The Hunter Association Headquarters was in chaos.
Alarms blared. Screens flashed with emergency notifications. Hunters and staff rushed through the halls, their voices tense with urgency.
At the heart of the commotion was Gate #394, the D-Rank dungeon that had suddenly mutated.
The once stable, blue-hued portal had transformed into something ominous. The swirling energy had darkened into a deep crimson, its violent pulses shaking the ground. The reinforced barriers around it groaned under the pressure, struggling to contain whatever was happening inside.
A voice crackled through the intercom.
"Unknown Gate Mutation detected. All Hunters stand by. Awaiting rank assessment."
In response, the Association had deployed an emergency investigation team—led by Agent Hale.
Dressed in his usual black suit, Hale stepped out of the transport vehicle and adjusted his earpiece. His sharp eyes locked onto the chaotic scene before him.
Dozens of Association Hunters were already securing the area, their expressions grim. A perimeter had been set up, preventing civilians from getting too close.
Two men wearing high-tier mana detectors stood near the mutated gate, scanning it with advanced instruments. Their devices whirred and beeped, processing the unnatural energy fluctuations.
One of them—the chief gate analyst, Marshal Greaves—shook his head in disbelief.
"This isn't just a standard mutation…" he muttered. "The mana density inside has increased nearly tenfold. The internal structure of the dungeon has completely changed."
Hale's jaw tightened. "What rank are we looking at?"
Greaves hesitated. "…Unknown."
Hale frowned. "Unknown? That's not an answer."
Greaves wiped his forehead, his fingers trembling slightly. "That's because we've never seen readings like this before." He tapped his device. "The energy levels are off the charts—higher than anything recorded for a D-Rank Gate. This could easily be a B-Rank… or worse."
A heavy silence fell over them.
A gate that mutated into a higher rank was a nightmare scenario. If it had evolved into a B-Rank, then the Hunters trapped inside were as good as dead.
Hale's grip tightened around his tablet. He pulled up the entry logs, scanning through the names of those who had entered the dungeon before it mutated.
His gaze landed on the most recent team entry.
Vance, Rank D
Roth, Rank D
Dane, Rank D
Porter: Ryzen Kael
Hale's eyes narrowed.
"…Wait."
A porter? Inside a mutated dungeon?
His breath hitched. The name on the list—Ryzen Kael.
Hale's expression darkened.
"This can't be right," he muttered, quickly checking the Hunter Registry Database.
No license. No official awakening. No combat history.
He clenched his jaw. Just hours ago, this same kid had been in a hospital bed—recovering from a near-death encounter at another gate.
And now, he was trapped inside an even deadlier dungeon?
Hale cursed under his breath.
One thing was certain—if they didn't find a way to open that gate soon, everyone inside was as good as gone.
The tension at the gate's perimeter grew heavier by the second. Hunters stood on high alert, their hands gripping weapons as they stared at the swirling, mutated portal. The oppressive mana it emitted was enough to make even experienced Hunters uneasy.
A powerful presence descended upon them. A sudden shift in the atmosphere.
As if the air itself became heavier, pressing down on everyone. Some of the lower-ranked Hunters staggered, sweat forming on their brows. Others instinctively stepped back, their instincts screaming at them.
A deep, commanding voice broke through the tense silence.
"So, this is the mutated gate?" A group of Hunters approached.
At their center was a man radiating an overwhelming aura, his golden eyes cold and calculating. He was tall, dressed in a sleek black combat suit with golden accents. His dark gray hair was slightly disheveled, yet there was an unmistakable sharpness in his expression. A single sword rested on his back, its presence alone exuding an aura of destruction.
Leon Vael. Rank #7 among the world's S-Rank Hunters.
A legend in the Hunter world.
The group of Hunters surrounding him weren't ordinary, either. They were his personal strike squad—a team composed of high-ranked Hunters, all deadly in their own right.
Agent Hale turned to face them, his usual composed demeanor slightly strained.
"Leon Vael…" he muttered under his breath before stepping forward and offering a respectful nod. "I wasn't expecting to see an S-Rank Hunter here. "
Leon's piercing gaze scanned the chaotic surroundings. "We were nearby when we felt the mana surge. Thought we'd check it out." He tilted his head toward the mutated gate. "Explain."
Hale didn't waste time.
"Gate #394 was originally a D-Rank dungeon. An hour ago, it suddenly mutated, and the energy levels within skyrocketed beyond our instruments' capacity to measure. All Hunters who entered before the mutation are currently trapped inside."
One of Leon's team members, a woman with short silver hair and an icy expression, frowned. "Are we certain they're still alive?"
Hale's expression hardened. "We have no confirmation, but as of now, the gate remains active, which means the dungeon hasn't been cleared."
Leon narrowed his eyes. "Who's inside?"
Hale pulled up his tablet and displayed the entry log. "Three D-Rank Hunters and… a porter."
At that, Leon's expression barely shifted. "A porter?"
"Yes. His name is Ryzen Kael." Hale's voice was unreadable, but his sharp eyes flickered slightly as he studied Leon's reaction.
For the first time, there was a slight change in Leon's expression.
The name seemed to catch his attention. His fingers twitched slightly, but his face remained unreadable. A moment of silence passed before Leon turned to his squad.
"Tch. A D-Rank party and a porter against a mutated dungeon?" He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "They're already dead if this is anything above B-Rank."
But Hale didn't respond right away. Instead, his gaze remained fixed on Leon, his mind racing.
He had noticed it.
That subtle hesitation when Leon heard Ryzen's name.
Do they know each other? If so… why?
Something about this didn't add up. Hale's grip on his tablet tightened.
Leon looked at the gate one more time, his golden eyes narrowing. Then, he turned back to Hale.
"So? What's the Association's plan?"
Hale exhaled, regaining his composure. "Our top priority is evaluating the new rank of this dungeon. We've dispatched high-tier mana assessors, but the readings are unstable."
Leon scoffed. "Then we just break in."
Hale shook his head. "If it were that easy, we'd have done it already. The gate is actively rejecting any outside interference. Even if you tried to brute force your way in, it might cause a mana backlash."
Leon clicked his tongue. "Then what? Sit around and wait for them to die?"
Hale's expression was grim. "If we don't find a solution soon… that might be our only option."
Leon stared at the mutated gate for a long moment before exhaling. "…Dammit." And then Leon crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. "That means the only thing we can do is wait."