposed to go in? Didn't even the S-ranks fail their prelim mission?"
"Hold position. Once you're in, you can't come out. Let's wait for the Association's orders."
"Our guild's on standby too."
Most guilds were hesitating to enter.
"Now that the Death Wave's kicked off, the inside's probably crawling with monsters."
"No need to rush in. Stay calm at times like this..."
With no way to know the internal situation and the S-rank prelim failure intensifying the Death Wave, no one could guess what hell was unfolding inside.
"Hmm... about this curtain."
Lucifer, who had been scrutinizing the curtain, spoke to me.
"It's blocking external communications."
"Does that mean vision sharing gets cut off too?"
Lucifer replied instantly to my question. His voice carried a hint of pride.
"No issue there. My ability operates on a higher hierarchy. In simple terms, it's on another dimensional level."
Even inside the curtain, vision sharing wouldn't break.
That put me at ease.
Head out, Lucifer.
"Entering now."
Whoosh—!
Lucifer pierced the smoke-like black curtain. From the city's airspace, the overall situation came into view at a glance.
The entire city was shrouded in ashen gray. Monstrous swarms teemed through the monochrome streets.
Grrr...
Growl...
Too many to count individually. Worse, they patrolled in packs like organized sentries.
'Whoa, that's a insane number.'
Then Lucifer sent me a telepathic message.
"Looks like a massive monster horde over there. Shall we check it out? It'll net a ton of EXP."
One spot drew an especially dense cluster of monsters—swarming like insects.
"There's an S-rank hunter there too."
Shoo—.
The crow spread its wings and flew toward the monster-infested area.
There, they spotted an S-rank hunter massacring monsters like a maniac.
Boom—! Boom!
A petite frame with striking purple mana.
A combat style blending magic and swordplay.
'That's Cheon Iryeong the hunter.'
The genius high schooler who had reached S-rank #3.
A face any Korean would recognize.
"Seems that human lured the surrounding monsters here. Lure hunting, maybe?"
Lucifer shifted to human form, pulling out his bread bag to wear over his face. No point risking recognition and hassle later.
'...Hunting?'
Lucifer seemed nonchalant, but to me, she looked desperately locked in battle.
"Hold up, that's not hunting..."
Who'd hunt leisurely in this situation?
S-rank hunters had failed the prelim.
No way they'd be casually farming.
Cheon Iryeong swung her daggers furiously, no trace of leisure.
"What should we do, Master?"
What else? I said firmly.
"Help her out first."
"Got it."
With my words, Lucifer raised one hand.
Kaboom—!
Lucifer's magic beam engulfed the monster horde.
And now, back to the present.
Shooo...
The road lay in ruins, nearby monsters utterly vaporized.
My level had risen three times.
Now at 53.
They said leveling got brutal from this point on.
'At this rate, it'll be a breeze.'
That was when.
Cheon Iryeong, who had been standing dazed for a moment, whipped around. Biting her lip slightly, she approached Lucifer.
Something rubbed her the wrong way?
Maybe bruised pride at being saved by some unknown in front of an S-rank like herself.
Tensing slightly in anticipation of her words—
Cheon Iryeong said,
"Mumyeong! You're really Mumyeong, right?!"
Her eyes sparkling, Cheon Iryeong took another step toward Lucifer. He stayed silent, bread bag and all.
"...This kid's got some misunderstanding. What should I say?"
Calling Lucifer Mumyeong?
I was briefly thrown, but it made sense.
'Fair enough.'
From Cheon Iryeong's perspective, it looked that way.
Death Wave Contribution Rankings
1st: Cheon Iryeong [524 pts]
2nd: Mumyeong [314 pts] (New!)
3rd: Kim Seokho [302 pts]
4th: Kang Jiyeon [250 pts]
The Death Wave contribution board had popped up for me too.
Monsters slain by Lucifer counted toward me.
Every time Lucifer wiped them out, Mumyeong's score shot up—anyone could see Lucifer = Mumyeong.
'Should be fine.'
No harm in the misunderstanding.
