Lee Seong-jun stood before the ominous gate, its dark aura flowing like waves of unease. Over the past week, his strength had grown greatly, and his confidence was steady, yet he knew well the dangers that lurked beyond such portals. A single mistake could mean death.
He steadied his breath, forcing his body into perfect condition. Muscles tightened, nerves calmed, and his spirit reached its sharpest edge. The balance between tension and composure settled into place, leaving him ready. With silent determination, he stepped through the gate, his figure swallowed by its light.
Behind him, Ha Min-jae offered a polite farewell before returning to his duties. But soon, his calm expression shattered. The gate that glowed red suddenly shifted into a deep blue, its current swelling unnaturally. His instincts screamed of danger. The soldiers stationed nearby rushed forward, but an invisible barrier sealed the entrance, cutting them off.
A tremor spread through the crowd as realization struck. This was no ordinary gate. It had transformed into a Frenzy Gate, a rare and terrifying phenomenon that only appeared under unpredictable conditions. Unlike normal gates filled with multiple monsters, a Frenzy Gate contained only one creature—the boss. All the magic power used to classify the gate came from this single monster, making it far stronger than its rank suggested. Worse, once entered, the gate locked itself, trapping its challenger until either the hunter triumphed… or perished.
Ha Min-jae's frantic call to headquarters confirmed the truth. The news reached Jo Kang-hyun, who hurried to the scene. His face hardened when he saw the gate glowing like a boundless ocean. The conditions of a Frenzy Gate were merciless—escape was impossible, and only two outcomes existed. Kill the boss or die.
He calculated quickly. The gate had been rated at D-rank, which meant the monster inside was at least a C+ rank boss. By normal standards, even a B-rank hunter would struggle against it. Seong-jun, though extraordinary and growing at an incredible pace, had only recently reached C rank at best. To pit him against a C+ boss was to demand a miracle.
Yet Jo Kang-hyun refused to give in to despair. Seong-jun had shattered expectations before. Perhaps he could do so again. But help was needed. He thought of Olivia, the great sorcerer and leading authority on gate research, who might have known another way to unlock the barrier. Unfortunately, she had been missing for a year, leaving no guidance behind.
As Jo Kang-hyun wrestled with his thoughts, a man of high stature approached—the Chief of Headquarters, Kim Dong-jun. His rare appearance in the field immediately raised suspicion. To Jo Kang-hyun's disgust, Kim's words carried false pity, masking the delight in his eyes. He believed Seong-jun's doom inside the Frenzy Gate was assured and was already scheming to use this misfortune for his own gain.
Kim saw opportunity in tragedy. If Seong-jun fell, Jo Kang-hyun would bear responsibility, and rivals within the association could be pushed aside. To him, this was a gift from heaven, a chance to bloom after years of hardship. He suppressed the laughter rising in his chest, savoring the thought of his enemies' downfall.
While some despaired and others schemed, one truth remained unshaken—inside the sealed Frenzy Gate, Lee Seong-jun now stood alone, facing a battle where the only escape was victory or death.