Pseudo-Light: Day and Night Long River
With her long blonde hair cascading down, Gabriel looked every bit the angel. Though she had no halo hovering above her head.
"An angel...?"
Cheon Iryeong stared at her in a daze.
It wasn't just the overwhelming beauty of her appearance. An unfamiliar form of energy was emanating from the angel.
"......"
Sa Choiheon stood frozen, speechless.
Was it the angel's beauty? Or the holy power that no one could wield at this point in time?
Neither.
This was impossible.
What the hell...?
Sa Choiheon's eyes shook wildly.
Two apostles?
The one with the bread bag over his head was Lucifer. And that angel was undoubtedly Gabriel.
Ha...
He was too stunned to speak.
Two apostles had descended. These were upper beings that shouldn't appear until long after the tutorial ended.
And both were Mumyeong's summons.
Sa Choiheon had sought Mumyeong's cooperation. But he never imagined another apostle would be summoned...
"......"
Beside the shocked, frozen Sa Choiheon.
"It makes no sense that guy's rank is higher than mine. Master, don't misunderstand. My original power is far stronger."
Lucifer grumbled, furrowing his brow.
The current world was restricted by the system in various ways.
Most notably, information restrictions.
Next were combat power limitations.
Lucifer, once a transcendent being, was limited in the output he could exert upon descending into this world.
Currently, only at legendary rank.
Meanwhile, Gabriel was at legendary+ rank, one step higher.
Swoosh.
Gabriel, who had descended onto the rooftop, scanned her surroundings. Lucifer shouted at her.
"Idiot, cover your face first!"
If her face was recognized, it would limit future activities. Per their master's policy, faces were to be concealed as standard.
"......"
Gabriel narrowed her delicate brows and looked at Lucifer.
Toward the displeased Lucifer, Gabriel smirked mockingly and said,
"I don't listen to the weak."
Gabriel pointed alternately at herself and Lucifer.
"I'm legendary+. You're legendary."
"Argh, I can't even beat that jerk."
While Lucifer fumed,
His master Joo Kanghyeok's order came down.
- If you can cover your face, do so.
It meant it would be good to hide their identities.
"If that's what Master says."
Gabriel wordlessly extended her hand.
Whoosh!
Pure white light perfectly shrouded her face.
Only Cheon Iryeong and Sa Choiheon had gotten a proper look at Gabriel's face.
The Bulmyeol guild members were too far away.
At that moment, Sa Choiheon snapped out of his shock and approached Lucifer.
"I get that you have two apostles now. But this doesn't guarantee we can clear the Death Wave without casualties."
Both Sa Choiheon and Lucifer were already overwhelming powerhouses. Adding one more Gabriel changed little.
Clearing the Death Wave without damage was an entirely different matter.
"There will be uncontrollable casualties."
Soon, countless guilds and hunters would enter the area. Protecting them all while fighting continuously was practically impossible.
Sa Choiheon pulled out the ice crystal from his pocket.
"Unless Mumyeong steps in personally..."
The monsters were spreading throughout the city. Blood-red flesh nests were wriggling in various spots, spawning magi-corrupted monsters.
"You're impatient. Just watch quietly. I told you, Master has already decided to cooperate."
Lucifer crossed his arms and gazed at the rooftop where Gabriel stood.
Gabriel extended her right hand toward the sky.
Shaaa—!
Pure white light began to take form at her fingertips. The blinding light soon coalesced into a single weapon.
A spear adorned with jewels and pure gold, radiating brilliant light.
The final sponsorship item Gabriel had received, a weapon prepared by the constellation White Dawn herself.
Apostles had no levels. One way for such apostles to grow stronger was acquiring dedicated weapons.
Vrrr—!
Vast holy power gathered toward Gabriel. The pure white energy stormed into her like a tempest.
In response, Lucifer soared into the sky above.
He headed to a spot overlooking the entire city, seeking a vantage where all monsters were visible at a glance.
"Guild Master! What the hell is going on? What's with that angel, and why is Mumyeong flying into the sky...?"
"Mumyeong Hunter is helping us?"
The scattered guild members approached Sa Choiheon. He nodded quietly.
But he couldn't grasp Mumyeong's intentions.
Or what he was aiming for.
He remained a hard-to-understand figure.
"For now, we watch."
Sa Choiheon pulled out the ice crystal from his pocket again.
