“This is strange.”
Ji-hoon narrowed his eyes.
“It’s too quiet.”
“...What?”
“The mana couldn’t possibly be this clean.”
“You can sense that?”
“Are you looking down on an F-rank right now?”
Ji-hoon deactivated the Concealment Mode on the necklace around his neck.
“Th-This is...!?”
“Ahem. It was made from a feather of Poppy, a member of my family.”
He might not look it, but Poppy was the King of Griffins.
“As expected of the boss monster from an S-rank Gate... no, your esteemed family member....”
[Address me as Lord Poppy, human!]
“Poppy says you should call him Lord Poppy.”
“Gasp! My apologies, Lord Poppy.”
Although Baek Kang-hyeon readily obeyed, his expression was that of someone looking at an adorable little puppy.
Rather than truly respecting Poppy, he looked more like an uncle playing along with his nephew.
But even that was enough to satisfy Poppy, who spread his wings wide.
[Big Brother, I have made that human submit!]
“Yes, yes. You did sooo well.”
Still, this necklace is really good, isn’t it?
I didn’t know it would enhance my mana detection this much.
The haze revealed by the Golden Guidepost (S) was visibly denser than before.
The mana he sensed was likewise more intense.
“I apologize, Hunter Ji-hoon, but....”
“No.”
“I haven’t even said anything yet.”
“If it’s something you need to apologize for, you shouldn’t say it.”
“I want to try wearing that necklace too!”
“I said no!”
[How dare a human covet a necklace made from my feathers! Big Brother! Defend it at all costs!]
They were still bickering when it happened.
BEEP– BEEP–
A brief signal sounded from inside Baek Kang-hyeon’s coat.
Baek Kang-hyeon sprang into action.
His expression twisted after he checked the message.
“Hunter Ji-hoon, I think we need to leave.”
“What? Why?”
“An S-rank Gate has appeared.”
Wasn’t the anomaly supposed to happen at this Gate?
“I do not know either. Fortunately, it is not far from here. It is about fifteen minutes away if we fly quickly, but....”
A Gate fifteen minutes away... Mana Crystals of exceptional purity....
And mana so clean that it felt strange.
“Branch Director, are there any places besides here where the mana is clean?”
“Not as clean as this place, but yes, there are.”
“Send people from the Management Bureau to those places too.”
Something similar had happened in Hell.
Hell King Abel.
That crazy bastard always did things this way.
He would claim he was bored and suggest playing tag.
Then he would lure them in with refined mana.
And when they drew near, he would detonate a Demonic Beast.
‘No way....’
Of course, Gates and Hell might be different.
But what if this Gate was being made in Hell?
‘Then it explains why the others from Hell Farm are being sent into Gates.’
Just what are you plotting in Hell, Abel?!
Ji-hoon cursed inwardly.
“Anyway, let’s hurry!”
The moment Ji-hoon, Poppy, and Baek Kang-hyeon left the Gate,
an emergency disaster alert issued by the Hunter Association and the Awakened Management Bureau was delivered to every Hunter inside the Dungeon.
***
As soon as Ji-hoon reached the scene, he checked the surrounding park and shops.
Fortunately, everyone had evacuated, and there did not appear to be any damage.
‘If nothing else, that’s a relief.’
Poppy asked Ji-hoon, [Big Brother, if it is an S-rank Gate, is it not a Dungeon like the one I emerged from?]
“That’s right.”
In other words, the others from Hell Farm might be inside.
Poppy seemed to realize it too, and his eyes shone with determination.
Just as they were about to cross the Gate cordon,
“Do you have a Hunter ID? If you’re a civilian, please step back!”
She was a small woman with bobbed hair, but her voice was remarkably loud for her frame.
“I have a Hunter ID! I live around here too!”
The woman took the ID and sighed.
“Ah, an F-rank... Even serving as support personnel would be difficult.”
He could hardly say, Actually, the S-rank boss monster is my family!
Nor did he have any intention of doing so.
Ji-hoon clasped both hands neatly before him.
“Th-Then I’ll stay somewhere nearby. I think my friends might be in there.”
“Come to think of it, if you live nearby....”
The woman looked around with sympathy.
“Everyone should have evacuated. Please don’t worry too much.”
“I’m still worried... Can’t I just wait at the rear?”
“That would be dangerous too....”
