"Uh, Hunter Ahn Suho?"

Choi Yun called out Suho’s name in surprise, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he summoned his blood sword, gesturing toward Bang Dueok’s remaining men and asked,

"Anyone else want to continue?"

At his words, Bang Dueok's subordinates glanced at each other before cautiously lowering their weapons. 

There was no talk of revenge. Instead, the second-in-command, eyeing his opportunity, was the first to place his weapon on the ground.

"Let's avoid any trouble. Go on ahead."

A smart move; with Bang Dueok out of the way, he could easily take over the gang himself.

Suho pointed his sword at the second-in-command and said,

"Hand over the entrance fee again."

"What?"

"You broke the rules, so pay a penalty."

"…Understood."

The second-in-command headed back to the tent, returned with a bag containing the entrance fee, and handed it over. Suho stowed the bag in his inventory without bothering to check its contents, then turned to Choi Yun.

"Shall we go?"

"Ah, yes!"

The two got into Choi Yun's car, and she started the engine, quickly driving them away.

Once Bang Dueok’s crew was well out of sight, Choi Yun spoke up.

"Thank you."

"Of course, you should thank me."

"What?"

"I don’t take gratitude that’s only words. Pay it back later."

At Suho’s confident demand, Choi Yun looked at him, mildly taken aback.

"You’re pretty sharp, aren’t you?"

"It’s reasonable. After all, I had to step in anyway."

He was right. Realistically, Choi Yun wouldn’t have been able to handle the situation alone.

"…So yes, I am grateful."

With that, Suho handed her his phone.

"Put in your direct line. I’ll contact you again."

"…All right."

After saving her number, Suho stayed silent for the remainder of the drive. When they crossed back over the border and returned to Paju, Suho had her drop him off near the academy instead of at Paju Village.

Before they parted, Choi Yun asked,

"Can I call you first next time?"

"If you find a decent gate, sure."

"Heh, understood."

Without a hint of hesitation, Suho left her, and Choi Yun watched him disappear in her rearview mirror, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Much better than I expected…"

She restarted her car and drove away.

---

### A Few Days Later

Suho spent the following days in Infinity, helping his team train without exploring any new gates. Thanks to his guidance, his team members could now last a full minute against Suho’s avatar.

"That’s enough."

"Hah… hah…"

"Ugh…"

"Whooo…"

At his signal to stop, the team members collapsed on the ground, panting heavily. Suho nodded in approval as he watched them.

"Not bad. You’ve all improved over the past few days."

Seo Giwon responded, still catching his breath.

"…Would’ve been strange if we hadn’t improved."

"True. You had to, given I was the one teaching you. Speaking of which, tomorrow’s the day."

"Tomorrow?"

"The gate expedition I mentioned earlier. We’re scheduled for tomorrow, so be here at 9 a.m. sharp. We’ll head to the gate together from here."

"Tomorrow, just like that?"

"I told you to stay prepared. So, are you saying you’re not ready?"

"N-no, I’m ready."

"Gates always appear unexpectedly. I’m letting you off early today so you can rest up. Be in top condition."

Suho took out his wallet and handed each of them two 100,000-won bills.

"Go eat some good food, maybe even visit a sauna. Let’s meet tomorrow, fully prepared."

With that, Suho left with Seo Giwon, heading back to Kaiser Cheongdam. Jinhwi Jo wasn’t there, as it was only 3 p.m., and he was still at work.

As Seo Giwon slumped on the couch, Suho looked at him and said,

"What do you think you’re doing?"

"Just resting…"

"Resting? We’re going hunting."

"…Huh?"

"You’re not level 60 yet, right?"

"Oh, no, not yet."

"Let’s get you to 60 today so you can go into the gate tomorrow. Unlike everyone else, you haven’t had much physical training. So at least have another skill prepared."

"Ah…"

Suho had a point. Seo Giwon was a mage, and Suho hadn’t placed as much emphasis on weapon training for him.

'Eventually, I’ll train him in that too, but not yet.'

For a non-physical class like a mage, it was unrealistic to gain useful weapon skills from just a few days of training.

As Suho set up his laptop, Seo Giwon asked,

"By the way, Hyung."

"Yeah?"

"My ability could help level everyone else too, right? Why only me…?"

"It’s about building team bonds."

"What?"

"We’re on the same team, but we haven’t done much together yet. It’s important to establish some minimum level of connection before working as a team."

"Oh…"

He wasn’t exaggerating. Even with all the information he had about the future, Suho knew it was essential to build a working relationship. So he chose the Kobold Mines as their training ground.

Suho extended his hand with a smile.