Mumyeong didn't need mystique. Keeping my identity hidden was key.
"For now, roll with being Mumyeong, and let's get the situation. By the way, she's Rank 3 S-rank hunter Cheon Iryeong."
"Understood. Fully comprehended."
We needed to grasp how things worked inside the curtain.
"Human—or Cheon Iryeong hunter. The current situa—"
As Lucifer started questioning,
"I'm a huge fan! I've watched your videos over a hundred times. Total respect. Can I get an autograph?"
Cheon Iryeong pulled paper and pen from her pocket, holding them out. Lucifer eyed them briefly before asking me.
"...What now?"
"Just sign it and ask your questions."
Cheon Iryeong, a Mumyeong fan. Bizarre yet flattering scene.
Made me realize just how famous Mumyeong was.
But more than that—
Aren't they way too chill in a crisis?
Lucifer took the paper and scribbled something. Unreadable script, but it looked like a slick signature.
"Whoa, thank you! Am I the first to get Mumyeong's autograph?"
Clutching the signed paper, Cheon Iryeong even pinched her cheek in disbelief.
Lucifer sounded exasperated.
"So, what's the situation? Prelim failure?"
"Ah, yeah. Let me explain."
Cheon Iryeong pocketed the autograph and began.
The reason the S-ranks failed:
"Monsters organized attacks on the shelters, so we couldn't focus on the mission. The elite monsters we needed to kill never showed."
Cheon Iryeong gritted her teeth as she spoke.
"Just now, I lured the horde massing near the shelter. The problem is..."
Grrr—!
Growl...
Monsters poured down the road. Cheon Iryeong sighed, raising her dagger.
"The Death Wave's just getting started."
"Got it."
Lucifer replied curtly, cracking his knuckles.
"Looks like someone's interfering with the Death Wave. Could be an Awakener or something else."
"Can you find it?"
Lucifer scanned the area and clicked his tongue.
"Too many monsters. Hard to pick out anything hiding in the swarm. And more importantly..."
Lucifer's gaze shifted beyond a nearby building.
Rumble...
The ground trembled faintly.
First Wave commencing.
Failure to eliminate sufficient monsters will intensify the Death Wave.
At the same moment, a voice crackled from Cheon Iryeong's special radio.
Static, crackle!
"Sis?!"
Boom!
The message cut off amid a massive explosion.
Cheon Iryeong's face hardened. Biting her lip, she looked up at Lucifer.
"Mumyeong hunter. Can you help?"
The shelter was under real-time assault.
Outside guilds hesitated to enter.
Even if they did, the monster waves would overwhelm them.
'Scale's beyond imagination. But...'
Lucifer's vision showed the monsters' levels.
Monsters here ranged from early 50s to mid-60s.
My current level: 54.
Hit 60, and I'd solo most of the Death Wave.
The answer was clear.
"Let's help."
Defend the shelter, block the waves, level up.
Shelter 13.
Boom! Sizzle!
Acid spit from somewhere shattered the special radio.
"Damn."
"Boss, you okay?!"
"I'm fine."
S-rank hunter Kang Jiyeon tossed the broken radio and raised her spear.
"Ignore it and hold the monsters! Don't let a single one through!"
"Yes, boss!"
Kang Jiyeon shouted to her comrades. Her flashy spearwork shredded the monsters before her.
But they never ended.
Slice after slice, they charged endlessly. Goblins, orcs, wolves, trolls, centipede monsters...
Splat—! Splat—!
A rear bug monster lobbed acid like mortars.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
Corrosive acid melted the shelter's outer walls. Gear helped, but it was still a pain.
'Ugh, visibility's shot.'
They fixated on the entrance, charging relentlessly.
'Never seen anything like this. What the hell is the Death Wave? Who even orders this crap...'
Blood trickled from Kang Jiyeon's bitten lip.
Struggling against mere C-rank trash.
But these monsters weren't normal. Some insidious energy permeated them?
"This make any sense?! The mobs are stupidly strong!"
Recent system anomalies were rampant. Maybe this was part of it.
