Jung-woo headed to the scene before even greeting his new coworkers.

An emergency deployment mobilizing helicopters rather than ground transportation.

Crossing the sky, they arrived above Noryangjin, where a deep green gate was under local control.

‘A Third gate.’

It was the heart of Dongjak-gu.

Gates are fundamentally classified into three types based on their characteristics.

First gates, which spew out multiple common magical beasts.

Second gates, which spew out a single powerful entity.

And finally, Third gates, where these entities exist in complex combination but remain stationed within the gate’s internal world.

Modern gate operations revolve around these Third gates.

By predicting the precursors of First and Second gates and inducing their emergence inside Third gates, civilian casualties are reduced to zero, creating an optimal combat environment for hunters.

Thanks to this system, society escaped the era of groaning under sudden gate phenomena.

However, this was by no means a perfect safety measure.

It merely diverted the flow to avoid damage; just as a downpour causes a river to overflow and flood, if the density of magical beasts inside the gate becomes too high, they can all surge back out at once.

That phenomenon.

The eruption of First and Second gate magical beasts crowded within a Third gate is called a Gate Shock.

It was the most realistic disaster that could occur in modern times.

“A clear man-made disaster. These recent shocks, I mean.”

As Ho-jong said, it was a disaster born of human greed.

“The magical beasts inside Third gates need to be cleaned out periodically. But you know how human nature is. How booming is the magical beast material business these days? If they’re going to clean up anyway, they figure they might as well cultivate higher-grade beasts to kill for better money.”

“So they intentionally raise the gate’s mana density. To make the magical beasts grow through environmental pressure.”

“Right, and if they miscalculate that, it’s an instant Gate Shock. Looks like you’ve been studying hard, Mr. Jung-woo.”

“It’s what I’ll be doing from now on.”

“Reliable. Very reliable.”

Jung-woo said with a bright smile.

“Our job is the management and response to those gates, right?”

“Strictly speaking, we’re a firefighting service. One that also doubles as an inspectorate.”

The role of the Abnormal Disaster Countermeasure Bureau was clear.

When the designated hunter guilds managing gates in each district made an error, they were the gate firefighters deployed to control the situation and clean up the accident.

As a state agency and merely a department under the Management Bureau, they didn’t have much authority, but in emergency situations like this, things were different.

“From here on, we’re in charge. It’s your first field operation, Mr. Jung-woo, so watch closely.”

“Yes, Director.”

Jung-woo stepped out of the helicopter and set foot on the ground.

The executives of the guild in charge of Dongjak-gu froze when they recognized him and Ho-jong.

Ho-jong spoke.

“Gentlemen, just how much did you want to rake in that you hoarded so many magical beasts? Thanks to you, I had to rush over here first thing in the morning.”

“It’s been a while, Director. And it’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time, Hunter Shin Jung-woo. The rumors were true. To the Countermeasure Bureau…”

“Is this really the time for pleasantries?”

The guild executive’s mouth twisted at the flippant sneer.

However, he showed no further reaction.

One clause explicitly stated in the highest provision of hunter-related law.

[In the event of a Gate disaster, on-site command authority is transferred to the Abnormal Disaster Countermeasure Bureau.]

He appeared to be a rational person who wouldn’t ignore something like that.

“…I apologize.”

The executive bowed his head deeply.

Jung-woo smiled awkwardly.

A wave of sympathy washed over him.

In truth, when looking into why Gate Shocks were so frequent during this period, the Management Bureau overseeing the districts was more often the problem than the corporations.

‘It was revealed later. The orders to increase the density came from the Management Bureau.’

There were magical beast materials used for political lobbying.

To serve as factories for producing them, the Management Bureau prioritized inserting compliant corporations as the district’s management guilds and utilized them.

Calling them guilds, they were ultimately just corporations that had obtained business rights from the state.

They couldn’t ignore the directives of the Management Bureau that designated them.

Of course, the moment they dipped their toes in it, they became accomplices, but for Jung-woo, who had a past as a team leader at a small-to-medium enterprise, he couldn’t help but empathize with the position of the salarymen.

Anyway, putting those issues aside, let’s look at the present.