"In this current situation, you’re the one I trust the most. So let’s get ready."

"Ah… yes!"

Seo Giwon’s eyes gleamed with renewed energy at Suho’s words.

---

### The Next Day

The team gathered at the academy by 9 a.m., where a van arranged by Nexus, led by Representative Bae Dong-hyuk, awaited them.

Along with the van, custom gear Suho had ordered for each team member was also prepared.

After the team changed into their gear, Suho said,

"Let’s go."

"Yes, sir."

The van set off. Nexus’s hard gate was located not far from Seoul. Upon reaching the gate’s location, they entered a private square set up by Nexus to contain the Kobold Mines.

The area was bustling with Nexus personnel who had arrived in advance. As Suho exited the van, Bae Dong-hyuk approached him.

"Thank you for coming, Hunter Ahn Suho."

"No problem. Thank you for arranging the transport. Is that the Kobold Mines behind us?"

"Yes. As you suggested, everyone entering the gate, aside from your team, is composed of professional mining teams."

Indeed, they weren’t just random laborers but specialized miners wearing Nexus uniforms. Their team’s professionalism suggested a significant investment.

Suho glanced around and said,

"I’ll make sure no resources go to waste. Let’s go over the briefing first."

Although Nexus had provided him with information about the Kobold Mines, Suho knew more about the place than the documents covered.

Still, he had skimmed the files for formality’s sake.

In the command center, Suho gathered the officers around a table and pointed at a map Nexus had prepared.

"Our strategy is straightforward. The mines are filled with magic stones and overrun by kobolds, also known as *Earthkeepers*. Once we clear them out, we’ll secure as many magic stones as possible before taking down the mine’s boss and closing the gate."

It was a simple explanation that left everyone with their mouths half-open.

Finally, Officer Kim Yi-kang asked,

"Is that it?"

"Yes. The provided data didn’t include much information about the boss monster. Once we encounter it, I’ll handle it alone, so don’t worry about the safety of the mining team. Any questions?"

The officers exchanged glances. The briefing was so straightforward that there was little left to ask. While they found it surprising, they also knew they could trust Suho.

"One last thing: all profits from this gate will belong to Nexus."

This was a delicate point, so Suho addressed it directly.

Both Bae Dong-hyuk and the other officers looked visibly relieved at his transparency.

"Then, Hunter Ahn, we’re counting on you."

"Of course. I’ll do my best."

With the preparations complete, the team was ready to enter the gate. Some guilds might perform elaborate rituals before entering a difficult gate, but Suho had discouraged any such gestures, so they were now left with only the entry itself.

Before stepping through the gate portal, Suho exchanged a few words with the head of the mining team, An Sung-won.

"Stay at the very back until we signal. You can start mining once we clear the way."

"Understood, Hunter Ahn. We’re counting on you."

With Suho at the lead, the entire expedition team entered the square, heading for the portal. As Suho approached it, a system message appeared.

[ Entering the gate. ]
[ Retrieving gate information. ]
[ Kobold Mines ]

- Entry Requirement: Level 88 or lower
- Max Participants: 56

The Kobold Mines could accommodate up to 56 people, so with the six members of the attack team, the remaining 50 slots were filled with miners.

As the entire team entered the portal, they found themselves in a new environment.

---

### Inside the Gate

The first sight beyond the portal was an ordinary forest. Just a bit further lay the entrance to the mines, guarded by kobolds.

After ensuring that the entire attack team had entered, Suho addressed his members.

"You know the drill, right? Dae-han,

 stay at the rear and let Giwon support you. Everyone else, stick to your positions behind me."

"Yes, sir."

"Understood."

"I’ll lead the charge and clear the path. It’s going to be a long battle, so manage your stamina and prioritize the miners' safety."

"Yes, sir!"

"Stay alert. This isn’t a simulation—there’s no respawning if you die here."

Once everyone nodded in understanding, Suho summoned his spirit spear, *Guiyeongchang*, and hurled it at the kobold guarding the entrance.

*Thud!*

The spear pierced the kobold’s head, and Suho quickly summoned a blood spear to finish off a second kobold.

After retrieving his weapons and absorbing the kobolds’ blood with his blood sword, Suho strode confidently into the mines without hesitation.

Watching him from behind, team leader An Sung-won muttered in amazement,

"Wow… he’s relentless."

"Indeed."

"Hm? You sound like you’re seeing him for the first time."

"We are. It’s our first time seeing him fight in person."

"Ah…?"

"Let’s hurry and follow."

"Right."

The rest of the attack team followed Suho’s lead, gradually making their way deeper into the mines.