Kim Soo-ae was taken aback by Suho's words.

“Today? You mean today?”

“Yes, as they say, strike while the iron is hot. I plan to challenge it today.”

For a moment, she was too shocked to respond. A Sealed Gate wasn’t something one could just casually decide to tackle.

But Suho was entirely serious.

“I’ll fill you in on the details as they get sorted. For now, I need to call Reporter Jo Jin-hwi,” Suho said before ending the call.

He immediately dialed Jo Jin-hwi.

“Ah, yes, Mr. Professional!” Jo’s smooth, cheerful voice answered, clearly in a lighthearted mood.

Suho chuckled. “What’s with the ‘Professional’?”

“Isn’t it friendlier than just ‘Hunter’? So, what can I do for you?”

“I hear you’ve already published the article about my Nexus entry?”

“Yes, I did. Took you long enough to react! It’s been up for hours.”

“I’ve been tied up, so I only just saw it. I called you right after Director Kim Soo-ae mentioned it.”

“Understood. And I have to tell you, it’s generating a lot of buzz. Given the situation, I’d suggest avoiding your phone for the next few days.”

“Because of the negative comments?”

“Exactly. Some people are upset because you announced a plan to be a civil servant Hunter, only to immediately join Nexus. But it’s not as bad as you’d think—negative comments are maybe 40%?”

Only 40%. Less than Suho had anticipated; he’d expected around 70% would be critical.

“Better than I thought.”

“Yes, and I don’t expect it to last long. If you read the comments, most people seem to accept the logic. They understand that with your abilities, you could tackle Gates through a private guild too. And it’s not as if the Korean Hunter Association has the best reputation.”

“That’s good, then. But with the attention on me, this is the perfect time to make a lasting impact. Let’s lock in the support of the public.”

“Absolutely. So, do you have something planned?”

“Yes. Let’s prepare a follow-up article. Title it: ‘Suho Ahn’s Second Sealed Gate Challenge.’”

“Oho…!” Jo Jin-hwi clenched his fist in excitement. “As expected, Mr. Professional! You never disappoint. My respect!”

Suho laughed. “Glad you’re enjoying this. It’d be best to publish the follow-up soon to keep up the momentum. And now that I’m with Nexus, I should raise its profile too, right?”

“A hundred percent agree. So, which Gate are you aiming for this time?”

“The Swamp of Despair.”

“The Swamp of Despair? You mean *that* Swamp of Despair?”

“Yes, that’s the one.”

The Swamp of Despair was an S-rank Sealed Gate under government management, notorious for its high death toll, surpassing that of the Nameless Sword Gate.

The main reason was simple: *Unlike the Nameless Sword Gate, the Swamp of Despair had no survivors.*

In fact, it wouldn’t be cleared until about a decade from now, and Suho knew exactly who would clear it and how.

This made it the perfect choice. As things currently stood, he was likely the only person in the world capable of conquering it.

“Anyway, please go ahead with the follow-up. Speak with Nexus’s PR team for additional details. I haven’t told them yet, so this will be news to them too. Now, I need to deal with obtaining entry access to the Swamp.”

“Of course! And, uh, mind if I tag along again? Just call me when you’re ready!”

“Will do.”

Ending the call, Suho quickly contacted Jung Chul-min.

“Captain, do you have a moment?”

---

Obtaining the entry permit for the Swamp of Despair turned out to be surprisingly easy.

“A Hunter of Suho Ahn’s caliber? Naturally, we have to give him access!”

“Did Captain Jung not know better? If Suho requested it, we should’ve granted it immediately!”

“Next time he requests access, make sure it’s prioritized.”

It turned out that his efforts to get formal approval had only brought him unnecessary criticism. Exasperated, Jung Chul-min lamented, “I guess with this Sealed Gate clearance, you’ll probably be able to enter any Gate you want in the future.”

“Thanks to you, Captain.”