Not far away, Hunter Cheon Iryeong silently observed the situation as well.
She couldn't make sense of it.
Mumyeong Hunter went up into the sky.
But she knew something was about to happen.
Whoosh—!
Lucifer ascended into the sky.
He reached a position where the city's panorama was visible at a glance.
Regular hunters hadn't entered yet.
Boom! Thud! Boom!
S-rank hunters were locked in fierce battles with the monsters.
The organized assaults on shelters had ceased.
The hunters' feet were freed, but the situation hadn't improved.
Monsters kept spawning steadily throughout the city.
Grrr!
Growl!
The magi-infected monsters were stronger and more ferocious. Even burdensome for S-ranks.
Lucifer's eyes cooled coldly.
Humans in this world are truly weak. Even S-rank level is pathetic. I wonder if they can withstand the impending doom.
If the waiting hunters outside entered, the situation would worsen further.
Or Sa Choiheon could freeze the entire city.
Neither was ideal for humans. Just choosing the lesser evil.
They needed to end it before then.
"Gabriel. How much longer?"
Lucifer's telepathic message reached Gabriel in the distance. She replied dryly.
"......Almost done."
Immense light gathered at the tip of Gabriel's spear. The highly compressed orb of light vibrated rapidly.
Hummm—.
The surrounding air began to tremble all at once. Fine cracks etched into the rooftop floor beneath Gabriel's feet.
Preparation complete.
All that remained was unleashing the holy power.
Gabriel took a light breath and thrust her spear forward. The slow but forceful stab pierced the compressed light orb.
Crack, craaack—!
Innumerable cracks spiderwebbed over the replica holy spear Bryunak.
The holy light emitted as the entire weapon shattered.
It invoked a technique impossible at this stage.
Pseudo-Light: Day and Night Long River
Kwaaaa—!
A white explosion centered on Gabriel spread across the entire city.
Blinding light swept over the hunters. The monsters advancing on the city, the buildings—none were spared.
A massive explosion devouring everything in sight.
Kwaaa—!
"Wh-what's happening...?"
Cheon Iryeong muttered amid the raging gale.
Though engulfed in the explosion, she suffered no damage. Instead, it felt like a warm energy enveloped her.
Her entire field of vision was blanketed in white light.
The gray-tainted city regained its true colors in an instant.
As if a pure white starlight had blanketed the world.
"Whoa..."
It was a sight even Cheon Iryeong had never witnessed.
She had faced numerous S-rank hunters, but she'd never even heard of a technique like this.
Magic? Martial prowess?
A skill of such massive scale. She couldn't comprehend it even after seeing it. No idea of the principles or methods involved.
And this was undoubtedly a miracle wrought by Mumyeong.
What exactly was Mumyeong?
Just who the hell was he?
To be this powerful.
Shelters on the city's outskirts.
S-rank hunters were fighting desperately.
"What the hell is going on?!"
"Focus! If you have time to talk, kill one more!"
The black curtain split, and white lightning struck—a bizarre phenomenon.
But they had no time to care.
The monsters charged at them murderously.
"Damn, is the world ending?"
"Thought it was easing up... but they're even tougher now!"
The S-rank hunters guarding the shelters struggled desperately.
The monster command tower was gone, but the Death Wave was still ongoing.
Thus, most hunters hadn't rested at all. Places beyond Mumyeong's sight existed too.
They were utterly exhausted.
Crunch, cruuunch—!
Magi-clad monsters were even more powerful. The Bulmyeol guild, expected to help, had headed to the center.
In the end, S-ranks had to handle it somehow.
Shelter 13.
The two S-rank hunters here were also cornered.
"Ugh, we can't clear these monsters! Why are they so strong?!"
Splash! Slash!
S-rank Hunter Kang Jiyeon gritted her teeth and swung her spear. Blood trickled from her clenched jaw.
"Sis, just hold on a bit longer! Bulmyeol and Mumyeong Hunter will handle it!"
Even the fellow hunter shouting that lacked confidence.
"They're not clearing everything for us."
"True, but we got a breather earlier."
Just hurry up and do something.
Then.
"S-sis...? Something's... over there..."
The pure white explosion starting from the city center engulfed the entire city in an instant.
The two hunters were swept up before they could finish speaking.
Whoosh—!
White light engulfed hunters and monsters alike without warning.
"Ugh, what is it? You okay?"
