Storm of the Black Mist King's Demise
『 Numerous constellations are watching you. 』
SSS-grade Gate - Land of the Black Mist King
▶ Clear Conditions
- Defeat Black Mist King 0 / 1
- Defeat Five Subordinates 0 / 5
- Defeat Black Soldiers 0 / 5000
As soon as we stepped inside the gate, a barren wind greeted us.
"The air's foul."
Gabriel grumbled.
I couldn't agree more.
The entire area was shrouded in black mist.
Even the sky was ashen, the ground a dull gray. Skeletal trees stretched their bare branches overhead, their leaves pitch-black. No way the air could be anything but toxic in a forest like this.
Ting-!
I checked the clear conditions. The number of monsters we had to kill was staggering.
'Considering this is supposed to be an instance gate meant for solo clears...'
It was brutally difficult.
My current level was 175.
Given that SSS-grade gates were set for level 250s, it was clear just how reckless the system's proxy had been in demanding this.
"Black Mist King. I've heard of him. A tyrant who rose to the pinnacle of the world through sheer force, forsaking his humanity."
Blue Dragon spoke up as he scanned the surroundings. I turned to him in mild surprise.
"The Black Mist King was a real person?"
"Yes, indeed. All gates are fragments of worlds that once existed. SSS-grade gates are even larger shards."
Blue Dragon continued.
"Of course, they're not truly existing worlds at this point. The world itself has been shattered into pieces. It's more accurate to say the shards have been recreated."
"So it's all fake anyway. It vanishes after you clear it."
Lucifer summed it up bluntly. Blue Dragon gave a wry smile and shrugged.
"It's not fake. The souls of those bound to the world are trapped within."
"Same difference..."
That was when it happened.
Ku-gu-gu-gu...!
The ground shook with the thunder of hooves. Turning toward the sound, we saw skeletal trees toppling one by one through the mist. A massive shadow loomed closer.
"Wild boar."
"A ridiculously huge one."
"Bet we could have a meat feast if we catch it. Wonder if it'll taste good..."
A colossal wild boar charged at us like a mad beast, smashing every terrain feature in its path.
"It's coming this way?"
"I'll take it."
【 Lv.264 】
High level.
Instance gates usually had lower-level mobs, but since the proxy opened this one, the levels were jacked up.
No one panicked at the sight of the boar barreling toward us with ferocious momentum. Ordinary hunters would have bolted for cover, but our group was anything but ordinary.
"I'll handle it."
Gabriel stepped forward. Divine power flowed purely white along her fist.
Ku-gu-gu-gu!
As the massive boar closed in.
Gabriel threw a casual straight punch.
Creeeack!
A shockwave erupted, whipping up a gust of wind. The boar's hind leg flew into the air from the impact.
Squeeeal! Thud!
A death screech echoed as the boar crashed to the ground, kicking up thick ashen dust.
Instant death.
Constellation 'Warrior Returned from Death' is satisfied with the hearty one-shot.
Constellation 'Otherworld Discipline' likes Gabriel's performance.
This constellation sponsors 100 coins.
I swept the constellation messages aside.
"Didn't shatter under my fist... Maybe not your average boar."
Gabriel dusted off her hand. Lucifer rushed over to inspect it.
"Some otherworld monsters taste amazing. Way better than anything on Earth."
Black magic extended from Lucifer's fingertip, rummaging inside the boar and extracting the magic stone. He then carved off some meat.
Shoooo—.
A pure white soul slipped from the boar into the lantern. It was about 90% full now.
The Lantern Soul Eater vibrated eagerly. Was it happy? It sure felt that way.
One boar had filled it up a ton.
SSS-grade gate souls must be high quality.
'My EXP shot up too.'
Almost at level up.
I still had about 8 levels left for today, so I could max out here.
'This place is honey.'
No hunting ground worldwide could match this efficiency. SS-grade gates were just starting to appear. Where else could you farm SSS-grade mobs?
Plus, clearing it would net apocalypse+ grade weapons.
No downside at all.
"Tch. Ugh, Master, this meat's no good. But the tusks are worth keeping. Sell 'em as materials, and we'll make a killing."
"I'll cut them out."
Gabriel sliced the tusks with a hand chop and stored them in her subspatial pouch. Still using the one from Hunter Sa Choiheon's warehouse.
'What can I say.'
From combat to magic stone recovery.
'Convenient...'
