Chapter 111
The massive gate began to open.
Finger Man muttered, "Feels like a final boss is about to pop out."
As the gate creaked wider, thick black mist came pouring out.
It was as if the path to hell had been unlocked.
"What in the world is this......"
The silver apostle widened their eyes in shock.
This was a situation far beyond expectations.
"Someone's there."
"Chi-chi-chi."
Finger Man and the Calamity Beast braced themselves.
Amid the billowing black mist, a human silhouette appeared.
A tall, slender woman with jet-black hair.
A small hat sat neatly atop her head.
Finger Man saw her face and remembered.
(She's the one who gave me candy back at the supply base. If I recall, her name was Jiu. I see, Daily-kun, so this too is a trial. Very well then, let's do this.)
And so, having already steeled his resolve, Finger Man restarted the channel once more to complete the Daily Mission.
"Heya, good morning, afternoon, or evening! It's your guy Finger Man! Today we're kicking off another episode of Finger Man Channel!"
His impossibly cheerful voice echoed through the black mist.
"......Finger Man? You're...... No, never mind that!"
Jiu swallowed the shocking truth that had quietly surfaced. Evacuating from here took priority.
(......There's no trace of information on Finger Man anywhere. Rank unknown, age unknown, gender unknown, skills unknown. All we know is that he's an explorer, and he's surrounded by terrifying rumors. And now, this urban legend of a being shrouded in mystery is right here. It's unbelievable. But still, as long as he's an explorer, I can't let him die for nothing.)
"Something's coming."
Apparently, Finger Man had noticed the presence behind Jiu.
"Chi-chi-chi (Translation: There's some seriously nasty monster here, chi.)"
"Gii (Translation: Ultra-dense darkness......Could it be this dungeon's already......)"
The Calamities' faces tensed with caution.
Finger Man took a step forward, ready to face it without hesitation.
Jiu grabbed his arm and raised her voice, something she rarely did. "That's not the kind of monster you think it is!"
"Jiu-san, thanks again for the candy last time."
Finger Man said in a completely flat voice.
Then added, "Leave everything here to me," as he gently pulled her shoulder.
His hand was thick. His words were warm.
"......What are you even talking about......"
"So today, we're gonna take down that black monster right there!"
"......(Seriously, what is he even saying?)"
For a brief moment, Jiu felt her heart race.
It was only for a moment, though.
Finger Man pushed up his sunglasses with a finger and stared into the darkness.
Along with the black mist, a darkness darker than black stirred.
It moved in a flash, closing in on the silver follower.
(Why is it coming for me?!)
The silver follower couldn't react.
This is death. I'm definitely going to die. Ah, I'm dead.
His instincts screamed that much.
"Hey now, don't you lay a finger on our Naked Man!"
Finger Man's voice rang out.
A violent burst of sparks flew. A heavy metallic clang echoed.
Silver radiance collided with four black claws.
The silver was Finger Man's arm.
A dull glow within the darkness—an absolute defense.
It seemed he had activated the skill 'Silver Shield'.
The owner of the black claws was darkness itself.
It had emerged from the thick mist, now clearly visible.
Its form was shaped from shadow. Like a snake, like a lizard.
Tall. Easily around 2 meters and 50 centimeters.
It moved with a slippery, elusive agility.
Wrapped in black cloth, its outline melted into the black mist.
If you looked away, you'd lose track of it instantly—it gave off no presence.
Like a master assassin.
"A lizard? Hard to make out."
Finger Man furrowed his brow.
"Gii (Translation: Maybe it's the sunglasses.)"
"Chi (Translation: Take off the sunglasses, chi.)"
"......(It's probably the sunglasses, Finger Man-san.)"
Finger Man stood protectively in front of his companions.
The silver follower was fixated on Finger Man's silverized arm.
(Why does he have that power......? No, more importantly, it's that thing. That monster—the black assassin takes priority. Just what is it?)
The silver follower was an exceptional warrior. A superhuman forged through ancient magic for the battles to come. Had they become an explorer, they'd undoubtedly be A-rank.
And yet, they couldn't react to the assassin's movements.
They couldn't even track its form with their eyes. Divine speed. That's the only way to describe it.
(That monster's form, its presence, and most of all those black claws......I get it. That must be—)
"Naked Man, looks like that thing's targeting you! Aren't you supposed to be with the dungeon side?!"
"It is darkness. Not silver."
"?"
"The dark assassin. Former enemies of the silver ones, heretical believers. They came into this dungeon to hunt divine war machines and sabotage the ritual."
"......What did you just say?"
"They came into this dungeon to sabotage the ritual."
"Before that."
"Huh? ......They hunt divine war machines......"
"Oh? Interesting. So I'm not the only one who realized this place is a bonus stage."
Finger Man swished his coat and locked eyes on the dark monster.
"If they're in the same trade, then I've got to take them down."
"......(Did he just say 'same trade'? Finger Man?)"
"We've already got enough greedy prey-snatchers with just the bean pastry."
"......(What the hell does that even mean?!)"
The silver follower furrowed their brow, unable to grasp his cryptic remark.
The black assassin vanished with a whoosh.
Its lethal claws sliced through the air, closing in.
"Excalibur."
——Snap.
A crisp, dry sound rang out.
The black monster was already right in front of them.
The standard version of 'Finger Snap Lv6' wouldn't prevent collateral damage to his companions.
So Finger Man radiated forward a fan-shaped burst of destruction, light, heat, and impact equivalent to 10 million ATK. A new explosive method he had devised.
The black mist was blasted aside and blown away, revealing a wide field of view for a moment.
The pinnacle of violence that smashes through with overwhelming force.
The deep monster was scorched by primordial annihilation and perished without resistance.
Jiu saw the light that dispelled the darkness.
The black mist was completely blown away.
Her heart, which had been trapped in despair, was saved.
The light born from his fingertips erased all anxiety and fear.
"......Excalibur......this is Finger Man......an explorer of urban legend."
Naked Man was left speechless.
Seeing the scorched, blistered silver dungeon, he realized the scene he had just witnessed wasn't a lie.
(What......what kind of joke is this......Are you telling me this is the power of a skill possessed by a single human......? Are you saying this is the power of a person? It could even kill a god......? Impossible, there's no way that could be true......It shouldn't be possible, and yet—)
Finger Man looked at the destruction, and seemed slightly dissatisfied.
Four hours earlier, upon seeing a pillar of fire rise into the sky, he had been inspired to think, "I wonder if I could make it shoot sideways."
Ideally, he had wanted to launch it like a beautiful spear, but lacking proficiency, the energy had dispersed.
The result was a fan-shaped explosion that scorched everything in front.
Finger Man slowly lowered the fingers he had snapped.
The burned plain and melted earth stretched far into the distance.
With that at his back, he muttered to himself, "Daily Mission. ......Oh, it's already up to 4 before I noticed."
"......Finger Man, just who are you......"
Jiu asked something vague.
Perhaps it was because she felt awe for the one who had summoned that divine light.
Or perhaps she simply wanted to know the name of the one who had saved her.
Maybe she wanted to project her ideal onto the one who had freed her from despair.
Finger Man pondered.
Finger Man wasn't good with high-context conversations.
So he thought and thought......then gave up on thinking.
And so, he just said what he wanted to say.
"It's okay now."
Finger Man said that, with a gentle smile.
Seeing that smile, Jiu's tears began to fall without reason.
She had been scared. Terrified.
And that's why it pierced her so deeply.
(......Finger Man, you're a kind person, aren't you.)
That alone—yes, just that—was more than enough.
Jiu let out a small chuckle, realizing he had expressed the answer she had been seeking even better than she could herself.