Chapter 14: Gate Raid (2)
Yehwa Girls' High School.
“Huh?”
The classroom was unusually quiet—everyone was deep in study mode with the college entrance exam just around the corner.
One girl, casually playing with her phone during a break, turned to her friend beside her.
“Yoona. Hey, Yoona.”
“Mm?”
Regardless of what major she might choose, she had to at least get into college.
Thanks to Kim Suho’s gentle-yet-firm coaxing, Yoo Yoona had put away her civil service prep books and was now studying from regular textbooks and guides. She looked over.
“Aren’t these the summons from your phone?”
The girl showed Yoona her phone screen.
It was Stargram.
A social networking service where people shared photos, videos, and updates with the world. Right now, it was filled with a new photo.
A cat standing regally on a park bench… and a humanoid plant creature.
“…Huh?”
One was a cat with a slightly lifted chin, looking down with an air of pride.
Another was a plant-being with both arms raised.
Yet another stood in a dramatic pose, swinging a sword into thin air.
“What are they doing here?”
“Someone posted that these are the summons of a Hunter taking a break before heading into a gate.”
“….”
Yoona stared intently at the photo. It was all summons—clearly uploaded either on behalf of or at the request of Hunter Kim Suho. She'd checked Stargram out of concern, but now, shaking her head, another thought struck her.
“Yeah. What really matters is…”
The enhanced crops.
It wasn’t the cute summons that Kim Suho was trying to hide—it was the crops with buffs attached.
Only summoners can see their summons' abilities. So unless Suho explicitly told someone, no one could figure out what Charming's power really was.
“Is it even okay to post something like this?”
“Sure.”
“Then why don’t you post them?”
“Too much hassle. A hundred percent.”
It wasn’t just Yoona who reacted this way. Even the kids at Sky’s Home wouldn’t post photos with the summons—even if Suho gave permission.
There had once been a gate near Sky’s Home. And it was already taking in far more children than most other orphanages. When the gate appeared, politicians and influencers had all come knocking.
Now imagine what would happen if it got out that a summoner with adorable summons not only came from an orphanage but still lived there.
It would be chaos. Utter chaos.
That’s why none of them—including Yoona—ever posted pictures.
To be precise, they had no intention of revealing who the summoner even was.
Kim Suho stepped through the main gate and into the garden.
No monsters came to greet him.
So he moved directly through the garden and into the fortress.
“...A Living Knight.”
He hadn’t seen it with his eyes yet. But the moment he stepped inside, he could feel its mana.
One on the first floor.
One in the basement.
Living Knights were extremely dangerous monsters—but the experience they granted made them well worth the risk.
Suho drew his weapon and began tracking the mana trail of the Living Knight.
He passed through the lobby, down a corridor. Three paths branched off, but he wasn’t relying on his eyes. He sensed the creature’s mana and let it guide his steps.
He chose the central path.
Another hallway opened up.
Click.
The moment he stepped forward, Suho dove backward.
Swish swish swish!
“…Whoa, damn.”
Living Knights could read the memory of weapons and mimic the skills of their former wielders. Suho had assumed this was just a regular castle once inhabited by people, so he’d let his guard down.
“Who puts traps in their house?”
Iron spears had shot out from the walls.
They were rusted from neglect.
Rolling across the floor, Suho dodged and got back to his feet. Spreading his mana, he scanned the hallway.
No windows. The limited light had made it impossible to see the traps.
He spotted holes in the walls, the floor, and even the ceiling. Big enough that something nasty could pop out at any moment.
“Hmmm… Alright.”
After some thought, he spoke.
“Sarang.”
— Nyaaang.
“Draw it out.”
Sarang fired a flame arrow. As it flew down the corridor, the darkness seemed to swallow it, shrinking it little by little until it disappeared from view.
“How long is this hallway…”
He mumbled, but he could still track the flame—it was his mana, after all.
The arrow was still burning. It was getting closer to the Living Knight.
Then it suddenly arched upward, as if dodging an obstacle, and went even closer.
BOOM!
Faint—but just audible. A small explosion.
The Living Knight had been hit.
CRASH!
Something broke.
Clang!
The telltale screech of metal.
CLANG!
