The Premature Invasion
‘······Mumyeong’s existence is upending the future.’
Sa Choiheon let out a deep sigh.
Events were unfolding far sooner than anticipated, one after another.
Humanity had gained a powerful card in the form of Mumyeong, but in exchange, it was now hurtling toward extinction at breakneck speed.
And so, the predestined future had arrived: the Present World Invasion.
‘The ma-in elders have begun to move.’
Even across repeated regressions, certain events occurred consistently. Sa Choiheon called them the regression turning points.
Overcome them, and humanity took a step forward. Fail, and its future plummeted into the abyss.
The Present World Invasion was one such turning point.
‘That means the ma-in see Mumyeong as a formidable enemy.’
Originally, the Present World Invasion was a late-game event that began after Phase 4. Yet here it was, in Phase 1.
Sa Choiheon scanned the apostles on the terrace.
‘······All of them armed.’
The aura emanating from Lucifer had grown even stronger.
“What’re you staring at?”
“······.”
Zhuque in particular radiated an aura too profound to gauge accurately. With that level of power, could they stand against an elder? He couldn’t be sure.
Sa Choiheon shook his head after a moment’s thought.
‘I don’t know Mumyeong’s full strength.’
Mumyeong, who had entered the battlefield rift, hadn’t just defeated an Apocalypse Knight—he’d captured it.
He’d asked directly, but Lucifer had interfered every time, preventing any clear answers.
—Finally, you’ve come to your senses. If you want to hear about Master’s exploits, I’ll tell you all you want.
Lucifer’s subjective praise turned Mumyeong’s feats into something incomprehensible.
But the conclusion was clear.
‘If he defeated an Apocalypse Knight······he could probably take on an elder.’
The invasion was already underway. Helping Mumyeong was the only viable solution.
“Hold on, wait. We need an explanation first.”
Sa Choiheon grabbed the apostles who were about to head out.
“What’s there to explain? We storm the demon realm and smash their elders, right?”
“If that were possible, I’d be begging you to do it.”
Lucifer was strong, but not strong enough to raid the demon realm alone.
Lucifer scowled at Sa Choiheon anyway.
“Tch, so what? How exactly are they invading?”
Sa Choiheon turned toward Mumyeong.
The final decision rested with him anyway.
“It’s called an invasion, but······it’s not complicated.”
Sa Choiheon spread his fingers. Five.
“Simultaneously raid the five gates that have opened worldwide. They’ll be SSS-rank difficulty.”
“What happens if we fail?”
Mumyeong, leaning on the railing, gazed outside.
Far below, the demon beast Astaroth writhed on the road.
Hunters swarmed it in perfect formation. Thanks to the civilians’ swift evacuation, casualties would be minimal as they took it down.
“The demon realm’s armies will pour through the gates. A sort of gate break.”
Sa Choiheon spoke gravely. The sight of demon armies stepping onto mortal soil was still vivid in his memory.
Lucifer cut in, looking baffled.
“Hold up, that kind of large-scale interference shouldn’t be possible. What are the proxies doing?”
“······Are you really a constellation?”
“Do I have to know every special ability the demon bastards have? I was holding back in front of Master, but screw it. Come at me, human. I’ll tear you to pieces.”
“N-no, let’s not. We’ve got urgent business!”
Zhuque wedged between Sa Choiheon and Lucifer. Short as they were, the flailing had an effect.
Sa Choiheon cleared his throat and continued.
“It’s due to Ma-in Elder Drimur’s unique ability. In simple terms, it paralyzes the system.”
In essence, failing to clear the five gates would trigger the true invasion.
Kuung—!
Far off, the demon beast Astaroth finally collapsed. Its writhing wings went still.
“The summoning of demon beasts is the work of ma-in lingering in the present world. It’s meant to thin out our gate-clearing forces.”
That was the end of Sa Choiheon’s explanation.
‘Five gates. SSS-rank difficulty.’
Joo Kanghyeok pondered briefly.
He’d cleared SSS-rank before. But at the current level of the present world, it was insane difficulty.
The monsters inside would be level 250+.
Meanwhile, humanity’s max level was 200. His own was 225.
The ma-in’s intent was obvious.
‘Assign one apostle per gate, and it’s done. They’re daring us to clear them without apostles.’
If invasion was the sole goal, why not six or seven gates? It felt almost provocative.
‘Whatever······.’
