Chapter 5: The truth of the relics.

Chapter 4: The Truth of the Artifact.

Artifacts.

These are objects with special powers found in Gates.

For example, from artifacts that make water taste sweet to those that turn stone into gold, the powers of artifacts vary in magnitude, but they possess abilities that are difficult to replicate with modern technology or magic.

However, there is one common rule among artifacts.

The Price.

Typically, to use an artifact’s power, mana or a mana stone is used to activate it as a price, but the greater the artifact’s power, the greater the corresponding price.

Sometimes, powerful artifacts even require not mana or mana stones, but something as small as blood or as significant as a body.

Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that the history of artifacts was written in people’s blood, as there have been many such incidents.

But…

“An artifact that nullifies damage…”

Choi Tae-seok, the Guild Master of the Guardian Guild, sighed as he read the speculative report about the Crow Guild’s artifact.

Recently, reports have continuously come in that every time the Crow Guild challenges a Gate, all their guild members emerge without a single scratch.

When Choi Tae-seok first received this information, he thought it was just a rumor or that there was some trick.

For an entire guild to clear a B-rank or A-rank Gate without injury was equivalent to saying a newborn baby cleared an A-rank dungeon.

Moreover, the average hunter rank of the Crow Guild members was C to D-rank.

Even their Guild Master, Baek Yi-hyun, was a B-rank hunter, but his skill was far too insufficient to clear an A-rank Gate without injury.

No, didn’t he recently get promoted to A-rank?

“Suspicious. But there’s no evidence.”

He investigated, suspecting involvement with illegal drugs, but found no evidence, and even if illegal drugs were used, clearing a Gate without injury would be impossible.

“There are two possibilities…either all the guild members were hiding their true strength, or it’s truly the power of an artifact, as the rumors say.”

As Choi Tae-seok pondered, tapping his desk rhythmically with his fingers, he re-examined the photo his granddaughter, Ha-yeon, had brought him.

Blood was flowing from a box that appeared to be an artifact.

The photo was taken from a distance, quite by accident, so it wasn’t definitive, but his intuition, honed through countless experiences to reach the position of Association President, screamed that the Crow Guild had done something.

‘Ninety-nine percent an artifact…and one with a considerable price…’

However, no matter how much he investigated, there was nothing unusual about Baek Yi-hyun, who seemed to be using the artifact.

The effect of the artifact was far too outstanding to be simply paid for with mana or mana stones.

“…”

Therefore, Choi Tae-seok concluded that the artifact’s price was being paid by something or someone other than Baek Yi-hyun.

“A sacrifice…?”

The Crow Guild’s sudden growth stemmed from a seemingly ordinary C-rank Gate.

According to records, three guild members were lost there.

After that, they cleared every Gate they challenged swiftly and without any injuries.

“A maze-type Gate with Redvine as the boss…it’s a tricky Gate for a C-rank, but three people were lost in just such a Gate.”

Could it be that the three who supposedly died to Redvine were sacrifices to obtain the artifact?

Or perhaps for some other condition?

Or was it truly just an accident…

“Hoo…”

There wasn’t enough information.

No matter how suspicious it seemed, without any grounds or evidence, he couldn’t legally investigate the Crow Guild.

“President, may I come in?”

“…Come in.”

Just then, with a knock and a familiar voice, Tae-seok granted permission.

The man who entered was Ryu Se-jin, a team leader in the Association department that collects and organizes daily information regarding hunters and guilds.

“Yes, Ryu Se-jin. You always work so hard.”

“Not at all. However, I investigated the Crow Guild, but found no illegal activities. As you mentioned before, I tried to find traces of human trafficking for artifact sacrifices, but…everything is clean.”

“Hmm, is that so.”

“I did some research on him, and while there are instances of conflicts with other hunters due to personality issues, there was nothing else notable.”

“…”

“I’ll go myself.”

His granddaughter, Choi Ha-yeon, appeared from a corner as if it were natural and spoke.

“But you won’t be able to investigate them legally, will you?”

“Then I’ll just investigate them in a different way, won’t I?”

Ha-yeon said as if it were obvious in response to Se-jin’s point, causing Se-jin to sigh and realize something.

“Are you saying the Association will unrighteously break the law?”

Ha-yeon grinned, sweeping her red hair back, and said.

“Since when did you think our Association was about justice?”

“We are the Hunter Protection Association, not the Justice Protection Association.”

