RYUJIN STOOD IN FRONT OF THE HUNTER ASSOCIATION BOARD, HIS EYES COLD AS EVER.
AFTER REACHING LEVEL 10, HE NEEDED STRONGER MONSTERS—D-RANK GATES.
BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM.
"SOLO ENTRY ISN'T ALLOWED FOR D-RANK GATES. YOU MUST REGISTER WITH A TEAM."
THE OFFICER SPOKE BLUNTLY.
RYUJIN HATED THE IDEA.
HE WORKED ALONE.
HE TRUSTED NO ONE.
BUT HE HAD NO CHOICE.
THE TEAM
THAT'S WHEN HE MET KAI.
A YOUNG HUNTER WITH A LAID-BACK ATTITUDE, TWO YEARS OLDER THAN RYUJIN.
HE WASN'T STRONG, BUT HE WAS SURPRISINGLY FRIENDLY—TOO FRIENDLY.
"HEY, YOU'RE THE NEW GUY? YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HATE BEING HERE."
"I DO," RYUJIN REPLIED FLATLY.
KAI LAUGHED INSTEAD OF GETTING OFFENDED.
SOMETHING ABOUT HIS EASYGOING NATURE ANNOYED RYUJIN, BUT HE DIDN'T PUSH HIM AWAY.
"YOU'RE STRONG, AREN'T YOU? JOIN OUR TEAM. WE NEED SOMEONE LIKE YOU."
RYUJIN AGREED SILENTLY.
HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT FRIENDSHIP.
HE JUST NEEDED TO ENTER THE D-RANK GATE.
THE D-RANK GATE OPENS
THE TEAM OF FIVE STOOD BEFORE A MASSIVE, DARK BLUE PORTAL.
KAI SPOKE UP:
"ONCE WE'RE INSIDE, STAY CLOSE. D-RANK MONSTERS AREN'T LIKE FODDER GOBLINS."
RYUJIN DIDN'T REPLY.
HIS EYES WERE LOCKED ON THE PORTAL.
A FAMILIAR HUNGER WAS GROWING INSIDE HIM.
MONSTER CORES. MORE POWER.
INSIDE THE GATE
THE ATMOSPHERE WAS HEAVY, HUMID, AND THE AIR SMELLED OF BLOOD.
THE GROUP MOVED FORWARD CAREFULLY, WEAPONS READY.
A LOW GROWL ECHOED THROUGH THE CAVE-LIKE CORRIDOR.
A PACK OF D-RANK LIZARD BEASTS BURST FROM THE SHADOWS, THEIR CLAWS DRIPPING WITH ACID.
THE TEAM PANICKED.
"DEFENSIVE FORMATION!" KAI YELLED.
BUT RYUJIN DIDN'T WAIT.
HIS KATANA FLASHED, SLICING ONE BEAST IN HALF IN A SINGLE STRIKE.
HIS SHADOWS WRAPPED AROUND ANOTHER, CRUSHING ITS NECK WITH A SNAP.
THE TEAM FROZE FOR A SECOND, STUNNED BY HIS SPEED.
"HE… HE JUST KILLED TWO IN SECONDS…" ONE MEMBER WHISPERED.
KAI SMILED SLIGHTLY.
"I KNEW IT. HE'S SPECIAL."
A SMALL CHANGE
AS THE BATTLE CONTINUED, KAI FOUGHT BACK-TO-BACK WITH RYUJIN.
HE DIDN'T GET IN HIS WAY.
HE COVERED HIS BLIND SPOTS.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS, RYUJIN DIDN'T MIND HAVING SOMEONE BESIDE HIM.
"YOU'RE PRETTY GOOD," KAI SAID BETWEEN ATTACKS.
RYUJIN JUST NODDED.
"DON'T SLOW ME DOWN."
KAI LAUGHED, BUT SAID NOTHING.
DEEPER INTO THE GATE…
AFTER SLAUGHTERING THE FIRST PACK, THE TEAM VENTURED DEEPER.
BUT SOMETHING FELT WRONG.
THE AIR WAS GETTING HEAVIER.
THE SOUNDS OF MONSTERS AHEAD GREW LOUDER.
"THIS PLACE… IT'S NOT NORMAL. IT FEELS JUST LIKE THAT DAY… WHEN I FACED THE GOBLIN LORD…"
RYUJIN'S GRIP ON HIS KATANA TIGHTENED.
HE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WAITING FOR THEM INSIDE.