Joo Kanghyeok slightly drew the Mumyeong Sword from its sheath. The pristine blade flashed in the sunlight, vibrating faintly.
Killing an elder would trigger the first liberation, they’d said. Too coincidental to be chance.
“How much time left?”
“We need to move now to make it in time.”
Either way, they had to clear them.
“I’d like some insurance on our end too. Can you prepare it?”
Then they’d smash them thoroughly.
South Korea, some nameless mountain.
A ridge thick with pine trees.
“······This is it. I really wanted to raid with you guys. Such a shame.”
Yoo Jihun sounded genuinely regretful.
With the 72 unbound demons rampaging worldwide, places needing his teleportation skills were legion.
“Go now.”
Sa Choiheon said firmly.
“I was heading out anyway. You’re too much, really. Well, take care of the guild master. Mumyeong-ssi and Cheon Iryeong Hunter-ssi.”
Space rippled, and Hunter Yoo Jihun vanished.
Whooo—.
All eyes turned to the massive gate before them. As ominous and dark as the Seven Deadly Sins’ gate.
“U-um, isn’t our raid party a bit small?”
Cheon Iryeong asked anxiously.
It was, indeed.
Hunter Sa Choiheon, Hunter Cheon Iryeong, and me.
Just three.
‘The gates with apostles are fine; this one’s the problem, if anything.’
Too few people made it feel uneasy.
Sa Choiheon explained nonchalantly.
“Small elite team is better. A full raid party would just rack up needless casualties. And it’d weaken present-world defenses too.”
“······You sound so sure.”
“Investigation reveals it all. Plus, others might show up.”
As Sa Choiheon Hunter brushed it off and approached the gate—
Kwaaang—!
The ground and trees were swept away in a mini landslide. Dust billowed up.
“W-whoa?!”
Cheon Iryeong barely kept her footing from the shockwave. I nearly flew back too—good thing my gear was solid.
Emerging from the dust was the returner Ho Young, upper body scarred and bare.
“I’ll help.”
One word, but reassuring. As I turned, Ho Young averted his gaze and walked toward the gate.
“That super strong guy from before!”
Cheon Iryeong Hunter recognized him too. They’d raided the SS-rank gate together last time.
“Looks like everyone’s here. Let’s go in.”
Sa Choiheon Hunter had known in advance, apparently.
Thus, Korea’s de facto top four forces assembled.
Not a familiar combo, yet it didn’t feel strange. Maybe from raiding together a few times.
“Mumyeong-ssi. I’ll support you with everything I’ve got.”
I entered the gate with Cheon Iryeong Hunter.
The interior was a purple-lit cave.
SSS-rank Gate: Cave of Demons
Boss Kills - 0 / 1
This gate is in an unstable state.
Now he understood why elite few was better.
The cave wasn’t spacious. Even with a raid party, only a limited number could fight at once.
“Incoming.”
Ho Young, piercing the darkness, spoke.
Clank—.
A knight in purple armor stepped from the cave depths. The air grew heavy in an instant.
In its hand, a lance—like a conical spear for mounted cavalry.
Thick demonic energy poured from the knight’s body. Red eyes gleamed from within the helmet.
“It’s a Mad Demon. No reason, but very powerful.”
As Sa Choiheon Hunter raised his sword, the knight charged. Jjeeeeng—! A shockwave rocked the entire cave.
“I’m going too!”
Cheon Iryeong Hunter dashed like a shadow, her twin blades clashing midair with the lance.
Sa Choiheon Hunter swung relentlessly. Space itself sliced, leaving blue afterimages.
Clank—! Clank!
The knight dodged every attack with eerie movements, countering savagely. Kwaang! Sa Choiheon was pushed back, clicking his tongue.
“Ho Young, you just gonna stand there?”
“Too weak for me.”
Ho Young scratched his ear, expressionless.
“Tch, do what you want.”
Sa Choiheon rejoined the fray without another word.
Returner Ho Young.
One odd guy.
Whatever. I focused on my job.
I observed the knight’s movements first.
‘All readable. No wild maneuvers. Straightforward. But its level’s high.’
Level 274.
Much higher than mine. My main skill, Weakling Extermination, wouldn’t work.
Normally, only Instant Death could take it down.
But not now.
【Apocalypse+ Grade】 ‘Ragnarok: Einherjar’ effect activated.
All stats rise one stage.
I had explosive power surging from SSS-grade physical stats.
