Someone lay sprawled on the snowy ground, their body covered in wounds, and the armor they wore was half-destroyed. They lay helpless in a desolate place, in the middle of a bitterly cold climate, surrounded by an endless expanse of white snow as far as the eye could see.
Their consciousness still lingered, but their body refused to move. Each breath came with effort, the cold gnawing into their very bones.
"Everyone... I'm so sorry, truly..." they murmured softly, barely audible.
Not long after, a massive gate hanging open in the sky slowly began to close... and silence once again ruled the world.
===
Ten years earlier — London, England.
A strange phenomenon occurred. A blue-colored gate suddenly appeared in the middle of a bustling street. In an instant, chaos erupted. That gate claimed many lives, including those of my parents.
It wasn't just an ordinary rift. It was a connection between the human world and a world of monsters—like something out of a fantasy tale. But this was real. And far more terrifying.
Weapons, technology, even armed forces couldn't stop the monsters that emerged from the gate. The city was torn apart in the blink of an eye.
===
Months passed. Humanity began to rise and adapt to this new reality. Those who dared to enter the gates and hunt the monsters within were called Hunters.
These gates were like dungeons—foreign worlds full of danger and mystery.
Hunters were classified into several ranks, from the lowest Rank E to the highest, Rank S. To become a Hunter, one had to undergo a series of tests and capability evaluations.
===
Ten years later…
A young man with parted blond hair stood inside the London branch of the Hunter Association.
"Arthur Lovegrass," called a gentle female voice nearby. I turned to see her looking at me from behind a computer screen.
Today... was the day of my official induction as a Hunter.
"Arthur, you can approach the machine over there," she said without taking her eyes off the screen.
She typed rapidly, then glanced at me briefly. "Height: 176 cm. Weight: about 77 kg... Your Rank: B. Not a mage or healer type, huh?"
I let out a relieved sigh. Maybe not the best, but I was satisfied. A good enough start.
"Hope you'll work well with others," she added with a warm smile.
I just nodded, then stepped out of the room.
Outside, two people were waiting for me. A long-haired brunette girl, Evelyn—an old friend, and beside her, Ababil, my easygoing best friend who always wore a relaxed expression.
"How'd it go?" Evelyn asked, her eyes sparkling.
"So? Spill it, bro," Ababil chimed in curiously.
I smiled. "All went well. And... I got Rank B."
"Waaah, congrats, Art!" Evelyn clapped cheerfully.
"Not bad," said Ababil with a satisfied nod.
Suddenly, a voice from the speaker called their names.
"Ababil Lucy and Evelyn Rose, please proceed to your respective testing rooms."
"We'll go ahead," said Evelyn excitedly before heading off. Ababil just smiled and followed without saying much.
A few minutes passed...
Their results came in. Evelyn received Rank C with a Healer class. She was also given a set of further instructions.
Ababil, on the other hand, managed to obtain Rank B and was classified as a Mage—more specifically, a Dark Mage. He mentioned that there was a bit of chaos in his testing room, but he managed to get it under control.
===
The Next Day
The three of us decided to visit one of the largest Hunter equipment stores in London. As new Hunters, we were given a special discount for our first purchase.
Upon entering the store, a friendly clerk greeted us and gave directions. The place was perfect for beginners like us. That said, in reality, Evelyn and Ababil were only there to accompany me while shopping. The reason? They said I couldn't be trusted on my own.
Such an unreasonable excuse. They treated me like a child who couldn't take care of himself.
Even so, I didn't let their words bother me too much. We followed the clerk's directions all the way to the end of a hallway. There, she opened a door—revealing a wide room filled with neatly arranged, gleaming weapons and Hunter gear.
We stepped inside with sparkling eyes, mesmerized by everything on display. The clerk told us to pick equipment according to our individual needs.
A Few Hours Later
Our shopping was finally done. I bought a longsword, a small bag for light equipment, leather armor for body protection, and a pair of gloves.
