Chapter 11

"An S-Rank Red Gate!?" Goto roared into the phone, his voice sharp with frustration. His fingers gripped the armrest of his chair so tightly that the leather groaned under the pressure.

"What do you mean S-Rank? I received no reports of an S-Rank dungeon appearing in Japan!"

His jaw tightened as he listened to the response on the other end. His expression darkened.

"The Hero Association classified that gate as A-Rank! I only sent three S-Rank Hunters in there, and now you're telling me it’s higher than that? If anything happens to them, you’ll be the one paying for your incompetence!"

The reply from the other side must have been particularly infuriating because Goto's entire body tensed. With a sharp crack, his fingers sank through the armrest, splintering the material beneath. His face twisted into a scowl.

"You bastard. You and I both know I don’t care about their well-being," he said, his tone chillingly indifferent. "But if we lose that many S-Rankers in one night, our position as the strongest guild will be in question."

A sharp crunch echoed through the room as he crushed the phone in his grip, the shattered pieces falling to the floor.

"I’ll have to go see this gate for myself," he muttered, rising from his seat.

---

The moment the Hunters stepped through the gate, they found themselves standing in an expansive field of mushrooms. But these weren’t ordinary mushrooms, each one towered over them, stretching at least ten meters high, their thick stems and broad, umbrella-like caps casting eerie shadows over the land.

Kenzo’s eyes widened as he took in the bizarre landscape. “Oh, shit! We’re in a Red Gate!” he blurted out, his voice echoing through the fungal forest.

Akari groaned loudly. “Aww, no! This is going to be such a pain!”

Around them, the other Hunters murmured in dissatisfaction.

Kaede turned to Kanae, her brows furrowed in concern. “Isn’t a Red Gate a bad thing? Like… really scary? Deadly scary?”

Kanae parted her lips to answer, but Korra beat her to it.

“Of course a Red Gate is bad. Super bad, even.” She folded her arms, scanning the strange terrain. “But look at our team. We’ve got nothing but S-Rank and A-Rank Hunters here. An A-Rank dungeon is dangerous, yeah, but it’s still manageable.”

Akari nodded, sighing dramatically. “The idiot is right, at least. The only reason I’m pissed is because a Red Gate isn’t just a dungeon, it’s an entrance to another world, way bigger than a normal dungeon. Which means…” Her voice dropped into a whisper, her eyes dull with despair. “We’re going to be stuck here for days. And I won’t be able to take a bath.”

Kanae’s expression hardened. “We should still stay on high alert. Just because we’re strong doesn’t mean we’re invincible. Even S-Ranks die in dungeons.”

Kenzo let out a booming laugh. “Now those are fighting words!” He grinned, swinging his arm...

Swoosh!

A blur of motion.

Kenzo’s hand shot out instinctively, catching a massive spear just before it impaled him. The sheer force of the impact drove him back, his boots carving deep trenches into the dirt. His body slammed through the thick stem of a mushroom, sending it crashing to the ground. A thick plume of dust and debris erupted into the air.

Through the haze, Kenzo’s labored breathing could be heard.

As the dust cleared, his form was revealed, standing firm, the spear still clenched in his grip. Sparks of electricity danced along the shaft, crackling up his arm, leaving faint burns on his skin.

And yet, he only grinned.

With a powerful spin, Kenzo swung the spear in a full arc...

Swoosh!

...and hurled it right back the way it came.

The weapon tore through the air at blinding speed, electricity discharging violently along its path.

THUD!

The spear embedded itself deep into the stem of another mushroom.

Kanae’s gaze sharpened. A figure stood just beyond the point of impact.

The spear had missed… but only barely. A thin line of crimson trickled down the figure’s cheek from a small cut, a sign that he had tilted his head just in time to avoid a fatal strike.

Then, he moved.

Seven feet tall. White hair. Blue skin.

His body was marked with intricate yellow tattoos, glowing faintly against his skin. His muscular frame, though barely covered in armor, radiated a sense of raw power, tougher than steel, stronger than any plate.

And he wasn’t alone.

Five more figures stood beside him, each identical in their alien, battle-worn features.

