15. Gate Boss (1)
Only one monster remained.
Its name, abilities—unknown. All that could be gathered with the help of a drone borrowed from the Association was that it was a Living Knight wielding a peculiar sword.
“Well, since it’s the Gate Boss, it’s bound to be stronger than your average Living Knight.”
Munch. Munch.
Right in front of the boss room.
Kim Suho plopped down just outside the ornate door and began eating his meal.
—Nyaaang.
Sarang, his companion, was of the undead race. But in appearance, she looked much like a cat. Her tastes mirrored that too—she had a deep love for cat food.
The problem? She was ridiculously picky and would only eat the expensive wet kind.
Plop.
After finishing her meal, Sarang pressed her paw firmly against Kim Suho’s thigh.
—Nyaaang.
Snack. Now.
“…Sigh.”
With a deep breath, Kim Suho pulled out a Churu treat, snipped the top off with scissors, and handed it over to Sarang. Then he took a bite of his own—sweet potato veggie fritters.
“What’s the best approach here…”
When he used the drone to scout the boss, Kim Suho had asked Soma if taking it down was possible. Soma had said it was—if everyone went all-in together.
“Hmmm…”
Was there a way to make this boss fight easier?
As he ate, Kim Suho stared at the massive door, then slowly turned his gaze.
Charming, the True Demon King, was soaking her body in a clean bowl of water. Beside her stood Soma, the True Demon Swordsman.
“Hmmm…”
Soma was a master swordsman, and served as Kim Suho’s front-line partner.
“Hmmm…”
Sarang, the undead cat, was a powerful fire mage. Not only could she control flames freely, she could enchant objects with fire.
And finally—
“…”
Charming, the True Demon King.
“Hrrrrngh…”
She provided support, albeit indirectly.
“She’s got her Royal Domain and Plant King skills, at least.”
Charming could weaken monsters through her powers. But there was a catch—it took time to purify the land before the skills became effective.
“Alright.”
Clack.
Kim Suho packed away the lunchbox, Sarang’s food bowl, and the demon tribe’s water bowl into his backpack.
“Let’s give it a shot. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll try again later.”
He had already spent way too long in this Gate clearing monsters. No major injuries, sure—but mentally? He was drained.
“Let’s end this quick.”
He glanced at his summons. They nodded in agreement. Kim Suho opened the door.
Creeeeak!
“A banquet hall…?”
An enormous room. A grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling. A shattered round table at its center.
Kim Suho scanned the room, and finally laid eyes on the knight standing guard over a giant gemstone.
The Living Knight holding a black sword stared directly at Kim Suho the moment he stepped into the room.
Exhale.
The Gate Boss’s role was to protect the Gate Core. It wouldn’t move until an enemy stepped into its territory.
Would it return to its post if drawn out?
No. A Gate Boss would only return after defeating the intruder.
Vrrrrrm.
As Kim Suho took slow, deliberate steps toward it, black mana began to swirl around the boss’s sword.
—Ma.
Soma thumped Kim Suho on the neck, hard.
“Yeah… I felt it too.”
Even without Soma’s warning, he’d already decided to stop advancing.
Sword aura.
The Living Knight had coated its weapon in black energy.
“….”
“….”
But since Kim Suho hadn’t crossed into its domain yet, the knight didn’t move.
Step.
He turned and stepped back.
Carefully. Just as he had approached, he now backed away—step by cautious step.
Once back in the hallway, he spoke.
“Charming, Soma. Could you close the door for me?”
Even outside the room, Kim Suho could still feel the Living Knight’s unyielding gaze. He asked his summons to shut the door.
They stretched out their arms and pulled it closed.
Phew.
That was no ordinary stare. It weighed on him—like a physical burden.
“Is that… its ability?”
—Nyaaang.
Murderous intent.
“…Murderous intent.”
He’d suspected it from the chill he felt—but hadn’t expected it to affect him physically.
“Is it because of the mana?”
His summons nodded.
When mana was involved, that killing intent could exert real pressure on the body.
Good to know.
“How do you block it?”
—Nyaaang.
You counter it—with your own mana.
—NyaaAAAng.
Though, if your opponent is way out of your league, blocking it becomes much harder.
“Can I handle it right now?”
Sarang nodded.
“Okay then.”
Once the Gate Boss is defeated, the dark veil around the core disappears, and the Gate Core becomes fragile—so fragile, even light contact can destroy it.
“Alright. Charming.”
—Maaa!
“Go have some fun.”
—…Maa?
