***
Rumble, boom, boom!
The sky rang with the sound of thunder as if it was angry.
The thin drops of rain grew thick again.
Once the barracks were made, Min Sung watched Ho Sung Lee from inside the spacious barracks.
Ho Sung Lee was making ramen for lunch inside the barracks.
The smell of ramen made him feel like they went camping.
The smell was unbelievable.
Min Sung’s appetite surged, but he patiently waited.
Luckily, it didn’t take long to make ramen, so he was able to eat soon enough.
“It’s ready, Sir.”
Ho Sung Lee placed the pot of ramen on the table and set Min Sung up with a side plate and wooden chopsticks.
“Shall I bring you silver chopsticks instead?” Ho Sung Lee asked.
“No.”
Min Sung immediately split his wooden chopsticks apart.
After moving some of the noodles and added ingredients onto his plate, he scooped up the broth with a ladle.
Drip, drip, drip, drip!
While listening to the rain dropping onto the barracks, eating ramen inside the cold tent felt quite quaint.
The white steam was radiating from the ramen while the seafood inside the ramen gave off outstanding visuals.
It was no ordinary ramen.
Ramen depended on the atmosphere.
Rainy day.
On top of that, when eating it outside, it was a dish that was more than perfect for a meal.
Min Sung lifted the noodles with his wooden chopsticks.
The hot steam was radiating in all four directions.
Min Sung opened his mouth wide and inhaled the noodles completely.
Slurp!
The noodles slurped into his mouth.
“Huu.”
He breathed out hot steam from his mouth.
The scent of seafood and MSG flooded over him.
It was delicious.
The taste of the ramen in the cold outdoor air was explosive.
On top of that, he quickly drank the broth on his plate before it got cold.
Slurp!
The spicy broth filled with hot peppers flowed through his lips and down his throat.
“Kya…”
Min Sung exclaimed as he picked up a piece of crab with his wooden chopsticks.
It was sliced up into quarters so that it was easier to eat.
Min Sung put the crab to his mouth and chewed on it.
The soft meat of the crab slipped into his mouth.
At the same time, the ramen broth exploded in his mouth while he chewed on the soft meat of the crab.
It was a phenomenal taste.
It almost made Min Sung forget about the gate.
Min Sung ate a shrimp as he transferred more noodles to his side plate and focused all of his attention on the ramen.
The noodles slopped around as if it was alive.
***
Screech!
A dark sedan drove through the storm and arrived on site.
The driver quickly got out of his car and opened the back door.
Ji Yoo Kim got out of the car with a raincoat on.
And when the driver attempted to hold an umbrella over her head, Ji Yoo Kim lifted her hand to signal that she was okay.
The driver bowed and returned to his car.
Ji Yoo Kim took a deep breath as she walked toward the gate where Min Sung and Ho Sung Lee were situated.
A moment later, Ji Yoo Kim arrived at the barracks.
Ho Sung Lee, who was smoking a cigarette, spotted Ji Yoo Kim and immediately put out his smoke.
“Commander Kim, you’re here,” greeted Ho Sung Lee.
Ji Yoo Kim nodded and approached him.
“Where’s Min Sung?”
“He said he wanted to patrol around. Please come inside.”
Ho Sung Lee pointed to the tent.
Ji Yoo Kim followed him inside.
“Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“Thank you.”
Ji Yoo Kim flashed a smile.
“Don’t mention it.”
Ji Yoo Kim sat on the sofa. She rubbed her hands together and browsed inside the tent.
Meanwhile, Ho Sung Lee handed her a mug of coffee and sat across from her.
“Thank you.”
Ho Sung Lee smiled in response.
She drank coffee while listening to the rain.
A moment of silence… And then Ji Yoo Kim stared into space and opened her mouth.
“Once one thing’s over, another starts. There’s really no end, is there?”
Ji Yoo Kim showed a sad smile.
“Let’s hope this is the last.”
At that moment…
Step!
They heard someone approaching.
When Ji Yoo Kim and Ho Sung Lee looked toward the entrance, Min Sung entered.
Ji Yoo Kim and Ho Sung Lee immediately sprang up.
“You’re here,” Ji Yoo Kim greeted.
Min Sung nodded in response. He took out a bottle of water to drink and then sat down in the empty seat.
“Where were you?” Ho Sung Lee asked.
“I went to check for any traces.”
“Traces…?”
“Traces of devils.”
In response to Min Sung’s response, Ji Yoo Kim’s face stiffened up.
“So did you find anything?”
“No.”
JI Yoo Kim closed her eyes and sighed.
“What a relief.”
Min Sung stared into the distance with a stiffened face.
And that face made Ji Yoo Kim feel anxious.
