Shattering the Soul Shield
Kwaaa—!
A massive surge of energy shot from the tip of Lucifer's spear. The black beam of demonic magic sliced across the endless red desert.
A storm-like gust battered the group.
What the hell...!
Elise had to crouch low just to keep from being blown away.
The enemy mud soldiers melted away without a trace. A searing heat line scarred the path where the beam had passed.
Pzzt, pzzzt.
Sparks crackled over the warped space.
Elise's mouth fell open involuntarily. With her prophetic abilities, she could tell.
That beam had spanned a range wide enough to cross an entire small nation.
She'd thought countless glimpses into the future had dried up her emotions, leaving her unshakable by ordinary events. But she couldn't help being stunned now.
No matter how you sliced it, the Black Apostle Lucifer was a summon personally owned by Mumyeong.
This level of output was impossible under normal circumstances.
No—it should have been impossible.
The System strove for balance, and no single individual could escape those laws.
Yet Mumyeong blatantly ignored those limits.
But it's not over yet...
Elise swallowed hard, scanning her surroundings.
The end was still far off.
Mud soldiers blanketed the red desert in black.
Their numbers defied counting.
Each one's power rivaled the pinnacle of human forces—the Seven Stars.
Ugh.
Elise clutched her throbbing head. What futures lay ahead? The visions she habitually checked were gone.
It was always like this when Mumyeong was involved.
"It's too early to be surprised."
At that moment, a verdant aura rose like mist behind Elise. It was the Blue Dragon, cloaked in auspicious energy.
In the Blue Dragon's hand gleamed a blue yeouiju orb. Its usual fresh smile deepened.
"So this is what it felt like for my seniors, weapons in hand."
Myth-rank, just like Lucifer.
And now with an exclusive weapon to boot.
Its status as a constellation was technically below Lucifer's. But from the moment of apostle summoning, rank determined output.
In short, it could now match its senior Lucifer's power.
The Blue Dragon extended its right hand forward. Vast spiritual power erupted, on the verge of flooding the area—
"...!"
A scene flashed before the Blue Dragon's eyes. Noise flooded its mind like mental interference.
A memory...?
No, something different.
Ruined buildings and collapsed bridges. Humanity teetered on extinction. In the heart of that doomed city stood the Blue Dragon itself, face hardened.
—Just because I've been summoned doesn't make you my master. I don't like this situation one bit.
Its conversation partner was shockingly Joo Kanghyeok. He rose from building rubble, battered and broken.
—You could stop this tragedy easily... Is lending even a fraction of your power that hateful?
His expression was worlds apart from the current master's. The face was the same, but he seemed like a different person.
The Joo Kanghyeok the Blue Dragon knew had a slightly dopey side, but the one in the memory wore desperate resolve.
—Doesn't it strike you as ridiculous, a mere human trying to move the heavens?
The Blue Dragon smiled coldly, channeling spiritual power. Countless building fragments floated into the air.
What...?
Confirming the memory, the Blue Dragon recoiled in horror.
It looked ready to fight its master.
But that was impossible, no matter how you thought about it.
It was a memory that had never existed.
This was the first time meeting the master—it couldn't exist.
A possibility from another world? No way.
Fundamentally, there was only one timeline.
Across all creation, this world had but one time axis. No branching or looping.
It was an ancient covenant of the System.
So what was this memory?
A anomaly from the joined prophet?
"Snap out of it, Blue Dragon!"
Fierce Flame's shout snapped it back. The illusion before its eyes burst like bubbles.
"You okay? Why'd you zone out...?"
Fierce Flame fretted. But Gabriel and Lucifer exchanged glances. Lucifer spoke first.
"You saw it too, huh."
"No way, you seniors too...?"
"Can't chalk it up to coincidence. Ah, Master. We'll explain later. First, these guys in front of us..."
Right. The battle raged on.
Mumyeong's worried gaze reached it.
