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When I came to my senses, I recognized a familiar ceiling.

"No way...?"

[Are you awake? Don't worry, it won't happen again.]

My heart trembled at the brief thought that I had returned again.

"What's going on?"

[Hmph! Thanks to you, I suffered terrible pain last night.]

It had happened last night. The Heavenly Demon told me I had been through the Bone Metamorphosis.

In the process, I had lost my mind from extreme pain, and he completely dominated my consciousness and body.

Thanks to this, the Heavenly Demon handled the pain of the subsequent stages, which included the melting and reconstruction of my skin.

This was also a blessing since if someone lost consciousness during their transformation, they would fall to their inner demon, losing their sense of reason.

However, the Heavenly Demon had controlled my body and protected my spirit.

[I didn't expect this at all. Why did the Bone Metamorphosis happen suddenly? Maybe because your energy center was emptied the moment you attained that realization, and it evolved as your title was applied. It provided the perfect opportunity.]

"That means…."

[It means your energy center has grown so you can receive Nature's energy easier. Check it out.]

I checked the status window.

[User: Lee Byeong-gi Lv. 23]

[Title: One at a Time, Two Hearts, Shining SOLO, Faster than a Rabbit, Relentlessly Hunting.]

-Title Effect: (One at a Time) Critical hit rate increases by 10%.

-Title Effect: (Two Hearts) When the inner power is exhausted and reaches "0", it will be filled up again. (Cooldown Time: 24 hours)

-Title Effect: (Shining SOLO) Experience increases by 30% during solo hunting.

-Title Effect: (Faster than a Rabbit) Attack speed increases by 10%.

-Title Effect: (Relentlessly Hunting) No effect.

[Vitality: 79, MP: 120 (+12), Dexterity: 20 (+16)]

[Skills: Lv. Max Insight (Passive), Lv. Max Mana Drain (Passive), Lv. Max Crafting Advanced Potions (Passive) Lv. Max Mana Shield, Lv. 5 Enhancement.]

“!!!”

My magic power had reached 120 (+12), and my skill level had also increased.

Looking at that alone, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I could be compared with the top world rankers.

As far as I remember, Korea's top ranker, the head of the Phoenix Guild, had a magic power of around 90.

[That's what it’s supposed to be like. Your body was reconstructed for the purpose of martial arts. Just look in the mirror.]

When I looked in the mirror, I noticed a slight difference in my appearance. I looked different because the left and right sides of my face were now perfectly symmetrical.

I didn't think anyone else would notice the change unless they looked closely.

"My skin is better too."

[That's just a side effect. There are many other advantages, but that's all you need to feel.]

"Black Blade Energy appeared in the third form of the second stage. Or should I say a bundle of Blade Energy, actually? Was that Strong Energy?"

[It's still at a toddler’s level, but that was Strong Energy.]

"Ah!"

[Don't get too happy. You've achieved just one step forward. By the way, yesterday was a mess.]

"What do you mean it was a mess?"

As the Heavenly Demon explained, there was some breaking news on the TV.

Last night, the area of Bukhansan Mountain was evacuated due to a big explosion.

The entire military was in a state of emergency because it was adjacent to the (Korean Executive) Presidential Mansion.

The places near the explosion shown on TV were devastated. It was fortunate the mountain hadn’t collapsed.

"The sirens I heard yesterday before I passed out weren't a hallucination."

[Fortunately, the Bone Metamorphosis concluded before the government forces arrived, so we returned home safely.]

"Well, I've also learned you can control my body if I lose my mind."

[Unfortunately, I can't take complete control.]

"That's a good thing for me."

[Hmph! Your martial arts skills actually improved after yesterday.]

"Thank you very much. I would have been in trouble if it weren't for you."

If it weren't for the Heavenly Demon, I would have lost my mind for good.

[I'm glad you said so. By the time most go through the Bone Metamorphosis, it's expected not to lose your mind because you should be used to the pain from intense training... Just remember you're a strange case.]

"It's all thanks to you. Anyway, it feels natural now.”

[Yes. The higher your stage, the more natural it will feel.]

"It might be hard to train outdoors given the state of emergency. Until the guild training center is completed, I will train with the Mind Divine Shifting Art."

[Okay. Just organize what you've learned with that and learn how to apply it in the Gate.]

***

Lee Seong-jin was doing well with the tasks I had given him.

Construction was underway for the studio for weapons production, and steady progress was being made on the training center for new guild members and my private training room.

"The construction will take a week."

Lee Seong-jin said.

"Is there anything I need to know?"

"When the training camp is completed, the Hunter Management Bureau will conduct an inspection. If we pass that, our guild will be officially established."

"So-eun won't come by herself for that inspection, will she?"

