Descent of Pride
“Contact lost.”
Roland the Ma-in had failed.
His plan to summon a phantom beast and seize Mumyeong had gone completely up in smoke.
“Massive reaction vanished. The phantom beast disappeared entirely along with the dungeon, and our strategist Roland’s gone silent too.”
“Hah, what a mess.”
The old man’s face twisted as he listened to his secretary’s report.
“I gave him a golden opportunity, and he blows it like this.”
Koo Gicheol, president of the Korean Hunter Association.
He was a Ma-in disguised as human. He also served as the leader of all Ma-in operating in Korea.
His female secretary, who assisted him, was a Ma-in as well.
“Perhaps you expected too much from a bottom-tier demon spawn.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you understood. It’s precisely those who’ve clawed their way up from the depths who fight tooth and nail to avoid falling back down.”
Either way, the result was failure.
Roland had vanished, taking the artifact known as the Key of the Apocalypse with him.
The key had multiple safeguards. With Roland’s knowledge, he could probably summon a few more demons at best.
No problem there.
Tracking it down wouldn’t be hard either. The artifact had a built-in locator device.
Roland wouldn’t have discarded something as vital as his lifeline.
“Send the assassination squad. Retrieve the key, demote Roland to the lowest rank, and dump him at the edge of the demon realm.”
“As you command.”
Roland would spend eternity in agony, living out a wretched existence.
“...To botch a job as simple as taking out one human hunter and end up like this.”
The president’s displeasure was evident.
In Ma-in society, they’d come demanding answers for Roland’s failure. The blame would fall on Korea’s Ma-in.
Hoo.
This time, it meant the higher-ups, including the president himself, would have to step in personally.
The problem was that even the Ma-in didn’t know where Mumyeong was.
Not even the Hunter Association, with its registry of countless hunters’ data, had any info on Mumyeong.
“How does it even make sense that we don’t know who he is?”
The president’s voice dripped with fury. His secretary’s eyebrows rose as she scrolled through the data pad.
“Pinpointing Mumyeong’s location is no easy task. Rumors say he’s unregistered, or maybe a villain.”
If only the Death Wave plan had succeeded, things would’ve been smoother.
They could’ve expanded the Association’s authority under the guise of cleanup, forcing periodic data updates and mandatory system nickname registration via new laws.
But that water was long spilled.
“What about the thing I mentioned before?”
“It’s in progress.”
The secretary projected a hologram in front of them.
“This is a list of humans who could be Mumyeong candidates. We’ve targeted hunters showing rapid growth.”
The president’s eyes darkened as he scanned the photos on the hologram.
B- to A-rank powerhouses.
A few rare S-ranks sprinkled in.
All promising stars with explosive growth.
Some were already crossed out in red—victims of Ma-in hands.
“We can thin them out quickly by staging accidents.”
The president pointed at a few with his finger.
“I was just thinking the same.”
It was perfect timing, late in the Tutorial phase when system glitches were rampant. A spike in accidents wouldn’t raise eyebrows.
Of course, the real Mumyeong, Joo Kanghyeok, wasn’t on that list.
“How about the others?”
At the president’s gesture, the secretary flipped the page.
The hit list was longer.
It included anyone hindering the Association or who’d sniffed out the Ma-in’s existence.
“Same status— in progress.”
The president leaned back in his chair at her reply.
“Time’s the issue. How long to clear them all?”
“At least a month...”
“Tch.”
He clicked his tongue and stood.
A month? No way the higher-ups would wait.
They’d get shredded one by one, starting with Korea’s top Ma-in—including himself.
“With Roland’s failure, we have no choice but to act. Summon every Ma-in in Korea.”
“What’s the deadline?”
“Tomorrow evening. It’s been a while since we’ve all gathered.”
Mumyeong.
Catching him wouldn’t be hard.
Just a hassle.
He’d shown up at every major recent event. Stir something big, and he’d appear.
But this would be a trap.
A horde of upper-tier Ma-in to face him. He wouldn’t even resist properly before dying.
Even with two apostles, it wouldn’t change a thing.
Unlike apostles restricted as human summons, Ma-in—treated as demon beasts—had far looser limits.
“Once Mumyeong’s down, Korea’s wild cards are gone.”
Thick demonic energy seeped from the president’s cane-gripping hand. A sinister smile curled his lips.
Perfect timing.
Back-to-back world bosses and the freakish Death Wave.
No one would bat an eye at more incidents.
“If luck’s on our side, we can wipe out Sa Choiheon and Korea’s key players in one go.”
Apostle Enhancement Stone applied successfully.
Black Apostle Summon rank increases by one level.
Legend → Legend+
Exclusive Weapon Fragment effect applies color.
