MTLNOVEL Chapter 14
‘Just dipping my toes in.’
I’ll back out immediately if there’s even a hint of danger.
Having summoned both Napoleon’s Rifle and the Twin Dragon Sword, I gazed at my Status Window, fully prepared.
==
Special Gate: Myeongnyang
[Entry Condition: Joseon Era Artifact]
[Entry condition met.]
Would you like to enter?
“Yes.”
You have to physically go to the location where the Gate is open and step through it.
Isn’t diving into a vortex how you enter Myeongnyang?
But since this was a quest, selecting it alone seemed to be enough for me to enter.
==
Entering Special Gate: Myeongnyang.
==
“Whooaa!”
For an instant, the space turned pitch black, and water rushed into my mouth and nose.
The Myeongnyang Gate was completely submerged underwater.
‘Crap!’
As regret for coming here and fear of death washed over me, the Twin Dragon Sword cried out, pushing the water away.
“Hack!”
I spat out the seawater and the lingering saltiness in my mouth.
“Ugh, almost had a heart attack there.”
Looking around while catching my breath, the area was filled with sunken ship fragments.
Judging from the fact that I could feel the ground beneath my feet, this was the ocean floor.
The faintly glowing Twin Dragon Sword illuminated the dark seabed.
“I see why they said it’s un-clearable now.”
The moment I entered, I understood why even the big three guilds and nations abandoned attempting this Myeongnyang Gate.
‘You need to breathe to clear it, after all.’
Humans, being land creatures, can’t breathe underwater unless they somehow grow gills.
And anyway, this place wasn’t one where you could bring an oxygen tank.
The “magic pressure” here was intense.
Just as water pressure increases the deeper you dive, the “magic pressure” here was no joke.
An oxygen tank would crumple and explode the moment you stepped into the gate.
Of course, high-level players could endure such magic pressure, but only to a certain extent.
To clear the gate, you’d have to fight off monsters and find the boss room—but how easy is that when you’re holding your breath and enduring crushing magic pressure?
You’d drown before even reaching the boss room.
‘Not even beer bottles around here to try with.’
And on top of that, you’d need to know how to swim since it’s underwater.
That’s why, despite having simple entry conditions, Myeongnyang remained an uncleared special gate.
But I didn’t need to hold my breath or swim because I had the Twin Dragon Sword. For some reason, the water automatically parted around me.
“All I gotta do is find the boss room then.”
Walking casually along the ocean floor, I approached the nearest wrecked ship. Since time was abundant, I figured I could take my sweet time searching.
However, Myeongnyang wasn’t as easy as I’d imagined.
Creeeak—
“…Hmm, guess I should leave.”
A skeletal soldier dressed in Joseon navy attire stared at me. The red glow in his eye sockets sent shivers down my spine.
[Wraith Skeleton]
[B-Rank]
The Wraith Skeleton was a B-Rank monster—an undead spirit unable to pass on due to unresolved grievances.
Defeating it would require multiple B-Rank Hunters or an A-Rank Hunter.
Yet here in Myeongnyang, these Wraith Skeletons were common enemies, acting like mini-bosses in other gates.
‘Difficulty D? Pfft.’
This deserved way more than an S-Rank rating.
Realizing my mistake, I prepared to retreat immediately.
Naturally, the Wraith Skeleton wasn’t about to let me go so easily.
Creeeak—
Holding up its worn Hwandou saber, the skeleton tensed as I watched carefully.
But then…
Creeeeek—
“?”
The skeleton suddenly began shaking its arm as if malfunctioning, then lowered it entirely.
“What the…”
Confused by the non-aggressive Wraith Skeleton, I blinked repeatedly.
It was then I noticed the Twin Dragon Sword humming softly.
Hummm—
Lifting the Twin Dragon Sword, the Wraith Skeleton bowed deeply to me, like a soldier saluting their superior officer.
‘Could it be…’
On a whim, I showed the sword to another Wraith Skeleton nearby, who reacted similarly by bowing deeply.
“So that’s why it was ranked D.”
The ships scattered across the seabed were remnants of the Joseon and Japanese fleets that sank during the Battle of Myeongnyang.
And the deceased Joseon navy soldiers had apparently become Wraith Skeletons guarding these wrecks.
Naturally, they recognized the Twin Dragon Sword as Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s blade and thus wouldn’t attack me.
It was a touching realization.
After all, these Wraith Skeletons were once the sailors who fought alongside me in the Battle of Myeongnyang—even if the world I experienced existed in a parallel universe.
“This’ll be easy then.”
I wandered among the sunken ships, gathering all the Wraith Skeletons.
A massive army of 80 B-Rank Wraith Skeletons lined up behind me, including one dressed in a commander’s uniform.
Though I couldn’t recognize him due to his skeletal state, he felt incredibly reliable.
“Let’s go, General.”
Creeeak—
The commander led me toward the Japanese warship where the boss awaited.
‘No way we lose with this setup.’
Though I didn’t know what the boss was, bringing along 80 B-Rank Wraith Skeletons made defeat unimaginable.
On the deck of the sunken Japanese warship, Japanese Wraith Skeletons patrolled.
Creeeak—!
Upon spotting me, one charged with its katana drawn.
But I didn’t need to intervene.
Crunch—!
The Joseon commander swung his Hwandou, cleaving the Japanese skeleton’s skull in two.
“Wow, our commander’s strong!”
As the skeleton fell, other Japanese Wraith Skeletons rushed in, starting an unexpected skirmish.
However, there were barely ten Japanese skeletons compared to the 80 Joseon ones I’d gathered.
