Chapter 1: Struck by Fate
The bar was a hunter's haven, filled with the stench of cheap alcohol and the sound of boisterous laughter. Kim Jaeho sat in the darkest corner, nursing his third bottle of soju. His tired eyes wandered to a group of hunters at the center table.
"I took out three goblins with a single fireball!" a loud man boasted, slamming his hand on the table. His companions roared with laughter and cheers, raising their glasses in celebration.
Jaeho stared at his glass, swirling the liquid absentmindedly. He wasn't a hunter. He wasn't even close to becoming one.
It wasn't for lack of trying. For years, he had dreamed of awakening, of feeling the surge of power that hunters claimed was like touching the heavens. He had even founded a guild, thinking that being around hunters might trigger his awakening.
Instead, he was here: a powerless 21-year-old guild master running a guild of one.
Well, two, technically.
His gaze fell on the crumpled flyer in his pocket. It was a recruitment poster for the Rising Sun Guild, something he had spent the last of his savings printing. Bold red letters promised, "Join Now! Build the Future Together!" Beneath it was a grainy photo of their "headquarters," a dingy old convenience store they had converted into a base.
Six months ago, someone had actually responded to the flyer: Han Sooyun, a 16-year-old mage with a temper as fiery as her magic. She had joined with high hopes, believing his promises of a bright future. He had fed her dreams of glory and success, telling her the Rising Sun Guild would become the best in Korea.
It was all a lie.
He took another swig, the bitter liquid burning his throat. Sooyun was talented, no doubt about it. She could have joined any guild, but she chose his. And now, she was stuck in a rundown guild with no resources, no reputation, and no future.
The walk home was a quiet one. The streets of Seoul were empty at this hour, save for a few stray cars and the occasional pedestrian. Jaeho trudged along, his thoughts heavy.
"Stupid heavens," he muttered, kicking a stray can. "Thirty years of gates, and I couldn't awaken? Not even a lousy E-rank?"
He stopped in the middle of the street and raised his arms to the sky. "Hey! If anyone up there is listening, how about throwing me a bone?"
Thunder rumbled in the distance, a low, ominous growl. Jaeho frowned. The forecast hadn't called for rain.
A sudden flash of light lit up the street, blinding him. He stumbled back, shielding his eyes as a bolt of lightning struck the pavement a few feet ahead. When the light faded, a glowing blue screen floated in the air.
> System Activation Complete.
Congratulations, Kim Jaeho. You have been selected as a Gate Manager.
"What the hell?" Jaeho blinked, stepping back. The words on the screen shimmered like water, their meaning sinking into his brain one syllable at a time.
> Manage your gate, grow its influence, and attract challengers to thrive. If no humans visit your gate within three days, you will be terminated.
The word "terminated" made his stomach drop. "What kind of sick joke is this?"
As if to answer him, the screen flickered.
> Gate Management Protocol Activated. Please Select Your Gate Type:
1. Quest Gate
2. Dungeon Gate
3. Maze Gate
4. Labyrinth Gate
5. Colosseum Gate
6. Arena Gate
A timer appeared, counting down from five minutes.
"This can't be real." Jaeho pinched himself, hard. The sharp pain didn't wake him up.
"Fine," he muttered, glaring at the screen. "If this is some cosmic prank, I'll play along. Let's see... Colosseum Gate."
The screen flashed, and new text appeared.
> Confirm Location for Gate Deployment.
"Location?" His mind raced. If this was real—and he was starting to think it was—he couldn't risk placing the gate in a public area. It had to be somewhere safe.
"Basement of the Rising Sun Guild," he said, his voice shaking.
The screen vanished, and a searing pain shot through his head. Jaeho dropped to his knees, clutching his skull as a flood of information poured into his mind. When the pain subsided, he gasped for air, his hands trembling.
Somehow, he knew. The gate was real. It was in the basement of his guild. And if he didn't bring someone there within three days, he would die.
When Jaeho stumbled into the guild, Sooyun was waiting for him. She stood by the dusty counter, her arms crossed and her expression unimpressed.
"You're drunk," she said flatly.
"I'm fine," Jaeho slurred, waving her off.
She rolled her eyes. "You reek of soju. Do you have any idea what time it is? And why are you tracking mud all over the floor?"
He ignored her and made his way to the storage room. Sooyun followed, her frustration growing.
"Are you even listening to me? You can't keep doing this, Jaeho. If you don't take this guild seriously, how are we supposed to—"
She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening.
"What... is that?"
Jaeho turned to see what she was staring at. In the center of the basement, glowing faintly, was a swirling vortex of blue light.
It was the gate.
End of Chapter 1