Clear sky. A Gate shimmered between the green trees.

Soldiers with guns, even anti-monster machine guns.

A bloody atmosphere.

“I know a killer restaurant — want to go after the Gate?”

“Oh?! Really? Sounds great!”

Two people were radiating a sweet mood.

The man wore stylish medieval armor. The woman, a gorgeous robe.

Just from their outfits, you could guess their jobs.

A warm atmosphere.

“But do you think Player Ha Gangwoo really has an L-Grade class?”

The woman showed interest in Ha Gangwoo. The man’s expression twitched subtly.

“Are you that curious? I’m more curious about my date with Somin-ssi.”

“Aw, there you go again, being cheesy.”

The man’s name was Kaguchi Kentaro.

Ever since Yoo Ayoung introduced him to the healer Ji Somin, he’d been hitting on her nonstop.

Ji Somin seemed to like him too, judging by her reaction.

“Stop slacking off and get your personal gear ready, please.”

Unable to stand it, Yoo Ayoung gave them a warning.

“Slacking off? I’m building team trust. Are you jealous?”

At Kentaro’s ribbing, Yoo Ayoung sighed heavily and furrowed her brow.

“Haah… No. Please, keep building that deep trust among the team until Gangwoo-ssi gets here.”

Even at Yoo Ayoung’s scolding, Kentaro grinned with eye-smile.

Then, spotting a file in Yoo Ayoung’s hand, he narrowed his eyes.

‘Party member info.’

The personal info file on party members, given only to the party leader.

As if a good idea had struck him, Kentaro curled his lips into a smirk.

Since arriving here, everyone had been singing Ha Gangwoo’s praises nonstop, which had got under his skin.

“Everyone keeps talking about Ha Gangwoo, Ha Gangwoo — let’s see how great he really is.”

Kentaro snatched the report from Yoo Ayoung’s hand and started scanning the party members’ personal info.

“Hey! Wait a moment!”

Yoo Ayoung, flustered by the stolen report, tried to stop him, but Kentaro’s ability outranked hers, so she couldn’t block him.

“Hmm…”

As Kentaro read the report, the party members’ gazes naturally shifted to him.

The report containing their personal information.

It might have rankled that a mere party member—not even the leader—was the one reading, but curiosity filled every pair of eyes.

They, too, were dying to know Ha Gangwoo’s personal information.

“I mean it! I won’t just stand by!”

“It’s information we’ll find out anyway. Might as well take a peek now.”

And so, as Yoo Ayoung and Kentaro’s grumbling continued.

Whether he’d found the information he wanted, Kentaro set the report down with a curl of his lips.

“What’s the big deal? Nothing special. Why all the fuss?”

“What is it? Tell me too.”

“No! Don’t say a word.”

Yoo Ayoung shouted firmly, but Kentaro began to speak slowly.

“Level 98. Zero Gate clears. Zero Dungeon clears. Scenario 2: not cleared. Lowest level, and combat experience? Basically a newborn.”

“Zero Gate experience?”

“How is that even possible?”

A murmur rippled through the group.

Especially that—zero Gate and Dungeon experience. Even an F-Grade Player would have more field time than that.

“We took him on based on reputation and rumors. I’m starting to wonder if we’ve got a weak link.”

“I know… low level, and setting aside ability, with that little experience, he’s worse than having no one at all…”

At Kentaro’s taunt, heads nodded all around.

And no wonder—clearing a Gate wasn’t just about ability; experience was just as important.

But a Player with the lowest level and zero actual combat experience?

No matter how famous the L-Grade title was, it was clear he’d be a weak link in any clearing attempt.

“Just in case, want to do a PVP when he gets here? If he’s below standard, we should probably look for someone else.”

“Oh~! I like that. I was curious about the rumors anyway. Let’s see what an L-Grade Player can do.”

It was right then, as the party members’ doubts about Ha Gangwoo swelled.

“It’s Ha Gangwoo!!!”

“Hey! Hurry up and follow!”

The reporters in the distance announced Ha Gangwoo’s arrival.

***

Dozens of reporters spotted Ha Gangwoo and rushed over, cameras and microphones in hand.

“Player Ha Gangwoo! We heard you obtained a Legend job—is that true?”

“We heard you adopted a refugee child this time. That must have been a hard decision. Was there another reason?”

A barrage of questions swirled around Ha Gangwoo’s ears, and as he looked at the people blocking his path, his eyes darkened.

He could have forced his way through, or used Invisible to slip away.

But a sudden curiosity struck him.

‘Will it work, though?’

Ding-

[Converting Mana to Annihilation Darkness.]

Would Annihilation Darkness work on the reporters, he wondered.

Regular people might back away in fear, but reporters were a different breed.

They had tolerance for most kinds of fear, and their livelihoods depended on getting the scoop—desperation made them relentless.

Fssss-

Thick black smoke seeped from around Ha Gangwoo.

And at that moment.

“Fuck…”

“Hey! You’re supposed to film! Why’d you lower the camera….”

The reporters suddenly backed away from Ha Gangwoo, their eyes shifting with a new kind of alertness.

