A Gate.
The greatest mark left by the Great Cataclysm.
More than thirty years ago, Demon King Asmodeus had used Gates as invasion routes. They had long since become a means for Hunters to make a living and excavation sites for Magic Gems, a higher-dimensional energy resource.
“You’re with the Peace Guild, correct?”
A middle-aged man in work clothes approached us from the entrance.
He was a civil servant with the Gate Management Office, which stationed officials at every Gate.
“Yes.”
The official nodded at Team Leader Choi’s curt reply.
“You’re right on time. When will you be entering?”
“We’ll gear up and go straight in.”
“There’s a waiting room on the second floor. Come back down once you’re ready. Well, then.”
We followed Team Leader Choi inside. The two-story building housing the Management Office was as run-down as they came, and the waiting room wasn’t much better.
Holy shit. That smell.
The moment we opened the door, the stench of sweat hit me. Rusty cabinets and an overflowing trash can jumped out at me too.
“This place is awful. Don’t they ever air it out?”
“That’s Gate officials for you. There’s a reason everyone calls this a cushy posting.”
I left the grumbling behind and started changing into my raid gear. Leather armor and lightweight combat boots. Last, I drew a spear from its long case and gripped it.
It’s been a while.
The way it fit snugly in my hand felt both familiar and strange.
It was definitely different from the weapon I’d used for the past month… No. Never mind. I shouldn’t think about that anymore.
I have to forget all of it now.
I was tightening the perfectly fine laces on my combat boots for no reason when Im Kkeokjeong came over.
Clad in full-body armor and carrying an enormous tower shield, he looked every bit the main tank.
“All ready?”
“Yeah. Pretty much.”
Im Kkeokjeong looked me up and down, then clicked his tongue.
“Look at this guy. How old is that equipment, even?”
“Who knows? I bought it when I first started, so at least seven years?”
Back when I was a rookie, I’d taken the plunge and bought it from an underground shop in Dongdaemun.1 I still remembered the exact price.
1.98 million won.2
I could barely sleep for days after buying it.
Hunters earned a lot, but they spent a lot too, and most of those expenses went toward equipment. It was all because of the unique nature of Gates.
Equipment that isn’t imbued with mana or magical power breaks down in no time.
So the most common method was to craft equipment from Magic Gems taken from Gate monsters.
The higher the Grade of the Magic Gem, the more the price shot through the roof.
“Seven years? Good grief. Saving money is all well and good, but you’ve got to spend it when it counts. You really want to pinch pennies when your life’s on the line?”
“Hmm. I had my reasons.”
Reasons I didn’t particularly want to discuss. Im Kkeokjeong spoke in a concerned voice.
“You’re in a noncombat position today, so you should be fine… but be careful.”
“I will.”
His words left me with a strange feeling. They reminded me of someone who, until recently, had constantly been telling me to be careful.
But the sentimentality didn’t last.
“Is everyone ready?”
Team Leader Choi appeared, and my jaw dropped.
No way.
“Is that a Red Drake leather set?”
“Hmm.”
Team Leader Choi’s face stiffened. I’d only ever seen gear like that in luxury catalogs, and the words had slipped out before I could stop them.
“Ah, sorry…”
“It’s nothing special. It was merely crafted using five types of magic and B-grade Magic Gems.”
“…”
“Not that I’m emphasizing the point, but its materials include five types of magic and B-grade Magic Gems.”
“Ah. Right.”
“Red Drake leather is popular for its distinctive sheen, but it only looks impressive. It isn’t particularly useful.”
Team Leader Choi moved, his face still stiff. A faint red glow flashed across him.
“But it is exceptionally beautiful.”
“…”
“Let’s head downstairs.”
Team Leader Choi left the waiting room first. Im Kkeokjeong sidled over to me.
“That guy loves it when someone recognizes his equipment.”
“I mean, I get that, but… what’s with him?”
“No idea. He’s an equipment nut. There’s even a rumor that he blew his entire fortune on that set and sleeps in it every night.”
So that bastard’s a nutjob too.