"Boss, let's hold till reinforcements!"
"Ugh, if they even come?"
Reinforcements might just get swept up.
Even S-rank her struggling at this difficulty.
"All available S-ranks are probably already here. Unless Sa Choiheon shows, we're on our own!"
Kaboom—!
Kang Jiyeon's spear spun, grinding monsters ahead. A brief path opened, only to fill instantly.
'Ugh.'
No reinforcements could pierce this tide.
Half-assed help would just rack up pointless deaths.
But hope remained. Death Wave wasn't eternal.
Just endure 24 hours.
The curtain would lift, spawns halt.
Kang Jiyeon drew breath, thrusting her spear wide—
"?!"
Kaaaa—!
Black mana beams rained from above, cleaving the ground. Monster chunks exploded wildly.
"Wh-who?!"
Kang Jiyeon looked skyward.
A man with a bread bag on his head.
She rubbed her eyes, doubting.
But clear as day.
He'd incinerated the monsters.
Boom—! Kaboom!
A few more blasts of mana beams melted them mercilessly.
"Sis! You okay?!"
Stunned Kang Jiyeon was joined by Cheon Iryeong, who beamed.
"Sis, that's Mumyeong!"
"Huh? What?"
"Didn't check the rankings?"
Too chaotic for contributions. Kang Jiyeon glanced at the system board—eyes widening.
"It's real..."
Overwhelming force.
Slightly different from videos.
Those showed explosive kills; Lucifer favored magic beams.
But no time to nitpick.
Scores were climbing live.
"Boss, what kinda monster is that?"
"No idea."
Even Sa Choiheon wasn't this level.
Monsters scattered like leaves. Refreshingly so.
Kang Jiyeon and her team gawked at Lucifer's slaughter.
In minutes, monsters near Shelter 13 were wiped.
Step, step.
Lucifer landed and approached, bread bag intact.
"Th-thank you."
"Mumyeong hunter. You gave us breathing room."
No one questioned the bag.
Probably some item with a reason. No prying.
Whoosh.
Lucifer extended a hand slowly, quietly.
Kang Jiyeon and Cheon Iryeong tilted heads.
What'd it mean?
Money? Item?
As Kang Jiyeon fumbled her pockets—
"Got any food?"
The bread-bagged Lucifer asked seriously.
I checked the floating messages.
Level 57 now.
Insane leveling speed.
Dense monsters meant EXP poured in. World boss-level pace without the boss.
Constellation 'White Dawn' is satisfied with your rapid growth.
Constellation 'Master of the Black Star' smiles contentedly.
'...Other hunters must grind like hell for levels.'
Think RPGs: massive monster farms needed.
Diligent, one by one.
I was feasting by comparison.
Just 3 more to 60.
One or two more shelters, done.
"Master, I'll handle my own food, no worries. Once I'm somewhat full, we'll head to the next shelter."
Lucifer was raiding a nearby convenience store.
Munch munch.
Bento, triangle kimbap, salads, hot bars—everything devoured.
S-rank Kang Jiyeon footed the bill.
Survive the first wave, and guild support would ease things.
'Problem's that commander's the issue.'
Whoever or whatever puppeteered the monsters.
Quell the fires first, then sniff out the hidden presence.
'Time I prepped to move. Or...'
Mulling next steps, I recalled a forgotten item.
'Lucifer farmed tons of monsters—EXP aside, souls must've piled up.'
I pulled the item from inventory.
Soul storage vessel. Collects souls from slain foes.
Max souls trigger minor miracles.
Right then.
Shiiiine—!
'Ugh!'
Blinding white light surged toward the lantern. Vision whited out like a flashbang.
'What the—.'
When sight cleared, countless souls streamed into the lantern.
The surreal sight left me stunned.
Soul lantern filled to maximum.
Minor miracle manifests!
Acquired Unique Skill Reset Ticket.
Souls filled to maximum a second time.
Minor miracle manifests!
Acquired Unique Skill Reset Ticket.
In that fantastical scene's finale,
'Back-to-back doubles?'
Two miracles triggered at once.