The gate raid did not require a large number of people. When raiding a dungeon within a gate, a team of usually around five to ten members would enter and proceed with the raid. This was because that number was considered optimal for conquering a dungeon inside a gate.

The reason was simple. The terrain and the types of monsters that appeared inside the gate varied from gate to gate.

However, the number of monsters that appeared at a time, the total number of monsters within the gate, and the general strength of the boss were all standardized to a certain degree. Because of this, the ideal raid team size had been set between five and ten members.

“The members of Team A are Kim Jihoon and Park Hanyeong from the Shining Guild… Seo Jiwon and Kim Yunsang from the Nati Guild… Mercenary superhumans Kang Hanil and Seo Haneul. That makes a total of thirteen. Everyone else not called will be in Team B.”

Thus, Team A and Team B were assigned. Team A consisted of thirteen members in total, while the remaining twenty-two naturally formed Team B.

In truth, thirteen members were more than enough for raiding a standard gate. However, due to the special nature of this A-rank gate and the possibility that it might be a mutated gate, as many as thirty-five people had been selected.

The twenty-two members of Team B were essentially backup members.

With as many as thirty superhumans ranked 5-star or higher, they believed they could handle any unforeseen circumstances.

Moreover, the thirteen members of Team A were all exceptionally skilled individuals.

Kang Hanil, a 6-star superhuman. In addition, Seo Haneul, a 5-star+ ranked superhuman, and the Nati Guild trio.

Just the 5-star+ ranked members alone accounted for nearly half of the thirteen. In terms of overall combat power, this team was among the strongest raid groups ever assembled in Korea.

Even Team B, which served as backup, was mostly composed of 5-star superhumans. Heo Sungshik was also among Team B.

“Sungshik, looks like we’re in Team B together.”

Kim Subin smiled as she spoke to Sungshik.

“Hmm, putting someone as talented as me in Team B? Isn’t this a waste of manpower?”

“I know, right? I even tried to argue for you to be placed in Team A, but this is how it turned out.”

Someone chimed in, agreeing with Sungshik’s joking remark.

“Ah, Guild Leader Seo Haneul. It’s been a while.”

“Yes, it has been a long time. Have you been well?”

The person who approached with a smile was Seo Haneul, the master of the Baekdu Guild. He looked even more refined than before. Before they had parted ways, Sungshik had given him some advice, and thanks to that advice, he had managed to get one step closer to breaking through the 6-star barrier.

“I was stuck in place for months, but thanks to your advice back then, I was able to move forward.”

Sungshik’s eyes glinted at those words. Not just anyone could benefit from advice.

Only those with the qualifications and talent could make use of guidance. Many people, even when spoon-fed, failed to digest it due to lack of ability.

“You’re giving me too much credit. It’s all thanks to your own efforts, Guild Leader Seo Haneul.”

Thus, Sungshik and Seo Haneul exchanged polite words.

Shortly after, the raid began.

“Ugh, the air feels sticky. This is unpleasant.”

As soon as they entered the gate, Kim Subin muttered. The first sensation they experienced in the dungeon was the stickiness of the air. It was an unsettling feeling. Such dense air meant that the mana concentration was extremely high.

‘This dungeon has a very high mana density. It doesn’t feel natural.’

—You’re right. There’s an unusually high concentration of energy in the air. This level of energy density is almost unheard of under normal circumstances. It feels artificially manipulated.

Even Heaven-Splitter agreed with Sungshik’s thoughts. There was an overwhelming artificial presence here.

‘Hmm, will this be okay?’

Watching Team A moving ahead, Sungshik felt uneasy. He had a bad feeling that something was about to happen.

“But look at this place. The terrain looks like a modern city.”

Kim Subin glanced around and commented.

Indeed, the dungeon's terrain mimicked that of a modern urban environment. Though rare, there were occasional dungeons that took on the appearance of contemporary cities. Such dungeons had the characteristic of providing large battle spaces, allowing more than ten people to engage in combat simultaneously without issue.

“Everyone, prepare for battle!”

After walking for a while, Kim Jihoon, the lead of Team A, issued the command.

Zap!

A sound of crackling electricity rang out ahead.

“Squeak—”

“Monsters spotted ahead. Five in total. The species is… electric rats!”

Electric rats. A 5-star ranked monster. Their size was comparable to that of large dogs. They were agile, had powerful front teeth that could cut through anything, and their signature ability was discharging electricity to paralyze their prey.

“I’ll take care of them.”

Kang Hanil stepped forward. His performance was astonishing. Even when taking the electric rats’ attacks head-on, he remained unfazed.

Watching this, the mercenaries muttered in admiration.

“Oh, as expected of the ‘Mysterious Muscles’!”

“Man, muscles really are everything.”

Even Sungshik’s eyes shone with interest. There was something about Kang Hanil’s physique that stirred a primal admiration for strength among men.

‘Is this why men in the past were so obsessed with bodybuilding?’

Before the Great Cataclysm, men had been fixated on building muscle. Now, Sungshik felt he somewhat understood why.

While he was lost in thought, Kang Hanil swiftly eliminated all five electric rats. Their attacks had no effect on him, while his own attacks proved devastating to them. The battle ended in an instant.

“They’re a bit stronger than the usual 5-star monsters, but nothing too special.”

After the battle, Kang Hanil gave his assessment. The monsters were slightly stronger than usual, but there was nothing particularly unique about them. Following his evaluation, Team A continued clearing out monsters without hesitation, steadily advancing through the dungeon.

