In the world of hunters, ranks are classified according to stats. This is the foundation, the standard by which everyone is measured. Every hunter, from the moment of their awakening, has a status window opened before them that determines their power in numbers. And upon these numbers, everything is built: status, income, fear, respect.
But the truth... is that stats are not true power.
True power comes from skills. Awakened or acquired skills. A person who possesses a skill of the same rank becomes many times stronger than others of the same rank who do not possess them.
Why?
Because stats cannot be used at full strength without skills. A hunter who does not possess skills of their rank cannot release more than 15% to 20% of their stats. The rest is imprisoned, present but unreachable. Even if the skills are not active, their mere presence allows the body to accommodate the power latent in the stats.
In the lower ranks, this difference is not great. An E-rank hunter does not need skills to use their stats, because they are weak to begin with.
But in the higher ranks... the problem begins.
In ranks S, S+, SS-, SS, SS+... the difference is immense. Unimaginable. An SS-rank hunter without skills is not much different from an S- rank hunter without skills. But an SS-rank hunter with skills... is an entirely different entity.
There are several ways to obtain powerful skills of the same rank:
· Awakened: Born with the hunter at their awakening.
· Acquired from skill scrolls: Found in hidden chests inside gates or in secret dungeons. Extremely rare.
· Skill rank development: A lower-rank skill upgrades to a higher rank after intensive use.
· Joining the followers of Asteroids (System Gods): Some Asteroids grant their followers skills of their rank.
· Joining the "Servants of the Eternal Dark" organization: A forbidden path, but it exists.
But even if a hunter obtains a skill, there must be at least 85% compatibility between them and the skill. Otherwise, they cannot use it at full power, or it may reject them entirely.
The result?
Only 25% to 30% of high-rank hunters (from S to SS+) possess skills of their rank. And they possess on average 4 skills of the same rank.
And this explains everything.
It explains why Park Chul-soo, an SS-rank hunter, and Han Ji-yeon, an SS- rank hunter, were so weak against the Earth Incarnate. They have no skills of their rank. They use only 15% of their stats. The rest is imprisoned.
And it explains why Song Ji-ho, apparently an S-rank hunter, was able to defeat Park Jun-ho (S+). Song has four skills of S rank. He is among the real 30%.
And now, after his battles and the development of his skills, Song Ji-ho has reached SS- rank. Not in apparent rank, but in actual power.
---
Myeong-dong – The Moment the Gate Appears
KRA-KOOOOOOM!
A massive crimson gate opened in the heart of Myeong-dong's commercial district. The area, moments before, had been crowded with tourists, shoppers, and families. Now, it had turned into hell.
The first monsters emerged from the gate. They were not ordinary monsters. They were shadow monsters.
Little Shadow: A small creature the size of a child, moving like a shadow, attacking with sharp hands, disappearing then reappearing.
Shadow Eye: Black spheres with a single eye, flying through the air, screaming with a grating sound, scattering attention.
Tourists: (Shouting) "Run! Run!"
Vendor: (Quickly closing his stall) "A gate! A gate in Myeong-dong!"
Mother: (Shouting) "My children! My children are in the shop!"
Panic began. People ran in every direction. Children cried, mothers screamed, fathers tried to protect their families. The narrow alleys became traps. People pushed each other, fell, tried to get up.
Young Man: (Falling to the ground) "Don't leave me! Please!"
Another: (Trying to help him) "Grab my hand!"
But from the shadows, a Shadow Claw emerged – a creature like a black panther, extremely fast. It pounced on the two young men together.
KRAAASH!
Security Guard: (Shouting into his radio) "Control! Myeong-dong! A crimson gate! Requesting immediate reinforcements! There are thousands of civilians!"
Police Officer: (Directing the crowds) "This way! Go there! Quickly!"
Shadow Claws appeared and disappeared. Shadow Throwers on the rooftops fired shadow arrows at the crowds. Shadow Warriors advanced in formations, cutting off escape routes.
Old Man: (Falling) "I can't… I can't run…"
Woman: (Trying to help him) "Get up! Get up!"