Their faces looked like they’d just witnessed a murder right in front of them.

‘Not bad.’

Ha Gangwoo stepped forward, a satisfied expression on his face at the convenience of the Ruinous Darkness.

And then he saw it.

Soldiers with rifles, and Association staff. For an B-Rank Gate perimeter, it looked surprisingly lax.

As Ha Gangwoo approached, a man who seemed to be an Association staffer came forward, eyes bright.

“Hello! It’s an honor, Player Ha Gangwoo-nim.”

The entry check was simpler than he’d expected.

After just verifying his Player Certificate and face, the staffer beamed and cleared the way.

Ha Gangwoo scratched his cheek as he passed the staffer.

‘So it’s weak against Awakeners.’

The Ruinous Darkness was still pouring out of him.

But it had little effect on the staffer who’d just spoken to him.

The guy seemed to flinch slightly, but not like he felt the deep terror the reporters did.

The only difference between the staffer and the reporters was whether they were Awakened or not.

It seemed that Awakeners required a denser concentration.

Ha Gangwoo lifted his head and looked up at the sky.

Beneath the clear sky, a colossal Gate—distorted as if space itself had warped—reflected off his retinas.

‘A first, then.’

He’d encountered Golems before, back when he was heading into Scenario 1’s zone.

But this was his first time personally forming a party and trying to clear a Gate.

Thump-thump—

How would this play out, exactly?

Clearing this Gate right now held a special significance.

On the cusp of hitting Level 100, with everything from Lucifel’s Ring to his class skills on the line, this hunt promised the ultimate rewards.

Ha Gangwoo, feeling a surge of anticipation, swept his gaze around.

Around the Gate, he could spot soldiers gripping rifles, Association employees fiddling with machinery, and—the core of the whole operation—the strike team.

A stunning woman energetically waved her hand at Ha Gangwoo.

A clean-cut suit, long straight hair.

‘Why am I here?’

The one waving was none other than Yoo Ayoung.

“Hello there~! I’m Ji Somin!”

“Whoa… the real Ha Gangwoo. It’s a total honor! Please take care of me.”

Including Yoo Ayoung, the party had five members total.

Most of them offered handshakes with bright, crescent-eyed smiles.

“Tch, what’s this? All that trash talk behind his back, and now look at you switching sides.”

But one person stood apart.

Kaguchi Kentaro picked at his ear with a grimace.

At the center of that divided attention,

“Hello. I guess we meet again. I thought it couldn’t be, but it really was Oppa. Lunch was great! Still, I should introduce myself properly. I’m Yoo Ayoung, the leader for this Gate.”

Yoo Ayoung offered her hand to Ha Gangwoo, her eyes fixed on his face.

He stared right back with the same inscrutable, stoic expression.

Thump— Thump—

‘Why am I suddenly so nervous…’

Nothing had changed.

Just this morning, they’d been chatting just fine.

But now, looking at Ha Gangwoo, Yoo Ayoung found herself swallowing dryly.

Her heart was pounding for a reason she couldn’t name.

Just as she was spending that tense moment—

*Snatch—*

Ha Gangwoo took her offered handshake.

“Looking forward to working with you, Captain.”

*Sizzle!*

The instant Gangwoo gripped her hand, Yoo Ayoung felt a wave of heat rush to her face.

‘Why am I acting like this!’

Dropping her gaze to hide the flush she couldn’t control, she let out a sharp:

“Ahem!”

and cleared her throat, stepping back to put distance between them.

Ha Gangwoo tilted his head at her reaction, then turned his attention to assessing the other party members.

‘Not bad.’

Maybe it was because these players were tackling a B-Rank Gate.

The current party was leagues above the people he’d worked with so far.

Especially—

“What’s the deal? These look like total trash. Why’s everyone so careful around them?”

That man, who was staring at him with open disdain.

Yoo Ayoung seemed skilled, sure, but that guy was on another level entirely.

Just from the aura he gave off, Gangwoo felt he was a cut above even Kang Seongbin.

By the time Ha Gangwoo had finished sizing up the party—

“Hoo… Everyone, gather around. I’ll start the briefing right away.”

Yoo Ayoung, apparently having regained her composure, called the party together.

“First, take a look at this.”

A single printed A4 sheet.

Ha Gangwoo accepted the report she handed him.

[Dobong District B-Rank Gate Report]

Gate: Samyun’s Secret Laboratory.

Rank: B

Max Capacity: 6 persons.

Entry Level: 120 or below.

Recorded Content: None.

Similar Gates: None.

‘Pretty detailed.’

Just as Gangwoo was reading the printout with interest—

Yoo Ayoung stepped forward, holding her own copy.

“As you can see, this Gate is an unconfirmed type that’s never appeared before. Since we have little information, I plan for thorough preparation. Let’s start with brief personal introductions. Name, desired position, and any special circumstances, please.”

With Yoo Ayoung’s cue, the party members began introducing themselves one by one.

“Hello. My name is Ji Somin. My class is Healer. I’ve cleared about five Gates, and my level is 101. I just finished Scenario 2.”

