The Demon Strategist's Gambit
"Alright, preparations are perfect."
Ma-in strategist Roland.
His lips were splitting into a grin.
Krrrooo—!
Beneath the massive ruins.
The phantom beast Cerberus, bound by chains of magi energy, thrashed wildly. Its colossal body rivaled that of a world boss.
Boom!Thud!Crash!
Every time it moved, the dungeon's ground and structures crumbled bit by bit. And with each struggle, the magi chains bound it even tighter.
"Don't waste your strength pointlessly. Go on, chew up some nearby humans."
Krrrh!
The resisting Cerberus soon began devouring the humans offered as sacrifices.
Crunch, crrrunch.
The area was littered with human blood and corpses.
The humans' souls served as fuel, infusing magi energy into Cerberus.
Unawakened humans were frail. But their souls were sturdy compared to their bodies, making them valuable as fuel.
"Just one day—no, half a day more, and it'll be complete."
Roland's goal was an intentional dungeon break.
When a dungeon break occurred, the monster would grow far stronger than before.
Once the magi energy dwelling in Cerberus overcharged, it would naturally burst out of the dungeon.
Released into the outside world, Cerberus would become too powerful for humans to handle.
'Mumyeong... Even you won't stop it easily.'
Roland ground his teeth. Every time he closed his eyes, the desperate scene from the death wave replayed in his mind.
The incomprehensible miracle that eradicated the magi beasts engulfing the entire city.
Not even Roland's power could block it or stand against it.
'But this time will be different.'
Phantom beast Cerberus. If he could just drag this thing out of the dungeon, it would surely become a disaster for humanity.
'Humanity has no way to deal with it. Not even Mumyeong.'
The current era was nearing the end of the tutorial phase.
At this point, humanity's maximum level was 150.
Cerberus, freed from the dungeon, would be level 300.
There was no way to stop it.
It was then, as Roland stifled a laugh while clutching the key to the apocalypse.
Step, step.
Footsteps echoed from one side of the dungeon.
Roland's eyes widened.
This place should have held only him and the sacrifices.
"Who goes there?!"
Emerging from the darkness was a human.
A woman wearing a black half-mask adorned with gold. Cloaked in black, she spoke softly.
"Ma-in Roland."
Roland's face hardened.
"What is this? How did a human get here?"
She even knew his name.
Only a tiny fraction of humans knew of the ma-in's existence. Knowing Roland's name was utterly unnatural.
No questions asked.
In an instant, the magi energy Roland had gathered surged toward the woman.
Bam.
The magi didn't touch her. It veered off in a bizarre trajectory, slamming into the ground instead.
"What the...?"
"No need for hostility. I am from the Star of Prophets. A ma-in strategist like you must have heard of us."
A calm voice rang in Roland's ears.
"I have no interest in some pathetic organization formed by inferior humans."
Star of Prophets.
A secret group formed by humans in the current era with prophecy abilities.
Just a human organization.
To him, it was nothing more than the flailing of inferior beings.
Roland looked at her with the expression of one regarding an insect.
The woman continued undeterred.
"At this moment when the flow of the future is drastically changing, you are trying to bring the end to this world."
Roland's brow twisted.
"Get to the point, prophet. What then? You think your feeble power can stop me?"
"The disaster will descend on its own. The world will be erased, and chaos will reign over all. Allow me this advice."
Her words carried dense magi power.
"Do not provoke Mumyeong. The extermination of the ma-in rests in your hands."
"Hah?"
Roland let out a hollow laugh.
What nonsense was this woman spouting? Extermination of the ma-in? By some mere human?
"Why should I listen to such bullshit?"
Despite Roland's mockery, the woman replied dryly.
"Believe it or not, it doesn't matter. The prophecy has been delivered, and we will prepare for the end in our own way."
Shh.
The woman vanished in an instant.
It wasn't spatial movement. Nor an illusion. It was something Roland didn't know.
"What the...?"
Roland swept a hand over his face.
Drip, drip.
Veins bulged on his forehead.
Now even insignificant bugs were clinging to him.
"How dare inferior scum lecture me."
Prophecies wouldn't bind him. He would seize Mumyeong and rise to the top of ma-in society.
It was the moment Roland steeled his resolve.
Kwaaaang—!
Cerberus let out a massive bark. A terrifying roar that shook the air. It was aimed at an intruder outside the dungeon.