I sighed inwardly and prayed that today’s raid would end without incident.
“This isn’t the same number of people you registered.”
The civil servant looked uncomfortable. Fair enough. We were supposed to enter soon, and the party still wasn’t all there.
How much longer are we supposed to wait?
Only six people had gathered in front of the Gate. Excluding me, the porter, that left just five combatants.
Since this was an E-rank Gate, we needed at least five more Hunters of the same rank… but those Peace Guild bastards were nowhere in sight. No wonder the official was annoyed.
“You should’ve notified us in advance if you were adding personnel.”
Huh? What did he just say?
Adding personnel?
“I’m sorry.”
At Team Leader Choi’s curt apology, the official picked up his pen and drew several lines through the paperwork.
“It’s not a major problem since we can amend it… but please be more careful next time.”
“Yes.”
Not a major problem, my ass. There aren’t any people!
I poked Im Kkeokjeong in the ribs.
“Hyung.3 When are the others getting here?”
“What others?”
“The Peace Guild members.”
“Team Leader Choi’s right there.”
“What?”
“Oh, did I forget to tell you? The Peace Guild is new, so it doesn’t have many people. There are only three of us, including the Guild Master. Hahaha!”
…You’re laughing?
“Come on, hyung.3”
“I know, punk. But you don’t need to worry.”
Im Kkeokjeong patted my shoulder and pointed at Team Leader Choi, who was signing the paperwork.
“That man’s a C-rank Hunter.”
“Oh. C-rank…”
I shut my mouth.
If Team Leader Choi was a C-rank Hunter, there was no problem. No, he was far better than ten E-rank Hunters. He was a mid-rank Hunter, in a completely different league from a low-rank Hunter like me.
I should’ve realized the moment I saw him wearing that luxury gear.
The man was walking around with a high-end apartment wrapped around his body. Most low-rank Hunters couldn’t afford armor like that even if they cleaned out their entire fortunes ten times over.
A faint halo seemed to shine around Team Leader Choi’s back.
“Please verify the signature.”
Even the way he handed the pen back to the official looked elegant.
Every little movement seemed to ooze wealth.
So this is the dignity of a C-rank Hunter.
That’s fucking cool.
I wanted to become sworn brothers with him. To pledge brotherhood beneath the Gate—a gay oath, no, a Gate oath.
“All right, then. Let’s go in… What is it?”
Team Leader Choi looked at me, startled.
“No. I just thought you looked cool.”
“Excuse me?”
“Your equipment. I said it looks cool.”
At that moment, the corner of Team Leader Choi’s mouth twitched.
“It’s nothing special. It was merely crafted using five types of magic and B-grade Magic Gems…”
A nutjob I wanted to befriend.
I stepped toward the Gate.
Whoosh—
A familiar sensation enveloped me. The cool, viscous energy unique to magical power.
Then the scenery changed.
“It’s a cave.”
Just as Team Leader Choi said, the raid site was a cave. The moisture-laden walls were damp, and a faint darkness shrouded our surroundings.
“Mr. Taekyung. Take out a flashlight.”
“Yes.”
I quickly set down my backpack. It was a porter’s bag Team Leader Choi had handed me just before we entered the Gate. It looked ordinary on the outside, but it was an expensive item enchanted with both space expansion and weight-reduction magic.
“Here’s the flashlight.”
I handed it over as requested, though in my experience, flashlights weren’t the best option. They were convenient, but if the light suddenly went out, your eyes wouldn’t be adjusted to the darkness.
It was much better to wait a little and let your eyes get used to the darkness…
Click.
“Let there be light. Light.”
Whoosh. A ball of light the size of a soccer ball shot from the flashlight and plastered itself against the cave ceiling.
“…Magic?”
“It has a built-in spell that activates as soon as the incantation is spoken. It lasts quite a while, so it should be good for another three or four hours. It’s a limited-edition item I purchased from Company M…”
Im Kkeokjeong summed it up.
“It’s crazy expensive.”
Was it my imagination, or had Team Leader Choi’s face darkened slightly? Maybe it was just the shadows.
