Chapter 38: Gate
Hajin pressed the activation button without thinking too hard about it, watching the panel light up gold at the edge of his vision.
The comment section started moving almost immediately.
[ CringeSlayer91: ayyy he’s back ]
[ ShadowMage44: stream came back online finally ]
[ ShadowMage44: where did you go? you just vanished after that hallway scene ]
[ CringeSlayer91: bro dipped right when things were getting interesting ]
[ NewViewer_02: oh good timing i just got home ]
[ DarkBlade: we were literally just talking about what monster you’d fight next ]
[ LurkerNoMore: did you guys settle on where to go? ]
More names kept stacking on top of each other, the viewer count jumping from single digits past eighty in less than a minute. Hajin watched it climb while Juna stood a few steps ahead, testing the new gauntlets by opening and closing her fists.
’Same energy as always,’ he thought, something warm settling in his chest. ’At least they’re consistent.’
"My bad," he said out loud, rubbing the back of his neck. "Had some stuff to sort out at the palace. We’re heading to a Gate now."
[ CringeSlayer91: a gate already?? ]
[ ShadowMage44: my man is wasting NO time ]
[ NewViewer_02: wait can he even enter one? ]
"I have a provisional permit," he said, tapping the pocket where the royal document sat. "The King gave it to me remember? It lets me enter controlled Gates up to a certain threat level."
They arrived at the gate checkpoint a few minutes later. The portal was a massive, shimmering ripple of blue energy, surrounded by a reinforced stone perimeter and guarded by a squad of guild knights in silver armor.
As they approached, one of the guards stepped forward, crossing his spear to block their path.
"Permit," the guard demanded, his voice bored.
Hajin didn’t say a word, just pulled out the royal document and handed it over. The guard’s eyes widened as he saw the royal seal and the King’s personal signature. He quickly handed the permit back and stepped aside, his posture straightening instantly.
"You may proceed," the guard said, his tone now respectful. "Safe hunting, sir."
[ CringeSlayer91: LMAO the guard’s face ]
[ ShadowMage44: royal permit power is real ]
[ NewViewer_02: look at that transition from bored to terrified ]
[ DarkBlade: he just walked in like he owns the place ]
Hajin didn’t dwell on the reaction, simply nodding as they stepped through the portal. The world shifted instantly, sound disappearing instantly before rushing back just as fast.
They were now inside the gate, a dense forest stretching out in every direction with thick trees blocking out most of the sky. The air felt heavy, carrying a scent of moss and rotting wood that clung to their clothes immediately.
Hajin rolled his shoulders, feeling the comfortable fit of the dark tunic the King had given him. He rested his hand on the hilt of his new short sword, appreciating the familiar weight at his hip.
’The chain is powerful but I am more of a swordsman,’ he thought, keeping his hand on the sword. ’I will stick to this unless things get out of hand.’
Juna stopped walking beside him, her ears swiveling fast and locking onto the thick brush ahead while her nose twitched.
"They are already here," she said, her voice dropping into a low warning. "Three of them and they have a very strong smell of blood."
He stopped and shifted his stance, not seeing anything yet, but he trusted her senses more than his own vision.
"Which direction?" he asked, keeping his eyes moving across the tree line.
"Front and left," she replied, dropping into a low crouch. Her claws extended fully, the knuckles of her gauntlets settling perfectly over her hands. "They are trying to circle us."
He heard the rustling then, not loud, just the faint sound of heavy paws pressing into the earth.
The stream panel flashed in the corner of his vision.
[ CringeSlayer91: oh shit we dropping right into the action ]
[ ShadowMage44: hype hype hype ]
[ ashley (Mod) : watch your left side, don’t let them flank you ]
He ignored the chat, slowly drawing the short sword from its sheath, "alright then, let’s see who kills them first," he challenged, looking at Juna with a cocky smirk.
"You’re on," she said, her voice sharp, dropping her posture lower and shooting forward like a fired arrow, becoming a blur of silver hair darting through the trees.
He watched her go, a genuine smile spreading across his face. He tapped his foot against the ground once, the mana in his legs flaring and compressing his muscles tight before releasing in a single explosive burst.
He vanished from his spot, leaving behind a small crater in the dirt.
The wind tore past his face as he closed the distance in a fraction of a second, appearing right beside her mid-sprint. He turned his head slightly, flashing her an arrogant smirk before pushing his speed even higher and pulling ahead.
Her ears pinned flat against her head as she let out a low, competitive growl, digging her boots harder into the ground and surging forward with a sudden burst of speed to close the gap.
The stream panel flashed rapidly in the corner of his vision.
[ CringeSlayer91: OH SHIT THEY RACING ]
[ ShadowMage44: my money is on the wolf girl ]
[ NewViewer_02: hajin casually flexing his speed right now ]
[ ashley (Mod) : don’t let him win Juna! ]
[ DarkBlade: this friendly competition is actually wholesome ]
A massive wolf-like creature burst from the bushes ahead, its jaws snapping open to reveal rows of jagged teeth while two glowing shards orbited its neck.
He didn’t slow down at all.
He stepped directly into the charge, dropping low under its snapping jaws, and drove his sword upward. The blade tore through the creature’s chest in a single smooth motion, dropping it instantly.
"One for me," he called out, not even looking back at the falling corpse.
Juna pushed off a tree trunk a second later, intercepting the second monster lunging from the left, her hand driving straight into its neck. Her claws tore through fur and muscle with a wet crunch, ending its life before it even hit the ground.
"One for me," she shot back, her voice carrying a rare, sharp edge.
The third monster hesitated, seeing its packmates drop so fast and that brief pause sealed its fate.
They both reached it at the exact same time. His sword bit through the right side of its neck while her claws tore through the left, severing the head completely. The monster’s body crashed to the ground, sending leaves flying into the air.
Hajin stopped, flicking the blood off his blade before sliding it back into the sheath. He turned to look at her, leaning his weight casually onto one leg.
"I think my cut was a little deeper," he said, giving a small shrug.
She retracted her claws, flicking the blood off her gauntlets with a sharp snap of her wrists. She didn’t look tired at all, and a small, satisfied smile pulled at the corner of her mouth.
"Next time I will win," she said, her tail giving a confident flick.
He laughed, turning his attention deeper into the forest. ’The new stats make this a complete joke,’ he thought, letting his hand drop from the hilt. ’If the rest of the gate is like this, we’ll clear it in an hour.’
"Let’s keep moving," he said, stepping over the dead monsters. "I want to see what the boss looks like."