A Novel That Instills Vigilance
A novel that instills vigilance. The Steel Guild's scheme triggered the gate break. Confident they could control it, they were proven wrong as it chained into a catastrophic red gate collapse. In the hellish inferno born of human folly, Hayunha fought desperately to save lives.
Amid that fierce struggle, Hayunha suddenly recalled her past. Her father had been a porter on the Steel Guild's support team. After her mother passed away young, he'd raised Hayunha alone, giving his all as a devoted dad. But in an instant, he became a departed soul.
When she got the call that he'd died in a gate accident, Hayunha felt her world crumble. Coming to her senses, she found herself at his funeral, greeting mourners. Among them were his colleagues.
"Those bastards—I told them not to do it…!"
"Shh! What if Yoonha hears?"
"She needs to hear! She has a right to know how her dad really died!"
"Hey, come on…! Who doesn't know? It was the Steel Guild that—"
"What are you saying? My dad… he didn't die in an accident?"
With alcohol loosening their tongues, they spilled the truth she couldn't ignore. It was an accident, sure—but one bordering on manslaughter. Guild members, obsessed with racking up achievements, pushed a reckless raid and stirred up monsters beyond their league. Even as they fled in panic, they forced the porters not to ditch the cargo to meet quotas. In the chaos, her father died trying to cover for his lagging comrades.
And the Steel Guild swept it under the rug like it was nothing. No bad PR for the guild, right? Just another routine gate fatality.
Learning this, Hayunha fought tooth and nail for justice, but what chance did she have? On the verge of giving up in despair—
"Me… a hunter?"
She awakened. Her flames could burn even concepts at their peak. With that power, Hayunha rose as a successful hunter, vowing revenge on the Steel Guild and to expose the truth.
She crossed paths with Kim Min, who shared her enemy, and together they cornered the guild. She never imagined they'd go this far, pushed to the brink.
Heroically sparking a gate break to flip the script? Learning this from a guilt-ridden guild member's confession, Hayunha felt a crushing sense of responsibility. It all seemed like her fault for backing them into such a desperate spot.
Hayunha poured everything into saving even one more life. Just like her father had protected his comrades in that dire moment, now it was her turn to shield these people.
It's tough. But… I'll make it. I'm my dad's daughter, after all!
Her strength spent, Hayunha breathed her last before Kim Min, who arrived after handling another crisis.
More precisely—
"I'm done for already. You know that."
"No, just hold on…! Don't say anything! I'm calling a healer right now…!"
"Take what's left of my power… I'd like that, Kim Min-ssi…."
She entrusted her final moments to him.
"Please. Become your strength… so we can keep fighting together…."
Kim Min couldn't refuse her dying wish. Devouring her as she wished with his own power—
"I was wrong. You're worse than monsters. Redemption? That's a luxury you don't deserve. Just—die."
He ignited his bloody vengeance.
"Why? Why do scum like you survive while good people like her have to die?"
"It's not just Yoonha-ssi. Why do the innocent have to suffer because of parasites like you?"
"What right do I have to judge? Fair point. Who am I to play judge?"
"So this is just… venting. You take it out on the weak when you're pissed, right? So take it sweetly."
Lee Seoryul, devouring this episode, bit her lip without realizing. It dragged up memories of Seo Dami's end—the one etched in her mind.
Seo Dami, sacrificing herself to buy time for everyone fleeing an enemy raid. Seeing her corpse not even intact, Lee Seoryul had gone on a near-rampage, slaughtering foes to avenge her.
This tale felt like it was written from that very scene. Lee Seoryul didn't know what to make of it.
If Yoon Sungjin had seen her reaction, he'd have been baffled.
What? The protagonist exploding in rage over a comrade's death is the oldest cliché in the book!
He'd probably whine something like that. But Yoon Sungjin wasn't here. He had no clue about this misunderstanding brewing.
Without anyone to correct her, Lee Seoryul's suspicions only grew. Sure, one might wonder why read so much into a webnovel—but isn't that how it goes?
Right after a breakup, even a movie scene hits like it's about you. Call it the curse of knowledge. The more you know, the more everything catches your eye.
"Alright, everyone, time's up. Let's head to gate break response training."
The team leader's voice cut through. She wanted to track down the author right then for answers, but piecing together the truth could wait. First things first—training.
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"Train like it's real combat! You think you'll handle a real break like this?!"
Seo Dami barked at her guild members, spurring them on. They moved with crisp precision, tackling simulated scenarios.
Impressive, but not enough for her. The veterans were passable. The rookies, though…
Maybe it was fallout from that incident, but even their solid performance irked her.
Tch.
She inwardly clicked her tongue. Failing to recruit talent was a big loss. Fine, the hidden powerhouse porter who saved her guildmate was a mystery. But that porter who bought time against a guardian instead of the screw-up rookies—Cha Yaeun. She should've snagged her.
From guildmate accounts, her potential was off the charts, and her mentality? Perfection. Seo Dami had sweetened the deal big-time out of sheer greed, but got turned down.
Wondered if some guild member had bullied her during subcontract work, leaving bad blood. Thankfully, no.
She'd refused, saying she wanted to forge her own path like her idol.
Idol… Sword Saint? Or that old hag?
Whoever it was, it wasn't her—and that stung. Learning a prized talent admired someone else? That feeling.
She'd slipped her contact info, saying call if she changed her mind, but it felt hopeless.
Regret gnawed at Seo Dami. No shiny new sprout, just disappointing weeds in her garden.
"Tch."
She tsked aloud.
"Your basics are too shaky. Relying on skills won't get you far. Double the foundational drills."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Like it or not, she'd nurture what she'd planted. Seo Dami watched the newbies closely, dispensing feedback. S-rank hunter wisdom. Their eyes sparkled as they nodded eagerly.
Yeah, that's more like it.
Still couldn't fathom Cha Yaeun turning down her guild. The offer included personal lessons from Seo Dami herself. Her mindset was gold, potential tantalizing. She'd planned to mold her proper.
She wouldn't pass up such fortune out of ignorance.
No way she's getting better advice than mine elsewhere, right?
Absence makes the heart grow fonder—or the fish look bigger. Cha Yaeun slipping away left her pining.
Regret dripping. No point dwelling; it'd just bruise her ego. Time to drop it.
"Alright, ten-minute break!"
After the call, Seo Dami retreated to catch her breath. She pulled out her smartphone naturally and dove into Lebalheonda.
Hayunha, her mirror image, died but didn't exit stage left. This story had elevated her skills, and above all, it was a blast. Wondering what twists came next was half the fun.
Life's unpredictable. Better not make enemies.
The Steel Guild crumbling under thorough revenge. Running a guild herself, this episode hit home.
She wouldn't say "blood is thicker than water," but she got their psychology. Who'd dream using F-rank "disposables" would backfire like this? Everyone does it quietly, so why not? Who could've foreseen?
A powerhouse individual shattering a mega-guild. At first, she'd scoffed—author clueless about guild life, treating hunters like punching bags.
But now… a chill ran down her spine.
That hidden powerhouse posing as a porter, or Crimson Guild unknowingly earning some strongman's grudge—who's to say?
She couldn't swear no guild member was bullying, building resentment aimed at her and Crimson someday. The world didn't allow such guarantees.
Before, she'd dismiss it as exaggeration. Now, recent events had her overthinking.
So Seo Dami resolved:
Time to manage our rep. Boost support team welfare and care. Treat contractors better too—can't hurt.
It felt like Crimson's already solid reputation was about to soar even higher.