It's been a week since a gate appeared in the Hunan plains, responsible for South Korea's rice production.
The scarlet gate, with an average difficulty of Class A, was supposed to be a breeze to clear when the Firebird Guild won the bid.
If only the Firebird Guild had played their cards right.
"What the hell is going on?"
Chief Kim Jin-soo and Deputy Han Ha-ri flew straight to the Hunan Plains by helicopter, where they were met by the Firebird Guild's Guild Leader, Lee Yong-wan.
"Ah, Chief Kim. Our rookie Han Ha-ri is also here?"
Despite the gravity of the situation, he was relaxed, and from the look on his face, the two had a hunch.
'This guy… on purpose!'
There was no doubt. The Firebird Guild had deliberately caused the dungeon break by making the gate attack sluggish!
'They've been asking for an exemption, and now they're doing this?'
There has been a lot of friction between the Association and the Firebird Guild recently.
Throughout this year, the Firebird Guild has consistently demanded exemptions for themselves as one of the top ten guilds in the country.
They demanded an exemption of up to 1 trillion won for income generated from gate byproducts, spirit stone income, and monster materials.
The reasoning behind the request was to improve the quality of training and increased cost of healing for guild members.
The government, which already provides various benefits to large domestic guilds, was reluctant and rejected Guild Leader Lee Yong-wan's request.
I thought they'd do something, but how could they do something like this in the midst of the uproar over the Black Gate, which hadn't appeared in 13 years?
'Damn bastards, what kind of land is the Hunan Plain, and how can you do this when the cleanup of the Naju Plain hasn't even been completed!'
After the Gate incident, the world's food trade routes froze to a standstill.
The Great Plains, where the initial response to the Gate crisis was slow, were contaminated by miasma, and South Korea was no exception.
Korea's so-called Naju granary was contaminated, and the reagents to clean it up were astronomical!
If this year's farming in the Hunan Plains is ruined, the country's self-sufficiency in food will be cut in half.
Han Ha-ri called out in a panic.
"Hunter Yong-wan, we need to close the gate right now! It's been a week since the break! Any more than that and-"
"I know, I know, the rights to the gate go to the winner. But what can we do?"
Guild Leader Yong-wan mocked the two with a despicable smile.
"Since our guild members are injured, it's unlikely that we can close it in this state, so it looks like the Firebird Guild will have to give up the rights to the Hunan Gate."
"...!"
Kim Jin-soo and Han Ha-ri's faces boiled with anger. They both wanted to shake their fists at the bastard in front of them, but he was an S-class Hunter.
Even his subordinate, Han Ha-ri, an A-rank Hunter, couldn't handle him, let alone Kim Jin-soo, a mere B-rank Hunter.
'Bastards! With so many A- ranks, you can't close the gate?'
"What do you want to do?"
"...What are you trying to say?"
"How did the Association deal with the monsters that came out in the first round, and you know that the gate hasn't completely opened yet?"
The black gate hadn't injured any of the people who had been sent in, so the Association had some time to spare for the moment.
It would be from Day 7 to Day 10 that the gates with monsters inside would cause dungeon breaks.
In other words, the scarlet gate of the Hunan Plains hadn't been fully opened yet.
"Should we take control of the gate right now──?"
"No, Mr. Kim, I don't understand why you're doing this. You know that according to the Hunter Law, the guild that wins the bid for the gate keeps it until the eighth day."
No matter how much the Association wanted to, they couldn't forcibly take away a gate that had already been bid on. The Firebird Guild Leader was taking advantage of that.
"We'll try until tomorrow, but we have a lot of injured members, so I don't know if we'll be able to capture it."
"Bastard...."
Han Ha-ri cursed uncontrollably but at her remark, Yong-wan smirked and relaxed.
"It's nice to have an amicable agreement like that, isn't it? The heroes who risk their lives to defend this country of blue, white, and red can't ask for even the smallest benefit?"
"Already… you've already received so many grants and tax breaks...."
The benefits the government gives to the big guilds are not small but the problem is that they're insatiable pigs.
