The Real Reason to Attend
My first class in Hunter studies ended with a very simple history lesson. The stories of the people who laid the foundation for guilds and Hunters were intriguing and fun. The next class was a similar history lesson. I suppose you could call it an extension of the first?
After that initial period, systems regarding Awakeners and Gates were established and began to settle into place. This allowed for more stable research into Gates. Eventually, through the hard work of scientists, they found a way to utilize them.
"Does any student know what that was?"
A man raised his hand and spoke up. "The utilization of Mana Stones."
"Correct."
Mana Stones—mysterious cores found inside the bodies of monsters. Humanity had developed a way to extract energy from them. Remarkably, the scientists who discovered this didn't even try to monopolize the information; they shared it with every existing nation.
Though nations were skeptical at first, they quickly realized it was the truth once they verified the data. Since the information had been distributed globally, everyone had no choice but to jump on the bandwagon. The instructor didn't go into exact detail, but it seemed they used Mana Stones much like fossil fuels.
With that, the value of Gates shifted entirely. Mana Stones became as valuable as oil. Well, maybe not exactly the same value, but they became highly prized as a clean energy source. Thus, people began entering Gates to defeat monsters and harvest Mana Stones.
It caused such a massive sensation that even governments stepped in to purchase them. I already knew this much from what I'd heard during my protective custody period.
"And what is truly amazing... is that even after that, the utility of Gates continued to be discovered," the instructor said.
I had heard this during my protective custody as well.
"Once the initial safety assessments of the Gate environments were completed, we began investigating the interiors in earnest."
And the results...
"...revealed that the flora and fauna existing inside the Gates could also be utilized."
Ah, I'd heard that too.
"Once tests confirmed that alien viruses or bacteria posed no threat, nations began harvesting various resources from the Gates."
They ate the meat of the beasts inside, utilized the timber and plants, and in some cases, even mined minerals from deposits within the Gates... or so I'd heard.
Naturally, this made the Hunters who fought inside the Gates even more critical. To exploit the resources inside, the monsters had to be cleared out first. Even after that, guards were needed to protect the machinery and laborers. The instructor explained that this was how the importance of Hunters grew exponentially.
A unique characteristic of Gates also played a massive role in this. Unless a Gate was completely closed, it would reset after a certain period. Everything inside would fully regenerate—including the environment itself. The forests, the mines, the flora, and the fauna... all of it! In other words, it was a space where resources could be harvested infinitely!
It had essentially become an infinite source of resources.
"That is all for today's class."
Uh... well, that was a bit abrupt.
The lesson itself was decent, though. It was a concise summary of the ten-year history since the Gates first appeared, which made it highly valuable knowledge for me. I learned how Gates were utilized and even understood why North Korea had been able to rebuild its national power.
But for everyone else, this was common knowledge, so they looked bored out of their minds. Then again, they had lived through these events in real-time. Still, I wondered what any of this had to do with actual Hunter activities... Knowing this stuff wasn't bad, but I questioned whether it was really worth teaching as a formal class.
In any case, the first day of class was over. It felt a bit anticlimactic. Can I really just go home now? I wondered blankly, looking around as I packed up my things.
Some people seemed to already know each other, chatting and leaving together. As for me... since I was currently hiding my appearance, I couldn't really talk to anyone. There were a few other women around, but getting close to them wasn't going to be easy. Sadly, it looked like my first day was ending just like this.
Once I got home, I immediately slumped down and lazed around. When my sister returned from work, she asked how it went.
"Eh, it was alright. It was just the first day, so we didn't do much."
"I figured..."
When she asked what I learned, I told her it was the history of Gates.
"They teach stuff like that? Isn't that a bit of a rip-off for a paid academy?"
"Actually, it's pretty helpful for me."
Considering my lost ten years, it made sense. "I guess it worked out for the best, then?" she said.
"Yeah."
For me, it was a great opportunity to fill in the gaps in my knowledge and common sense. "Anyway, make sure to keep going," she encouraged.
"Mhm..."
I just wasn't sure about the whole making friends part...
The next day, I arrived at the academy early in the morning again. People seemed to have gotten closer overnight, gathering in groups and chatting away. Naturally, I was alone.
To be fair, I was bundled up so tightly that I looked incredibly suspicious... and who in their right mind would want to befriend a suspicious person?
But why were they trying so hard to get close already? It looked exhausting. Maybe it was just my personality, but watching them mingle made me feel uncomfortable. Regardless, the second day of class began.
The second day's lesson was also about Gate history, but this time, the topic was a bit more... serious.
"I trust you all remember yesterday's lesson," the instructor began. "Through scientific research, humanity found ways to utilize the Gates. However, reality is harsh. Just when we thought we had completely conquered them... the Gates changed, as if mocking our arrogance."
About six months to a year after their initial appearance, the Gates began to change. They mutated in ways that completely defied all prior research.
"Does anyone know what the most significant change was?"
A woman raised her hand. "The emergence of Gate attraction, which made them far more dangerous."
Attraction... Was that the force that sucked in nearby living things when a Gate formed? Once that phenomenon began, people started getting pulled into Gates and going missing.
"That is also correct," the instructor nodded, though he didn't seem entirely satisfied. Another man raised his hand.
"The types of Gates diversified."
Huh? That was news to me too.
"Correct. What we will be learning about today is indeed the different types of Gates."
I thought this was a history class, but we were moving on to something else? My interest piqued, and I began to focus.