With the apostles handling everything, it was a breeze.
I was happily watching the butchering when—
Perception Lv.5 is activated. (Gem: Sloth)
A presence nearby. Not hostile. A boy who had stopped in his tracks, staring at us.
"H-Huh? You took out one of the Black Mist King's subordinates...?"
The boy gawked at us and the boar alternately.
- Five Subordinates Defeated 1 / 5
The count had indeed ticked up.
The boy swallowed hard before speaking haltingly.
"U-Um, if it's not too much trouble... could you help us? We'll reward you properly!"
Lucifer, midway through dismantling the boar, glanced down.
"Hey, human brat. Do you have any idea how much we're worth...?"
"Let's hear him out first."
"Ah, of course. Wise decisions come after hearing the details."
Lucifer didn't miss a beat, his expression unchanged.
"Be grateful for Master's grace. He's far more magnificent than you can imagine—by millions of times over."
The boy was part of the resistance.
A group fighting to reclaim the world from the Black Mist King's tyranny.
He'd spotted us while on routine patrol.
"Incredible! I keep thinking I'm dreaming! One-shotting one of the five subordinates! No, it's insane!"
The boy chattered nonstop on the way back to base.
"I've always wondered— are you really an angel?"
He said, eyeing Gabriel's wings.
"Sharp eyes."
Gabriel shrugged nonchalantly. She did look every bit the angel.
"I knew it! F-First time meeting an angel."
The boy thought we'd taken down one of the five subordinates.
"...So that boar was a mid-boss."
I'd figured it for trash mob since it died in one hit.
Then again, apostles weren't normal.
The boar's level was 264.
Purely by level, way below the Seven Deadly Sins, which were over 500.
Of course, level wasn't everything.
An orc beat a goblin of the same level due to racial traits.
And hunters changed the game even more.
'At equal levels, hunters usually win.'
With system skills and unique abilities, hunters were monster slayers by design.
'Apostles, though...'
Exceptions. They were powerful by existence alone, overwhelming even without levels.
An SSS-grade mid-boss was small fry to them.
"Is following this brat worth it?"
Lucifer muttered. Blue Dragon replied.
"If we get terrain info and intel on the Black Mist King, it's not bad. Beyond just killing 5,000, we need sustained hunting. Info's essential."
The SSS-grade gate was vast.
Stray from the forest, and black mist obscured everything—no clear map.
"What a hassle."
Even Lucifer's aura detection was disrupted by the mist.
Grabbing resistance intel would make clearing smoother. Smarter than charging blind, saving resources.
"We're here!"
The boy led us to a rundown mansion. Iron-armored guards stood at the gate.
They eyed us suspiciously, weapons half-raised.
"Alpun, who are they?"
"Th-They're not bad guys! They smashed one of the five subordinates—total powerhouses!"
"They did...?"
"Yeah! Well, exactly, she did it."
The boy pointed cautiously at Gabriel.
She was the one who'd hunted it. The guards remained wary.
"I'll report to the captain."
"No need."
A woman's voice came from beyond the gate.
"C-Captain!"
"It's dangerous. They could be Black Mist King's spies..."
"Ridiculous. They took one of the five."
The captain, called that, wore an eyepatch over one eye. Scars covered her neck and arms—proof life here was harsh.
"I got a prophecy from a blonde girl. Heroes would come soon; treat them grandly. Wings of pure white and black, black robe. They'd save the world."
A prophecy.
That's what the captain said.
"Hm, was there nothing about me?"
Blue Dragon raised his hand slyly.
We entered the mansion without ID checks.
The resistance had fortified the old place with planks as their base.
"Prophet group prepped them in advance, huh? But why skip my name...?"
"Clean work. Otherwise, we'd have to beat info out of them."
"How'd they contact the resistance ahead, though?"
This was inside the gate.
We were first in.
How'd they reach out beforehand?
Blue Dragon answered.
"Probably time-related powers. Common among prophets. But why no mention of me?"
Blue Dragon harped on it for the third time, clearly miffed.
Yeah, I'll tell them next time. Don't leave out Blue Dragon.
In the office, the captain explained solemnly.
Ten years of war.
The resistance was on the brink of annihilation.
"Whatever you need, we'll provide. If you can take down the Black Mist King... We'd pay any price."
Her gaze shifted to Lucifer.
"Even take my soul."
"What? Don't need it. Why me? Wait, if you insist..."
