It had been two days since Ryo’s shocking test.

  His name was all over the news.

  “Brightport’s Rank B Monster!”

  “The Glove Boy Who Crushed a Tiger!”

  “Silent Hunter Ryo—Fifth Among B-Class!”

  But Ryo didn’t care. He ignored all of it.

  Inside a small modern house in the west district of Brightport, Ryo lived alone. He had bought the house with the credits given to him as a Rank B hunter. Nothing fancy—just enough space for training, rest, and peace.

  The room was quiet. Sunlight passed through the curtains.

  Ryo was on the floor.

  “...98, 99, 100…”

  He exhaled and switched arms.

  One-handed push-ups.

  His muscles moved smoothly—clean, sharp, efficient.

  After a few minutes, he moved to sit-ups. Then squats. Then planks.

  He didn’t need sleep much. Not after everything he went through.

  But… he liked the silence.

  The world was still noisy, still loud, still weak. But this room—this space—was his.

  > System Notification:

  "Daily Physical Regimen Detected. Body Efficiency: 134% above peak human. No experience gained. Continue?"

  “Tch. Obviously,” he muttered.

  He wiped the sweat off and stood by the window.

  Outside, the city was busy.

  Hunters in armor, news drones flying, civilians lining up to see awakened lists.

  Ryo narrowed his eyes.

  “I wonder,” he said softly, “how long until they stop laughing?”

  He walked toward the kitchen.

  No shirt. Muscles sharp like blades.

  And in his heart—

  Not peace. Not revenge.

  But a storm waiting to break.

  As Ryo poured a glass of water, a soft vibration tickled the edge of the air.

  He looked up.

  The system blinked silently.

  A subtle shift in the atmosphere.

  Far beyond Brightport—

  Past the glistening expressway and over the misty hills—

  lay another city:

  Velmond.

  A quieter place. More rural. Known for its farming valleys and green stretches. Hunters were rare there. Gates almost never appeared.

  Until now.

  > System Notification:

  “Warning: Unstable Mana Disturbance Detected — City: Velmond”

  “Gate Formation In Progress… Estimated Manifestation: 3 Hours”

  Ryo narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening around the glass.

  > System (in a whisper-like tone):

  “Something’s calling. But it’s… different. Like the game is being played from both sides now.”

  Outside, the air shimmered faintly.

  Like something far away was breathing through the sky.

  A ripple. A glitch.

  Despite the system’s urgent notifications, Ryo remained still.

  In his modest kitchen—walls bare, counters plain—he stood shirtless, muscles taut from his morning drills.

  The aroma of sizzling garlic butter wafted through the air as he tilted the frying pan, letting the oil coat the chopped onions evenly.

  A cracked egg followed—its yolk breaking gently, golden like the morning sun.

  He sprinkled salt with a subtle flick of his fingers, added sliced sausages, and tossed in some pre-cut peppers for color. His hands moved with the grace of a seasoned chef, yet his expression remained unreadable.

  > System Interface [Internal Processing]

  “...Strange. A Gate has formed. Coordinates: Velmond.”

  “Expected response: investigation, mobilization, or strategic evaluation.”

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  “Actual response: cooking.”

  A soft sizzle, a clink of the spatula, and the quiet thud of cabinet doors.

  > “This vessel. Unlike others. Does not chase noise. Does not act in panic. There is rhythm in his calm… Perhaps that’s why he was chosen.”

  Ryo placed the finished meal—a simple pepper-egg sausage stir-fry—onto a plate and sat by the window, the sky still painted in a cool blue.

  He chewed slowly, eyes watching the distant clouds roll over the cityscape.

  > System (soft, almost fond tone):

  “He ignores the storm unless it knocks on his door.”

  A notification blinked again about the gate in Velmond.

  He didn't look.

  As Ryo finished his last bite, he glanced toward the faint blue shimmer barely visible above the nearby city of Velmond.

  He muttered without emotion, “Is that gate gonna open… or is it just summoning?”

  A pause.

  > System Interface:

  “Summon-type gate confirmed. Mana density indicates an A-Rank classification. Possibly higher.”

  “Efficient, steady flow of energy… but the structure doesn’t match any known configurations.”

  “Unknown entity. Unknown type. Unstable.”

  Ryo leaned back in his chair, letting out a short breath.

  “...So, a mystery box with claws.”

  > System (dryly):

  “That would be the optimistic take.”

  Ryo stood, stretching his arms above his head. His body moved like someone bored, not threatened.

  “Let it open,” he muttered, stepping toward the sink to wash his plate. “If it’s important, it’ll come to me.”

  > System (internally):

  “He’s not careless. Just… terrifyingly patient.”

