Chapter 45: Bedlam (1)
[Breaking] Super Rookie Park Siwoo Finds His Perfect Nest! Debuts as First Member of Lavish Guild!
[Breaking] Guild Master Kim Minwoo Declares Firmly: Lavish Guild's Goal Is an Elite Few! Only World-Ranker Talent Allowed!
[Breaking] Park Siwoo Reveals Ambitions! States His Goal Is to Become Korea's Second Sword Sage…
[Breaking] Kim Minwoo's Cryptic Remark? 'I'll Show You Something Big Soon.'
Articles poured in one after another.
Public opinion heated up as well.
―Whoa lol World record breaker plus Sword Sage disciple lolol Guild lineup is insane from the start lol
―Kim Minwoo on the left, Park Siwoo on the right. Solid as hell lolol
―They straight-up said elite few, so probably only taking S-rank achievement holders?
―S-rank achievements are brutal though, right? Those two finally showed up and eased the awakener drought a bit…
―Still brutal lolol Last one was 7 years ago lolol To get more, they'll need to recruit veterans, not just new faces.
―Anyway, Korea finally has a proper guild? Rankings might shake up now?
―Doubt it lolol You climb by stacking gate clears lolol Tough to escape the bottom right away.
―Yeah. From C-rank gates up, you need way more people. Even super rookies can't clear those solo…?
―Not impossible. Those two could level up and try a 2-man clear.
―True. Anyway, kinda hyped lolol Ilsung's funding plus super rookies… Might aim for world tier?
―Nah, too far. Even our top domestic guilds are like 2.5 tier globally lolol
Public reaction was favorable.
With two super rookies debuting—something that hadn't happened in seven years—the hype was inevitable.
Park Siwoo had also boldly shared his ambitions, planting a positive image.
After the successful press conference, Siwoo stepped out and asked curiously as they left the venue.
“Bro, so what's our plan?”
“Huh? Nothing specific? Why?”
“You said you'd show something big soon.”
“Oh, that? Just lip service.”
To be precise, he did have plans, but they didn't include Park Siwoo. The structure of the plan made it impossible.
‘Too dangerous, too.’
He had to enter a freshly spawned gate. Risk was too high to drag the kid into one with a massive difficulty spike.
‘There’s no confirmed strategy for clearing it yet.’
Dorim Guild had shared some first-clear details, but no guarantee they'd revealed everything.
They'd obviously hidden the key parts.
That's why he planned to go alone.
“Focus on leveling up for now.”
“Got it. I'll grind hard.”
“Good. And if you see any weird news, don't freak out.”
“… Weird news?”
“Yeah. Something like that. You'll find out when the time comes.”
He patted the tilting kid's shoulder.
* * *
He hopped into his sleek sports car.
‘Moving solo is convenient.’
Back when he first arrived here, bodyguards had stuck to him like glue.
Monitoring him in case he caused trouble.
But now it was different.
He'd proven himself reliable multiple times, so they no longer forced guards on him.
Of course, they would if requested.
‘Not today.’
He needed no protection.
‘Got all the high-grade elixirs secured too…’
While passing the time with crafting, he had contacted Choi Yuna in advance to commission the items.
This time, he'd fronted over half the payment.
High-grade elixirs ran about 30 billion each.
800 of them? 2.4 trillion won.
Asking her to foot that solo was too much. Plus, he had about 2 trillion left anyway.
Thanks to that, they came quick. The remaining 1.2 trillion was covered by advance payments from pre-made gear handed over from his leftover funds.
Cleared this gate, and he might surpass level 151.
Prioritizing elixirs made sense. The C-rank skillbook +9 could wait till higher levels.
‘This'll be the last elixir work with Choi Yuna.’
High-grade elixirs consumable at 151. Top-grade ones couldn't be commissioned from Korean alchemists afterward.
‘No recipes.’
Only one artisan worldwide had top-grade elixir recipes.
Christine, the American 'witch.'
Got it from clearing a hidden gate, or so the story went.
‘Gonna be a pain to acquire.’
Price aside.
America controlled distribution on this one. For national interest, like slapping a lock on it.
The reason was simple.
Other elixirs maxed at +50 per stat per bracket, total 200.
Top-grade? Different story.
‘+150 per stat. Total 600.’
Same level, similar skills? Higher stats win.
600 was a huge gap.
‘Hell, they'd control it even at +200.’
Those guys were greedy as hell.
Korea controlled one too.
Sword Shadow Pill was prime example.
‘But that's one-use.’
High stat boost, but single-use.
No stacking.
Pale compared to top-grade.
Anyway.
Heard France even cut a deal with America to get top-grade elixirs for Isabella.
Gate-hunter nations were dead serious about awakener power.
‘It's competition and survival.’
Gates explode after a timer, spewing monsters.
If gate power outstrips awakeners?
Disaster.
Gates weren't all bad, though.
New world goods, mana stones, treasures, novel materials—plenty of gains.
