Chapter 44 - A Gate at the Edge
Night settled quietly over Seoul, the city lights shimmering like scattered embers beneath the dark sky.
Inside the DK Guild headquarters, Choi Jong-In sat alone in his office, finishing a late dinner. The soft clink of utensils echoed faintly in the spacious room. Reports were stacked neatly to one side of his desk, untouched for the moment.
He was halfway through his meal when—
Knock knock.
Without looking up, he spoke calmly.
"Come in."
The door opened, revealing Kim Jongsoo, his Vice Guild Master. The man carried a thin folder under his arm, his expression serious.
"Guild Master."
Choi gestured to the chair across from him. "You look like you've got something important."
Jongsoo nodded and placed the file on the desk.
"A gate appeared in Busan an hour ago."
Choi's chewing slowed slightly.
"What rank?"
"Officially classified as high A-rank… but it's at the pinnacle. Borderline S-rank."
Choi leaned back slightly.
Busan.
A major city.
If something went wrong there, casualties would be catastrophic.
Jongsoo continued.
"I was planning to lead the raid myself… but after reviewing the mana fluctuations and internal pressure readings, I can't guarantee absolute safety."
He clenched his fist subtly.
"I'm confident in my abilities as an A-rank. Stronger than most. But if something unexpected happens… I can't risk the lives of our guild members."
Choi studied him quietly.
"So you want me to oversee it."
"Yes." Jongsoo nodded firmly. "Not to take over the raid. Just to supervise. If things spiral beyond our capabilities, you intervene."
A faint smile tugged at Choi's lips.
"You're growing into your role properly."
Jongsoo blinked dumbfounded by what he heard.
Choi closed his dinner container and stood up.
"Sure. Why not? It'll be good experience for everyone. Near S-rank pressure isn't something they get often."
Relief flashed across Jongsoo's face.
"We're planning to enter early morning tomorrow."
"Prepare everything."
"Yes, Guild Master."
After a respectful bow, Jongsoo left.
The office fell silent again.
Choi resumed eating as if nothing major had just been decided.
Then—
His phone vibrated.
He glanced at the screen.
Christopher Reed.
Choi raised an eyebrow before answering.
"Oh? Reed. It's been a while."
On the other end, Christopher Reed's deep, relaxed voice echoed.
"When are you coming?"
"After I finish fixing things here."
"And you said you're bringing someone?"
"Yes." Choi leaned back in his chair. "And Andre will be there too. We'll be discussing something important."
The atmosphere on the other end shifted instantly.
"Important how?"
Choi remained silent for a few seconds.
"…About the fragments."
There was a sharp intake of breath.
Reed's tone dropped.
"How do you know about that?"
"Let's just say I'm well-informed."
"Are you a fragment holder too?"
"No."
"Then how—"
"I'm bringing someone who is."
Silence.
Reed's mind raced.
"Is it someone I know?"
"Nah. Not someone you've met."
Another pause.
"…What exactly are we discussing, Choi?"
"You'll see."
Then Choi's voice lightened abruptly.
"Anyway, prepare good food, okay?"
"…What?"
"I'm serious. If I'm flying all the way there, I expect proper hospitality."
Reed sighed heavily.
"…You're unbelievable."
Choi laughed softly.
"That's enough for now. I'll call you before we depart."
He ended the call.
For a moment, he simply stared at the phone.
Then he stood up and walked toward the balcony.
The night air greeted him as he stepped outside. From the top floor of the building, the city looked peaceful. Normal.
He lit a cigarette, the flame flickering briefly in the darkness.
Exhaling smoke into the night sky, he thought quietly.
How should I deal with one of the Monarchs?
Christopher Reed.
Thomas Andre.
Fragment holders.
Powerhouses.
And yet—
Against a Monarch alone?
Even they would struggle.
Choi leaned against the railing.
It had been years since he was thrown into this world.
Years of preparation.
Years of quiet interference.
The climax was nearing.
The war was approaching.
He stared at the vast sky.
Can I handle what's coming… with my own power?
The cigarette burned slowly between his fingers.
Then he chuckled.
"Nah."
A confident smirk formed.
"I can do this."
He flicked the ash away.
"I'm strong."
---
Early Morning – Busan
The sea breeze carried a sharp chill as dawn painted the horizon in pale orange.
A massive swirling gate loomed near the outskirts of Busan, distorting space around it. The air trembled faintly from the mana pressure it emitted.
The DK Guild members were already assembled.
Seventeen A-rank hunters.
Twenty-three B-rank hunters.
Nine C-rank hunters.
And at the front—
Kim Jongsoo.
Beside him stood Choi Jong-In.
Choi scanned the group calmly.
Overkill for an A-rank dungeon…
But that wasn't the point.
This was training.
Experience under pressure.
The kind that separated veterans from corpses.
He stepped forward.
"Gather up."
The murmurs quieted instantly.
All eyes turned toward him.
"Good morning."
The hunters straightened instinctively.
"For today's raid, I will be accompanying you."
Whispers spread through the ranks.
Choi raised a hand to silence them.
"My role is simple. I'm here in case something unexpected happens."
He glanced at Jongsoo.
"Vice Guild Master Kim will lead the operation. Follow his commands at all times."
The hunters nodded.
"Take this opportunity seriously. Near S-rank gates are not common. The pressure inside will be heavier. The monsters stronger."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"But don't worry about dying."
A faint smile.
"No one will die while I'm around."
A surge of confidence swept through the group.
Some grinned.
Some clenched their fists.
Morale skyrocketed instantly.
Jongsoo felt his tension ease.
This—
This was why their guild was stable.
Because their master stood behind them like an immovable wall.
Choi turned toward the massive gate.
The swirling vortex distorted faintly, as if reacting to his presence.
He could already feel it.
The density inside.
Heavy.
Unstable.
Interesting.
He stepped forward.
"Alright."
Flames flickered faintly at the edge of his fingertips before vanishing.
"Let's go."
With Choi at the front, Jongsoo at his side, and dozens of hunters behind them—
They entered the gate.
And the world beyond swallowed them whole.
---
Chapter End.