Rico stood in the middle of endless pitch darkness.
There was no clear ground and no sky—only a black void that swallowed everything. He recognized the place immediately; it was the same sensation he had felt before entering his first gate.
"This really is the same place."
The echo of his voice spread through the emptiness as if it were returning to him from distant places. He began walking cautiously, wandering without a specific direction.
'This place…'
Suddenly, a door appeared before him, radiating a pure white light that cut through the darkness like a crack in reality itself. Rico stopped for a moment, watching it.
'Strange… this time my body isn't running on its own like before.'
He approached slowly until he stood directly in front of the door, then pushed it open and entered.
Inside the white space sat the same man, wearing ancient armor, his expression calm just as Rico remembered.
"Sit, Rico."
He walked forward and sat in front of him without hesitation.
"Why did you bring me here? And who are you? Why do you refuse to tell me?"
A short silence filled the space.
"I will give you only a hint… since your level has increased."
He looked at him steadily.
"I was someone very close to you… and I supported you in every decision you made."
Rico's gaze froze.
"Who are you really? I don't remember you."
"The time will come when you remember everything."
Rico's eyes widened slightly.
"I don't even have any memories of you."
The man's tone changed slightly.
"Why did you try to hack the system?"
Rico looked confused.
"You know the system? Do you know the source of my power? And why am I the only one who can see it? Tell me… please."
The man slowly stood up and turned toward a space that looked like a sky, then smiled calmly.
"You will know everything when the time comes."
He turned back toward him again, his eyes carrying mysterious knowledge.
"I am waiting for your return…"
He paused for a moment.
"Your Majesty."
'King?'
Before Rico could ask anything, the space around him cracked like shattering glass. Darkness swallowed everything, and his body fell into the void.
He suddenly woke from his sleep, breathing heavily, sweat covering his forehead.
'What was that strange dream… and who was that man?'
He looked at his body.
'Right… I tried to hack the system and lost consciousness.'
He sighed slowly.
'I really can be reckless sometimes.'
He grabbed his phone from beside the bed and turned on the screen. His eyes widened slightly.
'Only two hours left before the test.'
He quickly got up and went to the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face and brushed his teeth in a hurry, then rushed toward the kitchen.
"Mom, please prepare breakfast quickly. I'm late."
"I'll make it, wait a little."
"Alright."
After fifteen minutes, he finished eating quickly. He sat on the house steps putting on his shoes, then raised his head toward the door. Light reflected in his eyes, which glowed with a faint red color.
'I will uncover the secret of the system… no matter the cost.'
He stood up, opened the door, and left the house.
—
After an hour, he arrived at the headquarters of the Black Scorpion Guild. The massive building towered over the street, and guards stood at the entrance.
Rico entered and found Reina waiting for him.
"Are you ready for the test?"
He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again. His eyes glowed with a calm red aura.
"Yes… I'm ready."
Rico sat in the reception area of the Black Scorpion Guild, waiting for Reina to finish the procedures for entering the C-rank gate for the new members.
A person of the same rank as Rico entered. His steps were confident, and a wide smile appeared on his face. He extended his hand toward him.
"I'm Ryu Myeong. I'm happy that I'll be taking the test with you."
Rico smiled, stood up, and greeted him, shaking his hand quickly.
"I'm also excited to work with you."
Three people entered. They looked ordinary, but Rico felt something strange about them.
'Something is wrong… with those three.'
John noticed the strange aura around Rico, and Rico also felt the danger. They approached him and Ryu, smiling.
"I'm John Jang. It's an honor to work together."
Suddenly Reina appeared at the entrance, walking with confident steps.
"Sorry for the delay."
"It's time for you to enter your first gate."
Rico smiled a victorious smile that no one noticed.
'First gate? It seems I'm the expert among them.'
'I forgot that these four are beginners.'
'I'm the only one who knows the system, and I've entered gates before thanks to the system.'
Reina moved toward the door and gestured to them.
"Come on, enter your first gate."
—
Inside the director's office, he sat deep in thought.
'I wonder what Rico's result will be in the test.'
'I'm really excited to see Rico's result.'
—
In an unfinished construction area, the C-rank gate stood in the center of the place. In front of it were Reina, Rico, Ryu, John, and two of John's friends.
"You four must clear this gate."
"You must complete this gate with all your effort because it will be difficult for you."
"I want you to cooperate with each other."
"I wish you good luck."
John and his friends entered the gate.
Rico stood in place while Ryu came from behind with a smile.
"Don't worry, Rico. I'll help you. As you can see, I'm wearing good armor."