“Is there a problem?” Ji Yoo Kim asked.
“Yes. A big one.”
“I did hear that a demon creature appeared and that it was much more powerful than last time.”
“And even more devils will start pouring out soon.”
Min Sung showed a look on his face that he had never made before.
He didn’t look as confident as he always looked.
There was a slight anxiousness in his face.
The entire world felt relieved regarding the monsters because of Min Sung.
So if Min Sung himself felt anxious, that meant that what was to come would be more horrifying than ever before.
Ji Yoo Kim didn’t want to believe what was actually happening.
“I heard you don’t approve of setting up defense lines like last time. Why is that?”
“Because there’s no use,” replied Min Sung.
It appeared that there was no use in setting up countermeasures against the invasion of devils.
“We don’t have countermeasures either,” stressed Min Sung.
Ji Yoo Kim lost feeling in her legs and plopped down in her seat.
She then covered her face with both hands.
A strange feeling was making her feel tingly all over her body.
“Do we know of any gates that appeared in other countries?”
Ji Yoo Kim shook her head.
“No, not yet.”
Min Sung thought for a moment before explaining.
“If this is actually a passageway and not a dungeon… it’s possible no more gates will appear.”
In response, Ji Yoo Kim’s eyes twinkled.
“Then…”
Min Sung nodded and looked at Ji Yoo Kim.
“It’s highly likely that this is the only gate that’s open.”
Ji Yoo Kim gulped.
“Even if that’s the case, if devils start flooding out, it’ll be hard for you to stop them on your own.”
“Since we can’t expect the best-case scenario, we’ll have to prepare for the worst.”
“What can we do? We’ll follow your orders, and the World Hunter Association will also help.”
Min Sung sighed.
“First, we must evacuate our country.”
“We’ll ask for the help of the association. We’ll ask them for temporary immigration. When should I proceed?”
“Tomorrow.”
After Min Sung answered, he asked Ho Sung Lee to bring him a hot cup of tea.
While Ho Sung Lee prepared the tea, Ji Yoo Kim stared at Min Sung with anxiousness.
“It’ll take some time, but we’ll do it as soon as possible, and the Central Institute as well as the World Hunter Association will find a way…”
“No. No need for anything else. Just prepare a magic stone.”
“Magic stone…?”
“That’s right. Secure as many magic stones as possible.”
“Where are you going to use them?” Ji Yoo asked Min Sung with confusion.
Min Sung tapped his pocket.
In response, Bowl crawled out.
Bowl then plopped back down on Min Sung’s thigh and fell back asleep.
But then…
“Ssol, Repone.”
In response to Min Sung’s calling…
Flap! Flap!
The sound of wings flapping could be heard.
When Ji Yoo Kim looked in the direction of the tent’s entrance, the red dragon, Repone, flew in with Ssol on his back.
Ji Yoo Kim’s pupils dilated, and her face was full of surprise.
Repone landed on the ground with Ssol still on his back, and Ssol flashed a smile before running over to Min Sung and rubbing his head on his leg.
As for Repone, he drank the water in a bowl nearby.
“H-how…”
Ji Yoo Kim was unable to take her eyes off of the red dragon, Repone.
“Is that a dragon?” Ji Yoo Kim asked in a shaking voice
“Yeah.”
Min Sung answered in a calm voice, but Ji Yoo Kim was unable to accept it so easily.
It was a legendary dragon.
Ji Yoo Kim slowly got up with a shocked face and cautiously walked toward Repone, who was drinking water.
She then stopped and looked back at Min Sung.
“Can I see him from up close?”
“I’m not sure. Be careful. He looks like a baby, but he’s a strong one.”
“Oh…”
Ji Yoo Kim stayed silent for a moment before courageously approaching him and going down on her knees.
Repone, who was drinking water, looked back at Ji Yoo Kim.
And then…
“Roar.”
Repone made a small sound.
“S-so cute,” mumbled Ji Yoo Kim with a flushed face.
She looked back at Min Sung.
“This cute dragon is that powerful?”
Min Sung nodded.
Repone then walked over to a comfy cushion and curled up to sleep.
Ji Yoo Kim returned to Min Sung.
“So you need the magic stones for Bowl and that small dragon.”
Min Sung watched the dragon sleep after he drank some water and opened his mouth.
“His magical ability is phenomenal, but he can’t understand my commands. Once I can control that guy…
Min Sung turned to Ji Yoo Kim with an intense gaze.
“Devils won’t be able to get out of his area no matter how many floods out.”
Ji Yoo Kim looked at Repone with an emotional face after hearing that he could be their only hope for saving humanity.
“It all depends on that guy,” said Min Sung in a low voice with his eyes fixed on the sleeping Repone.
