Chapter 183

As soon as I became S-rank, multiple status windows flooded my vision in an instant.

The reason the gap between S-rank and A-rank stats widens exponentially is because the base stats are different.

I could see that S-rank bonuses had been added, easily doubling my original stats.

On top of that, since I used a lot of magic power and agility-based skills, those two stats had risen dramatically.

This buff? Yeah, it’s unnecessary now that the S-rank state feels more familiar.

Becoming S-rank definitely made my body feel lighter.

If until now it felt like I was wearing sandbags, now it felt like I could fly.

My slumped condition sprang back to life as it shifted into the S-rank state I’d been used to ten years ago.

I might even feel lighter now than when I first entered the dungeon.

I’d definitely gotten stronger.

…The names are a bit suspicious, but macros have appeared.

A new skill has appeared too. And moreover.

I pulled the wooden sword out of my inventory.

It’s called a wooden sword, but it’s as sharp as a real blade.

As an SS-rank item, it was a cheat item I hadn’t been able to use until now.

It probably would have popped up with an annoying system message like ‘Item stats are excessively powerful.’

But now things were different.

As an S-rank, I could wield an SS-rank weapon.

The moment I gripped the wooden sword, the system window flashed once more.

This sword had insane base stats, plus a treasured item bonus.

With this sword alone, my HP increased by 50%.

Opening the system window again, I could see the dramatically changed numbers.

This is gear power!

With an SS-rank item plus the treasured bonus, the status window had no choice but to stretch out like this.

And the moment I confirmed it.

The personal main quest completion window popped up.

So the lightness in my body wasn’t just my imagination.

I didn’t bother suppressing the rising smile.

“In that case…”

My personal main quest conditions: fulfilled.

Hunter So Yeri had also acquired the ‘Regression’ skill, so her personal main quest conditions: fulfilled.

Shin Jae-heon’s chat popped up amid the messages.

Seeing his calm message made my heart tighten again.

I hesitated for a moment before typing again.

Hunter Yian still hadn’t revealed what his personal quest was.

But he answered straightforwardly.

What could his personal quest be?

He gave a curt reply without follow-up, so he clearly still had no intention of sharing details.

Was not telling anyone actually a condition?

His quest was surely ‘Take What You Want Completely.’

As I narrowed my eyes at that thought.

A system window popped up abruptly.

What? Was there a system window that didn’t appear during the S-rank awakening earlier?

But the content was beyond imagination.

No, this wasn’t just for Hunter So Yeri—it was notifying everyone?

Of course, it wasn’t just me.

Hunter So Yeri went silent for a bit, probably hurriedly checking the Apocalypse Chronicle, then her message came up.

What was ‘oh’?

Even if it sounded grand, the Apocalypse Chronicle wasn’t likely to bring good news.

And sure enough.

Of course it was.

Ominous premonitions were never wrong.

Hunter So Yeri didn’t need to roll over—it was certain.

The box underground, condensed with magic power.

A gate would open from there, after all.

There were no issues with the gate management office for now.

Once they received the gates coming from the Eastern Empire and sent them back, the Western Empire’s gate management office would handle over 95%, and the Eastern Empire’s under 5%—locked in place.

That meant no major problems while we were inside the problematic gate.

Unless dungeon clearing took over a week, that is.

Hunter So Yeri had checked the gate’s status right after the Apocalypse Chronicle alert.

Fortunately, the timeline to overload matched the gate holding schedule.

This way, by the time we handed the gates back over there, we’d be entering that box gate.

The problem remained if clearing the gate took over a week.

And the solution was to boost this world’s forces.

So the first thing we did was this.

Sharing the existence of the L-rank gate with nobles, priests, and mages in Tower Master Clona Eisen’s name.

“What? L-rank?”

Naturally, a despairing atmosphere spread at first.

But Shin Jae-heon declared before it could ignite.

“I’ll lead the expedition myself.”

Not only that, but Pope Shin Xian and the Tower Master naturally declared they’d join, calming the nobles’ boiling mood somewhat.

If the entire continent couldn’t avoid disaster anyway, shouldn’t they help with the clear?

“I’m worried the Eastern Empire might scheme if they learn of this.”

One noble reportedly said that to Shin Jae-heon.

But Shin Jae-heon shot back curtly.

“The Eastern Empire has no spare capacity to meddle with Karman due to their own gate handling.”

Besides, if they had any brains, they’d know the ‘continent’ included not just the Western Empire but themselves too.

No interference from that side.

With that settled, preparations for entering the L-rank gate gained speed.

Shin Jae-heon focused on strengthening the capital’s forces, while I.

“Can you handle it?”

“…Yes, I’ll do my best.”

Was teaching Helen gate management in more detail.

Though she was only E-rank, she’d seen me organize personnel for gate management up close many times.

She absorbed the lessons like a sponge—her physical stats might not be S-rank, but her brain definitely was.

And the Magic Tower.

Lectures on gate-response exclusive magic opened in Tower Master Clona Eisen’s name.

Not just Tower-affiliated mages, but free mages too—regardless of origin—flocked from across the nation upon hearing they could attend the Tower Master’s lectures.

…My territory.

“Mages from across the nation have all gathered!”

“Have you heard about southern magic? Their spells emphasize defense a bit more…”

“Ooh…!”

With mages from every region gathering, magic research boomed, and Edelweiss Territory practically became a holy site for mages.

Thanks to that, no worries about mages at all.

Of course, their skill levels had risen too.

Hunter So Yeri said it primly, but thanks anyway! So much thanks!

Meanwhile, as forces across the region reorganized, the now-ownerless Forlang Territory naturally fell under Edelweiss management.

All the knights who knew Forlang well were in Edelweiss anyway—natural outcome.

And finally, the temple…

Hunter Yian didn’t reply to my message for a long while.

He almost never missed a call before, but lately his responses were delayed.

That… yeah, he had reason to be.

Considering the weight healers carry in gate clears.

No matter how many healers this world had, they weren’t skilled in gate assaults.

So Hunter Yian was struggling to teach healing in a short time.

“Hmm.”

Over here, Helen already knew everything, so nothing more to teach.

“Time to repay the debt from last time when he came to help while I was swamped?”

Recalling how Hunter Yian had come to assist when I was busiest, I stood up.