Gi-Gyu had promised Tae-Shik that he would visit after completing his preparation. So, after obtaining Brunheart, repairing the disposable items, and completing a round of hunting, Gi-Gyu visited Tae-Shik. 

“I’m ready,” Gi-Gyu announced. 

“Just follow me,” Tae-Shik ordered. Gi-Gyu followed him without a word. When they entered Tae-Shik’s office, he pointed at Brunheart and asked, “Is that an Ego too?”

“Yes, I somehow ended up with another,” Gi-Gyu replied nonchalantly. 

“Really? From what you told me, Egos didn’t sound like stuff one can find easily,” Tae-Shik mentioned in surprise.

“You’re right. I guess I’m pretty lucky,” Gi-Gyu answered, making Tae-Shik grin. Tae-Shik replied, “I don’t think you’re lucky. After all the hardships you’ve endured in the last five years, I think you deserve everything you’re getting right now.”

Tae-Shik had personally witnessed how hard life was for Gi-Gyu, so he should be happy for Gi-Gyu; for some reason, his brow furrowed as his lips curved upward. 

After their brief chat, Tae-Shik led Gi-Gyu to the basement of the Player Association’s Seoul branch. Gi-Gyu saw many players as he followed Tae-Shik in the basement; they all seemed to be in a hurry, running around while using their abilities to do so quickly. From this, one could guess this was where the association agents trained.

“General Manager!” one player greeted Oh Tae-Shik. The rest of the players bowed to Tae-Shik when they recognized him, but Tae-Shik waved his hand at them dismissively and replied, “Don’t mind me, and keep training.” 

Gi-Gyu followed Tae-Shik across the spacious basement, and the duo soon stood before a small metal door. Tae-Shik announced with a blank face, “Let’s go inside.” When he opened the door, Gi-Gyu  asked, “Where is this place?”

“This is a part of the training hall,” Tae-Shik explained. Inside the metal door was a huge open space; Gi-Gyu couldn’t believe this building had such a ginormous room beneath it. All of the walls were white, and it was clear they weren't just ordinary concrete structures—they looked stronger than steel. 

Tae-Shik continued, “Most spars take place in this part of the training hall, but it hadn’t been used recently.”

Gi-Gyu seemed to be listening intently, but his head was filled with questions. 

‘This doesn’t make sense. Even if this is the Seoul branch’s basement, the size of this place still doesn’t make sense. Just the ceilings are way too high. And what are those walls made of? Are they being protected by some kind of a barrier?’

Gi-Gyu’s head moving like a chicken didn’t go unnoticed by Tae-Shik; he laughed and explained, “The association is a pretty capable group.”

“I can see that,” Gi-Gyu agreed. 

“So, have you thought about my suggestion? I’m talking about you working for the association. With the recent changes in your situation, you won’t have to work a desk job or even become my secretary. I’m sure you’ll be hired as an agent or something similar,” Tae-Shik asked cautiously. Gi-Gyu gave him a bitter smile and replied, “I appreciate your offer, but I think I’ll have to pass.”

After five tough years, Gi-Gyu finally had the chance to become a real and possibly strong player; he wasn’t going to waste it. The association wanted to be more powerful than the guilds, so it had a well-run system in its place which treated its players fairly and generously. 

Despite the very many perks, Gi-Gyu didn’t want to belong to the association, let alone any other organization. His unwillingness also stemmed from the fact that it was difficult to leave these groups once a player joined them 

‘Being in a group always trumps being alone; it can also speed up one’s progress. However, individual opinions mean nothing in a group.’

To Gi-Gyu, the most important thing was the people around him. This included his family and people like Tae-Shik in his life. So, what if the group he joined became hostile toward these people? Or what if he was given an order he didn’t want to obey? 

Gi-Gyu didn’t want these kinds of complications in his life. Tae-Shik replied quietly, “I’ll be happy to get you a position inside the association, so let me know if you ever change your mind.”

“Thank you.”

“So you probably know by now why I brought you here, right?” Tae-Shik changed the subject. 

“Yes,” Gi-Gyu replied with a nod and guessed, “You want to spar with me, right?”

“Exactly.”

“You want to test me to see if I'm good enough. If you feel I can solo hunt inside the gate, you’ll let me do it. Am I correct?”

“I love how quick you are. This is why you’re my favorite, Gi-Gyu. If you aren’t up to my standard, you better give up this solo hunt idea. I’ll help you sell the priority pass at the highest price possible,” Tae-Shik laid out the plan. Without a word, Gi-Gyu prepared Brunheart, Lou, El, and got battle-ready. 

When he looked back at his opponent, he found Tae-Shik standing far away with his fists raised. Tae-Shik wasn’t wearing any armor or holding a spear, his usual weapon of choice. Right now, he had no weapon, armor, or special item apart from his regular clothes. 

