Revelation's Four Horsemen
The Book of Revelation.
The final prophetic book of the Bible, chronicling the downfall of humanity.
Among its horrors, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are known as the harbingers who usher in the ultimate judgment upon this world.
"If the Seven Deadly Sins are the seven cardinal sins defined by humanity... then the Four Horsemen are beings that bring about the literal end of days."
They were different from the Seven Deadly Sins from the very start.
The Four Horsemen existed solely for the apocalypse. Their power and might operated on an entirely different plane from the apostles of sin.
Sa Choiheon recalled it vividly.
The memories of a past where humanity had been utterly ravaged.
Half the world's continents had vanished. Cataclysmic disasters swept the globe, and the few surviving humans perished in agony.
Sa Choiheon still remembered the terror of his first encounter with the Four Horsemen all too clearly.
They're on a completely different level from ordinary monsters.
The Four Horsemen were the apocalypse itself.
By rights, they shouldn't appear until Phase 4 or later.
Of course, they weren't invincible.
Through countless regressions, Sa Choiheon had found a way—and even succeeded in defeating them.
But that was during Phase 4, far in the future from now.
Right now, they had no preparations in place.
There were virtually no resources or countermeasures ready.
Considering the artifacts, items, skills, and abilities that hadn't even appeared yet, facing the Four Horsemen at this stage was premature.
Sa Choiheon bit his lip.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse being summoned this early... it's never happened. Not once.
It meant the ma-in were getting desperate. It also meant Mumyeong's influence was hitting them hard.
"Hunter Sa Choiheon, nothing's set in stone yet, right? They're symbols of doom from the Bible, sure... but we don't know what form they'll take when they manifest through the System."
The reincarnator Isaac spoke up, arms crossed. But Sa Choiheon replied firmly.
"I heard it from the prophets. We have to treat this as a threat that could end humanity."
The faces of the other hunters in the room darkened.
Master, we've arrived just in the nick of time. The ritual is moments from completion.
At that moment, Joo Kanghyeok received a telepathic message from the Blue Dragon.
"Sa Choiheon, the Blue Dragon just spotted the top-tier ma-in."
"Good to know my hunch was right..."
Montage's demonization ritual required the cooperation of other ma-in. Sa Choiheon had backtracked it to pinpoint their location.
That led him to predict this ritual site.
The fastest to arrive was the Blue Dragon, who happened to be nearby gathering materials.
The ritual is moments from completion. Insert the key, and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse will descend.
Lucifer, who had overheard the telepathic message, spoke up.
"If they're gonna summon it anyway... maybe now's better. It'll be bound by the System's restrictions."
Sa Choiheon's brow furrowed.
"Are you sane? Mumyeong might win. But humanity would suffer catastrophic losses."
They'd made it this far with minimal casualties. Compared to the past, far more hunters had survived.
But if the Four Horsemen appeared, all that hard-won progress would crumble.
"We just catch it."
"That again? I'd agree if we could do it without losses. But..."
As Sa Choiheon and Lucifer's argument dragged on,
"Hold up. Whatever else, we deal with the ritual first."
Mumyeong spoke.
The ritual was already underway. They had to resolve it from here. Stopping it outright would be ideal... but even if not,
they needed to take some action.
"Blue Dragon, what's your win rate against those top-tier ma-in?"
Mumyeong asked.
A remote island.
Kwaaaa—!
A ferocious storm engulfed the entire island. At its center stood two top-tier ma-in and the Blue Dragon.
Kwaduduk!
Trees were ripped from their roots by the gale-force winds—a meteorological disaster conjured by the Blue Dragon.
"Urgh...! Just how far do you intend to interfere?!"
Ganon shouted, clutching the Key of the Apocalypse. The other ma-in, Tyranter, surged forward, demonic energy erupting from him.
"Ganon! Summon it! I'll handle this apostle!"
Demonic energy exploded from the top-tier ma-in Tyranter. Paaang—! It was a massive surge that instantly cleared the storm.
...
The Blue Dragon silently observed the pair.
They were among the elite of the ma-in. Neither matched a Seven Deadly Sin apostle alone, but together, they were a real problem.
Win rate against both? Around 30%.
One at a time? Up to 70%.
I could take one out if I focused, but stopping the Four Horsemen from descending seems unlikely.
Kwaaang—!
Tyranter and the Blue Dragon clashed. Black demonic energy collided with azure divine power, unleashing a massive shockwave.
The ground upheaved, rocks shattered—the impact was devastating.
"Whatever! It's too late now!"
