“Well, why would the Gunshin guild leader allow it? If we clear it, it means Suho can’t manage the Grade 2 gate.”

Sighing deeply, Jiseong touched his chin. The Gunshin guild leader wouldn’t have sent Rude and Kang Ihyun to the north with the real goal of clearing a Grade 2 gate.

It was more likely that external forces like Rude and Kang Ihyun clearing a Grade 2 gate would diminish Suho’s power, and using that as an excuse, they could lower the Owl’s influence.

Anyway, Kang Ihyun, who thought he was entangled in quite a political and complicated matter, sighed deeply.

Then, with a puzzled tone, he brought up the conversation again.

“But how did Mr. Jiseong not know this fact that I also knew?”

“No, I didn’t know?”
“No way?! Did my aunt really call Mr. Jiseong a hundred-year-old fox when she saw him?!”

“Haha… Really, you guys are straightforward. I’m more used to the guild leaders’ romantic language, so you guys might not be familiar with it.”

With that, Jiseong leaned back on the table.

Jiseong, who only stretched his lips in a manner inappropriate for his age, tapped his index finger on the table while saying in a quiet voice.

“Jung Suho… wants to go into that gate alone.”

Only now did Rude, who seemed to be fooling around with his hands on the table as if it had nothing to do with him, suddenly raise his head. It was a perplexed expression.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, that’s right. He’s almost obsessed. Always solo play, but he always loses!”

This time, Jiseong, not happy about Kang Ihyun and Rude coming up, took out a few documents from his inventory.

It was the gate report for the ‘Labyrinth of Creta Island’ that Rude had seen yesterday.

Kang Ihyun carefully reviewed the gate report.

Jiseong made a comment in a low voice.

“It might be because of trauma. That. The gate, it was Jung Suho’s first practical training ground.”

He gradually explained.

At the age of 15, Jung Suho, who entered Gunshin as an S-rank from the beginning, despite hoping for the south, was immediately assigned to the north as a ‘check’ by the Gunshin guild leader.

And the first Grade 4 gate he entered was the ‘Labyrinth of Creta’. There, he…
“I lost all guild members to the boss monster. I jumped to Grade 2 in the middle.”

“Oh, no…”

“No matter how S-rank he is, it seems impossible for Jung Suho to handle it alone. After barely escaping, he discovered that he was affected by a status abnormality. After that, he tried several more times, but he couldn’t handle it, and the status abnormality kept adding up.”

“So, what, should I just handle that annoying guy alone and get killed?”

Rude, who was creating a self-made soap with telekinesis, spoke.

The Jung Suho that Nari knows becomes extremely obsessed with something once he gets fixated on it.

And if this time, what he’s fixated on is ‘anger,’ it would be reasonable for him to insist on handling it alone.

“Well, then, shouldn’t we go together? If we handle everything together, he’ll be really angry later, won’t he?”

“No, it’s enough if only the status abnormality is handled. That’s why.”

Still, in the midst of debating whether to take Jung Suho or not.

While Kang Ihyun was carefully examining the documents, he spoke.

“No, we have to take Mr. Jung Suho with us.”

“Huh?”

Kang Ihyun pointed to the documents with his finger.

More precisely, it was the explanation section of the boss monster ”Minotaur’ in the document.

“Looking at it, it’s a gate following the Greek-Roman mythology. The boss monster also… gives status abnormalities through curses.”

There were many gates that followed a specific mythology, such as imitating the heavenly angels, the 12 gods, or the 72nd demons, along with the seats of sanctity.
“Among them, monsters following the Greek-Roman mythology lineage use a skill called curse, and the status abnormalities caused by the curse are not simply resolved by handling the gate.”

Eui Sung’s eyes widened.

Kang I Hyun calmly explained that status abnormalities are variously divided depending on their cause.

Conditions based on one’s psychological state, such as Rude’s ‘social aversion,’ are impossible for healers to treat. Status abnormalities temporarily inflicted in the gate are generally released by clearing the gate, which is common knowledge.

However, he clarified that even status abnormalities incurred in the gate vary in how they are released depending on the method of acquisition.

“There are various skills for inflicting status abnormalities on others, and among them, the ‘curse’ skill is quite powerful. It’s a system where it must be lifted by the person who cast it; otherwise, it won’t be released even if you die.”

“What…?”

“It seems there aren’t many high-class priests here, so you might not have known. Still, since Mr. Suho contracted with the Greek-Roman mythology lineage’s seat of sanctity, you should have known. Why didn’t you mention that…?”

Kang I Hyun stopped talking. Another possibility connected in the minds of the three.

The reason Jung Suho insists on solo play. While not mentioning anything about the curse.

“If you knew, we would have tried to figure out a solution together somehow.”
“If that happens, and in case of failure, we’ll all come back with just the status abnormalities. So.”

By repeatedly challenging alone, the probability of other guild members getting affected by the status abnormalities decreases.

The more attempts made, the higher the chance of increasing one’s own status abnormalities. However, even if the unique S-rank, Jung Suho, fails to clear it, the likelihood of other guild members succeeding is low.

What emotions must one feel when facing such slim possibilities?

Amidst the silence that engulfed the meeting room, the low voice of Rude echoed.

“Bring Suho. Right in front of me. Right now.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Hey, what’s this commotion about?”

“Yeah, Kang Ihyun brought it this time. That person seems to take care of things like this unexpectedly, unlike their appearance.”

Two guild members, who were checking the condition of each gate through binoculars, laughed while sharing a bottle of strong vodka.

In the harsh upper area with inadequate supplies, such items were precious.

Moreover, catching them once and treating everyone, from people to the last, made Rude and Kang Ihyun angels descending from the sky in the eyes of the soldiers of the army of gods.

“Hey, even if you’re caught with this, don’t let the commander find out. Got it? Even if Ji Sung doesn’t know, the commander won’t tolerate it.”

“Of course. Watching the gate well, whew!”

Whew! At the sound of that, another guild member glanced over.

Jung Suho was staring at them with sinister blue eyes.
Two guild members trembled with fear.

Perhaps it was because of the S-rank.

Despite being only twenty-five, the imposing aura was tremendous.

“Well, we messed up. Commander! We really only had a tiny bit, just a tiny bit, I swear!”

“Yes! Yes, really! We won’t touch it anymore. We’ll throw it away, throw it away!”

Jung Suho, with sinister eyes, approached them slowly. The helpless duo tightly closed their eyes.

‘This is bad. I forgot that the commander moves silently…! Still, for a brief moment, I was happy!’

In the future, they should not drink alcohol, or rather, they should be more careful when drinking.

Before Jung Suho reached them, a ringing sound echoed.

“Co-commander…?”

Then, after checking a message, Jung Suho grimaced and quickly turned around.

The two guild members, who had been holding each other awkwardly, exchanged puzzled expressions.