The Blue Dragon flashed a grin and raised its yeouiju.
"Sorry for worrying you. It's nothing."
The Blue Dragon steadied itself and lifted the yeouiju high. Whooo—. Vast spiritual power began gathering around.
The moment it unleashed that power—
Kwaaa—!
Blue mist surged like an ocean. A colossal misty tsunami engulfed the desert. Countless soldiers were swept away by the waves.
This was no mere natural disaster. It was a massive eruption of spiritual power that decomposed and neutralized targets.
"...I thought you'd breathe fire or something."
Gabriel muttered disappointedly. The Blue Dragon gave an awkward laugh.
"Haha, maybe I'll try that next time."
Breath? This dwarfed that.
Watching the spectacle, Elise's mouth gaped wider.
They chatted casually, but that strike could sweep away a city effortlessly.
She knew.
That Mumyeong and his apostles were strong.
That they'd grow even stronger.
Yet it still shocked her.
...Isn't this power still too much for one person? But the dice are cast, and fate flows around Mumyeong.
Elise looked at Mumyeong.
His expression was thoroughly hidden in his robe. No hint of his thoughts or feelings.
He even pulled out bread and chewed leisurely.
...
Was he even human? Utterly incomprehensible.
Elise bit her lip.
We might not be able to stop him anymore.
The more they tried, the faster he grew. Causes and effects piled up. Even tangled knots posed no issue for Mumyeong.
Because he had the power to sever them in one stroke.
I just hope Mumyeong's existence doesn't become a calamity for humanity...
As Elise wrestled with complex emotions—
Joo Kanghyeok checked the system window with satisfaction.
You have reached Lv. 200.
You have reached the maximum level.
Oh, nice.
Battlefield points were piling up fast too. He maxed out the benefits as they accrued.
- Strength stats increased by 10.0x.
- Agility stats increased by 10.0x.
…
- Skill damage increased by 5.0x.
- Damage increased by 5.0x.
- Summon stats increased by 5.0x.
Gotta grab all the battlefield buffs too.
This knight's domain counted as a battlefield apparently. He'd used everything preppable for the Apocalypse Knight fight.
The apostles swiftly cleared the desert soldiers. No need to rush. They'd meet soon enough.
Apocalypse Knight...
Whether he hunted it down or it came for him.
"Th-they're getting crushed. Hey, Conquest... You listening? Your soldiers are all getting smashed...!"
In the desert oasis.
Ganon shouted desperately into the lake.
Not only had the apostles grown stronger, but the layered battlefield buffs made blocking them impossible.
Worse, Mumyeong's group—with a prophet in tow—was heading straight for the oasis.
【I told you not to panic.】
The Apocalypse Knight of Conquest, mounted on his horse, looked down at Ganon. His eyes gleamed coldly.
He gripped the reins.
【This entire domain is my world. I fail to see the cause for fear.】
Ganon laughed in disbelief.
Of course, the Knights of the Apocalypse were mighty.
True Apocalypse-grade mid-tier beings.
Demons had long used such mid-tiers to destroy countless dimensions. Ganon knew this well.
But Mumyeong was unprecedented.
No such off-spec existence had appeared in demonic history. Not even the occasional otherworldly heroes matched this.
Smashing the Seven Deadly Sins in the tutorial,
Storming an Apocalypse Knight's domain in Phase 1.
Damn it.
Ganon grimaced. Even he, a top demon, lacked confidence for that.
【Stay here.】
Conquest's voice rumbled low. Black mud rose like tendrils, binding Ganon.
"Wh-what the?"
【Can't have you dying. Keep watching the lake. Etch my victory into your eyes.】
The Apocalypse Knight raised his greatsword high.
【Rise, my legions.】
Rumble rumble...
At his command, the entire desert vibrated like a living thing. Black mud bubbled up from within.
Boom! Boom!
They formed giants stomping onto the ground. Endless giants rose.