But a Shadow Knight – a massive humanoid creature (2.5 meters), wearing shadow armor – advanced toward them. It raised its long spear.
Voice: (From afar) "Get away from him!"
SHING!
The Shadow Knight split in two.
A group of hunters appeared, wearing unified uniforms. They were the first to arrive. They began repelling the monsters, securing escape routes, and evacuating civilians.
Squad Commander: (Shouting) "Evacuate the civilians! Form a defensive line around the gate! Don't let the monsters advance!"
But the monsters were more numerous. More powerful. More organized.
Hunter: (Falling) "I can't! There are too many!"
Another: (Retreating) "This is beyond us! Where is the support?!"
Booming Voice: (From the sky) "Support is here."
Military transport planes landed in empty fields, on rooftops, even on wide streets. Hundreds of hunters descended, wearing the uniforms of various guilds.
The first were the Followers of the "Lion's Heart" Asteroid. They wore gleaming silver armor, with the emblem of a winged lion on their chests. They fought in perfect harmony, as if one body. Every move calculated, every strike measured. They were true knights.
Behind them, squads of the Blue Dragon Guild descended, led by Song Ji-ho, accompanied by his deputy Lee Seong-ho.
Song Ji-ho: (Looking around) "Wow… this place has become a world war!"
Lee Seong-ho: (Seriously) "This is no joke. There are 8,200 hunters with us. But the monsters… their numbers are immense."
Song Ji-ho: "I know. That's why we're here."
A man in his thirties approached them, wearing gleaming silver armor different from the rest of the Lion's Heart followers. His armor was more detailed, and the lion emblem on his chest glowed faintly. His face was handsome, his eyes blue, his long blond hair tied back. He carried a long sword, its blade shining like silver.
The Man: (In a deep voice) "You're Song Ji-ho?"
Song Ji-ho: (Smiling) "And you are…?"
The Man: "I am Kang Min-jun, commander of the Lion's Heart Followers squad. My rank is S+."
Song Ji-ho: (Bowing) "Pleased to meet you. I've heard about you. They say you're one of the best five S+ rank hunters when it comes to swordmanship."
Kang Min-jun: (Smiling) "They say. But who believes everything they hear?"
Song Ji-ho: (Laughing) "I don't believe anything. I want to see for myself."
Kang Min-jun: (Looking at him) "You're bold. I like that."
Lee Seong-ho: (Intervening) "Commander, the situation is critical. We need a strategy."
Song Ji-ho: (Cheerfully) "Strategy? Simple. I'll take the north, you take the south, and the rest take the middle."
Kang Min-jun: (Laughing) "That's not a strategy. That's chaos."
Song Ji-ho: "Chaos is the best strategy. The enemy doesn't expect it."
Kang Min-jun: (Observing him) "You're strange."
Song Ji-ho: "I know. They tell me that often."
Lee Seong-ho: (Nervously) "Commander…"
Kang Min-jun: (Laughing) "Alright. I'll join your game. But let's make a real plan."
They agreed to advance together toward the high-rank monsters. Song would handle S-rank and SS- rank monsters, and Kang Min-jun would handle the S+ rank monsters. The remaining hunters would support from behind and eliminate the smaller monsters.
Song Ji-ho: (Rubbing his hands) "Finally… time for fun."
---
Song launched toward the S-rank monsters. There were dozens of them: Shadow Warriors, Shadow Snipers, Shadow Knights. But Song was not worried.
Shadow Warrior: (Attacking) "Raaa!"
Song Ji-ho: (Easily dodging) "Slow."
He raised his hand and multiplied gravity around the warrior. The warrior fell to the ground like a rock.
Song Ji-ho: (To another) "Come on. Show me what you've got."
Three warriors attacked together. Song jumped over them, reduced their gravity so they flew into the air, then suddenly multiplied it, and they crashed down destroyed.
Shadow Sniper: (Firing a shadow arrow)
Song Ji-ho: (Tilting his head) "Missed."
He was playing with them. Laughing, joking, dodging strikes as if they were a game. Whenever they attacked, they found him elsewhere. Whenever they thought they had him cornered, he vanished.
Hunter: (Looking at him) "Look! He's… he's playing with them!"