"Hm?"
Roland's pupils dilated.
"Already here...?"
Too fast. Way too fast.
The Association had promised to conceal the dungeon's location. No ordinary hunter should have found it.
Roland closed his eyes and scanned outside the dungeon.
'Coincidence? No, impossible.'
The arrivals were all too familiar. Roland's lips trembled.
'How the hell did they find it so quickly...?'
Arriving at the dungeon entrance was none other than Sa Choiheon.
And two apostles.
* * *
Before heading to the dungeon, Gabriel stopped by the house and handed me an item.
◈ Instant Death Cooldown: 26.3 days → 17.1 days
'Down by 9 days.'
Now the cooldown was about 17 days.
Considering the original 44-day cooldown, this was a massive reduction. Just two weeks of waiting.
'Now it's actually worth waiting for.'
Assuming nothing unexpected happened.
The problem was that unexpected things kept happening.
'A magi beast surpassing demonkin...'
I shifted my gaze to Gabriel's shared vision. Gabriel had landed in a remote mountain valley, the destination.
"We've arrived?"
"Ugh, I'm wiped after ditching that kid."
Sa Choiheon and Lucifer were waiting.
For reference, we'd forcibly left Cheon Iryeong behind. Lucifer and Sa Choiheon's judgment was that it was still too dangerous for her.
Sa Choiheon had especially objected strongly.
A dungeon even Rank 3 couldn't enter.
Naturally, I was tense too.
Having landed, Gabriel looked straight ahead.
"Insane magi energy."
Before them stood a towering stone gate.
Unknown characters and murals were embossed on it. Even I could see black mist leaking out.
Crackle, zzzap—!
Black sparks like those from the death wave wrapped around the gate. So this was magi energy.
"Just like last time, the work of ma-in. Best to clean it up quickly."
Sa Choiheon gave a brief explanation, then turned to Lucifer.
"Mumyeong. You're participating too?"
"Of course. He's with us."
Lucifer answered Sa Choiheon's question.
I was participating, technically.
From home, though.
'Not like I'd have much to do even if I went myself.'
My current rank was C.
The opponent was hell's magi beast Cerberus, more dangerous than Demon Belial.
I'd just get in the way, so better to save Instant Death for the right moment.
That was when it happened.
"Sa Choiheon, you can head back now."
Standing beside Sa Choiheon, Lucifer waved him off dismissively. Sa Choiheon furrowed his brow.
"What're you talking about?"
"Don't try to spoon into the master's meal. We can handle one Cerberus without you just fine."
Sa Choiheon was the one who'd tipped us off to this place.
Telling him to leave like that felt a bit...
See? Even Sa Choiheon was smirking in disbelief.
"This is on a whole different level from the demon. One wrong move, and all of Korea burns. More hands are better."
"We don't need you, seriously."
That was when it happened.
"I'm not confident."
Gabriel, standing nearby, suddenly said that. Lucifer and Sa Choiheon's gazes converged.
"?"
What? After coming all this way? That expression.
Gabriel clenched one fist and said calmly.
"Not confident I'll win."
Immediately, Lucifer turned away without even listening.
"Sa Choiheon, ignore the idiot."
"...Let's enter."
Constellation 'Otherworld Discipline' shakes their head.
Lucifer and Sa Choiheon walked side by side into the dungeon.
The first time their opinions aligned, perhaps.
* * *
The dungeon's interior was a massive cave. Temple pillars and murals were embedded into the cave walls.
Lucifer advanced, running a hand along the wall.
"A dungeon with no monsters?"
"It's an incomplete dungeon. An intentional design flaw. The ma-in who made this plans a dungeon break."
That was Sa Choiheon's explanation.
They'd launched the raid at just the right timing, before the dungeon collapsed.
Sa Choiheon's information network was impressive, nothing less.
'Catching Cerberus is great.'
He'd surpass demon-slaying rewards, plus massive experience.
With Instant Death, victory was all but assured.
But I only had three Instant Death uses left.
Cerberus was the three-headed monster from myth.
"Feels like one Instant Death won't cut it."
【 I can't say for sure. Whether each head counts as a separate lifeform, or it's one creature with a single heart... 】
In the worst case, using all three at once would be burdensome.
Few farming spots remained.
C, B, A, S-rank labyrinths.
B, A, S-rank instance gates.
Seven in total.
