Monster Wave - 2
Stepping out of the gate, I checked the internet and saw posts flooding in about the monster wave. Those on fire were, naturally, the gate owners and the nations. Gate owners wanted to protect their rights and their lives. Nations wanted to safeguard the resources coming from the gates.
Bzzzzt!
My smartphone buzzed. Picking up, it was Kim Mi-young.
"Yes, Team Leader."
"Hello? I was just checking if your gate is okay, Si-woo."
"Oh, ours is already over."
Kim Mi-young went silent for a moment before responding.
"Over? You mean the situation is resolved?"
"The monster wave is done."
"Ah, that's a relief."
"How are the other gates holding up?"
"One gate's already gone."
"What about the owner?"
"They're safe, luckily. Seems gate owners don't always die when their gates vanish."
Gate owner lives, but gate gone—what did that mean?
"How's that possible?"
"They said a message popped up right before death: 'Do you forfeit gate ownership?'"
"And forfeiting made the gate disappear but saved their life?"
"Yes. It's stirred some controversy, but that's the situation. You know this is classified, right?"
"Do I really need to hear this?"
"The nation is advising gate owners to forfeit in worst-case scenarios. Life comes first."
"What about the hunters in that gate?"
"All dead. The owner was the last survivor."
"I see. Random question: Do those hunters get workers' comp?"
"That's causing a lot of debate."
"Just curious."
"Good to hear your gate's fine. Your stuff's always in high demand."
"No worries."
"Got it. Oh, and about Go Yeon-ju's gate?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"Monster wave incoming soon. Few hunters, so we're worried. Told them to forfeit if emergency."
Go Yeon-ju's level wasn't low, but how she'd leveled up was a mystery. No combat skills from my past Observation, so probably not through fighting.
"You two know each other?"
"We've met once."
"Then maybe help..."
"I'd love to, but no way. Can't send our gate's hunters there—you know that."
Hunters must forfeit affiliation to enter another gate. Useless then.
"True. Shame. Their seafood's key for research."
"Yeah, good stuff."
"Oh, the vanished gate's owner had Observation. Lost all abilities, sadly."
Another Observation user gone. In Korea, just me and one other now.
"Got it."
Go Yeon-ju's gate probably wouldn't survive this wave. Good thing: she'd forfeit. No financial worries even without it.
Bzzzzt.
Phone again. Go Yeon-ju. She wasn't innocent either.
"Hello?"
"Hi, it's Go Yeon-ju."
"I know."
"Si-woo."
"Yeah?"
"Is your gate safe?"
"Depends on your definition of safe."
"This monster wave."
"That? Ours ended already. We hunt monsters daily, so no wave triggered."
"...That's possible?"
"Learned it this time. Our gate's full of hunting enthusiasts."
"Folks" became "they" thanks to the orcs. Orc warriors train and hunt—that's their existence.
"Si-woo."
"Yeah."
"Can you take our gate as a sub-gate?"
"Pardon?"
Sub-gate? I blanked out briefly.
I'd inherited gates before—like the mine gate, now managed by diligent eyes. But that was after owner Hakashi died, Mungchi inherited, then I took Mungchi back. Complicated.
Sub-gate? What?
"What do you mean?"
"The gate offered options: repel wave solo or join under another owner."
"Ah... like a lord under a grand lord?"
Got it. Back in territory days, grand lords existed. Could mean big territory owner or one with multiple sub-lords. System prepped for this beyond territory wars.
"Hmm... Would that even help you?"
"Honestly, no greed here. Hunters inside are all family and friends. Jeju's air is great, sea beautiful—better than real Jeju."
She wanted to protect it.
"Understood. If you want, I'll accept your gate."
"Applying now."
"That quick?"
"Yes. Your gate number?"
"Ah, '73A'."
"One sec."
The owner of Two-Way Gate 92AC entrusts their territory to the owner of Two-Way Gate 73A. Do you accept?
"I accept."
92AC was Go Yeon-ju's gate. Accepting triggered more.
A gate to Two-Way Gate 92AC has been newly created inside 73A Gate.
Evolved to Grand Lord, as expected.
"Seems done, Yeon-ju."
"Yes, Grand Lord."
"Whoa, not that title..."
"Heh, got it."
"You should now access your gate from ours. Wait inside; I'll come over."
"Yes!"
Hanging up, I re-entered the gate. Linking to Yeon-ju's Jeju gate was huge. Direct travel to Jeju for us.
Fukushima link gone—regretted that. But new connection? Nice.
Inside, I checked my status.
Choi Si-woo (Level 59)
Pet: Hoya
Tamed: Baekya, Kkamangi, Mungchi, Leo
Job: Grand Lord
Sub-Territory: 92AC | Sub-Lord: Go Yeon-ju
Combat Job: Seeker of Truth
HP: 1140 | MP: 2300
Level 59. Weird: 60 was tough. Hunted tons post-59, no breakthrough. Special condition?
Level cap lifted.
You have leveled up.
Boom—60. Backlog experience kicked in. Lords capped at 59. Previous cap maybe lifted unknowingly via Hakashi's gate.
"What? Back already? Weren't you heading to Jeju?"
Seon-woo.
"I am?"
"Forget something?"
"Nah, via gate?"
"You learn portal magic?"
"Think so?"
"Then what?"
"So..."
Explained Yeon-ju situation. Seon-woo's face twisted weirdly.
"I object!"
"What nonsense?"
"Can't accept Go Yeon-ju."
"Who made you decider?"
"Your friend? I oppose celebs dating my buddy."
"Weren't you cheering earlier?"
"Thought it impossible..."
Thwack!
"Traitor."
Nyaang.
Hoya wedged in, tired of our bickering.
"What? Doomed anyway?"
"Hoya says?"
"Yep."
"Then so be it. Have fun."
Seon-woo's face cleared. Mine soured.
"Fight me."
"I ain't bold enough to defy a Grand Lord! Grand Lord!"
"How to bully Ishiki? Anyway, follow. Wave soon at her gate."
"Bring knights?"
"They'd see us as foes?"
"Ah... yeah?"
"Right? Just us two?"
"Sure."
Then Si-yeon sprinted up madly.
"Oppa, oppa!"
"What? What?"
"N-new gate appeared."
Found the Jeju one.
"Know. I made it."
"Whoa, bro makes gates now? Insane."
"Not that—sub-territory auto-generated."
"Ah? Go Yeon-ju unnie's?"
"How'd you guess?"
"You wouldn't take a stranger's."
"Sharp."
"Duh. Let's go."
"You too?"
"Obviously. Steelmen 1, 2, 3 united."
"We had numbers?"
"Didn't know? 1 on your chest."
Checked armor: tiny "1". Si-yeon "3", Seon-woo "2". Proper hierarchy? Praise-worthy?
"Anyway, let's go."
"Yeah."
"Right."
In Steelman suits, we entered Jeju gate.
And—
Kyaaack!
Go Yeon-ju's startled scream.
Monster? Nah. Just us. Our look shocked her.