A month slipped by like the blink of an eye. After the turmoil, the Lee family returned to a rare peace. Seong-jun's parents, though not fooled by his clumsy excuse that day, chose not to press him further. Their quiet understanding allowed the family to enjoy their outing without heavy shadows, savoring time that felt more precious precisely because it had almost been lost.
Yet peace was never meant to last. Seong-jun did not idle during that month. The Association strengthened its security around his family, ensuring their safety with increased patrols. Meanwhile, Seong-jun immersed himself in relentless training, wielding his hard-earned time like a blade.
Through the gates granted by Vice President Go Tae-hyun, he spent over ten hours a day hunting Blue Goblins, C-class monsters known for their efficiency as prey. Each battle was brutal and unending.
With every strike of his fist, his body—fortified by the Diamond Steel Ingot External Energy technique—became a living weapon. Buffs like Strength and Stamina Boost and the Blessing of the Earth surged through him, magnifying his physical might to terrifying heights. Blue Goblins fell like leaves in a storm, their shrieks silenced beneath the crunch of bones and the spray of blood. Even when surrounded, his blows split their ranks, and when the last goblin attempted to flee, his iron fist crushed its skull before it could escape.
A chime echoed within him—he had broken through to Level 60. From forty-one to sixty in a single month, nineteen levels soared in an ascent no ordinary hunter could dream of. Even Yoon Min-soo, Korea's strongest recognized hunter, had needed nearly a year to reach this height. But Seong-jun's progress defied reason, cutting the time by tenfold. He had surpassed every record in the world, standing at the edge of mastery itself.
What thrilled him most, however, was not the level itself, but the points he had carefully saved. Mind, energy, and body—the three pillars required to display the Martial Arts of Ascension—were slowly aligning within him. His inner energy surged endlessly thanks to the Blood Spirit Sura Divine Art, and his spirit had long since sharpened into the will of a demon. Only his physical body lagged behind. Now, with his points, he could close that gap, step into the ranks of true masters, and brush against the realm of First-Class Experts.
But cultivation was never about haste. True results demanded patience and proof in combat. With this thought, he ended his hunt and stepped toward the exit of the gate.
The crimson light of the gate shimmered as he emerged into reality. Association staff greeted him with routine efficiency, taking the by-products and magic stones he retrieved from his subspace ring. Their familiarity had become almost comforting—until one voice broke the rhythm.
Lee Do-kyung, the head of management, spoke with an unusual expression. Someone had been waiting for Seong-jun. A stranger had come seeking him.
That alone was enough to raise suspicion. Few in the world should even know his name, much less wait for him here.
Then a man stepped forward. His hair slicked back, his sharp suit pressed, his presence overwhelming. He looked like a gangster, but his aura was far more dangerous—this was no common thug. His strength rolled off him in waves, a predator dressed in the garb of civility.
Recognition dawned slowly. Seong-jun had seen that face before, in scattered memories of public broadcasts. The man was Oh Kyung-hyun, Guild Master of Baekho, one of Korea's Five Great Guilds. An SS+ rank hunter, a figure of both renown and intimidation.
The man laughed lightly at Seong-jun's guarded stare, raising his hands in a show of harmless intent. His words carried no threat, only a request—for a conversation, nothing more. Still, Seong-jun's instincts sharpened like blades. He knew too well that even kings wore masks.
Oh Kyung-hyun, however, swore on his name and the honor of Baekho that there would be no intimidation, no aftermath. And in this, there was some logic. No master of a great guild would risk their reputation by starting a fight in public, before Association staff.
So Seong-jun listened.
The guild master revealed what Seong-jun had long suspected: his feats at the Frenzy Gate and the destruction of the Shadow Brothers had not gone unnoticed. While the Association tried to hide the truth, the Five Great Guilds always kept their eyes sharp. Baekho knew who he was, and others surely did as well.
Then came the invitation. Oh Kyung-hyun wanted Seong-jun to act as a mercenary for the Baekho Guild. The reason? A Raid Gate had appeared in Seoul's Seodaemun district.
Unlike normal gates, Raid Gates swarmed with elite monsters clad in weapons and armor, and their bosses were monstrous existences far beyond the ordinary. Where a standard gate might be cleared by a handful of hunters, a Raid Gate demanded dozens, each raid party often twenty strong.
And now, one had broken loose in the heart of the capital.
The proposal was clear. Baekho did not want him as a member bound by loyalty or contract. They wanted his overwhelming power to turn the tide of a raid.
For the first time since leaving the gate, Seong-jun allowed his expression to shift. This was no ordinary encounter. It was the opening move of something far larger—the five guilds watching, waiting, and now moving to pull him into their war.