Chapter 22: Gate Owner's Authority
"By granting gate access permission, the status window can be opened. Do you permit access permission?"
By granting gate access permission, the status window can be opened.
Do you permit access permission?
"Ah!"
I finally understood why the system message had popped up. Stats might be one thing, but skills apparently couldn't just be acquired outright. Or more precisely, even if they could be gained, the system wouldn't recognize them without this step.
In any case, it went without saying that I had to grant gate access to my family, so I decided to go ahead.
"I permit."
Currently, 3 people and 1 animal have access permission.
I could also check gate access logs. This was pretty convenient. Using Observation on the entry revealed everyone's names clearly. The three of us in the family, plus my soulmate Hoya, all had access.
What was interesting was that I hadn't explicitly granted it to Hoya, yet she had it anyway. Maybe the system treated pets as a package deal with their owners.
"Whoa? Is this the status window? Wow."
Si-yeon reacted first. She could see her own without Observation, of course.
I quietly examined Si-yeon's status window. Her stats averaged a solid 15, probably thanks to the stuff we'd brought from my gate. She was level 1, and she had an intriguing new skill.
"Water Control?"
Wasn't that straight-up magic territory? Could she really learn magic? I hadn't gotten anything like that myself, which left me feeling a bit unfairly passed over.
Then my parents. Their stats were similar. Surprisingly, Mom had picked up a passive skill called Toughness. It screamed tank skill, and of all people, Mom had it.
Dad had gotten Sprint. Sprinting at his age? This confirmed skills were generated somewhat randomly.
Maybe other ingredients could yield them too? In most novels, you got skills through related actions, skill stones, or skill books—but this world seemed different. And pulling them from ingredients was definitely a trait of my gate.
Anyway.
"Everyone's got some unique skills."
"Really?"
Mom tilted her head, apparently unaware of her own skill.
"Mom's is a tank skill."
"Tank?"
She didn't know the term.
"Like, in a fight, the one up front blocking enemies? Usually the burliest, strongest guy does it—but you got the skill."
"Hohoho, is that so? So what is it?"
"Toughness, so your body's durability is probably way up. Nothing like a normal person's."
"Heh, not bad."
Mom seemed pleased.
"Sprint is pretty self-explanatory, right?"
"Yeah, but it won't last long. Maybe 10 seconds?"
"Sprinting for 10 seconds... I'll test it real quick."
Dad headed straight outside to try it.
"Oppa, what about mine?"
"Honestly, it's kinda vague. Water Control sounds literal."
"Hmm... Let's see."
Si-yeon reached toward the water glass in front of her and shouted.
"Water Control!"
The water in the glass slowly rose upward. It was mesmerizing, like watching a magic trick in slow motion.
"That's it?"
"Don't be ridiculous. From now on, call this super beauty the Water Beauty."
"More like Water Witch."
"Yah!"
Si-yeon flung the water at me in annoyance. Then something astonishing happened.
ZZZING!
A shield straight out of a novel materialized in front of me. Did I have a shield skill? No way—I checked my status constantly.
Then what? Only one explanation: Gate entrants couldn't attack the gate owner.
"So this is why gates stay stable."
Gate owners weren't just safe because they handed out access—they were protected. Hunters inside were potential threats once powered up. Could they be blackmailed or forced? Gates were smart. If entrants with granted access couldn't harm the owner, the gate could safeguard its chosen one.
"What the—? What did you do, Oppa?"
"That'll get you a warning. Might even lose the skill."
"For real?"
"Yeah, system's telling me."
The gate owner has been attacked.
Delete the opponent's status window and permissions?
'No.'
Losing permissions apparently wiped abilities too. Now I got why Hoya had stopped me from entering other gates. You basically got bound—to the gate and its owner.
Unexpected windfall.
"Worship your oppa like a god from now on. Good things will happen. Like this."
"Like what?"
I held up a mirror to Si-yeon. She glanced at her reflection and immediately bowed deeply to me.
"This maiden thanks the god."
"Yah, cut that out. 'Maiden'? What the— ...well, you are a minor."
"Indeed, milord."
Technically correct. No comeback there.
"Whatever. Study time, maiden."
"Yes, milord. Oh, but can I give one of these pineapples to my friend?"
"Your friend?"
"Yeah."
"Don't just give it—sell it. 200,000 won each."
