The request board was crowded.
Hunters moved back and forth, scanning the listings, some discussing quietly while others tore papers down the moment they found something worth taking. Low-rank gates, escort missions, material gathering—most of it was routine work, nothing that stood out.
Suho stood at the edge of the board, reading without stepping in.
It had been a few hours since his registration. No one paid attention to him, and that was exactly how he wanted it. An A-Rank skill user classified as a warrior wasn't rare enough to draw immediate attention, but it was enough to avoid being ignored completely.
Balanced.
Safe.
His eyes moved across the listings until one caught his attention.
[E-Rank Gate — Slime Marsh]
Recommended Level: Beginner to Low-Rank Hunters
Party Size: 3–6 Members
Suho looked at it for a moment.
"…That works."
It was simple, low risk, and more importantly—predictable. A place where he could test his current state without unnecessary variables.
He reached forward and pulled the request slip down.
"Joining Slime Marsh?"
The voice came from his side. Suho turned slightly to see a young man holding a spear, his expression relaxed but observant.
"Yeah," Suho replied.
"We've got a group going in five minutes," the man said. "Need one more to fill the party. You in?"
Suho nodded once. "Sure."
---
The group gathered near the gate entrance.
Five people in total, including Suho. The one who approached him earlier seemed to be the leader—confident, but not arrogant. The others looked like standard low-rank hunters, each carrying basic gear.
"Alright," the leader said, glancing around. "Quick introductions. Name's Jae-Min. I'll take point."
The others followed one by one.
When it was Suho's turn, he spoke simply. "Suho. Close combat."
No one asked further.
To them, he was just another beginner.
---
The gate shimmered faintly in front of them, a distorted space that pulsed with unstable energy. Even after ten years, it still gave off the same feeling—unnatural, heavy, something that didn't belong.
"Stay sharp," Jae-Min said. "It's E-Rank, but don't get careless."
They stepped through.
---
The moment Suho crossed the threshold, the environment changed.
Wet ground.
Thick air.
The familiar scent of decay.
Slime Marsh.
It looked almost identical to what he remembered from the game. The terrain, the atmosphere—even the placement of certain landmarks felt the same.
"…Nothing's changed," he muttered quietly.
"Did you say something?" one of the members asked.
"No."
Jae-Min raised a hand. "Contact ahead."
The group stopped.
From the shallow pools of water, movement began.
Slimes.
Small, gelatinous creatures slowly emerging, their bodies shifting as they moved toward the group.
"Standard formation," Jae-Min said. "Keep it clean."
The others moved into position.
Suho stayed slightly behind.
Watching.
---
The fight began.
Simple.
Predictable.
The frontliners engaged first, striking the slimes with controlled movements. The creatures responded slowly, their attacks easy to read.
For most beginners, this would be manageable.
But for Suho—
It was slow.
Too slow.
His eyes tracked every movement, every reaction. The delay between action and response, the weakness in structure, the inefficiency in attacks.
"…There's too much waste," he thought.
One of the hunters swung his blade again, missing slightly as the slime shifted.
Suho's gaze sharpened.
Without thinking, he moved.
A single step forward.
A slight adjustment in timing.
Then—
A clean strike.
The slime split instantly, dissolving without resistance.
The others paused briefly.
"…Nice hit," someone said.
Suho stepped back.
"Lucky."
They didn't question it.
---
More slimes appeared.
The group continued forward, clearing them steadily. Nothing unusual, nothing dangerous.
But Suho was watching something else.
Not the monsters.
The system.
Every movement, every interaction—it all followed a pattern. A structure. Something that governed how everything functioned.
And now—
He could see it.
Faintly.
Lines.
Connections.
Small inconsistencies.
---
"…Modifier."
The word formed quietly in his mind.
He didn't activate it fully.
Just a slight push.
A minimal adjustment.
---
The next slime lunged toward him.
Suho moved his hand slightly.
Not a full attack.
Just—
A correction.
---
The slime froze for a split second.
Its movement delayed.
Unnatural.
---
Suho's strike followed immediately.
Clean.
Effortless.
---
No one noticed.
---
"…So that's how it works."
He didn't smile.
But his eyes shifted slightly.
Understanding.
---
The group moved deeper into the marsh.
"Boss area should be up ahead," Jae-Min said. "Stay ready."
The atmosphere thickened slightly.
The ground became softer, more unstable.
Then—
A larger presence formed.
---
The water trembled.
And from it—
Something rose.
---
The Gel King Slime.
---
Bigger.
Denser.
More aggressive.
"Positions!" Jae-Min shouted.
The group reacted quickly, surrounding the boss while maintaining distance.
The fight began immediately.
---
Unlike the smaller slimes, the boss moved faster. Its attacks were heavier, forcing the group to stay alert.
"Watch the slam!" someone yelled.
The Gel King brought its body down, sending a shockwave through the ground.
The team scattered.
One of them stumbled.
Too slow.
---
Suho moved.
---
Again—
Not fully.
Not visibly.
---
Just a small adjustment.
---
The timing of the boss's movement—
Shifted.
---
Barely noticeable.
But enough.
---
The attack missed.
---
The hunter regained balance and retreated quickly. "That was close…"
No one questioned it.
---
The fight continued.
Steady.
Controlled.
---
Until—
Suho stepped in.
---
One strike.
Perfectly timed.
Perfectly placed.
---
The core shattered.
---
The Gel King collapsed instantly.
---
Silence followed.
---
"…That ended fast," Jae-Min said, slightly surprised.
"Yeah… lucky break," another added.
Suho stepped back.
No reaction.
No expression.
---
Inside—
Everything was clear.
---
This power…
Wasn't just strong.
---
It rewrote outcomes.
---
Suho looked at his hand briefly before lowering it.
"…Too early."
If he used it openly—
It wouldn't stay hidden.
---
The gate began to destabilize.
"Alright, wrap it up," Jae-Min said. "Good run."
The group gathered their rewards and moved toward the exit.
---
As Suho stepped out of the gate, the city came back into view.
Normal.
Calm.
Unaware.
---
He walked away without saying much, leaving the group behind.
No one stopped him.
No one remembered anything unusual.
---
But Suho knew.
---
This wasn't just a skill.
---
It was control.
---
And for now—
He would use it carefully.