Either way, the raid had become much easier thanks to him.
Money really is the best.
Capital ruled the world, and Gates were no exception. People with money fought in comfort using enchanted equipment. People without it carried torches.
“Take your positions.”
At Team Leader Choi’s command, everyone moved at once. Im Kkeokjeong and another E-rank Hunter took the lead as tanks, with Team Leader Choi behind them. I, the porter, and the two ranged dealers stood at the very back.
“Move.”
We began advancing slowly.
The bright magical light illuminated the path ahead.
“…”
I want one.
“Kiiiieet!”
The creatures crouching in the darkness emerged with shrill cries. Green skin, squat bodies, and grotesque limbs.
They were Hobgoblins, an evolved form of ordinary goblin.
About thirty of them.
With only five combatants, this would be a difficult fight.
But having a C-rank Hunter changes everything.
On top of that, the other four were veteran E-rank Hunters with at least ten-odd years of experience each.
I hung well back and watched the battle.
“Ranged!”
Arrows flew the instant Team Leader Choi gave the order.
One shot, one kill.
The arrows buried themselves in vital points, dropping the unshielded Hobgoblins one after another.
“Kiit!”
“Oh, look. Shield-bearers. What do we do?”
“Hold.”
Team Leader Choi issued his next command.
“Tanks, advance.”
The tanks moved forward in thick full-body armor, tower shields raised. Im Kkeokjeong and the other man were both hulking giants over 190 centimeters4 tall. The sight of them alone was intimidating.
“Kiiiieet!”
But monsters were monsters for a reason. Trusting in their numbers, the Hobgoblins charged like a swarm of bees.
But—
“Well, look at you.”
Bam!
The big, beautiful tower shields sent them flying back as bloody pulp. Seizing the momentum, Im Kkeokjeong swung his mace like a flyswatter, shattering limbs and crushing skulls with every blow.
“You punk! You punk!”
…What was this, whack-a-mole?
Veterans, all right.
All four of them stayed within their roles without overextending themselves, steadily whittling down the enemy numbers.
Knowing when to fall back and when to push in was combat intelligence born of plenty of experience.
“Everyone, hold your positions.”
And then one man.
The man who had been directing the flow of battle until now moved.
“I’ll take care of the rest.”
A red streak flashed across his armor as he plunged into the twenty remaining Hobgoblins.
Slash—
A head soared into the air along a clean arc. It happened so quickly that the monsters couldn’t even react.
“Kiiie?”
Slash. Slash. Slash.
The blade never stopped. Merciless and efficient, it pierced and severed one vital point after another.
This was no longer a battle.
It was a massacre—one man slaughtering more than twenty monsters.
So this is a C-rank Hunter.
His speed. His strength.
I could see it all. And I could feel it.
He really is strong.
As a mere F-rank, I couldn’t even dream of matching him. He was a mid-rank Hunter, three full ranks above me. A broad river and a towering wall that effort alone could never overcome.
Yet at the same time, a question arose.
What if this were Murim?
Team Leader Choi was unquestionably strong. He had the abilities befitting a C-rank Hunter and plenty of experience.
But if this were Murim… if he were a martial artist…
I’d be stronger.
His movements were fast and powerful, but that was all. He hadn’t learned martial arts, nor did he use his mana efficiently.
At best, he was First Rate. In Murim, that was exactly where he would stand.
But this is reality.
I bit my lip without realizing it.
A mid-rank Hunter and a bottom-rank Hunter.
While the mid-rank Hunter wore expensive equipment and slaughtered monsters, the lowest-rank Hunter could only stare blankly.
As a porter.
“Kiiieet…”
The last Hobgoblin fell. Team Leader Choi pulled his sword from its chest, and our eyes met.
“Mr. Taekyung. Please handle the byproducts.”
“…”
“Mr. Taekyung?”
I wanted to tell him that I was stronger than him.
But in the end, I couldn’t. Because this was my reality.
“…Thank you for your hard work.”
I used to be stronger than you.
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