Ch.19Chapter 19 – Initiation

After the Gate Outbreak, people soon realized that gates were both a curse and a blessing.

Countless lives were lost and some nations collapsed. Society crumbled, and the global economy stagnated.

But as some sectors fell, others rose.

Like something out of a novel, the world achieved an energy revolution thanks to monsters. Of course, unlike fiction, monsters didn’t have unrealistic organs like mana stones in their bodies.

Scientists researching the corpses discovered that when refining monster bodies composed of sulfur, they could be turned into energy resources similar to fossil fuels. From that point on, monster corpses from gates were no longer waste to be discarded, but resources to be collected.

Other industries besides energy also entered a golden age. Various biotech industries focused on researching demonic genetic traits and biological tissues flourished. Equipment and potion industries were prime examples. Various guilds were established, claiming patents.

Medicines created by Bio Guild researchers studying the DNA of monsters with exceptional regenerative abilities were sold at high prices under the name “potions.” Boss monster body parts processed by Blacksmith Guilds into sharp and durable materials became powerful weapons and armor.

These products precisely targeted a new consumer demographic: “Hunters.”

With more powerful tools and strength, hunters no longer waited for enemies to cross over but began venturing to the other side themselves.

After the struggles and sacrifices of early exploration teams, humanity discovered that gates came in three types. Humans named these types Regeneration, Overflow, and Dungeon.

Regeneration-type gates were the rarest and most valuable.

With no boss monsters and demons inside constantly replenishing, they were used for hunter training. Additionally, since these gates didn’t disappear (more precisely, their disappearance conditions remained unknown), they offered the advantage of stable underground resource mining.

The more Regeneration-type gates a country had, the easier it was to train low-rank hunters and maintain stable resource supplies. This type was welcomed by politicians, soldiers, and hunters alike.

However, since the regeneration rate increased dramatically in proportion to the number of people inside, careful management of personnel was necessary, and monsters could escape from the gate at any time.

The Beijing Gate, infamous for the Beijing Disaster and the exploits of Chinese S-rank Hunter Zhang Yu, is also a Regeneration-type gate that spawns undead monsters.

Overflow-type gates are the most common, periodically or unexpectedly appearing to pour out monsters. They are the most horrific and dangerous type.

These gates disappear immediately after releasing all their monsters into the world. It’s literally a one-sided invasion. They typically release mostly imps, along with medium-sized monsters and boss monsters appropriate to the gate’s rank, before closing.

Finally, Dungeon-type gates form the core industry for hunter guilds.

Like game dungeons, the gate disappears when hunters defeat various minion monsters and take down the boss. Systematically, there’s a limit to the number of people who can enter, and once that number is reached, the boss appears, and no one can leave until the gate is cleared.

***

Christmas Day morning.

“You arrived just in time.”

“Yes, haha…”

The soldier found Shin Jaehyuk’s name on the list and checked it off. It was the attendance sheet for the gate exploration team. A few days ago, he had applied to join the gate exploration team using a forged D-rank hunter license obtained through Mr. B.

E or F ranks had too many restrictions on accessible gates, while C-rank and above could attract unwanted attention from guilds, making the D-rank hunter identity most useful for him. Shin Jaehyuk tucked his hunter ID into the hip pack worn over his armor.

“Please try to come a bit earlier next time. Head to that barracks over there.”

Shin Jaehyuk picked up his equipment and headed toward the barracks. The briefing for gate entry would begin soon. He’d been slightly delayed because it was his first time using a hunter taxi. His armor clinked with each quick step.

Shin Jaehyuk was currently at a military campsite surrounding the gate. Machine guns were positioned around the black sphere, prepared for any enemies that might emerge from the gate. Several temporary barracks were set up outside this perimeter.

It was a rather shabby campsite, but understandable considering this was a common and weak E-rank gate. These temporary buildings would be dismantled and relocated to another low-rank gate site once this one was cleared.

Shin Jaehyuk entered the barracks indicated by the soldier at the entrance. It was a briefing room. A makeshift briefing room with a portable whiteboard and plastic chairs. About twenty hunters who had arrived before him were already gathered. Surprisingly many hunters had assembled for gate exploration despite it being Christmas.

‘Well, it makes sense. This is a relatively safe low-rank gate, and the exploration team isn’t as dangerous as the extermination or assault teams… No wonder it’s popular.’

Some hunters were seated in chairs, while others stood at the back. Fearing the plastic chairs might break under the weight of his armor, Shin Jaehyuk stood at the back, waiting for the military officer to begin the briefing.

While the soldier was checking attendance, Shin Jaehyuk surveyed the people around him. He noticed two women giggling beside him. They seemed to be friends. The long-haired woman quietly grumbled to her short-haired companion.

“Hey, because of you, I can’t sit down either.”

“Come on… We’re hunters with good stamina, what’s wrong with standing?”

The short-haired woman glared at her friend.

“How can someone with such good stamina not be able to sit because her butt hurts from having sex until dawn? You hopeless girl. Even though you knew today was important… Sigh.”

“What can I do when my boyfriend is also a hunter with too much stamina? Besides, yesterday was Christmas Eve, and it felt really good…”

Though they were speaking quietly, the enhanced hearing of awakened individuals like Shin Jaehyuk could easily pick up their whispers. Several nearby hunters who overheard them either blushed or frowned.

‘Can’t even manage her condition when we don’t know what might happen inside the gate…’

Thinking the woman was pathetic, Shin Jaehyuk turned his attention to the bald military officer at the front of the room. He appeared to be Lieutenant Ha Jeongjae, the commander of this operation.

After wiping sweat from his head with a handkerchief, he signaled to the Hunter Association employee standing beside him. The association employee cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention and began the briefing.