Supplying from elsewhere...
"Speaking of, about the soul lantern. Any way to repair it?"
Now that the White Dawn was Gabriel, an apostle, it was easier to ask.
【 Yes, I can fix it. Just ask Hephaestus for sponsorship. 】
Blacksmith god Hephaestus.
Constellation 'Forge Master of the Volcano'.
The legendary smith who crafted gods' weapons and accessories.
Such a constellation would have tools to repair the soul lantern.
Probably listening.
Constellation 'Otherworld Discipline' anticipates sponsorship.
Constellation 'Forge Master of the Volcano' shakes their head.
Constellation 'Master of the Black Star' is disappointed by the stinginess.
Constellation 'Forge Master of the Volcano' is enraged.
The constellations were already in an uproar before I even asked.
Exchanging for legendary tokens still wasn't an option.
'Too bad.'
As I pondered briefly.
Constellation 'Forge Master of the Volcano' proposes a mission.
📍 Difficulty:Legend or Higher
📍 Objective: Defeat Phantom Beast Cerberus 0/1
🎁 Reward:Scarlet Blood - Vulcanus's Auxiliary Hammer
A mission popped up.
A new feature since the system opened, perhaps.
I didn't doubt we'd catch Cerberus.
This was basically free.
【 Constellations have varied personalities. Only one watch registration per constellation. They're testing the waters since direct offers are awkward. 】
【 It's good, actually. 】
【 Or maybe another motive... but probably not a big deal. 】
Seemed like a freebie.
Repair the lantern with the tool, and I wouldn't worry about Instant Death reset supplies for a while.
Motivation surged.
"Master."
Gabriel, following the group, asked me. Her voice was a bit excited.
"Can I catch the puppy and raise it?"
Puppy?
She meant Cerberus?
Lucifer replied sternly.
"Idiot, you can't tame a phantom beast at this stage. And leaving it alive means no rewards for master."
"I decided to name it Kero-ro."
That name was a bit...
That was when it happened.
Halt.
Sa Choiheon suddenly stopped in the ruins.
"What? Why stop out of nowhere...?"
"It's coming. Handle it yourselves."
In the distant central cavern, green torches flickered.
Purple flames surged like waves.
Whoosh.
Gabriel dashed forward, wrapping herself in pure white wings. The flames parted around her.
"Ooh, nice."
"Lucifer, from here it's Cerberus's domain. And Mumyeong."
Sa Choiheon turned and said.
"Don't think of Cerberus's attacks like regular magi beasts. It's a completely new type of boss."
"And no master here."
"..."
Ignoring Lucifer, Sa Choiheon continued.
"Normal attacks won't work. You can only damage it briefly when it's fatigued."
"How do you know that?"
"Investigated a relic. Facts inscribed on part of an artifact from another world."
Hearing that, Gabriel tilted her head.
"It's coming!"
But no time for details.
Kwaaaang—! Kwararara—!
Enormous spears wrapped in purple magi rained down like a storm.
Just looking, it was overwhelming.
Sa Choiheon and Lucifer dodged madly, while Gabriel took to the air, batting spears away with her wings.
【 I'm Legend+ rank. 】
Even amid the barrage, Gabriel was relaxed.
【 So relaxed? Come up front and block then! 】
【 Say 'Please, Gabriel' first. 】
【 I'd die before saying that. 】
Of course, the attacks weren't too much for Lucifer either.
The ground around was devastated, but neither Lucifer nor Sa Choiheon was scratched.
"Push forward in the meantime."
"Hold up."
"What?"
Sa Choiheon turned at Lucifer's call.
"A minor issue. Better to say it now."
"What is it?"
"Gonna say something crazy from your perspective."
"...?"
Sa Choiheon frowned.
【 Master is currently outside the dungeon. Meaning... 】
I knew what was coming.
I was in a different space from the apostles.
Instant Death would probably work—no distance limit.
But one key issue remained.
【 You won't gain experience. 】
Exactly.
No experience gained.
To get experience, you needed to be in the same dimension. Dungeons counted as separate dimensions.
Why I'd raided with crow-form Lucifer before.
"No time. Spit it out."
At Sa Choiheon's urging, Lucifer smirked and spoke.
"We'll lure Cerberus outside. In other words, an intentional dungeon break."
What expression Sa Choiheon made at that madness...
I could guess without seeing.