"As time passed, Gates underwent changes. The first was attraction, and the second was diversification."
It felt strange to call it a good thing, but apparently, this diversification actually brought some benefits.
"Though we say they diversified, there are only three main types. Does any student know what those three types are?"
For some reason, no one volunteered this time.
"Hmm, I cannot tell if no one knows or if you simply lack interest in the class." The instructor checked his attendance sheet. "Student Nix Hemera?"
Fuck. A curse almost slipped out of my mouth. Why did it have to be me?!
"Do you know?"
It was embarrassing, but I couldn't pretend to know when I genuinely didn't. "...I don't know."
I felt like the people around me were snickering. Flustered, I lowered my head.
"It is only natural not to know if you do not preview the material."
Then don't fucking ask me in the first place! I wanted to scream and curse at him, but I held it in.
"Currently, Gates are broadly classified into three categories," the instructor continued.
First: Alien-type.
Second: Erosion-type.
Third: Dungeon-type.
"The very first Gates to appear were Alien-type Gates."
These were Gates that, once entered, revealed an entirely different world with various environments. The defining characteristic of this type was that they could be closed by destroying the core or the boss monster that served as the Gate's anchor.
"However, because we can harvest a wide variety of resources from Alien-type Gates, we rarely close them."
As I had learned yesterday, Gates possessed a peculiar property of resetting back to their original state over time. Which meant...
"They are strategic resources that infinitely generate materials."
So that was why Gates were treated as vital national assets... I had heard it yesterday, but it was still truly mind-blowing.
"Of course, depending on where they form, some are deemed too dangerous and are closed immediately."
However, for most Alien-type Gates, once they verified what was inside and deemed it useful, they would leave them open for resource farming.
"The next to appear were Erosion-type Gates. These are among the most terrifying Gates, and closing them is always our highest priority."
With that introduction, the instructor began explaining Erosion-type Gates.
True to the word 'erosion,' these Gates literally eroded Earth. When one appeared, it would project its otherworldly environment outward, terraforming the surrounding area. In other words, it turned Earth's landscape into the same environment as the inside of the Gate.
"Erosion-type Gates usually project environments that are hostile to human life."
For example, volcanic regions flowing with lava, deep oceans, or extreme, frozen tundras. That was why closing them was the absolute priority.
"Of course, scientists eventually found a way to exploit even these Erosion-type Gates."
"Terraforming!" someone shouted.
Instantly, everyone's eyes darted toward the speaker. Embarrassed by the sudden attention, the person quickly ducked their head. But wait, terraforming?
"Correct."
What if the surrounding area was a place where erosion didn't matter? What if it was a barren desert with no vegetation where humans couldn't live anyway? If an Erosion-type Gate appeared in such a location, they would intentionally leave it open to let the environment transform.
"In fact, China was fortunate enough to have an Erosion-type Gate open in one of their desert regions. To make things better, it was a Gate with a tropical rainforest environment."
Apparently, China had left that Gate alone, allowing it to slowly turn the surrounding desert into a lush rainforest. Of course, since monsters would eventually pour out if left unchecked, they periodically cleared them out while monitoring the progress.
"While they can be used to cultivate desired environments like this..."
Unless it was a special case like that, Erosion-type Gates were dealt with as quickly as possible.
"Finally, we have Dungeon-type Gates... the latest type to appear, and what has essentially become a playground for Hunters."
The terrifying thing about this type was that, to this day, humanity had not found a way to close them.
They didn't alter the external environment like Erosion-types, nor did they allow for the harvesting of diverse resources like Alien-types. Yet, these Gates were incredibly important to Hunters.
"I believe the modern term for it is 'instanced.' They are Gates where parties enter and are completely isolated from one another."
In other words, dozens or even hundreds of people could enter the same Gate simultaneously without their paths ever crossing.
"They are, quite literally, just like dungeons in a video game."
A video game...? I'd never played one, so I wouldn't know. But from the description, it sounded like a Gate that multiple Hunters could enter repeatedly.
The efficiency of harvesting resources here was relatively low, as you could only get basic monster byproducts and Mana Stones. However, because they could accommodate so many Hunters and be entered repeatedly, they were highly valued. In fact, being able to run them over and over made them the primary source of income for most Hunters.
"While these three types of Gates can sometimes manifest with overlapping traits..."
In terms of frequency, Alien-types were the most common, followed by Erosion-types, with Dungeon-types being the rarest.
The instructor continued to explain the different types of Gates and their minor characteristics. The information was incredibly useful to me. So, Gates weren't just one uniform thing... Based on the descriptions, the Gate I had first fallen into ten years ago must have been an Alien-type. Learning all of this was actually quite fun.
When the class ended, it was time for a break. Everyone else gathered in small groups, chatting away, but still, no one approached me. I hadn't really cared on the first day, but today, I found myself wishing I could join in. To be honest, I was starting to feel a bit left out.
So, I laid my head down on my desk and perked up my ears, eavesdropping on their conversations. As their voices drifted over to me, I realized...
Ah, they're talking about parties.
Unless a Hunter was an overwhelmingly powerful individual who could handle everything alone, operating solo was dangerous—practically suicidal. Naturally, they had to form parties to move. And then, it clicked.
This academy wasn't just a place to learn about being a Hunter. Because it gathered people who were all aspiring to become Hunters, it also served as a social hub for finding future party members. I had wondered why people were paying good money to attend these seemingly basic, low-value classes... but now, I finally understood the real reason.