Choi Tae-seok also spoke of breaking the law with a benevolent smile, and Se-jin, accustomed to it, lightly brushed it off.

“Well, thanks to that, my work is reduced, so I have no complaints. Then, I’ll take my leave.”

As Ryu Se-jin departed, Ha-yeon smiled and began to stretch.

“Ha-yeon.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

“I’ll permit you to use that artifact.”

“So you’re telling me to investigate thoroughly? Is it your intuition, Grandfather?”

“Yes.”

“Then leave the rest to me.”

Ha-yeon opened the window, sat on the ledge, and continued speaking.

“I’ll definitely bring back clear evidence.”

She then threw herself out the window, spun a few times in the air, and precisely entered through a window she had already opened.

It was the top of a very tall building, but Tae-seok, accustomed to such antics, sighed and got up from his seat to close the window.

****

That night.

Ha-yeon moved at high speed, cutting through the wind on a building rooftop.

She covered her face with a black hood and mask, moving swiftly, yet surprisingly, there was no sound or presence from her.

As the city lights illuminated the streets of Seoul, she expertly hid in the shadows, approaching her target.

To challenge a Gate, one must report to the Association and receive an entry pass before entering.

And naturally, that information allowed Ha-yeon, an Association Hunter, to easily pinpoint their location.

Soon, in the mountains where a Gate had opened, her targets, the Crow Guild, appeared.

As the distance closed, Ha-yeon suppressed her presence as much as possible, observing them.

“Is this it?”

“Yes, boss!”

“So, this was a B-rank Gate, you said?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

The Gate that had opened this time had a five-person limit, but the Crow Guild had brought a total of ten people.

‘Ten people?’

Normally, when entering a Gate, one or two people might be left as support or lookouts in case of unforeseen circumstances, but having five people stand guard was extremely suspicious.

‘It’s clear they’re hiding something.’

She didn’t know what they were hiding or why they were so wary, but since they hadn’t noticed her, despite her proximity, she judged there was no major issue and continued to observe them.

‘Is that the rumored artifact?’

Ha-yeon watched the box in Baek Yi-hyun’s hand, holding her breath to see what price they would pay for the artifact.

If they were to use a living person as a sacrifice for the artifact…

Ha-yeon focused, ready to draw the dagger hidden in her thigh at any moment.

“Then, shall we go?”

“Have a good trip!”

However, contrary to her tension, they did nothing and immediately entered the Gate.

A total of four people entered the Gate, including Guild Master Baek Yi-hyun.

The rest began to stand guard around the Gate.

“…?”

Clearly, the Gate’s limit was five people.

Of course, one didn’t necessarily have to fill the limit, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was strange.

‘I’ll have to check it myself.’

As soon as Ha-yeon decided, she moved slowly, masking her presence, and approached the Gate.

And just as she was about to sneak into the Gate, evading the eyes of the patrolling hunters.

*Crackle*

“!!!”

“Huh?”

She was unable to enter the Gate and was instead repelled, which greatly flustered Ha-yeon, but she quickly moved away and hid herself in a tree.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, wasn’t someone just there?”

“I don’t sense anyone…Are you sure?”

“I definitely heard something…”

Uncertain, they returned to their posts, and Ha-yeon wiped away her cold sweat, relieved.

But at the same time, a question arose.

‘What was that? There were clearly four people who entered, so why was I blocked by the Gate limit?’

Ha-yeon seriously tried to recall if she had made a mistake, but indeed, a total of four people had entered.

Just as she wondered if the information about the Gate was wrong, a chilling possibility came to mind.

‘The box?’

Considering the possibility of a person entering just now, the only thing that fit was the box that looked like an artifact.

What if there was a person inside that artifact?

“…”

A shiver almost ran down Choi Ha-yeon’s spine, but she calmly took a deep breath and pulled out a key embedded with a mana stone from her pocket.

This was an artifact she had received from Choi Tae-seok, a Gate Key, one of the Association’s artifacts that allowed entry even if the Gate had a person limit.

Its original purpose was for rescuing people in dangerous Gates or from within Gates, but now she had brought it to infiltrate the Gate.

‘Shall I try again?’

Choi Ha-yeon snapped off a nearby branch and threw it, diverting the hunters’ attention with the sound, and immediately moved.

‘Let’s see what they’re hiding, firsthand.’

Choi Ha-yeon recalled the blood dripping from the box in the photo and entered the Gate using the artifact’s power.