Chapter 77

When Baek-seon first explained the nature of the Gate back at the Central Hospital…

The reason I already knew about the Tomb of Eternity was simple.

I had been there before.

And during the time I wandered the Demon Realm, the words “I’ve been there before” were usually just another way of saying “I personally broke it.”

It was the same situation as back in Daegu, when Division 3 fell into Norkel’s trap.

Since I had torn through every floor of the Maze he owned while chasing Gamigin, I already knew which exit Division 3 would come out of.

Of course, being able to pinpoint their exact real-time location owed a great deal to my amplified senses through the Tentacle of Stimulation, and—

Even without using tentacles, the moment Yoo Se-byeol dipped even a single toe into the Sea of Decay, I could track her scent from Hangang’s riverbank and chase her down like a man-eating shark. My sense of smell played a very large role in that, but anyway—

『You’re saying you broke all of this?』

Lruyeh, who had been unable to speak for a while, eventually asked calmly.

Her voice over the channel carried no visible emotion, but the faint tremor in her mana felt like awe.

『Not all of it. I didn’t touch the underground, especially.』

When I first found this place, my goal had been to track down Gamigin, not to deal with the buried demons.

There could have been a Star Scar down below, but losing him would’ve made everything pointless. The moment I confirmed he wasn’t nearby, I withdrew immediately.

Still, it seemed the demons never managed to restore the city I had “lightly” rearranged. The marks from back then remained exactly as they were.

Demonic weeds—tentacles—grew wild through the unmaintained streets.

It almost felt comforting, like returning home.

Recognizing me and Mala-nim who ruled all tentacles, the growths gently waved toward us.

Watching this, the squad members sharpened their awareness more than ever.

“Hey, look—tentacles are growing everywhere.”

“Don’t touch them. They might be poisonous.”

“Creepy as hell.”

“Ugh, they look disgusting.”

“…….”

“Hayan? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

We slowly moved toward the central district.

Once we passed the shattered outer gate and entered the inner city, the full view of a long-destroyed civilization lay before us.

I opened the channel to Lruyeh.

I intended to tell her everything I knew—the method to safely secure the demon corpses she wanted.

I hadn’t researched it directly. I just learned it from all the demons who charged at me and got swept away while screaming things like, “Terrifying beings sleep beneath this city!” and “If the Archduke’s knights awaken, you will not escape!”

『The vassals of the Archduke of Necromancy sleep under the central temple. Do you plan to command all of their corpses?』

『My priority is the strongest four, the ones they call the Four Knights. Once I secure those, I’ll spend time claiming the rest after the area is cleared.』

『Then avoiding unnecessary battles would be ideal.』

Necropolis was a city where demons lived while preparing to enter the Eternal Temple—the heart of the Tomb.

Like Valkyries who swore to fight forever in Valhalla—

The vassals gathered here, offering their lives to the Archduke of Necromancy even after death.

Their devotion reached the heavens, and an apostle of an Outer God answered their wish, sweeping the land clean and granting them an honorable death.

However, demon corpses needed to die inside the temple’s underground chamber. Those who couldn’t descend remained dormant and never awoke again.

Either way, aged challengers—scarred from countless battles—would knock on the temple doors. The gatekeepers judged whether they were worthy of facing trials.

If an unworthy being attempted to enter, the temple’s defense system activated to dispose of intruders.

I learned this after watching demons who tried to run past me get sliced apart by the vassal corpses rising from the lower floors.

『So we can’t just walk in normally?』

『Right. Everything down there would pour out at once. It’d be chaos. And you’d lose most of the corpses you want to keep intact.』

On the other hand, if you entered as a challenger, you could improve your skills by fighting the vassals.

For Division 3, Necropolis was a perfect training ground for both martial arts and abilities.

Originally, you fought until death and were then enshrined in the Eternal Temple, but since we weren’t demons, no need to go that far.

The important part was earning the right to enter.

And that depended solely on the gatekeepers’ judgment. Even I didn’t know whether we’d pass safely.

As we climbed the steps toward the temple, several black shapes stirred behind a pile of collapsed rubble.

“What’s that?”

“Halt! Stay alert!”

Not demons, not humans—yet still defending the lost city.

They were the height of goblins, draped in ragged cloth, gripping staffs—the gatekeepers, creations born from black sorcery.

“Have you failed to accept eternal rest…?”

“Do you seek to burn your lives once more beneath our lord’s hoof…?”

“Ugh. What the hell are they?!”

“Wait. Don’t attack.”

The crew drew their swords the moment the gatekeepers encircled us.

I hurriedly stopped them and explained that we needed the gatekeepers’ permission before we could go inside.

The gatekeepers pointed toward the entrance leading down into the collapsed temple’s underground, then lined up on both sides as if telling us to approach one by one.

Kang Ha-neul hesitated for a moment, rolled down the window, and clicked his tongue.

“Tch. These things corrupted by the Gate think they can test us? As long as we kill the boss, we can leave anyway, right?”

