------------------
HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
------------------
Chapter 1
Namsan, Yongsan District, Seoul.
A scenic hill often graced by couples on dates or families out for a stroll—an iconic landmark that represents the heart of Seoul.
But now, it’s become a place no one can visit for leisure.
〈Beyond this point, civilian entry is strictly prohibited.〉
The bright red warning sign screamed for attention.
Behind the posted signs—each spaced evenly along the way—stood a towering red curtain of energy, stretching far along the path.
It was a “magical barrier,” and following it down the path would eventually lead to a massive, oval-shaped Gate.
—————
[Namsan Gate-8]
Rank: C
Scale: D
Terrain: Mountainous
Recommended Entry Level: C-rank, 3+ members
—————
The sign in front of the Gate wasn’t exactly welcoming—just a bland list of stats and caution.
And standing before it was a lone man.
Beep!
[Please scan your Hero registration number and UID. Those without a license must enter information manually.]
As the man approached the Gate entrance, a robotic voice blared, and a thick steel barrier slammed down in front of him, barring his way.
The steel gate—easily tens of centimeters thick—was imposing.
But the man simply stared at it for a moment... and then stepped forward without hesitation.
Crash!
Beep!
[Warning! Barrier damage detected. Gate security personnel are en route. Please comply with instructions.]
The warning echoed across the area, but the man didn’t bat an eye.
He just shoved aside the mangled steel remains of the security gate like it was trash and walked through into the Gate.
Beep!
[Danger! Unauthorized Hero entry detected. Intrusion alert activated.]
The mechanical voice continued to blare uselessly.
Inside the Gate, the man took a long look at his surroundings.
A simple mountain path stretched ahead.
Though he knew he’d entered an entirely different dimension, what he saw looked no different than any old trail on Namsan.
It was so familiar—so mundane—that he felt no sense of dissonance.
After surveying the area briefly, he began walking up the trail.
“Hey there, young man!”
Not long into his climb, someone called out to him.
“You lost or something?”
The voice came from a man in his early forties, who had a warm and friendly look about him.
After confirming that the man was alone, the stranger asked him gently.
The friendly man, meanwhile, was accompanied by three others—two women and another man—who looked like teammates.
“Oppa, check out what he’s wearing.”
“Right? He’s clearly not a Hero… I know porters dress casually these days, but come on…”
The other man clicked his tongue in disapproval, like he'd just seen something indecent.
A T-shirt and shorts were already pushing it… but slippers? That was wild.
Even on paved terrain, porters often had to sprint at a moment’s notice.
Slippers weren’t just impractical—they were an outright insult in a Gate.
If a porter dressed like that bumped into the wrong Hero, they could get slapped or kicked before even entering the Gate.
“And that bag? What even is that?”
“Ugh.”
Heroes came armed with battle suits and weapons.
Porters? Their gear of choice was a backpack—a large, durable one designed for maximum capacity.
Veteran porters, strong in both body and endurance, carried high-end tactical backpacks that could hold everything a Hero team might need.
Even the greenest rookies brought at least a functional bag.
But this guy? He had what looked like a beat-up school backpack someone had tossed out on a curb.
No matter how generously they tried to look at him, nothing about the man made sense.
“You think he’s just some clueless porter the Heroes bailed on?”
“Wouldn’t be the first time.”
While the group muttered and judged him among themselves, the man finally spoke.
“Is there some kind of problem?”
He asked casually, unfazed by the scrutiny.
That tone alone made the group's expressions twist.
“See?! I told you he was abandoned!”
One of the younger men in the group scowled.
The older man, trying to de-escalate, raised a hand to quiet him.
“Whatever happened, we’re actually on our way out. You can come with us.”
Even in a stable Gate, these places were still dangerous for a porter without Hero support.
The older man was extending a genuine offer of help.
But the reply came quickly.
“I get what you're saying—but I just got here.”
That single sentence told the older man everything he needed to know.
This guy had entered the Gate ‘alone’.
And in ‘that’ outfit.
The man clicked his tongue.
“I’ve seen plenty like you. I get why you stepped into a Gate, but thinking you can hunt monsters just because of what you saw on TV or the internet? That’s suicide. First, go through the proper certification process to get your official Hero license. Then complete basic training and the mock combat tests. Come back after that. And this is a C-rank Gate, by the way. If you really want to start, try an F-rank first…”
“I get that you’re trying to help, but I don’t appreciate it.”
The man replied casually, brushing off the advice as he continued climbing the mountain trail without hesitation.
“…Wow. What kind of psycho is that?”
“Hyung, don’t stop me this time. Let me go teach him a lesson.”
The young man made a move to follow, but the older man blocked his path.
“Forget it. If he’s the kind of guy who ignores advice given out of concern, the only thing left is for him to learn the hard way. He’ll find out soon enough that a Gate is nothing like what he’s seen on TV or online—it’s a whole different beast.”
His face was stony, and though he didn’t say much, he was clearly the angriest of the group.
“What if he ends up dying? Leaving someone to die when we know full well it could happen… it doesn’t sit right with me.”