[Hah, Big Brother! Your acting is truly masterful! As expected, there is nothing you cannot do!]
Ji-hoon hurled a curse at Poppy with his eyes.
Just then, a large number of Hunters began gathering around them.
“Everyone here is B-rank or higher, correct?!”
The woman who had been dealing with Ji-hoon spotted the group of Hunters and shouted.
But B-rank?
Isn’t that dangerous when this is an S-rank Gate?
“There is no other choice. There are not many high-rank Hunters.”
Baek Kang-hyeon had already assessed the situation and was now standing beside Ji-hoon.
“If you want to go in, I can arrange it.”
His eyes turned toward the Hunters.
“Three of the Five Great Guilds are already here.”
With this many onlookers, an F-rank couldn’t enter.
The moment he did, they’d cause an uproar about him being some hidden S-rank kept secret by the Management Bureau.
“I’ll wait for now.”
“A wise choice, as expected.”
Ji-hoon felt somewhat reassured and was about to examine the Gate entrance when he saw someone.
“...Woo-jae?”
A familiar face stood near the front of the assembled Hunters.
With a thick steel shield strapped to his back, Woo-jae listened to the commander’s instructions with a grave expression.
‘He really is an A-rank Tanker....’
While Ji-hoon stared at Woo-jae in surprise, Poppy sniffed from within his arms.
[Big Brother, I smell something.]
“What kind of smell?”
Poppy’s eyes widened and flashed with brilliant light.
Life surged back into his expression.
[This scent...! Choco! It is Choco, Big Brother!]
At Poppy’s words, Ji-hoon drew mana from the necklace.
Then.
“...There’s no doubt.”
[Big Brother!]
“Choco is in there.”
***
While Ji-hoon sensed Choco’s scent,
Seon Woo-jae focused his entire attention on the commander’s voice ringing out directly before the Gate.
“The pace at which S-rank Gates are appearing is alarming.”
It was true. Over the past ten years, the number of S-rank Gates that had appeared had not even reached ten.
Yet now, there had been two in a mere two days.
“Tankers must prioritize the survival of the primary Damage Dealers. If the front line collapses, you will immediately be deployed as the second line of backup!”
Woo-jae’s palms were already drenched in sweat.
Until now, he had only experienced combat situations through lessons and practice drills.
This was the real thing.
Just standing there made it feel as though every hair on his body was rising.
‘Can I do this properly...?’
He was only an eighteen-year-old fledgling who had just awakened as a Hunter.
No matter how high their rank, minors were usually limited to scene control or rear support at most.
But the situation with this Gate was different.
According to the Hunter Association, there was a severe shortage of high-rank Tankers capable of withstanding a powerful boss’s area attack.
In the end, despite his lack of experience, Woo-jae had been placed in the vanguard for the sole reason that he was A-rank.
‘Seon Woo-jae, don’t lose your nerve. Remember why you became a Hunter.’
Woo-jae slapped himself hard across the cheek.
This was his chance.
What if he could properly demonstrate his abilities inside an S-rank Gate?
It would be the perfect stepping stone for him to join one of the Five Great Guilds, such as Jin Seo-yoon’s Orpheus, the moment he turned twenty.
“Hunter Seon Woo-jae! Stay sharp!”
Woo-jae’s eyes shot open at the cutting voice.
Jeong Hee-yeon.
The Team A Leader, famous even within the Management Bureau for control as sharp as a blade.
“I-I’m sorry!”
Woo-jae instantly shrank into himself and nodded vigorously.
“Hunter Baek Kang-hyeon will enter with the Lead Assault Team. The most important thing right now is supporting him. When he needs a shield, you, as an A-rank, must be there. Understood?”
“Yes! Understood!”
Woo-jae answered in a booming voice.
***
Meanwhile, Baek Kang-hyeon was holding a communicator.
–Is that man with you too?
It was a call from the Commissioner.
“Yes, he is with me.”
–Will he go in with you?
“...No. There are too many eyes watching.”
–Good. You must never expose his existence. If the other Guilds learn about that man....
“...They will either use him for human experimentation or strip the flesh and bones from the monster, I suppose.”
Tsk.
Those damned Guild bastards.
At the Commissioner’s mutter, Baek Kang-hyeon looked toward Ji-hoon.