***
Rumble, boom, boom!
The sky rang with the sound of thunder as if it was angry.
The thin drops of rain grew thick again.
Once the barracks were made, Min Sung watched Ho Sung Lee from inside the spacious barracks.
Ho Sung Lee was making ramen for lunch inside the barracks.
The smell of ramen made him feel like they went camping.
The smell was unbelievable.
Min Sung’s appetite surged, but he patiently waited.
Luckily, it didn’t take long to make ramen, so he was able to eat soon enough.
“It’s ready, Sir.”
Ho Sung Lee placed the pot of ramen on the table and set Min Sung up with a side plate and wooden chopsticks.
“Shall I bring you silver chopsticks instead?” Ho Sung Lee asked.
“No.”
Min Sung immediately split his wooden chopsticks apart.
After moving some of the noodles and added ingredients onto his plate, he scooped up the broth with a ladle.
Drip, drip, drip, drip!
While listening to the rain dropping onto the barracks, eating ramen inside the cold tent felt quite quaint.
The white steam was radiating from the ramen while the seafood inside the ramen gave off outstanding visuals.
It was no ordinary ramen.
Ramen depended on the atmosphere.
Rainy day.
On top of that, when eating it outside, it was a dish that was more than perfect for a meal.
Min Sung lifted the noodles with his wooden chopsticks.
The hot steam was radiating in all four directions.
Min Sung opened his mouth wide and inhaled the noodles completely.
Slurp!
The noodles slurped into his mouth.
“Huu.”
He breathed out hot steam from his mouth.
The scent of seafood and MSG flooded over him.
It was delicious.
The taste of the ramen in the cold outdoor air was explosive.
On top of that, he quickly drank the broth on his plate before it got cold.
Slurp!
The spicy broth filled with hot peppers flowed through his lips and down his throat.
“Kya…”
Min Sung exclaimed as he picked up a piece of crab with his wooden chopsticks.
It was sliced up into quarters so that it was easier to eat.
Min Sung put the crab to his mouth and chewed on it.
The soft meat of the crab slipped into his mouth.
At the same time, the ramen broth exploded in his mouth while he chewed on the soft meat of the crab.
It was a phenomenal taste.
It almost made Min Sung forget about the gate.
Min Sung ate a shrimp as he transferred more noodles to his side plate and focused all of his attention on the ramen.
The noodles slopped around as if it was alive.
***
Screech!
A dark sedan drove through the storm and arrived on site.
The driver quickly got out of his car and opened the back door.
Ji Yoo Kim got out of the car with a raincoat on.
And when the driver attempted to hold an umbrella over her head, Ji Yoo Kim lifted her hand to signal that she was okay.
The driver bowed and returned to his car.
Ji Yoo Kim took a deep breath as she walked toward the gate where Min Sung and Ho Sung Lee were situated.
A moment later, Ji Yoo Kim arrived at the barracks.
Ho Sung Lee, who was smoking a cigarette, spotted Ji Yoo Kim and immediately put out his smoke.
“Commander Kim, you’re here,” greeted Ho Sung Lee.
Ji Yoo Kim nodded and approached him.
“Where’s Min Sung?”
“He said he wanted to patrol around. Please come inside.”
Ho Sung Lee pointed to the tent.
Ji Yoo Kim followed him inside.
“Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“Thank you.”
Ji Yoo Kim flashed a smile.
“Don’t mention it.”
Ji Yoo Kim sat on the sofa. She rubbed her hands together and browsed inside the tent.
Meanwhile, Ho Sung Lee handed her a mug of coffee and sat across from her.
“Thank you.”
Ho Sung Lee smiled in response.
She drank coffee while listening to the rain.
A moment of silence… And then Ji Yoo Kim stared into space and opened her mouth.
“Once one thing’s over, another starts. There’s really no end, is there?”
Ji Yoo Kim showed a sad smile.
“Let’s hope this is the last.”
At that moment…
Step!
They heard someone approaching.
When Ji Yoo Kim and Ho Sung Lee looked toward the entrance, Min Sung entered.
Ji Yoo Kim and Ho Sung Lee immediately sprang up.
“You’re here,” Ji Yoo Kim greeted.
Min Sung nodded in response. He took out a bottle of water to drink and then sat down in the empty seat.
“Where were you?” Ho Sung Lee asked.
“I went to check for any traces.”
“Traces…?”
“Traces of devils.”
In response to Min Sung’s response, Ji Yoo Kim’s face stiffened up.
“So did you find anything?”
“No.”
JI Yoo Kim closed her eyes and sighed.
“What a relief.”
Min Sung stared into the distance with a stiffened face.
And that face made Ji Yoo Kim feel anxious.
