The Succubus Queen of the Four Heavenly Kings
The Murim Alliance immediately began preparing to conquer the Gate. Checking the roster, packing equipment and supplies... the Hero and I were included in that group.
“So, you are saying we are taking this man with us?”
“Yes. His skills are guaranteed.”
Namgung Min stared intently at the Hero. A powerhouse of the Sword Saint's caliber would easily be able to see through the Hero's strength. Namgung Min gave the Hero a thorough once-over... and eventually extended his hand.
“You are indeed a master. I look forward to working with you.”
“The honor is mine, to stand alongside the renowned Sword Saint.”
The Hero was surprisingly polite. But for some reason, the two men didn't let go of each other's hands after shaking. *Wait, are they testing each other's strength? What are they, children?*
Both maintained perfect poker faces, but their hands and arms told a completely different story. Their skin was changing colors so drastically that anyone could tell they were locked in a contest of raw strength. Turning pale, then flushing red... yet neither backed down. It was incredibly childish.
The first to break was Namgung Min. He began to grit his teeth, his lips twitching as his face flushed crimson. In contrast, the Hero remained perfectly serene.
“Ugh, you are strong...” the Sword Saint groaned first.
“Haha, well now.”
The Hero played it off casually, but his expression said otherwise. He was smirking, looking utterly smug about his victory.
“Dear me, do you gentlemen really have the leisure for a contest of strength right now?”
At my words, the two of them quickly averted their eyes and stepped away from each other.
We prepared to conquer the Gate. This time, the Hero wore a proper set of equipment and borrowed a decent sword. Perhaps because of that, the All Master returned to my hand.
“You could have kept it...”
“I can use magic as well, so I will be fine.”
*True.*
In any case, once we finished our preparations and headed toward the Gate, the Management Department cleared the way for us. By the way, are they really not going to hold me accountable for what happened earlier?
“Ahem, I know what you are worried about. You do not need to worry about that man.”
“Is that so?”
“To think you would heal him while beating him... Since there are no wounds and no CCTV footage, there is no evidence.”
I realized what he meant. They were going to turn a blind eye to the whole thing.
“To be honest, we were also deeply worried because our colleagues never returned from that death trap.”
Indeed, both the investigators and the hunters belonged to the Management Department, so they must have felt incredibly frustrated.
“They will be alive.”
If it were any other monster, it might be different, but Nightmares and Succubi need to harvest life force. They would have kept them alive to drain them periodically.
“We are counting on you to save them.”
Ah... so they were promising to keep their mouths shut if we rescued their people.
“Very well, I shall do my best.”
Before embarking on the Gate raid... I issued a warning to the guild members.
“Before we begin this raid, there is something I must tell you first.”
Everyone gathered around me, focusing their attention.
“As someone who has already entered this Gate, I can tell you that conquering it requires something other than sheer combat power.”
The few who had gone with me yesterday nodded in agreement, already knowing what I meant.
“It is mental fortitude. The Gate is saturated with a power that bewitches people and drags them into dreams. If you cannot resist that power, you will not be able to function properly.”
A quiet murmur rippled through the crowd.
“The hunters sent in by that miserable piece of trash likely couldn't withstand it and fell victim.”
And if they couldn't resist that power...
“None of you are exceptions. If you cannot resist this influence, you will be disqualified and immediately removed from the raid team.”
“Won't our numbers dwindle too much then?” Namgung Min asked, looking concerned.
“It is far more troublesome if you succumb. We would have to fight while protecting fallen comrades. Besides, I have another reason for making this decision.”
*It's frustrating, but...*
“If you cannot even withstand the passive energy lingering in the air, how could you possibly resist the active power unleashed directly by the monsters? I do not believe you can. And if you cannot withstand it, you will only be a hindrance.”
“Ahem...”
Everyone seemed to understand my point.
“I do have buffs that can boost your mental fortitude—specifically, ones that help resist this kind of mental interference. However, these buffs are not absolute. That is why I have no choice but to strictly filter the members from the very beginning.”
I explained everything before they could even ask.
“What if too few of us are left?”
“Wouldn't that actually make things easier? I wouldn't have to look after so many people.”
Their reactions were mixed.
“In any case, I shall place my trust in your mental fortitude.”
I had given my warning... Some of them swallowed hard, visibly tensing up.
“Well, failing to withstand it is not a sin, so do not take it too heavily.”
Leaving the guild members behind, I stepped into the Gate first. Everyone else still seemed a bit dazed, their movements sluggish.
The one who kept pace right by my side was... of course, the Hero.
“Are you going in alone?”
“Why not? There won't be anything right at the entrance anyway.”
Ignoring the others, I walked straight into the Gate... and before I knew it, my younger sister had followed me inside as well. The sight that unfolded before our eyes was no different from yesterday.
“Sigh...”
“Sister, is this place also filled with *that*?”
“Ah, yes.”
*Did I not tell her yesterday?*
“I see... No wonder you reacted so violently, Sister.”
“Do you also think I went too far?”
My sister frowned, her reaction fierce.
“No way! A piece of trash who treats people like disposable tools deserves to be beaten half to death. Besides, you said there were no wounds left, right? Then it's fine.”
*I did beat him up pretty brutally, though...*
“Did you... tell our family?”
“Only to our little brother.”
My sister glared sharply at the Hero, then squeezed herself right between us.
“Don't get too close to my sister.”
The Hero... chuckled softly and took a step back. *Both of them are such fools.*
I wanted to chat more, but I couldn't. The Murim Alliance raid team was entering the Gate one after another.
