Gi-Gyu was calling Tae-Shik, who answered the call after just two rings. 

“Hello?” Gi-Gyu greeted.

-I was just about to call you!

It seemed Tae-Shik wanted to talk to Gi-Gyu as well. Gi-Gyu asked, “Is it about the newly formed gate?”

-That’s right! I heard a gate appeared in front of your house. They said the institutor is—

“It’s me,” Gi-Gyu replied quickly, making Tae-Shik sigh.

-So you must have the priority pass then.

“Yes, that’s what I’m calling you about,” Gi-Gyu explained.

-Just tell them you’ll keep the pass. Then, wait for me; I’ll be right there.

Tae-Shik hung up the phone without even waiting for Gi-Gyu’s answer. The conversation ended before Gi-Gyu could ask anything; he sighed deeply, “Haa…”

Gi-Gyu only called because he wanted a little advice, but Tae-Shik’s unexpected response left him speechless. Gi-Gyu tried calling Tae-Shik again a few times, but there was no answer. In the end, Gi-Gyu walked back to the association members and said, “I’ll keep the priority pass.”

“Alright. Remember, your pass will expire in five days, so use it before that. After five days, it’ll be auctioned off to another guild, player, or group,” an association member explained calmly. 

“Alright.”

After their conversation ended, the men went back to controlling the traffic around the gate. Meanwhile, Gi-Gyu sat down on a bench nearby that wasn’t affected by the gate formation. After waiting for a while, Gi-Gyu heard the association employees making a fuss. 

“General Manager!” the men exclaimed in surprise.

“Don’t mind me. Just keep working,” Tae-Shik ordered calmly.

“Ah, yes, Sir!” all the association employees replied in unison.

After a brief conversation with the gate maintenance workers, Tae-Shik waved at Gi-Gyu. He asked, “Did you wait long?”

“Not really. You got here really fast; did you catch a jet or something?” said Gi-Gyu jokingly. However, Tae-Shik replied with a solemn face, “I ran.”

Gi-Gyu became speechless. Once upon a time, Tae-Shik was a renowned high ranker. So, this man was indeed faster than most cars. Ignoring Gi-Gyu’s confused look, Tae-Shik continued, “I heard you took the priority pass. Good job.”

“That’s what you told me to do, Hyung.”

“Indeed. After all, a priority pass is very valuable. I was sure you knew this too, but I just wanted to make sure. Let’s go to a cafe first. I’m so thirsty from running all the way here,” said Tae-Shik. 

Gi-Gyu stood up to follow Tae-Shik when he suddenly heard the association employees whispering nearby.

“Who’s that man?” one employee asked as he glanced at Gi-Gyu.

“What’s his relationship with the general manager?” another worker wondered.

“Ah! Maybe he’s the player who was close to the general manager when he worked in the guide department. What do you think?” the third man guessed.

“You mean the player who can’t level up?”

Being the center of a whisper-conference would be awkward for anyone, let alone Gi-Gyu. So, he pretended not to have heard anything and hurriedly followed Tae-Shik. 

***

Their feet brought them into a cafe located near Gi-Gyu’s home. Passersby were slowly crowding the area, murmuring and roaming the area. It was apparent they were nothing more than curious spectators.

One month was the usual time limit. A gate exploded if it wasn’t cleared within that or neglected for longer than that. Gate explosion meant all the monsters inside the gate would come swarming out. At that point, even if the players tried their damnedest, they wouldn’t be able to stop the monsters before they had caused great mayhem.  

“What is your plan, Gi-Gyu? I assume you plan on clearing it alone, right?” Tae-Shik asked while he gulped down the bitter americano and looked outside. 

“Yes, that’s what I’m hoping to do,” Gi-Gyu replied.

“Haa…” Tae-Shik sighed deeply again and continued, “That’s what I thought. I’ve known you for a long time, so why now? Why are you so interested in gate hunting?” After a quick pause, Tae-Shik looked straight into Gi-Gyu’s eyes and asked bluntly, “What level are you now?”

When Gi-Gyu remained silent, Tae-Shik prodded, “Just be honest with me.”

Gi-Gyu looked around, but no one was paying any attention to them. The cafe was pretty empty, to begin with. Gi-Gyu answered quietly, “I’m Level 1.”

“I knew it. Not leveling up for half a decade and then suddenly start leveling up like crazy? I never bought it,” Tae-Shik muttered, clearly not surprised by Gi-Gyu’s statement. 

“It is what it is,” Gi-Gyu replied with a shrug. With another sigh, Tae-Shik questioned, “Tell me what happened. How did a Level 1 player become the Slayer? How did you become so strong?”

Before Gi-Gyu answered him, Tae-Shik placed a round machine on the table.

‘A barrier item.’

Barrier items were used to create a soundproof and invasion-proof barricade around the user. It even allowed its user to decide the perimeter of the area they wanted to enclose. Most high-level players owned such an item. Due to its rarity and expensive price, not many lower-ranking players dared to purchase one. 