They stood no chance.
In no time, we cleared the deck and ventured inside the ship.
The interior of the vessel was inexplicably vast, as if twisted by magic.
At the center of the darkened hull stood a shadowy Wraith Skeleton casting ominous black energy.
A pitch-black skeleton dressed in traditional samurai armor.
‘Whoa, it’s a Black Wraith Skeleton.’
While regular Wraith Skeletons are undead spirits unable to pass on due to unresolved grudges, Black Wraith Skeletons possess even stronger willpower.
An A-Rank monster: the Black Wraith Skeleton.
It turned to me upon sensing the aura of the Twin Dragon Sword.
─り..しゅんしん…!
Though difficult to understand in Japanese, it seemed to be calling out Yi Sun-sin’s name.
The skeleton pointed its katana at me, and the battle commenced.
Clang! Clang! Crunch—!
80 Joseon Wraith Skeletons clashed against the single Japanese general Black Wraith Skeleton.
‘Hmm, we’re getting pushed back slightly?’
I thought overwhelming numbers would suffice, but an A-Rank monster wasn’t to be underestimated.
─くぅ…!
As the Black Wraith Skeleton’s armor shattered, more skeletons fell under its blade.
Black mana seeped ominously from the cracks in its broken armor.
‘Damn, it’s strong.’
Surely we weren’t losing, right?
Just as I started feeling anxious…
─The Twin Dragon Sword detects a naval battle.
A status message appeared, and the Twin Dragon Sword unlocked a special ability.
==
【Invincible Admiral】
Yi Sun-sin never experienced a single defeat in naval battles.
==
Hummm—
The blue light emanating from the Twin Dragon Sword enveloped the Joseon Wraith Skeletons.
The previously struggling Black Wraith Skeleton began retreating.
─くぅぅっ…!
“Oh, it’s a buff?”
The Joseon skeletons moved far more agilely than before.
But it wasn’t just them receiving the boost.
The Twin Dragon Sword, once hard to wield, became lighter as if weightless.
‘Guess I can join in too?’
Even without my interference, the Black Wraith Skeleton would likely fall to the overwhelming numbers of Joseon skeletons.
Its sturdy armor was mostly destroyed, its skull cracked, and it looked ready to collapse with a slight tap.
‘Can’t end it like this; my pride won’t allow it.’
Summoning courage, I raised the Twin Dragon Sword.
─くおおぉ!
‘Should I wait a bit longer?’
With its last ounce of strength, the Black Wraith Skeleton pushed back the Joseon skeletons.
But it was its final stand, as it gradually weakened and retreated.
‘Now!’
Taking advantage of the moment it was pinned by the skeletons, I swung the Twin Dragon Sword with all my might at its exposed back skull.
Crunch—!
A satisfying impact sound echoed as the Black Wraith Skeleton’s skull disintegrated.
[You have defeated Shogun Kurushima Michifusa!]
[Myeongnyang Gate cleared.]
[Clear Grade: SSS]
The clearance message appeared.
And then…
[Joseon Navy begins passing on.]
The Wraith Skeletons crumbled, releasing the souls trapped within.
The souls revealed their human forms from life.
‘Wait, isn’t that uncle…’
Spotting the soul emerging from the collapsed commander skeleton, I widened my eyes.
─Hey, you there! What are you doing?! Come help load the cannon!
It was the same commander who forced me to carry a cannon during the Battle of Myeongnyang.
Familiar faces didn’t stop there.
─If I can fight alongside the admiral, I gladly offer my life!
A farmer who left his plow in Jinju to follow Yi Sun-sin.
─Fire one more shot at that ship!
A sailor urging me to fire the cannon.
─Captain Choi, come this way.
The manho captain who ferried me to the fast ship…
Each face came vividly to mind.
Bound beneath the sea for six centuries since the Battle of Myeongnyang, they ascended peacefully to the heavens.
Then the gate clearance reward list unfolded.
[A-Rank Great Adamantine Fist]
[A-Rank Vacuum Slash]
[A-Rank Shadow Concealment]
“Whoa.”
The rewards were jaw-dropping.
All A-Rank skills.
Definitely worth the effort.
Of course, I couldn’t claim all of them; I had to choose one.
‘This has to be Shadow Concealment.’
Great Adamantine Fist was clearly a martial arts skill, irrelevant for someone like me who uses artifacts.
Vacuum Slash, a slashing technique, was unnecessary with both the Twin Dragon Sword and Napoleon’s Rifle in my arsenal.
Shadow Concealment, however, was highly versatile.
Dodging enemy attacks made it invaluable.
[You have learned Shadow Concealment.]
[Shadow Concealment has been added to your skill list.]
==
◆Skill List
─Emotion (E)
─Shadow Concealment (A)
─Connector of Transcendents (EX)
==
Following the addition of Shadow Concealment, a rusted Hwandou saber dropped.
==
「Old Worn Hwandou」
Artifact Rank: Epic
─Seems useful for clearing a specific gate.
==
This was the Hwandou used by An Ui, Yi Sun-sin’s right-hand man.
A mighty Epic artifact, though its poor condition suggested it had little durability left.
Even if it was supposedly helpful for specific gates, it felt like nothing more than a downgrade to my Twin Dragon Sword.
“Useless.”
I tossed the old Hwandou carelessly into my bag, deciding to sell it later.
Writing my username in the clearance record,
[Myeongnyang Gate Cleared By: Connector]
[Grade: SSS]
Marked the first-ever successful clearance of the Myeongnyang Gate.