Out of the Gate
Strengthened by my skill, Kang Minji shattered the skeletons with every swing of her fist.
"..."
Her face was still flushed from the recent memory, but thanks to her battle experience, she swung her fists calmly.
It won't be long before that bastard moves.
I crushed the heads of the skeletons she missed, conserving my stamina.
The skeleton soldiers seemed to struggle against Kang Minji, now enhanced by physical reinforcement.
"C-Can I really trust you...?"
As the Skeleton Knight began to stir, she asked in a worried voice.
"Just trust me."
"You damn loser..."
Kang Minji muttered that while moving without rest. True to their status as the weakest monsters, the skeletons crumbled powerlessly under her fists. Strengthened by my semen, she showed no signs of tiring yet.
As the number of skeletons dwindled, the Skeleton Knight finally charged.
It rushed in an instant, aiming for an opening in Kang Minji's defenses.
"Kyaaak!"
But I didn't let it strike her from behind. Enduring the heavy impact on my wrist, I immediately swung my sword. I already knew where the next attack would come from, so I moved without a moment's hesitation.
From the right, swinging down, followed by a thrust.
My physical abilities might fall short of the monster's. But they were enough to block its attacks. Because I knew exactly how it would move.
"Watch out!!"
I perfectly parried the follow-up thrust at the ideal timing. Then, without pause, I deflected the barrage of attacks that came next. It could only defend, but watching me continuously block its assaults gave me the sense it was flustered.
"Ignore me and just take down the rest!!"
"Even if you say that...!"
As it pressed its assault relentlessly, the knight casually exposed an opening, as if toying with me. I knew from experience that this was an intentional feint. The moment I reacted and attacked, it would target my left arm.
I'll take that risk!
The instant I lunged, its sword came for my left arm—but I didn't dodge. I sacrificed bone to take flesh. The strap securing my armor on my shoulder snapped, exposing a weakness between the knight's ribs.
Pain resistance reduces pain sensation.
"Siu!!!!"
With the blade embedded in my left arm, intense pain surged, but I pressed on without stopping. Caught off guard that I wouldn't pull out the sword but charge instead, the knight's response was a beat slow. It belatedly yanked the blade free, but despite the searing agony, I didn't hesitate.
True to its reputation as a low-rank hunter slayer, it swiftly assumed an attack stance. Charging straight in like this would surely turn me into a skewer on its sword.
Knowing that full well, I charged anyway.
"Die!!!!!!!!!!"
A fierce pain erupted in my abdomen, but my sword reached its heart. The Skeleton Knight's face rattled in shock—probably had never seen such a reckless human before.
"Minji... take care of it..."
"Kim Siu!!!!!!!!!!!"
With that, my consciousness faded.
*
Outside the gate, a woman paced restlessly with an anxious expression. She was former A-rank Kang Mina, now retired and serving as a professor at the academy. Famous for her calm demeanor, the beauty with brown wavy hair, large breasts, and wide hips was nowhere to be seen today.
She gnawed at her nails, staring fixedly at the gate before her. Men in lab coats were inspecting the area around it.
This was the gate where Kang Minji and Kim Siu had entered and become trapped. A training dungeon managed by the academy, it spawned mostly non-aggressive monsters and was used by many students.
Of all days, an absurdly improbable gate mixing had occurred today. Gate mixing happens when a new gate opens at the coordinates of an existing one, causing the two to merge.
"Has it still not stabilized?"
"No... It's still unstable—we can't enter yet. Probably need another 30 to 40 minutes."
"Isn't there a way to resolve it faster? There are students inside!"
"Professor, you know there's no method for that..."
She knew 30 to 40 minutes was an impossibly fast stabilization time. Without the academy's top technicians, it would have taken far longer. But her heart couldn't accept it.
Kang Minji inside the gate was her little sister. Their looks were so similar that when Minji enrolled, she dyed her hair brown, permed it, and wore glasses, taking every precaution. Watching from afar was fine for her precious sister. How her heart had ached seeing her struggle without being able to help.
She kept their family tie a strict secret. Of course, those in the know understood, so she couldn't offer Minji any aid. Any help would expose the truth, harming both.
As time dragged on, despair crept in.
Our lovely, pretty Minji... she won't die, right? No, she can't...
Kang Mina could only stomp her feet helplessly.
The murmurs around her sharpened her nerves. But she knew lashing out here wouldn't help. All she could do was wait.
Calm down... calm down...
Her mouth was parched, breathing labored.
Think positive... Minji always pulls through. She'll be fine this time too!
As time passed, ominous thoughts overwhelmed her. For F-rank Kang Minji and unawakened Kim Siu, survival odds in an estimated D- gate were near zero.
No... D- is just an estimate. With the gear Kim Siu took, they can hold out, right?
All gear was inspected before entry. Unawakened Kim Siu always carried survival essentials. But that wouldn't last long.
No, stop thinking like that!
To distract from her anxiety, Kang Mina kept biting her nails.
"Professor, your hand is bleeding. You okay?"
"Ah... Sorry. I must have shown an unseemly side."
She wiped the blood with a handkerchief and wrapped her finger. Then, feigning composure, she resumed her usual expression.
Not much longer. The gate was stabilizing. Rescue teams prepared to enter.
Kang Mina had volunteered. As their supervising professor, she had every justification.
Prioritize Minji over that guy. Trace the monster remains right away—we'll find them fast.
Now, time was life. Wind stirred around her. Academy security head Kim Ji-hwan sensed the anomaly.
It felt like trouble before even entering. The man, with small eyes narrowed at her, looked almost asleep.
"Professor, maybe calm down a bit?"
He wanted to yell at her agitation at the entrance, but his position forbade it.
"Sigh... I'm making a fool of myself. Sorry."
Kang Mina knew her behavior was wrong. Hiding their relation meant this wouldn't help. But survival came first—if they died inside, none of it mattered.
"Frankly, professor, you know an F-rank and an unranked couldn't have survived this long."
"What are you implying? You want the students dead?!"
"Don't put words in my mouth. That's reality. Reality."
"One minute left!"
"..."
That one minute felt like a year to Kang Mina. Meanwhile, Kim Ji-hwan yawned widely.
The eternal minute passed. As she lunged for the gate, someone emerged from within.
"...Huh?"
"What?"
Kang Minji, with Kim Siu slumped on her back—an impossible miracle. Both filthy from rolling in dirt, gear soaked in blood.
"Student Kang Minji!"
"Uh... P-Professor?"
"Are you badly hurt? You okay?"
"I'm... I'm fine! Save Siu!!"
The tension drained from Kang Mina, who had been ready to rush in. Relief washed over her.
"This kid's in bad shape! Get treatment!!!"
Waiting medics loaded Kim Siu onto a stretcher. His wounds were roughly bandaged, but blood still seeped through.
"Is the student okay?"
"No major injuries... Could I wash up somewhere?"
Kang Mina supported Kang Minji. Her gait seemed off—perhaps injured in the dungeon? Treading carefully, she asked.
"Minji, did you hurt your leg?"
"..."
Kang Minji just clamped her mouth shut at the question.