The atmosphere outside the portal shifted suddenly.
A powerful aura swept across the hunters gathered there.
Whispers erupted:
"It's him… Si-woo!"
The first Ranking S to arrive at the scene.
One of the strongest in Korea.
Si-woo's presence alone silenced the crowd. His sharp gaze fell on the portal still trembling with energy.
"What's happening here?" he asked, his voice calm, yet filled with authority.
A Ranking A hunter stepped forward nervously.
"A madman went in alone… into a Rank B portal. We thought he was as good as dead, but—" he hesitated, "it looks like he's actually handling it."
Si-woo raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable.
"Interesting… Even a low-level Ranking S would struggle a little in there. Let's see who this man is."
Moments later, the portal shimmered and cracked. From within, a dark silhouette emerged.
Jin.
His coat was torn, his hands stained in blood, yet his eyes burned with cold determination.
As soon as he stepped out, he locked eyes with Si-woo.
The world seemed to freeze.
No one dared breathe.
Their presence collided silently—Jin's rising darkness against Si-woo's overwhelming might.
Si-woo smirked slightly. "So… you're the one who dares to enter a portal alone. What exactly are you?"
Jin didn't flinch. His voice was low, but steady.
"Someone who doesn't need a guild… or permission."
A dangerous tension hung between them.
There was no fight, not yet.
Jin could feel it clearly—this man was on an entirely different level.
A Ranking S was not someone to be challenged lightly.