Chapter 10

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Translator: Wjin

Chapter: 010

Chapter Title: Gate Shock (2)

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S-Rank hunters are strong.

Their level of power is comparable to strategic weapons, earning them the nickname of walking nuclear warheads.

It's common knowledge to the public, but if someone were to ask, "So just how strong are they?" not many could give a proper answer.

Well, of course.

'This strong?'

How often does one get to witness an S-Rank hunter in combat up close?

Up to now, there have only been five in all of Korea. One of them is still missing, and the other four rarely show up at incidents anymore.

So how could anyone in this day and age easily grasp the true might of an S-Rank? This was the first time he'd seen it with his own eyes, clear as day. How could he not be shocked?

Go Young-gyun, an executive of the Dongdaemun District management guild [Blue Falcon], felt the hairs on his entire body stand on end.

Without any fancy techniques—just pure energy blasts—the horde that had seemed utterly hopeless had been wiped out in an instant.

Hundreds of magic stones lay scattered on the ground like bones, proving that the monsters had indeed existed. It all felt like a dream.

"Hm, looks like that's all of them."

Jeong-woo smiled gently. Young-gyun got chills from that smile, which carried a hint of regret, as if apologizing for ending it all too easily.

'This is the power of an individual.'

And this was from someone who'd just awakened, with limitless potential for growth. Was something like this even allowed to exist?

As that thought crossed his mind, he realized it with every fiber of his being.

'Born S-Rank...'

Why they were called otherworldly.

The Gate Shock was safely stabilized.

It was a huge gain for Jeong-woo. He'd figured out the mechanics of several skills.

'[All-Ages Filter] transforms monsters within range, simplifying their attack patterns to lower the subjugation difficulty. And the filter's area is based on the summon, not me.'

He'd realized this when the Teddy Warrior stepped forward, and the area shifted accordingly.

And as for the Teddy Warrior itself...

'Who carries a sword but specializes in barrages.'

A summon specialized in frontal bombardment.

Its close-combat capabilities needed testing, but on the surface, it focused on one-shot kills. After firing once, it swung the heated sword to cool it down—likely a delay until the next shot.

Of course, even accounting for that, it was an astonishing ability, so it wasn't really a flaw.

'And it's not even fully grown yet.'

Jeong-woo read the interface alerts floating before his eyes.

This mechanism seemed no different from regular hunters.

Systematic growth bonuses through Gate purification. Separate from growth through effort, this was a stat increase applied to all hunters by the system.

'Wonder if skills change once proficiency maxes out.'

Usually, max proficiency raised a skill's rank. But for an already S-Rank skill, what happened next was unknown to Jeong-woo.

Setting aside those questions...

Rumble...!

As he dismissed the interface, the world in the distance crumbled and reformed.

With the A-Rank Champion gone, the black-and-red land turned to earth tones, and the sky cleared to blue.

This was one characteristic of Third Gates. Once returned to a normal environment, they stayed that way until the next dominant species changed everything again.

Guild hunters collected the magic stones, sorted them ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠by rank, and packed them up.

After watching the cleanup, Jeong-woo exited the Gate. He was immediately met with countless stares.

No one dared speak.

Reporters shouted from afar, but their voices didn't carry from the rooftop.

Jeong-woo spoke to Jin Ho-jong.

"Work's done. Confirmed the Gate stabilization alert too."

"Yeah, ended way too easily."

"Will that be a problem?"

"Nah, I like it. Makes the report shorter."

His nonchalant tone made it hard to gauge the distance between them. For someone who'd set up this situation, he was awfully straightforward.

'I hate dragging out these games.'

He wanted to know his intentions.

After a brief hesitation, Jeong-woo asked quietly.

"Not sure if I did what you intended, Director."

"Whoa, getting scary all of a sudden."

"It's my job. Gotta understand my boss's intentions."

"No such thing. Just wanted to brag about our 3-billion-won employee everywhere."

The conversation kept missing the mark slightly. That only strengthened Jeong-woo's conviction.

'The Director wants to check the Hunter Management Bureau. That's the most logical.'

Why make his power known to the public?

It started as a favor, but he stood to gain too.

Wasn't it obvious from the outcomes?

An overwhelming subordinate's power would elevate the Anomalous Disaster Response Agency's standing. That power and prestige would bolster independence from the Bureau.

This was a relationship he could use.

But the Director had already drawn lines, setting mutual rewards within bounds.

That made him think.

'Better to get closer.'

Jeong-woo wanted to solidify their shared goal against the Bureau.

If the distance came from unclear motives, showing his hand might help.

So he said directly.

"Sure."

"Hm?"

"What if I really worked for my 3 billion? Say, taking down villains who summon monsters out of greed?"

They both knew who that meant.

A short silence.

Then Jin Ho-jong's lips twitched.

"Jeong-woo, you're saying some scary stuff. Where'd you learn that?"

As the responses aligned, Jeong-woo smiled.

"I'm a black-hearted guy. Secrets come with the territory."

He'd thrown the words back.

A faint glint passed through Jin Ho-jong's eyes.

What followed confirmed all his guesses.

"Villains disappearing would be great. Yeah, sure."

"Sounds like permission."

"Doubt you need my permission anyway."

"I do. You're the boss."

"Feels good to be treated right. You keep promises like that?"

"Pretty much."

This man was fiercely against the Bureau and needed ways to counter them. As long as goals aligned, he didn't care much about a collaborator's inner thoughts.

It was a pleasant realization.

"Director, seems like we get along."

"Funny, I was thinking the same."

A clean business partner. That described the Director perfectly.

Gate Shocks were the disaster modern society feared most.

They caused more physical damage than earthquakes, tsunamis, or typhoons—enough to dismiss those as minor.

Thus, the public shock from seeing that terror outright denied was dramatic.