Meanwhile, Evelyn and Ababil only bought small bags and leather armor for extra defense. Pretty simple, but enough for beginners like us.
We ended the day with a small celebration—a party to mark the beginning of our journey into the real Hunter world.
===
Two Days Later
The three of us joined our first raid—a Gate with a C-Rank difficulty level. The raid was scheduled for the morning, and we agreed to meet directly at the Gate's location.
At 7:00 AM, the Gate appeared at a small construction site. It was recorded as one of more than ten Gates that had emerged in London.
That morning, I had been up since dawn, fully equipped: my leather armor was hidden neatly under my hoodie to avoid drawing attention on the street.
I chose to walk to the site. For some reason, I felt that this habit helped me maintain my stamina and kept my body more prepared for combat.
A few minutes later, the construction site came into view. By the time I arrived, several Hunters had already gathered. A total of ten people were joining this raid: two Rank B, five Rank C, and three Rank D Hunters.
From a distance, I spotted Evelyn and Ababil already waiting for me.
"Oh, Art! You finally made it," Ababil greeted.
"Morning, Art~" Evelyn added with a cheerful smile.
"Yo, Bil. Lyn," I replied casually.
Soon after, a middle-aged man approached us. He looked experienced, with a firm and focused gaze.
"You three are new Hunters, right?" he asked.
We nodded.
"You need to check in over there," he said, pointing to a group of Hunters gathering nearby.
"Oh, alright," we replied almost in unison.
We walked over to the check-in point and wrote down our names from the registration list.
A few minutes later, the same man stood in front of the group of gathered Hunters.
"My name is Gael. I'll be leading your raid today. We'll be entering a C-Rank Gate. And one more thing—there are three new Hunters among us, so to the more experienced ones, please help guide them."
"Yes, sir!" the Hunters replied with enthusiasm.
Not long after, a young man with an eager expression approached us.
"You're the new Hunters, right? I'm Joel. I hope we can work well together."
"Nice to meet you, Joel. I'm Arthur."
"I'm Evelyn," Evelyn added with a sweet smile.
"Nice to meet you too, I'm Ababil," he said with a smile.
"Alright! With that, we'll now enter the Gate together," Gael called out, signaling everyone.
We began stepping into the Gate.
===
Moments later, we arrived inside a narrow, dark cave—just big enough for about ten people. This Gate was cave-type, which meant my longsword would be a bit harder to use freely.
"For all mages, please stay in the back row, or at least take cover near someone," Gael instructed firmly.
"With that in mind, we're counting on you, Art," said Ababil and Evelyn in unison.
I gave a short nod to show I was ready.
My hand was already gripping the sword's hilt. Though the cave was tight, it was still safe enough to wield it. The chances of the blade hitting the walls seemed low.
Suddenly, a loud noise echoed from the darkness ahead. Everyone immediately got into position, spreading out slightly to avoid blocking each other's movements.
We were split into two groups. Mine consisted of Gael, Joel, Evelyn, Ababil, and me.
From the shadows emerged a horde of goblins—there were quite a few of them.
"Goblins!?" shouted Gael. "Everyone, get ready!"
A chorus of enthusiastic shouts came from the Hunters.
Without waiting for further orders, Ababil cast his spell. A thick smokescreen filled the room, obscuring the goblins' vision.
"Now's our chance!" Ababil yelled.
"Nice one, Ababil!" Joel responded.
The battle began. I stayed in the back, alongside Ababil and Evelyn, guarding them to ensure they didn't get hurt.
Two goblins slipped past the front line. I planted my foot, took my stance, and swung my sword. Right slash—hit. Left slash—hit. Both went down.
This was my first time in a real battle. It was far more intense than any training I'd done with my brother.
Only a few minutes had passed, but I could already feel the adrenaline pumping hard through my veins.
Without realizing it, another goblin managed to slip through.
"Watch out!" Joel shouted.
I snapped out of it. But before I could react, Ababil had already cast a blinding spell. The goblin's attack missed, only grazing my cheek.
