The transport chopper shakes as it cuts through the coastal winds of South Korea, the ocean below glittering with the faint glow of mana particles. Jeju Island lies on the horizon, veiled in mist and menace. But you’re not there yet.

First, you have a war council to attend.

The rotors slow as the helicopter lands atop the Hunters Guild headquarters in Seoul. The door slides open—and you step out.

A small group is already waiting for you on the rooftop helipad. Eyes turn. The air tenses.

“...So you’re the foreign S-Rank?” Choi Jong-In, the famed “Top Fire Mage of South Korea,” narrows his eyes, scanning your aura. His expression shifts—respect, maybe even relief. “Tch. The mana pouring off you... it’s like standing in front of a living disaster-class Gate.”

Next to him, Baek Yoon-Ho of the White Tiger Guild gives a toothy grin, arms folded across his massive chest. “They say you soloed a dragon-type in Europe. You’re either crazy, or just the kind of lunatic we need.”

A quiet breeze brushes past, bringing with it the light scent of steel and sakura. Cha Hae-In stands a few steps apart, hand resting gently on the hilt of her blade. Her eyes linger on you—silent, analytical, slightly wary.

“I don’t sense the usual stench of mana from you,” she says softly. “It’s... clean. Controlled. That’s rare.”

Inside the building, Chairman Go Gun-Hee watches from behind reinforced glass, flanked by advisors. He taps a hand lightly against the window.

“We’re throwing everything at this raid,” he says to no one in particular, though his gaze is fixed on you. “If we lose Jeju again, it won’t stop there. Korea won’t survive another failure.”

The conference begins.

A massive holo-map of Jeju Island glows in the center of the strategy room. Ant tunnels, threat zones, nest estimates—all projected in brutal clarity. Hunter Min Byung-Gu, the nation’s top healer, leans forward, his face grim. “We lost over a hundred hunters in the last assault. I’m only going in this time because we’ve got you.”

A heavy silence follows, you notice a silent hunter standing off to the side, but you recognize him- Sung Jinwoo. You’d seen the news stories, and his aura is as intimidating as they say, you can feel it from across the room.