The swamp trembled beneath the shadow of the towering Super Gorilla, the boss monster of this E-class gate. Unlike the orc warrior Seong-jun had slain before, this creature had no weak spots left exposed. From head to toe, its body was encased in thick steel plates, a fortress of armor that turned its already monstrous body into an impregnable wall.
Yet Seong-jun's eyes did not waver. To him, this was not an obstacle but a chance—a stage where he could show undeniable proof of his worth. Passing the test was not enough. He needed to crush the boss in full view of the Association, leaving no doubt of his value.
From across the swamp, one hundred meters away, the armored beast charged. Seong-jun calmly drew power from within and invested his bonus points directly into his blood energy, the core of his martial cultivation.
A sharp chime echoed in his mind.
[Blood stat increases by +8.]
The once-stagnant energy roared awake. Fifteen points of blood energy now surged within him, thick and violent, spreading through his veins like fire. His lips curled into a faint smile. The preparations were complete.
Now came the execution.
His mind searched for techniques—arts that could bring down this monster in a single, decisive blow. Many answers flashed before him, but he dismissed them all. Those belonged to the realm of first-class martial arts, powerful yet unattainable in his current weakened body.
Instead, his thoughts shifted to the Shaolin Sect, one of the greatest orthodox powers of the Heavenly Continent. While most sects focused on refining inner qi, Shaolin was renowned for its brutal external cultivation. Through merciless training, their bodies became weapons of steel. Though many sects scorned it for its weaknesses against internal strikes, Shaolin martial arts had carved their legend across the continent.
And within Seong-jun's mind lay not only Shaolin's external arts but the forbidden methods to merge both paths into something greater. With his restored blood energy and his mastery as a once-demon god, he was confident. He could break through.
Seong-jun gathered the crimson tide within him, condensing every drop into his legs. His body blurred as he kicked off the ground, closing the distance in an instant.
The Super Gorilla reacted, bellowing as its colossal fist descended like a falling boulder. But its speed could not match Seong-jun's. In that instant, his form dissolved into a blur, vanishing from sight.
Confused, the beast turned its head, searching. But before it could react, Seong-jun was already below its chest, palm outstretched, eyes cold with killing intent.
The swamp shook as he unleashed his strike.
Blood Bomb: Crushing Palm.
The palm landed with terrifying precision. At first, the armor only groaned. Then came the detonation. The true blood energy forced its way past the steel, exploding inward. A shockwave erupted through the gorilla's body, tearing apart its organs from within.
The armored giant froze, eyes wide in disbelief. A fountain of blood burst from its mouth as its body toppled backward like a collapsing mountain.
The system chimed.
[D-class Boss Monster: Super Gorilla defeated.]
[Boss defeated solo. Additional experience awarded.]
[Experience doubled as first-clear reward.]
[Congratulations! Level up! Current Level: 20.]
From level 10 to 20 in one sweep—an impossible rate for an ordinary hunter. What others would take a month to achieve, he had accomplished in a single gate.
Seong-jun's gaze, however, was not only on the glowing notifications. Above the beast's corpse, two items floated into view. A glittering D-class magic stone, worth tens of millions, and something far rarer—a palm-sized sphere pulsing faintly with light.
The Dimensional Core.
Though Seong-jun had never held one before, he recognized it instantly. It was the heart of the gate itself, the keystone that maintained this twisted dimension. Without it, the gate would collapse completely. Its value was immense, not just in coin but in authority. To the Hunter Association, it was a priceless solution to manpower shortages. To Seong-jun, it was another blade he could wield in the world outside.
By selling the core, the magic stone, and claiming the Association's promised reward, he would walk away from this gate with nearly ninety million won. But the true prize was greater—the recognition he had secured, the attention that would now converge upon him.
The test was over. His worth had been proven. And this was only the beginning.
Meanwhile, in the Hunter Association headquarters, Vice President Go Tae-hyun read the reports with shining eyes. What he saw was beyond precedent—a returnee crushing a D-class boss alone, ten levels gained in a single raid, and proof of power that rivaled even Yoon Min-soo, one of the nation's strongest.
Excitement and calculation filled the room. If word spread, guilds, alliances, even international powers would fight to claim Seong-jun. The Association could not afford to lose him. Negotiations would have to be swift and generous. Authority, resources, and privileges—all of it would be put on the table to bind him under their banner.
For the Association, this was no longer about a simple test. It was about securing a future pillar of power.
And for Lee Seong-jun, it was only the first step in reclaiming the throne he had once sat upon.