“Is there a problem?” Ji Yoo Kim asked.
“Yes. A big one.”
“I did hear that a demon creature appeared and that it was much more powerful than last time.”
“And even more devils will start pouring out soon.”
Min Sung showed a look on his face that he had never made before.
He didn’t look as confident as he always looked.
There was a slight anxiousness in his face.
The entire world felt relieved regarding the monsters because of Min Sung.
So if Min Sung himself felt anxious, that meant that what was to come would be more horrifying than ever before.
Ji Yoo Kim didn’t want to believe what was actually happening.
“I heard you don’t approve of setting up defense lines like last time. Why is that?”
“Because there’s no use,” replied Min Sung.
It appeared that there was no use in setting up countermeasures against the invasion of devils.
“We don’t have countermeasures either,” stressed Min Sung.
Ji Yoo Kim lost feeling in her legs and plopped down in her seat.
She then covered her face with both hands.
A strange feeling was making her feel tingly all over her body.
“Do we know of any gates that appeared in other countries?”
Ji Yoo Kim shook her head.
“No, not yet.”
Min Sung thought for a moment before explaining.
“If this is actually a passageway and not a dungeon… it’s possible no more gates will appear.”
In response, Ji Yoo Kim’s eyes twinkled.
“Then…”
Min Sung nodded and looked at Ji Yoo Kim.
“It’s highly likely that this is the only gate that’s open.”
Ji Yoo Kim gulped.
“Even if that’s the case, if devils start flooding out, it’ll be hard for you to stop them on your own.”
“Since we can’t expect the best-case scenario, we’ll have to prepare for the worst.”
“What can we do? We’ll follow your orders, and the World Hunter Association will also help.”
Min Sung sighed.
“First, we must evacuate our country.”
“We’ll ask for the help of the association. We’ll ask them for temporary immigration. When should I proceed?”
“Tomorrow.”
After Min Sung answered, he asked Ho Sung Lee to bring him a hot cup of tea.
While Ho Sung Lee prepared the tea, Ji Yoo Kim stared at Min Sung with anxiousness.
“It’ll take some time, but we’ll do it as soon as possible, and the Central Institute as well as the World Hunter Association will find a way…”
“No. No need for anything else. Just prepare a magic stone.”
“Magic stone…?”
“That’s right. Secure as many magic stones as possible.”
“Where are you going to use them?” Ji Yoo asked Min Sung with confusion.
Min Sung tapped his pocket.
In response, Bowl crawled out.
Bowl then plopped back down on Min Sung’s thigh and fell back asleep.
But then…
“Ssol, Repone.”
In response to Min Sung’s calling…
Flap! Flap!
The sound of wings flapping could be heard.
When Ji Yoo Kim looked in the direction of the tent’s entrance, the red dragon, Repone, flew in with Ssol on his back.
Ji Yoo Kim’s pupils dilated, and her face was full of surprise.
Repone landed on the ground with Ssol still on his back, and Ssol flashed a smile before running over to Min Sung and rubbing his head on his leg.
As for Repone, he drank the water in a bowl nearby.
“H-how…”
Ji Yoo Kim was unable to take her eyes off of the red dragon, Repone.
“Is that a dragon?” Ji Yoo Kim asked in a shaking voice
“Yeah.”
Min Sung answered in a calm voice, but Ji Yoo Kim was unable to accept it so easily.
It was a legendary dragon.
Ji Yoo Kim slowly got up with a shocked face and cautiously walked toward Repone, who was drinking water.
She then stopped and looked back at Min Sung.
“Can I see him from up close?”
“I’m not sure. Be careful. He looks like a baby, but he’s a strong one.”
“Oh…”
Ji Yoo Kim stayed silent for a moment before courageously approaching him and going down on her knees.
Repone, who was drinking water, looked back at Ji Yoo Kim.
And then…
“Roar.”
Repone made a small sound.
“S-so cute,” mumbled Ji Yoo Kim with a flushed face.
She looked back at Min Sung.
“This cute dragon is that powerful?”
Min Sung nodded.
Repone then walked over to a comfy cushion and curled up to sleep.
Ji Yoo Kim returned to Min Sung.
“So you need the magic stones for Bowl and that small dragon.”
Min Sung watched the dragon sleep after he drank some water and opened his mouth.
“His magical ability is phenomenal, but he can’t understand my commands. Once I can control that guy…
Min Sung turned to Ji Yoo Kim with an intense gaze.
“Devils won’t be able to get out of his area no matter how many floods out.”
Ji Yoo Kim looked at Repone with an emotional face after hearing that he could be their only hope for saving humanity.
“It all depends on that guy,” said Min Sung in a low voice with his eyes fixed on the sleeping Repone.
