Chapter 54: The Toxic Triumph

• Breaking news: Vulcanus Guild has entered the toxic gas of Hamak Mountain.
  
• The raid team, all wearing masks, was reportedly conversing naturally within the gas.
  
• These appear to be Vulcanus-made masks with anti-poison capabilities…
  

The news confirmed Vulcanus Guild’s safe entry.

Their ability to chat in the gas suggested the masks worked perfectly.

Wanting details on the Gate’s interior, I used the guild’s “Shared Vision” function.

But—

“It’s hard to see.”

Was it the thick gas?

The shared vision showed only dense fog and trees.

So, I tried the “Guild Chat” function for the first time.

“Everyone, you okay?”

• Master!
  
• We’re fine.
  
• Perfect anti-poison function.
  
• Currently climbing Hamak Mountain.
  

Guild Chat.

A feature for guild members to communicate.

It was my first time speaking since the guild’s founding, but they weren’t fazed.

If anything, their responses brimmed with respect.

Probably thanks to the masks I provided.

Gear boosting poison resistance was common, but full “immunity” was rare.

“Got it. Don’t enter the Gate upon arrival—report first.”

• Understood, Master!

The masks were respiratory-only.

They wouldn’t block monster attacks inside the Gate.

So, I started crafting again.

[Using Production Skill.]

[Select the shape of the item to craft.]

What shape?

A real-world hazmat suit came to mind, but fighting in one was impractical.

Swapping all armor for anti-poison gear would take too long.

After thinking, I chose—

“Cloak.”

A cloak.

A long, ankle-length cloak could layer over existing armor to block poison.

[Specify the details of the cloak’s shape.]

No time to reference cool game cloaks.

I kept it simple and practical.

[Choose the material for the cloak.]

I used the Thread of Purification from the masks.

But it was a rare fiber, and my stock dwindled after the masks.

I needed a solid secondary material for ten cloaks.

A tough condition, but scouring the auction, I found—

“This’ll do.”

[‘Black Poison Butterfly Wings’ purchased.]

A recent Gate Break flooded the market with them.

Wings from a poison-using monster, perfect for resistance.

Materials ready, I grabbed my hammer.

[Crafting begins.]

Hammering, the black wings wove with Purification Fiber, forming a cloak.

The issue? Butterfly wings had low defense.

“Add leather lining?”

I shook my head.

The Gate’s monsters were poison-focused, not physically or magically strong.

The cloak just needed to block poison.

[Progress: 72%…]

Urgency sped my hammering.

The result—

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Poison Butterfly Cloak’ obtained.]

[Poison Butterfly Cloak]

Type: Cloak

Grade: SS

Restriction: Level 40+

Description: Made solely to block poison, a cloak for anti-poison defense.

Abilities:

1. Anti-Poison – Immune to contact-based poisons up to Rank 5. 50% resistance to Rank 6+ poisons.
   
2. Blessing – Increases poison resistance by 30% for all exposure types.
   
3. Poison Defense – Boosts defense and resistance against poison attacks.
   

It was nearly identical to the mask.

The difference: the mask countered “respiratory” poisons, the cloak “contact” poisons.

No defense stat was a shame, but poison immunity was the goal.

Satisfied, I mass-produced cloaks.

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Poison Butterfly Cloak’ obtained.]

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Poison Butterfly Cloak’ obtained.]

The last time I hammered this urgently was crafting a ballista for a wyvern.

This felt similar.

Back then, the wyvern was visible; now, the creeping gas was out of sight but felt just as close.

Not entirely wrong.

The Association estimated that if the Gate wasn’t conquered in three days, the gas would reach my home.

Someone might clear it in three days, but waiting anxiously wasn’t my style.

Clang!

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Poison Butterfly Cloak’ obtained.]

As I finished the last piece—

• Master, we’ve found the Gate.

The awaited report.

Shared vision showed Park Sang-hyun’s view of the Gate.

It looked like layered garbage, radiating intense repulsion unlike any Gate I’d seen.

“I’m sending the gear. Equip it and start the raid. Retreat if it’s dangerous.”

• Thank you, Master.

Vulcanus Guild’s first Rank 6 Gate raid began.

“All equipped?”

“Yes!”

“Then we move in.”

Vulcanus Guild’s Team 1.

Their faces were tense.

Understandably.

They’d only tackled low-end Rank 5 Gates, now facing a Rank 6, not even Rank 7.

No way they weren’t nervous.

“If anything feels off, signal immediately. Use smoke bombs to escape.”

“Yes!”

Escape items were prepped.

As they entered the Gate—

Whoosh—

“Team Leader, the gas…”

“It was mild outside.”

A potent poison surged.

Even non-contact poison stung their skin.

It was thick, like fog obscuring vision.

Thankfully—

“The masks are holding. Move slowly.”

The masks blocked the gas.

Without them, they’d have collapsed upon entry, poisoned.

Now I understood why a Rank 8 Hunter fell into a coma.

“No monsters, but this Gate’s tough to raid.”

Gates varied, but who’d expect this?

No monsters yet, but they stayed vigilant, advancing cautiously.

Then—

Rumble—

The ground trembled faintly.

It swelled upward.

A foul stench hit.

Even with masks, the odor was intense.

Did the masks not filter smells, or was the stench so strong it pierced through?

If the latter, it could hinder combat.

Then, a voice—

“How… are there still vermin?”

From the ground rose filth.

Rotten, melted garbage and sludge formed a monster.

“Prepare for battle!”

What was it?

A garbage golem?

A poison spirit?

Unknown.

A new monster type.

But they had to fight.

As Team 1 readied, the monster struck first.

It opened a gaping… mouth? And spewed a stench.

The foul odor hit, but—

“Charge!”

It didn’t affect Team 1.

The stench was a poison gas attack.

With immune masks, it was useless.

Slash!

Team 1 ignored the stench and attacked, severing what seemed like the monster’s left arm.

Did it have intelligence, or was it just its next attack pattern?

It swung its right arm, dripping filth, like a whip.

It was like a wave of sludge crashing in.

“Defend!”

Rumble—

A barrier formed before Team 1.

Some outside it dodged, but—

“Argh!”

Two were swept by the attack.

Thankfully, they’d raised their cloaks to block.

But what good was a zero-defense cloak?

Against a Rank 6 monster, they feared a teammate’s death.

Then—

“Huh?”

The two, buried in sludge, emerged.

“It barely hurt?”

Despite the cloak’s lack of defense, damage was minimal.

The sludge was gross, and the stench numbing, but no real harm.

It meant one thing.

The attack, though physical-looking, was purely poison-based.

Perfect poison countermeasures dropped the Gate’s difficulty to Team 1’s level.

Nam Bora, Master’s proxy, was right.

Confirming the monster’s attacks didn’t work, confidence filled Team 1.

“We can do this! Trust the gear and charge!”

“Yes!”

Soon, the Gate’s first Rank 6 monster fell.

Not to Rank 8 Hunters, but to those barely at Rank 5.

This was just the start.

Emboldened, Team 1 pressed forward, tackling incoming monsters.

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

Rank 6 monsters gave massive EXP.

As the battle continued—

“My god, is this really possible?”

Team 1’s respect and trust in Vulcanus soared.