Another: (Amazed) "These are S-rank monsters! And he's treating them like children!"
In minutes, Song had eliminated all the S-rank monsters. He didn't sweat, didn't breathe heavily, didn't even move at full speed.
Song Ji-ho: (Looking at the SS- rank monsters) "Now… your turn."
There were three SS- rank monsters: Shadow Generals. Massive creatures (3 meters tall), wearing full black armor, carrying giant shadow swords.
First Shadow General: (Attacking) "Raaaa!"
Song Ji-ho: (Dodging) "One."
He raised his hand and increased gravity around it, but the General was strong. It resisted and struck with its sword.
Song Ji-ho: (Dodging quickly) "Oh! That's better."
The second General attacked from behind. Song jumped over it, suddenly reduced its gravity, and the General flew into the air. Then he multiplied it, and it fell at tremendous speed, creating a deep crack in the ground.
Song Ji-ho: "Two."
The third General attacked with rage, but Song had already understood its style. He retreated, waited, then struck at the right moment. He multiplied gravity on the General's legs, it fell, then he struck with a fist backed by dense mana.
KRAK!
The third General fell.
Song Ji-ho: (Looking at his hands) "Three. Easy."
---
On the other side, Kang Min-jun was fighting five S+ rank monsters: Shadow Princes. They were elegant humanoid creatures, shadow crowns on their heads, controlling their shadows as weapons.
Kang Min-jun: (His sword glowing) "Come."
The five Princes charged together. They attacked from every direction, their shadows wrapping around him like snakes. But Kang Min-jun did not retreat.
His sword moved at an invisible speed. Every strike cut a shadow, every move negated an attack.
SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING!
Five strikes. The five Princes fell at the same moment.
Hunter: (Shouting) "He defeated them! All of them! In a moment!"
Another: (Amazed) "This… this is a real S+ hunter."
Kang Min-jun: (Sheathing his sword) "They were strong. But not strong enough."
He returned to Song, who was waiting with a smile.
Song Ji-ho: (Clapping) "Amazing! Amazing! Five in a moment! You're fast!"
Kang Min-jun: (Looking at him) "And you… three in minutes. Good performance."
Song Ji-ho: (Laughing) "Good? I was playing with them! If I'd tried, they'd have fallen in seconds!"
Kang Min-jun: (Smiling) "Do you want to test that?"
Song Ji-ho: (Retreating) "No no! I'm joking! You're the strongest! You're the hero!"
Kang Min-jun: (Laughing) "You're… strange."
Song Ji-ho: (Winking) "I know. But people like me this way."
---
While they were joking, the remaining hunters were eliminating the remaining monsters. Thousands of small and medium monsters fell under the strikes of 8,200 hunters.
Hunter: (Shouting) "Victory! We are winning!"
Another: (Raising his sword) "Charge! Charge!"
But from deep within the gate, something new began to appear.
The ground shook. A massive monster emerged, larger than anything they had seen. It was the Shadow King. A giant humanoid creature (5 meters tall), made of dense shadow, two large red eyes blazing like fire.
Hunter: (Trembling) "What… what is this?"
Another: (Whispering) "This… this is an SS-rank monster."
Kang Min-jun: (His face serious) "Song. This is the real challenge."
Song Ji-ho: (His smile vanishing) "I know."
They stood together, back to back, facing the Shadow King.
Shadow King: (Roaring) "Raaaaaaaaa!"
It charged at them with speed that belied its size. It struck with its giant arm, but Kang Min-jun blocked with his shield. He flew back, but steadied himself.
Song Ji-ho: (Increasing gravity around the King) "Heavy!"
The King was affected, but resisted. It raised its hand and struck the ground, creating a shockwave of shadow that knocked away nearby hunters.
Kang Min-jun: (Attacking from the side) "Cut!"
His sword struck the King's arm, but did not cut it. The King's armor of dense shadow was hard to penetrate.
Song Ji-ho: (Looking at Kang Min-jun) "This monster… is stronger than I expected."
Kang Min-jun: (Breathing heavily) "We need a plan."