Lucifer's eyes flicked to the lantern in my hand.
...That's a bit much.
I stepped forward.
"Just hand over all intel on the Black Mist King."
"That enough?"
"Yes."
"Easy enough."
She rang a bell on the desk. Moments later, soldiers burst in with stacks of documents.
"Hm, this should do."
Shuffle—!
Blue Dragon lounged on the sofa, flipping through rapidly.
"Got the Black Mist King's location. Soldier positions, terrain too... We sweep in this way, lure the five subordinates."
The plan was simple.
Overwhelming force to wipe everything out.
The anxious captain looked up.
"How many troops? We can muster..."
"None needed."
I said firmly. She stared, baffled. But it was true.
No soldiers would be easier.
"This is plenty."
"Then we'll head out now."
"You sure? Rest a bit..."
I turned and left the mansion.
Intel secured—no reason to linger.
"They're that strong...?"
"Please, we beg you."
"Defeat the Black Mist King!"
Half the people we passed believed, half doubted. Didn't matter. We'd kill the king and bounce.
We left base and climbed a cliff.
"This spot works."
Blue Dragon's pre-scouted site. He stepped to the edge, eyes closed.
Whoooosh—.
Auspicious energy swirled around him. Antlers sprouted from his forehead.
Below the cliff.
A thousand of the Black Mist King's soldiers waited. Mist hid them now, but intel confirmed it.
"Can't see through the mist, but I sense their auras faintly."
Lucifer confirmed. Blue Dragon's turn.
Fwaaah!
Energy from his hands pierced the ash-gray clouds. The sky above split open.
Sunlight poured down, burning away the black mist.
"Wh-What?!"
"What's happening?!"
"Why's the Black Mist King's blessing gone?!"
The Black Mist King's army panicked at the anomaly.
Blue Dragon clasped his hands like prayer.
Then.
Kwaaaah—!
Energy gathered overhead, forming clouds that unleashed a deluge. Not mere rain—massive water pillars.
Torrents crashed on the soldiers. Like ants in a flood, they were swept away.
Kwagwagwagwa—!
Endless water surged like a river, swirling violently and dragging them under.
"Aaaah—!"
"Gahk! What is—!"
"Grab something!"
But it didn't end there.
Rumble, boom!
Relentless thunderbolts struck from the heavens, helpless soldiers dying without a fight.
No warrior could stand against such natural fury.
They perished unknowing.
Blue Dragon wielded the weather.
Nature, which early humanity feared and revered. Its destructive power was beyond imagination.
This was a myth-grade apostle's true face.
"Hate to admit it, but not bad."
"I'm just specialized for crowds. Way behind you two seniors."
Blue Dragon demurred at Lucifer's praise.
Gabriel for close range.
Lucifer for long range.
Blue Dragon for masses.
Shoooo—!
Countless souls traced white arcs into the sky.
I raised the lantern.
The Lantern Soul Eater devoured them voraciously. Soon, gorged on souls, it vibrated intensely.
A few constellations take interest in your item.
Constellation 'Fierce Flame' hopes for an apostle summon ticket.
Constellation 'Otherworld Discipline' is curious about the rift's performance.
Then the lantern's system message.
'Chaos: Soul Eater' has consumed enough souls.
Generating a rift in the world.
Crack!
A fissure cracked empty air. Transparent shards burst out. Through the broken gap, violet space rippled.
An endless abyss.
From its infinite depths.
Kwaaa—!
Wind gushed forth.
The consumed souls are high quality. Reward grade maximized.
Issuing Myth+ grade item.
Plop!
◈ Resets ultimate skill cooldown.
◈ Permanently reduces ultimate skill cooldown by 50%.
An ultimate skill reset ticket.
But not the end.
The rift generates additional items.
Soul Eater's artifact effect.
Plop plop!
And among them...
The final white fragment.
"It's here!"
Gabriel cheered, glomping me. Her voice was unusually excited.
Exclusive Weapon Fragment (White) 5 / 5
You have collected five white weapon fragments.
You can synthesize the fragments to craft the exclusive weapon.
Gabriel's exclusive weapon— the fifth piece complete.
"...This is my peak."
Thrilled, Gabriel strode forward. Massive light currents gathered around her.
A white spear formed at her fingertips.
Krak—.
Holy light blazed from her grip on the spear.
One thing was certain.
The tyrant Black Mist King.
Today, he would lose everything he'd built.