After the banquet concluded, the attendees dispersed to their assigned rooms for a brief respite. When the designated hour arrived, everyone gathered in the central hall on the first floor. Shortly thereafter, the grandfather, having descended the stairs last, surveyed the crowd.
“Are all of you present?”
“Yes, Head of the household. Everyone is here except those who remained in their rooms due to poor health.”
“I see. Then let us proceed to the artificial gate. Should anyone arrive late or decide to join the evaluation match at the last moment, inform them to head to the gate.”
“Yes, sir.”
The steward, who oversaw all household staff, confirmed the headcount. The grandfather, nodding silently, followed the steward’s guidance and began walking. My family and I, along with other clan members, trailed behind.
“Shouldn’t you stay in the room…?”
“How could I wait idly in a room when Gyeon-woo is participating?”
As we descended the stairs, my parents murmured in hushed tones. My father seemed uneasy about my mother, an ordinary civilian, entering the gate, but she remained resolute.
“It’s not dangerous if we’re simply observing under the protection of the clan’s hunters. And you’ll be there if anything happens, right?”
“Mom! I’ll be there too!”
“Phew… Alright, fine. Just stay close to me, okay? And Yeeun, don’t cause any trouble inside the gate.”
“Okay~”
In the end, my father relented. I chuckled at my mother’s playful imitation of Yeeun’s response.
“Hehe. You all get along so well.”
Did the grandfather overhear? At that moment, as he descended ahead, I caught him smiling faintly and muttering something that seemed directed at us. He glanced back, confirming my suspicion.
He never paid us any mind before…
Previously, he wouldn’t have bothered listening to our family’s conversations. No, we’d have been too intimidated to speak at all. But ever since I defeated Do Seung-woo, it seemed our family’s standing had shifted, drawing the grandfather’s attention.
Not bad. In fact, it’s good.
The more influence I gained in the clan, the more emboldened my family became. This added another reason for me to excel in the evaluation match.
“How long has it been?”
“The artificial gate is functioning smoothly.”
…
In the Shinjeom Taoist Sect’s main residence, basement level 3, we entered a room housing the artificial gate. It glowed yellow, indicating activation. A hunter guarding the gate approached to explain:
“The assault began at the start of the banquet. If all goes well, they should’ve completed the stage setup and be waiting inside by now.”
“Good work.”
The grandfather, having received the report, touched the yellow dimension.
“Let’s all head in.”
With those words, he stepped through the gate. The others soon followed, vanishing into the portal. My vision flooded with yellow…
[Gate entry successful.]
[Yellow: Sovereign’s Great Forest IV]
Whoosh!
When my sight cleared, we were battered by a fierce wind from across the expanse.
This wind is no joke.
It was hard to keep my eyes open. I hastily dismissed the message notification, raised my arms to shield myself, and waited for the gust to subside. Only then could I take in our surroundings. Lowering my arms, I realized we stood atop a cliff. Below stretched a dense forest, its verdant canopy interspersed with sheer drops. The cliff was dizzyingly high.
Amidst this…
[Conveying sequential assault conditions.]
[Descend the cliff.]
The first challenge appeared before my eyes.
“Descend this cliff…”
“How are we supposed to get down from here?”
…
Others had evidently received the same message. The participants’ faces paled as they stared down the precipice. It was enough to unsettle even me for a moment.
“Let the evaluation match begin,” the grandfather announced calmly, unfazed.
“As you’ve seen via message, this gate’s assault begins by descending the cliff you’re standing on.”
…
“After descending, the gate will reveal the next condition. You must navigate the forest before you and reach the lake at its center, following the gate’s instructions.”
The grandfather pointed. Heads turned instinctively.
“That lake.”
A vivid blue lake stood out amidst the lush greenery, its surface shimmering under sunlight—a breathtaking view that would’ve warranted admiration had we not been there to fight.
“A sovereign resides in that lake. A Rank 3 monster that doesn’t reveal itself outside the water and must be engaged there if you wish to defeat it.”
…
“Of course, I’m not asking you to fight it in the water.” The grandfather smirked. Participants, myself included, breathed sighs of relief.
As if they’d expect high school academy students to fight underwater.
He continued, “Considering your abilities… the hunters who arrived earlier have captured the sovereign and cast a sealing spell on the surface to prevent it from diving into the water.”
…
“Additionally, its power has been weakened, and debuffs applied. All you need to do is finish off the already weakened sovereign dragged onto the surface. This should be manageable for you.”
No one responded. Fighting on the surface was still no easy feat—merely less daunting than diving in. Moreover…
It’s not just the sovereign we’re dealing with.
I quickly estimated the distance from the cliff to the lake. Reaching it would likely drain our stamina, especially considering the monsters lurking in the forest.
