Ding-

[Paralysis Fog used.]

Hssss-

From Ha Gangwoo’s clenched hand, a pale haze spread across the grimy floor, thick and choking.

Paralysis Fog — Zenon’s skill, one that cuts off the senses and locks the body in place.

At its heart, Ji Somin and Kaguchi Kentaro lay in deep slumber.

Ha Gangwoo was still standing inside Samyun’s Secret Laboratory.

Just moments ago, hadn’t the boss fight left him reeling?

But now, he was swimming in calm.

And it all came down to a single presence.

Whoosh-

Flames and golden light rippled from Mik’s small frame, fierce and brilliant.

And then,

—KEEEYAAAHK!!!!!

The boss, which had held its ground so stubbornly until now, let out a scream drenched in agony.

‘No joke.’

Ha Gangwoo watched, swallowing dryly.

What the hell happened at the exam hall that she got summoned like this? A grim unease flickered through him, but in the end, he couldn’t complain.

After all, he’d been desperate for firepower to take down this Hidden Boss.

Slowly, Ha Gangwoo pushed himself upright in the fog-choked space.

At Mik’s current strength, it looked like he didn’t even need to step in.

But he couldn’t just stand by and watch, so he activated a skill.

Ding-

[Login used.]

Thud-

His original body crumpled to the floor, limp and lifeless.

A moment later, a slender boy rose from the drifting haze, steadying himself.

It was the new body of Ruin Construct: Ru, which Ha Gangwoo had transferred in advance.

Ha Gangwoo clenched and unclenched his fist in this unfamiliar form.

The sensation at his fingertips was as vivid as if it were his own flesh and bone.

“Let’s finish this, then.”

He rolled his shoulder clockwise, loosening up, then dropped into a low stance.

Ding-

[Orb of Ruin generated.]

A black orb rose into the air around Ha Gangwoo, and the clearing of the Hidden Boss — together with Mik — began in earnest.

****

Whoosh- whoosh-

Dazzling neon signs lit the darkened city.

Ambulances led the charge, followed by police cars, and heavily armed Hunters.

“Are you okay? Let’s get you to the hospital first.”

“Hey! Get the stretcher over here!”

This was the heart of downtown Seoul.

On any normal night, the streets would have been bright with signboards and streetlights, but now there was only darkness.

Yet one place still blazed.

Hssss-

Before a fountain still radiating intense heat — a spot glowing red-hot, scorched and blazing.

At the center of that fire.

The field boss, Roendiron, lay there, mouth gaping wide, cooked through and still.

“So you’re telling me this kid took down the boss?”

Emily Nancy traced a finger across her lips, phone in hand, a gleam of interest in her eyes.

On that phone, a small boy’s figure was playing back.

“Please win!”

The video carried the cheers of civilians,

“Sob… sob… save me.”

And sobs leaked through, but none of it mattered to Emily Nancy.

Only the tiny figure flickering on the screen sparked her curiosity.

‘Interesting.’

The footage was blurry, his face hidden.

But Emily Nancy recognized the boy at a glance.

Because he was wearing the clothes she herself had picked out just hours ago.

Whoosh-

-Kiiieeeek!!!!

The video ended with a burst of colossal flame.

Emily Nancy pocketed her phone and walked toward the woman who had earned the greatest merit in this field.

“You said you’re with the Association?”

“Yes, I’m Chae Seohyun of the Association.”

A golden ring hovered above her head.

Seeing it, Emily Nancy recalled a rumor she’d once dismissed.

-A player might emerge to replace Yoon Jeonghyuk. They say she has a ring over her head like an angel. Keep an eye out; try to win her over.

The one and only top-ranked healer, Yoon Jeonghyuk, now had a potential rival. An unexpected encounter.

And so Emily Nancy acted immediately.

“You said the kid vanished? I have a lot of questions about this field. Have you eaten yet?”

Emily Nancy smoothly began her approach on Chae Seohyun.

“Yes, he vanished. Ah?! Dinner? I haven’t yet.”

“Then how about dinner with me? I know a great place nearby. Follow me.”

“Ah! Yes!”

