Chapter 80 : Golden Gate (3)
Golden Gate (3)
Upon entering the gate, a completely different scene unfolded.
The spacious mall square previously filled with rows of TVs and monitors was nowhere to be found.
The background instantly transformed into a space shining brilliantly.
"Wow... is this for real?"
"I'm not dreaming right?"
Exclamations of awe burst out from everyone entering the gate.
It wasn't just the students—even among the active hunters, many couldn't hide their amazement.
Frankly, even Seongjin had to admit such a reaction was justified.
'They went all out with the gold.'
All he could see were objects colored entirely in gold.
The inside was shaped like a temple, and every single structure was dazzlingly radiant.
The very floor that Ma Seongjin was standing on was no exception.
It glittered so much that one might have thought it'd be slippery to walk on.
It felt exactly like stepping onto an ice skating rink.
"Don't you want to take one of those?"
"Obviously! I'd love to snag one."
"Should we just take it? I mean, there's no owner anyway."
The students were utterly mesmerized by the golden light.
Even adults find it hard to resist the lure of riches, so one can only imagine how kids would react.
While the hunters were momentarily distracted, two students secretly made a move.
"That golden dragon-shaped statue over there. That's the one I want."
"I want the fox statue. It's the cutest."
"Then I'll go for the angel."
The three students each decided on which statue to take for themselves.
They were drooling and about to grab one when another student stepped in front of them.
"Hold it! What do you think you're doing?"
It was a girl, apparently the team leader of their group.
She grabbed the hand of the student who was about to reach for a statue.
But the student whose hand she stopped just replied calmly.
"What else? I'm taking a souvenir."
"What?"
"They're only the size of plastic models—what's the harm?"
It's not like we're hauling out a giant statue or anything.
The boy spoke as if it was nothing, and the others voiced similar opinions.
"Yeah, exactly. It's our first time ever in a gate, so we might as well take a souvenir."
"I'll take it home as a gift for mom and dad~"
"I'm going to take selfies and brag to my friends."
It was the endlessly childish, reckless behavior of kids.
What would the hunters think if they saw this, while they were supposed to be on guard?
"Stop it! Didn't you learn anything in class? It could be a trap!"
Gates have countless types of traps.
People have triggered ones thinking they were mere gems, only to realize too late it was a landmine.
The Hand instructors worked hard to hammer such warnings into students' minds.
They'd suffered such things themselves during their active days.
It was essential information that had to be instilled multiple times, like teaching firefighter trainees about "backdrafts."
"Chill out! This is our first time, why would there be any traps now?"
Ignoring the leader's warning, the three students grabbed the statues.
It wasn't even past chapter 1 yet—surely the boss wouldn't pop out this early.
That's when it happened.
Kkiriririk—
A huge barred opening formed in the golden walls.
The bars of that suddenly appeared prison-like hole began to open.
From the countless dark pits, a horde of skeletons came flooding out.
― Kiriririk!
The skeletons let out bizarre noises, each wielding a sharp axe.
Some were even big as houses, hefting massive axes.
Overwhelmed by their presence, the students spiraled into panic.
"Gasp!"
"What are those?!"
"Aaaaaaagh!!"
A monster army had burst out the moment the statues were taken.
Even though they were right in front of them, the students' legs shook so badly they couldn't move.
One even wet his pants in terror.
Kwa-jijijijijik—!
Just as an axe was about to strike a student's head, an enormous thunderbolt crashed down from above.
The skeletons were instantly reduced to ash by the ensuing electrical shock.
Then, someone swiftly approached, snatched the statues from the students, and returned them to their original spots.
Kkiriririk—
The bars slid shut over the holes again, and no more monsters emerged.
The person who had handled all this alone was Yoo Cheon-hwa of the Angel Guild.
"A-amazing..."
"So cool."
Students who witnessed his feat were utterly captivated.
His rescue and the way he handled everything at once proved how different a veteran was.
"Knew it'd end up like this..."
Muttering, Yoo Cheon-hwa walked up to the students, scowling deeply as he raised his fist.
Pak!
The sound rang out three times, and the three students grabbed their heads in pain, groaning.
"I saw it all, you punks."
What? 'Plastic model'?
'Selfie'?
"You guys aren't right in the head, are you? What in the world are the Hand instructors teaching you?"
Even if they were just underclassmen, hANDE was still Hand.
For such students to come out of such a prestigious school was a huge blow to its image.
"Or do you just sleep through class?"
"...."
"How did kids like you even win the School Tournament or whatever?"
"We're sorry..."
Though the students apologized in fear, Yoo Cheon-hwa's anger was beyond what they'd expected.
He soon had all the students assembled.
"I'll say this once. Anyone thinking of making the same mistake, or anyone who isn't confident about fighting monsters—leave the gate right now."
"...."
"Go outside, learn again, and come back better prepared."
The students' expressions were easy to read.
After nearly dying embarrassingly to monsters, they were rattled beyond words.
It was their first time in a gate, their first confrontation with monsters radiating killing intent.
No wonder some had frozen or even wet themselves.
"Gates aren't as easy as you think."
"...."
Unable to refute, the kids eventually turned back the way they came.
Other Angel Guild hunters kindly guided the students outside the gate.
"Hey, aren't you leaving?"
Except for one.
"Me?"
"Yeah, you."
The student's name tag read 'Ma Seongjin'.
While everyone else had left out of fear, he remained alone.
"Isn't it up to me whether I leave?"
"What?"
True, that was what Yoo Cheon-hwa had basically said—a kind of choice.
But the more he looked, the stranger the kid seemed.