Ganon tried to slam the key into the ground. Hwaaak—! A beam of divine power shot out like lightning, seizing his wrist.
"Urgh—!"
Veins bulged at Ganon's temples. His hands trembled around the key. He wasn't yet used to his prosthetic arm of demonic energy.
Kwaaa—!
The Blue Dragon's combat was almost acrobatic. Dodging Tyranter's bullet-like blasts of demonic energy, it kept Ganon in check.
Kwang!
Ganon was flung back by divine power, and as Tyranter closed in, the Blue Dragon rolled across the ground from a kick.
Regaining its footing swiftly, it deflected Tyranter's fist with its forearm and drove a knee into his gut.
Ppeok! As Tyranter staggered, it seized Ganon's leg with divine power once more, hurling him into the sea without letting him insert the key.
It was a dogfight, nothing less.
The brutal melee dragged on—pummeling, shattering, shoving, rolling...
The Blue Dragon wiped its mouth and thought.
Realistically, stopping the summoning is tough.
Facing full-power top-tier ma-in while blocking the key? Master's Limit Breaker wasn't available right now.
And the Blue Dragon lacked vision-sharing. If it had that, Master could've handled these two easily.
Regrettable, but unavoidable.
Its gaze shifted to the magic circle.
In that case... at least twist the summoning.
Kwaaang—!
Compressed demonic energy slammed into the Blue Dragon, sending it skidding back, carving trenches in the ground.
The inscribed magic circle remained intact. To alter an activated one, it needed to infuse divine power.
Without them noticing.
Without them realizing the incantation had changed.
Modifying the incantation was simple, thanks to its vast knowledge.
The trick was doing it naturally.
"Urgh..."
So the Blue Dragon faked an injury, clutching one arm and grimacing.
Seeing the attack land, Tyranter's face brightened.
"Now, Ganon! Don't dawdle—summon it! I'll take this one!"
Tyranter drew demonic energy through his entire body. It sharpened into blades raining down on the Blue Dragon.
Kwagwagwa—!
To the Blue Dragon, it served as cover smoke. Dodging the blades effortlessly, it focused divine power at its toes.
Weaving through the assault, it subtly altered the magic circle's structure bit by bit.
The key is buying humanity time to respond.
Senior Lucifer had said as long as Master lived, humanity could go hang.
But the Blue Dragon thought differently.
Master... doesn't want humanity's destruction.
—Who'd pay the rent if everyone's gone?
A casual remark, but its implications were profound.
A world where law and order hold.
An elusive goal in a System-ridden world.
The System heralded apocalypse, and as phases advanced, old norms crumbled easily.
The Blue Dragon knew this well, having witnessed countless worlds' ends.
Yet Master had made it clear.
He wanted rent. Didn't that mean protecting this world as a functioning entity, not letting it collapse into ruin?
A daunting task.
But one worth attempting.
Tszuzut—!
The divine power gathered at its toes finally modified part of the magic circle.
Fixing it was easy.
All that remained was hoping they wouldn't notice.
Kwagwagwa!
Amid the torrent of demonic blasts, the Blue Dragon retreated as if overwhelmed, bursting through the black smoke into the sky.
"Kuh... the resistance is fierce. No choice but to fall back for now..."
Muttering as if to its master, it elicited a smug grin from Tyranter.
"Tell your master this! The end of the world is coming soon!"
His face screamed total victory.
Ganon, at the magic circle's center, fully plunged the key into the ground. Woooung—! The circle glowed, activating.
They had no clue.
The ma-in suspected nothing about the altered incantation.
Only then did the Blue Dragon leisurely take to the skies.
Master, I'm heading back.
As the Blue Dragon vanished from sight,
just as the ritual commenced—
Kwaaaaang—!
A massive explosion eradicated the entire island.
South Korea, Mumyeong's building.
"Sorry. I bought some time, but they succeeded in the summoning."
"Nah, you did great. That's plenty."
"I fall short."
The Blue Dragon spoke as it set down the subspatial pouch from its waist.
Inside were ingredients for heavenly white bread.
"The sky's turning redder by the minute."
Gabriel sat on the sofa, gazing outside with worry.
Lucifer muttered, brow furrowed.
"Red means the second horseman, right?"
"This wasn't a standard summoning, so the order's shuffled."
"There's an order?"
The Blue Dragon answered my question.
"Normally white, red, black, pale. Each unsealed scroll brings doom closer."
The color scheme felt familiar.
The constellation 'Fierce Flame' reveals its identity.
Next apostle summoning feels like it'll be this one. Blue Dragon's colleague—Zhuque, the Vermilion Bird. Red.
