Omens of the Tutorial's End

Signs of the tutorial's end were appearing all over the world.

"Nessie was actually found in Loch Ness, England?"

"In China, monkeys are rising up en masse, claiming to be descendants of Sun Wukong. What the hell..."

"Korea's the same. Spiritual beasts have shown up in the mountains, calling themselves Mountain Lords and driving people away."

Legends and myths were coming to life.

Urban legends and ancient tales were becoming reality.

The internet communities, where news spread the fastest, were in an uproar.

Monsters that should only exist inside gates were being spotted outside as well.

Ring ring— Ring ring—

The phones at the Korean Hunter Association wouldn't stop ringing with reports.

"Yes, we haven't confirmed that yet."

"We're still investigating the exact cause."

"No other unusual signs have been detected..."

The good news was that Korea's association was free of ma-in influence.

"Issue no-entry orders and dispatch association hunters to assess the situations first."

Director Yoo Jincheol, acting as association head.

"Unlike gates, not all these monsters seem hostile. For high-risk spots, send guilds to wipe them out."

The SS-rank gate raid had just wrapped up yesterday.

Before they could even catch their breath, the tutorial end message had appeared.

Monsters popping up nationwide, unidentified entities of unknown origin.

Only the association could investigate and manage them.

"If we don't respond now, there might not be a later. Contact the top guilds today and request cooperation from the lower ones."

Yoo Jincheol wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Director, have this first."

"Ah, thanks."

His bespectacled secretary handed him a potion bottle. Potions worked on civilians too. Price was the only issue.

He downed it in one go, and the fatigue vanished. Setting down the empty bottle, Yoo Jincheol gave a wry smile.

"The whole world's lost its mind."

"Yeah, really. At least Korea's handling it better."

There had been signs.

They just hadn't noticed.

World bosses, death waves, Apocalypse Temple.

Without Mumyeong, Korea would have taken a massive hit.

And according to Hunter Sa Choiheon, Mumyeong had even enabled them to root out the ma-in.

All they could say was how fortunate Korea had Mumyeong.

"Just the fact that the association has no ma-in is a blessing."

Thanks to that, the association could wield its influence properly as an independent body. In chaotic times like these, its authority only grew.

"You're not serious, are you?"

The female secretary pushed up her glasses with a sly grin. She was a former ma-in collaborator with Sa Choiheon, now sided with humanity.

"What matters is what we're aiming for. Everything else is irrelevant."

Yoo Jincheol shook his head, his expression grave.

He wasn't one for jokes.

"...We don't know what'll happen after the tutorial ends, but one thing's certain."

Leaning on the railing, the secretary spoke.

"A world where the strong survive. That won't change."

In the world after the tutorial,

only the strong would hold all the power.

Amazon rainforest.

Splat—! Only a splatter of blood remained where Greed had stood.

Greed died the instant he descended. Mumyeong's power took him out in one shot.

A pathetic end.

"As expected of Master. Sins or whatever, doesn't matter."

"Clean work. No flaws."

The apostles clapped in admiration. Flattery mixed in, but that wasn't the point.

"Hah."

A hollow laugh escaped Envy.

A death unprecedented in the history of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Seven Deadly Sins: Greed.

In other worlds, he was the Apostle of the Apocalypse, an object of terror. He'd plunged humanity into despair by greedily stealing even others' abilities.

And he'd exited stage left the moment he appeared.

'What kind of insane power is this... How the hell did he do it?'

A cold sweat trickled down Envy's back. His gaze fell on Mumyeong.

Black robe hid his face.

Was he smirking?

Or calm and composed?

Even Envy couldn't tell.

Either way, it sent chills down his spine. Was that really human?

'Good thing I didn't fight him directly...'

Envy felt a tangle of emotions.

Seeing it firsthand confirmed it.

Kill Mumyeong?

Absurd.

Even if all Seven Deadly Sins charged together,

they'd just be offering themselves up as tribute.

"Time to head back, then."

Mumyeong turned. His black robe fluttered with the motion.

"Summoning enough for today?"

Envy asked with a sullen expression.

Pride, Sloth, Greed—dead.

Three Sins left.

Gluttony, Lust, Wrath.

Still three remaining.

Mumyeong shook his head.

"Today's enough."

A barrage of system messages floated before Mumyeong's eyes.

Taking down one Sin netted 20 levels at once.

A massive amount of experience. Even hunting in an SS-rank gate wouldn't yield this much so quickly.

And he got it in one second.

Even factoring in travel time, it was a steal.

With the messages cleared, Joo Kanghyeok looked up.

'EXP maxed out. That's it for today.'

Only one Unique Skill Reset Scroll left.

Hunting Sins required Instant Death. Their levels were abnormally high.

'Keep one ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for emergencies.'

No rush until he got a new one.

Envy wasn't going anywhere.

"It'd be great if you kept Envy in Bulmyeol for a while."

The Blue Dragon turned and said.

Sa Choiheon's eyebrow rose.

"Sure, I'll lock him up tight. Pull him out when needed."

"H-Hey, human. Don't joke. I'm not an object."

Envy was still in restraints.

"No deals with Sins. I'm not Mumyeong. You'll be sealed in sub-space."

In Sa Choiheon's memories, the Sins were monsters of ruthless destruction and slaughter.

All he recalled was comrades torn apart by their hands.

"I-I'll swear a pact. I'll live like a normal human, so please..."

He really hated being sealed. Just consciousness floating in nothingness—understandable.

"Do it here, then."

"Fine, damn it."