"Why don't we go to Japan, they promise to treat us much better than our shitty country?"
"...!"
Yes, this was the problem.
In the global battle of the survivors and awakeners the wealthier nations tried to recruit high-ranking Hunters for their own safety, risking diplomatic friction and scheming.
To preserve what little power it had, the Korean government tied up the big guilds with lavish benefits…but even that could only go so far.
"Don't you…have the least bit of patriotism?"
Even if survival of the fittest is the virtue of this world, shouldn't there be at least… a minimum of conscience and justice?
"Patriotism? Justice? Such things have long since gone out of fashion. Don't be childish, my dear Miss Ha-ri, didn't I tell you at last year's draft that in this world, money and power equal justice?"
Ha-ri shuddered and swallowed her anger. This was why she'd joined the Hunter's Association.
The behavior of the current generation of Korean Hunters, who only cared about money and risk, with little regard for the people they harmed, their lack of humanity, justice and the mockery of anyone who tries to do the right thing was an abhorrent behavior for a young girl who admired heroes and wanted to protect people.
But should she admit it? That the world is all about money and power? If she acknowledged this miserable reality, where would she find justice?
"What shallow and stupid people you are."
All eyes turned to the voice from beyond.
"Your Majesty Leon?"
"Do not call the king by his name, woman. Only honorifics are permitted to you."
The man who had followed the two hurried travelers to see the world, stood between them, as if he had been listening to the entire conversation.
"What are you, a European, I suppose–"
"How dare you talk to this king?"
"Eh?"
Lee Yong-wan was one of only twenty S-level hunters and the guild leader of the Firebird Guild, one of the ten largest guilds in Korea.
In this day and age, where strength as a Hunter translated into power and wealth, no one dared to make fun of him. But....
'What is it, you bastard?'
"I want you to die──"
"Stop, Hunter Yong-wan, he's a survivor!"
"Survivor?"
At that word, Yong-wan's energy subsided. Yes, survivors. They are strangers from a different culture than Earth.
Their cultural differences aside, a survivor has great value in and of itself. Not all of them, of course.
Yong-wan didn't make the foolish mistake of antagonizing a survivor right away.
"Excuse me, I'm Yong-wan of the Firebird Guild…I don't suppose you're the one who came from the Black Gate…"
"The king does not speak twice."
Immediately shutting him up, Leon turned to Han Ha-ri and Jin-soo.
"Tell him the problem."
"What?"
"Don't make me tell you twice. He doesn't know the first thing about gates. Lay out the problem neatly for him."
The two men's tempers flared and the survivor was willing to take matters into his own hands.
"It's a dungeon break! When a dungeon break occurs, the land will be contaminated by the mass release of miasma! If that happens, there's a possibility that the entire Hunan Plain will be contaminated! Even now, the miasma that has already spread is contaminating the land!"
"What's the solution?"
"We must use decontamination agents to cleanse the pollution, and clear the dungeon as soon as possible to eliminate the dungeon itself!"
"I understand. It's the polluted land and the expanding gate. Gather your forces. The moment the deadline for the capture of those birds ends tomorrow, I will take matters into my own hands."
"Are you sure?"
Leon was an S-class Hunter at the very least, and when a powerhouse like that offered to help, what fool would refuse?
"However, first...."
"First?"
The two of them could give him anything he wanted. Should they start by getting him a weapon? No, he already has his own sword.
He doesn't seem to have any armor, so should they go to an auction or something?
But Leon's request was something completely different.
"A king of another country can't just waltz into someone else's territory. I'll have to get permission from this country's king himself."
"Yes? No, that's fine...."
"There is due process in all things. Let's send a message to your king."
""....""
Even the top ten guilds in the country don't ask the president to show his face.
Yong-wan thought for a moment.
'This bastard, isn't he worse than me?'
* * * *
"...This is the president."
Fortunately, the president, who was traveling abroad, didn't fly to the Hunan plains.
Leon was relieved to hear that he had gone to ask for assistance with the Black Gate, and settled for a brief phone call to wish him well on his return.
