The day has finally dawned.
A ten-person expedition team gathered in front of an X-class gate.
Logia looked around at the gathered people.
Sasha with a confident expression.
Yoo Seong-jun cleaning the sword from afar.
Hunters skilled in healing and protection gathered around the shadow.
These are the days when we explore the gate together.
Now they were confident.
'All the monsters at the entrance have been cleared out. Now is the time to explore the central region.'
Preliminary investigation started by order of Yoo Seong-jun.
The expedition went further.
Analyze your surroundings in detail and remember the battlefield.
'Why is there nothing?'
A few weeks of cautious progress.
The expedition was in disarray.
The exploration ability attached to Shadow's skill was used in rotation every time it cooled down.
Then one step forward. Investigate. Another step back.
It is a slow movement with safety as the top priority.
That too for a few days.
The silent X-class gate was so peaceful.
As if someone had swept away the horde of monsters or lured them somewhere else.
'Is this good news or bad news?'
Even the captain, Yoo Seong-jun, had a hard time making a decision.
This was started to understand the monsters' compatibility and learn how to attack them.
But all we found out was that the route to the central part was very safe.
If you think about it differently, there is no way to deal with monsters.
This meant that if you encountered a monster while advancing later, you would have to improvise and engage in battle.
'But we can't delay here any longer.'
Finally, Yoo Seong-jun made a decision.
We have secured a safe route to the central entrance where there are no monsters.
From there, we advance in a tight formation.
So the plan was to quickly reach the entrance and resume cautious advance.
"I feel anxious."
Logia was with us through the whole process.
She wore her hat pulled down low and held a cane.
Even though she pretends to be weak and delicate in front of others, she is a sinister fox coiled inside.
Even Logia had no choice but to become one with the mask at this moment.
'Well, I'm a coward.'
She was afraid of battle.
You might wonder what that means since it's in the top 100.
But what can you do if it's scary?
To be honest, it was almost a stroke of luck that I awakened a magic skill among my combat skills.
A devastating single shot that can be intercepted from a distance.
Those around him treat him like a noble and protect him with their lives.
Because one attack from a wizard determines the success or failure of conquering the gate.
Logia has been on such a smooth road.
He uses his extraordinary brain to match his ability to grow on his own.
It was only natural that the Red Tower would become firmly established in the United States.
That's how your personality becomes solidified.
Enjoy being treated with a mask on outside.
Inside, we take off our masks and rest comfortably in our true selves.
A life of swearing, getting drunk, and badmouthing others.
If someone were to evaluate this Loggia, it could be summarized in one word.
A princess hunter with a different outside and inside.
'Hey, I've decided to change now!'
A near-death experience in the Holy Land.
This was an incident that marked a turning point for her.
They say that people change when they overcome a near-death experience.
From my own experience, it was true.
Logia wanted to change.
I want to show my 100-strong appearance.
The goal was not to act like a lunatic in the corner, but to move forward confidently and powerfully.
'Master. The opportunity you gave me. I won't waste it.'
Let's think about the master who provided the impetus for this change.
A transcendent being who saved me and took care of me delicately and seemingly indifferently.
He said it clearly.
When faced with a crisis, I promise not to neglect you even once.
Another chance at salvation was promised.
That was the reason I was able to participate in this expedition, even though it was scary and frightening.
'It has to change.'
There, like Sasha, who rises day by day, smiling brightly, holding his grace in her hand.
Logia also decided to be reborn as her true self, not a woman with a different outside and inside.
"Okay, everyone. It's time to get going!"
Sasha signals.
The 100 strong, who had been busy checking their equipment while standing apart, gathered one by one.
Yoo Seong-jun stands in front of them.
I locked eyes with Logia.
'Ouch. Did I get caught?'
This is where I'm sure I'm most nervous.
Did it show on your face?
I touched my eyes and mouth for no reason.
"Keep your formation in order. As soon as we enter, we'll go to the operation line. Understood?"
Yoo Seong-jun's orders.
Everyone nodded silently.
Rescue the top 100 and observe the breaker.
With two goals in mind.
Just before entering the gate.
"Wait! Wait a minute!"
Finally, Logia opened the community and shouted in a hurry.
At first I thought I saw something wrong.
But that wasn't the case.
Meister. Those four letters were firmly engraved on the wall, so it wasn't a lie.
"What's going on?"
"The momentum you've built up is cooling off. If you're talking nonsense, my fists won't forgive you."
