Removing Yoon Seoyul's hand from his mouth, he stared up and down at this Han Kakta and then at Yoon Seoyul.
"For me?"
Cheon Areum questioned him. He knew well that the Aurora Guild Master possessed a rare ability—one that allowed him to transfer his own energy to another awakener with nothing more than a single touch. Yet Yoon Seoyul had been deliberately vague about who would be coming. To think that man had come specially because of him… Delaying his acknowledgment of the other guild master, Cheon Areum lifted himself onto his toes and leaned in, planting a quick, mischievous peck on Yoon Seoyul's cheek, his expression unapologetically cheeky, as if daring him to react.
"I love you!"
He placed a kiss on his neck too as he lowered his feet.
"You're the best!"
With a living battery at his side, Cheon Areum no longer had to worry about his energy reserves running dry. As long as Han Kakta was present, depletion was no longer a concern. In simple terms—he could fight without restraint. Caught off guard by such a blunt, almost careless admission, Yoon Seoyul turned his face away from the surrounding hunters. It was too late to hide the telltale flush creeping up his ears, vividly pink and utterly exposed. The sight drew more than a few lingering gazes—an expression they had never witnessed on him before.
"You can just address me informally. I will be in debt for your services!"
Overjoyed, Cheon Areum resumed his greeting and bowed deeply, extending one hand while neatly bracing his posture with the other—so composed and polite that it was arguably the most well-behaved he had ever been in his life. The moment barely lasted before Yoon Seoyul reached out and straightened him up without ceremony, effectively unraveling the image Cheon Areum was maintaining.
"You owe him nothing. He's just paying for what he owes me."
"Hahaha... That's true. I owe him a lot, so I can't exactly decline his request, but that doesn't mean I came here only because of that. I am also a big fan of you, Cheon Areum."
With his hands tucked casually into his pockets, Han Kakta brushed it off as if being reduced to someone's personal power bank didn't bother him in the slightest. His relaxed demeanor made it clear he truly didn't mind, seemingly cool with it. Right then, the last of the summoned hunters arrived. Their vehicles rolled onto the bridge one after another, lining up neatly behind the already parked cars at the far end.
"Can't we just take him with us and go?"
At the thought of him being able to unleash his energy and play however he wanted in the dungeon, Cheon Areum's eyes were glazed with greed as he turned to Yoon Seoyul and asked him in a low voice.
"Not a chance."
He was rejected harshly. Cheon Areum clenched his heart dramatically for a second; he thought he was going to cry, but it was like a sneeze that never came.
The last to arrive were the hunters from the country's third-ranking guild, Voidwalkers. Their appearance drew immediate attention, not just because they were late, but because even their guild master had personally shown up for an S+-Class gate experience. At the front was Choi Giseok, the Voidwalkers' guild master—Class Type: Weapon Master. The other two were also their best S-Class hunters: Kang Yura, Spatial Controller, and Park Dojin, Elemental Controller.
With all of the hunters finally gathered, the containment device encircling the gate was dismantled at once. The gate stood at the exact midpoint of the bridge, looming ominously over the asphalt. It was far darker than a standard S-Class gate, its surface swallowing light instead of reflecting it, a pitch-black void that rippled slowly like thick ink disturbed beneath water.
Worse still, it was nearly twice the size of a normal gate, towering over the gathered hunters like a silent challenge. Standing before the massive black gate, Yoo Jihyeon swept his gaze across the assembled S- and S+ Class hunters. After a brief pause, he spoke, his voice calm yet expectant.
"Who's going to be the leader?"
His eyes settled naturally on one person as he added,
"…Cheon Areum?"
*
The ever-eager Cheon Areum was, as usual, the first to enter the gate with Yoon Seoyul by his side. Only after the two of them disappeared did the others follow, one by one, their figures vanishing into the black surface.
Contrary to everything Cheon Areum had expected, the other side was not a burning illusion of hell. Instead, they emerged into what looked like the center of a vast square structure. Black-tinted glass walls surrounded them on all sides, smooth and reflective, while pristine white tiles stretched across the floor and ceiling. Once the last hunter crossed over, the gate behind them shuddered softly. A few seconds later, it sealed itself shut, the black surface collapsing inward until nothing remained—no exit, no light, only the sterile silence of the enclosed space.
"That was fast. Did anyone count the seconds it stayed open?"
"40 seconds."
Yura answered Giseok's question without giving anyone a chance.
"Kakta, recharge."
Han Kakta, who had been directly behind him, placed a firm hand against Cheon Areum's back. The contact lasted only an instant—but it was enough. A rush of dense, foreign energy flooded through Cheon Areum's body, filling every vein, every nerve, until his core felt painfully full, humming with energy.
That was all the time it took.
The moment the energy settled, Cheon Areum shifted his posture, dropping his center of gravity and moving onto all fours, muscles tensing as if he were about to launch himself straight through the black glass wall in front of them. Before he could act on the impulse, Yoon Seoyul, who had been watching him with unwavering focus, reacted instantly. He grabbed Cheon Areum by the back of his jacket and yanked him upright in one sharp motion.
"No. His energy isn't unlimited either."
Halting his transformation halfway through, Cheon Areum could only pout in frustration as his upper body dangled uselessly in the air, arms going slack as the momentum died out. The half-formed shift left him awkwardly suspended, neither fully restrained nor free, irritation written plainly across his face.
Well, fuck.
If even Han Kakta was working with a limited supply, then what was he supposed to do? His thoughts spiraled quickly, already racing through contingencies. Should he just empty his inventory right here? Dig out every energy booster he had stockpiled and inject Han Kakta instead, turn him into a walking recharge station so this wouldn't become a problem later?