Kwaaang—!
I kicked off and shot forward.
Death energy already cloaked the Mumyeong Sword in my hand.
‘Swordsmanship Lv.15’ activated. (Einherjar)
The blade flashed like lightning, slicing the knight’s armor. Death energy poured into its core.
Puhwaaak—!
It shattered into pieces.
Grazed and dead.
Ridiculous power, even to me.
With this, I could clear SSS-gates without Instant Death.
“W-wow.”
“······Couldn’t you always kill without touching?”
Cheon Iryeong Hunter gaped in awe, but Sa Choiheon looked puzzled.
Instant Death had a cooldown, needing reset scrolls. Infusing death energy was no-cost.
······Too lame to explain. Brush it off.
“Depends on the case.”
“I see.”
Sa Choiheon Hunter nodded, muttering.
“Makes sense. Must be a highly complex technique, beyond simple kills······.”
“······.”
I didn’t correct him. Not entirely wrong.
“What? Too easy.”
Lucifer folded his wings. The first knight was pathetically weak.
The gate in England.
Straight-line dungeon. Gray brick walls, sparse torches.
“Too early to let your guard down. Extreme simplicity means oddities elsewhere.”
With Lucifer: reincarnator Isaac and three comrades.
Isaac scanned the dungeon.
That knight wasn’t weak—level 270 for a regular monster.
The boss would be insanely higher.
‘They can keep up, but support’s their limit.’
Further in, a demon awaited. Male, red horns on both sides of his head.
Dressed nobly, inspecting his nails.
“I am the highest demon Radenza—”
“Don’t care about a soon-to-die bastard’s name.”
Lucifer cut him off.
“Think the present world’s a pushover? When I return as a constellation, that’s when you lot perish.”
But highest ma-in Radenza stayed calm.
“Apostle. You’re mistaken.”
Black demonic energy boiled at his feet.
“This is inside a gate. A place akin to the demon realm. Don’t compare to the present world.”
“Everyone, group up! He’s about to blow the whole dungeon!”
Isaac shouted urgently. Archmages could read flows easily.
His comrades huddled around him.
But the ma-in’s reaction was off.
“······What’re you talking about?”
Radenza’s brow arched. He’d just been gathering energy for Lucifer.
The humans were overreacting.
Lucifer grinned, leveling his spear.
“Spot-on, grand mage.”
Vast energy surged around him.
“That’s exactly what I planned.”
Master said no holding back on clears. Structure grasped, no hesitation. Simple was better.
Pajik, pajijik—!
Black mana condensed at the spear tip. Then, massive energy swept the dungeon.
Kwaaaa—!
Power enough to obliterate even a highest ma-in. Scorching heat rushed in. The dungeon glowed red-hot.
“W-what······. Did that monster just get vaporized?”
“The enemy evaporated, Isaac. I saw right?”
“Yes. Stop shaking.”
His comrades’ jaws stayed dropped.
Isaac’s eyes shook too.
‘······On another level. No mana waste.’
First time seeing a superior wield mana. Black mana overlapped with regular in mechanics.
Any power manifested as magic incurred loss.
Yet Lucifer’s black mana output 100% efficiency. Theoretically impossible.
A miracle warping reality.
Isaac memorized it, his growth hunger endless.
“Next! Stop hiding and come out.”
Lucifer shouted, spear forward.
At the same time—
Kwagwagwa—!
The four other gates fell similarly. The apostles’ power was beyond overwhelming.
Joo Kanghyeok felt inexplicable unease.
‘Too smooth. Almost worryingly so······.’
As gates cleared, white energy swirled around him.
“Mumyeong Hunter-ssi, something’s gathering. That lantern······the one I fixed, right?”
Cheon Iryeong recognized it. Changed, but familiar from repair.
“Hmm, not sure. Not activating now? Doesn’t seem broken.”
Souls swirled toward the lantern Soul Eater at his waist.
Normal souls dispersed fast, but highest ma-in ones lingered.
“Soul Devourer, huh.”
Startled.
Ho Young, peering too close, spoke.
“Growing, it seems.”
“······.”
Unsure how to reply, I just watched.
Ho Young continued readily.
“Seen similar artifacts many times. Want to accelerate its growth?”
“······?”
Music to my ears.
Need souls for reset scrolls. Wasteful otherwise.
But his method shocked.
“Hit it.”
Pardon? What?