Chapter 12. Sponsorship (1)
“Five hours...”
Jung Woo-yeon of the Shinhwa Guild stared at his watch.
That was how long it had been since the strange Special Division rookie entered the Gate.
An abnormal A-Rank Gate.
By normal standards...
“...”
The chance of that rookie and the Yoo-seong twins returning alive was almost zero.
Even if the Special Division's A-Rank Hunters possessed strength beyond their rank, there was a clear limit to what one Hunter could do alone.
Especially during a rescue operation.
Combat aside, tracking, stealth...
Clearing a Gate required countless specialized skills.
There was a reason even low-rank Gates were normally cleared by teams of three or four.
Those people are insane.
The expressions of the Special Division Hunters proved Jung Woo-yeon's theory.
Their faces were filled with anxiety.
Nervousness.
Fear.
Still, there was one thing he couldn't understand.
While the rookie remained inside, the Hunters outside had investigated why only he was allowed entry.
What the hell does “the Gate got scared” even mean?
The idea that an abnormal Gate could have exceptions to its entry conditions was already absurd.
But the investigation had somehow concluded that the Gate had become frightened and opened a path for Kim Si-hyeon.
Everyone here had clearly lost their minds.
“How much longer until the entry condition disappears?”
Jung Woo-yeon asked the Hunters analyzing the Gate.
“Thirty minutes!”
The original thirty-six-hour requirement had been shortened drastically.
All because of Yoo-seong's enormous financial resources.
They were pouring mana stones into the Gate to forcibly lower its abnormality concentration.
Normally, doing something this wasteful would be unthinkable.
But Yoo-seong was simply crushing the problem with money.
“That fast?”
Even with all that money, shortening thirty-six hours to five and a half was ridiculous.
One of the investigators answered with a confused expression.
“...After that Special Division Hunter entered, the Gate's mana density began collapsing.”
“...!”
“That seems to be speeding up the process.”
What the hell is that man?
Jung Woo-yeon felt a little curious about the rookie.
Then he shook his head.
Well, whatever. He's probably dead by now anyway.
It was a shame.
Anyone capable of joining the Special Division must have been talented.
Dying like this felt wasteful.
While Jung Woo-yeon was imagining the worst...
“...Ji-woong.”
“Yes, Director.”
“That wouldn't happen, right?”
The Special Division Hunters quietly spoke while hiding their anxiety.
“...It probably won't.”
They knew Kim Si-hyeon couldn't use mana.
But that didn't mean he wasn't a Hunter.
His reaction speed during testing.
That monstrous killing intent.
So what they were worried about wasn't whether Kim Si-hyeon survived.
“He won't kill the kids or anything... right?”
“...”
They were worried whether the Massacre, Kim Si-hyeon, would bring the twins back safely.
“One missing arm or leg can probably be healed with an Elixir, right?”
“So you're assuming he'll cut off one limb and drag them back?”
“Should we have done a personality test...?”
“We should. He's an Association Hunter. Don't all Hunters have to take one when registering?”
“...Right?”
“When Hunter Kim Si-hyeon comes back, Director, you ask him to take one.”
Park Min-ho slowly turned his eyes toward Choi Ji-woong.
“Even if you beat me to death, I'm not doing it.”
“...Let's forget it.”
Then...
“...! Look at that!”
Choi Tae-woo, who had been chain-smoking nervously, pointed at the Gate.
“Isn't that a clear reaction?!”
The Gate was rippling violently.
“It is...!”
“H-How...?!”
Everyone rushed toward it in shock.
The final confirmation came from the Hunters stationed directly beside the Gate.
“Clear confirmed! Boss monster of an A-Rank or higher Gate has been eliminated! The Gate has been cleared!”
The announcement echoed.
“Crazy...!”
“Crazy!”
Jung Woo-yeon and Park Min-ho cursed almost simultaneously.
“Wait. Not an escape... a full clear?”
Jung Woo-yeon muttered in disbelief.
A Gate-clear reaction meant the situation had ended differently than he expected.
“He cleared it solo?”
That was what shocked Jung Woo-yeon.
That supposedly strange Special Division rookie had solo-cleared an A-Rank or higher Gate.
Even an S-Rank Hunter like him couldn't confidently guarantee such an achievement in such a short amount of time.
Park Min-ho was equally shocked.
But for a very different reason.
“If he cleared it instead of escaping, then don't tell me...?”
The same thought crossed the minds of the other Special Division Hunters.
No way.
Right?
He didn't abandon the twins and just clear the Gate, did he?
Even with Kim Si-hyeon's strength, none of them thought it was possible to clear the Gate alone while carrying three injured people.
Gulp.
Everyone watched the closing Gate nervously.
Then a figure appeared.
“Haah!”
Park Min-ho exhaled sharply.
The first person out was Yoo So-ha, the older twin.
“Thank goodness! Thank goodness!”
Choi Tae-woo rushed toward her without hiding his relief.
“Thank goodness...”
Park Min-ho also finally breathed.
Apparently, Kim Si-hyeon hadn't killed the twins.
Then Yoo Seong-ha appeared while carrying the mercenary.
And finally...
“Uh... wait.”
Something was missing from the fingers reaching out from inside the Gate.
The killing-intent suppression items worth the entire Special Division's yearly budget.
“Choi Ji-woong!”
“Yes!”
Apparently, Park Min-ho wasn't the only one who noticed.
The Special Division Hunters immediately moved forward and released their mana.
The others nearby stared in confusion.
Then Kim Si-hyeon finally emerged.
They expected the overwhelming killing intent that crushed everything nearby to flood outward.
But...
“Huh?”
Even after Kim Si-hyeon fully stepped out...
There was nothing.
His clothes weren't even damaged.
He simply stood there with his usual calm expression.