He expresses doubt and annoyance at Logia's restraint.
All it took was one word to make them smile.
"The Master sent me information regarding this gate!"
"what?"
"Is that true?"
The expressions changed as if I had turned them over!
Logia read the message he had sent. Only Shasha frowned and muttered.
"Why that split-personality bitch...."
Anyway, what was sent was true. The fact that I met Shadow Walker.
And there is information that monsters are gathered from the central entrance to the central interior.
To the point where he says he has the means to dramatically move everyone around.
"Finally, the Gate Breaker is in progress, and we have secured the means to stop it. Orion's life or death is under investigation by a powerful bodyguard? That's what it says."
"You can stop the breaker?"
"Does that make sense?"
The 100 strong are shaking.
That's because there is no record of anyone preventing the destruction of the Dimension Stone.
Even an X-class gate.
A place where no one has yet reached the deepest part.
You're saying you're going to stop the Breaker where no one has planted the flag of conquest?
"For now, we have no choice but to trust the Master. Then, isn't the most important time for him to join not written down?"
Logia nodded at Yoo Seong-jun's question.
She read the last words attached as a postscript.
"Wait in the central area? I'm coming. It says so."
A monstrous being that shook the world with just its community and items. To think that such a being would come to you in person.
Did he take this matter seriously too?
"Ugh, why are you saying that to him again! Me too, I have it too!"
I guess you have no intention of hiding it anymore.
Ignoring the furious Sasha.
The expedition team expressed great anticipation.
"Can I finally meet the master who took pictures of such ridiculous equipment?"
"How strong is he? Yoo Seong-jun. Do you know?"
"I don't know either. One thing is certain, it was always the Meister who saved everyone from danger."
So does that mean there won't be any crisis on this expedition?
Everyone's faces brighten.
The Master's message filled the air with morale.
"Then let us advance to the central region as he said. Everyone, stand your ground!"
"position!"
"Ah, Mamen."
I heard a strange sound in the middle?
I turned my head and saw Shasha standing in line, praying.
They say that these days, new religions are gaining ground instead of the sacred religion.
The expedition force entered the gate, each with their own fighting spirit.
After a strange feeling, the scenery they had seen for a month greeted them.
A landscape that is still bleak and seems to symbolize the end of the world.
"I don't see any Shadow Walkers. Luckily, they're there before they respawn."
The monsters in the gate are replenished as they decrease.
So, it was better to leave the gates that gave useful byproducts open until the breaker blew.
"The investigation is now complete. If I go at my own pace, it will take about an hour to get to the central region."
"Hurry up, Lazarus. This feeling is strange."
Amyeong said to Yoo Seongjun.
His skill is crisis detection.
Skills specialized for scouting sometimes provide information that goes beyond the information provided by the
environment and comes from intuition.
It was a so-called act according to feeling.
'But most of what Darkness said was right.'
Yoo Seong-jun nodded after confirming that everyone had come in.
"Move forward."
The advance to put an end to long preparations has begun.
It is not a slow progression towards understanding.
A powerful movement, fueled by information provided by the Master.
Hoohoohoo!
A group of ten moved at a speed that made the wind whip.
How can it be this safe in Class X?
Everyone was filled with hope.
'You can do it.'
'The inner part of a X-class gate. This is my first time going this deep.'
They have already experienced other X-level exams for the 100-level exam.
A monster outside the standard size encountered from the beginning.
They are the ones who always took for granted the hospitality and support of those around them.
Filled with self-esteem and confidence, they experienced death for the first time.
The strength of a X-class monster.
I'm at a loss as to how to tackle this.
And vague fears, etc.
But now, a hope has taken its place.
Master. Ah, what a heartwarming four words these are.
Everyone arrived with a common idea.
And I couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
Central entrance with a view of the Black Forest.
It's a monster in the shape of an earthworm that shouldn't have existed originally.
You can see dozens of them with the naked eye.
Each and every one of them had the destructive power to destroy a city, and they were swarming before my eyes.
"Coming."
"Everyone, prepare for battle!"
"Wait a minute. What is that in front of them?"
Something foreign was caught in their eyes.
Underneath the giant monster.
Now, without being obscured by the dust, I could see the black knights running towards me in the lead.
They are all coming here carrying unusual weapons.
That wasn't the only problem.
"Back, back!"
"What the hell!"
There is no bad news like this.