Fail to raid them?
Like using a flip phone while others have smartphones. No wonder nations obsessed over awakener forces.
The car entered Gyeonggi Province.
Destination neared.
An open lot backed by mountains, no buildings around.
‘Here we are.’
He parked.
The gate's spawn here was still fresh in his mind.
‘Roughly this size, around here.’
He gauged the remembered dimensions and picked a spot closest to the future entrance.
Opened his phone gallery, showed a photo.
“Remember this face? Do what we practiced when he shows.”
―Kuuu.
A growl echoed from thin air.
Soon, vehicles rolled in.
[Gate Observation Division]
Officials piled out.
Measuring devices in hand to check gate density.
“Isn't this it?”
“Yeah! Mana's pooling here. At least B-rank?”
“Hang on! Someone's over there?”
Officials approached.
“… Mr. Kim Minwoo?”
“Hello.”
Exchanged greetings.
“Sorry, but could you step away? We've observed a gate spawning here. You might get caught in the fallout.”
The official said politely.
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. Dangerous. Please stay back…”
“Awesome. Always wanted to see one spawn up close.”
“Then come this way. You can watch from…”
“Nah, wanna see it close.”
“Dangerous! The gate could spawn right over your head!”
Nope.
Gate spawn points were fixed. Confirmed thousands of times in the game.
It'd spawn right in front of him. One step, and he'd be inside.
Couldn't explain that.
“Sir.”
“Yes?”
“I've been super lucky lately?”
“Look, no time! Gate's spawning soon!”
That's when.
Dozens of vehicles swarmed in. Media, guilds—all mixed in.
News spread the instant spawn was observed.
Closest wins.
Familiar faces dotted the crowd.
Dorim Guild Master on down to Venus Guild, Hanlim Guild Master…
Sword Sage Seo Yerim was with what looked like her Sword Sea Pavilion master and crew.
“Gate!”
Eyes gleamed.
Fresh gate.
Inside was a honey pot.
First in owns it.
Most were ready to declare raid intent once rank confirmed.
“Hey, sir! Get out of there quick!”
The persuading official yelled while backing away.
Then.
Ruuuush…!
Massive wind pressure.
Thud!
Gate spawned.
Right as expected, entrance inches from his nose.
‘See? Nailed it.’
One step forward, and he'd swallow this fresh gate whole.
Prediction spot-on.
* * *
Dorim Guild Master Lee Minjun's eyes lit up. Perfectly close to the spawn—pure luck.
Raced here at top speed with guildmates the moment the alert hit.
But.
Some weirdo loitered near the spawn point.
‘… Crazy bastard?’
One wrong move, and he'd get crushed by the sudden gate. No big loss.
“Who the hell's that guy? Ignoring the officials?”
“Looks like… Kim Minwoo?”
“What?”
“Lavish Guild, right? Their guild master.”
Huh?
Narrowed eyes confirmed it—yep, that punk.
‘What? Here to raid solo?’
No way.
Fresh gate rank: undetermined.
Observation Division had to confirm.
Identification process.
Still, incoming mana flow gave a rough guess.
Ah, tough one. Alerts already pegged minimum B-rank.
But why was he here?
Solo, no less.
‘Curious type?’
Sightseeing? Plausible. Though no one sane spectates that close.
Then.
Gate spawned.
So close Kim Minwoo could step inside with one stride.
‘No way he'd enter.’
Suicide.
Plus, perfect setup for backlash.
Gate raids weren't kid stuff. Huge interests at stake. Raid party selection: complex.
Entry had rules.
Even Sword Sage now couldn't waltz in solo.
Good thing he wasn't totally nuts—no entry signs. Just peering around the entrance like it was fascinating?
“Mr. Kim Minwoo over there, escort him out politely.”
Send him off easy.
One thing Lee Minjun hadn't anticipated:
Jo Pilwook, executive director and chairman's son. Held massive grudge against Kim Minwoo.
Fuming Jo Pilwook charged faster than anyone.
He'd bombed his NewTube debut, got reamed by Chairman Jo.
All because of that damn punk. Compared endlessly, humiliated. Even threatened with permanent benching from company ops.
And now that smug bastard was loitering at the gate he needed to raid? Rage boiled over.
‘Fucking bastard!’
Perfect.
Time to crush a shoulder with his 300-level grip strength.
Face twisted demonic, Jo Pilwook closed in.
“Hey, you fuck! Get out now?”
As rough Jo Pilwook grabbed for Kim Minwoo's shoulder, something slammed his own.
Unexpected impact flung his body forward.
Result.
Thud!
Body-checked forward, Kim Minwoo got sucked right into the gate.
“… Huh?”
“… Huh?”
“… Huuuh?”
“… Huuuuh?”
“… Pushed him?”
“Exclusive scoop!”
“Breaking news! Moments ago, at the Gyeonggi Province gate spawn, Kim Minwoo got sucked in…!”