Skill upgrades to Pitch Black: Apostle Summon.
Apostle skills partially unlocked.
The black energy swirling around Lucifer settled.
Lucifer rose from his seat and stretched lightly. He clenched and unclenched his fist, a smile spreading across his face.
“It’s definitely different.”
He looked thoroughly satisfied.
“Now that the color’s upgraded to pitch black, output’s way stronger too.”
“By how much?”
“More than 30% stronger than Gabriel here, who’s same-rank Legend+.”
Lucifer pointed at Gabriel lounging on the sofa.
“No way...”
Gabriel munched her potato chips in shock.
“Aura-reading’s improved too. I can gauge enemy levels and strength even more precisely. And on top of that...”
Lucifer tied on the apron hanging in the kitchen, a confident smirk on his lips.
“Now I can use skills while cooking.”
“...Is that a big deal?”
Some specialized hunters picked up cooking skills, apparently super useful for gate and dungeon raids. He’d seen posts about it.
“You’ll be blown away. Master, you won’t be able to stomach anything but my food from now on.”
That’s... something.
Lucifer hefted the kitchen knife over the cutting board.
“You’ll feel it the moment you try tonight’s dinner.”
Tat-tat-tat-tat—!
Carrots and veggies flew unrealistically into the bowl. Straight out of a movie or manga.
Skill power, huh.
Good cooking’s never a bad thing.
High-grade gates and labyrinths were coming up soon. Most clears took a week to two.
Mouthwatering food then would boost morale big time.
And skill-cooked meals buff stats, right?
Curious all around. A savory aroma soon filled the kitchen from the stove. His mouth watered involuntarily.
Cooking aside.
Legend+ means a whole new level of power anyway.
He sank into the plush sofa.
“Back to the labyrinth tomorrow, huh...”
He planned to start with C-rank labyrinths.
Current level: 78.
80 was B-rank.
Leveling slowed to a crawl from here—that’s why most hunters stalled at B.
Only those with enough experience and power hit A.
S-rank was the dream tier. Guilds fought to recruit them.
That’s when it happened.
“Master, check this.”
Gabriel shoved her smartphone his way. The screen showed photos near the labyrinth.
“Guilds and reporters are swarming the labyrinth area now.”
The pics showed guilds and news vans clustered around it.
About time.
Labyrinths kept rankings.
Mumyeong topped F, E, D-rank ones. Word spreading was inevitable.
That Mumyeong was clearing labyrinths.
Constellation Master of the Black Star points to a sponsorship item.
Oh yeah, this.
He pulled the robe from his inventory.
Hides all wearer information.
Blocks Legend-rank or lower detection skills once per day.
Sponsored by the Master of the Black Star.
Issue was, it wasn’t full stealth.
His stealth gear only blocked B-rank or lower detection.
“Even with this, the chaos’ll be the same.”
“You’ll get endless handshake requests...”
High-rank hunters would be nearby for sure. One spotting him, and guilds plus reporters would swarm like mad.
But he had a way.
“Let’s hit instance gates first.”
Coins were piling up anyway.
Repeats wouldn’t hinder leveling. No loot, but XP kept flowing.
As he mapped it out—
“Pork sukiyaki and bossam kimchi, done.”
Lucifer finished cooking. Steaming sukiyaki and kimchi sat on the kitchen table.
“Ooh, thanks, Lucifer.”
“Yay.”
“Kiiing—!”
“Hold it, mutt. Don’t get buddy-buddy now. No share for you. Don’t butt into Master’s meal like it’s yours.”
Lucifer said that but set down a small bowl anyway. He turned back with a warning.
“Eat slowly. Though with your mental fortitude, Master, it should be fine...”
Setting the stage like this?
Let’s see.
He grabbed sukiyaki and kimchi together with chopsticks and popped them in his mouth.
The instant he did—
Flash—!
A thunderbolt shock ripped through his head.
Purple lightning flashed through the veranda window, slashing the dark evening sky. Thick bolts.
The whole kitchen drowned in violet for a split second.
Then it hit him.
“What the...?”
Not the food.
His brows furrowed.
Real lightning had struck. Not normal—no rain today.
More importantly, he’d seen this before.
Apostle descent.
That time too, lightning like...
Crash-clatter!
Lucifer and Gabriel bolted to the veranda without a word.
They gripped the railing, faces grim as they stared out.
“Th-this is insane... It can’t be...”
“Too fast. Ma-in work?”
“Who’d do that sane? They want this world in their grasp, not blown to bits... Wait, restrictions lifted?”
He approached them.
“What is that?”
Lucifer, frozen briefly, spoke. Info restrictions seemed lifted.