Why did I have to respawn at this timing?
Shadow Walker, led by the Black Knights, was running towards us.
It will only take a few minutes for them to arrive.
It was then that Yoo Seong-jun, with his eyes narrowed, recognized the Black Knight.
"Those are Darkrow's servants."
"What? Is that true?"
"I think I saw it too! The Heidelberg Annihilation! The group of knights in black armor observed there!"
Let's find out one by one.
So is this a trap set by Darkrow?
If there was any hope, it was the group that lured the Shadow Walkers.
Underneath the giant monster.
Now, without being obscured by the dust, I could see the black knights running towards me in the lead.
They are all coming here carrying unusual weapons.
That wasn't the only problem.
"Back, back!"
"What the hell!"
There is no bad news like this.
Why did I have to respawn at this timing?
Shadow Walker, led by the Black Knights, was running towards us.
It will only take a few minutes for them to arrive.
It was then that Yoo Seong-jun, with his eyes narrowed, recognized the Black Knight.
"Those are Darkrow's servants."
"What? Is that true?"
"I think I saw it too! The Heidelberg Annihilation! The group of knights in black armor observed there!"
Let's find out one by one.
So is this a trap set by Darkrow?
If there was any hope, it was the group that lured the Shadow Walkers.
"They probably didn't expect a respawn either. The siege is loose."
"Southeast, direction 95, the path is over there."
The shadow points to a certain point.
Their eyes lit up.
Even without saying anything, we've already matched the rhythm to the point where it's tiresome.
"I will open the way!"
The vanguard's Yoo Seong-jun pulled out his light sword.
A huge, shining sword is created.
He swung his sword at the men who were rushing at him.
***
I let my guard down.
The invasion of the 100th lecture was expected.
Darkrow had no doubt that they would be stopped at the entrance.
Even he himself only used shadow taint and escaped.
Shadow Walker can only defeat one enemy at a time.
That was the level of the current hunter.
It's still a long way to go before we can conquer X-class.
So I was at peace and was retrieving and storing all my strength from the floating castle.
'Where on earth did it go wrong?'
It's time for a regular patrol, so we start patrolling the gates.
Darkrow confirmed the change.
The annihilation of Shadow Walkers.
Even the phenomenon of monsters gathering together in the central region and on the way to the central region.
There was only one thing to guess.
'Something with powerful mana passed through here.'
Skill ability: Monsters that have been affected by Shadow Contamination will instinctively seek out powerful mana to purify it.
Something is happening.
Could it be that they're also stopping the Gate Breaker?
Darkrow is ready.
I can't allow any more variables to get on my nerves.
So, these are the Shadow Knights deployed everywhere.
The Knights will also use Shadow Corruption on the newly respawned Shadow Walkers.
They are ready to appear at a moment's notice.
'You're here.'
And now.
Darkrow, who observed the 100 strong of 10 people, started taking action.
"Use Shadow Contamination on the monsters and then lure them."
-Your honor.
A monster ranked 2nd in the villain rankings.
A single word from a single legion moves all the Shadow Knights.
Their purpose is simple lure.
Anyway, it'll be over if we just take them to where the monsters are.
'Fight desperately. That way, at least one or two weakened X-class monsters will appear.'
Then go down and completely subdue the X-class monster.
If he succeeds, there will be no hunters outside to stop him.
Darkrow, smiling with anticipation, looked at the situation.
"hmm."
My eyebrows go up involuntarily.
The situation was going differently than expected.
The leading inspector.
The sword of light popped out and fought on equal terms with Shadow Walker.
Who is it? It's Yoo Seong-jun.
'What? That hunter doesn't have that kind of power?'
Darkrow was preparing for a great undertaking here.
It's already been several months since I've been locked up.
Has the world been in turmoil in the meantime?
That can't be true.
It's already a difficult stat to raise from S-rank.
From then on, each and every stat shows a huge gap.
If you're going to deal with Shadow Walker, you should have an average stat of 100 to 110.
'You're saying you can raise it by 10 in just a few months? That's impossible!'
If so, then that's the culprit.
The sword of light that has been swinging since a while ago.
Others are quick to block and let it flow.
Only that was hurting and pushing Shadow Walker away.
"Ha. What happened outside while I was away?"
wait for a sec.
He recalled what had happened just before he came here.
It's just a piece of clay that was put up for auction as a C-class item in a grade auction house.