“Don’t worry. The hunters have already cleared most of the dangerous monsters that could harm you.”
…
“Occasionally, they might’ve missed some… but we’ll intervene immediately if anything happens.”
The grandfather gestured again. Hunters had prepared a viewing area for the clan, with the grandfather taking a seat at the center. He looked up at a massive floating screen displaying dozens of split views of the forest.
“This artifact allows real-time surveillance of the forest. It’ll monitor you closely. You there.”
“Yes, Head of the household.”
“Hand those to the children.”
A hunter fetched a box near the viewing area. Others extracted items—camera-equipped chokers—from it and distributed them to participants.
The “Screen Choker,” a familiar artifact from the Academy City’s academies, used by students during artificial gate lessons. A video transmitter.
“During the evaluation, you must wear this at all times. It’ll let us monitor your actions and, more importantly, track your locations. This is the ‘Gate Watch,’ which also monitors mana and pulse.”
Next, we received wristwatches made of sweat-resistant material, another item from the game.
“If any issues arise, we’ll pinpoint your location via the artifact and dispatch nearby hunters. Safety is assured, so focus on the gate assault. And take care not to damage the artifacts.”
No reminder was needed; everyone handled the artifacts as if they were precious.
Afterward, we learned to use the artifacts from nearby hunters.
“The evaluation lasts 3 hours. Set your timers accordingly.”
“After defeating the sovereign, the gate key will be awarded to whoever contributes most to the assault. Remember not to take the key outside; hand it to a nearby hunter before exiting.”
Keys generated near the sovereign. To relocate the gate’s spawn point, the key needed to be moved to the desired location. The grandfather emphasized this for our return later.
If we took the key out, the gate would fixate on that spot, forcing spectators to trek to the lake. That’d anger the grandfather, and everyone else would be annoyed too…
We must remember not to inconvenience the clan. Hunters waiting near the lake would prevent any mishaps.
Incidentally, a fixed gate’s duration after key removal was 24 hours. If that elapsed, the gate vanished entirely, with unknown consequences thereafter.
“Participants, take your positions at the cliff’s edge.”
With all instructions complete, the evaluation hour arrived. I greeted my family one last time.
“See you later. Don’t worry and watch closely.”
“Right, rely on your skills and don’t let your guard down. Not that you would…”
“Of course not. Would I?”
My father gave a wry smile. Having witnessed my abilities earlier, he seemed unconcerned. My mother, however, was different.
“Don’t overexert yourself. Be careful not to get hurt. Understand?”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
Overwhelmed by the gate’s world, my mother repeated her warnings. I nodded, understanding her concern.
And Yeeun…
“Awesome… I wish I were eight already so I could join the evaluation with hyung.”
“…Hyung will be back soon.”
“Yeah! Go for it, hyung!”
While direct and collateral family members around her age had dropped out fearing the challenge, Yeeun excitedly watched monsters on the screen, fearless as ever.
I playfully stuck my tongue out at her before stepping to the cliff’s edge.
“Has everyone set their timers?”
“Yes!”
“Then press them the moment the start signal drops.”
Including me, 17 participants stood spaced apart, staring down the cliff.
Soon.
Pssh!
A hunter fired a powder gun toward the lake. Red smoke streaked the sky—the start signal.
We immediately activated our timed Gate Watches.
03:00:00
The countdown began. Confirming the artifact’s function, I gripped the rope dangling down the cliff.
“I, how do I get down…”
Others were also grasping ropes, some hesitating—unable to move as planned.
Can’t afford to be afraid.
To avoid their fate, I focused on not looking down and pressed my feet against the steep cliff. Thankfully, after the initial difficulty, descending became manageable.
Once my senses adjusted, I relied on the safety harness and released the rope. My body plummeted downward.
“Ph, phew, I give up!”
A voice echoed from above—the first dropout.
As the sound faded, I channeled my mana.
It’s okay.
My evasion instinct activated. Entrusting myself to the Gift, I seized the rope at the right moment, swung in midair, and pressed against the cliff.
Once my feet touched the rock, I leaped downward again.
Whoosh!
The wind howled menacingly, threatening to overwhelm my senses. But my evasion instinct anchored my focus, signaling when to act.
I repeated my earlier maneuver, shaving time off the descent.
Before long, nearing the ground…
Thud!
Using protruding rocks as steps, I prevented a fall. Activating my leg mana circuits, I jumped from the remaining height. The impact from the drop dissipated through my planted feet.
And so…
“Not as bad as I thought.”
I landed safely.
[Conveying next assault condition.]
[Break through the forest and move to the sovereign’s lake.]
The message appeared then. Having read it, I plunged into the forest before me.
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