Song Ji-ho: (Thinking) "I'll paralyze its movement. You strike one point. Repeatedly. Until it falls."
Kang Min-jun: "I'll try."
Song charged at the King and multiplied gravity around it twentyfold. The King froze for a moment. In that moment, Kang Min-jun charged and struck its chest.
WHAM!
The King was affected, but did not fall. Song attacked again, multiplying gravity further. Kang Min-jun struck the same spot.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Again and again. Each strike was stronger than the last. Each strike exhausted the King more.
Hunter: (Shouting) "It's weakening! Look! Its armor is cracking!"
Another: (Urging) "Finish it! Finish it!"
Song Ji-ho: (Panting) "Now!"
He multiplied gravity to its maximum, paralyzing the King completely. Kang Min-jun gathered all his strength into one strike.
SHING!
His sword pierced the King's armor. The King fell to its knees.
Song Ji-ho: (Raising his hand) "The final blow!"
He struck with a fist backed by all his mana. The King's head exploded.
KRA-KOOOOOOM!
The massive body fell to the ground. Myeong-dong shook completely.
Hunters: (Shouting with joy) "They defeated it! Defeated it!"
Others: (Crying) "Victory! Victory!"
Song Ji-ho: (Panting) "Finally…"
Kang Min-jun: (Smiling) "Good work."
They stood looking at the fallen corpse, breathing heavily from exhaustion.
Song Ji-ho: (Laughing) "Didn't I tell you? I'm amazing!"
Kang Min-jun: (Looking at him) "And you… three in minutes. Good performance."
Song Ji-ho: (Laughing) "Good? I was playing with them! If I'd tried, they'd have fallen in seconds!"
Kang Min-jun: (Laughing) "You… never change."
Song Ji-ho: "That's my personality!"
The hunters celebrated around them. They raised their hands, shouted, cried, laughed.
Hunter: (Raising his sword) "Song! Kang! Song! Kang!"
Another: (Shouting) "Heroes of Myeong-dong!"
Song Ji-ho: (Laughing) "I hear them! They're cheering for us!"
Kang Min-jun: (Smiling) "Enjoy it. You deserve it."
But their joy did not last long.
From the gate, a woman emerged.
She was indescribably beautiful. She looked human, but she was not one of them. Her long black hair flowed like silk, her eyes were completely black, no white in them. She wore an elegant black armor, adorned with silver patterns like stars. At her waist, a long black sword, its hilt set with a glowing red gem.
She stood before the gate, looking at the scene calmly. The hunters stopped cheering. Everyone looked at her.
Hunter: (Whispering) "Who… who is this?"
Another: (Admiring her) "She's… beautiful."
Third: (Fearfully) "But her eyes… her eyes are completely black."
In an instant, the woman vanished. Before anyone could realize what happened, she was beside Song. Her black sword was millimeters from his eye.
Song Ji-ho: (Frozen) "What…"
SHING!
Kang Min-jun deflected the sword with difficulty. His sword nearly broke from the force of the blow.
Kang Min-jun: (Shouting) "Get away from her!"
The woman looked at him, then attacked. Her strikes were fast, powerful, precise. Kang Min-jun deflected them with difficulty, but with each strike, his sword cracked more.
SHING!
On the third strike, Kang Min-jun's sword broke in two.
Kang Min-jun: (His eyes widening) "What?!"
The woman stepped back a few paces. She raised her hand, and from her shadow, three monsters emerged: the three Shadow Generals that Song had defeated, brought back to life.
The Woman: (In a cold voice) "Release the mist."
The Generals raised their hands and released a thick black mist. The mist spread quickly, covering the entire area.
Hunter: (Falling) "What… what is this? I can't breathe…"
Another: (Staggering) "My mana… my mana is being drained…"
Song Ji-ho: (Feeling sudden weakness) "This… this mist absorbs mana…"
Kang Min-jun: (Falling to his knees) "I can't… I can't move…"
The hunters fell one by one. 8,200 hunters, including Song and Kang Min-jun, fell to the ground, unable to move, their mana draining rapidly.
