Chapter 22: The Gate with No Survivors
Nam Gyuil stepped out of Park Heeryeong's office. He pulled the long-term service application from his pocket.
‘I told her I wouldn't, but she insisted anyway.’
Back at the 01 Team office, he crumpled the paper and tossed it in the trash. Then he sat down at his desk.
Lee Chanu glanced at the bin and asked,
"Hyung."
"What?"
"What'd you just throw away? What did Lieutenant Colonel Park Heeryeong say?"
"…She told me to think about long-term service."
"!!"
Lee Chanu's eyes widened. The shock quickly turned into a mischievous grin.
"Long-term service? Puhahaha."
"Don't laugh."
"Come on, they must've offered it 'cause you're that awesome, right?"
"Yeah, well."
"Anyway, it'd be great for me if you stuck around the Hunter Agency longer!"
Nam Gyuil furrowed his brow.
"You teasing me for getting the offer?"
"Nah, it's just that with you around, I feel like I'll make it through discharge without losing any limbs. You're insanely strong, hyung."
"You little punk. At least you said it nicely, or I'd be pissed…."
Nam Gyuil chuckled. Anyway, he'd made it clear he didn't want long-term service, so they wouldn't push too hard. Maybe a few more meetings, but that was it.
‘I'll worry about that later. Time to get on with today's routine.’
He stood from his chair.
"Long-term whatever, I'm heading to training."
Lee Chanu whined in disappointment.
"Hyung, it's the day you got commended. Can't we at least grab a team dinner? You always train."
"You guys do it without me."
"That'd be no fun without you."
Nam Gyuil let out a hollow laugh. He didn't hate Lee Chanu wanting to hang out with him. Still, skipping training today wasn't an option.
"Anyway, I'm going. Don't just goof off—train hard today too."
"Fine."
Lee Chanu pouted.
The 01 Team followed Nam Gyuil to the training ground. He dove into mana cultivation and sword training, pouring intense focus into every stance and movement.
The team members stole glances at him. They secretly tried mimicking his training, hoping to get as strong as him, but saw zero results. Doubt crept in.
They were trying just as hard—why weren't they growing? What was the difference?
Unable to hold back, Lee Chanu asked bluntly,
"Hyung, teach us your training too."
"What?"
"We copied what you were doing, but it did nothing for us."
Nam Gyuil fell silent at Lee Chanu's words. He didn't mind sharing with his longtime comrades. The issue was secrecy. If it leaked outside, the large guilds wouldn't sit idle.
So he hesitated. Just then, the speaker on the wall blared.
Dispatch signal.
"Hey, gear up—now!"
Nam Gyuil shouted. The training request fizzled out unresolved. The 01 Team rushed to the gate.
Soldiers in full gear had sealed off the gate. Machine guns bolted to the ground. Ten Claymores aimed at the entrance.
A few chatted idly.
"Aigoo, the national hunters who went in haven't come out in two days."
"Probably dead."
"Tsk, is this gate that tough?"
"Dunno."
Then a military bus approached from afar.
Screech.
It stopped. The door opened, and 01 Team disembarked.
The soldiers sealing the gate gaped in admiration, lips pursed.
"Whoa, they look badass."
"National hunters with brand-new armor and weapons?"
They couldn't look away. The national hunters they'd seen before wielded cheap daggers and battered shields. Full gear like this was a first.
Nam Gyuil approached the soldiers.
"Where's the gate?"
"Over there."
The soldiers led 01 Team to it. A commander waited.
"Ah, the national hunters are here?"
The commander approached familiarly. Nam Gyuil saluted.
"Sir!"
"You folks 01 Team?"
"Yes, sir."
"Heard about you. The commendation, right?"
"Thank you for your interest."
"Hahaha, Seoul Hunter Agency's top team—now I can relax. I specially requested you guys."
The commander eyed Nam Gyuil approvingly. Fully geared head to toe, he looked solid.
Nam Gyuil asked about the monsters.
"What monsters in this gate?"
"Hobgoblins. Confirmed them bursting out."
"Got it."
"Don't get cocky, though. The first national hunters in have been gone two days—no survivors."
"You mean they're dead?"