"I heard hunters are missing more often in the Gates these days. She seems to be busy with that."

"What do you mean missing?"

"I don't know the details. But she said she'd come to see you soon about it."

"Why doesn’t she call? She doesn't have to come to meet me in person."

"You're really oblivious.”

"What?"

"Nothing. But did Seol-ah go out hunting again?"

"We must collect the materials for the potions we're going to use in the guild ourselves.”

"So she went to get poison pouches. But will that be all right?"

"Are you worried because hunters are going missing? It’ll be fine since she’s B-Rank."

"Let’s hope."

I bade farewell to Lee Seong-jin and went to my office.

He was staying behind to watch the construction’s progress.

[I think it's better to let him do an office job than hunt in the Gate.]

"I feel the same way. Seong-jin also agrees."

[But aren't you worried about Seol-ah?]

"Why wouldn’t I be? I'll have to go with her for the next Gate hunt."

[Who does Seol-ah go hunting with these days?]

"I heard she recruited another party. She told me their team's skills were pretty good. She even asked me if I could let them join our guild."

[Really? What do you think?]

"I need to meet them first and then decide."

All the recently-created Gates had been either managed by the Bureau or a guild commissioned by the Bureau.

Just then, Yoo So-eun informed me that she had discovered another Gate with Poison Spiders.

She requested that I accompany her team on a reconnaissance mission, but I told her that only Seol-ah and I would go this time.

Yoo So-eun told me to do so without question, and I thought I heard an edge in her voice.

***

A party usually consisted of five people: the Party’s leader, who issued orders, a close-quarter combatant, a healer and buffer, a magic or long-range shooter, and an assister.

In the case of large Gates, several teams went on the hunt together, but there were also cases where guilds united, or large guilds divided their teams.

[Why do you want to take an assister?]

‘Assisters help party members focus on the battle. And they usually carry a big backpack.’

[Backpack...]

‘Yes, they carry emergency food and camping supplies in case the Gate hunt is prolonged. Usually, hunters without special attack skills take this role.’

[Why didn't you become an assister?]

"I didn’t want to.’

[...]

"Oppa, you look a little different. Your skin looks better, too.”

"Really?"

"What, is there insincerity in that answer...?"

[Here’s someone who looks closely at your face.]

I was standing in front of the Gate Management Office with Seol-ah, waiting for the people from the party she had mentioned before.

This Gate only allowed groups of more than five people to enter according to the guidelines set by the administration office, so they had to arrive before we could obtain approval to join.

Expectation and excitement were displayed in Seol-ah's status window.

I didn't know what made her so excited, though.

"Seol-ah, do you enjoy hunting?"

"Not necessarily, but I'm looking forward to this hunt more than usual. It's not officially launched yet, but it's our first hunt as members of the BnS Guild. Anyone’s first experience is bound to be a mixture of expectation and excitement."

She put a particular emphasis on ‘first experience.’

"Although you’ve taken my first experience as a woman…."

"Enough nonsense!"

"I regard that as my first experience—"

Tock-

"Oh! Why did you hit me?"

"Just stop your nonsense."

"Hmph."

[This kid is weird too. She and So-eun don’t seem capable of having a normal conversation with you.]

‘What's wrong with So-eun and Seol-ah? I think my conversations with you are even stranger.’

[I should just stop talking to you.]

‘Are you upset?’

[Shut up.]

Seol-ah rubbed her head and complained.

"How could you hit a lady?"

"What do you mean, lady? You’re just a kid."

"I'm not a kid! Have you seen such a well-developed kid?"

Jiggling-

My heart jiggled as well.

[See! She's not normal.]

‘I thought you were going to stop talking?’

"Oh, here they come."

The rest of the group had arrived.

"Hey! Why are they all girls?"

"Oppa, say hi. This is the party that I’ve been hunting with.”

"R-Right."

This was going to be confusing for me, as someone who attended an all boys' middle, high, and engineering school. Grouped together with only women?

"Helloo—"

Their voices were loud.

I looked at the people Seol-ah introduced and used the Insight skill.

Their level ranges were not bad, except for one person. And they were all high school girls, just like Seol-ah.

They consisted of the following:

Magic: Min Eun-joo Lv.34

Buffing and healing: Yoo Hye-jong Lv. 36

An assister and reinforcement: Kim Ji-young Lv. 29

Kim Ji-young caught my eye especially amongst the three. Despite her petite body, she carried a backpack larger than her.

I felt sorry for her, but she didn't look tired.

User: Kim Ji-young Lv. 29]

[Title: None]

[Skill: Lv 3. Superhuman Strength, Lv. 3. Enhancement, Lv. 1. Iron Barrier]

-Superhuman Strength: Strength and agility increase by 50%.

