Hell Gate 2
The world on the screen was ashen. The sky, the ground, even the air was dyed in death. Piercing through that dull, colorless void was a single streak of golden light flashing fiercely.
—Boom!
"Maintain formation! Third squad left flank, shields up!"
With Isha von Estelle's shout, a massive barrier of light surged up. Grotesque tentacles bursting from the darkness slammed into it and burned away.
Sizzle... It felt like the foul stench of burning flesh was wafting through the screen.
"Advance. Not a single one falls behind."
Isha led from the front, swinging her Holy Sword. Every path her blade carved erased the abyss monsters without a single scream. It was overwhelming. Hundreds of beasts surged like waves, but the white breakwater of the Estelle Knights didn't budge an inch. Not a single injury. No stragglers. A flawless advance.
The chat exploded with cries of "Lightsha!" and "Godsha!"
'I have to show them.'
Isha's expression remained hardened. She bit her lip. The drone camera lens trailing behind her felt disgustingly insect-like.
Just three hours ago, right before departure, the memory flashed through her mind.
Holy Church waiting room.
Isha slammed the table and stood.
"Are you insane? This is an Abyss Gate. Worst difficulty even among S-Grades. Controlling the troops is hard enough—now you want a film crew?!"
Before her, a cardinal in red robes wiped sweat awkwardly.
"Saintess, calm down. This is His Holiness the Pope's will as well."
"Did the Pope really say that?"
"O-Of course, Saintess."
The cardinal flinched at her killing intent. He quickly pulled out a stack of documents.
"Face reality. Estelle Guild's stock plummeted 30% in days."
He tossed a photo on the table.
"Donations halved. And this humiliating pic of Lee Han eating pizza with Adel, laughing."
"The public is panicking. 'Dragon Slayer appeared, killed the Saintess's pet, vanished.' 'Even the Archmage joined him.' People are starting to doubt your power, Saintess."
"......"
"Safety's guaranteed. Drones only. Just show them. That you're still humanity's sole savior. Only then can we steady the shaky public opinion."
The cardinal drove the wedge home slyly.
"Truth is, Saintess..."
He lifted his lowered head, eyes sharp.
"To catch that Lee Han bastard, don't you need the Church's full intel and support?"
Isha's fists turned white. Her pride stung, but she couldn't deny reality. To catch that off-spec existence called Lee Han...
She needed power too.
"...Fine."
Isha ground her teeth and turned away.
"But if it gets in the way, the drones get smashed first."
"Saintess!"
A knight's cry snapped her out of it.
"Front, 200m! Boss room reaction!"
The black mist parted, revealing a vast cavern. In the center, a house-sized mass writhed.
A monstrosity of thousands of mouths and eyeballs tangled together. The moment it spotted Isha, it unleashed a grotesque roar.
—Kieeeek!!
The entire space shook like an earthquake.
"All units, scatter! Defensive formation!"
Isha shouted. Normally, she'd charge ahead. But today...
'I can't die. No one can die.'
The gate's trait: cannibalism. It absorbs life from fallen allies to grow stronger. And above all...
The loss of Dessoir was making her overly defensive.
"Sanctuary Proclamation!"
—Vwooom!
Isha plunged her Holy Sword into the ground. A golden dome enveloped the elite knights. An absolute defense zone.
—Boom! Bang! Crackle-crack!
The Devourer's tentacles pounded the dome. Explosions rocked like chain bombs. The drone camera shook violently, noise flickering on screen.
"As long as I hold, you're safe!"
Isha poured out holy power like she was vomiting blood to maintain the shield. Behind her, knights fired magic and arrows for DPS.
The safest, but most draining tactic. The Saintess tanking all damage alone—a mad strategy.
So the chat reactions exploded.
Whoa. She's blocking all that alone?
True human breakwater. Tears... T_T
Isha's face is paling. Pushing too hard?
Hey, those shockwaves leaking out? Screen glitching why?
Seoul outskirts, abandoned factory basement.
—Rumble rumble!
The whole building shook. Lights flickered, dust rained from the ceiling.
"Aaaah! Earthquake!"
"We're gonna sink! Everyone out!"
Red Skull thugs screamed and panicked. The gate's aftershocks rippled out as mana waves even to the outskirts.
