Chapter 322

The Bearer (1)

"I'll die, I'll die!"

"You're not dying, so just hold on!"

Most of the monsters that appeared were chimeras with mold all over their bodies. Every time they were hit, they would spread filthy spores that lowered their enemies' defenses and absorbed their magic (I.E., they were a vicious monster that gave all sorts of debuffs!).

"What can you do with this debuff?!"

"Vita is analyzing it; first, drink the potions!"

"Damn, it's not completely returning...Watch out for spores!"

They looked as if countless monsters had been mashed together, mixing not only forms but abilities. They could be faced one-on-one, but those debuffs were serious. Even Bridget and Eleanor were disgusted by the spores.

-Kyahak!

"Haah! Oh my god!"

-Kiii!

Eleanor speared through three chimeras at once, energy exuded from the head of her spear to destroy the spores around her. She was doing great, but Kang Shin-hyuk, who was analyzing her spiritual power as he stretched his throughout the gate, shouted as he read her aura.

"Don't fight while shouting my name!"

"But this is more powerful!"

"Ahhh?! Eli, that's sexual harassment!"

"Na-hee senior too!"

The level of monsters was high, but that was a given as the gate couldn't be ranked. It wasn't a big deal for Kang Shin-hyuk, but it was a bit overwhelming for MaB's other members. Or at least, it would be without the buff Kang Shin-hyuk gave them. The passive buff boosted their energy and growth rate, but the active buff concentrated energy to a level that almost doubled their power.

"Huh...hah!"

Baek In-ha, who felt his power amplified as he struggled with the chimeras, stepped firmly on the floor and kicked his enemies. The chimeras, unable to withstand the strong shock, burst out and poured spores on him, but the strong wind he created moved them away. He drove the chimeras back and began to defend Oh Hye-na, taking care of her safety first.

"Shinyuk! If you could strengthen us, do it quicker!"

"No, if you're always used to the buffs I give you, you'll be in trouble when they're not around. This is all to help you stay vigilant at any time."

"We're not vigilant enough at an unknown gate?!"

Everyone seemed to be shaken at the fact that they couldn't check their enemies' rank, but in Kang Shin-hyuk's eyes, these monsters were strong, but he didn't feel them transcendentally strong, peculiar to monsters beyond the current limit. To put it plainly, if they were really X-rank or higher, the rest of the team would've had to focus down one to kill it.

"I guess there's a problem with the Gaia system as well."

-It certainly seems that way.

As Kang Shin-hyuk pushed his buff, the members of MaB paid back the humiliation they had suffered from those monsters. Once the ranks stabilized, Bridget switched to buffing herself to accelerate their subjugation of the gate further.

"Vita, how is it?"

Kang Shin-hyuk used nanobots to purify the chimera spores while Vita analyzed them. He could grasp the enemy's level with his own spiritual power, but that resided in the realm of intuition. For precise data, Vita was more accurate and reliable.

"Yes, dad is right. At best, it has reached the current limit."

"There are only these weird chimeras. In other words, ranking it, the current limit level..."

That meant SSS+ rank. Of course, that alone was intense; it was the same level as the monsters that appeared with Janus the previous year. However, compared to the performance of his team members, it wasn't so scary.

"Oh, the spore vaccine is complete. I'll give you a vaccine, so now everyone can ignore the spores!"

"I absolutely hate it! What other ability do the spores have..."

"It's okay because you have a complete picture. And, I already injected it~."

"Vita?!"

Vita injected the completed vaccine into all her allies with the nanobots. Nevertheless, the attack no longer had to be delayed because they were wary of the enemy's spores, so Kang Shin-hyuk sighed and soothed his teammates.

"There's no need to be overly vigilant. They won't be getting any stronger than this so that you can push ahead."

"It's said the rank is unknown!"

"I figured it out now; it's SSS+ level."

"It's the worst one?!"

"But it's one we know."

As a test, Bridget smashed in a chimera's head, but the spores really had no effect on her.

"Oh, it's really okay?"

"Then, let's organize here and move on. It's been 30 minutes since we entered the gate."

"But this gate is a little weird. Should I say the structure is too simple?"

That's what he had thought from the start. It was a wide space, with no traps or labyrinthine structures common to high difficulty gates. It was like a part of a huge, artificially constructed building had been torn apart.

"This is a real gate...? Maybe you're hallucinating."

"The monsters are real, be sure to kill them."