Reflexively, I struck it down, finishing it off.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.
"Are you alright, Art?" Evelyn asked, looking really worried.
It had been a long time since anyone looked at me with such concern. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"I'll heal your wound," she said gently, raising her hand and healing the cut on my cheek.
"Don't go spacing out like that," Ababil chimed in.
I chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. My bad."
The fight came to an end. The goblins were successfully eliminated.
Gael and Joel came over to us.
"So, getting used to it?" Gael asked.
"For your first time, you already took down three goblins, huh?" Joel said with a smile.
I let out a small laugh. "I was just doing my job. Besides, I got a lot of help from my friends."
"Good. Now, extract the crystals from the goblins," Gael ordered, then he and Joel walked off to collect from the remaining monsters.
"Alright."
I pulled out a knife from my pouch and began dissecting one of the goblins.
"You seem pretty skilled at this, Art," Evelyn said curiously.
"Well... my brother taught me. Sometimes I read guidebooks too," I replied while lifting the crystal I had just extracted.
"Wanna give it a try?"
"Sure!"
"Me too!"
I showed them how to extract crystals from goblins. Luckily, all three goblins I defeated had crystals in them. My brother once told me not all monsters do.
"Yay! My first crystal!" Evelyn cheered excitedly.
"Thanks, Art," said Ababil.
"No problem."
"Alright, everyone! Let's head deeper in!" Gael called out.
We had collected enough crystals to be shared among the ten of us. We moved deeper into the dungeon.
The narrow cave corridor opened up into a wide room—filled with towering, ancient pillars. The lighting was dim, the only light coming from the torch in Gael's hand.
"This looks like the dungeon boss room. Be careful," Gael said in a low voice.
A cold wind blew from the opposite direction, accompanied by an echoing rumble.
"That's…"
The boss this time—was an Orc.
Gael looked at all of us. "Our opponent is an Orc. We'll need to coordinate well and fight as a team."
Everyone nodded with determination.
We approached cautiously.
The Orc stood still, as if it had been waiting. Its body was huge—probably around four meters tall. Silence fell. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Then the Orc moved. Its eyes locked onto us, and it charged.
"Dodge!" Gael shouted.
With a rough motion, the Orc charged, swinging its arm through the air. We all scattered, dodging the blow.
"Ababil, use your magic!" Gael called.
Ababil nodded. A thick black mist appeared, clouding the Orc's vision.
"Everyone, counterattack! We're using hit-and-run tactics!"
The Hunters struck fast, then retreated. I stayed back to protect the mages.
The Orc roared in pain but still held its ground. Its movements became erratic. Its attacks were wild and started breaking our formation.
Suddenly, it stopped. I narrowed my eyes. It picked up a large chunk of rock—and hurled it toward us.
"Dodge!" I shouted.
I grabbed Evelyn and Ababil by the arms and ran as far as I could. But one rock struck me in the side. A sharp pain flared up, and my legs began to tremble.
"Art!"
"Damn it…" I muttered. Another rock was flying at us.
Time seemed to slow down.
With the last of my strength, I swung my sword—deflecting the rock away.
Everyone fell silent. Then—
"This is it! Attack!" Gael yelled.
The Orc had no time left to fight back. This would be the end of its life—
===
Outside the dungeon, right in front of the Gate, all the Hunters had returned safely—with the precious rewards we obtained this time.
The spoils were distributed evenly, not individually. The atmosphere felt warm and peaceful, even though evening was already approaching.
Everyone seemed to be doing fine, including me... although my side still ached slightly from the earlier impact. Still, I tried to stand tall, supported by the two who had faithfully stayed by my side since we exited the dungeon.
"I told you, I'm fine," I said, even though my expression clearly wasn't all that convincing.
"Alright, alright, stop complaining so much," Evelyn replied, lightly nudging my arm.
"He's right," Ababil chimed in with a soft laugh.
I chuckled too. So did they. Our laughter was light—as if releasing the tension after such an intense battle.