〈Third Eye〉
Yoo Cheon-hwa, with his secondary trait, was as good as having eyes on his back.
He'd watched the whole thing unfold: the kids treating the statues like plastic models, the moment the monsters appeared—without missing a detail.
That's why this Ma Seongjin boy stood out oddly.
'The others were completely panicked, even peeing themselves.'
The monsters had swung axes in their faces—right up close.
Yet, this kid hadn't even blinked.
To have such a deadly weapon aimed right at him, and act unfazed?
'Could it be him?'
Angel Guild had been fighting the Holy Church for six years.
They were still working to keep them out of Korea, constantly clashing.
Yoo Cheon-hwa had entered the Golden Gate today because he'd received intel that remnants of the Holy Church were hiding there.
With their anything-goes methods, they could have disguised themselves in odd ways.
'They might have disguised themselves as students.'
Maybe that's why Ma Seongjin was growing particularly suspicious.
The fact that he'd stayed here alone made it feel even stranger.
Of course, without proof, he couldn't just oust him like some imposter.
"All right, fine."
"Thank you."
"But if you cause any trouble, I won't let it slide—understand?"
"Yes."
For now, he'd just have to take the student along.
Then use his Third Eye to keep him under surveillance and nab him if he slipped up.
The Golden Gate was said not to be that wide.
The monsters here were weak enough that even S-rankers found them trivial, so there was some freedom.
It was basically a freebie gate.
But since space wasn't expansive, any suspicious action would be noticed quickly.
"Team leader."
"What took you so long?"
"Sorry."
It was the guild member who'd escorted the students out earlier.
It had taken some time since there were nine kids to guide out of the gate.
"Something happen?"
When asked, the subordinates replied:
"There's a bit of distance from where we were to the entrance, right?"
"Probably about 150 meters, I'd say."
"...."
Even using his Third Eye, the gate entrance was nowhere in sight.
Obviously, they had come a long way.
"Team leader. Here."
A subordinate handed him a gem-like mana stone.
"What's this?"
"We took out a monster on the way here. This dropped from it—want it?"
"Haha... you kiddo."
It looked quite valuable.
Yoo Cheon-hwa chuckled approvingly, fiddling with the gem before returning it.
"You keep it. I eat well and live well without needing more."
"Yes, sir..."
"By the way, see that student left over there alone?"
Yoo Cheon-hwa suddenly whispered.
"Don't take your eyes off him—he might be part of their group."
"Yes, sir."
.
.
Yoo Cheon-hwa was glaring at me with a suspicious look.
'Wow, look at this guy, huh?'
He looked blatantly suspicious of me.
Was it just because I was the only one who stayed behind?
Whatever his reason, suspicion should have its limits.
And I had absolutely no intention of leaving the gate.
'Why would I leave when this is a chance to rake in karma?'
While school combat drills gave the opportunity to fight monsters, I would need much more karma if I were to regain my full power.
─────────────────
Name: Ma Seongjin
Age: 14
Rank: B (Lv. 99)
Karma: 50%
Magic Power: 155/155
[List of Blooming Traits ▼ (10)]
[List of Acquired Skills ▼ (120)]
─────────────────
According to my system info, not much had changed with my stats—other than my age.
Because of the system lock, I'd had my abilities sealed before entering Hand.
[A hidden stat exists.]
[The stat 'Demon King's Power (皇魔力)' is locked.]
[Your rank is too low to unlock this stat.]
Even so, my goal was to use this Demon King's Power in my current state.
Originally, as the Demon King, I would need my horns to access this power.
But once I reached A rank, even if somewhat weak, I'd be able to use the Demon King's Power.
'It's so much more convenient.'
Not only is it a world apart from basic magic power, but more than half of my 120 skills rely on it.
Over 50% of my skills are Demon King's Power-based.
With the current situation, where the Mewzealand guys are encroaching on this world, I couldn't just sit idle.
If those guys are still around, there's a good chance the 'Guardians' I defeated might be too.
'To face them, I must have Demon King's Power.'
This gate, in particular, showed signs of Mewzealand's presence.
It might look on the surface like a golden paradise straight out of Eldorado, but the ambient magic in the air was clearly from Mewzealand.
Kwaang-!
Kwajijik—
Before long, monsters appeared and the hunters began to fight.
But the monsters fell like autumn leaves before the powerful hunters.
The hunters let out whistles at the high-quality loot that dropped.
'Must be their lucky day.'
I grabbed a golden dagger left on the floor by the hunters and cut down a few monsters myself.
Like before, all the monsters were skeletons.
Since they were mere small fry, their movements were predictable; I sliced all three down in a single swoop.
[You have defeated C-rank monster 'Golden Sentinel (Mutant).']
[Karma increases.]
[You have acquired a D-rank mana stone.]
[You have acquired A-rank skill book 'Fūrinkazan.']
[You have acquired 'Wriggling Bone.']
I barely took down three, and yet the rewards were lavish.
Among them, I got a skill book...
[You do not meet the requirements to learn this skill.]
An unexpected line popped up.
Given my capabilities, there shouldn't be any skill I couldn't learn.
If I couldn't, there were only a few possible reasons.
Among them...
[This skill cannot be learned by your race.]
As expected, the skill book was pointless for me.
Should I just give it to someone?
Or sell it?
Just as I was debating—
[A new mission has arrived.]
──────────────────
[Mission Issued. (Unique)]
― Another dimensional gate has opened within the labyrinth known as the Golden Gate. Close all the gates before something catastrophic occurs.
Reward: Massive karma increase (2% restoration), +5 to any chosen stat
──────────────────