Purple energy gathered around Envy, forming rune letters that sank into him.

The oath etched into Envy's heart.

"That should do. A harmless Sin—hilarious combo, even if made up."

The Blue Dragon smiled. Envy glared, face twisted.

"There. Now give me the way to ascend."

"Can't say yet. When restrictions lift, then."

"Urgh..."

Envy trembled in rage.

But no choice.

Wait it out.

Harmless Sin.

Sa Choiheon, who'd been pondering, looked up.

"Mumyeong, can we add one more to his pact?"

"What?"

"He obeys my orders."

Whoosh.

Mumyeong glanced at the Blue Dragon.

The Blue Dragon smiled at Envy.

"You want me under a human? That's not the deal."

"Can't help it. I keep promises. But what Master thinks..."

The Blue Dragon scratched his cheek nonchalantly.

Mumyeong's gaze darkened heavily.

Envy's face paled to black. Die here, no info, no next life guarantee with Blue Dragon descending as apostle.

"Man, you're devilish."

"Haha, thanks."

"Urgh..."

Envy raised a trembling hand.

"I, Sin Envy, swear obedience to human Sa Choiheon..."

The pact activated.

Desperation fueled it.

Escape the Sins' chains, ascend higher. Envy's long-held wish, sole desire.

Blue Dragon had nailed it.

Win-win(?) for both.

A satisfied smile tugged at Sa Choiheon's lips.

"Thanks, Mumyeong."

Until now, as a Sin heralding apocalypse...

Now, he'd grovel like a dog for humanity.

"Better brace yourself. Sin."

A predatory smile curved Sa Choiheon's mouth.

"Phew... Glad it ended without issues."

I flopped onto the sofa the moment I got home. The plush cushions melted away my tension.

Lucifer started vacuuming right away, while the Blue Dragon sat checking his laptop.

The laptop was already here.

I pulled out my smartphone to scan the news.

Gabriel's crushing the labyrinth clears.

I checked other articles.

Monsters appearing, magic flowing in tourist spots and famous sites.

Gates spawning less, though.

Hunters busier than ever.

Korea faring better. Association's quick response. Most other ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠countries in full panic.

Skimming articles, I furrowed my brow.

"Just like Hunter Sa Choiheon said. Something's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠off."

Before heading home, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'd talked with him in Bulmyeol.

Post-tutorial intel.

He knew details intricately. Like prophecy, but different flavor.

Didn't matter.

Tutorial ends, dangerous zones multiply.

Shouldn't be like this.

"Hello?"

I called my family.

Mom and little bro in Gyeonggi outskirts. Mom works at a mart, bro's in college.

"It's me. Doing fine. Danger? None at all."

Just some Sins trying to wipe out humanity.

Yeah, nothing but that.

No need to worry them.

They wouldn't believe anyway.

"You guys okay there?"

Monsters showed up near them too. Local guild handled it quick, no casualties.

'Gonna get worse.'

"Think you should come up for a bit. At least till things settle. What? How to live together in a one-room?"

I glanced around the hideout.

Palatial compared to a one-room.

Still too cramped for family.

This wasn't the spot anyway.

True safe haven elsewhere.

"It's big, plenty of space. Don't worry, come up. Money's no issue. E-rank with cash? Explain later."

Gave the address, hung up.

Instant-transferred 10 million won.

Wanna send 100 million, but ease the shock—10 mil first.

Then.

Bang—!

"The great me arrives."

Gabriel burst through the door, flashy as ever.

Once pristine white, now a bit grimy.

Her blank face beamed triumphantly.

"Good work, Gabriel."

"Oh, senpai. Back safe."

"Hold up, no dirty feet inside. I'm cleaning."

Whoosh whoosh.

Lucifer vacuumed up Gabriel's dirt.

Gabriel ignored him, plopped a sub-space pouch before me.

"Cleared C, B, A, S-rank labyrinths all first place. Rewards total about 6.7 billion won."

She handed over a fragment.

"Got a white shard too."

Now four white shards. One more for the custom weapon.

"Well done."

I smiled.

Damn, 6.7 billion like breathing.

Cash it all out, full settlement—my account hits 36 billion.

...Retire now?

Too soon.

Sa Choiheon's 120 billion downtown building gift.

Sell for 40 billion, so earn that much. Loan or not, gotta pay.

Then.

Ding—

Sa Choiheon's message.

'Got it.'

Address I'd given family—the building.

Fortifications? Odd word.

Needed a building, but not that.

Recall: Bulmyeol's vault like underground bunker. This hideout had hidden storage...

Even dense me gets it now.

Sa Choiheon's prepping for apocalypse.

Details unknown.

First, check that fortified 120 bil building.

"Guys, time to move."

I told the apostles.

Grown fond of this place, but gotta. More apostles later, it'll cramp.

Manage building? Live there as owner.

"Oh, the new building? Let's go."

Lucifer gripped his fancy vacuum.

"Gotta pack the console and manga."

Gabriel stuffed hideout games into her pouch.

"Hot springs would be nice."

Blue Dragon stood empty-handed, sole one.

I grinned, opened the door.

"Yeah, let's check it out."

Star of Prophets, Elise Grainzer.

She stood atop a high building's roof. Fierce winds whipped her robe.

Crackle, fizz—!

Gazing at the sky, Elise murmured softly.

"Soon, threats beyond the Seven Deadly Sins will descend upon the world."

Until now, mere tutorial.

This was the real start.

"Mumyeong, how far can you hold them back?"

Her golden hair danced in the wind.

Fail to hold, and it's extinction.

Nothing more.