“Hello everyone. I will now brief you on today’s operation.”

He explained what Shin Jaehyuk already roughly knew from his preliminary research. This was an E-rank Dungeon-type gate with a system-designated entry capacity of 30 people.

“As you know, since the boss appearance condition is 30 people, we’ll have 22 hunters and 7 soldiers enter, totaling 29 people. According to the reconnaissance team, the gate interior is a tropical jungle. There’s an ancient ruin in the center of the forest, and since no monsters were spotted outside the ruins, it seems the ruins are likely the objective for clearing the gate. In this operation, your goal as the exploration team is to map the terrain and structures inside the ruins and identify the types and numbers of enemies before the extermination team enters.”

Dungeon-type gate operations typically consist of four phases. First, a reconnaissance team of fast or stealthy hunters enters the gate to assess the internal environment. Then, based on this information, an exploration team maps the terrain and identifies enemies. Third, an extermination team with area-of-effect capabilities enters to eliminate the boss’s minions. Finally, a powerful assault team enters to defeat the boss.

This procedure was established to maximize survival rates for hunters, who are nationally valuable personnel. The four-phase approach was particularly important for Dungeon-type gates, which feature powerful boss monsters and high mortality rates.

After the association employee sat down, Commander Ha continued:

“While it’s cold here, it’s sunny and quite humid on the other side of the gate, so remove your outer clothing and dress comfortably before entering.”

Commander Ha made a final reminder:

“Well, since it’s an E-rank gate, I don’t expect any major issues, but if an emergency occurs, report to me immediately. Now, let’s first receive firearms from the armory and then enter the gate.”

Moving to another tent, they were issued guns and ammunition. Shin Jaehyuk, as a front-line tank, declined to take a gun. With a spear and shield already in his hands, a rifle or machine gun would only restrict his movement (he’d left his mace at home, judging it wasn’t the right time to use it yet).

The hunters made final checks of their equipment and physical condition, preparing to enter the gate. Shin Jaehyuk also rechecked the water bottle, emergency rations, and mana compass in his hip pack.

Soon, the exploration team hunters advanced past the defense line of machine guns to the gate entrance. The black sphere appeared even more imposing up close.

‘Beyond this lies Eden’s secret…’

“Now, the front line will enter first. Be alert for ambushes immediately after entry and maintain vigilance.”

Shin Jaehyuk, along with other tanks, covered himself with his shield and slowly stepped into the black sphere…

***

Shin Jaehyuk’s body was sucked into the gate without resistance. As his feet, lower body, and finally head submerged into the sphere, his vision suddenly shifted, and in an instant, he found himself in a lush jungle.

‘This is… not hell after all.’

It wasn’t hell, just as Shin Jaehyuk had predicted. During his six months of training, he had gathered information about gates whenever possible. Combining this information, he had hypothesized that the gates on Earth were different from those in Eden.

Earth’s gates shared the same form as hell gates in Eden but functioned differently. In Eden, gates only connected Eden to hell. When crossing such a gate, one should find burning lands and dead fields where no life existed except demons.

But here, tropical trees and vines grew tall. The ground was hard, and the sky was covered with the dungeon’s characteristic gray mist, creating an eerie atmosphere. Though the mist was of unknown origin, it allowed sunlight to penetrate, with intense rays piercing through the leaves to sting the eyes.

This was clearly a jungle. And such green forests didn’t exist in hell.

‘This looks more like Eden… Could it be the southern jungles of the continent?’

“Front clear!”

“Rear also clear!”

“System confirms 15 entrants!”

The soldiers reported their situations, coordinating the hunters. The vanguard seemed to have entered safely.

“Good! The rear guard will enter soon. Vanguard, surround the gate and maintain perimeter security.”

At Commander Ha’s order, the hunters began to encircle the gate as trained. Shin Jaehyuk followed suit, surrounding the gate and watching the front.

‘No demons in sight. Seems like there’s no immediate problem.’

A soldier threw a stone through the gate to signal the other side to enter. Receiving the signal from outside the gate, the rear guard hunters began entering one by one. An awakened soldier monitored the system, counting aloud as each person entered to confirm the numbers.

“Twenty-five, twenty-seven…? Twenty-eight…”

“Damn, I stepped in a puddle. Why is there something like this right at the entrance?”

The two women who had been standing next to Shin Jaehyuk in the briefing room were apparently part of the rear guard. The long-haired woman, Lee Jaeyeon (he had heard them call each other by name), was complaining about getting water in her shoes after stepping in a puddle.

The hunters who had entered the dungeon were looking around, familiarizing themselves with the environment.

And that’s when the incident occurred.

“Twenty-nine… Uh, um…?”

“What’s wrong, Sergeant? Is there a problem? Sergeant!”

The soldier checking the headcount through the system screen suddenly stammered in confusion. Sensing trouble, Commander Ha berated his subordinate.

The hunters’ gazes turned toward the sergeant. A deadly silence fell.

Shin Jaehyuk instinctively realized something was going terribly wrong.

Very seriously wrong.

The soldier, staring blankly into space, uttered a word no one had expected:

“Thirty…”

With those words, the final hunter emerged into the dungeon. Both legs of the hunter touched the dirt floor as they completely exited the black sphere.

“No-o-o!”

Someone screamed. They had realized what was about to happen.

But no miracle occurred. The system resolutely executed its function.

[Entry capacity 30/30.]

[Gate temporarily deactivated.]

[Kill the boss to clear the gate.]

A gale blew, scattering leaves.

Before the group could react, the gate instantly contracted to a point and vanished.

Staring blankly at the scene, the soldier reported in a bloodless voice:

“Gate… deactivated…”