Black Gate Conquest

The moment I crossed the Gate, what I felt was mana containing death.

‘This is my first time in a place filled with black mana.’

I wondered why this kind of Gate had appeared, and on the other hand, I even wanted to soothe the Church of Ruin bastards and find out the method for creating this kind of Gate.

I immediately released mana and examined the surroundings, judging that if there were enemies or new presences nearby, problems could arise when I took out the mobile Magic Tower. The enormous, dense mana naturally made me admire it.

‘It would be nice if I could absorb this quickly….’

First of all, since it was black mana in a state bound to someone, I had to begin by taking away the authority over it.

In common terms, it was hunting.

I thought that if someone could freely handle this much black mana, they might at least be an 8th Circle Lich. However, I also had to keep in mind the possibility that a monster with power even greater than that existed, so after first confirming that there was nothing around, I opened my Sub-space and activated the mobile Magic Tower.

Like that, the people came outside, and after being horrified by the fact that the internal environment of the Gate was the worst, they gathered around me.

“…Have you ever seen a Gate like this?”

At Ben Smith’s question, I shook my head.

“It is a Gate whose size appears to be at least Grade 8. I cannot even estimate how many victims would have to be made to fill a Gate like this with black mana of this density.”

Since black mana could be produced based on victims, I said it that way. Just then, the black mage from Iceland also seemed to understand my words and revealed displeasure.

“It is certain that most of the citizens of Iceland were sacrificed. Perhaps the method of creating a Gate like this itself is based on an enormous number of sacrifices.”

It probably was not wrong. I had actually felt countless deaths.

I moved my feet, and as people followed after me, they gradually began frowning.

The smell of rotting corpses had begun to vibrate through the air.

I could not even estimate how many deaths had to continue for a smell of this degree to fill a space, but at the place where my steps stopped, most people could not hold back their retching.

‘This is serious. Even I, who am used to death, feel like retching.’

Tens of thousands of corpses were spread across the ground. I could not even gauge what that meant. At that moment, Ben drew his sword and said,

“Something… is coming.”

There were several presences rapidly approaching this way.

I did not know if they were enemies, or if the Sea Sun Brigade that had hidden inside had sensed something and was approaching, but the members of the Sea Sun Brigade nervously took out their respective weapons, and the black mages who had followed me also prepared their respective magic.

Then, when I saw Go Yu-jin trying to take out Keltium, I shook my head.

“Let’s be more cautious about using the golem.”

“Why?”

“I’m worried that its control authority might be taken away.”

“You’re saying there may be a black mage inside?”

“Perhaps it may be a being stronger than me.”

This degree of pressure—honestly speaking, I was certain it was a Lich. So just as I was thinking of countermeasures, Ben leaped out to the side, and the moment he collided with the person approaching, Ben’s voice rang out.

“Luka!!”

Ben shouted as though it was a familiar face and supported the other person. The other person also recognized Ben, then collapsed on the spot and laughed stupidly.

“Why are you only coming now, you son of a bitch!!”

“There was a restriction on entering through the entrance. What on earth happened?!”

At that moment, members of the Sea Sun Brigade appeared one after another from other directions as well.

‘They must have enough ability to survive even in this environment. But their numbers are small.’

They had said that more than thirty people had entered inside.

However, fewer than ten people had come.

More could come with time, but even then, I could no longer feel any presences approaching.

It would be fine to spread mana waves and examine the situation, but if I did that, the enemy would also be able to pinpoint us.

“…Everyone is dead or injured. The survivors only managed to live because Kasim sacrificed himself to buy time.”

The appearances of the people who had actually approached were in a seriously terrible state.

Moreover, the woman named Luka had a large wound on her side, and since it looked as though something like a sharp claw had torn through her, I pointed at that part and said,

“Recovering the people comes first. I will prepare a barrier, so begin treatment.”

At those words, Ben expressed his thanks.

Since there was no particular need to consume my own mana, I used resonance. In an instant, an enormous amount of mana formed and gathered, and when I deployed the barrier, Marcelo approached with a surprised expression.

“That is a remarkable method. It seems your realization is different from mine.”

“What realization you obtained is not important. After all, you and I are walking different paths.”

“I know. But there does seem to be something to learn. Are you manifesting will externally?”

Marcelo grasped the core of resonance in that brief instant.

Even so, whether he could actually succeed in doing it was unknown.

For now, I nodded, and Marcelo, who closed his eyes for a moment and tried something, eventually clicked his tongue.

“It is difficult. Raising will externally itself is difficult. It seems possible to release even a little mana, then strongly manifest will in that mana and transform its structure into the form of a Mana Accumulation Circle to draw in mana, but that would be different from your method, correct?”

The fact that he had attempted it in that short time was enough to show just how remarkable Marcelo’s realm was.

He was a person so remarkable that it almost made me feel displeasure.

