Night of the End

BOOM—!

Lucifer's magic cannon beam slammed straight into the Apocalypse Temple. Chunks of stone from inside the SS-rank Gate rained down.

With his dedicated weapon in hand, Lucifer's output was incomparably stronger than before.

Yet the temple's entrance remained unscathed.

"Tch, it's disgustingly tough."

Lucifer clicked his tongue. The Blue Dragon narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the door leading into the Apocalypse Temple.

A massive door engraved with bizarre patterns.

And the temple's silhouette manifesting around it.

"It's protected by the System. It's being treated like a gate."

Gates don't vanish through physical means.

They only disappear once you defeat the boss inside or clear the mission—the proper way to conquer them.

The Apocalypse Temple was the same.

It would stand firm until the boss within, the Seven Deadly Sins, was slain.

"At least we've sent a warning."

"As expected, only ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you truly understand my intentions, Master."

Lucifer grinned at my words and raised his spear.

That was when it happened.

Clack, clack.

Wooden puppets clad in armor emerged from the cracks in the temple door. Swords gleamed in their hands.

Their levels were abnormally high. On par with the queen we'd faced on Jeju Island.

Even if the queen was the pinnacle of monsters, these were just mobs.

"They've broken out of the double gate and gained a temporary dungeon break effect."

The Blue Dragon explained matter-of-factly. Lucifer ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠glared at the puppets with a mocking expression.

"What, they're no different from the ones we smashed earlier."

"Exactly. They're no match for you now that you have a weapon, Senior Lucifer."

It almost sounded like it wouldn't have been easy without the weapon.

BOOM—! BOOM—!

Magic cannon beams shot from the tip of Lucifer's spear pierced the puppets.

Watching the scene, Gabriel tugged at my robe. With an unusually serious expression, she said to me,

"Master, I need the White Weapon Fragment."

In truth, Gabriel hadn't participated in the battle at all.

It wasn't because the enemies were too strong—Lucifer with his weapon was smashing everything in sight.

Gabriel let out a sigh.

"If I don't gather them quickly, I might turn into air..."

"Air?"

"Useless teammates get forgotten fast. You fade into the background like air. The technical term is 'airing'."

What nonsense in this situation.

We only needed two more White Weapon Fragments to complete it.

No need to rush—it'd be done soon.

Besides, Gabriel's ultimate lowers enemy levels. Even the prototype was that powerful; the real thing would be even stronger. No risk of fading away.

"Master, ignore that fool's nonsense!"

BOOM!

Lucifer leisurely finished off one puppet. The Blue Dragon stepped forward and swept away an approaching one.

Powerful waves of mana swirled around.

My robe fluttered in the wind.

Boosted by Lucifer and the Blue Dragon's prowess, the puppets were all shattered in just three minutes.

Now, nothing blocked the path to the Apocalypse Temple.

I took a step forward and pulled a bread from my inventory.

I bit off a suitable chunk.

Replenishing energy.

A sweet, cool flavor spread through my mouth.

At the same time, the gnawing hunger vanished, replaced by a sense of fullness.

'Only four loaves left now.'

Ever since the death wave, I'd been eating them in emergencies, and they were running low.

With three apostles now,

The hunger came on faster.

Stronger output meant greater energy consumption, no doubt.

Lucifer had already munched three bites since getting his dedicated weapon.

"Can we get more bread?"

I asked Gabriel.

We had some leeway, but it'd be good to stock up.

"Hmm, if we get the ingredients, we can make more."

"That's fortunate, but can you make them?"

"No, Cheon Iryeong can."

Gabriel nodded proudly.

"Once we conquer the SS-rank Gate, it'll be possible then."

Gabriel said.

Probably meant new System functions or materials would unlock. Reassuring.

Conquering the SS-rank Gate wouldn't be hard.

The issue was the Apocalypse Temple right in front of me.

We had to clear this first for the next one to appear.

"Then let's go in."

"After you, Master."

"We'll take out the Seven Deadly Sins quickly and end this conquest."

I stepped into the Apocalypse Temple. My apostles followed suit.

Now we entered the domain of the Seven Deadly Sins.

This was the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠main event.

The interior was a temple like the one for Pride.

A vast hall lined with enormous pillars on both sides.

The difference was the massive gears and intricate machinery whirring complexly overhead.

Hoo.

I steadied my breathing.

Unlike last time, I was the only hunter entering now.

My current level was 143.

Considering humanity's max was 150, that was impressive.

'However...'

This time, the situation was different.

Pride had flung open the doors and invited me in, but Sloth was thoroughly hidden.

'The Seven Deadly Sins defend, while I conquer.'

It kept sending only puppets. As if testing me.

'Instant Death's weakness is clear.'

I can't kill what ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I can't see.

I can't kill non-living things.

—The Seven Deadly Sins share memories. It might have learned something from the fight with Pride.

Sa Choiheon had said that.

'Hiding means it's roughly figured out how Instant Death works.'

Or maybe it was just wary of me.

From here, it was a battle of information.

My course of action was simple.

'Just don't use my abilities as much as possible.'

At the far end of the temple, seven puppets awaited us. Unlike before, they were fully armed.

Three wooden puppets in jet-black armor wielding greatswords. Four in ornate robes and staves.

"More wooden puppets? Getting annoying."

"These might be different."

Lucifer aimed his spear forward. A blue glow swirled above the Blue Dragon's armguard as he assumed position.

We couldn't advance to the next trial without clearing the objective. That was the gate's rule set by the System. Unbreakable.

'Shouldn't be hard.'

I planned to conquer the Apocalypse Temple using only my apostles.

Did it read my intent?

Just as battle was about to begin, a gloomy voice echoed through the temple.

"We're not here to chat, are we?"

BOOM—!