The two of them walked me all the way to the front of my house.
"Alright, this is far enough. Thanks, you two," I said, turning to look at them.
Evelyn and Ababil smiled at the same time.
"No problem. Besides, you had to carry the burden of protecting both of us," said Ababil.
"He's right," Evelyn added. "We'll be heading off now!"
They waved goodbye and turned away, leaving me in front of my door.
I let out a long breath. Finally... it's over for today.
With slow steps, I reached for the doorknob—and gently opened the door.
"I'm home."
That voice echoed through the quiet house.
In the living room, my older sister was already waiting—along with my little sister.
"Oh, you're back. How did it go?" asked my sister, Artoria.
She's an A-Rank Hunter, far more experienced than me—who had only just taken my first step as one. Today, she was dressed in comfortable casual homewear, looking different from usual.
"Welcome back, big brother!" cheered Artalyn, my younger sister who's in her third year of middle school. Her face was glowing as always.
I gave a small nod. "Yeah… everything went smoothly."
"I see? That's good. You must be tired. I'll make dinner," said Artoria with her gentle smile.
And just like that…
My journey as a beginner Hunter had only just begun.
===
One Year Later
I never imagined that my career as a Hunter would progress this quickly. Over the past year, everything changed drastically.
Now, I stand at the peak of Rank B. Two months ago, I joined one of the most influential guilds in England—ScareCrow, a guild rich in resources and full of talented members. And... I'm one of them.
The equipment I use is no longer for beginners. Thanks to my own efforts, I was able to afford high-quality armor and a massive greatsword capable of sweeping through enemies in a single swing.
Ababil and Evelyn also joined the same guild. They've grown rapidly. Ababil's dark magic has become even more powerful, and Evelyn, as a Healer, now possesses incredible healing capabilities.
Everything was going smoothly—until that day came.
"This is the 9th S-Rank Hunter: Artoria Lovegrass."
That's what the news anchor said, as I watched from the living room.
But what confused me… was why my sister's face looked so unhappy?
At that time, we were in the middle of a raid inside a dungeon. Our formation was the usual: me, Ababil, Evelyn, my sister Artoria, and five others from another major guild—Sabbath, one of the biggest in England.
But something was off.
Artoria seemed different. Selfish. Cold. Silent. As if consumed by something invisible. Even her teammates from Sabbath looked confused.
"I don't know... maybe the gap between the two of you has grown too wide," one of them said.
===
It's been a week since that day, and she still hasn't returned home. No messages, no signs. It's like she disappeared—abandoning both me and Artalyn.
Now, all the responsibilities at home rest on my shoulders. I have to support Artalyn, pay for her private high school so she can chase her dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur. A dream I never had for myself, but one I want her to achieve.
This morning felt like a typical routine. Exercise, eat properly, and get ready for work as a Hunter. But today was a little different. I received a new assignment: to mentor six C-Rank beginner Hunters.
The Gate's location had already been determined—at the main intersection of the city.
When I arrived, I checked the roster of names: Paul, a striker. Laura, a hand-to-hand fighter. Zhang, a summoner. Khalid, a mage. Jack, a tank. And Jonathan, a battle mage.
Shortly after, they arrived in a large van, big enough to carry the entire team. They stepped out, full of energy and curiosity.
"You're Arthur, our instructor, right?" asked Paul, who seemed like the leader among them.
"Yes, that's me. Before we begin, could each of you introduce yourselves?"
One by one, they stated their names and abilities. Young faces, full of potential… and naivety. I couldn't help but wonder—how old are they, really?
"Can we go straight into the dungeon?" Laura asked, excitedly.
"We can. But first, please sign this attendance sheet." I handed them a paper listing their names. Just a signature would do.
While waiting for them to finish, I sent a short report to my superior—everything was still going smoothly.
Once all preparations were done, we entered the Gate.
At first, everything inside looked... normal.
Or so I thought.
