Namsan, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
A popular date spot for couples and a famous destination for family outings, it is a landmark of Seoul.
However, it is now a place that cannot be visited for dates or family outings.
The red letters were strikingly bold, catching the eye immediately.
Behind the signs, which were spaced at regular intervals, a 20-meter-high red curtain stretched along the path.
The red curtain was a "barrier," and following the barrier led to a large oval-shaped "gate."
[Namsan Gate-8]
Rating: C
Scale: D
Terrain: Mountainous
Recommended: C, at least 3 people
In front of the gate were some unfriendly words written in a simple font.
And standing in front of them was a man.
Beep!
[Please scan your hero registration number and unique identification number. If you do not have a license, you can enter it manually."]
As the man tried to enter the gate, a mechanical voice announced that entry was prohibited, and a steel barrier came down.
Staring at the steel barrier, which was several inches thick, the man hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward without hesitation.
Bang!
Beep!
[Warning! You have damaged the barrier. Control center personnel are being dispatched. Follow their instructions.]
A loud warning sounded, but the man ignored it, pushed aside the broken steel barrier, and entered the gate.
Beep!
[Danger! An unregistered hero has forcibly entered the gate.
The mechanical sounds continued to ring loudly.
The man who entered the gate stared blankly at the scene before him.
An ordinary-looking mountain path stretched out before him.
Even though he knew he had entered a completely different space through the gate, the scene before him felt like just another part of Namsan Mountain.
It felt as though the same environment and path existed somewhere else on Namsan Mountain, so he didn't feel any sense of alienation.
After looking around for a moment, he finally climbed up the mountain path.
"Hey, young man!"
After climbing the mountain path for a short while, someone called out to him.
"Did you lose your way?"
A man in his early 40s with a friendly expression confirmed that there was no one else around him and asked.
On the other hand, there were three men and women who appeared to be his companions.
"Brother, look at that guy's clothes."
"Yeah, he doesn't look like a hero… Even though porters' attire is more relaxed these days, that outfit is…"
The man frowned and rolled his eyes as if he had seen something unpleasant.
The short-sleeved T-shirt and shorts were already hard to accept, but the biggest issue was the slippers.
For a porter who had to run around on well-paved roads on a daily basis, slippers were something no hero could forgive.
As a result, if they encountered a temperamental hero, they could get slapped in the face or kicked in the butt before even entering the gate.
"What's that bag they're carrying? Ugh."
If a combat suit and weapons are essential for a hero, then a luggage bag is essential for a porter.
Porters who follow heroes into the gate typically own expensive backpacks.
The stronger and more physically fit the porter, the larger the backpack they carry, but even if that wasn't the case, a functional backpack was a basic requirement.
However, the man in front of us was casually slinging a shabby backpack that looked like it had been picked up off the street.
No matter how hard I tried to look favorably upon him, there was nothing about him that was remotely appealing.
"He must be a clueless porter who was abandoned by the heroes he was with."
"Even so, I doubt it."
As we whispered among ourselves, the man spoke up.
"Is there a problem?"
When he asked casually, the man and his companions frowned.
"Look at that! I told you he was abandoned!"
One of the young men scowled and said that, but the man raised his hand lightly to stop him.
"I don't know what's going on, but we're leaving anyway, so why don't you come with us?"
Even if the gate was stable, it was still a dangerous place for someone who wasn't a hero.
The man offered the man his help with the utmost kindness.
"I understand what you're saying, but I've already come in."
The man immediately understood the situation from the man's reply.
He had entered the gate alone from the start.
And in an incomprehensible outfit.
The man clicked his tongue.
"I've seen plenty of people like you. I know why you came into the gate, but hunting in the gate just because you saw it on TV or the internet is suicide. First, you need to go through the proper verification process to obtain a formal hero certification, complete basic training, and pass mock combat tests before coming back. And the Namsan Gate is a C-class gate. If you're going to start, begin with an F-class gate…"
"I appreciate your concern, but I'm not really grateful."
The man ignored the advice and started walking up the mountain path with determined steps.
"Wow… What kind of crazy guy is that?"
"Brother, don't try to stop him this time. I'll go and give him a proper lesson."
The man stopped the young man who was about to follow the man up the mountain path.
"Forget it. If he ignores my words out of concern, he'll have to learn the hard way. He'll soon find out that the gate is a harsh place, nothing like what he saw on TV or the internet."