‘How much should I tell him?’

Gi-Gyu contemplated how much he should tell Tae-Shik. 

‘Should I tell him about Lou? El too?’

And what about his job and unique ability? After thinking over his options slowly, Gi-Gyu opened his mouth.

***

Gi-Gyu stood inside Dongdaemun Market[1]. He was surrounded by shopkeepers yelling loudly to attract potential customers. 

“Cheap items here! Super cheap!” 

“I’ve got a bayonet that can kill an orc with each shot! It’s for sale!”

“Potions for the lowest price!”

Dongdaemun Market used to be famous for its cloth shops; after the Tower and the gates appeared, its function slowly changed over time. Now, it was a wholesale market for player items. This was where players with the blacksmith job made and sold items. The market offered excellent varieties, from well-known brand items made by renowned craftsmen to lower quality objects. Here, one could even find advanced items sometimes dropped by monsters. Items here could be bought at a much lower price than at the auction house, so Gi-Gyu often visited this place. 

“We got the best and the cheapest items here! Come have a look!” one of the many shouting shopkeepers hollered.

Gi-Gyu was here to purchase new protective gears. His old gears were appropriate only for the tutorial floors, so it was time for a change. Gi-Gyu bought a new set of protection equipment back when he got Lou, but its quality wasn’t up to standard for him now. Gi-Gyu currently had 50 million won in his bank account. After prepaying his mother’s hospital bill and the interest for his family debt, this was all he had left. 

The day Gi-Gyu found the new gate, Tae-Shik told him, “The first thing you need to do is get prepared for the solo gate hunt.” That day, Gi-Gyu told Tae-Shik everything. There really was no reason why Gi-Gyu should hide the existence of Lou and El, especially because Tae-Shik was someone he could trust. Gi-Gyu was also aware that Tae-Shik would definitely be of great help in the future. Also, Gi-Gyu didn’t want to deceive the one person who had always been generous and kind to him. 

After Tae-Shik heard everything, he told Gi-Gyu to return after getting ready. Gi-Gyu first needed to obtain all the necessary items to prepare for the solo hunt. He had to buy equipment items and some disposable counterparts to prepare for the worst-case scenario. 

“Umm…” Gi-Gyu murmured as he looked at the array of armors in a shop. Most looked like they were made of leather, but they looked sturdy. He picked up the strongest-looking black leather armor.

[Sloppy leather armor made by an unskilled blacksmith]

[Normal]

[Defense Level 7]

It was a useless item. Gi-Gyu checked all the other items one by one, but they weren’t much different from his current protection gears. Gi-Gyu walked back and forth along the display boards as he muttered, “Nothing here is worth buying…”

Indeed, there wasn’t a single useful item in the market. 

-Yeah! Not one thing here has an Ego inside! 

-I couldn’t detect any either, Master. 

Gi-Gyu had asked Lou and El earlier to tell him if they felt any Egos. Unfortunately, it seemed there weren’t any around.

“This won’t do!” Gi-Gyu mumbled in annoyance. He had to prepare everything and enter the gate in five days, but that much time wasn’t even barely enough.  

Damn! I’ve to find something useful no matter what!’

With renewed determination, Gi-Gyu began touring Dongdaemun Market again. 

***

-Cheer up…

-It’s alright, Master.

The two Egos tried to console Gi-Gyu, who was clearly upset. He failed to find anything useful regardless of how many times he searched Dongdaemun Market. All the decent protection gears were marked up ridiculously, while all items with reasonable prices had the most useless functions. This defeated the very purpose he came here for: find quality items at a low cost. If he wanted to pay full price, wouldn’t he have gone to the player department store or the auction house? 

“Should I borrow some money, so I can purchase one of those expensive items?” Gi-Gyu contemplated out loud. There was no way any bank would give him a loan, but he knew Suk-Woo or Tae-Shik would be willing to help him financially. Yet, Gi-Gyu shook his head and muttered, “No. If I keep depending on others, things will never change for me. Okay, one last look, and I’m out.” 

He swore this was really going to be his last round around Dongdaemun Market today. If he failed again, he would’ve to go to the auction house and get custom-made armor. 

After the last round that also ended in failure, Gi-Gyu was sitting on a bench with a defeated look. Then, an adorable boy walked up to him and asked, “Hyung, are you looking for something specific?” 

Confused, Gi-Gyu said,  “Huh?”

“Hyung, our shop has some really awesome items! The prices are super low too! My grandpa is an amazing craftsman, but no one seems to know this… If I take you there myself, I’m sure he’ll give you a discount too!” the boy, about eight years old, explained earnestly. The boy looked cute, but he was wearing a rather shabby outfit. His badly-worn shirt and oversized pants looked like thrift store rejects. 

This conversation somehow attracted the attention of many. 

“That child is at it again,” one of the nearby shop owners muttered. 