Suddenly, a powerful mana wave swept through like a storm. My body staggered. My vision blurred. My breath caught. I nearly lost consciousness.
Why... was I the only one feeling this?
The others... they looked completely fine. No one reacted like I did. Damn. This mana flow... it's extremely disruptive.
And then—
The color of the Gate changed. From blue to blazing red.
Red Gate.
A rare and deadly phenomenon—and we had just walked straight into it.
===
A staff member at the Hunter Association suddenly widened his eyes. His fingers trembled as he stared at the screen displaying the mana wave signal data from a Gate located at the main intersection.
The wave—previously only equivalent to a C-Rank Gate—had suddenly spiked drastically.
"This... can't be," he whispered, barely audible.
Panic instantly filled the room. Association staff exchanged looks—some furiously typing emergency reports, others immediately contacting their superiors.
One terrifying fact had just been revealed—the Gate had transformed into a Red Gate, with power levels equivalent to an S-Rank. In other words, the likelihood of a Dungeon Break occurring at that location had reached 100%.
All high-ranking Association officials were contacted at once. So were the scattered S-Rank Hunters across various regions.
Including one crucial name: Artoria Lovegrass, Arthur's older sister.
Elsewhere, Ababil and Evelyn received an urgent message from their superior:
A new Red Gate has appeared. Name registered at the location: Arthur Lovegrass.
"What!?" Ababil gasped. Without a second thought, he sprinted toward the scene.
Evelyn, who was at her own home, stood up in a panic, her face pale. Her emotions were in chaos. Her heart was uneasy.
News of the Red Gate spread rapidly among London's Hunters.
Six C-Rank Hunters and one B-Rank Hunter... were trapped inside a Red Gate.
Meanwhile, inside the dungeon...
Something had changed.
The environment that once resembled a dark cave had shifted into a vast snowy field. The atmosphere was freezing, silent, and unfamiliar.
"What...?" I muttered. My breath caught. This was the first time I'd ever experienced such a change firsthand.
"W-what's going on!?" Laura looked around, panicking.
"This can't be…" said Khalid, his eyes wide.
"What should we do now?" Jonathan asked nervously.
I scanned the area and took a deep breath. Even though my chest felt heavy, I tried to stay calm.
"It looks like we've entered a Red Gate… But don't panic. This was originally just a C-Rank Gate, so chances are we just need to defeat the boss to get out," I said, trying to reassure them, even though my own heart was pounding hard.
But before my words could truly calm them—something appeared.
From within the snow mist, a large and savage figure stepped forward.
"Ice Troll," I said softly, watching the creature cautiously. Its body was massive, nearly twice the size of a normal human, moving slowly but radiating a deadly aura.
Normally, Trolls like this only appear in B-Rank Gates or higher.
I began to feel uneasy.
And then, one by one, more Trolls started to appear. Not one. Not two. But over ten.
"You've got to be kidding..." Paul muttered, his voice shaking.
"Damn it…" I cursed under my breath.
"There are too many Trolls. We can't fight them all. We have to run!"
I immediately gave the order. All of us began to sprint, seeking shelter in the forest visible in the distance.
Our footsteps raced with fear. Our breath caught, our feet nearly slipping in the thick snow. But it was better than facing the Troll horde head-on.
However, just when we thought we had escaped and made it through the forest...
Something even worse awaited.
A strong wind blew from behind—not from the Trolls.
As soon as we reached the open field, a tremendous roar echoed.
Giant footsteps. The ground trembled. And then—
A Dragon. Ten times larger than a human. Its body pitch black with shimmering scales, and its eyes glowed red.
It charged.
And with one brutal collision—everyone was sent flying, helpless against the overwhelming power.
===
Outside, right at the location of the Red Gate.
Ababil, Evelyn, and several members of the Hunter Association had arrived. Their faces were filled with anxiety and unease.
For Ababil and Evelyn, the panic came from their concern for the safety of their dear friend—Arthur. Meanwhile, the association members were troubled by one thing: the possibility of a Dungeon Break from an uncontrollable Red Gate.