The man with the stern expression was angrier than any of his colleagues.
"What if he dies? It's unsettling to just leave him there knowing he'll probably die."
The woman's expression looked uneasy.
To be honest, she wasn't worried about the man so much as she was worried about the hassle of being reprimanded at the control center if something went wrong and she didn't stop him.
The man shook his head.
"If it's an unauthorized intruder, control center personnel should be on their way by now. As long as they don't lose their minds and charge at the monsters first, they won't die, so there's no need to worry."
"Right, Yeon-ji. This is a C-class gate, so they'll freeze up the moment they see a monster and try to hide somewhere."
"I've heard stories online about idiots who think they can hunt monsters in a gate just because they can throw a punch, but I never thought I'd see it with my own eyes."
"Those bastards deserve to be turned into idiots!"
"At least they're idiots. Let's get out of here."
The man led his companions out of the gate.
Meanwhile, ignoring the man's advice, the man continued up the mountain path and came face to face with a monster.
A murky green body.
A large face with fangs curled upward.
A monster walking upright on two legs.
Chuuk! Chuuk!
It was an orc, the most common monster found in C-class gates.
The orc, holding a rusty sword in one hand, possessed strength ten times that of a human. Moreover, its tough skin made it impervious to ordinary human weapons, making it an unbeatable monster for anyone but a skilled fighter.
"There's nothing different about it."
The man's gaze fixed on the orc grew dark and intense.
"Ten years."
As the man muttered to himself, the orc, who had noticed him, flashed its blood-red eyes menacingly.
Chuik! Chuik! Chup!
The orc let out a series of frenzied screams.
The situation was terrifying enough to freeze the blood of ordinary people who were merely watching, but the man seemed unfazed, simply staring back at the orc.
The orc charged forward.
With a loud thud, the orc swung the sword it had been holding.
The sword flew toward him with a sharp sound that seemed to tear the air.
Nevertheless, the man did not even blink, dodging the sword with a slight movement of his body and simultaneously punching the orc in the chest.
Squish!
With a single punch, the orc's chest caved in.
The man stared at the dead orc, whose eyes were rolled back, then hesitated for a moment before picking up the sword the orc had dropped and began to dismember the body.
A red stone the size of a child's fist emerged from the orc's corpse.
This, too, was all too familiar.
"...A low-grade magic stone."
It was a low-grade magic stone that he had never even glanced at before.
The man stared at the magic stone stained with the orc's blood for a while before putting it into the backpack he was carrying.
The mountain climb continued.
Battles with monsters.
Acquiring magic stones.
The man moved nonstop, defeating monsters and obtaining magic stones.
How much time had passed?
His backpack had grown quite heavy.
"Over here!"
A man's voice rang out from nearby.
Men wearing battle suits designed with black and white in perfect harmony appeared before him.
"We're from the Gate Control Center. Show us your Hero Registration Card."
The man simply stared blankly at the agents surrounding him, ignoring their demand.
The agent, as if expecting this reaction, continued speaking.
"If you are an unregistered hero, you must accompany us to the control center. If you refuse to comply with our instructions, we may use physical force. Any physical harm resulting from resistance will be your sole responsibility. We urge you to cooperate."
Despite the warning, the man had already smashed through the gate barrier and entered without authorization, so physical confrontation seemed inevitable.
An officer approached the man with handcuffs raised.
"Sir, please extend your hands forward and cooperate."
He spoke calmly and as politely as possible.
"Don't bother me. Go away."
The man issued a warning in a low voice.
However, as if this wasn't the first time, the officer didn't back down and continued speaking.
"I'll say it again. Please cooperate by putting your hands out in front of you. You are a suspect. It would be best if you went to the control center to resolve this peacefully. Stay where you are. We'll just put the handcuffs on… Ugh!"
As the officer reached out to grab his arm, the man twisted the officer's wrist.
The control center agent in the combat suit couldn't move; his wrist was held firmly, and the others tensed up, ready for action.
Clang!
The control center agents all drew their three-section staffs.
The three-section staff glowed with a faint blue light.
They were magical weapons of the fourth rank.
Even orcs could be reduced to meat with a single strike, making them a terrifying weapon that could shatter bones with just a glancing blow for ordinary people not wearing combat suits.
Despite this, the man delivered his final warning calmly and clearly.
"This is your last warning. If you turn back now, no one will be hurt."