“Do not worry. He probably held back because he felt burdened by all the eyes watching, so nothing should happen... Huh?”
In that instant.
FLASH–
“A griffin...?”
And then,
WHOOSH—!
A single streak of light shot past.
It was Poppy, restored to his true form.
And riding on the griffin’s back was Ji-hoon.
“I’m going ahead!”
“Uh, uh, uhhhh, Commissioner, I’ll hang up now.”
–What happened?
“Hunter Lee Ji-hoon went in.”
–All of a sudden?!
Baek Kang-hyeon recalled the look on Ji-hoon’s face as he passed by just before entering.
Ji-hoon had seemed desperate about something.
If so, perhaps....
“...He must have sensed his family.”
–What? Family? Did you not evacuate the civilians? Stop talking nonsense and explain the situ....
CLICK.
Baek Kang-hyeon ended the call and shouted, “I’m going in first! Follow as soon as you’re ready!”
WHOOSH—
Baek Kang-hyeon’s figure vanished in a burst of light.
At the same time,
“H-Hunter Baek Kang-hyeon!?”
The supervising Hunter’s eyes flew wide.
“Did he just... charge in alone...?”
A brief silence.
Then.
“All standby personnel! Enter immediately! Hunter Baek Kang-hyeon has entered alone! Backup! Baaaackuuuup!!!!!”
The cordon collapsed in an instant.
RUMBLE—
The Hunters, including Woo-jae, surged through the Gate all at once.
***
After entering the Gate, Ji-hoon and Poppy stared in awe at the ice structures filling their vision.
“It’s beautiful.”
[It is beautiful, Big Brother.]
Ji-hoon had never properly seen anything that could be called a work of art in his life.
Even so, this looked like a piece of craftsmanship that anyone would consider beautiful.
And then.
“Brr, it’s cold.”
They were on a snow-covered mountain with a white blizzard raging in every direction.
The tremendous, knife-edged wind made his exposed skin tremble.
“You’re lucky. You have lots of fur.”
[Hehe. I am Poppy, the King of Griffins. My abundant fur wards off the cold! But I can block it with mana as well, so the fur does not mean very much.]
At that, Ji-hoon tried drawing up his mana.
But he could not hold back the cold.
‘Is it my lack of mana control, or the limits of an F-rank?’
Ji-hoon sighed softly and glared at Poppy.
“This won’t do. I suppose I’ll have to pluck your fur after all....”
GASP—
Poppy recoiled in terror as Ji-hoon reached out with both hands to grab him.
RUMBLE, RATTLE—
The ground began to shake.
Then Ji-hoon felt mana.
“...It’s Choco.”
Ji-hoon thrust one hand high into the air.
“CHO! CO! HEY!!!!!”
There was no response.
Once more!
“CHO! CO! HEY!!!!!”
This time, his voice echoed across the snowy mountain.
The ground stopped shaking.
“Did Choco hear me?”
If so, one more time!
“CHO!!!! CO!!!!! HEY!!!!!!!!!”
A voice came from afar.
[Sniff, snuffle, sniff.... This scent... this voice....]
Beyond the distant snow-covered mountain,
the youngest of the family who had endured a hellish life with them at Hell Farm in Hell appeared.
Choco the Giant Bear’s face peeked over the ridge.
[Big Brother Poppy...? And could that be....]
Choco’s enormous eyes filled with tears.
[I-Is it really you, Big Brother...?]
“That’s right, Choco!!!! Your big brother!!! Lee Ji-hoon is here!!!!!”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Choco was about to charge toward him when,
CRACKLE—
red electricity that seemed to tear through flesh sparked behind Choco’s head.
“Choco?”
[B-Big Brother, r-run... a-away... ugh... ah....]
[Big Brother, something seems wrong. Climb on!]
Ji-hoon hurriedly climbed onto Poppy’s back.
Choco’s pupils trembled.
The emotions Choco felt toward Ji-hoon tangled with a madness that something had forced into Choco.
Then, moments later,
Choco’s eyes turned bloodred.
CRACK—
At the same time, Choco snapped a gigantic pine tree with an arm that looked three meters long and hurled it.
WHOOSH—!
“Shit, over there...!”
It was headed toward the place where the other Hunters would emerge from the Gate.
The enormous pine tree from the snowy mountain shot toward the Hunters’ temporary supply post.