“Now, everyone, focus your minds. We will wait here for about ten minutes.”
We began the screening process to see if they could acclimate to and withstand this environment.
Everyone was tense, and their reactions varied wildly. Some couldn't stand still, anxiously fidgeting with their weapons or pacing around, while others bit their nails in nervous anticipation. But surprisingly, most of them seemed fine at first. However, just as the promised ten minutes were almost up... several people suddenly collapsed with a soft thud.
“They've fallen asleep...”
Seeing their comrades' abnormal reactions, those standing nearby immediately checked on them.
“This one over here has gone completely blank.”
I looked over at them.
“Those who fell asleep couldn't withstand the power of the Nightmares, and those who went blank were bewitched by the Succubi. Gather them quickly.”
Out of the thirty-five raid members, six had already collapsed. But that wasn't the end; as time ticked by, more fell one by one. By the time we finished sorting them out after about twenty minutes, fifteen members had succumbed and collapsed, and even among the remaining twenty, ten were complaining of severe discomfort.
I cleansed their afflictions and sent them back outside the Gate. Having experienced it firsthand, they realized this wasn't something they could overcome through sheer willpower, so they followed my orders without a single complaint. The remaining ten members were pretty much who I had expected. It was obvious that Namgung Min, the Hero, and Ddaengjung would endure... but I hadn't expected my sister to hold out so well.
“Wow, this is really tough,” my sister muttered.
“Is it?”
“Are you really okay, Sister?”
*I have an incredibly high resistance to this sort of thing...* I simply offered her a smirk.
“Ddaengjung, you aren't pushing yourself too hard, are you?”
“Haha, perhaps because I have experienced it once before, it is quite manageable.”
*But why are all the survivors melee fighters? There isn't a single mage left.*
“Yujin, it looks like you'll have to focus on magic. I can't believe not a single mage could withstand this.”
“Understood.”
The Hero immediately sheathed his sword.
“You can use magic as well?”
Namgung Min looked surprised, and the Hero gave a subtle nod.
In any case, although our party composition was a bit awkward, it was a relief that we had this many survivors.
“Staying here too long will only do us harm, so let us move quickly.”
I immediately cast various buffs on the remaining members, including one that boosted their mental resistance, and we set off toward the castle.
“Argh, aaagh!”
Screaming, the man bolted upright and frantically scanned his surroundings.
“Pant, pant...”
Cold sweat poured down his face.
“W-why... am I here?”
As his mind cleared and his memories rushed back, a violent shudder ran through his body. Then, a sudden wave of agony washed over him.
“Ugh...”
The sheer intensity of the pain made his vision blur. But gradually, his memories solidified.
“That... that crazy bitch!”
The man seethed with rage as he pictured the woman who had brutally beaten him. Burning for revenge, he checked his body, only to find it completely unblemished. He gasped, utterly dumbfounded by this bizarre, ghostly phenomenon.
And the moment he realized the pain was entirely psychological, a chilling dread crept over him.
“F-fuck! Dammit!”
The absurd terror of the situation dragged the vulgar curses right out of his mouth. *She really left absolutely no evidence?*
But then, a realization struck him.
“Ha, even so, she can't do anything about the witnesses.”
There had been countless Management Department employees present.
“Hehehe.”
The corners of his mouth curled up at the thought of blackmailing that bitch. The man stood up and summoned his subordinate.
“What is it, sir?”
“You, you! You remember that bitch who assaulted me, right?”
“Excuse me? What on earth are you talking about?”
The subordinate looked at him with a face of genuine bewilderment.
“W-what?”
“Assault? Didn't you just collapse from exhaustion, sir?”
The memory of his agonizing torment was vivid in his mind. And yet, what was this nonsense?
“I remember being beaten!”
Unable to contain his fury, the man grabbed his subordinate by the collar.
“A memory? Are you sure you aren't just imagining things?”
“Are you mocking me?!”
The subordinate smirked, openly sneering at him.
“If you were beaten, surely there would be wounds, right? Let's have a look.”
Seeing his subordinate mock him so brazenly made his blood boil.
“T-there are no wounds, but I know what happened! Bring that bitch to me! Arrest her!”
The whispering among the surrounding subordinates grew louder.
“I have no idea what you are talking about, sir.”
“What? Are you playing games with me right now?!”
“The only one playing games here is you, Department Head.”
The moment those words left the subordinate's mouth, the surrounding employees burst into snickers.
“You...!”
He was absolutely livid, his face burning with humiliation.
“Do you think you lot will get away with this?! Do you think that bitch is safe?!”
No matter how much he screamed and raged, his subordinates only continued to laugh. He gnashed his teeth, but...
“You bastards! You're all fired!”
“Department Head, even if you are our superior, you do not have the authority to fire us on a whim.”
The highest-ranking man among the subordinates stepped forward and spoke.
“If I report this to the higher-ups—”
Suddenly, the subordinate grabbed *him* by the collar.
“We call you 'Department Head' out of courtesy, and you act like you're actually someone important. A weakling like you wouldn't last a single second against us. Do you think Hunters are a joke? Want to find out what it feels like to get beaten up right here?”
The subordinate's sudden, terrifying shift in demeanor sent a shiver down the man's spine.
“Ugh, ugh...”
The subordinate finally let go of him.
“Dear me, to make such a scene... how utterly embarrassing.”
The man looked down at his damp trousers and hung his head in shame as the mocking laughter of everyone around him rang in his ears.
“I-I won't forgive any of you!”
Scrambling to his feet, the man fled the scene as fast as his legs could carry him.