Unaware, Chae Seohyun blushed at meeting the Rank 9 player and trotted after her.

And so, in the heart of the city, the field incident concluded with a single piece of information: one missing person.

***

Ding-

[Orb of Ruin created.]

Crack!!!

The boss’s kick gouged the earth where Ha Gangwoo had stood.

Ha Gangwoo dodged the massive boss’s strike, scattering the orb that had formed in his palm.

-Kiiieeeek!!!!

The enormous boss still seemed full of strength, letting out a deafening roar.

‘Tough bastard.’

The Hidden Quest’s difficulty was S-Rank.

But the Gate had an entry restriction of Level 120.

Maybe that was why the Hidden Boss felt off.

Its movements and patterns were too ordinary — as stupid and monotonous as the monsters that had been here.

But its sheer durability was freakishly high.

An average party with patience and coordination could clear it within five days.

That was precisely the level.

‘Time to end this.’

But even that tenacious clearing was nearing its end.

‘Mik—back off.’

Ding-

[Your intent has been relayed to Mimic.]

Mimic gave him a hollow-eyed look, then dropped to the fog-shrouded floor.

The end of a struggle that had lasted over six hours.

Ha Gangwoo watched her land, then put distance between himself and the Boss.

—Kiyeeeeeek!!!!

The Boss’s body was scorched from head to tail by Mimic’s flames, not a patch of hide untouched.

But every wound was shallow.

It writhed in agony, yet still thrashed with undiminished fury.

That was exactly why he’d kept working all this time.

Ha Gangwoo’s lips curled as he watched the rampaging Boss.

Thousands upon thousands of black Orbs of Ruin crowded the air around it, packed tight.

[Explosion of Ruin]

Use condition: 1 Orb of Ruin

Effect

-Detonates an Orb of Ruin.

[Condensation of Ruin]

Use condition: 50 Orbs of Ruin

Effect

-Combines Orbs of Ruin to amplify their power.

What would happen if he let all ten thousand of those orbs explode at once?

Grin—

Ha Gangwoo’s mouth curled into something wicked. He extended his palm, then slowly clenched it into a fist.

‘Condense.’

Ding-

[You have used Condensation of Ruin.]

The ten thousand black orbs drifting around the Boss began to swarm in, blanketing its entire form.

They gathered, compressed, and—with a crackling hiss—sparks leaped between them.

Ding-

[Explosion of Ruin has been activated.]

BOOM!!!!!!!!!!

A massive blast filled the lab, and a colossal shockwave swept over Ha Gangwoo’s entire body.

In that instant, a cascade of welcome notifications lit up his vision.

Ding-

[You have defeated Bindenz, Roendiron’s Experiment.]

[You gain 250,000 EXP!!]

[You gain an additional 250,000 EXP from the Perk effect.]

[You gain an additional 125,000 EXP from the Aura of Growth effect.]

Ding-

[You have cleared Samyun’s Secret Laboratory[Hidden].]

[You gain 1,000,000 EXP!!]

[You gain an additional 1,000,000 EXP from the Perk effect.]

[Level up!!!]

[Level up!!!]

[Level up!!!]

[Reward: Samyun’s Wrath granted.]

[You have acquired a class skill.]

***

The dark night passed, and the sun rose over the horizon.

Sunlight met the cold earth, birthing a hazy mist.

This was the Dobong District walking path.

Hours ago, it had swarmed with reporters and Association staff. Now, it was still.

“……….”

But the Gate still blazed fiercely, right where it had always been.

Yoo Ayoung looked exhausted, but she stood before the Gate and reached out her hand.

Ding-

[You cannot enter.]

The Gate was still in progress.

What was happening inside?

Frowning, Yoo Ayoung pictured what might be unfolding behind that veil.

No matter how she turned it over in her mind, only one image surfaced.

The Boss awakening inside that glass tank.

A hellscape where it devoured Ji Somin, Kentaro, and even Ha Gangwoo.

“……”

Yoo Ayoung bit down hard on her lip.

‘I should have just accepted it.’

What if she’d taken that Hidden Quest back then? Maybe they’d be pushing through the clear right now, smooth and steady.