“Yeah. Use Domain of the King and Plant King starting from the castle center. It’s safer to take out the boss first than to sneak past it for the core.”
—….
“So yeah. Go play.”
—…Maaa!
Last time, when they activated Domain of the King and Plant King in the castle gardens, all the Living Knights swarmed out and attacked.
“But the boss didn’t move. That’s what’s important.”
To Charming, purifying the land was like playing a game. So when Kim Suho asked her again, she happily agreed.
—Nyaaang.
Then what do we do?
Lying across his head, Sarang meowed.
Kim Suho’s eyes gleamed.
“Make money.”
—…Nyaaang?
“Yep. Time to make some cash.”
Near the Gate Core—and around the boss—mana gathers in high concentrations. Thanks to that, you can easily find rare spirit herbs, soul fruits, and artifacts in the area.
“Your wet food budget depends on it.”
—Nyaaang.
Didn’t we already make a bunch?
“The government’s gonna cut off the orphanage’s funding within the month.”
—…Nyaaang?
They’re cutting it? Why?
The government would stop sending support funds to Sky’s Home orphanage.
“Because I’m here.”
Hunter Kim Suho was living with them. The government would assume that with a capable Hunter around, the orphanage could support itself.
“To be precise, it’s not a cut.”
The money will be redirected—to other orphanages.
—Nyaaang.
And you’re okay with that?
“I’m fine. I expected this.”
No complaints. After all, Sky’s Home wasn’t the only place struggling financially.
—Nyaaang.
Sarang flicked her tail, smacking Kim Suho on the back of the head, then pointed with her front paw at a dusty longsword and shield hanging on the wall.
“An artifact?”
—Nyaaang.
Kim Suho examined them.
The longsword was made of a high mana-conductive ore. Same with the shield.
“They’re probably okay to break down?”
—Nyaaang.
Yep. No problem.
He tore down a curtain and spread it on the floor.
Sarang would do the first scan—checking if the item absorbed mana. Then Kim Suho would do a second check using his appraisal system. If it had value, he’d place it on the curtain; if not, he left it.
They searched the castle until Charming and Soma returned.
Artifacts that absorbed monster mana and gained effects would lose them if broken—so they were avoided.
Any item with phrases like “possessed by evil spirits” in the description was also rejected.
Name: Spare Shield of a Noble House Description: A backup shield used by a knight of a now-extinct noble family, erased from history.
Only items with no mention of curses or spirits were collected.
—Maaa! Maaa!
“All done?”
—Maaa!
“Let’s see…”
Charming and Soma’s return meant they had finished casting Royal Domain and Plant King across the castle. The air felt cleaner, mana regenerated faster, and the foul stench was fading.
Combat prep: complete. Castle search: complete. Mana levels…
Munching on some corn from his bag, Kim Suho checked his mana one last time when he reached the boss room.
“Perfect.”
They’d covered the entire castle and even extended skills to the first floor, knowing the Gate Boss was on the second.
This was life or death. No such thing as overpreparing.
“Let’s leave the loot bag here.”
Plenty of guilds post their Gate clears online for promotion, so Kim Suho already knew how this would play out.
Defeat the Gate Boss → destroy the Gate Core → system message of success → and finally, the Gate exit opens.
He set down both the artifact-filled curtain and his backpack near the door.
Inhale. Exhale.
It was time.
Creeeeak.
With his level capped, this was his only chance.
Creeeeak.
Kim Suho entered the banquet hall, locking eyes with the black-sword-wielding Living Knight.
The castle—inside and out—was now purified. As Kim Suho closed the distance, the black mana on the Living Knight’s sword began to surge.
“It worked.”
The dark energy seeped into the ground. Had they purified only the first floor, it would’ve already reverted.
The knight’s head tilted slightly—his gaze now locked not on Kim Suho, but on Charming, who had climbed from Suho’s shoulder to his chest pocket.
Wham!
Did he consider Charming’s skills a threat?
The Living Knight exploded forward, charging at Kim Suho with his sword.
“Soma!”
From the start, the knight unleashed black mana in every direction. Suho called out as he slashed diagonally.
Soma followed suit, coating his wooden sword in aura and mimicking the same path.
Two swords. Same speed. Same trajectory.
They clashed with the incoming black blade.
BOOOM!
A thunderous explosion.
Both Kim Suho and the knight were sent skidding backward.
“Charming! Sarang! Hold on tight!”
Warning issued, Kim Suho dashed back into the fray.
Shhhh—BOOM!
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