Hunter: (Whispering) "We're… finished…"
Another: (Crying) "I don't want to die…"
Song Ji-ho: (Trying to rise) "I can't… I can't…"
Kang Min-jun: (Looking at the woman) "Who… who are you?"
The woman did not reply. She advanced slowly toward Kang Min-jun, her black sword in hand. She raised it to strike.
Song Ji-ho: (Shouting) "No!"
But before the sword could touch Kang Min-jun's neck, something strange happened.
A hand appeared in the air. Just a small finger. It deflected the black sword.
The woman stepped back, her eyes widening. A man appeared before her. His short white hair gleamed, his gray eyes were deep, his skin was radiant white. He wore an elegant black suit. There were no swords behind him.
Song Ji-ho: (Whispering) "Anas… Anas?!"
Kang Min-jun: (Looking at him) "Who… who is this?"
Anas: (Calmly) "Don't worry. I'm here."
The woman attacked. Her strikes were fast, stronger than they had been against Kang Min-jun. But Anas did not move.
SHING! SHING! SHING!
Every strike, he deflected with his smallest finger. Easily. Calmly. As if it were a game.
The Woman: (Her eyes widening) "Impossible… who are you?!"
Anas: (Calmly) "It doesn't matter."
The woman retreated in fear. She gestured to the three Generals.
The Woman: (Shouting) "Protect me! Protect me!"
The Generals charged at Anas. Anas raised his hand, and in his hand appeared a short sword with a dark gray blade that absorbed the light around it. He did not speak its name. He simply held it.
SHING!
One strike. He did not swing the sword through the air; he struck with it in his hand. The three Generals scattered like dust.
Hunter: (Whispering) "With one strike… three SS-rank monsters…"
Another: (Trembling) "Who… who is this man really?"
The woman fled. She dashed at tremendous speed, trying to reach the gate. But Anas appeared before her suddenly.
The Woman: (Shouting) "No! Please…"
He did not let her finish. He struck with his sword.
SHING!
Her head fell to the ground. Her body followed.
Anas picked up the head and returned to where Song and Kang Min-jun were. He threw the head before them.
THUD!
Silence reigned.
Song Ji-ho: (Mouth open) "Anas… you…"
Kang Min-jun: (Looking at the head) "You… you killed her… with one strike…"
Anas: (Calmly) "She was just a soldier. Not a leader."
Hunter: (Whispering) "A soldier… with that power… a soldier?!"
Another: (Trembling) "Who… who is this man?"
Song Ji-ho: (Looking at Anas) "You… you're Anas Sharif Yazeed. The independent hunter who saved Hongdae."
Kang Min-jun: (Looking at him) "You're no ordinary hunter."
Anas: (Smiling) "I'm just… someone who enjoys fun."
The mist stopped spreading. Mana returned to the hunters. They stood one by one, looking at Anas with eyes mixed with awe and admiration.
In the sky, the drone captured everything. The camera filmed Anas standing amid the destruction, his head raised, the enemy's head at his feet.
Drone Operator: (Whispering) "My God… this… this will change everything."
Anas: (Looking at the sky) "Release it. Let people know."
Drone Operator: "I will… I will."
Anas looked at Song and Kang Min-jun.
Anas: "You fought bravely. That deserves respect."
Song Ji-ho: (Smiling) "Thank you… but you're the one who saved us."
Kang Min-jun: (Bowing) "I won't forget this."
Anas: (Smiling) "You're welcome. Now… there are two more gates waiting."
He vanished in an instant.
Hunter: (Looking at the empty space) "Where… where did he go?"
Song Ji-ho: (Looking at the sky) "I don't know… maybe to Gangnam. Maybe somewhere else."
Kang Min-jun: (Looking at the sky) "That man… his power is beyond description."
Song Ji-ho: (Laughing) "Indeed."
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╔══════════════════════════════════════╗
║ [SYSTEM ALERT: End of Myeong-dong Battle] ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════╣
║ [Hunters: 8,200] ║
║ [Monsters: ~10,800] ║
║ [Casualties: 0 among hunters] ║
║ [Savior: Anas Sharif Yazeed] ║
║ [Next Mission: Gangnam] ║
║ ║
║ [The fun… has not yet begun] ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════╝
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