Life had settled into a new rhythm. Within the confines of his Plane of Infinity—a private dimension far less stable than the vast realm his true Gate power could command—Nero put Toki through brutal training regimens. The young archer's potential was a seed waiting for the right conditions to erupt into a world-shaking tree.
But even a teacher needs a break. Leaving Toki to practice, Nero ventured out with Sugeto to explore the modern, technology-driven world he now found himself in.
"So, where to first?" Sugeto asked, acting as an informal guide.
A spark of genuine curiosity lit in Nero's eyes. "Show me something amazing. Something new."
Sugeto grinned, leading him to the heart of the city: a sprawling, multi-level shopping mall. Nero's eyes widened slightly at the spectacle. It was a temple of consumerism, buzzing with life, filled with dazzling arrays of clothes, exotic foods, and gleaming tech gadgets. For a being accustomed to cosmic battlefields and primordial plains, it was a fascinating novelty.
He proceeded to… acquire… a small mountain of items, his arms laden with bags.
"You do have money, right?" Sugeto asked with a nervous chuckle.
Nero looked away, whistling an innocent tune. "Money? What's that, some kind of bird?"
"Don't play dumb with me! You know exactly what it is!"
Their banter was cut short as they exited the mall and found a large crowd gathered around a giant public screen broadcasting a Guild Announcement.
"What's going on?" Nero asked, intrigued.
"A Guild announcement," Sugeto explained. "Guilds are like… management organizations for Heroes. The strongest Hunters usually lead them. They earn massive fortunes by clearing high-danger dungeons, known as Bounty Gates."
"Hmm," Nero mused, a plan forming. "How about we start our own guild? You're an S-Rank, after all."
As they discussed the idea, the announcement boomed across the square. "The Hunters' Guild is proud to announce its newest S-Rank member: MYTH!"
The screen showed a tall, confident young man. His ability was as grand as his name: Spatial Rend. He could tear through the fabric of space, drifting through self-created dimensional pockets. This allowed for devastating surprise attacks and even the ability to trap enemies in endless loops of twisted space-time. He was a tactical genius, a master of his craft.
To demonstrate his power for the adoring crowd, MYTH elegantly ripped a seam in the air and stepped through, vanishing from sight.
It was the worst mistake of his life.
Because he stepped directly into a domain where someone else was already waiting.
///
MYTH found himself not in the familiar void of his personal drift, but in a tranquil, star-dusted plain. And standing before him was a man with an unnervingly calm demeanor.
"Who are you?" MYTH demanded, his senses on high alert. "Why can't I exit this dimension?"
"Just a curious observer," Nero replied, a faint smile on his lips. "Your spatial ability is impressive. Show me what you can really do. Impress me, and I'll have a gift for you."
MYTH's pride bristled. "I am not a circus clown here to entertain a nobody." Energy crackled around his hands. "But if you're so curious, I'll give you a personal demonstration."
The fight began instantly. MYTH was a whirlwind of spatial distortion, launching attacks from impossible angles, folding space upon itself in a dazzling display of power. It was impressive. As they clashed, Nero didn't just counter; he offered casual critiques, pointing out tiny flaws in his dimensional control that MYTH had never even noticed.
The battle concluded as abruptly as it began, with MYTH voluntarily stopping, breathing heavily. He had used maybe 10% of his power. The man in front of him had barely seemed to break a sweat.
"Why did you stop?" Nero asked.
"You… you don't feel like an enemy," MYTH stated, confused. "So why challenge me?"
"To gather allies," Nero said, his tone turning serious. "A great threat is coming to this world. One that will render most of your S-Rank hunters useless."
"Why should I believe you?"
"You have Karma Eyes, don't you? Look at the sky tomorrow night. You'll see it for yourself. That's why I trapped you here—so no one could eavesdrop or doubt you." Nero's voice dropped to a warning whisper. "And do not speak of this to your superiors. There are Gate Users among them. They would kill you without a second thought."
The color drained from MYTH's face at the term 'Gate User.'
"If you wish to meet again, we can do so here," Nero said, and with a wave of his hand, the dimension dissolved.
In the outside world, only ten seconds had passed. MYTH stumbled back into reality in front of the crowd, his mind reeling.
"MYTH, are you okay?" a higher-up from the Guild asked, a note of suspicion in his voice.
MYTH forced his signature confidence back into his voice. "Yeah. Fine as hell."
///
"He's amazing. Dimensional powers!" Sugeto exclaimed as they walked away.
"Yeah," Nero agreed, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "Super amazing."
Later, Nero found himself standing before the imposing Awakening Department, a place that stirred old memories. "Ledger… I still remember you," he whispered, a rare flicker of emotion crossing his face.
Inside, he approached the receptionist. "Long story short," Nero said. "Give me the highest rank you can offer. The 'L' rank."
The receptionist giggled. "'L' stands for Lower than F-Class, sir. You don't look that weak."
"I mean 'L' for Legendary. The rank above all others."
She smiled patiently. "I'm sorry, but you must undergo a series of tests. If you pass, you may achieve a high rank."
Nero sighed and complied. He breezed through every physical and combat test with ease, his performance far surpassing S-Class benchmarks. However, when it came to measuring his energy source, the advanced scanners went haywire. They couldn't identify it; to them, it registered as an anomaly, a void.
The final verdict was a slap in the face. Rank D.
"What the hell?" Nero frowned. "Are you blind? My performance was above S-Class!"
The examiner shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, sir. Your energy source is unknown. Our systems can't properly quantify it. Or perhaps… it's simply too low to be detected accurately."