“Situation report.”

“Yes, currently inside the gate…”

At Ho-jong’s words, the executive smoothly briefed the situation inside the gate.

In a three-way power struggle where three champion-class magical beasts were competing, the beast leading the pack had eaten the one trailing behind and grown.

The second-place beast was naturally culled and became prey, and the evolved champion altered the internal environment, accelerating the evolution of the entire beast horde.

The exponential rise in mana density had brought them to the brink of a shock right now.

“It ate two A-Rank champions. It’s going to be big.”

“It’s not at the S-Rank level, but it’s definitely high-tier.”

“Confirmed. Oh right, Mr. Jung-woo. You don’t have any real combat experience yet, right?”

“Yes, it’s my first time since the day I awakened.”

“Then how about you handle this one, Mr. Jung-woo? I need to see what a Born S-Rank is capable of at least once.”

It was at that moment.

“…We will enter alongside you.”

The executive who had been conversing with them until just now spoke.

Behind him, every hunter on the scene turned their gaze toward Jung-woo.

They were curious too.

South Korea’s first Born S-Rank.

A hunter who currently stood among the strongest, and was destined to rise to an unparalleled position in the future—just how powerful was he?

Faced with this sudden concentration of attention, Ho-jong was the first to express displeasure.

“Come on. You’re making Mr. Jung-woo uncomfortable.”

“…If it wouldn’t be an imposition, we would like to request it.”

“Good grief, you’re putting me in a tough spot. Right, Mr. Jung-woo?”

At the question, unconsciously.

‘Ah, he’s doing that on purpose.’

Jung-woo sensed what Ho-jong wanted.

His genial uncle-like, worn-out civil servant impression made that seem like mere bluster.

But knowing what kind of person Bureau Chief Jin Ho-jong was, thinking about it in that context told a different story.

‘He’s setting the stage.’

He was creating an environment where he could shine in front of others.

Beyond simply solving the shock, he was trying to make others feel the “how” and “how much.”

So wasn’t it obvious?

‘A test?’

No, it was closer to a favor.

Jung-woo already knew that in the hunter profession, what mattered as much as the power one held was something else.

‘Recognition and public support.’

Even state-appointed hunters weren’t free from that proposition.

In modern society, hunters were similar to the heroes of classic comics.

In hunter society, just as much as how strong one’s power was, how much the masses craved and enthused over that power tended to determine one’s standing.

From Jung-woo’s perspective, Ho-jong seemed to be trying to fill those elements for him.

‘Why?’

A justifiable probability that he had to do so.

Trying to grasp it by weaving it together with the future he knew.

Perhaps.

‘He’s already grasped the Management Bureau’s corruption to some extent. So he’s waiting for an opening? Creating a card?’

His purpose might already be somewhat related to his own.

Such a thought even crossed his mind.

Whatever it was, the situation itself was gradually shaping up to be a pretty picture for Jung-woo.

“Oh my, how did the reporters find out and swarm over here again.”

Broadcasting helicopters, and the crowd shining cameras from beneath that building.

Only then was Jung-woo able to spot them.

Did he really not know they were coming?

‘No.’

Ho-jong must have known they would come and orchestrated this situation.

He was growing certain of that part.

Jung-woo said.

“…Since it’s my first entry, receiving some help would be nice.”

“Hmm, really? Well, you are a rookie.”

Ho-jong picked up the radio.

“Gi-yoon. What’s the gate entry permit? Huh? You already got it? Fast. Very fast.”

He cut the radio and said.

“Entry permit’s been approved, so we can go right in. You know how to enter, right?”

“Yes. Hold my breath upon entry and pause for 15 seconds. I heard that’s the time it takes to adapt to the internal environment.”

“That’s what the manual says, but it’ll probably be different for you, Mr. Jung-woo. The higher your rank, the easier the adaptation.”

He nodded.

Jung-woo took a deep breath, heightened his tension, and activated his skill.

【[All-Ages Filter] is activating!】

【[Children Need Heroes] is triggering!】

【Slot 1! Bear Hero (S) is being summoned!】

Ppyong!

A life-sized teddy bear doll holding a toy sword appeared.

