Dimensional Barriers in Ranking Missions are crucial.
If a barrier collapses, monsters spill out into the real world, inevitably causing damage to the country.
Because of this, Rankers head to a Ranking Mission to reinforce the barrier whenever they receive a Dimensional Barrier Fragment as a special reward.
Under normal circumstances, it is impossible to forget this duty.
Usually, clearing a mission once warrants a few days of rest, and Rankers naturally stop by the Ranking Mission site to use their fragments while settling their rewards.
The problem was that Lee Tae-sung was a rather unusual Hunter.
He performed at least three or four missions in a row, accumulated rewards he couldn’t use because he cleared them so quickly, and juggled workloads that overlapped between the real world and the Dream World.
Since he had so much to do and so little time, he had simply stored the fragments away and forgotten about them.
“Enter Ranking Mission.”
He set off immediately after hanging up the phone with Section Chief Song Sang-yeop.
[You have entered the Ranking Mission]
His vision shifted, and he arrived at the Ranking Mission site he had visited once before.
It was a place with a Gate, a Dimensional Barrier, and monsters swarming beyond it.
However, fine cracks were visible all over the Dimensional Barrier.
“Long-range Hunters! Use more skills! We can’t hold out if the numbers keep pushing in!”
“Damn it! That’s easier said than done… I feel like I’m going to die right now!”
“If we don’t push those things back now, a massive number of people will actually die!”
“Agh! I’m going to be bedridden for days after this!”
Hunters, presumably Rankers, were incessantly firing skills past the Dimensional Barrier.
The barrier blocked monsters, but conversely, it allowed the passage of Hunters and their skills.
The problem was that the number of monsters was so vast that a few skills barely made a dent.
It was becoming increasingly difficult for the small group to manage.
*Whoosh!*
It was at that moment that Lee Tae-sung joined them, unleashing his Flame Tide Wave Sword.
“Reinforcements are here!”
Jang Min-su of the Iron Tower Guild flinched as a sudden hot wind blew from behind him, but his expression soon brightened.
‘Who is it? It feels like an incredible Ranker has arrived.’
Not all Rankers were equal.
The system’s standard for a Ranker began when a person completed missions dozens of times and started obtaining Dimensional Barrier Fragments as special rewards.
To be a Ranker meant being a veteran of missions, and naturally, the difference in skill among such Rankers was vast.
A Ranker who served as the core of a major guild could exert more firepower alone than several lower-tier Rankers combined.
The heat radiating from behind him certainly felt like it belonged to a high-tier Ranker.
*Roar!*
*Boom!*
Waves of flame surged dozens of times, devouring the monsters.
Since fire was one of the elements with the greatest destructive power, its efficacy on the battlefield was magnificent.
The waves of fire even spread like a tsunami after the initial hit, dealing damage to the survivors nearby.
The range and destructive power were immense!
Turning his head, Jang Min-su gasped in surprise.
“G—Guild Leader Taesung!?”
“It’s been a while, Min-su.”
Lee Tae-sung recognized him and returned the greeting.
They had met recently while working together during the Gate Incident in China.
That made Jang Min-su even more shocked.
While Lee Tae-sung’s skills in China had certainly been impressive…
‘He wasn’t this strong back then, was he?’
Seeing him slay giant monsters with swordsmanship that emitted light and fire had been amazing, but he hadn’t been firing off waves of flame like this.
If such a thing had been possible back then, Lee Tae-sung could have held back an entire Gate on his own.
“W—when did you become this strong?”
“It hasn’t been long.”
Tae-sung shrugged.
He was a completely different person compared to before he learned the Flame Tide Wave Sword.
Tae-sung continued to sweep away the monsters pounding on the barrier, pouring out his Mana without reserve.
He performed the work of several Rankers combined, as brilliant flames covered the ground.
A battlefield like this, filled with numerous minor monsters, was the perfect place for him.
As a result, the swarming monsters were visibly thinned out.
“Min-su. This person… who is he? Is he a secret weapon being hidden by a major guild?”
The other Hunters approached when a brief lull in the battle gave them a chance to catch their breath.
They had also been deeply impressed by the waves of flame.
“Ah, this must be the first time you’ve all seen him in person. This is Guild Leader Taesung.”
At Jang Min-su’s introduction, Lee Tae-sung felt a bit nervous.
‘I hope they don’t dislike me, even if they don’t see me in a positive light.’
Because the Korean media had hyped him up so much, people misunderstood him as a genius.
From the perspective of existing Rankers, it would be natural to feel jealous or scoff at him.
To them, wasn’t he just a junior?
Tae-sung understood their feelings and was willing to laugh off a certain amount of hazing.
“Oh! So you’re Guild Leader Taesung!”
“Wow. I never thought I’d meet such a famous person here. I was annoyed about coming to support the barrier, but now I’m glad I came.”
“We owe you a lot!”
“???”
Tae-sung was slightly flustered when the Rankers welcomed him with delighted eyes.
It was clear that they weren’t just being polite; they were genuinely happy to see him.
“We were able to hold out thanks to the elixirs you sold us this time.”