The one who had narrowly dodged Kenzo’s spear stepped forward. He reached out, grasped the weapon’s shaft, and ripped it from the mushroom’s flesh.

Then, slowly, deliberately… he raised the spear to his lips.

And licked the blood from its tip.

A slow, predatory grin stretched across his face.

The Hunters hadn't realised.

They were being hunted.

---

Outside the Gate

A silver, glowing hand pressed against the scarlet surface of the gate. The moment it made contact, the red barrier rippled, distorting like the surface of a disturbed pond. The hand pushed harder, trying to force its way through.

But it wouldn’t budge.

"As expected. The entrance is shut tight," Goto murmured, pulling his hand back and flexing his fingers. A faint tingle ran through his palm from the residual energy.

His expression darkened as he turned to his subordinate. "This isn’t good. Have you contacted the Hunters Association yet?"

"I have, sir," the subordinate responded hesitantly. "But they keep insisting this was an A-Rank Gate."

Goto’s brow twitched. "Those pricks!" His jaw clenched as a certain face came to mind. 'An S-Rank dungeon… and I’m stuck out here? His fists tightened. That’s three fewer S-Rank Hunters available when this gate reopens. Even the damn healer is inside.'

His subordinate broke the silence. "Should we try measuring the mana waves again with the mana meter?"

Goto exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "No need. A Red Gate stops emitting mana waves once it’s sealed. We can’t measure it anymore."

A thought struck him. He narrowed his eyes. "Wait. If it was classified as an A-Rank Gate before turning red, how did you confirm it was S-Rank?"

The subordinate nodded, already prepared for the question. "That’s the strange part, sir. The moment the Hunters entered, the mana waves spiked drastically, instantly hitting S-Rank, before the gate… changed."

Goto frowned. "Changed?"

"Yes, sir. First, the gate turned purple. Then red."

Goto froze. "Purple?" His fingers twitched as he processed the information. "A purple-colored gate? There’s no record of that ever happening."

His gaze snapped back to the barrier, his stomach twisting with unease.

"Just what the hell is behind this gate!?" he growled, slamming his fist against the surface.

The gate didn’t even flinch.

---

Inside the Dungeon

Blood dripped down the length of a broken spear, its shattered halves embedded in the fleshy stalk of a mushroom.

Kanae exhaled, slowly sheathing her sword. Her keen eyes swept across the battlefield, scanning the aftermath of the first clash.

‘These guys… definitely aren’t normal A-Rank monsters.’ Her gaze flickered to the six towering figures standing opposite them, their white hair and blue skin marked with faintly glowing yellow tattoos. ‘No… they might even be S-Rank.’

But that wasn’t what unsettled her.

Her grip on her hilt tightened as her gaze shifted to the lifeless body sprawled in the dirt. A spear jutted from the man’s forehead, his vacant eyes staring at nothing.

A fellow Hunter.

An A-Rank mage.

Dead in a single strike.

Kanae’s jaw clenched. This isn’t a normal dungeon.

She shifted her stance, glancing toward Kaede. Her sister had positioned herself in front of the entire group.

Kanae’s brows furrowed. 'Kaede isn’t fast enough to keep up with them. Which means… there’s only one thing she’ll do.'

As if in response to her thoughts, a golden ring of light expanded from Kaede’s feet, spreading outward in a wide radius.

The luminous circle encompassed the entire group of Hunters.

Kaede’s voice rang through the battlefield. "Everyone! As long as you’re inside this circle, you’ll be under the effects of Cover! Don’t hold back, obliterate them!"

Murmurs erupted among the A-Rank Hunters.

"What?"

"What is she talking about?"

"Under the effects of cover?"

"Area of effect?"

"Is that even possible?"

Korra rolled her eyes. "Oh, for goodness’ sake!"

Without hesitation, she launched forward, her foot slamming into the ground.

Thwoom!

She punched forward, striking only air, but a roaring stream of fire erupted from her fist.

The inferno engulfed the enemies instantly. The flames crackled and twisted, swallowing their blue-skinned opponents in a blazing torrent.

But by the time the fire cleared...

They were gone.

Kenzo clicked his tongue, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "Tch. What a bunch of cowards."