“I’m Sirien. Class is Guardian-Knight. I’ve cleared around three Gates. Level 106. Nice to meet you all.”

Ha Gangwoo stroked his chin as he listened to everyone’s introductions.

‘As expected, their levels are high.’

All party members except Gangwoo were above level 100.

And he could grasp one clear truth.

‘So the average level for clearing Scenario 2 is around 100.’

Meaning his own growth had been explosively fast.

“Kaguchi Kentaro. Job’s a secret, position’s DPS. Level matches the captain—120. Specialty? I’m good at everything. Hunting, puzzles, romance—all of it.”

With Kaguchi Kentaro’s final boast still hanging in the air, all five gazes turned to Ha Gangwoo.

Feeling their eyes on him, Gangwoo sank into a brief deliberation.

‘How much do I say?’

From the other party members’ introductions, he’d gathered the pattern: level and class traits, more or less.

Even that seemed optional—if you didn’t want to share, you didn’t have to.

“Name’s Ha Gangwoo. Preferred positions are DPS and tank. Level 99. No particular specialty.”

The moment Gangwoo finished, murmurs rippled through the party.

“What? Wasn’t he level 98? Did he level up already?”

“Why no specialty? And zero Gate or Dungeon experience either.”

Faces mixed with suspicion and displeasure.

‘How do they know?’

Gangwoo’s brow furrowed as he took in the party members who seemed to have his full dossier on file.

From the level he’d registered when applying for the Gate, right down to his Dungeon and Gate clear counts.

None of it was particularly sensitive, but still—them knowing everything like that.

His expression hardened steadily.

Sensing the shift, Yoo Ayoung rushed forward and bowed ninety degrees.

“I’m so sorry. I leaked your personal info file…”

‘Personal info file?’

Ayoung was supposed to be this clearing party’s leader. Leaders needed intel on their team.

Maybe there was no need to react so sensitively after all.

‘Does it matter?’

Still, one thing rankled.

“No need to apologize over garbage like that. Level and Gate info shows up on any Player search.”

That man—Kaguchi Kentaro—and his attitude.

“It’s fine. Raise your head.”

Gangwoo brushed off Kentaro’s jab with deliberate indifference, patting Ayoung’s shoulder once.

“I’m really sorry…”

Even with Gangwoo’s reassurance, Ayoung bowed once more, still looking guilty.

As the brief commotion faded and the unsettled atmosphere settled,

“I’ll assign the main positions now.”

Yoo Ayoung stepped forward, holding an A4 sheet of paper.

The next order of business was the most critical part of the Gate clear: main position distribution.

Everyone watched her with tense expressions as she slowly announced her decisions.

“Main tank: Mr. Sirien. Main healer: Ms. Ji Somin. Main DPS: Mr. Ha Gangwoo.”

As Ayoung wrapped up the allocation, most nodded in agreement.

But one man—Kentaro—scowled in dissatisfaction.

“What?! I think I misheard. The main DPS is Ha Gangwoo?”

“You didn’t mishear. The main DPS is Mr. Ha.”

“……”

Kaguchi scratched the back of his head, disbelief written all over his face.

“Are you out of your damn mind? Handing the main role to a total greenhorn who’s never even seen a Gate?”

It was only natural for Kaguchi Kentaro to take issue with Yoo Ayoung’s choice.

Kaguchi’s level sat at 120—head and shoulders above Ha Gangwoo—and his experience was just as rich.

After all, Kaguchi Kentaro was a veteran who’d been in the Gaia System for over two years.

And now she wanted to put a Player who’d only Awakened a month ago in the main slot? It was a decision that made no sense.

But the leader of this Gate run was Yoo Ayoung. He had no real standing to argue her judgment one way or the other.

So there was only one thing Kaguchi Kentaro could do.

“Fine, I’ve seen it all now. I’m staking the main position and challenging you to a PVP.”

The only option left was to make the bastard feel his superiority firsthand.

And with that, Kaguchi leveled his blade at Ha Gangwoo.

“Hey! Film this! Looks like those two are about to throw down.”

“Huh?! Isn’t that Kaguchi Kentaro?”

Not just the reporters watching from outside.

“Whoa~! He actually filed a PVP! Wonder who’ll win.”

“Mr. Kaguchi will take it, obviously. He’s pretty famous in his own right, isn’t he?”

Even the teammates who’d be running this Clearing together were staring wide-eyed, looking intrigued rather than ready to stop it.

“Hold on a second! We can’t afford to waste energy, let alone in peak condition, and now a PVP?!”

But one person—Yoo Ayoung—wasn’t happy with Kentaro’s move.

In the midst of all those stares bearing down on them,

Ding-

[Player Kaguchi Kentaro has filed a PVP request.]

[Win Condition: Opponent’s surrender or death]

[Win Reward: Absolute Obedience (24 hours)]

[Do you accept the PVP?]

[Yes / No]

A single system window materialized in front of Ha Gangwoo.

And here the bastard he already couldn’t stand had just asked for a PVP on his own.

‘Absolute Obedience, huh.’

Ha Gangwoo curled a chilling smile, then slowly moved his index finger.

Ding-

[PVP accepted.]