The external threat to humanity today is embodied by monsters.

It’s not that there are no civil wars among humans.

In fact, they are quite prevalent, but unlike before the cataclysm, there’s no global scale frenzy of wars being waged.

The reason is simple: There’s no leisure for it. Even now, in what’s called the age of peace, it’s the same.

Even now, somewhere, they praise the passing of the Dark Ages, the chaos, and the arrival of an era of peace.

And they have their reasons.

The chaos… Compared to about 40 years ago, the difference is like heaven and hell.

It’s normal for people to die at the hands of monsters. However, it’s less common now for thousands to be slaughtered overnight by a horde of monsters as they were in the past.

The emergence and collapse of dungeons are dangerous. But it’s rare now for dozens of dungeons to burst in succession, wreaking havoc and spewing out legions of monsters as they did before.

I haven’t heard news of a high-tier monster rampaging and wiping out an entire city. In the past, such reports were quite common.

It’s not strange to think that peace has settled in various ways different from before.

Among the factors that brought about such peace…

Shio-ram has been an indispensable entity, and for those malcontents who wish for a world filled with chaos, Shio-ram is among the most irksome elements.

Shio-ram, established well over a century ago.

Naturally, there have been countless scheming efforts to overturn it.

According to the original records, there were invasions by armies of monsters and also tricks played by turncoats who were on the verge of pioneering.

None of these attempts were ever successful. Not a single exception. All such ploys were thwarted.

Shio-ram’s level of security is well-known across the world.

In the 11th cycle, even a Diamond Warrior who surpassed the norms found it extremely difficult to breach Shio-ram. It was close to failure.

Even that entity managed to destroy only about half of Shio-ram before having to flee, such was the might of its defenses.

Thinking back, this is one of the reasons I dared to step into the cradle.

That chaotic first day.

Regardless, I thought I would be safe if I entered here. I thought I could grow, and at the very least, I believed I could buy some time to think, so I stepped in.

‘The cradle, huh…’

On the way to the Gate Terminal for an outing.

In short, steps taken, albeit temporarily, to leave the cradle.

As I fiddled with the edge of the ‘Wings of the Sky,’ I felt a curious resonance.

Especially when I thought of the name Shio-ram.

Cradle (搖籃). A device for rocking and either entertaining a baby or putting it to sleep.

A cradle is an infant’s item. Naturally, there are no sharp or dangerous elements.

Rather, it serves as a fence that separates and protects from external threats so that the baby is not subjected to harm.

Then, am I like a baby crawling out of the cradle on my own?

The comparison felt trivial. It was embarrassing to liken myself to a baby. But compared to the real powerhouses, maybe the level of a baby isn’t so far off?

Even Professor Atra could probably handle someone like me with the ease of subduing a baby.

‘I’ve set a goal.’

I was certainly safe in Shio-ram. Realistically, I’ve grown as fast as possible within what’s feasible and have secured time to think.

‘I’m going to break the curse.’

I can’t live like this. To die someday is inevitable… Ah…

…except for some special cases of immortality, it’s inevitable that people die, but I don’t want to live constricted by this curse, unable to enjoy life.

That’s why I’ve been gathering strength to break the curse and am now momentarily leaving the cradle to find a way to circumvent the curse of silence.

‘Am I being hasty?’

It’s been only a month. I haven’t lived long enough to say, but it doesn’t feel like enough time to properly prepare.

Perhaps investing a bit more time wouldn’t be so bad. In just a few months, I’ll be much stronger than I am now…

Sometimes I feel rushed. Is it because of the curse of early death, never knowing when I might die?

I wasn’t fully aware of it, but it seemed there was another reason.

Before my reverie concluded, the structure of the Gate Terminal entered my spatial perception.

‘Sigh…’

At the same time, a tension surged through me. A bead of cold sweat trickled down my nape.

I couldn’t forget the incident at the Gate Terminal.

The day when my crude spatial perception inspected the gate, observed something, and nearly burst my head open from the crisis it sensed.

‘Is it still…?’

Would it be the same now?

If this were before, I would have certainly turned off my spatial perception, navigating only by ear and touch.

I didn’t want to gamble with my life. With spatial perception having grown, the risk of death might have even increased.

But my thoughts have changed recently.

Spatial perception is the unique ability I’ve used the most and have grown most accustomed to.

With that, my understanding of spatial perception has increased significantly.

‘Phew…’

With a sigh, I shook off my thoughts and continued walking. The cloak-shaped ‘Wings of the Sky’ transformed into something similar to an overcoat.

The space surrounding the Gate Terminal came into my awareness. I passed through it.

Facilities including a less crowded lounge came into view. I passed them too.

I didn’t retract my spatial perception. I kept walking.

And then, a whirl of blue entered my range.

‘……’

Space undulated. It surged towards the center like a vortex, yet also crashed back towards the edges, a turbulence and a flow of space.

It was similar to the entrance of a dungeon but with perceptible differences.

It was also different from the spatial transfer initiated by the Vice-Principal earlier.

The Vice-Principal created a small hole in space, achieving her goal and sealing it, while the gate looked like a large hole had been punched through and fixed in place.

Though the methods differed, the result was the same: the connection of spaces at different coordinates.

The important part wasn’t that.

With a deep breath, I steeled myself.

An understanding of spatial perception gained through experience. Now, I might be able to perceive it, even just a little.

I embraced the information I had been resisting.

The space between spaces. The emptiness in between was pulled into view.

…

…And nothing out of the ordinary happened.

‘?’

I tilted my head, perplexed, and worked my spatial perception.

There was a blankness. The space between spaces. The empty gap, which felt abnormal, was filled with magic power.

