Minutes after the clerk's frantic call, three figures strode into the waiting room, their presence commanding immediate attention. Leading the trio was a lean man with short, jet-black hair and eyes like polished obsidian. His light silver armor gleamed under the fluorescent lights, a sleek longsword sheathed at his hip. His gaze locked onto Set, the only occupant, with a flicker of skepticism. 'This is the S-rank Hunter?' he thought, his brow twitching.
"Heh, John, this S-rank doesn't look ready," snorted the second man, a burly giant clad in heavy, rune-etched armor that made him resemble a walking fortress. A massive warhammer rested in his meaty grip, its head glinting ominously.
"Don't judge a book by its cover, Fred," countered the woman, her long blonde hair cascading like a golden waterfall, her piercing blue eyes sharp with intelligence. Her attire was minimal—light leather straps and a flowing cloak—leaving her mobility unhindered. A finely crafted bow hung across her back.
John nodded, his expression stern. "Fred, listen to Elise for once. Think before you speak."
The trio approached Set, who lounged casually, a smirk playing beneath his mask as he overheard their banter. They spoke as if he weren't there, but he found it amusing. Rising fluidly, he greeted them. "Nice to meet you. I'm Set. If you're ready, we can leave now."
Fred's frown deepened, his hammer shifting in his grip. "Set, huh? How're you supposed to handle an S-rank Gate in that?" He gestured at Set's casual sweatpants and muscle shirt, his tone dripping with doubt. John and Elise remained silent, but their eyes echoed the same question.
Set shook his head, brushing past them. "Just bring your ass. I don't owe you explanations. The first Gate's a few minutes away by flight. I've got ten scheduled today, so let's move." With that, he strode out of the Hunter's Association and launched into the sky, his body slicing through the air with effortless grace.
The trio exchanged glances, stunned by his audacity, before following suit, their armored forms soaring after him.
-----
Ten minutes later, they touched down outside an S-rank Gate, a colossal rift pulsing with crimson energy. Unlike the desolate fields of Set's previous Gates, this area was a bustling warzone. Tents and makeshift camps sprawled across the landscape, Hunters in heavy gear moving in and out of the Gate. Supply crates were stacked high, and mana-infused barriers hummed, protecting the perimeter. Set's golden eyes narrowed in confusion, his inexperience with high-rank Gates evident.
John noticed his expression and popped a mana recovery pill, his voice calm but authoritative. "First S-rank Gate, huh?" He didn't wait for a reply. "These aren't like lower Gates. You don't spawn in a Dungeon. Inside, it's a whole world—massive, teeming with monsters. To clear it, you must eradicate every creature within. That's the only way to 'pass.'"
Set's brow arched. "And the Boss loot?"
Elise chimed in, swallowing her own pill. "Clearing an S-rank Gate is rare. In five years since mana's arrival, only one has been cleared—by the Sunbelt family, the first Hunter dynasty. The loot, the world, everything about it is classified. Even we S-ranks can't access that info. Now, teams are assigned a kill quota. Ours is 2,500 monsters."
Set's interest deepened, but Fred cut in, hefting his hammer. "Enough chatter. He should've done his research. Let's move." He marched toward the Gate, the others following.
As Set stepped forward, he communicated with Vyrak through their bond. What's the real loot from S-rank Gates?
Vyrak's voice slithered into his mind. 'Not much, publicly. The Sunbelts are likely concealing the existence of other worlds—that's the true prize of clearing an S-rank Gate. Beyond that, you might find Elite-rank items.'
Set's excitement dimmed slightly. 'No grand scandal, then?' he thought, disappointed. 'Still, Elite skills would be nice. Maybe I'll pay the Sunbelts a visit.' He stepped through the Gate, the world shifting around him.
------
The other side was a hellscape of fire and ash. The ground glowed like molten rock, rivers of lava snaking through the terrain. The air shimmered with heat, and the sky burned with a perpetual crimson haze. Flame-wreathed birds soared overhead, their forms pure fire, while skeletal hounds with twin heads and blazing eyes prowled the ground, their howls echoing like funeral pyres.
The group materialized in the sky, hovering above the inferno. John's voice cut through the roar of flames. "Our quota's 2,500 monsters. Your status will track kills. Aim for 625 each, and we're out."
The others nodded, but Set shook his head. "Do your thing. I won't leave you hanging, but I don't need help." He unsheathed his sword, its blade glinting, and activated a skill:
|Space Step|
In a blink, he vanished, reappearing on the ground amid a pack of flaming hounds. Each beast ranged from A to S-rank, their jaws dripping molten saliva, capable of ending him with a single misstep. But Set craved this—baptism in fire, the only path to invincibility. His grip tightened, mana condensing into his blade as he swung horizontally. A shimmering arc of energy sliced through the air, striking a hound dead-center.
[1 monster killed]
BOOOM!
The explosion was his battle cry. He swung again and again, felling three more hounds in a flurry of precise strikes, their bodies erupting in flames as they died. But a fourth lunged from behind, its jaws clamping onto his shoulder, tearing a chunk of flesh free.
"FUCK!" Set roared, pain searing through him. He pivoted, his sword flashing in a deadly arc, bisecting the beast. Gritting his teeth, he felt the fire's heat neutralized by his Void Dragon bloodline and Fire Affinity. A prompt flickered:
{What would you like to assimilate from the Flaming Hound?}
{Fire Affinity or Flaming Hound Essence}
He dismissed it. 'Already got fire, and I'm not turning into a dog.' His swordsmanship, honed by 200 years of instilled experience, flowed like second nature, but real combat was the true teacher. Each swing sharpened his instincts, each near-death moment forging him anew.
High above, the trio watched, concern etching their faces. "Should we help him?" Elise asked, her voice tight with worry.
"Tsk, he ignored orders. Let him fend for himself!" Fred growled, diving into the fray with John. Elise shook her head, her blue eyes hardening. 'We're not friends, but I won't let you die.' She drew her bow, no arrow nocked, but as she released, a wind-forged projectile formed.
[-125 Mana]
BOOOM!
The arrow pierced a hound creeping behind Set, its skull exploding in a shower of embers. Set spun, his golden eyes meeting her determined gaze. She nodded, firing again.
BOOOM!
Elise shifted, her arrows covering John and Fred's flanks, her precision unmatched.
----
Set's lips curled beneath his mask. 'I like her,' he thought, a spark of respect igniting. He'd tested the group with his arrogance, wanting to see if they'd abandon a teammate. Elise's aid was unexpected, and he'd remember it. His shoulder wound bled, but it knit together slowly, the Void Dragon bloodline accelerating his regeneration. 'This bloodline's no joke,' he mused, shaking off the thought to focus.
He soared higher, then unleashed a barrage:
|Ice Ball|
Dozens of boulder-sized ice spheres materialized around him, each a glittering orb of frost. He hurled them downward, the impacts shaking the molten ground.
BOOOM!
BOOOM!
BOOOM!
"Haha, is this how Noah felt, spamming skills?" Set laughed, recalling a favorite novel character. His onslaught drew the trio's attention. John and Fred, locked in melee, caught only glimpses, but Elise's jaw dropped.
"How does he have that much mana?" she muttered, loosing another arrow.
Set zipped through the burning world, a comet of ice and steel, spamming Space Step and Ice Ball while collecting Cores. The group needed 2,500 kills, but Set had no intention of stopping at 625. He'd slaughter until the others hit their quotas, his own tally a mystery even to him. The flames roared, but Set was a storm, carving his legend into the heart of the inferno.