On a rooftop in Seoul, Baek Mu-jin sat alone, the night wind brushing against his scarred cheek. His mind replayed the clash with Lee Seong-jun, and with every memory, his heart pounded faster.
"Lee Seong-jun…" he whispered, his lips curling into a grin.
The wound still burned, proof that someone had forced him to bleed. It had been years since anyone managed that.
He remembered the moment clearly—the crushing red light, the suffocating aura. To survive, he had been forced to use one of his most guarded trump cards: Spatial Leap, a skill that tore through the fabric of space itself. The ability was powerful but carried restrictions and cooldowns. Yet Lee Seong-jun had pushed him to reveal it.
Baek Mu-jin's grin widened.
In just two months, he reached SS-level. What will he become in a year?
His chest swelled with anticipation. If he hadn't restrained himself, he might have killed Seong-jun in his madness. But now, waiting would bring even greater pleasure. Crushing him at his peak would be far sweeter.
The Vice-Leader of the Returnees' Union laughed to himself, voice dripping with madness.
"Please… don't disappoint me."
Meanwhile, Lee Seong-jun returned to his apartment complex. The buildings looked ordinary, but the cold night wind whispered otherwise. His battle with Baek Mu-jin replayed in his mind.
An SS+ Rank returnee. A monster wearing human skin. Even now, I can hold my ground… but holding ground isn't enough.
On the battlefields of the Thousand Continents, he had fought without hesitation, without fear. But here, he had his mother and sister waiting for him. And that meant he couldn't just survive—he needed overwhelming power to crush anything that threatened them.
His eyes sharpened.
The path is already in front of me. The memories of the Demon God. The system. My own determination. No matter how long, no matter how hard—I will climb higher.
When he stepped inside, warm voices greeted him.
"You're home."
"You're later than usual."
"Did something happen?"
Seong-jun smiled faintly, but his resolve burned stronger than ever.
For them… I will rise again.
Elsewhere, in Gangdong District, the Gate Management Team carried out their routine checks.
Ahn Jae-wook, a rookie staffer, frowned at the readings of the GEP-05, a gate-measuring device crafted by a returnee-magician. The numbers flickered wildly, far beyond normal range.
"Did this thing break?"
Veteran inspector Ha Min-jae snatched the device and froze. His eyes widened, and then his lips curled into a trembling smile.
"No… this isn't a malfunction. This is—"
"What is it?" Ahn asked, nervous.
Ha Min-jae's voice shook with excitement.
"A Treasure Gate."
The rookie's eyes widened.
Treasure Gates were the rarest of the rare—dungeons brimming with artifacts, skills, and weapons beyond imagination. Rewards that could push hunters up two entire ranks. Even legends like Takeuchi Ryoma of Japan had risen from SS to SSS after conquering one.
"This… this is worth tens of millions, isn't it?" Ahn stammered.
Ha Min-jae laughed and slapped his shoulder.
"More than that. You've just struck gold, rookie. Absolute gold."
Within hours, the Hunter Association Headquarters erupted into chaos.
Executives, guild leaders, and lobbyists flooded the conference hall. Whispers filled the air, sharp and greedy.
"A Treasure Gate… appearing in Korea."
"This will shift the balance of power entirely."
"If we claim it, the future belongs to us."
Arguments ignited like wildfire, each guild trying to stake their claim under the guise of balance and stability. But beneath the politeness, ambition burned.
Because one fact was undeniable—
The Treasure Gate had appeared.
And with it, the fate of every hunter in Korea was about to change.