"Your Majesty, all 50 members of the Hunter Association's official raiding party are ready!"
Han Ha-ri, Chief Kim Jin-soo, the fifty official raiders for the gate, stood before him, armed to the teeth.
"Good. Did you say that the legal deadline for those birds ends tomorrow?"
"Oh, yeah...."
Ha-ri stared at Leon in surprise. His behavior was so unexpected that she had expected the man to just barge through the gate, disregarding legalities.
"Do you look upon this king as a savage?"
"What? That's not possible!"
"There is a law in civilization called due process. How can I be an honorable knight if I don't obey the laws of the land?"
"Ohhh...."
The Association staff exclaimed in admiration as Leon swept them off their feet, displaying his natural command.
"What more can I ask of you than that, have you prepared?"
At that, Ha-ri and the others couldn't shake their suspicious glances.
"I…Your Majesty."
"Speak."
"You said to prepare, and I have, but…what do you intend to use these for?"
Leon ordered them to make 100 rice straw dolls.
"Our precious land has been polluted, and we must cleanse it."
"What?"
In all, more than 100 straw dolls were made by the Association's staff, who hurriedly traveled around the city asking "women who had given birth" to make them.
"Are those the wives who made the dolls?"
"Yes, sir."
At dawn, more than 100 women who had been urgently requested by the Association's staff and the city office were lined up.
The women ranged in age from young to middle-aged to octogenarians.
"Show me the dolls you have made."
Some of the women struggled with the command, but the reward offered by the association encouraged them to be generous.
Leon began to inspect the straw puppets the women had made.
"Hmm… this is ridiculous."
"...?"
"To think of calling these metaphysical monoliths dolls."
"Hmph…!"
The first straw doll was tossed aside.
"Ho-ho, this one?"
"'Mmm…do you like it, Your Majesty?"
"It's like a living doll."
"It's not that well made──"
"I'd rather choose self-destruction soon than live in such an ugly form."
"...."
The second, third, and twentieth dolls were thrown out. It was Han Ha-ri's turn.
"Hmm? Did you participate too?"
"Oh, yes! I'm good with my hands, so I'm good at making dolls!"
Ha-ri's puppet was certainly convincing. Despite being made of straw, it was nicely shaped and decorated.
"I'm surprised you've ever given birth."
"What? Oh, I'm not… married, I'm afraid. I thought it was all right for women…"
"No, you silly thing."
"Uh-uh!"
The straw doll was brutally torn apart, and the wind whipped it away.
After such a harsh criterion, Leon's eyes were drawn to an old woman.
"Excellent! How many children have you given birth to, madam?"
"Twelve."
"Hmm, so young, so patriotic, and so full of life. Do you have any plans for future children?"
"I'm a widow."
"Hehe, if you're as full of life as you are, I'm sure you'll be able to remarry. You're still young, so give it a good ten years."
"I'll search first."
"Normally, I would send a knight to personally deliver a plaque and gift to a woman who has borne more than ten children, but forgive me if this is not possible."
Leon kissed the back of the old woman's hand and placed the straw doll on the altar.
"The conditions are met."
Leon reached into his subspace and pulled out something. As the subspace opened a goblet appeared in his palm.
It was an old goblet, faded and cracked in places, but no one could take their eyes off it. It was as if some divine energy flowed through it.
"You are the mother of the bountiful land. May the children of the earth dwell in the dolls of the harvest offered to you."
The goblet was filled with water and when the self-filled goblet was placed before the altar, a strange thing happened.
The water in the goblet boiled over and gushed out as if it were regurgitated and entered the straw doll!
"What the hell is going on?"
The staff of the Association, the ladies who made the straw dolls, and the guild members of the Firebird Guild couldn't take their eyes off what was happening in front of them.
The sun was rising and the red glow colored the clouds as the day was about to begin again. But on this day, May 24, 2032 the sunset will mark a special beginning for the entire world.
"Lionheart, my child."
The straw doll rises as the divine doll speaks with a benevolent voice.
"Greetings to Mother Earth Demera, goddess of life and fertility."
Divinity has descended upon the earth.