“Our goal isn’t to rush in, kill the boss, and leave like usual. We actually need to use this place for as long as possible.”

“So you want me to go get judged by these things?”

“You’re the most reliable among us, so I think you’re the best choice.”

For now, using Kang Ha-neul as bait seemed like the safest option.

I’d never seen how these gatekeepers tested people, so I decided to play it safe.

He walked forward with clear displeasure, and three gatekeepers stepped up, raising their staffs.

They poked at his shoulders and calves, then each muttered something unintelligible.

“A body toughened through years of training… yet skills dulled from overworking the flesh… Evande.”

“Rare bloodline awakened with Stormcloud power… yet insufficient talent to serve the Grand Duke… Evande.”

“A diligent and determined mind… but a soul neither sharp nor noble—merely ordinary… Evande.”

Evande—Evande—Evande.

After chanting the mysterious word, the gatekeepers tapped their staffs on the ground three times and made a solemn declaration.

“By three strikes: Ava—entry to the temple is denied.”

“…What?”

“Pretty sure that means you can’t go in.”

Their ancient-sounding language somehow reminded me of the nonsense Mala-nim used to blurt out in the Special Unit message board back when she was obsessed with the smartwatch.

Evande.

I didn’t know the exact meaning, but it was probably something like “unworthy to swear eternal loyalty to the Archduke of Necromancy.”

In other words, rejection.

When even Kang Ha-neul—one of Division 3’s most senior members—was denied, unease spread through the ranks.

While everyone hesitated, one person boldly stepped forward: Alexei.

With a massive axe strapped to his waist, he shouted at the gatekeepers with confidence.

“Next is me, wicked gatekeepers! Witness the greatness of Alexei Mikhail Gorgochov!”

And so his evaluation began.

The gatekeepers circled around him, then three of them raised their staffs just like before.

Poke poke.

Murmur murmur.

Evande. Evande.

Two shook their heads, but the last one nodded in satisfaction at Alexei’s bulky muscles.

“Monstrous strength without limits, endurance that does not break… One who knows the weight of what he wields… Neujo!”

“Neujo?”

“Neujo! Neujo!”

A gatekeeper flapped its hand toward the entrance as if saying, “Hurry along.”

Judging by their reaction, Neujo probably meant “pass.”

The others stepped aside, allowing Alexei through.

So that was how it worked.

Body, mind, or awakened ability.

If you surpassed the threshold in even one of those three areas, entry was granted.

Realizing this, everyone’s expressions brightened, and they all started volunteering at once.

“Me next! I’m going first!”

“Wait! We should go by seniority!”

“Maintain order! Form a line first!”

“What’s all this noise? Everyone calm down!”

With Yoo Se-byeol mediating, all of Division 3 took turns receiving the test.

More people passed than expected, though quite a few failed like Kang Ha-neul.

Roughly a seven-to-three ratio.

For over half of fifty members to qualify, it meant Division 3 had been training hard.

“Guess I’m next.”

When most of the group had finished their evaluations, Llruyeh stepped forward.

The air trembled from the magic carried in her voice alone.

Seeing her gather power, the gatekeepers all hurriedly looked away, pretending to be distracted.

Not a single one lifted their staff from the ground.

“……”

“……”

“…Next.”

After ignoring Llruyeh as if she were invisible, they stayed quiet for a long time before muttering softly.

It seemed that a transcendent-level awakened was too terrifying for them to poke and “evaluate” with a staff.

Their fear felt learned, as if they had already experienced this kind of ordeal before.

With such overwhelming power displayed openly, Llruyeh essentially received a free pass without any evaluation.

But one member triggered a far stranger reaction: Yoo Se-byeol.

“H-hey, what about me? Do I… qualify?”

“Hmmm…”

“Hmmm…?”

Unlike before, the gatekeepers poked her repeatedly with exaggeratedly troubled gestures.

Even the others gathered around, huddling together while letting out long, conflicted groans.

It was like watching predators hesitate over prey that might be poisonous.

The sight alone made everyone tense for no reason.

“A balanced body and exceptional reflexes… yet a mind unstable and extreme, at odds with a pure body… hmmm?”

“The art of cutting space itself… a life prolonged through atonement for past sins… mm?”

“A hidden ranking of soul-force beneath the surface… hoh!”

Unlike before, when they neatly evaluated body, mind, and ability, their comments were completely mixed up.

After much hesitation, they retreated behind a fallen pillar, had a very serious discussion, then returned.

Then, with an expression that looked thoroughly dissatisfied, they pointed toward the entrance.

“Tsk.”

“Tsk… pass.”

“Th-thank you…!”

The result wasn’t “Evande” or “Neujo”—just a plain pass.

If they were going to do that, they didn’t need the ancient language to begin with.

In any case, even Yoo Se-byeol finished safely and let out a relieved breath. That left only one person untested.

“Is that everyone? Who’s left?”

“I haven’t gone yet.”

That was me.