📰 Breaking News [ 'Parthenon' Guild Merges with Martial Organization 'Martial Gate'. Will It Threaten the Throne of the Nation's Largest Guild, 'Guardian Gate'? ] [ Small Elite Guild 'Non-Target' Declares War on 'Nine Dragons' Guild! Battle for Control of Incheon Begins. ] [ 'Infinite Extremity' Guild Annihilates All the Demons Behind Suncheon's Massive Murder Spree! Mocks the Overzealous Critics! ] [ Gate Emergency Response Unit 'Guardian' Hits Historic Low in Recruitment This Year! It's Time for Change! ] [ Korea's 8th S-Rank Awakens! The Hero is Healer Kwon JIan! Confirmed as Level-Up Path, Not Original Talent! ] [ Domestic Hunter Rankings: Demon Sword 'Cha Seongwoo' Jumps from 27th to 13th. ] 💬 Hunter Forum — AnonHunter42 It's been how long since Demon Sword cracked the top 30? Now 13th already? Insane talent. — RankChaser At this rate, he'll snag 1st soon, right? — GateVeteran Dude, 1st is Martial Emperor. You think that's possible? He's a straight-up monster. — NoobSlayer Monster, not freak. And there are so many big names right below Martial Emperor. Real competition starts now. — SpeedDemon Still, that rank-up speed is miraculous, yeah? — AgreeBot Damn right. — ThunderFan Wait, there's Thunder Emperor too. Why's Martial Emperor 1st? Retirement? — VetHunter What? Newbie? You don't even know that? Pfft. — ChillOne Just tell him instead of newbie-shaming. That's why you old-timers get hate. — TrollHunter Guy picks fights with everyone. Ignore is best. ⭐ Top Comment — LoreMaster It's not just retirement—the entire 12 Apostles are excluded from global rankings. They're on another level entirely. Rankings only measure up to S-Rank; Legendary tier can't even be gauged. — NewbieNoMore Aha! So they're in a whole different league. Got it!
Two years had passed since humanity overcame the Chaos Gates.
Gates still posed a threat, but perhaps because they'd crested the greatest danger...
Life had quickly returned to normal for people.
But hunter guilds and their rivalries were heating up like never before.
Naturally, public interest in them was growing by the day.
Becoming a hunter changed your life.
Of course, that applied to B-Rank and above.
What if you hit S-Rank?
From that point on, the country treated you like a VIP state guest.
The power a single S-Rank added to a nation's strength was beyond imagination.
In other words, reaching S-Rank meant your life fully blossomed.
You could live luxuriously forever, without a worry about money.
If they wanted, they could outshine any chaebol heir or superstar.
Without owing anyone a thing.
Shoulders back, striding tall and proud!
Top-tier hunters were the ultimate job everyone envied.
More than any other! ...Or so it seemed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A large auditorium in Hongdae, Seoul.
It was packed with people right now.
And
"In web novels..."
All eyes were fixed on the woman at the podium.
"The most essential thing is capturing people's interest. James Patterson once said: Imagine you're telling the story to someone sitting across from you before you write it. And make sure they don't get bored and walk away."
Everyone scrambled to capture her every word—some tapping away on laptops, others jotting notes or recording on their phones.
"Sure, settings might be shaky sometimes, or there could be plot holes in plausibility. As writers, we must watch for those, but more importantly, we can't let readers get bored and abandon the story."
The author on stage was one of Korea's top web novelists.
Not stuck in one genre, she'd conquered fantasy, romance fantasy, and straight romance alike. Her latest writing guide, What Story Lies Within You?, was generating massive buzz.
Today was a special lecture for the book's launch event, all about web novels.
"No matter how solid the world-building or airtight the logic, if it doesn't spark interest or entertain, the work will flop. Remember this: In web novels, the top priority is fun—first, second, and third."
Clap clap clap!
True to her fame, the crowd was huge, and the lecture wrapped up amid enthusiastic applause.
Murmurs filled the air.
"...So jealous. When will I make it like that?"
"Big dreams. I'd settle for one breakout hit like hers."
A group of young guys filed out, chatting.
"At least you debuted this time."
"Finished the whole thing and barely scraped 500k won. What's there to envy?"
"Ooh, I'd kill for even a million. My stomach's been rumbling!"
They were rookies—well, aspiring writers just starting out.
They'd met in an open chat room and occasionally gathered at cafes to write or attend events like this.
Then,
"Hey, isn't that No Seokgu?"
"Yeah. Guess he was here too."
The guy they spotted glanced at the group, then turned away sharply.
As if they were strangers.
The group bristled.
"Did you see that jerk? Pretending he doesn't know us? How can anyone be like that?"
"Right? Back when he knew nothing, we taught him everything—platforms, serialization, word counts... One hit and he changes completely."
"Suspected it when he bailed from the group chat right after his paid chapters blew up. Total scum."
"Ugh, makes me wanna succeed just to spite him."
"..."
But one guy in the group—massive horn-rimmed glasses, oversized hoodie pulled low—looked utterly uninterested.
As the group spilled outside, one suggested,
"Hey, mood's sour anyway. Beers all around? What do ya say?"
"Hell yeah!"
"There's a spot nearby with killer side dishes. Wanna hit it?"
"Killer sides mean killer bill."
"Then all-you-can-eat till dawn again? Pass."
"Fine, fine. Let's go already!"
"Woohoo! Let's roll!"
"Ah, I'm heading out."
"What? Ditching again? Our maknae acting all high and mighty?"
"Manuscript due tomorrow. Haha."
"Alright, can't argue. But no skips next time?"
"Sure. See ya."
He flashed a friendly smile, shouldered his bag, and strode off.
"Such a weird dude anyway."
"Yeah, kinda mysterious."
Not in a bad way.
He blended in fine, no drama with anyone.
Just... no one had ever seen his face properly under that hoodie and giant glasses.
Well, truth be told, no one cared enough to pry.
This scene was full of oddballs anyway.
Whatever.
"Alright, let's get wasted tonight! Brace yourselves, everyone."
"Brace for what? Writing block anyway—perfect timing!"
"Let's go!"
As the hyped group started moving,
Weee-ooo-weee-ooo!!
A harsh, ominous wail pierced the air from emergency speakers everywhere.
"...Huh?"
Every face in the crowd froze like stone.
One muttered,
"Fuck. We're screwed."
The ear-splitting siren meant a gate had just spawned right there.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
He halted.
The hooded guy bopping to music stopped dead.
He slowly pulled out his earbuds, and immediately,
Weee-ooo-weee-ooo!!
The siren blared deafeningly.
EMERGENCY ALERT! This area is now a Red Zone! Citizens, proceed immediately to shelters as directed!
"What the hell is this?"
"H-honey! I'll call later! H-hey!"
"You call that strolling? Wanna die? Run! Run!"
People poured out from nearby shops and buildings.
Soon pedestrians, bus riders, drivers—everyone tangled in a frantic dash toward the direction flashing on building screens.
It was like a disaster flick.
No, a disaster was unfolding right here.
"Of all places. Of all times."
In the chaos, one man stood eerily calm.
Haa.
The guy in black horn-rims and hoodie.
He sighed, scratching his head.
"No helping it."
What did that mean?
With those cryptic words, he pocketed his glasses.
Then, amid the stampeding crowd,
Zap!
A sharp electric crackle—and the hooded man vanished like a lie.
read more on novelshub.org