However, the fact that such a remarkable person was an ally was also reassuring. I looked back at the elites of the Sea Sun Brigade, known as the hero party, and after finishing the barrier, I spoke.

“It should withstand at least one powerful attack. Focus on treatment.”

At that moment, the Saintesses of each order stepped forward competitively and began treating the injured.

When divinity was used, the black mana filling the surroundings was pushed back as though screaming.

Just as I thought that sight resembled a living creature, Marcelo asked me nervously,

“Is it possible for black mana to show this kind of movement?”

What had he felt?

“Is it because it seems like a living creature?”

“Yes. I have occasionally discussed each of our attributes with black mages, but no one has ever mentioned this kind of behavioral pattern from black mana.”

It was actually a phenomenon I was experiencing for the first time as well. However, I reached out my hand and naturally drew in the black mana that had been pushed away, making it gather above my palm.

“This becomes possible because the inside and outside have lost balance due to the barrier. Based on this, perhaps it would be right to think of this black mana itself as a mass of mana bound to a single will. For example, just as Chantra acts as a counter to black mana, is it not being swayed by influence?”

“Are you saying that phenomenon has now expanded and occurred?”

“To be honest, I do not think that is the correct answer, but I do believe there is a possibility.”

Once Marcelo and I began talking, all the black mages and mages around us pricked up their ears.

At that moment, Han Sang-gil quietly asked a question.

“There was someone who carried out work to turn black mana itself into a Chimera. At the time, people criticized it as an absurd theory, but in truth, it was research that had reached the conclusion that this was possible.”

“There was research like that?”

“Kassel Theory…. Correct?”

Just then, Ruth Bones opened his mouth.

He seemed to know about it.

“That is correct. Kassel was a person who turned himself into a Lich. He was also a person who tried to contribute to humanity’s development by focusing all his research until right before his consciousness became that of a monster, but at the time, his research was judged to be too dangerous, so many Awakeners joined together and eliminated him. At the time, many fields expressed regret regarding this, but since it only ended with the theory being established, no one tried to attempt it further.”

Lichification was the worst curse those who handled magic could place upon themselves.

It was partly because it was a curse premised on death, but because they would become dominated by black mana, also called the power of death, and transform into a monster as time passed, it was effectively taboo.

In reality, during the Great Cataclysm, mages and black mages who had been unjustly killed would become Liches and take revenge on the monsters that had killed them, but the problem came afterward.

That was because they themselves transformed into monsters and gave humanity even greater despair.

That was why many Awakeners who remembered that time generally considered black mages, who had caused the greatest damage, to be a necessary evil.

At that moment, when the Saintesses who had finished treatment collapsed to the ground as though exhausted, Ben approached and spoke to us.

“It is presumed that there are several Liches inside. According to testimony, the group that first attacked them had more than ten Death Knights.”

Death Knights were not beings one could think of lightly.

Depending on the material, they could possess absurd strength. And if all of Iceland had been used as a sacrifice, there was a high possibility that heroes of many battles who had once been renowned in the country had been used.

Seeing the black mage from Iceland trembling, I released the barrier and spoke.

“Before the enemy prepares and moves, it would be right for us to move first.”

“…If we split the personnel, we may be defeated individually.”

“Even if we stay gathered together, it will ultimately make the enemy’s main force gather in one place.”

“Then… what would be best?”

After thinking briefly, I spoke.

“There is one experiment I would like to try. Would you wait?”

Everyone looked puzzled at that question, and after I distanced myself from the people, I used resonance to adjust my body’s mana pattern to match this environment.

And before long, everyone looked at me with surprised expressions.

“H-How did you do that?!”

Passing by Marcelo, who looked at me as if he was the most surprised, I spoke to everyone.

“There are two operations. Either all of us gather together and strike the owner of this Gate, or I separate alone, draw attention, and you target the enemy’s rear. No matter which method we use, I will be fine, but the fact that all of you will be in danger will not change.”

“It is astonishing that I still cannot feel your presence even though you are right in front of me….”

Just then, at Ben Smith’s words, everyone nodded. At that, Han Sang-gil carefully asked,

“…You will have to pull out everything you have. Do you know that?”

“Since crossing the realm, I have not used my full strength even once. Not even against Saturn.”

After hearing my calm but confident words, Ben Smith spoke.

“It seems we have no choice but to entrust all our lives to you. I will believe in you.”

I answered the gaze and voice filled with trust.

“Let’s do that. I will see you later.”

After asking Han Sang-gil to take good care of Go Yu-jin, I spoke to Go Yu-jin as well.

“When you use the golem, you must always cast buffs first before using it. Make sure you follow that no matter what. Understood?”

“Do not worry. You should worry about yourself….”

“Trust me. I will make sure the enemies know exactly who I am.”

“I will trust you….”