First stage.

As it was his first proper combat deployment, Jung-woo was also thinking of testing the summon’s power to properly grasp it.

The surrounding voices grew louder.

“Gate coordinate fixation complete! Three, two, one, bidirectional passage installation complete!”

“Base camp connection complete! Internal density reaching critical point! Calling Protocol activated! Magical beast congregation preparation complete!”

A gate on the verge of a shock experiences an extreme spike in internal magical pressure.

Generally, the most ideal countermeasure is to enter and slay the champion that forms the center of that density.

That was why they announced their presence to the inside of the gate.

Here, there is an enemy aiming for your throne.

Uuuuuung—!

Space opened in a circle from the center of the deep green vortex.

Beyond it, a new space—the gate’s internal world—began to reveal itself.

A green sky and a black earth. Above them, red veins of light spread like cracks.

An ominous world lay there.

From the moment coordinates were fixed, one could observe beyond the gate like looking into a world through a mirror.

Jung-woo was able to spot it within.

‘That’s the one.’

A massive body was slowly approaching the base camp.

It was a turtle-type magical beast roughly the size of a ten-story building.

The magical beast’s entire body was covered in black rock, and on its back were easily hundreds of barrels that looked like bombardment weapons.

Kung—!

Kung—!

Vibrations echoed.

It wasn’t appearing alone.

“Magical beast horde spotted! The numbers escorting the champion are… in the hundreds!”

It brought a legion.

Flying and walking-type magical beasts adapted to this zone were swarming in a dark mass.

If the shock erupted, those things would spread throughout all of Dongjak-gu and cause a disaster.

Jung-woo parted his lips.

“I’m going in.”

“We’ll support you.”

The guild executives stood behind Jung-woo.

Jung-woo took a step forward.

Syuwaak!

His vision warped and nausea rose.

The gate assimilation phenomenon, but adaptation was instantaneous.

How long had it been since he crossed over to explore beyond a gate.

Setting aside the fresh sentiments for a moment, he looked ahead.

Stuffy air, heat.

The presence of the massive body generating them.

“Gomdol.”

He was curious.

“For now, want to try raising your output?”

An S-Rank summon.

In other words, just how powerful was an entity whose strength alone was guaranteed to match the capabilities of an S-Rank hunter.

A magical beast legion was coming.

But—

【[All-Ages Filter] is active!】

Ppyobyobyobyong!

The moment they entered the range, they began to transform one by one into giant doll monsters.

Everything became a ridiculous and absurd animation.

Right in the middle of it all, Gomdol marched forward making popping sounds.

Jung-woo saw the red cape draped over the doll’s back.

He saw the toy sword gripped in its hand.

Gomdol raised the sword high.

And swung it down.

Paaaaaaang—!

A scorching flash of light shot forward, filling his vision.

Seeing that sight, he realized something once again.

Jung-woo let out a hollow laugh.

‘As expected…’

It was an absurd amount of power.

The role of the guild hunters who followed him had vanished.

A Third gate with fixed coordinates allows the internal situation to be observed from the outside.

Outside the gate, several helicopters were flying around the formed Third gate, and beneath nearby buildings, countless cameras were trying to capture the internal situation.

Jung-woo’s transfer to the Abnormal Disaster Countermeasure Bureau had been made official, and since a shock incident was about to occur right at that moment, the news of his deployment had also spread.

Whether the shock erupted or not, it was the scoop of the century.

Every source the public was most interested in was right here, so it was only natural that reporters from every existing broadcasting station flocked to this location.

Because of that situation, the shock was conveyed even more vividly.

Those who had been raising their voices and shouting all closed their mouths at once.

The reporters, the hunters, and even the watching public lost their words.

In the midst of this, a reporter, as if unable to believe it, even forgot what she had to report and stood with her mouth agape, before belatedly muttering.

[Hunter Shin Jung-woo entered 3 seconds ago.]

In just that much time.

[…The enemies visible beyond the Gate have been annihilated.]

The accident that nearly became a disaster had been erased as if it never happened.

South Korea’s first Born S-Rank.

It was the moment the value of his power was revealed to the whole world.