That'd match our side's colors to the Four Horsemen's. Eerily coincidental.
I crossed my arms and nodded.
"We need to make max preparations on our end."
Sa Choiheon had bolted the moment he heard. Hunters from other nations headed home too.
Bitter aftertaste for a banquet.
We'd cleared the first trial, only for a bigger threat to rear its head.
"Could be a chance for humanity to unite."
The Blue Dragon said.
"Hope so."
With ma-in as external foes, infighting's the last thing we need. The bigwigs'll handle that.
Then Lucifer stood.
"Materials are mostly gathered. I'll fetch the kid."
"Isn't she moving?"
"Said it'd be quick. Not much furniture anyway."
Hunter Cheon Iryeong had decided fast after arriving.
—Um, can I live here too?! Is that okay?!
With Bulmyeol guild members already moved in, no reason to refuse. Rank 3 Cheon Iryeong boosts security and PR.
So she was in the midst of moving.
With Lucifer fetching her, time for my tasks.
"Let's sort the banquet loot first."
I pulled a ticket from my inventory.
【Legend+】 Item Option Grant Ticket
I used the option grant ticket on the Earrings of the Apocalypse.
Grants a 50% chance for Cooldown Reduction option.
Proceed?
Of course.
Upon use, a faint light enveloped the Earrings of the Apocalypse.
Platinum coins bring fortune.
Option grant successful.
The Earrings of the Apocalypse now had Cooldown Reduction.
Instant Death cooldown reduced. 3.2 days → 2.2 days
Down to two days.
Not done yet.
Click.
I opened the black bag from the American hunters.
"Oh..."
Inside was a single round pill.
【Myth】 Swiftness Soul Pill
• Consumable item
• Permanent: Cooldown Reduction 30%, Movement Speed 30%
• Maintains healthy body for 10 years.
• Only one pill consumable.
Insane effects for a consumable.
30% CDR. 30% move speed.
Plus ten years of peak health.
No colds for a decade, huh.
Explains the Americans' confidence.
Crunch crunch.
I chewed and swallowed the pill.
Bitter as hell. Face scrunches automatically.
"Master, cola too."
Gabriel handed me some. Feels off with health food, but... way better.
Instant Death cooldown reduced. 2.2 days → 1.5 days
Now a day and a half.
Last ticket time.
【Myth+】 Equipment Selection Ticket
Reward for downing top-tier ma-in Montage. Tearing the ticket summoned a window.
State the desired item.
"Best cooldown reduction item available. Ideally for an unequipped slot. Other stats don't matter."
I'm geared almost everywhere.
Pendant, armor, pauldrons, rings, belt, boots, rings, bracelets...
Shaaa—.
The item materialized as I spoke.
【Myth+】 Observer of Space-Time
• Cooldown Reduction 50%
• Additional Cooldown Reduction 10%
• Mana Lv.7
Broken effects...
Ring, unfortunately. Too geared up. Only three ring slots, so swap one out.
Star Ring of Flow, Superspeed Ring, Ring of Haste.
Worst is Star Ring of Flow.
【Unique】 Star Ring of Flow
• Cooldown Reduction 10%
• Mana Lv.3
Observer of Space-Time is a perfect upgrade.
I swapped the rings.
Message followed.
Instant Death cooldown reduced. 1.5 days → 18 hours (0.75 days)
A smile crept across my face.
Finally...
Instant Death cooldown under a day. Worth chasing CDR gear relentlessly.
Free use once per day.
Pretty epic moment. Usage flexibility skyrockets.
"Wonder if I can get it down to minutes someday."
"With the items you'll acquire, Master, it's not impossible."
That'd be near invincibility.
"Next up..."
I eyed the front door. Lucifer entered with Hunter Cheon Iryeong.
"Th-this is Mumyeong-nim's place...? It's amaaazing. But... you said there's a bread-making spot inside?"
"Yeah. No idea why, but it's all there."
Lucifer shrugged.
The bread got fully expended in the Blue Dragon's scrap with the top-tier ma-in. Lasted a good while. Without it, it'd have been rough.
I stood, lifting Lantern Soul Eater.
"Once Hunter Cheon Iryeong bakes the bread, we move out."
If the Four Horsemen are that potent,
we gear up fully too.
Fill the lantern with souls for an apostle summon ticket. Rifts pull what I want.
"Time to summon the next apostle."
The constellation 'Fierce Flame' cheers your choice.
The constellation 'Fierce Flame' prepares to pour in sponsorships.
Calling the Vermilion Bird.
...Probably.