For Team B, who was watching, the battle was so one-sided that they almost felt bored. The raid was proceeding that smoothly.

“Hey, isn’t this way too easy? Looks like we don’t have to be scared of A-rank Gates anymore.”

“Yeah, really. The first one was like that, and in the second one, the boss was unusual, but the dungeon itself was ridiculously straightforward. Same thing now. I think people are making too big a deal out of A-rank Gates.”

A sense of complacency started settling in. The situation warranted it. Even after the first encounter, Kang Hanil didn’t have to take the lead anymore—just assisting from behind was enough to clear the dungeon effortlessly.

If things were going this smoothly even without Kang Hanil, then with him, even the boss wouldn’t be an issue.

Amidst this smooth dungeon clearing, the first injury occurred shortly after. The paved urban terrain where the electric rats first appeared had been left behind, and the party entered an unpaved road. That’s where the trouble began.

Drdrdrdr.

“Huh? What’s that sound?”

“Why? Something wrong?”

“No, I just thought I heard something…”

“I don’t hear anything. Maybe you’re being too sensitive… Uwaaagh!”

Crunch!

A monster suddenly burst out from the dungeon floor. It was a worm. But not just any worm—an Electric Worm.

Crackle!

Splat—

The Electric Worm shot up, sinking its fangs into a superhuman’s left foot, sending electric currents in all directions. As it tried to chew and swallow its prey, Kang Hanil’s fist pierced straight through its body.

“Huff, huff. Thank you.”

The superhuman who had barely survived was left with a mangled left thigh, the flesh hanging in tatters. Fortunately, a healer superhuman standing by quickly poured out healing magic, ensuring the injured could continue fighting.

“Everyone, stay alert! It’s not over yet!”

Kang Hanil shouted loudly.

And he was right. The worm attack had only just begun.

“Watch out over there! Move immediately!”

Crunch!

Electric Worms shot up from various places, launching surprise attacks. However, thanks to Kang Hanil’s warning, the damage to Team A was significantly reduced.

But even he couldn’t catch everything.

“Aaaagh!”

One by one, those caught off guard suffered injuries. Team B wasn’t spared either.

“Subin, come here.”

Seongshik pulled Kim Subin toward him. Moments later, a worm burst from the ground right where she had been standing. If she had stayed there, she might have been seriously injured.

Swish—

Thud.

After pulling Kim Subin away, Seongshik’s sword strike cleaved the Electric Worm cleanly in half.

“Wow… Seongshik, thanks.”

Kim Subin expressed her gratitude, and Seongshik responded with a light smile.

The worm assault was only beginning, so Seongshik’s mouth stayed busy issuing warnings.

“You, in the blue outfit, move immediately.”

A moment after Seongshik’s words, a worm burst out of the ground right where he had pointed. However, Team B’s superhumans quickly took it down.

“Next, you in the black outfit, and the person two spots to your right.”

His ability to sense the attacks was almost like a detector. Thanks to Seongshik’s warnings, Team B suffered no injuries while countering the Electric Worms.

“Whoa…”

“So the rumors about Big Sir were true.”

“How do you know exactly where they’ll attack? This is amazing.”

The superhumans of Team B were all thanking Seongshik in unison.

Many of them hadn’t believed the rumors about him. But after witnessing his skill in detecting attacks, their perceptions of him had changed dramatically.

“Hey, how come Team B didn’t take any damage?”

“Apparently, that mercenary Big Sir predicted all the attack spots.”

“What? How is that even possible? Oh… wait, but if it’s Big Sir… isn’t he that famous superhuman?”

“Yeah. Strange, huh? Maybe the rumors were true?”

Even among Team A’s superhumans, Seongshik’s name was starting to leave an impression.

“Tsk… I bet he has some kind of detection artifact. How else would he catch what even Kang Hanil missed?”

“Yeah, really. Look at that smug face—acting like he’s some big shot.”

Some, like the Nati Guild trio who had been injured, still refused to acknowledge Seongshik. While it was undeniable that he had accurately predicted the ambushes, they questioned whether his ability had any real combat significance.

However, what was clear was that everyone now recognized Seongshik was no ordinary man.

The battlefield, swept by the sudden chaos, was finally settling down. The recent worm assault had been fierce, but the rewards were just as plentiful.

“Wow, we got a ton of magic stones from this.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many magic stones from regular monsters before.”

Since Electric Worms were ranked 5-star+, this was a jackpot. The highest-grade magic stones currently circulating in the market were mostly 5-star+ grade.

In B-rank Gates, 5-star+ monsters usually only appeared as bosses. Securing such a large quantity of 5-star+ magic stones was an incredibly rare opportunity. Moreover, the materials extracted from the worm carcasses were highly valuable.

Among Team B, two 4-star superhumans from the Shining Guild were busily gathering items. They had come specifically for this role. Once the raid was complete, the loot would be evenly distributed according to contributions. Naturally, Team B’s contributions this time would be properly recognized.

Afterward, there were no further worm ambushes. This was fortunate for the raid team, as a significant amount of time had already been spent healing Team A’s injuries.

If Kang Hanil or Seongshik hadn’t been there, this wouldn’t have just been a matter of injuries—there could have been fatalities. Unlike the fight against the electric rats earlier, things were no longer going smoothly.

Crackle.

A loud noise signaled the arrival of new monsters. At the sight of them, someone let out a gasp.

“Ah…”

Dozens of Lightning Spirits had appeared at once.