  Outside, the sky above Velmond darkened just slightly—like a curtain shifting.

  The summon had begun.

  [One Hour Before the Summon in Velmond]

  Dark clouds of mana swirled above Velmond—still invisible to the average person, but to Ryo, it shimmered faintly, like static waiting to erupt.

  He stood on a rooftop, watching it with disinterest.

  Then, he turned his back on it.

  “Not my business… yet,” he muttered, leaping down effortlessly.

  Just a few blocks away in Brightport’s eastern ward, a fresh C-Rank Gate flickered into view. Still unstable, but solid enough to enter.

  “Guess I’ll kill time,” Ryo said, sliding his hands into his pockets as he walked toward it.

  > System Interface:

  “C-Rank Gate detected. Estimated time to clear: 6 minutes. Monster density: Moderate. Threat level: Laughable for current host.”

  “...Can you believe this guy? A potential A-Rank summon forming near Velmond, and he's out here doing side quests like it’s a farming simulator.”

  Ryo cracked his knuckles, stepping into the gate’s swirl of light.

  > System (low mutter, almost proud):

  “Well… at least he’s consistent.”

  The gate shimmered shut behind him.

  [Inside the C-Rank Gate]

  As Ryo stepped through the shimmering light, the landscape shifted.

  No dark dungeon.

  No fiery cave.

  Just… grass. Lots of it. Rolling hills, bright blue sky, and a gentle stream cutting through the middle.

  “…The hell is this? Did I just walk into a picnic ad?” Ryo muttered, stepping onto the soft grass with a raised brow.

  A butterfly fluttered past him.

  > System Interface:

  “Warning: Deadly terrain. Possible lethal pollen. Highly aggressive dandelions—oh wait, false alarm. Just nature.”

  Ryo sighed, crouched by the river, and scooped a handful of cold, clear water.

  “…If a unicorn pops out, I’m leaving,” he said flatly.

  > System:

  “Relax. No unicorns. Maybe a were-deer. Possibly a rabbit with a sword.”

  “…You better be joking.”

  > System:

  “Unconfirmed.”

  Ryo stood, cracking his neck.

  The wind rustled the grass. Somewhere, something growled.

  His smirk returned. “Well, let’s see what this flowery gate’s hiding.”

  As Ryo took a step forward—

  "RRRGHHH!!"

  A loud rustling echoed from the trees.

  From the grassy hillside, something leapt into view… a humanoid figure with a thick green body, vines writhing as arms and legs, and a giant blooming flower for a head. Petals flared like a lion's mane.

  Ryo blinked. “...Bro. Is that a damn tulip with abs?”

  > System Interface:

  “Threat Level: Low. Species: Thorn Bloom. Weakness: Fire. Pride Level: Unreasonably high for a flower.”

  The creature let out a hiss, vines snapping like whips.

  Ryo tilted his head. “You gonna pollinate me to death?”

  > System:

  “Caution: Despite its appearance, it has strangled three hunters this week. One of them lost to pollen allergies.”

  He casually cracked his knuckles. “Let me guess. You’re the gate’s welcoming committee?”

  The monster roared again, vines lunging forward.

  Ryo dodged lazily to the side, sighing. “I swear, if this thing tries to photosynthesize mid-fight, I’m leaving.”

  The Thorn Bloom lunged, vines whipping through the air like wriggling snakes.

  Ryo sidestepped, not even breaking a sweat. “Missed me, cabbage boy.”

  The monster hissed and tried again—this time from behind. Ryo ducked smoothly, letting the vine sail overhead.

  He yawned. “You’re slower than an unripe banana.”

  > System:

  “Warning: Enemy becoming increasingly agitated. Vines are now 12% faster. Threat level raised from ‘Meh’ to ‘Mildly Annoying.’”

  The flower creature stomped with leafy rage. It summoned thorns beneath Ryo’s feet.

  Ryo simply stepped sideways. “Oh no… sharp twigs. I’m trembling.”

  He flicked a small rock at the creature’s face. It hit the center of its flower head, making it stagger backward dramatically like it got shot.

  > System:

  “Critical Hit. Weapon: Pebble. Effectiveness: Mentally devastating.”

  The monster shrieked, petals flaring, vines lashing all around.

  Ryo walked between the chaos with his hands in his pockets, humming.

  Then he looked up and grinned. “Hey, flower boy.”

  He tapped his foot, then kicked the ground just hard enough to make a little dirt fly into the Thorn Bloom’s face.

  It stumbled back again—more confused than hurt.

  Ryo smirked. “C’mon, don’t wilt now.”

  > System:

  “Psychological warfare: 87% successful. Monster experiencing an existential crisis.”