A black flash surged from Lucifer's spear tip. Highly compressed dark mana was about to engulf the puppet in front of us.

Whoosh.

The robed wooden puppet creaked its head and raised its staff.

Tzzzzzt—!

The magic cannon beam vanished in a burst of light. Lucifer's brow furrowed.

These puppets were different from the previous ones.

"Tch."

Lucifer scanned the puppets' auras and spoke.

"Master, these puppets are different from before. They have souls inside. And not just any souls..."

Sloth began explaining calmly.

Souls infused into the wooden puppets.

They were personally gathered by the Seven Deadly Sin Sloth.

Sloth boasted.

"......"

In worlds where the System appeared,

The Seven Deadly Sins' emergence was inevitable.

The apocalypse comes inevitably.

A meaningful statement.

The seven puppets advanced one step each. Auras rose from their blades, and immense mana swirled around their staves.

Each soul had once been a renowned hero.

Yet they had fallen.

Not only that—they were captured by Sloth and suffered eternal torment.

Sloth's message was clear.

Since you're going to die anyway, give up.

Rambling on with such bullshit.

'......'

But that's how the Seven Deadly Sins were made.

Just as monsters sought destruction and slaughter,

Humans sought survival and prosperity,

The Seven Deadly Sins merely sang of ruin and summoned the end.

But the apostles' reactions were odd.

"You serious?"

Lucifer looked incredulous. The others wore similar expressions.

"Hilarious."

Lucifer burst into disbelieving laughter.

"Master, as a constellation who's watched the rise and fall of countless worlds over eons, this is a first."

"A first?"

"You're the first opponent a Seven Deadly Sin Sloth has ever tried to reason with. Content aside."

Gabriel nodded beside him.

"These guys seem pretty scared."

"They normally see humans as worse than bugs. Even talking is beneath a guy named 'Sloth'. Intriguing."

The Blue Dragon smiled too.

Pissed off?

BOOM—!

No sooner had Sloth finished than the puppets kicked off the ground and charged. Their movements were anything but ordinary. Battle had begun.

Multiple magic cannon beams fired from Lucifer's spear tip. At the same time, spells from the robed puppets clashed in midair.

KABOOM!

Blue lightning surged from the Blue Dragon's armguard. His fist collided with a greatsword puppet's, exploding in a flash.

Clang, clanganG!

The Blue Dragon parried incoming sword strikes with mystical movements. He was handling three puppets at once.

Aerial combat raged above. Lucifer zipped through the air, unleashing dark mana. He faced four puppets.

Magic and auras churned wildly, exploding and scattering.

I strained to take in their movements.

'......Barely visible.'

I couldn't grasp every detail of the battle.

But I could make out forms and the overall situation.

BOOM—! Bang!

"I'll protect you, Master."

Gabriel, stuck right by my side, swatted away incoming magic bullets. She guarded me without straying beyond two meters.

BOOM!

One swordsman puppet facing the Blue Dragon shot toward me like a cannonball.

Clanggg—!

"Where do you think you're going!"

Gabriel's holy power clashed with the puppet swordsman's aura, sparks flying.

Gabriel's right foot swept the swordsman's ankle. As its balance crumbled, her right fist slammed into its chest.

BOOM—!

The swordsman puppet was blasted back.

Grab!

"Nice one, Senior."

The Blue Dragon seized the swordsman's nape mid-air and hurled it at the other puppets. As they faltered, his form vanished in a flash, becoming lightning that struck them.

KABOOM!

The fierce battle continued.

No quick resolution.

"These bastards are like flies...!"

"Senior, watch out! One slipped through!"

The apostles clearly had the advantage.

But not enough to overwhelm.

If Sloth appeared now, the tide would turn decisively.

Yet Sloth didn't show.

Of course. It was wary of me too.

Sloth's voice urged impatiently. This confirmed it.

Sloth's goal was to probe my abilities.

Some puppets remained at the fourth gateway.

Human hunters might arrive and get wiped out.

But no problem.

"......"

Hunters reaching the fourth gateway would take considerable time anyway.

7,000 monsters.

Even with ma-in joining, it'd take a while to clear.

That was more than enough time to slay Sloth.

And above all...

It wasn't that I wouldn't move.

I couldn't move.

I narrowed my eyes.

'......Puppets can't be caught anyway.'

Puppets aren't living beings.

Instant Death doesn't work.

I had three Unique Skill Reset tickets.

They had to be saved strictly for Sloth.

No wasting them.

Of course, Sloth couldn't know that.

So, play it bold.

"I don't see the need to move personally."

Even in the tense situation, the lie came naturally. Not entirely fabricated, either.

'Lucifer.'

I really didn't need to step in.

I had apostles for that.

"Understood, Master."

Lucifer raised his spear at my glance.

Whoooosh—!

Immense dark mana gathered at the spear tip.

In that brief moment, darkness descended over the once-bright temple. Light vanished around Lucifer, shadows thickening.

Dedicated weapon.

Its true value wasn't just boosting apostle abilities.

It unlocked the apostle's true power.

True power meant, without doubt, the ultimate.

WHOOSH—!

Mighty dark mana spread from Lucifer, engulfing the Apocalypse Temple. Crackle, crackzzt—! Black sparks spread endlessly. The puppets froze momentarily, and even the Blue Dragon paused to look back.

Sudden pitch darkness.

In the impenetrable gloom where nothing was visible,

Lucifer's voice rang clearly through the temple.

"Fear me, Seven Deadly Sin."

A hazy black halo rose behind Lucifer, creating an eerie sight.

Darkness illuminating darkness.

In the jet-black void, only Lucifer emitted a faint glow as he ascended. His opened eyes flashed with purple light.

The following System message was a single line, but...

...That was enough.