She braced for impact, but aside from the wind, there was almost no effect.
"Yeah, sis. More importantly, watch out!"
At her teammate's warning, Kang Jiyeon slashed an incoming monster with her sword.
But something was off.
Slash—!
The monster was cleaved far too easily.
Splatter! Splash! Splaaash!
"The monsters... got weaker...?"
A massive sense of incongruity furrowed Kang Jiyeon's brow.
"What, sis, did you awaken some new talent?!"
"No, try killing one. They're total pushovers now?"
"Whoa, you're right?!"
The monsters swarming madly had visibly weakened. Just moments ago, holding ground was all they could do.
Splaaash!
Now they were pushing through steadily.
Kang Jiyeon swung her spear boldly and shouted,
"I don't know what's happening, but this is our chance!"
"Yes! Let's sweep 'em all!"
The monsters had weakened.
Pathetically so.
The anomalous phenomenon after the white light swallowed the city.
What had changed was immediately clear.
【 Lv. 46 】
【 Lv. 43 】
⋯
【 Lv. 44 】
The monsters exceeding level 70 had their levels drastically reduced.
And not just that.
The eerie energy cloaking their bodies had vanished completely.
As a result?
The tough shells and hides softened, and the ferocious charges lost their momentum noticeably.
Truly just level 40 monsters.
Child's play for S-rank hunters.
"Drive them all out!"
"Got it!"
Kang Jiyeon and her teammate's attacks routed the monsters relentlessly.
Whatever it was,
One thing was certain.
The Death Wave's difficulty had returned to normal.
Apostle ‘Gabriel’ unleashes her ultimate.
Pseudo-Light: Day and Night Long River
The ultimate technique unleashed by Apostle Gabriel.
Its effects exceeded imagination.
Lowers the level of all monsters within range by 30.
Normalizes the status of all monsters within range.
A cheat-like technique that reduced the levels of all enemies touched by the light. It even completely stripped away the magi that corrupted the monsters.
Through Lucifer's view, S-rank hunters routing the monsters were visible.
"Insane."
The performance drew involuntary admiration.
Devil's Eye is currently applied.
Expands the skill's range to national scale.
Gabriel's technique had Devil's Eye applied. That must be how the light spread across the entire city.
The effect was outstanding.
【 ...If I had a dedicated weapon, I could do that much too. 】
As I marveled,
Lucifer sent a sly telepathic message.
"Where do I get one of those?"
【 Gather lots of Legendary Proofs. Then surely... 】
Lucifer's words trailed off, but I got the gist.
Exchange Legendary Proofs with constellations.
Something to look forward to.
The only issue was when.
【 Then, Master. Time to finish it off. 】
【 Your turn now. 】
【 Preparations complete. 】
Lucifer and Gabriel's voices reached me.
Lucifer's view captured the entire city. I took a deep breath and focused on the shared vision.
The monsters' levels, boosted to the 70s by magi, had dropped by 30.
My level was 66.
Thus, every monster in the Death Wave was below my level.
Weakling Extermination can classify targets.
Target: All monsters excluding humans.
I shouted with intent.
"All of you, vanish."
That was it.
Fooosh—!
The true Death Wave swept through the barrier interior.
All 15 shelters.
Convenience stores, hotels, movie theaters, department stores...
Countless monsters met their end without reason, their remains and blood dyeing the city red.
Like a tsunami had struck.
With no more foes to fight, the S-rank hunters halted in place.
Standing amid roads where monster blood flowed like rivers, they gazed toward the city center.
The spot where the light had first extended.
The building struck by the white lightning.
The hunters began staring there.
Their expressions were invisible.
Relief at survival? Or hollow laughter at the absurdity?
But one thing was certain...
They all thought of the two characters: Mumyeong.
A city devoid of a single monster.
A contribution window popped up for every hunter.
1st: Mumyeong [ 99,999 points ]
2nd: Cheon Iryeong [ 825 points ]
3rd: Kim Seokho [ 742 points ]
4th: Kang Jiyeon [ 707 points ]
Mumyeong had maxed out at the limit, rendering comparisons with other hunters meaningless.
The result followed.
Player ‘Mumyeong’ has reached 99,999 points.
You have achieved the hidden condition.
The Death Wave ends immediately.
The Death Wave, scheduled for 24 hours, terminated.
Settling rewards.
Crackle, craaackle—!
Next came reward settlement time.