Had Gi-Gyu been a prideful or arrogant player, he would’ve been offended. He might have even yelled, “You dare fight with me unarmed?! You better do your best not to die!” Thankfully, Gi-Gyu wasn’t, and he wasn’t going to shout something so stupid either. 

Oh Tae-Shik was once a high ranker. Even now, he was so capable he got the General Manager position just because he wanted to. Gi-Gyu felt thankful Tae-Shik was just using his fists for this spar. 

Gi-Gyu announced, “I’ll do my best, Sir.”

“I like your attitude, Gi-Gyu.”

Their eyes narrowed a bit for focus, and their breaths came into a rhythm. 

“Hup!” Gi-Gyu yelled as he made the first move. He kicked the floor for speed and sprinted toward Tae-Shik with Lou. 

Clang!

But, Lou wobbled like a twig when it met Tae-Shik’s palm. 

‘He’s a beast!’

It was no wonder Tae-Shik was a high ranker; his power was beyond anything a human could muster. Gi-Gyu openly admired Tae-Shik’s strength and skill in blocking Lou, but he remained focused. Without panicking, he composed himself to swing El. Gi-Gyu stood his ground firmly before sprinting toward his opponent again. But just when El was about to reach Tae-Shik’s head, it swerved slightly. It didn’t take Tae-Shik long to realize it was Gi-Gyu’s hesitancy that caused this sudden change in direction. 

“Hey, you insolent jerk! Focus! You think you can even make a small scratch on me?! Don’t be afraid to hurt me and aim for my vulnerable spots!” Tae-Shik screamed in annoyance. Just as Tae-Shik stated, Gi-Gyu’s hesitancy just now was utterly useless. Gi-Gyu groaned, “Ugh…”

Gi-Gyu changed El's direction at the very last minute, superfluously worried that El might hurt Tae-Shik. That mistake cost him dearly since the strike lost most of its might after the deviation. Tae-Shik easily whacked El out of Gi-Gyu’s hand with his palm, and she flew across the basement. Now, Gi-Gyu was in no position to aim Lou in the right direction.

Gi-Gyu was now defenseless, and Tae-Shik wasn’t kind enough to miss such an opportunity.

Boom!

An explosive bang resounded in the room; it was of Tae-Shik’s palm colliding with Brunheart.

“Ackkk!” Gi-Gyu screamed as his body flew and became pinned against the wall; he was hit hard in the pit of the stomach. His body slid down helplessly to the floor; then, he threw up bright-red blood. 

“Blegh…” Gi-Gyu gagged as he coughed up blood and sprayed it all over the floor. Lou and El were on the floor far away from him, leaving just Brunheart on his person. 

‘Dammit!’ Gi-Gyu swore silently. The difference in power was simply too big and utterly out of his expectations. Gi-Gyu thought he could at least scratch Tae-Shik a few times. He even imagined himself driving Tae-Shik against the wall with a little luck. 

But, the final result was pathetic. Tae-Shik hadn’t moved a single step from where he stood, and it was Gi-Gyu who was driven to the wall while vomiting blood all over the place. 

Just then, a small plastic bottle was dropped in front of Gi-Gyu. Tae-Shik said, “It’s the potion for the internal damage. Drink it.”

“Why would you keep the potion in something like this?” Gi-Gyu muttered as he wiped his mouth. He opened the bottle, took a sip, and enjoyed the warm sensation the potion brought to his stomach. Internal injuries had to be treated quickly to prevent permanent damage. 

Tae-Shik announced, “You’ve passed.”

“Pardon?” Gi-Gyu asked in surprise. His question was soon answered by the small scratch on Tae-Shik's fist. It was a minor cut, but it was still deep enough to cause bleeding.

Tae-Shik wiped the blood from his fist and asked with genuine curiosity, “What was that?”

“Hahaha…” Gi-Gyu crowed. The bleeding on Tae-Shik stopped quickly; within a few minutes, the small scratch disappeared as well. Still flopping on the floor, Gi-Gyu scratched his head and replied, “I got really lucky with my item, I guess.”

***

“You have a week from today. If the gate isn’t cleared in a week, association agents will be sent in,” an association member who managed the gates explained to Gi-Gyu in a professional manner. 

“Okay, I understand,” Gi-Gyu replied.

“Then I wish you best of luck in clearing the gate,” the man said without much expression. Usually, association employees dealt with Gi-Gyu with much care after learning about his close relationship with Tae-Shik. However, now that Tae-Shik was standing right beside them, the man couldn’t help but squeeze out every ounce of professionalism he had. 

