Episode 12: The Animal Kingdom

“Did you see that?”

“…Haha.”

Tae ihyun, who had been watching the guild leaders fiercely argue from a distance, had a blank expression on his face. A senior Gate Helper patted him on the shoulder.

“Don’t be scared. Don’t be scared. Even if they fight like they’re going to kill each other, they won’t do it inside the Gate. If they did, everyone might really die.”

The senior found Tae ihyun’s intimidated look amusing, thinking the rookie was overwhelmed by the earlier scene. However, Tae ihyun’s blank expression was due to something entirely different.

‘Wow, a Mantis Guild and a Bear Guild? People actually name their guilds like that.’

Though young, Tae ihyun wasn’t a novice in the hunter world, and he found the naming quite fascinating. He almost burst out laughing when he first heard it but managed to hold it in.

Just then,

Beeeep!

Someone blew a whistle.

And Ki Seungho, an executive from the Harmony Guild, shouted loudly.

“Alright, we’re about to head out! Check your gear one last time and form up!”

At his command, everyone in the Harmony Guild began to move quickly.

They soon started walking towards the Gate, which emitted a bluish glow.

Gate ‘Valley of the Wolves’

A Gate shaped like a valley, where Dire Wolves, wolves as large as tigers, primarily reside. Known for being notoriously difficult to handle due to the packs of Dire Wolves that attack in groups.

Awoooo!

Not long after entering the Gate, the howls of wolves echoed from all directions, and soon a pack of wolves appeared ahead, glaring fiercely.

“Alright, let’s get started.”

Bear Richard, armed with large knuckles on both hands, stepped forward confidently.

Grrrrr!

The opponents were indeed beasts.

Recognizing the humans as prey, they began drooling through their sharp teeth.

And then, they charged at an incredible speed.

“You filthy mutt, drooling at the sight of me?”

A red aura gathered and burned around Bear Richard’s fists.

As he punched the first charging Dire Wolf,

Boom!

Kueeeek!!

One Dire Wolf crashed into a nearby rock.

“Guys! Tear them apart!”

Yes!

At Bear Richard’s command, the members of the Bear Guild, who had been waiting, began slaughtering the monsters with a murderous gleam in their eyes.

Thus began the Gate assault.

“…Wow, they fight so brutishly.”

Watching Bear Richard and the Bear Guild hunt monsters at the front, Ji Seungho, the vice-guild master of Harmony Guild, shook his head.

Sa Maryong chuckled.

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s just strange hearing you call someone else brutish.”

“Come on, isn’t that a bit much?”

“Well, you did get along best with Richard back in the day.”

“Ah, don’t bring that up. How was I supposed to know he’d coax all the guild members to form a new guild?”

“Still, you didn’t leave, did you?”

“Ahem, I’m a guy who lives and dies by loyalty, you know?”

“No offers came your way?”

“Ah, come on, bro!”

“Just kidding. Just kidding. Haha.”

Sa Maryong, who had been laughing heartily, turned his gaze forward.

The Bear Guild, which had been sweeping through the wolves with great momentum, was slowing down due to the overwhelming number of Dire Wolves that kept appearing.

“We should join in soon.”

Sa Maryong, who had been full of laughter, changed his expression.

With a thud, he slammed the massive axe he carried on his shoulder into the ground.

Then, looking at the guild members, he spoke.

“Alright, let’s stop playing around and get to work. We can’t leave everything to that jerk and risk him complaining later. Everyone, get ready!”

Yes!

Soon, Sa Maryong and the guild members, with the huge axe raised high again, joined the front lines, adding their strength.

Harmony Guild and Bear Guild

Though the two guilds were arch-enemies, they were quite experienced among the C-rank guilds.

Thanks to them, the ‘Valley of the Wolves’ Gate began to be cleared quickly without any major issues.

“Oh, so that’s how they fight. Huh? They dodge like that there? Why? Is there a reason? Anyway, good, good.”

Tae ihyun was extremely busy.

While a Gate Helper’s busiest time is usually after a Gate is completely cleared, Tae ihyun had a different task.

His pen moved nonstop over a small notebook, recording something.

Occasionally, he would take out his phone and snap pictures of the battle.

“Hey, rookie.”

“Yes?”

“Whatever you do, don’t post those photos online without special approval from the guild or the association. If you do, you might face disciplinary action from the association and never be able to work here again…”

“Oh, yes. Of course. I know. These are just for personal collection.”

“Personal collection?”

“Yes! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m busy.”

“Oh. Oh. Uh, okay.”

With a shameless air of obligation, Tae ihyun continued to eagerly jot down notes and take photos, ignoring the senior Gate Helpers.

“What on earth is with that guy?”