“Beings descending to this world have motifs. The more famous and impactful on humanity, the stronger usually.”
Lucifer’s tone was deadly serious.
Tenser than facing Cerberus.
“Seven Deadly Sins. Seven primal sins. Emotions birthing evil... You probably know ’em.”
Pride, Greed, Envy, Wrath, Lust, Gluttony, Sloth.
Lucifer summed it up.
“An Apocalypse Apostle has descended.”
Kwaaang—!
Purple lightning crashed atop the mountain. A deafening roar tore at eardrums.
Trees, rocks, and earth nearby vaporized, leaving a massive crater.
Kwagaga—!
The overwhelming pressure nearly flattened Roland.
He clutched his shaking legs to stay upright.
“I... I did it. I did it...!”
Shh—.
The artifact Key of the Apocalypse in Roland’s hand crumbled to black dust.
With this... even Mumyeong can’t win.
The moment Cerberus got instantly killed by Mumyeong.
Roland desperately sought survival.
Only way: the Key of the Apocalypse.
Summons two of Solomon’s sleeping demons on Korean soil.
Then trigger a Seven Deadly Sins descent.
Result: Roland’s body wrecked.
“Cough.”
Black-red blood gushed from his mouth. Demonic energy backlash burst veins everywhere—body a mass of bruises.
Too exhausted to lift a finger.
But success.
Seven Deadly Sins, Apocalypse Apostle Pride.
He’d summoned her.
“I did it. I did it!”
The Key of the Apocalypse entrusted to Roland was a strategic weapon.
Locked with restrictions—normal Ma-in could only access basics.
But Roland wasn’t normal.
Bottom of the bottom.
Climbed from lowest demon spawn.
He’d use any means to survive.
His knowledge and power sufficed to wield the key fully.
“...This’ll keep me alive.”
Behind him stood two demons.
Furcas.
Andras.
Muscular human forms. Demon tails aflame with thick demonic energy.
Both top-tier demon breeds.
Stronger than Belial, whom Mumyeong had crushed before.
“Protect me well. Pride might not obey orders.”
Roland commanded the demons, then stepped forward.
Where the purple bolt struck.
Choking dust cleared.
Revealing a seductive woman. Long black hair to her waist.
Seven Deadly Sins: Pride.
“...So early already. What fool has dared summon the end? A Ma-in?”
Her voice carried authority. Roland’s knees buckled under it.
“Apocalypse Apostle. Obey me.”
Roland glared, calling to Pride.
Key-summoned. Targets bound to serve summoner.
If done right...
Pfsh—!
Pfsh—!
The two top demons behind him exploded.
Demon flesh splattered Roland’s face. Blood soaked his feet.
Roland’s eyes widened.
Invisible.
Imperceptible.
Top demons, obliterated.
Powerlessness like facing Mumyeong.
Heart pounded wildly.
Body trembled uncontrollably.
Step, step.
Pride approached the rigid Roland. She brushed blood flecks from his face with her hand’s back.
“I don’t obey.”
With a bewitching smile, Pride’s lips parted.
“Roland, you obey me. I like uglies like you.”
Roland couldn’t utter a word. Pride didn’t want an answer—his mouth wouldn’t move.
“Fools who invite doom to survive... I love them.”
Pride’s soft hand caressed his cheek.
Then—
Shh.
Black shadows descended around Pride and Roland.
“Roland, what have you done?!”
The assassination squad from Association President Koo Gicheol. Info on Seven Deadly Sins Apocalypse Apostles was top secret.
Known only to some upper and top Ma-in.
The squad knew nothing of them.
Just that something felt off.
“You didn’t misuse the Key of the Apocalypse, did you?”
“You’re getting demoted to bottom tier.”
“Don’t resist, just come qui—”
Before the last Ma-in finished—
Pfsh—!
Pfsh—!
Pfsh—!
All five assassins’ heads exploded. Amid the gore, Roland couldn’t move.
But ecstasy surged too.
Even Ma-in assassins were powerless before a Seven Deadly Sin.
“Hm...”
Pride peered into Roland’s eyes. She read info from his gaze alone.
An omniscience power under her authority.
“Mumyeong. Fun human around.”
Those two syllables made Roland flinch.
“Don’t worry, Roland. You’ll survive to the end and witness the apocalypse with me.”
Pride’s sweet voice whispered in his ear.
“In a present world with nothing left. You’ll be the very last Ma-in to die.”
Purple mist enveloped them. Thickening under moonlight, it rose ominously.
“Apocalypse Apostle!”
Kwaaang—!
When Lucifer shot like a bullet and landed on the mountaintop.
Pride and Roland were already gone.
End
ⓒ Chayong#1g25m