Metal clashing against metal.
CLANG!
Again.
Suho waited, eyes on the darkness ahead. About five minutes passed—and then, finally, a battered Living Knight emerged from the shadows.
Its helmet was gone. Its upper armor looked like it had been smashed with a massive hammer. The lower half was almost completely destroyed.
The shield had been snapped in two by something sharp. Its sword? Only the hilt remained—no blade.
“This one’s gonna be easy.”
There were three monsters left in the fortress.
One gate boss.
Two Living Knights.
Using the traps meant for invaders, Suho had easily taken out one of them. Now, he headed for the basement.
“No more traps, right?”
In a gate, even a moment’s lapse could mean death. Once Sarang and Soma nodded, Suho took a deep breath and descended.
He wouldn’t be able to rely on traps anymore. Still, with Sarang and Soma, he could take them down.
Suho looked around the basement.
Dozens of barred rooms. A prison, clearly.
He followed the trail of mana again—deeper into the cells—and stopped once he found his target.
“Unless things get really dangerous, just watch.”
— Nyaaang.
— Mah.
He could have taken it down easily with his summons.
But this time, Suho wanted to face the final Living Knight alone.
Relying only on skills makes you vulnerable when you can’t use them. That’s why Suho had trained in swordsmanship and mana control with Soma.
The Living Knight turned its head to face Suho.
Suho, standing alone, stared back.
Wuuuung…
Both infused mana into their swords.
This Living Knight held the memories of a prison guard.
Its weapon was a short spear, able to pass through the cell bars.
Its armor wasn’t made of metal—but crafted from monster leather, perfect for chasing escaped prisoners.
Thud!
Suho charged in to close the distance.
The knight thrust its spear forward to keep him at bay.
One trying to close the gap. One trying to maintain it.
Whoosh!
Suho dipped his head and twisted to the side, dodging the spear.
The knight swept the spear sideways, but Suho was already faster, countering before the follow-up attack could come.
Smack.
He reached out, grabbed the shaft with his left hand, and stabbed with his sword.
To damage a Living Knight, you had to aim for the unarmored parts. He went for the head—covered only by a leather helm.
But the knight dodged just as swiftly—tilting its head without moving its legs, keeping its eyes locked forward.
Just like Suho had.
He could press the attack, but he hadn’t fully gauged his opponent yet. Suho flipped away, retreating to a safe distance.
The knight did the same—also choosing to retreat rather than counterattack.
— Mah.
— Nyaaang.
Soma said this knight’s sword skills were sharper than any they’d faced before.
It had the same physical strength and mana as the others. But its technique? A league above.
Sarang relayed the message. Suho nodded and reset his stance.
A one-on-one showdown.
The spear gave the knight range. So Suho pushed forward, dodging the dangerously close thrusts. He struck the spear shaft with his blade, throwing off its path, and closed the distance.
Swish!
As he moved, he reached to his waist and drew a small dagger—worth 499,000 won—and flipped it into a reverse grip.
CLANG!
He swung it upward, smashing into the shaft from below.
The spear flew out of the knight’s hands—its arms flung upward.
Suho used the momentum, launching forward with all his strength.
The knight’s leather armor had been torn up during the fight, revealing gaps underneath.
Suho plunged his sword through a weak point.
The battle had lasted thirty minutes. By now, he knew where the monster’s core was.
Crunch!
Something shattered.
Suho let go of his sword and leapt backward—preparing for a final desperate attack.
He made the right call.
A spear stabbed toward him, but he just barely twisted his neck and avoided it.
“…Phew.”
Lying on the ground, he rolled his eyes upward to check the knight.
The spear hit the floor first.
Then its leather armor and helmet tumbled down after.
“That was way too exhausting…”
Mana control?
He had the edge over the knight.
Weapon?
His sword didn’t channel mana as well—but it was more durable. He never had to worry about it breaking.
— Mah!
Soma stomped over and swung his sword into the air.
Even without Sarang translating, Suho understood.
“Yeah. I need more training.”
The only area he lost in was technique.
That’s why the fight dragged on for 30 minutes.
Suho stood up, summons riding on his head and shoulders. Then he exited the basement—and headed for the fortress's second floor.
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