Kang Shin-hyuk, who was trying to analyze the gate further, wasn't able to come to a satisfactory conclusion. There was only one thing he found, and it was that this gate had a hold leading to another one.

-That's Jormungand's technique.

"What is it? An invitation?"

If the gate was intentionally created, it would've been predictable that the strongest of humanity, Kang Shin-hyuk, would enter. Then what was beyond this gate...? Kang Shin-hyuk felt his heart pounding with anxiety and excitement.

"I feel like Janus is calling."

-Would you like to go?

"I have to go."

The situation was cleared up. Kang Shin-hyuk adjusted his performance so that it wasn't conspicuous as he attacked the gate with his party, occasionally glancing at the cameraman.

"What, I was scared because the rank was unknown."

"Is it over already?"

"Ah, an exit."

"Everyone, it was wonderful! The video footage is awesome too!"

The cameraman, who had only taken care of himself and the camera from start to end, raised his thumb to them. The media had emphasized it was a gate of unknown rank beforehand.

"Without Masked Bacchus, it would've been impossible to fight those unknown monsters without any sacrifices! What viewers want is this overwhelming power!"

"Okay, okay, so let's finish shooting now. It's all over."

"Let's take a nice picture of everyone coming out of the gate..."

"So go out and wait."

Kang Shin-hyuk pushed the cameraman out of the exit and looked back.

"Actually, there's still a little bit left, so I'll clean it up."

"Maybe, something suspicious?"

Bridget, who only became sensitive to pointless things, looked at him with bright eyes, but Kang Shin-hyuk started to push her out too.

"Everyone go back first; it's really nothing. Oh, Vita, will you stay?"

"Yes!"

"Aah, wait for a second, junior. If I don't stay, you'll be very sorry!"

"It's not like that, so go back."

"Shin-hyuk..."

"It's okay. Go out and reassure people. It's okay if I leave first."

When Kang Shin-hyuk entered the gate, the external gate would also probably disappear- its goal completed. Everyone looked at him with narrow eyes, but they couldn't pursue him anymore. Even Lee Na-hee and Eleanor, recognized members of the Hero Universe, weren't allowed to accompany them, so what else could be said?

"Well, in this case, I don't want to feel alienated. I worked so hard, but in the end, it doesn't mean anything."

"We'll find something we can do together later."

At that, Lee Na-hee turned on him with shining eyes, as if unsatisfied with that much.

"If you get hurt and come back, I'll hit you."

"I have to come back for my child."

"So you'll make one with me too!"

Yes, she was also a nonsensical person.

"Eli, take this criminal and leave quickly."

"Uh... Don't get hurt."

"Let me go!"

Eleanor defeated Lee Na-hee and dragged her out. Baek sighed and left with Oh Hye-na right after.

"Have you found traces of our unnie?"

"Different, but it's related."

"Then me too!"

"Wait outside, so you don't lose your life."

"Wow..."

Bridget, having remained until the end, was also thrown out the exit.

"Dad, can I stay?"

"Vita... I'm sorry to ask you this, but I wanted to leave a connection with Claire in case of an emergency."

"It's okay. That was my role from the beginning...!"

Vita replied with a wide smile.

"Okay, thanks. Then, let's go."

Kang Shin-hyuk patted her head and then took her hand. It was that moment a call from Halo arrived.

-Halo's whisper: You can't go there, Anvil.

"Halo...?"

-Oh, Halo...?!

He hadn't heard from Halo in a while. It was even more surprising that the administrator seemed to be embarrassed by it.

-Halo's whisper: Again, you can't go there. Janus is doing something difficult. Hmm, it's a little bit worse this time. You could end up doing something wrong.

"Why do you know that?"

-Halo's whisper: Anvil... Yes, I see. Then I know better. If you go to Janus now, something bad will happen to Janus as a result.

Halo, who grasped what had happened to him with just that short exchange, spoke as if it were good. Kang Shin-hyuk had a premonition that his relationship with Halo would change immensely, but he couldn't pick up spilled milk.

"...So what am I supposed to do? Ignore this?"

-Halo's whisper: That's correct. Beyond that gate is the territory of Jormungand.

"I still have to go. I want to talk to Janus at least once."

-Halo's whisper: Is that so?

Silence flowed like an eternity before he responded again.

-Halo's whisper: Then there is no choice... But you'll have to choose carefully, Anvil. You know what to do as you are now.

-Halo's whisper: Then, come on.

The gate collapsed. Kang Shin-hyuk then grabbed Vita and hurried through the gate.