"Freeze!"
A hellish roar erupted. Dozens of thugs froze like statues.
"Don't move!!!"
Deputy 1, action captain Doki, yelled pale-faced.
"You idiots! Don't run! You're shaking the display case more!"
His gaze fixed on Adel's prized Desolatus limited-edition figure in the glass case. It wobbled precariously like the swinging lights.
"Squad 3! Body-block it! Grab the case!"
"Squad 4! Prone on floor as cushions! Catch if it falls!"
Tattooed brutes hurled themselves at the case. Some hugged the glass, others slid on the floor as human mattresses.
"Urgh! Vibrations too strong! How much power's that Isha bitch using?!"
Doki hugged the shaking case, tears streaming.
"Can't fall, or we're dead. Better take a hit from Lee Han!"
To them, ceiling cracks paled against the purple-haired demon's wrath later.
"Saintess! Fight gentler please! We'll all die!"
The Saintess defending Seoul was a survival-threatening disaster here.
—Flash!
The final strike. Isha's Holy Sword pierced the Devourer's core.
—Kie... ek.
With its death cry, the massive meat blob collapsed. Black mist cleared, silence finally settling the gate interior.
"Huff... huff..."
Isha leaned on her bloodied sword like a cane, barely standing. Soaked in sweat, her gleaming silver armor was tattered. Yet her eyes shone.
"Damage report."
"No fatalities! Three serious, twelve minor! All alive!"
"Wooooah!!"
The knights cheered. Clearing an S-Grade Abyss Gate with zero deaths—a historic feat.
The drone zoomed in on victory: Isha sweeping back sweat-matted hair, sighing in relief.
Godsha!! Godsha!!
This is the Saintess. Undeniable.
Who called Isha washed-up? Form's insane
Lee Han watching? This is class.
National pride rising. Seoul's safe!!
Everything perfect. Broadcast a smash hit, Isha's honor restored.
But.
"...Huh?"
Isha's brow furrowed. Weird. Boss dead, but no gate clear message? And why's the mist rising again?
"Captain?"
The vice-captain beside her muttered blankly.
"That's your mom, right?"
"...What?"
"Mom, you're here. Sorry, I was late."
The unharmed vice-captain reached into empty air, sobbing. Not just him.
"Heh heh. Kill 'em all. Gonna slaughter everyone."
"Bugs crawling on me! Get 'em off! Please!"
Cheering knights started writhing on the ground or turning weapons on comrades.
"What the—!"
Isha scanned frantically. Black smoke rose from the dead Devourer's corpse. Not physical poison. An evil that pierced even holy shields, devouring minds.
Warning! Abyss Curse Activated.
Mental Corruption: Rapidly Rising
Hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, mental breakdown commencing.
"Snap out of it! Hear my voice!!"
Isha yelled, but it didn't reach them. Even her vision blurred.
A black shadow before her took human form. Overlapped with Dessoir's blood-smeared face.
'No, hallucination.'
Blackened, unfocused eyes stared at Isha.
"...No."
"Why didn't you save me in time?"
"Th-that was..."
"In the end, you killed me."
"No!!"
Isha clutched her head, screaming. The live feed broadcast the rampaging knights and terrified Saintess in raw detail.
Huh? Mood shifted why?
What's that? Team-killing?
Hear screams? Freaking out?
Cut the broadcast! Turn it off!
Insane. That was the real Abyss Gate. Mental break live.
Perfect victory turned hellish in seconds.
That moment of despair.
—Vroooom!
A cheekily revving engine sound pierced from somewhere.
"Huh?"
Isha lifted her blurred eyes. Something transparent tore through the black mist.
Up close, faint edges like a ghost.
'Invisibility cloak?'
—Screech!
With a bizarre drift, the vehicle halted before Isha's nose. Window rolled down, a familiar face—hated even in dreams—poked out.
"Yo, Saintess. Watched the broadcast. Screen presence on point."
Lee Han leaned out.
"But that ending? Sweet potato stuck in your throat. Need some soda?"
Adel shook a popcorn bucket from the passenger seat.
"Told ya? Time to hit the self-destruct!"
"Shut up. Get in first."
Lee Han stepped out, extending a hand to the dazed Isha.