Suddenly, a blaring Blue Protocol alarm cut through the building. An emergency announcement followed:
"The raid on Serai Island has ended in catastrophic failure! Multiple guilds involved, including five S-Rank, twenty A-Rank, and sixty C-Rank Hunters, have been wiped out or trapped. The situation deteriorated due to the appearance of an Unknown-Rank monster who calls himself the 'Guest from the Netherland.' Reinforcement is unlikely to arrive in time. Casualties are expected to be total."
The receptionist gasped, tears welling in her eyes as she clutched a signed autograph from one of the trapped S-Ranks, Hunter Kim. "Kim… he won't make it…"
Nero let out a low, cold laugh. "Uuuhh, poor lives. Heheee."
The receptionist stared at him, horrified. "You're a devil! How can you say that?"
"Of course, why would I care?" Nero said dismissively.
As she broke down sobbing, Nero relented. "Okay, okay. I can save them all. But on one condition."
Her eyes shot up, filled with desperate hope. "Anything! I agree to any condition! Please, save our national heroes!"
"It's simple," Nero said, his voice dropping to a sinister whisper. "You hide my identity. No one can know I was the one who saved them. You transfer the entire reward money to me, secretly. If you do this, I'll keep my promise." He leaned in, his gaze turning icy. "But if you ever breathe a word of this to anyone… I will kill them all myself. Do we have a deal?"
"I promise! I swear on my life!" she vowed.
"Good. Now, I need that," Nero said, pointing to Kim's autograph.
"Why?"
"Just give it to me."
As she handed it over, Nero focused. "Rift Walk." A unique ability that allowed for near-instantaneous travel across vast distances, activated by having a personal belonging of the target. The autograph, infused with a trace of Kim's energy, was the perfect key.
In a swirl of darkness, Nero vanished.
The receptionist stared at the empty space, a dreadful doubt creeping in. "A D-Rank Hunter… can he really do it?"
///
The scene on Serai Island was a nightmare. The surviving hunters were chained, their hands and legs pierced, subjected to brutal torture by a monstrous entity who laughed maniacally.
"Hahahaaa! This is so much fun! I can't stop laughing!" the 'Guest from the Netherland' cackled.
The heroes were on the verge of death. In a final, desperate act, Hunter Kim used an integration magic, drawing the last dregs of power from his comrades. He stood, a beacon of fading hope.
The dungeon boss grinned. "Still full of spirit? Let me take you on!"
They clashed, but Kim's borrowed power was already draining. The Guest overpowered him easily. "Bye bye!" it roared, lunging for the kill.
But it stopped short. Something moved within Kim's own shadow. Two bright, predatory eyes opened within the darkness. An overwhelming wave of energy pulsed out, forcing the Guest to recoil.
Kim stumbled back as a figure—Nero, now disguised—emerged from the shadows.
"Reinforcements?" Kim gasped.
"Yep," Nero said casually. "Your nation's hidden wild card. I'll handle it. You guys can go back."
"But the dungeon gate won't open unless we defeat all the monsters!" another hunter cried.
"Oh, is that so?" Nero said. Then, with a motion that defied reality, he dug his claws into the empty air and tore it apart. The fabric of space ripped open, creating a stable portal that led directly back to the Awakening Department lobby, right in front of the stunned receptionist.
"I'll leave them in your care," Nero said through the portal.
"Wait! We can help you! He's too strong!" Kim insisted.
Annoyed by their persistence, Nero simply waved a hand, and a wave of force gently knocked all the hunters unconscious, pushing them through the portal before sealing it shut.
The Guest from the Netherland slowly clapped. "Impressive. Very impressive. I acknowledge you as my opponent."
Nero just sighed. "Sadly, I won't acknowledge you as anything. So just fuck off if you don't want to die."
Enraged, the monster attacked with everything it had. The battle was short.
///
Elsewhere, MYTH was frantically tearing through dimensions, speeding towards Serai Island. "Hold on! I'm almost there! Don't die!" he urged, pushing his power to the limit.
He burst onto the scene, ready for a epic battle, only to freeze in shock.
The dungeon was a bloodbath. And Nero stood calmly in the center, holding the severed head of the Guest from the Netherland.
The head itself was still speaking. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and kill me! You even possess the Ancient Blue Flame that can kill higher demons!"
"I know," Nero said calmly. "There are thousands of curses layered on you. They would transfer to your killer. I'm not taking that bait." He unceremoniously tossed the head into a temporary pocket dimension for later disposal.
MYTH stared, his mind racing. "So, it's you."
"Yooo, we meet again," Nero greeted. "Here to accept my offer?"
"Not quite. I have many doubts," MYTH said, his guard up. "But one thing is clear. The strange energy signature you emit is a perfect match for a few of the highest-ranking officials in the Hunter Association. Who are you people? You're not normal hunters."
Nero assessed him. MYTH at full power was a genuine threat, one he couldn't currently overcome with brute force alone. Honesty was the only viable strategy.
So, Nero explained. He told him about the Gates, the factions of Gate Users, and their leader, a master of the Seventh Gate. He revealed their goal: to find the Primordial Fragment and the catastrophic price Earth would pay for it.
MYTH processed it all. "So, some all-powerful beings want a shiny fragment for a reason that can't be good, and you're here to stop them. Okay. I'm in." He then asked the critical question. "But even if we know, how do we win against such god-like entities? You have a plan, right?"
Nero grinned. "Sure, I have a super strong plan. Part one: you use your position to gather information on everyone who gives off an energy signature like mine. I'll analyze who can be trusted."
And so, an alliance was forged in the ruins of a dungeon, between a dimensional prodigy and a fallen conqueror. The game was afoot.