-Enhancement: Basic skills will be temporarily improved by 35%.

-Iron Barrier: Summons a strong defense (currently one). You can adjust the number of walls as your level increases. The barrier's defense is proportional to the amount of magic power consumed.

[This kid doesn't have proper attack skills like you. The Enhancement skill seems to be similar, though I think it only ends with the name.]

‘That's why her level is so low. Her other skills are specialized in defense, and there are many kinds of Enhancement skills. My defense has improved, and for Ji-young, it's her basic abilities. Anyway, she can be a great asset to the party if she makes good use of them.’

Superhuman Strength and Ji-young's Enhancement were good skills by themselves. If her vitality and magic power could increase by 35% while her strength and agility were increased by 50% due to Superhuman Strength, she could go berserk in a fight, albeit temporarily.

[It means she can sometimes play an essential role in the party.]

‘That's right. It's a pity she doesn't have any proper attack skills. She has to deal with monsters purely by force.’

That was probably why she lived as an assister.

However, if she failed to raise her level, it would be difficult for her to continue as a hunter later.

"Are you spacing out again?"

"No, I'm not. It's just that it’s awkward…."

"I didn’t think you would be shy."

"How do you know I'm shy?"

[I knew it.]

"You’re not shy. Otherwise, you wouldn’t wear only a skir—"

Tuck!-

"Ouch! Why again?"

"Don't talk nonsense."

[Looking at their faces, they already know what happened.]

“...”

Shortly after that awkward greeting, we were given approval to enter the Gate.

"Will this team be all right?"

The Gate Manager glanced anxiously at us.

I could understand his concern. Our current composition didn’t seem much different from a teacher taking their students on a field trip.

Besides, they were all high school girls.

"Thank you for your concern. We'll come out as soon as something happens."

"Oh, well, have a safe trip."

He meticulously recorded our personal information and the admission time.

As soon as we finished that procedure, we headed straight to the Gate.

Jiggly, jiggly-

We were just walking, but I felt like I heard something.

"Why are you making that face?"

‘It's all because of you girls.’

I looked back at the team.

They really looked like students going on a picnic.

"Did they get their parents' permission…?"

Seol-ah jabbed my waist and stopped me mid-sentence.

"Oppa…."

"Oh!"

I could tell from Seol-ah's expression that they were all in the same situation as her.

[Despite how you look, you have a lot of empathy.]

span>***

I was getting irritated.

I was currently in the first stage of my irritation gauge.

We needed to wear gas masks and protective clothing to enter the Gate, but assister Kim Ji-young kept searching inside her bag.

We'd been doing this in front of the Gate for five minutes. There were too many other things in her bag besides what was needed for hunting.

Camping tools, toiletries, cosmetics, a teddy bear, food, food, food, and more food.

"We're not going in there to have fun."

"We must eat to keep up our strength."

Kim Ji-young replied. This child looked fine, but she was a little strange. She seemed to have some dark energy about her.

"But what about the teddy bear?"

"I can't live without Shion. I can't even sleep."

It appeared the bear was named Shion.

"I don't think we'll ever sleep in the Gate."

The Gates that would take more than a day to clear would appear only after the Third Cataclysm.

"I get anxious if I’m away from Shion."

[How come all the kids you know are like this?]

‘We are not at the stage where you can say we know each other.’

[You’re not?]

My irritation gauge went up to the second level. It was likely to reach its peak soon.

"Where are the gas masks?"

"I found them!"

Fortunately, she found the gas masks and protective clothing before my irritation gauge maxed out.

"Ji-young Unnie, I've told you so many times. If you put them at the top, they’re easy to find."

Seol-ah was similarly frustrated.

"Sorry, I'm not used to organizing."

"That's why you weren’t welcomed by any other party."

Seol-ah complained, but Ji-young didn’t seem to be listening.

I could feel my irritation gauge rising again.

"That’s enough. We need to hurry up and get in."

I urged the group to put on their equipment.

And as you would expect from young girls, there were immediate problems.

"Oh, if I wear a gas mask, my makeup will smudge from sweat."

"This clothing is too loose. It doesn’t flatter the figure."

Crack-

My gauge soared sharply, and I heard something break.

"You guys! Hurry up, or I'll leave you all behind!"

If it hadn’t been for the restriction on the number of people, I would have left them behind a while ago.

The girls wouldn't move fast until I shouted.

Energy leaked out of my body with my irritation.

"Seol-ah, you were right. Just suddenly getting angry, he’s crazy."

"Be quiet, Hye-jong! He has excellent ears, too.

"I understand what you said now. I heard when you first met he just wore a skirt without underwear."

I could hear them murmuring behind me.

Bam-

[Just ignore them!]