Lv.99 Princess of Dark Flames (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 9

Whoosh—

The hem of her dress traced a dark and beautiful wave. And through it—

Shwoosh!

A fireball shot in. Its speed alone was astonishing.

‘Not a good opponent.’

An ice shield taller than Shin Si Woo’s own height rose before him. Before its chilling cold, the boldly launched fireball extinguished like a candle flame.

Papapabat!

Simultaneously, ice shards shaped like beast fangs stormed toward Eun Ha.

Yet Eun Ha effortlessly dodged them all and muttered expressionlessly,

“You won’t be able to kill me by hiding behind a shield.”

Her flat, emotionless tone betrayed no hint of anxiety.

Shin Si Woo behind the shield was no different. He calmly watched the floor.

The ice shield, struck by the fireball, slowly melted, drops of water pattering down. The moment the last drop fell into the puddle gathered on the floor—

Shweeeek—

A jet of water surged forth as if imbued with a soul, instantly lashing toward Eun Ha.

“…!”

Water? Not ice?

She reflexively breathed fire, but it snuffed out helplessly, like a candle before a fire extinguisher. Unlike the simple ice shards earlier, this carried tremendous force.

Tch. Eun Ha clicked her tongue belatedly, just as she swiftly kicked off the ground to leap into the air.

Jigun—

A sudden headache made her stagger. The water jet, twisting like a serpent, seized that fleeting opening and instantly coiled around Eun Ha’s neck.

‘Damn it…!’

It was already too late by the time she realized. Of all times, a headache now—and on top of that, he could control water too?

She’d been careless. Too accustomed to beast-type monsters inside the Gate. Her worsening physical condition lately hadn’t helped either.

Undoubtedly, the youth before her was strong—perhaps the strongest opponent Eun Ha had ever faced.

But that didn’t mean she couldn’t win. This was merely a lapse in vigilance.

The water jet thickened into a heavy rope, mercilessly strangling Eun Ha’s neck. Before she could tear it away, it swelled further, sealing her mouth and then her nose in turn.

‘I can’t breathe…!’

Bubbles gurgled out stubbornly through her tightly clenched lips.

Was she going to die like this? The thought drifted faintly through her mind.

Suffocation or drowning—she’d never imagined her death would come in such a way. And at a human’s hands? What a farce.

Amid her blurring consciousness, the cold gravestone of her mother suddenly surfaced.

Eun Ha.

Eun Ha.

Time for school.

Eun Ha…

…

Ding.

[Divine Beast ‘Wandering Cat of Darkness’ looks at you anxiously.] [Sister, don’t—.] [Deep concern ripples in its golden eyes.]

Her vision gradually grew hazy.

[The fur of Divine Beast ‘Wandering Cat of Darkness’ begins to glow brightly.] [Congratulations! You’ve obtained the ‘Bl—’ of ‘—ack—’!]

The water enveloping her entire face made reading the text impossible.

‘No… more, Eun.’

The very instant Eun Ha squeezed her eyes shut—

Something cold touched her forehead.

Paaat!

Suddenly, her entire vision turned black. The water blocking her eyes, nose, and mouth vanished, and she could finally breathe again.

‘…What happened?’

She blinked. Everything ahead remained pitch black.

Only the message window floating before her eyes was clear enough to read.

[Hidden achievement ‘Equip the Five Blackened Treasures’ completed.] [Achievement reward granted.] [ Loading ]

‘…Achievement? A reward?’

Flustered, Eun Ha began patting her body and face. Soon, she realized she was wearing something cold and metallic atop her head.

The fifth item.

Without a doubt—this was precisely the fifth item she’d searched for so desperately. Eun Ha was certain.

‘So the cat… had it all along?’

At the end of the flood of questions filling her mind, a wave of deflation crashed over her.

[Congratulations! Title ‘Black Flame Princess’ acquired. Use immediately? ▶ Yes / No]

No—first, she needed to sort out the current situation. She didn’t know what effect the title would have, but to overcome the formidable foe before her, she’d grasp at any straw.

Without hesitation, Eun Ha placed her finger on the ‘Yes’ button.

Ding.

[Using title ‘Black Flame Princess’.]

Another message window overlaid the first.

[Your unique ability has evolved.] [Flame (火焰) ▶ Black Flame (黑焰)]

With that, the darkness enveloping Eun Ha vanished in an instant, like receding tide.

“…You.”

Shin Si Woo, his expression now altered, came into view.

“Where did you disappear to?”