The woman muttered, clearly uncomfortable.
To be honest, it wasn’t that she was worried for the man—it was the hassle she feared.
If something went wrong and the Control Center found out they had seen it happen and didn’t intervene, that could bring trouble.
The man shook his head.
“He broke in without authorization. The Control Center’s probably already dispatched agents. As long as he’s not totally insane and doesn’t charge headfirst into a monster, he won’t die. So don’t worry about it.”
“Yeah, Yeonji. It’s a C-rank Gate. The second he sees a monster, he’ll freeze up and go hide somewhere.”
“I’ve read about dumbasses like that online… the ones who think a few punches make up for not having a license, waltz into a Gate, try to hunt monsters, and end up dead. I just didn’t think I’d see one with my own eyes.”
“Idiots like him? Even if they end up crippled, they have no one to blame but themselves!”
“They’re lucky if they ‘only’ end up crippled. Come on, let’s just head out.”
The man turned around and led his teammates out of the Gate.
Meanwhile…
The man who had ignored the advice continued his climb up the trail—and came face-to-face with a monster.
Its skin was a murky green.
A large face, tusks curling upward from its jaw.
It walked upright on two legs.
Chweee! Chweek!
It was an orc—the most common type of monster found in C-rank Gates.
It held a crude, rusted sword in one hand, and though the weapon was trash, the orc itself could easily wield ten times the strength of a human.
On top of that, it's tough hide was so dense that a regular blade swung by an ordinary person wouldn’t even leave a scratch. For an average person, this thing was a death sentence.
‘It’s exactly the same.’
The man’s gaze, fixed on the orc, was calm and heavy.
“Ten years…”
He muttered quietly as he looked at the creature.
The orc spotted him, and its reddish eyes flared with fury.
Chweek! Chweeeek! Screeeech!
It roared wildly, overcome with excitement.
For an ordinary person—someone ‘not’ a Hero—the sheer presence of the creature would’ve been paralyzing. The kind of fear that locks up your entire body just by looking at it.
But the man… he simply stared at the orc like it was nothing.
The orc charged and swung the crude sword it gripped in its hand.
The blade sliced through the air with a fierce, ripping sound.
But the man didn’t even blink.
With the slightest shift of his body, he slipped past the incoming attack—and in the same motion, he slammed his fist straight into the orc’s chest.
Crack!
The orc’s chest caved in from a single blow.
Its eyes rolled back as it collapsed, dead.
The man stared at the lifeless corpse for a moment, then hesitated—before picking up the sword the orc had dropped in death and beginning to dismantle the body.
From within the corpse, he retrieved a red gem, about the size of a child’s fist.
It was a sight he knew all too well.
“…A low-grade mana stone.”
Once, he wouldn’t have even spared something like this a glance.
Now, he stared at the blood-smeared gem for a long while before placing it into his backpack.
Then he kept going—up the mountain trail.
Another fight.
Another monster.
Another mana stone.
He didn’t stop moving, steadily hunting monsters and collecting their cores.
How long did this go on?
Eventually, his backpack began to feel noticeably heavier.
“Over here!”
A man’s voice rang out not far off.
Moments later, a group of men appeared—all wearing sleek combat suits, styled in a clean blend of black and white.
“We’re from the Gate Control Center. Please present your Hero Registration Card.”
Surrounded by the agents, the man didn’t respond. He simply stood there, silently scanning each of them in turn.
The agent seemed unsurprised and continued speaking.
“If you’re an unregistered Hero, you’ll have to come with us to the Control Center. If you refuse to comply, we are authorized to use force. Any injuries sustained as a result of resisting will be your own responsibility. We’re asking for your cooperation.”
Though it was phrased as a warning, the agents already assumed there’d be some degree of resistance—after all, the man had broken through the Gate’s barrier by force. A confrontation was practically guaranteed.
One of the agents stepped forward, raising a pair of handcuffs.
“Sir, please extend both hands in front of you and cooperate.”
His tone was calm, respectful even.
But the man spoke quietly, voice low and firm.
“Stop wasting my time and get lost.”
Still, the agent didn’t back down. He must’ve dealt with this sort before.
“I’ll say it again. Please extend both hands and cooperate. You’re being detained for unauthorized Gate entry. This can still be resolved peacefully if you come with us. Just stay still while we—Ugh!”
The agent reached out—and the man seized his wrist mid-motion.
Completely immobilized in the man’s grip, the agent couldn’t budge.
The others tensed immediately and fell into a defensive stance.
Snap! Clack-Clack-Clack!
All of them drew their batons—sleek, metallic rods that extended with a distinct sound.
A faint blue light shimmered across the surface.
These were collapsible magical weapons—Grade 4 enchanted gear.
Strong enough to turn an orc into meat chunks in seconds.
To an unarmored civilian, even a glancing blow could shatter bones.
Despite all that, the man didn’t so much as flinch.
He simply gave one last, clear warning.
“Last chance. Turn back now, and no one gets hurt.”
------------------
HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
------------------