"High schoolers don't have that kinda cash!"
"You think the kid's buying? It'll be the mom."
"Well..."
"Say it came from a gate. Your bro's friend hooked you up, so no freebies."
"Isn't that a secret?"
"My friend's Seon-woo. Say that."
"Don't you only have one friend?"
"True."
"Exactly."
"Yeah... Life, huh."
Suddenly felt melancholic. They say one true friend means success in life. I had exactly one—success achieved? Still bittersweet. Was my personality that bad? Seon-woo had even joked I might be a psychopath.
"Anyway, do that."
"Got it."
"But sell secretly to just one person."
"Yeah, my closest friend. She's kinda like me. Hehehe."
I'd wondered if skin really mattered that much, but with her improved complexion, Si-yeon's beauty had leveled up. Guess skin was key.
"But these are rare, right?"
"Nah, plenty. Rarity drops if you flood the market."
"Oh, true."
"And nurture that Water Control. Practice to get comfortable."
"Sure."
"Not around other people."
"Am I an idiot?"
"Weren't you?"
"Wanna die?"
Seeing Si-yeon freak out lifted my spirits. Teasing little sisters was the best. Aish—just my personal opinion, of course.
After some fun family time, I ran into Seon-woo on the way back. He was my one and only friend, as Si-yeon had pointed out, and I figured it was time to loop him in somewhat.
But I saw something shocking.
Observation skill used.
Despite activating Observation, Seon-woo's status window—which I'd seen before—was gone now.
"What the hell are you?"
Seon-woo smirked at my question.
"Figured it out already? Heh."
"What'd you do?"
"Told the gate owner I was quitting hunting. He said abilities vanish if you do. So I said sure. My buddy's a gate owner—no need to grovel to others."
"Didn't you say it'd take forever to level up?"
"Yeah, but doesn't matter. Can't enter new gates without clearing the current one. And I loved that island. My favorite spot's Ttukseom anyway."
"Ttukseom was an island?"
"Didn't know? Supposedly named that 'cause it was an island pierced by Ttuk Stream or something."
"For real?"
"Nah, just heard it somewhere."
"You're insane."
"True. Heh heh heh."
"What if I didn't let you in?"
"You wouldn't. I'm your only friend."
"You got others?"
"Nope."
"No spitting while lying down, then."
"Deal. So, access permission?"
"Not yet. After some time passes."
"Makes sense. Jumping ship right after quitting would risk the secret."
Smart guy. Tempted to drag him in now for all the work Baekya couldn't handle, but that'd hurt secrecy. For now, he'd be my middleman merchant.
"Sell my stuff for a while. You were a hunter—got connections, right?"
"Obviously. Watermelons? Easy."
"Just watermelons for now. 10 a day."
"Whoa, 10?"
"Yeah. I pay 100,000 won each. Anything extra's yours."
"Deal!"
Seon-woo beamed. He accepted the delay fine, no complaints. Seemed excited about selling watermelons instead.
"Starting tomorrow, then."
"Leave 'em at a set spot."
"Smart."
"Cool."
We agreed on a place and parted.
"Baekya!"
KROAAARRR!
Baekya charged at me wildly upon sight, crashing into an embrace and wailing pitifully. A tiger's cry was cute but kinda scary too.
"Alright, sorry, buddy."
Kroar!
As the whiny guy fussed, Hoya approached and delivered a swift paw punch to the back of his head.
Krok!
Baekya flopped over unconscious.
Nyang nyang!
*Too noisy,* she said. Even I was a bit spooked.
Peace returned. Once recovered, Baekya became a very obedient big kitty.
"Time to work, Baekya."
Krok!
With our tiger hoe, we expanded the fields again.
Suddenly, a curious thought struck me.
"Doesn't it feel like the land keeps growing, Hoya?"
Not that the island itself was expanding. Just the areas I turned into fields were different.
"Some kind of barrier?"
The zones I farmed and raised chickens in grew daily from inside, but looked static from outside.
"Like a production district barrier? Similar to the forest's."
Suspicion: the island looked small but could hold massive space.
"And I'm curious about its limits, right?"
Krok!
Baekya's ears drooped. He knew what testing limits meant.
As we resumed work—
"Huh? Isn't that a horse?"
A horse-like figure stood at the forest edge, catching my eye.