Instead of answering, Eun Ha gently touched her head. The cool sensation of the tiara against her fingertips felt vividly real. So it hadn’t been an illusion after all.

Pat!

Without even opening her palms, flames summoned themselves onto both shoulders. All she needed was to will it.

The sentient flames flew toward the enemy before her, obeying their master’s intent.

“…!”

This speed was on another level entirely. Shin Si Woo barely managed to raise his ice shield in time and realized her flames had turned black.

The black flames she’d unleashed showed no sign of extinguishing upon touching ice—it was clearly no ordinary fire.

The moment he faced those pitch-black, roaring flames, a long-forgotten memory flickered through his mind.

‘The Black Flame Princess?’

It was a tale once told by a middle-aged hunter he’d chanced to speak with.

‘They say she speaks human language and is so beautiful she can bewitch hunters. If you ever meet that monster, don’t even look back—just run. Her black flames burn even souls.’

Humans are a race that feels both fear and curiosity toward the unknown. Rumors and speculation about Gates and monsters were only natural.

“The Black Flame Princess”? Such a childish name it was almost embarrassing. He’d dismissed it as just another monster version of those old fads—the red mask or the Hong Kong granny ghost…

Shin Si Woo lifted his head and looked at the humanoid monster before him.

“…Black Flame Princess.”

At that, her expression twisted strangely.

He couldn’t read what she was thinking. Shin Si Woo clenched his fist.

A sealed Gate. An overwhelmingly powerful opponent he couldn’t beat. The dizzying stench of blood. His fingertips growing cold.

All of it forcibly dredged up unpleasant memories buried beneath eternal snow.

Without waiting for the other, both resumed their assault.

Dark blue sparks flew everywhere. Inside the Gate, where water and fire mingled perfectly, the stage was set for a dramatic confrontation.

Ding.

[12th Divine Beast ‘Guardian Hound of Deep Night’ bares its fangs.] [It senses a strong feline scent from that woman and grows highly wary.]

‘…A cat?’

Shin Si Woo glanced at her sideways. Even upon second look, she was clearly a humanoid monster—certainly not a beast-type.

He had no time to leisurely observe her. Straightening his momentarily relaxed eyes, Shin Si Woo gestured toward the floor.

Water around them began rising drop by drop. The droplets gathered beside him, soon forming a towering waterspout.

Thanks to the flames, the surrounding ice melted like ice cream. Being able to summon such a massive waterspout was a stroke of luck for him.

Swoooosh—

The waterspout charged ferociously toward its motionless prey—more like a tsunami than a mere spray.

He watched clearly as she was swallowed by the tidal wave. Yet—

‘She didn’t dodge.’

Meaning she didn’t need to.

Shin Si Woo remained on guard. As if confirming his suspicion, the tsunami that had engulfed her began thrashing violently.

Paaaat!

Half of it evaporated instantly; the other half scattered in all directions, spewing scalding steam.

Droplets hitting the floor hissed loudly, releasing bursts of steam—anyone touching them would surely suffer severe burns.

Just as Shin Si Woo took a step back—

“I wanted to talk to you.”

A low voice came from behind—so close it made the fine hairs in his ears stand on end.

Unconsciously swallowing dryly, Shin Si Woo glanced over his shoulder.

There stood a woman, both pitch black and snow white, smiling.

The moment he met that bewitching, otherworldly smile, his breath caught.

‘Is this the end?’

For the first time, ‘death’—something he’d never once considered or imagined—took tangible form before his eyes.

“Truth is, I must’ve missed humans.”

His left cheek suddenly burned hot. In his left vision, impossibly dark black flames danced.

And in the next instant—

Thud—

“…”

She collapsed.

“…?”

That is—she, the humanoid monster, not himself.

Shin Si Woo stood rigid, staring at the black hair streaming down his shoulder.

She lay motionless on the floor, like a broken wind-up doll.

‘If… she hadn’t collapsed.’

Cold sweat trickled down his spine. For a while, Shin Si Woo stood rooted like a wooden totem, blankly staring at the back of her head.

‘Is she dead?’

No—she still seemed to have the faintest breath.

Kugugu.

From afar came the sound of the Gate’s exit opening.

Why was the exit opening when the boss wasn’t dead yet? Puzzled, Shin Si Woo reached toward her to check—

Twinkle.

A small light glinted near her neck. Beneath a strangely shaped pendant lay something flat.

‘…This is.’

Shin Si Woo’s hand froze midair.

—A golden dog tag.

The symbol of a Hunter.