Evelyn walked briskly toward one of the men in a black suit who appeared to be a monitoring officer.
"Hey! Can't you get through that Red Gate!?" she demanded, her voice full of urgency.
Ababil quickly followed, trying to calm her down.
The man in the black suit lowered his head, his voice flat but heavy, "If we could, we would have done it already. But… this Red Gate has completely disconnected from our world. We no longer have access to it."
He looked up and stared directly into Evelyn's eyes. "All we can do now… is wait—and pray."
Evelyn was speechless. Her fists clenched tightly.
From a distance, a lone woman stood—Artoria Lovegrass. Her gaze was empty, but the aura surrounding her conveyed one thing: she was ready, should everything go even more horribly wrong.
===
My vision... blurred.
What just happened?
Where are they? Where is… everyone?
Arthur awoke, sprawled on a blanket of snow. The world around him was silent, chilling to the bone. He slowly sat up, his body heavy.
His armor was shattered. His sword… thrown who knows where.
He stared at the gray sky, trying to recall—and that's when the image flashed through his mind.
"The Dragon!" he shouted, instantly standing up despite his trembling body.
"Everyone!" he cried, calling out for anyone who might still be alive.
But there was no answer. Not a single one.
Silence.
Until that sound came again—a terrifying roar, shaking the air. The Dragon's roar.
Arthur turned. The monstrous creature reappeared, hovering in the sky, its eyes glowing red like embers.
His legs weakened. His heart pounded wildly. Fear seeped into him, but he refused to let it freeze him in place.
The Dragon dove toward him with incredible speed.
Arthur reacted a fraction of a second faster, jumping aside just before the charge obliterated the ground where he had been. The earth trembled violently, the air crushed his lungs.
From afar, he spotted his sword—lodged in the frozen ground. Without hesitation, he ran and yanked it free. The massive blade was still intact.
Arthur took his stance. The Dragon landed, ready for ground combat.
With resolve, Arthur struck first. He dragged his heavy blade behind him, then swung it powerfully at the Dragon's leg, aiming for the scales underneath.
But—CLANG! The sword bounced off. The Dragon's scales were too hard.
"Tch…" he muttered.
Before he could retreat, the Dragon's tail smashed into him with brutal force. His body was flung backward, crashing through several trees.
Blood dripped. His bones felt fractured. His armor shattered in many places. His consciousness began to fade.
But in that moment… Arthur refused to give up.
Not now.
He forced himself to stand again. His grip on the sword remained firm.
Give up? Only when I'm dead.
The Dragon roared again, louder this time, and charged straight at him.
Arthur was on the verge of passing out. But his eyes stayed locked on his enemy. The Dragon opened its mouth wide, ready to devour everything.
Arthur's greatsword still felt heavy. Too heavy to swing again.
But…
"Not yet… Just a little more… Now—NOW!!"
With a final roar, Arthur lifted his sword and—rather than swing it—he hurled it with all his strength.
The blade shot through the air like an arrow. Piercing through the Dragon's open mouth, it exited through the top of its skull.
SHRRRAKK!
The Dragon let out a final cry before collapsing, dead in an instant.
And Arthur…
Arthur fell at the same time as his foe, lying in the snow, finally unable to hold himself up any longer.
===
Outside, right where the Gate had been—
After Arthur successfully defeated the S-ranked Dragon, everyone was waiting for one thing: the Gate should gradually return to normal… slowly closing as usual once the Boss had been defeated.
But what happened was completely unexpected—the Gate disappeared.
Not closed. Completely vanished. As if it had never existed in the first place.
Everyone who witnessed the event stood frozen in silence. Anxious faces shifted to ones of confusion. Evelyn held her breath, Ababil stepped forward, eyes wide in shock, and Artoria—standing far in the distance—simply stared blankly, as if unable to believe what had just occurred.
No explanation. No warning.
Only silence… and an unsolved mystery.
To B Continued...