Amidst the intense battles with blood and flesh flying, Tae ihyun’s cheerful demeanor seemed out of place, leaving the other Gate Helpers bewildered.

How much time had passed?

Everyone advancing deep into a cave within the ‘Valley of the Wolves’ suddenly stopped.

It was a place with a mystical atmosphere, sparkling with blue crystals.

And then, a giant wolf with a blue mane appeared.

This beast, twice the size of the Dire Wolves they had faced so far, was the boss of the ‘Valley of the Wolves.’

The blue wolf looked down at the intruders with its massive frame.

At that moment,

“Thank you for your hard work.”

The guild master of the Mantis Guild, Sa Maryong, stepped forward slowly.

The reason the Mantis Guild had conserved their strength and not participated in the assault until now was precisely for this moment.

While there are various ways to clear a Gate, the Mantis Guild had the exclusive rights to this Gate assault from the start.

The rule is that all Gate assaults proceed according to the method proposed by the guild holding the exclusive rights.

Moreover, since the rewards after the assault were the same, the other guilds agreed and participated in this assault.

“Then, as promised, we’ll take it from here.”

Clang!

Sa Maryong drew his twin swords.

Along with him, all the guild members formed a formation in perfect unison.

They exuded an overwhelming aura, different from both the Bear Guild and the Harmony Guild.

“…Truly deserving of being a top-level guild among C-ranks.”

As the other guilds, overwhelmed by the atmosphere, took a step back, a smile spread across Sa Maryong’s face.

‘Today, we ascend to the next level. Finally, to B-rank.’

Capturing a Gate boss of a higher rank than the guild’s own would earn them significant bonus points.

Moreover, the Wolf’s Den was a high-difficulty Gate even among B-ranks.

That’s why the Mantis Guild, having seized this Gate, gathered seasoned veterans even among C-rank guilds.

To capture the Gate boss, the Blue Wolf, alone, they couldn’t afford to expend any energy on the way to the boss.

Anyway, as intended, the Mantis Guild stood before the Blue Wolf without wasting any strength.

‘We will succeed. We must!’

Sa Maryong’s aura, filled with ambition, began to surge explosively.

Sizzle!

A sinister green aura gathered on Sa Maryong’s twin swords, dripping onto the ground.

At that moment,

Awooooo!

The boss of this Gate, the ‘Blue Wolf,’ let out a massive howl.

Simultaneously, Sa Maryong and the entire Mantis Guild charged at the Blue Wolf.

“…Incredible. I thought they were well-prepared.”

An hour had passed.

Overpowering the Blue Wolf was nearly impossible from the start.

That’s why C-rank guilds joined forces to subdue it.

However, after extensive preparation and meticulous planning, finally,

Thud!

“It’s down! We did it!”

The boss monster of the ‘Wolf’s Den,’ the Blue Wolf, fell.

Wowww!

The Mantis Guild, no, Sa Maryong, had done it.

Though the guild members’ appearances were a mess, it was undeniable that the Mantis Guild had single-handedly subdued the Blue Wolf.

“Wow, amazing. They actually did it.”

“Isn’t this the first time a single C-rank guild has taken down the Blue Wolf?”

“Right? Wow.”

The Gate Helpers watching from afar clicked their tongues in amazement.

It was indeed a remarkable feat.

This event was sure to become quite the topic.

“Alright, let’s get to work.”

The Gate Helpers, who had been watching until now, stretched one by one.

“We need to move quickly to get out on time. Let’s be diligent.”

“Hey, rookie! Stop messing around! It’s work time.”

“Yes!”

With a satisfied look, Tae ihyun put his notebook into his bag.

He had achieved his goal.

It was a pretty decent research effort.

Everyone thought the assault was over after defeating the final boss monster.

But then,

Awooooooo!

A terrifying howl that seemed to tear through the air and shake the very ground erupted.

Everyone covered their ears.

And then, a massive shadow appeared.

“…What, what is that?”

“Hey, wasn’t the Gate assault over?”

“My God, is that a Dire Wolf? Look at the size of it.”

Though its appearance wasn’t much different from the ‘Blue Wolf’ they had just faced, the problem was its size and presence.

It was like a giant monster, several times the size of a typical Dire Wolf, exuding a ferocious aura that sent shivers down their spines.

Sa Maryong’s face turned pale, having exhausted all his strength, and everyone was at a loss for words.

“What are you all scared of!”

Bear Richard shouted as if to rally them.

“It’s just a B-rank monster! If we all work together…”

But then came the message.

[Due to unknown conditions, the Gate’s level is changing.]

Suddenly, everyone’s faces turned to despair.

“Could it be…”

Gate Change -

The rare phenomenon had just occurred.