The thought kept gnawing at her.

Especially whenever she pictured him — a tight knot of suffocation cinched around her chest.

‘What am I supposed to tell Jiyeon…’

Not content with taking Jiyeon, her only family — now Jiyeon’s Oppa too. She’d broken everything.

“Hngh… hngh…”

Tears welled up before Ayoung could stop them.

That was when it happened — as she stood sniffling in front of the Gate.

“Yaaawn. This way. Hurry up and come on.”

Through the mist in the distance, ten figures emerged.

Pristine silver armor, old-fashioned cloaks. Max-level veterans who’d long since hit the ceiling.

For a bunch summoned by the Association at the crack of dawn, they all wore unusually bright expressions.

The reason was simple.

The name attached to this Gate they were about to clear.

The very Gate that Ha Gangwoo had entered. Word was an S-Rank Hidden Quest had opened inside.

What would happen the moment they cleared it? From the Hidden Quest rewards to the media spotlight.

No wonder the party members were elated.

“Hngh… hngh…”

Through the cheerful chatter, someone’s sobbing reached their ears.

“Yaaawn. Who the hell’s crying this early in the morning? Bad luck.”

Hong Seongsik, the party leader, yawned and scowled.

Then he spotted her.

A woman crying in front of the Gate that was supposed to bring them glory.

“Hey. It’s dangerous. Move.”

He knew the drill — everyone inside had to die for the Gate to open.

It was a race against time now, but Seongsik found the woman in his way annoying.

Grumbling, he walked over — and the moment he saw her face, he froze.

“Huh?! Ayoung?”

Familiar face.

The one who’d gotten him kicked out of the Scenario 3 group. The one who’d twisted his life sideways.

Irritation flared, but even tear-streaked, she was pretty.

Was that why?

A mean streak flickered in Seongsik.

A Player crying in front of a Gate usually meant they’d lost their party.

Sure enough.

Scanning the report, Seongsik pieced it together in an instant, and a smirk tugged at his lips.

He’d just thought of the perfect way to get under this woman’s skin.

“I was wondering what kind of shitty party couldn’t even take down a single B-Rank Gate — turns out Ayoung was the leader? Let me see, three party members disobeyed orders and accepted a Hidden Quest? Whoa… ballsy.”

Hong Seongsik sidled up next to Yoo Ayoung and started grinding on her nerves.

“Captain, knock it off.”

One of Hong Seongsik’s party members tried to stop him, but Seongsik had already made up his mind.

“You guys thought the same thing, didn’t you? ‘Jackpot, thanks to some dumb fuckers.’ Am I wrong?”

“Well, yeah. If it’s an S-Rank Hidden Quest reward, splitting it ten ways still gives us a year’s salary, right? Whoa… hope it’s something good.”

The Player who’d been trying to hold Hong Seongsik back curled the corners of his mouth at Seongsik’s words, lost in happy fantasies.

To them, Yoo Ayoung’s party being wiped out was just another stroke of Luck.

Other people’s deaths being happiness.

In an instant, Yoo Ayoung’s face twisted into something terrifying.

“Aren’t you leaving? The Clearing isn’t over yet!”

Her eyes were red and swollen, but when she shot them a fierce glare, Hong Seongsik’s party members flinched, stumbling back.

“Captain, let’s just back off for now. Seems like she needs to prepare herself.”

The party members had enough sense to try and quietly back away, but Hong Seongsik didn’t.

“Ah! Let go! What? ‘Leave’? Who the hell do you think you’re yelling at, you snot-nosed brat talking to a senior like me? And what, the Clearing’s not over?”

Hong Seongsik bellowed, stepping threateningly toward Yoo Ayoung.

“You’ve been at this three years, so you should know—how the hell are three people supposed to clear an S-Rank Gate? And that Tank already ran off.”

When Hong Seongsik hit her with facts, Yoo Ayoung’s mouth snapped shut.

Because she knew it too well herself.

No matter how amazing Ha Gangwoo was, the simple truth was that three people could never clear it.

But she still wanted to believe in the impossible possibility.