I had already dipped my toe into the auction with great effect.
'No way, that sword.'
Was this made by the guy who made clay?
The question was about to continue. Darkrow chuckled at the death net that was gradually encircling them.
Well then, that's right.
'I just added more force to the struggle. That is your grave.'
100 strong, gradually getting pushed back and hurt as if he was losing strength.
One by one they fall down.
There was screaming and shouting.
The wizard who just managed to cast a protective spell collapses.
A familiar face.
It was definitely the loggia of the red tower.
He cries, clutching his tattered right arm.
No, it was the cry of one crying for salvation.
"Ugh! Master! Save me, save me!"
Meister? Who is that?
Are there any other assistants?
Darkrow's gaze turned to the gate entrance in question.
The shout of the Shadow Knight Commander was heard.
-My lord! The monsters are acting strangely! The shadow walkers you lured have turned around!
What? How can that be?
No, if there was one, it did exist.
'A powerful mana holder who unites monsters.'
If the guy showed up in this situation now.
If that's the case, then that explains it.
So Darkrow lowered his head in the direction the monsters were running.
The rapid movement of a black dot as seen from the floating island.
What they saw as they headed towards it was a blue human contrasting with the black dot.
'What is that?'
Is this the composure of the strong?
He was unfazed by the hordes of Shadow Walkers rushing at him.
I walk calmly and narrow the gap.
A situation so close to breaking out that a clash would occur in just a few seconds.
I'm anxious.
In that moment, Darkrow thought about it dozens of times.
Should I barge in or not? Should I aim for a surprise attack, starting with the monsters?
'No. Wait.'
My intuition is warning me.
You shouldn't jump into that situation.
So, in the battlefield that I looked at, the guy and the Shadow Walker were entangled.
At the same time, the Shadow Knight Commander and the 80 members waved their weapons.
Countless black tidal waves dotting the blue dot.
and.
--!!!
If we visualize visible light, it would look like this. Red lines shoot out in all directions.
An explosion of power whose depth cannot be fathomed.
Each and every line stretched out, piercing through the Shadow Walkers and Shadow Knights.
Some of them were close to being rich.
"What kind of absurd destructive power is this?"
One of them is flying this way by bad luck.
Should I block it or avoid it?
Darkrow chose both.
Block and avoid.
He reached out and concentrated his magic, trying to change its orbit.
Phew!
"Huh!"
It was a failure.
It's trying to pierce through the palm and all the way to the head.
All I could do was turn my head and avoid it.
"Ugh, gasp."
What was the battlefield situation? It was as clear as day.
That's the level of destructive power that can reach a floating point in an instant, by striking several kilometers.
I wonder if those who received it at close range will be safe.
'annihilation....'
Darkrow barely managed to close his gaping jaw.
Not yet. Not yet.
The opportunity existed.
Such great technology will surely come with a price. It would have required a long cooldown or a huge amount of mana.
'The road to the central region and the monster hordes that belong to the central region remain.'
An unidentified human who annihilated a group of troops is heading towards you.
Looks like he's going to join the expedition of 10 people. Behind that expedition, the earthworm monsters and the 2nd Shadow Knights are still going strong...
"uh?"
Am I seeing things?
This was by far the first time I had been so embarrassed while reigning at the top.
Rubbing your eyelids will give you the same result.
Nothing has changed.
A X-class earthworm monster and a bunch of monkeys.
'They're all dead.'
I knew who did it the moment I saw it.
It was unexpected that Orion, ranked first in the top 100, came out of the black forest.
There was something even more shocking than that.
The mastermind behind the mass slaughter of monsters.
"What...is the boss monster of this gate...."
Can you get out of the dimensional stone and get to the central entrance?
More importantly, why don't you attack the hunters?
Darkrow shouted inwardly and then flinched.
An orc warrior standing by Orion's side.
Because the guy was looking straight in this direction.
Huh? Surely the floating castle would have a magic circle engraved on it that would eliminate concealment magic and even the flow of mana?
Digesting the questions comes later.
Darkrow had no choice but to accept a fatal defeat.
When did you pull it out and when did you swing it?
When did you pull it out and when did you swing it? A giant sword light approaches us.
He had no choice but to bite his mouth hard enough to break his molars and disappear.
Kukwaaaaang!!!
The floating castle he disappeared into splits in half and falls down.
At the end, it broke into pieces as if it was exploding and kissing the floor.