"Safe to assume."
Nam Gyuil couldn't fathom it. Hobgoblins differed from regular goblins—same dumb brains, but adult-male-sized bodies. Strong too. Physical stats on par with awakeners.
Still, their stupidity made them easy with a good plan—minimal casualties.
No survivors? That didn't add up. Casualties, sure, but not impossible to close. A hobgoblin gate should've been sealed already.
‘Some kind of trap?’
Nothing else explained it.
Seeing Nam Gyuil's puzzled look, the commander sighed.
"No survivors from the first team—who knows what's happening inside."
He patted Nam Gyuil's shoulder.
"Good luck."
"Yes, sir."
"Truth is, I said we needed more teams besides you... but too many gates, no spare manpower."
The commander gave a wry smile.
Nam Gyuil pondered. Full wipe of national hunters? Serious stuff. Large guilds should step in.
"Commander, a question."
"Shoot."
"At this stage, shouldn't we request large guild support?"
"We did."
The commander grimaced, hand on his belt. Furious.
Nam Gyuil got it.
"Large guilds refused again?"
"Yep."
He asked no more. As expected. Their game.
Government pays large guilds to close tough gates. Worse the crisis, bigger the payout.
‘They're holding out for a fatter check. Letting it escalate on purpose.’
Infuriating. Already hoarding proper training methods—now refusing gates for profit?
‘Getting uglier by the day.’
He clicked his tongue unwittingly. He turned to his team.
"We're entering the gate! No survivors so far—likely a trap. Stay sharp!"
They shouted back.
"Got it!"
"Yes, sir!"
Nam Gyuil nodded. Crisp responses pleased him. Final weapon checks, then into the gate.
Inside the gate, Nam Gyuil's group faced a dense forest. Dim tree shadows enveloped them. Roots carpeted the ground; fresh grass scent wafted about.
Ordinary-looking woods.
Nam Gyuil gripped his long sword from his back and advanced slowly. 01 Team stayed vigilant. No survivors from this gate—they were on edge.
Then—
"Keeeaak!!"
"Kieeng-!!"
Earsplitting shrieks. Far off, hobgoblins charged with daggers. Green skin, thick legs. About 170cm tall, protruding bellies eye-catching. Gut forward, but limbs muscled—like sumo wrestlers.
Nam Gyuil ordered,
"Circle formation!"
01 Team formed a ring.
"Kuaaa!"
Hobgoblins neared, shoulders heaving, roaring wildly. Pumped up.
They swung daggers like killing blows.
Clang.
But the blades didn't pierce armor. Just dull thuds.
"Kruk?!"
Hobgoblins flinched at the failure. Paused, then—
"Kwaaaak-!!"
—shrieked again, flailing wildly.
01 Team countered with swings. One-sided slaughter.
Hobgoblins' sackcloth offered no defense. No swordsmanship. Raw awakener-level strength demanded caution, but armored 01 Team shrugged off attacks.
Dumb hobgoblins fought to the last. First battle over.
Perfectly armed and formed up, no one hurt.
"Hah, hak."
"Heuk, heuk."
But stamina drained.
Nam Gyuil called a break for the exhausted team.
Lee Chanu looked baffled.
"Just regular hobgoblins."
No survivors? Expected something special, but ordinary.
Even Nam Gyuil sensed wrongness.
‘Hobgoblins aren't pushovers, but not wipe-level for the first team. Nothing special here.’
The more he thought, the less sense it made.
After 10 minutes' rest, they moved on. Cautious for traps, slow march.
But,
"No traps either?"
Lee Chanu frowned deeper. Nam Gyuil agreed.
‘Did the first national hunters just suck that bad?’
Then Hong Shinu pointed.
"Over there—a person."
All looked. Blood-soaked man slumped against a tall tree trunk.
"Cough."
Labored breaths. Clothes soaked dark red, original color gone.
In the gate? Must be from the first national hunter team.
01 Team hurried over.
"You okay?"
The man gasped, eyeing them. Muttered,
"…Iron… huge… go… gong……."
Then he died.
01 Team swallowed hard. No clue what was going on, but instinct screamed:
Something was in this gate.