Rico smiled and walked toward the gate.
"Let's go."
—
Inside the gate, the cave was dark and vast. In front of them were two large tunnels.
"In one of the tunnels, the boss is located."
"We should split up to search for the gate boss."
"Ryu and I will take the right tunnel."
John smiled.
"Alright, my friends and I will take the left tunnel."
They stood before the tunnel each group would take.
"Good luck."
"Same to you."
Rico and Ryu moved toward the right tunnel, while the other three went toward the left.
Rico and Ryu walked calmly through the tunnel. Their footsteps barely made any echo, and their auras shimmered faintly around them.
"So Rico, how old are you? You look like you're in high school."
"Yes, I'm from the Magic High School."
"I'm seventeen."
"Oh, that's unfortunate… you're taller than me even though you're younger."
'Just weeks ago I was someone without height or muscles… if this guy knew, he'd go crazy.'
"How old are you, Ryu?"
"I'm twenty-one."
They continued walking. Suddenly five goblins appeared in front of them.
[D-Rank Goblins]
"Don't worry, I'll kill them."
Rico smiled, his eyes glowing with a red aura.
One goblin rushed toward Rico, but in a flash Ryu cut the goblin in half. The other four rushed at him, but Ryu cut off all their heads with a single strike, a smooth and fast movement.
'He seems strong… there's a new talent here.'
"No need to worry, I'll defeat them. Just watch."
Rico smiled.
"You really seem like a kind person, Ryu."
"Thanks."
"I also want to impress you, Ryu."
"What?"
"Please turn around, Ryu."
Ryu turned suddenly, and Rico pulled two daggers out of storage. The aura around them shimmered in silver.
"Alright, turn back toward me."
Ryu turned and was amazed by the beauty and power of the daggers.
"Those daggers are really amazing… they look very powerful."
"Come on, let's finish the test."
Ryu smiled.
"Let's go."
The two continued walking through the tunnel. Their auras shimmered faintly around their bodies, and the shadows moved with every step, as if the whole place was watching them.
Rico walked through the tunnel holding two daggers while Ryu walked beside him, darkness surrounding them from every direction.
"I wonder what John and the others are doing in the other tunnel."
"They're probably fighting monsters."
'John and the other two… something is wrong.'
A sharp sound of movement came from the darkness.
"Watch out!"
A wild wolf lunged forward at high speed.
Rico dodged the attack with a quick sidestep.
Boom!
"You seem strong like me."
"Just watch."
Rico dashed forward in a single step.
Slash!
The wolf's head fell to the ground without any resistance.
"You really seem as strong as me."
"Of course, I'm the same rank as you, Ryu."
"Let's follow the path."
"Alright."
—
John walked in another tunnel with the two other hunters, and the place was eerily quiet.
"It seems we'll finish this mission faster than we expected."
The smile slowly disappeared from his face.
'That person is not normal… but that doesn't matter now.'
The two hunters walked behind him smiling.
"Mr. John, will you start now?"
"Not yet. The path Ryu and Rico took leads to the boss."
"Why? Let's go kill Rico quickly. He looks weak."
"This tunnel is empty of monsters."
"What does that mean?"
"It means the boss is in the other tunnel."
"Let Rico fight the boss, and when he gets tired we'll kill him and Ryu easily."
"And the people outside?"
"They won't know anything."
"We'll say the monsters killed them."
An evil laugh echoed through the tunnel.
"Hahaha!"
—
Rico and Ryu faced a group of wolves in the other tunnel.
The wolves surrounded them from every direction.
Slash! Slash! Clash!
Daggers and swords tore through bodies without resistance.
Corpses fell to the ground one after another.
Ryu stopped, breathing heavily.
"There were many wolves in this tunnel."
Ryu turned and looked at Rico.
Rico stood calmly without any sign of exhaustion.
"Rico… are you a high-level hunter lying to us?"
"Why?"
"After all this fighting, you're not even breathing hard."
"I trained, so I don't get tired easily."
"This isn't the time to talk, let's continue."
—
Deep inside the tunnel was a wide dark space, and a gigantic snake was coiled upon itself, sleeping quietly as if it were waiting.
Rico and Ryu approached cautiously.
"Rico… I feel something strange."
"Could it be the boss?"
"Don't worry. If it is, we'll cooperate and kill it."
"Honestly, you're a good person, Rico."
Rico smiled and continued walking.
—
Inside the hospital, a man sat beside a bed, staring with eyes filled with hatred.
"Show me, Rico, how you will defeat those assassins."
"You will die without a doubt."
End of Chapter (11)