“He would make more money working at a factory. No one ever buys anything from their shop, so why does he keep dragging our customers there?” another shop owner complained. 

“Who knows.” 

“Shouldn’t we report his grandfather for child abuse?” the first shop owner asked.

“He was reported many times before, but the boy cried and refused to leave every time. I heard even the police gave up,” someone replied. 

From the looks of it, this child was pretty famous in Dongdaemun Market. The chatters seemed to have zero effect on the kid as he continued, “Hyung, I swear I’ll give you a huge discount, okay? My grandpa is the best blacksmith in town!”

Gi-Gyu looked at the child with pity. Kids like him were no treasure in this market since they were nothing more than baits for soft-hearted players. Often, blacksmiths with no skills or potential took in these poor children and made them into baits. They baited soft-hearted players into buying items, playing on the pity they felt for the children. Apparently, this was how many of the unskilled blacksmiths made a living. 

A nosy-looking man nearby advised Gi-Gyu, “I’ve been to that boy’s store before. It looks decent from the outside, but all the items there don’t even have a status screen. It was the worst! And if you go there, you might get assaulted. His grandfather is a wacky old man. I’ve even seen him throw salt at his customers.”[2]

“My grandpa isn’t a bad man! Don’t talk about him like that!” the boy protested. 

“You bastard! Remember how he threw salt at me when I followed you there?!” the man yelled angrily.

“That’s because you called my grandpa a fake and a condescending old man who can’t even make a proper player item!” the boy screamed. The boy was so bothered by the decrying that he stopped trying to solicit Gi-Gyu. Instead, he walked up to the rude man and swung his fist. 

“W-what?!” the man stammered. Confused, he tried to push the child away when Gi-Gyu announced hurriedly, “Let’s go! Let’s go to your grandpa’s shop.”

“Really? You’re really coming? Waaah!” the boy exclaimed excitedly. When the boy ran toward Gi-Gyu, the rude man spit on the ground and warned Gi-Gyu, “You look like a novice player, so I’ll give you some advice. Don’t go there. You’ll only make a fool of yourself and regret it later.” 

All Gi-Gyu did was glance at the man silently before following the boy. Gi-Gyu asked, “Is your grandfather’s store far from here?”

“Umm… No! It’s really close!”

“Then let’s hurry. I don’t have much time,” Gi-Gyu explained patiently. 

“Okay! Follow me!”

The people around looked at Gi-Gyu with pity, thinking the old man would mistreat him. However, Gi-Gyu’s eyes sparkled with intelligence as he walked behind the boy.

***

Gi-Gyu followed the boy for a long time; now, they weren’t in the crowded market but in a deep alley somewhere. Gi-Gyu asked his Egos silently, ‘Are you sure that boy’s clothing is an Ego?’

-Well, it’s not your regular Ego. It’s more like a fragment of an Ego. Or maybe an Ego’s corpse? I’m not sure how to explain it. This is the first time I’m seeing something like this.

-Everything is the first time for you, Lou.

-You, you… Whatever! So, yeah, that boy’s clothes are definitely an Ego. I’m guessing it’s a synthetic Ego created by a human. However, rather than possessing a conscience, the clothes only have a part of the Ego’s power.

‘Does this mean he can sync with the Ego like me and use its power?’

-Don’t be ridiculous! He isn’t synced with that Ego—he’s just wearing an Ego. I doubt those clothes have any functions at all.

Gi-Gyu didn’t follow the boy because he pitied him; he had his own plans. After all, there were plenty of other children who had worse lives than this child. On top of that, when children were used like this, they often matured quickly and became even sneakier than some adults. Normally, Gi-Gyu would’ve never followed a boy like this. 

There was only one reason behind why he decided to follow the kid: Lou and El both told him that they could feel an Ego in the boy’s clothes. Gi-Gyu found this hard to believe, but he had no choice but to believe his Egos’ words. This also piqued his curiosity about the boy.

“We’re here!” the boy announced. They stood in front of the run-down two-story building in a neglected alleyway. The boy walked down to the basement of this building, and Gi-Gyu followed. The stairs were all cracked as if they were ready to collapse at any moment, and an unpleasant odor was wafting from the bottom of the stairs. The place looked ominous, but Gi-Gyu felt confident he could protect himself if necessary.

“Grandpa! We have a customer! I brought him here!” the boy yelled eagerly as he opened the broken wooden door. 

“Boy! I told you not to bring any customers, didn’t I?” an old man’s voice came from the inside. Gi-Gyu slowly walked past the wooden door as the old man continued, “My grandson shouldn’t have done that. Just get out. Nothing here is for sale…”

“...”

Gi-Gyu could hear the old man’s voice, but he couldn’t focus on it at all.

-Oh my god.

-This is impossible!

The old man’s entire workshop was glowing with golden light.

1. Dongdaemun Market is a large commercial district in Seoul. ☜

2. In Korea, salt is believed to ward off evil spirits. ☜