What came before was mere greeting. Now the true war began.
【I have tamed the souls of worlds I've destroyed onto this land.】
Countless souls rose from the red sands toward the sky.
【The time to wield that power has come.】
Innumerable souls converged on the Apocalypse Knight. They clustered around him protectively through the night sky.
Dazzling light enveloped the oasis.
When Ganon finally opened his eyes, the knight was shielded by a crimson barrier.
Souls flowed over the red shield like a river.
Insane...
Impossible to gauge how many dimensions' souls had been used. An astronomical hoard gathered since the System's arrival.
The Apocalypse Knight vanished behind the radiant shield.
【Wait patiently. Once Mumyeong falls, the apocalypse of the present world you crave will come.】
A horse's snort echoed from beyond the shield. It kicked off the ground and soared.
The Apocalypse Knight ascended into the night sky, shining like a red star.
Behind him followed the giant legions. The earth shook endlessly. The desert quaked.
Only after the knight vanished did Ganon speak.
"I want dominion, not apocalypse..."
But he was tightly bound by black tendrils. No matter how he summoned demonic energy, he couldn't break free.
Abandoning escape, Ganon peered into the lake.
Fine, whatever. As long as I get revenge on Mumyeong... I don't care.
Thinking of his lost limbs still made him seethe.
If the knight lost now, even fleeing Mumyeong meant reprisal from his proxies—or expulsion from demon society first.
We have to win, no matter what...
Ganon gritted his teeth, staring into the lake.
【Strong, aren't you, Mumyeong.】
The Apocalypse Knight overlooked his red desert.
Nothing remained where Mumyeong's apostles had swept. Mud soldiers lay in pieces; the terrain itself had changed.
But he didn't care.
His trailing giant legions knew no defeat. Even apostles couldn't handle them easily.
The red horse galloped through the air.
Conquest soon spotted Mumyeong and his group.
"Oh, boss incoming."
"That's the Apocalypse Knight."
"Hiding behind a shield like a coward—know some shame."
The apostles quipped one by one.
Conquest furrowed his brow at their tensionless voices. An unpleasant feeling rose for the first time in millennia.
They didn't fear him.
They treated the Apocalypse Knight like mere monster fodder. Such arrogance.
【Constellations, your master meets his end here.】
The crimson-shielded Apocalypse Knight spoke. The air grew heavy; the desert vibrated faintly.
Elise's knees buckled briefly under the mid-tier being's aura.
It dwarfed lesser existences.
But Mumyeong showed no reaction. Maybe the battlefield buffs. Yet that irked Conquest.
Whooo—!
Sandstorm winds blew over the red desert.
Where they passed, countless mud giants emerged.
【Any last words?】
The knight asked again.
But no reply from Mumyeong.
Kwaaang—!
A beam from somewhere slammed into Conquest's shield. A massive midair explosion erupted, but the shield was unscratched.
【No interest in talk, then.】
Souls endlessly flowed through the shield, absorbing attacks. With it, Mumyeong couldn't kill him.
"...What kind of shield is that?"
Lucifer frowned. Its toughness defied understanding.
"The greater the price paid, the stronger it gets. Made of souls like that, it won't break easily."
Fierce Flame explained simply.
"Whatever. Just smash it."
"Worth a shot."
【Ha.】
Conquest scoffed. If it broke so easily, he wouldn't have shown himself.
【How dare you mock me so. The battle will drag on endlessly. Meanwhile, the present world meets its end. All you can do is await death.】
"We'll see."
"Full power it is. Not the present world, so no need to hold back. That's a plus."
Weapons in hand, the apostles advanced.
Their assault began.
Kwaaaa—!
It bleached the dark night sky white. Even without direct hits, giants crumbled one by one. Battlefield buffs synergized with apostle might for devastating effect.
But the shield endured.
Lucifer's magic beam.
Blue Dragon's spiritual power.
Fierce Flame's fire pillar.