“Exactly. I hate to imagine what would have happened without them… Ugh, I don’t even want to think about it.”
The Lowest Grade Elixirs sold by the Taesung Guild were being supplied sequentially, starting with the large guilds.
In other words, these men were the beneficiaries of those elixirs.
As their Mana capacity increased, they became able to use their skills a few more times, and that effect proved its true value in Ranking Missions where they were squeezed to their limits.
The difference of being able to use a skill just a bit more was felt very clearly, and naturally, their respect for Lee Tae-sung soared.
And now, he was showing off such incredible skill!
“There was a reason you became a Ranker in the shortest time possible.”
“I hope we can get along and that I can learn a lot from you in the future.”
Kind words beget kind words.
Tae-sung also treated them with a smile.
“I’m glad my elixirs were helpful to you. Actually, we’ve started expanding the factory, so production should increase soon. Please spread the word.”
“Oh! Absolutely!”
“Everyone in our guild will cheer when they hear about the expansion!”
Word of mouth had already spread among the Rankers.
It was just that the supply was too low to reach ordinary guild members.
Once news of the expansion broke, there would be a truckload of people celebrating.
“Um… and this might be a bit premature, but there is also a new product scheduled for release.”
“!!!?”
“C—could it be…!?”
The Rankers’ eyes widened at Tae-sung’s casual remark.
Unfortunately, the Taesung Guild’s elixirs did not provide a double effect if taken twice.
It had been stated from the start, but there were always people who tried it anyway, and they were naturally very disappointed.
But now, a new elixir was coming out!
The Rankers’ eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“Anyway, now we just have to hold out here and wait for the Rankers who went into the mission to return with Dimensional Barrier Fragments,” one of the Hunters said.
The Korean Rankers were currently split into two groups.
One group consisted of those present, who directly blocked the monsters to reduce the burden on the barrier.
The other group participated in missions, struggling to somehow obtain fragments.
“Ah, I have a few of those.”
“What?”
Tae-sung pulled Dimensional Barrier Fragments from his pocket.
As four translucent shards sparkled, the nearby Rankers were dumbfounded.
“No… how do you have four of them…?”
A Dimensional Barrier Fragment wasn’t something you could get just by completing a mission.
It was a reward that only appeared for a Perfect clear.
Naturally, one had to put their heart and soul into achieving that.
No matter how skilled a Ranker was, it was impossible to get a Perfect on every mission.
Instead, they tended to get a Perfect once in a while on a mission that suited them.
Naturally, these were not items one could just pull out of a pocket in a handful.
While shocked gazes poured over him, Tae-sung simply shrugged.
***
Lee Tae-sung moved on, leaving the bewildered Rankers behind.
He felt that staying next to them would only make things more awkward.
Fortunately, once the four Dimensional Barrier Fragments were added, the fine cracks in the barrier vanished.
Furthermore, a few Rankers who arrived at the right time added more fragments, making the barrier perfect.
A crisis that could have been disastrous had been averted.
Afterward, instead of returning to reality, Tae-sung walked past the barrier.
‘I’ve been curious for a while. I wondered what was over there.’
The Dimensional Barrier was a place to hold back the swarming monsters, and he had been curious about what lay beyond it since the first time he saw it.
“There won’t be much even if you go there… but be careful anyway. If it looks like you’re going to be surrounded, you must retreat quickly. Though I’m sure you’ll do fine without me saying so.”
“Thank you for the concern.”
Tae-sung moved forward, keeping Jang Min-su’s advice in mind.
“Kraaaah!”
“Garrrr!”
As soon as he stepped past the barrier, the monsters rushed at him frantically as if they had found a new prey.
Tae-sung unleashed his Flame Tide Wave Sword in all directions.
Flames rose like a tsunami, covering the surroundings.
The minor monsters were all wiped out by that alone, and those that managed to survive were cut down by Tae-sung as he approached.
‘This place is okay, but I don’t like how it doesn’t give a single point of Score.’
Normally, catching this many would yield an incredible Score.
It didn’t feel very good to be working for free.
He continued to push forward, but nothing special appeared.
It was just a repeating wasteland and overflowing monsters…
‘I guess there really is nothing here.’
The Hunter Association had also organized expeditions of Rankers several times to investigate what was beyond the barrier.
They wanted to find the answer to what missions were and why they were created.
However, the expeditions marched until their stamina was exhausted, yet found nothing but an endless stream of monsters.
They had returned without any results, and after several such experiences, no one ventured past the barrier anymore.
It was at that moment.
*Hummmm*
The flames Tae-sung had created suddenly seemed to tremble.
They shook as if resonating with something, and sparks crackled in the air.
**[ENERGY OF HEAV…N…! KILL…!]**
A voice filled with hatred turned into a mental wave, shaking Tae-sung’s mind.
“!”
Tae-sung was startled.
No one had ever told him that such a voice could be heard outside the barrier.
Since he was a Ranker, there shouldn’t have been any classified information he was unaware of; the fact that he hadn’t been told meant that such a case had never occurred before.
Just as Tae-sung donned a serious expression and surveyed his surroundings, a black Gate formed, and a massive monster emerged from within.
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