Tae-Shik warned Gi-Gyu, “Forget about getting a whole week. Five days. I’m giving you five days. If you aren’t out by then, there will be no agents—I’ll personally drag you out.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Gi-Gyu protested, but Tae-Shik shook his head and replied, “It’s actually cheaper for me to go in than paying the agents the travel fee.”

Turning away from Tae-Shik, who couldn’t hide his worry, Gi-Gyu rummaged through his bag to do one last check of all the necessary items before entering the gate.

‘So I’ve got my potions, smoke shells, and food…’

When he was satisfied, Gi-Gyu tied the bag and turned toward Tae-Shik to say goodbye. “I’ll be back. This is only an F-Class Gate, so I’m sure it won’t be that dangerous.”

“Don’t act too cocky,” Tae-Shik replied as he patted Gi-Gyu’s shoulder affectionately.

-Isn’t this similar to that gate we hunted before? It’s not like we’re entering a haunted temple, so why is he making such a fuss?

‘He’s like a father to me. He’s just worried, that’s all.’

-Tsk.

Gi-Gyu still hadn’t entered the gate. Frustrated, Lou urged Gi-Gyu to get going. 

‘I already contacted Mom and Yoo-Jung, so all I have left to do is go inside.’

Gi-Gyu was finally ready and began walking toward the gate. Its blue color shook beautifully as if it was welcoming him. Gi-Gyu said to Tae-Shik, “I’ll be back.”

“Good luck,” Tae-Shik replied; with that, Gi-Gyu’s entered the gate.

***

[You have entered the gate.]

Gi-Gyu found himself in a humid cave. The place felt familiar, but it was different from the fifth-floor test cave where he first met Lou. This particular spot had a subtle brilliance and looked unique. 

-Doesn’t look like much. Why did you have to take so long yapping back there?

“Shut up, Lou.”

-Master, please be careful. Your safety is always our priority.

“Thanks.”

Gi-Gyu transformed both Lou and El into their sword forms and began walking. Brunheart was already on his torso in its black leather armor form.  

“Higher-level gates tend to be bigger, but that’s not true in all cases. We can’t be certain of anything in here,” Gi-Gyu warned. As he walked slowly, he mentally organized all the information he had gathered about the gates over the years. Gi-Gyu heard many things during his five-year tenure as a guide. This wasn’t his first time inside a gate, but he still couldn’t help but feel nervous. After all, this was his very first solo hunt. 

“As long as this isn’t a maze-shaped gate, an F-Class Gate shouldn’t take long to clear,” Gi-Gyu murmured as if to reassure himself.

Gates came in many shapes, and the hardest known forms were the maze, the underground, and the tower. 

“If this is a sustained type gate, then…”

Being the first player to clear a particular gate was the most important thing in gate hunting. One-shot gates provided many rewards when cleared and then disappeared permanently, but the sustained gates continued to exist afterward. To find out what type of gate this was, Gi-Gyu had to clear it. If it turned out to be a sustained type, he didn’t have to worry about a gate break after it was cleared once. Instead, he could end up with a lot of money from renting the gate out.

“Huh?”

Rustle...

Gi-Gyu suddenly stopped walking when he felt a monster’s presence. It was coming from a corner he couldn’t see. Gi-Gyu resumed walking but slowly this time and with taut nerves. 

‘There are three.’

He could feel three monsters nearby. Thanks to Lou, El, and Brunheart's rising levels, Gi-Gyu’s instinct had improved as well. So now, he could calculate the number of enemies and their conditions before facing them. 

‘What kind of monsters are they?’

He still hadn’t found out what kind of monsters inhabited this gate. If a guild won the priority pass, it would’ve sent a team of scouts by now. But as a commoner player with no money, Gi-Gyu only had himself to do all the work.

“Grrr!” a black creature growled as it suddenly jumped toward Gi-Gyu from the corner.

“Hup!” Gi-Gyu didn’t panic as he swung Lou to slice the monster. 

“A wolf?” Gi-Gyu whispered when he finally saw his opponent. After getting injured by Lou, the wolf was glaring at Gi-Gyu while baring its fangs. Soon after, two more wolves appeared from the same corner. Gi-Gyu controlled his breath and announced, “They’re just wolves!”

This wasn’t going to be difficult at all. Gi-Gyu’s lips were already curling up into a smile as Lou and El glowed. The two swords began slashing at the wolves quickly. The wolves were fast, but Gi-Gyu was faster. The monsters’ sharp teeth couldn’t break through Brunheart, which meant Gi-Gyu was well protected. The reflection skill even broke the wolves’ teeth. 

“Arf!”

“Arffff!” 

Before long, two of the wolves moaned in pain and collapsed to the ground. Gi-Gyu yelled excitedly, “What a great start!” 

Then, he thrust Lou toward the third wolf’s mouth.