The possibility that those three would walk out proud after clearing the Hidden Quest.

“And what will you do if they do?”

“What?!”

“I said, what will you do if they clear it!?”

Yoo Ayoung, unable to contain her fury, trembled her delicate hands as she spat out the words.

At that, Hong Seongsik curled his lips into a smug, mocking grin.

“Ha. This is getting interesting. Fine, if they clear it, I’ll give you this.”

Hong Seongsik pointed at the belt strapped around his waist.

Though he’d been pushed aside and was now a has-been, he was once a ‘former Ranker’ who had climbed to 998th place on the Ranking.

And the belt he just pointed to was the S-Rank Artifact he’d obtained back in those days.

To him, it was an item more precious than his own life.

That’s exactly why Hong Seongsik threw down the challenge.

“So what are you putting up? A bet has to be fair.”

“…”

In that instant, Yoo Ayoung’s lips pressed shut.

Because Yoo Ayoung knew.

The item that man had just wagered was worth hundreds of millions of Gold.

On top of that, the probability of her party members clearing the Gate and coming out was converging on zero percent.

Wagering hundreds of millions of Gold on a bet she couldn’t win? She couldn’t do it.

As Yoo Ayoung kept her mouth shut, Hong Seongsik bared his teeth in a wide, vicious grin to drive the nail in, leaning close to her beautiful face and whispering.

“What’s the matter? Scared? You don’t trust your teammates that much? No wonder. You three ditched your own party member and bolted fast enough. Just go home and sleep it off.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Hong Seongsik felt a surge of exhilaration—as if the humiliation he’d suffered two years ago was dissolving in an instant.

‘Ah, that feels good.’

He spun around with practiced cool, ready to head back to his own party, when—

“Fine. Let’s do it!”

Yoo Ayoung thrust her rifle—a weapon as good as her entire fortune—toward him, her voice ringing out.

Hong Seongsik’s lips curled into a smirk as he eyed her rifle.

‘What a windfall!’

Truth be told, he wasn’t exactly thrilled.

A rifle was an unpopular weapon to begin with, and no matter how good it was, it couldn’t hold a candle to his own belt.

But wasn’t this bet always destined to end with his victory from the start?

“Alright, fine. You all heard that, right?”

Hong Seongsik shouted to his party members, making sure to secure reliable witnesses.

“We heard it, but isn’t this just pitiful? It’s not like she’s a toy to mess with.”

His party members confirmed the wager.

“Mess with her? If she’s a teammate, she should trust them at least this much.”

And so, Hong Seongsik basked in the joy of an unexpected gain, a grin plastered on his face.

That was the moment.

*Crackle—*

Sparks began to fly from the Gate that had been quiet and still.

This phenomenon was the telltale sign of a sealed Gate reopening.

Hong Seongsik stared at the sight, his conviction solidifying.

“Excellent! They croaked faster than I thought. Everyone, get ready!”

The Players inside the Gate had been wiped out.

So he drew his longsword and strode toward the Gate.

“Ah…”

Yoo Ayoung collapsed onto the ground, as if utterly defeated, her body thudding softly.

Hong Seongsik approached her, picked up the rifle that had fallen to the floor, and scooped it up.

“As for your weapon—I’ll take good care of it. Next time, don’t trust your teammates so blindly.”

He muttered the words with a face so smug it was infuriating, and everything seemed to flow smoothly from there.

But in that instant.

*Crackle—zzzt—*

At the center of the Gate’s intense blue light, something dark began to writhe and twitch.

“Everyone, get ready!!!!”

Convinced the thing was a Monster, Hong Seongsik bellowed—then clamped his mouth shut.

“Ah…”

Because he’d recognized it.

The true nature of the thing stepping out of the Gate.

In an instant, Hong Seongsik’s face went deathly pale. Just then, Yoo Ayoung sprang to her feet and shouted.

“Oppa!”

That’s right.

What emerged from the Gate wasn’t a Monster.

It was the three Players he had presumed dead.

The Gate had already been cleared.

“Ah…”

And so, Hong Seongsik gripped the belt—now no longer his—and froze solid on the spot.