Not a scratch. Countless souls enveloped the knight protectively.
A massive crater formed in the desert center. Terrain-shattering attacks poured, but the shield held.
"Tch..."
Lucifer clicked his tongue, landing before Mumyeong. Elise, waiting behind, spoke up.
"Soul shield. With such vast history and sacrifice accumulated, it might be unbreakable."
"Save your useless drivel and go home, prophet."
"..."
Elise fell silent.
If even the apostles' attacks failed, the sacrificed dimensions were beyond measure.
The knight was a Phase 4 entity to begin with.
The present world would have been better—System limits would apply, adjusted for Phase 1.
But this was the knight's domain. No limits for him.
Maybe it was a blessing he stayed shielded, wary of Mumyeong.
Kwagwagwa—!
Fierce Flame and Gabriel drove back the giants. Lucifer soared again with Blue Dragon, unleashing barrages.
Elise turned to Mumyeong.
Her role was just escorting him to the knight.
The rest was up to him.
"..."
Mumyeong popped another bread piece into his mouth and finally spoke.
"Lucifer, ultimate."
It released everyone's limits one stage.
But not enough alone.
Mumyeong drew his sword.
"That shield—definitely made of souls?"
He confirmed with Elise.
"Yes."
Elise nodded. Info from prophetic futures. Accurate.
"Got it."
Mumyeong drew a blade from its sheath.
One sword with blinding white edge.
Apostle 'Lucifer' unleashes ultimate.
Black Darkness: Night of the Apocalypse
Lucifer's ultimate intensified the apostles' assaults. Heaven and earth shook; space visibly warped. Still, the shield held.
Shhh...
Death aura gathered around Mumyeong. The desert brimmed with it too. He channeled it onto his blade.
Whooo—.
Death aura whirled madly around Mumyeong. Imbuing and controlling it onto the sword was effortless.
Skilled as if long practiced. The Mumyeong Sword vibrated violently.
If it's a soul shield...
Essence: aggregate of countless souls.
So Mumyeong was certain.
Then the Mumyeong Sword can kill it.
No hesitation.
Mumyeong kicked off the ground and leaped. Kwang—! Buff-enhanced stats propelled him skyward like a shot.
【Whatever you're planning... I won't allow it.】
As the words ended, giants hurled weapons at Mumyeong.
Kwagwa—!
But they never reached. Whoosh! Fierce Flame's flames devoured the raining arsenal.
Now a crescent sword beam shot from the shield. Fierce Flame yelled urgently.
"Gabriel!"
Kwaaang—!
"Blue Dragon."
Gabriel swatted the incoming beam, calling her junior.
Whoosh! Blue Dragon timed a spiritual blast perfectly. A fierce gust propelled Mumyeong higher.
"Senior!"
Lucifer, waiting midair, grabbed Mumyeong.
"Master! Straight to the shield!"
Lucifer hurled Mumyeong at the shield with all his might.
Kwaaaa—!
Accelerating terrifyingly, Mumyeong reached the shield instantly. Souls flowed visibly over the crimson surface.
Death aura writhed around the Mumyeong Sword.
Thrust. Drive it in.
Joo Kanghyeok poured all his power into stabbing the blade into the shield.
Kwak.
【Futile. No way to pierce the shield...】
Conquest's parched voice rang out—that instant—
Whoooosh—!
The impenetrable shield vanished.
The ceaseless soul current turned to ash and scattered.
Through the gaping hole, the red-horsed man appeared.
His shocked face was clear.
He'd never imagined the shield breaking.
For a moment, time seemed to crawl.
Yet even in slowed time, the Apocalypse Knight moved swiftly.
The red horse charged. The greatsword slashed at Mumyeong.
No blocking, no dodging.
Overwhelming, perception-transcending speed.
But Mumyeong didn't hesitate.
He seized the split-second.
"Die."
He spoke clearly to the foe before him.