The Swamp of Despair was located on Yongjong Island near Incheon. Suho, once again, rode with Reporter Jo Jin-hwi, and upon arrival, they met with Jung Chul-min, the site manager, and members of Nexus’s PR team.

The follow-up article was already out, titled, *“Nexus’s Suho Ahn Challenges a Second Sealed Gate Without Rest!”* Public excitement quickly turned to fervor, with reactions flooding in.

- *“Is Suho Ahn out of his mind?”*
- *“Clearing one Sealed Gate wasn’t enough? Now he’s going for another?”*
- *“Tell the people who criticized him for joining Nexus to come out! No other Hunter is tackling Sealed Gates for us!”*
  - *222222*
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- *“I didn’t criticize him. I believed in him from the start.”*
- *“Sword God! You’re… incredible!”*
- *“From now on, Suho and I are one. Anyone who insults him insults me.”*
- *“Suho Ahn, is he a god?”*
- *“Mom! I want to be Suho Ahn when I grow up!”*

As the praise poured in, Suho noticed a certain phenomenon unique to Hunters. While celebrities were scrutinized for the smallest mistakes, the public was generally more forgiving toward Hunters. The reason was simple: whatever their motivation, Hunters risked their lives to protect humanity.

Captain Jung Chul-min observed the Nexus PR team and commented to Suho, “Seeing you here with Nexus really makes it feel official.”

Suho chuckled. “Yes, it does.”

Then, after a moment’s hesitation, Jung Chul-min lowered his voice and asked quietly, “Did you manage to work out those conditions with Nexus?”

He was asking because none of the articles mentioned Suho’s intention to take the 5th Grade Public Hunter Exam at the end of the year. Seeing Jung’s concern, Suho smiled and replied, “Yes, almost all the conditions we discussed with the Association President have been included in the contract. But remember—this is our little secret.”

“Of course! My lips are sealed!” Jung Chul-min mimed zipping his mouth.

Suho found the gesture amusing and endearing.

“Thank you, Captain. Alright, let’s get started.”

Wasting no more time, Suho approached the entrance of the Swamp Gate. As the Gate’s door opened, Jo Jin-hwi and the PR team quickly snapped photos until the door closed behind him.

As the team lowered their cameras, the PR manager asked Jo, “Do you think he’ll clear this one too?”

“I believe in him. This is Suho Ahn we’re talking about.”

“I know he’s amazing, but I still get nervous watching these. It doesn’t seem real.”

Jo thought for a moment, then smirked. “Care for a little bet to ease your nerves?”

“A bet?”

“Yes, I’ll put 1 million won on Suho succeeding.”

The PR manager hesitated, then with a sly smile replied, “Well, I can’t say no to a bet. Though, of course, my true feelings are the opposite. But I’ll put 1 million won on him failing, just for the fun of it.”

“Perfect. Now, let’s head to the control room. We can’t exactly wait outside forever, can we?”

“Agreed.”

The two walked to the control room and settled in.

Then, something unexpected happened.

“Huh?”

Jung Chul-min, watching the screen, furrowed his brow. Suddenly, he stood, bringing his face close to the monitor with an expression of utter disbelief.

“The Gate line… it’s disappearing?”

“What do you mean?”

Both the PR manager and Jo crowded closer, their eyes widening. The Gate line—the energy field that signaled an uncleared Gate—was indeed vanishing.

And just a few minutes later, the Gate portal itself disappeared, replaced by an exit portal that began to emit a bright light.

Then, from within that portal, Suho Ahn emerged.

It wasn’t a mistake. The equipment wasn’t malfunctioning. And it was certainly not some elaborate trick.

Right there, live on the monitor, stood Suho Ahn, exiting the Gate.

“W-w-what…?”

“How long has it been? Ten, twenty minutes?”

“Ten minutes? It hasn’t even been five!”

“And yet he already cleared it?!”

Suho waved at the camera, and the site manager immediately unlocked the Gate’s entrance, allowing the entire team to rush out to meet him.

And there he was, standing casually, as if he’d simply taken a stroll, after clearing yet another Sealed Gate.