It was slightly different from typical magic power. The density was as thick as inside the towers, relatively pure and clean magic.

Other than that, I detected no peculiarities. I didn’t feel the brain-shattering shock, nor did I sense anything tremendous.

There was only magic power.

‘What was that about?’

The result felt anticlimactic compared to what I had braced myself for.

Staring blankly at the emptiness, I decided not to waste any more time and proceeded with the procedures at the desk.

“Identity confirmation complete… Destination set to Edinburgh Gate Terminal. Any changes to report?”

[No, it remains the same.]

The procedure was simple. Since I had already matched my entry application in advance, a simple verification was all that was needed.

This spared me any waiting time. I headed straight for the swirling gate.

‘…Sigh.’

Once again, I stared into the emptiness. Still, no stabbing headache. Something felt off…

A sense of unease lingered. Was I missing something? But nothing specific came to mind.

I pushed myself into the gate. A dizzying sensation enveloped me as I transitioned across the void.

The first stop would be the Edinburgh Gate in Scotland.

From there, I would take a train north to search for the Hidden Piece I remembered. Ultimately, I would arrive at a small town called ‘Shipnaha’ in the north to find the Necklace of Confession.

It was a fitting plan.

* * *

Typically, superhuman groups form clans.

A clan is what you call a group organized by various superhumans for mutual benefits and safety.

Clans are for-profit groups that sometimes violate ethics or rules in the pursuit of their members’ interests.

The ‘Guardians of the Northern Mountains’ stationed in Shipnaha was no exception.

They hadn’t committed a tremendous illegality. They hadn’t engaged in heinous acts against humanity.

They had simply postponed dealing with one Class 4 dungeon.

Its internal formation was a cave, with standard Class 7 entities like Red Hounds, also known as Crimson Canines, being the sole emergents.

There were no traps or similar elements. A simple dungeon where only Crimson Canines appeared.

Crimson Canines weren’t particularly remarkable creatures.

Even low-ranking heroes could single-handedly exterminate several, and a modest party led by a mid-low-ranking hero could easily clear them out.

The reason they didn’t bother exterminating the dungeon, choosing instead to maintain it, was straightforward.

The fur of Crimson Canines sold for a high price.

Its insulating effects were exceptional, and if processed right, the texture was superb.

Since it was monster fur, it inherently offered some protection, and it wasn’t too difficult to process.

In short, it was a lucrative source of income. There was no reason to hastily eradicate such a gold mine.

Many clans had established a number of such ‘farms’.

It wasn’t unusual. It was common.

But why this predicament?

– Crunch, crack!

“Ah, aahhh…!”

Low-ranking hero, Gerard McClay, writhed on the ground, clutching his empty sleeve. The dizzying sense of loss was more overwhelming than the pain, enough to agitate his mind.

The chilling noise echoed through the cave and filled his ears.

Gerard forced his trembling eyelids open to look towards the source of the sound.

Objectively, the ‘Guardians of the Northern Mountains’ were not a group to be ashamed of.

The number and rank of members were reasonable. The only flaw might be the absence of a dominant power to represent the clan, but there were plenty of mid-upper level powerhouses. Managing a dungeon like this was simple.

Mid-upper level hero. A rank fit for a large clan’s expedition team, and in a smaller clan, they could secure a significant position.

– Crack─!

Mid-upper level hero, Robert Brand’s neck was crunched between thick jaws. His flailing limbs trembled and then stiffened.

In the dimness, the sight of his head rolling into the large maw was vividly clear.

The sound of chewing followed. The cause of the eerie noise. Blood gushed from the severed neck, drenching the floor like a waterfall.

– Gulp─

With a coarse breath, the blood pulsed momentarily. The monster had swallowed the head, and Robert’s body dangled from the creature’s hand.

The monster raised an arm. Blood poured from the inverted corpse. The monster once again opened its mouth wide to catch the blood.

The sight of the monster gulping down human blood as if it were a beverage was grotesque. Blood that it couldn’t catch drenched its fur, which was already dyed a dingy red.

Standing on two legs, the creature’s size was about three times that of an adult man, and its thick, muscular flesh was visible even through matted red fur.

Crimson Canines walk on all fours. While they’re larger than typical canine breeds, they’re not that massive.

They’re certainly not strong enough to devour multiple mid-upper level heroes.

The Association classifies monsters, fitting them into standard ranks after analysis.

From the lowest Class 8 to the highest Class 1.

They analyze the monsters’ strength and recommend which class of heroes and hunters should attempt to subdue them.

But they always emphasize not to take this for granted.

It’s just a standard, they say, and there are always exceptional individuals that arise.

‘Variant…’

This one must be such an exceptional individual.

An entity born beyond the limits of its species, backed by the living dungeon.

As the edges of my vision darkened, the creature moved.

The body in its grasp had long been expended.

The beast’s breath approached. Even as consciousness blurred, I could feel its immense appetite.

Gerard knew how his body would be used.

– Chomp

“Ghk…”

A massive claw enveloped his torso. The hand was so large that only Gerard’s feet and face were left exposed to the air. His body hung limply, suspended in the void, accompanied by a terrifying pressure.

Foul breath patted his face. Soon, a thick maw yawned open. Between the teeth were visible remnants of flesh and bits of bone.

‘Those damn bastards…’

An absurd end.

He knew that many heroes met unfortunate fates, but he never imagined he would end up like this.

To bear the title of hero and have the end reduced to monster feed is just…

‘The fish farm, the bullshit…’

With belated regret.

– Crunch─!

Gerard’s upper body was completely devoured.

It was an end too swift to even feel pain.