Chapter 121: Elf? (1)
Usually, a Gate would forcibly teleport everyone inside and close five minutes after the Awakened who had contributed the most made their escape. However, this time was different. Kim Ki-Rok and the DG Guild had selected the creation of a Permanent Gate as their Gate clear reward.
Having finished cooking, Kim Ki-Rok now sat at a makeshift table, facing Pilarin of the Aians Empire. He had heard much about the man, but this was their first meeting in person.
In previous Attempts where the Black Kingdom had conquered eighty percent of the continent, many within the continental alliance judged it impossible to defeat the Black Wizards and chose instead to surrender. The problem wasn't merely the act of surrendering, it was the number of gifts they sent in order to preserve their own status and influence. Some of those gifts directly benefited the Black Kingdom.
These came in many forms: treasures, fortresses that had once secured the front lines, and at times, even highly sensitive information. But the worst of all was the betrayal that led to the assassination of the representative of the continental alliance. That representative was Pilarin himself, who had been assassinated by traitors.
"Sir Pilarin, I'm about to have a very important conversation," Kim Ki-Rok said.
"Ah, should I take my leave?"
"That won't be necessary, as long as you don't ask any questions until it's over."
"Then I'll sit quietly and enjoy my meal."
Kim Ki-Rok gave a small bow of thanks, then turned to the guild representatives. "Everyone, please gather here for a moment."
Jang Baek-San, Lee Yeon-Hwa, Baek Min-Hyuk, and Team Leader Ji Cheol-Hyun stood up from their seats, leaving behind a half-finished conversation. The DG Guild members sitting nearby began making space for them.
"Ah, guild members, you don't need to get up," Kim Ki-Rok said.
"Uh, um... Are you sure?" one of them asked.
"Yes. And Hunter Go Sung-Hoo."
"Yes."
The two had spoken briefly before the battle. Now aware that his ties to high-ranking government officials had been exposed, Hunter Go Sung-Hoo sprang up rigidly, as if standing at attention before a general.
"Exit the Gate immediately and bring His Excellency, Kim Tae-Hoo."
"You... want me to go right now?"
"Yes. He's probably finished his work and is waiting for news in the DG Guild's meeting room. Oh, and be sure to inform him that the Continental Alliance is here, including key figures in the fight against the Black Wizards. And, of course, that the High Elves are present as well."
"Understood," Go Sung-Hoo responded loudly, then sprinted toward the Gate.
A group of young elves lingered nearby, seemingly fascinated by the structure. As he approached, Hunter Go Sung-Hoo offered a quick apology to them before walking through the Gate.
"Wow!"
"I don't sense him anywhere! He's completely gone!"
The young elves stared at the Gate with shining eyes, though none dared draw closer. At Kim Ki-Rok's request, Serena had assigned elf warriors to guard the Gate, ensuring that no one got too near.
"Earth System, Permanent Gate. Check current progress."
[Transformation to Permanent Gate in effect. Current progress: 34%]
They couldn't query the Earth System further until the transformation was finished. Only then could they confirm whether humans from the Yuashiel Dimension would be able to travel to Earth freely, or only during phenomena like a Break, when large surges of mana were released.
Lee Yeon-Hwa took a seat and asked, "What's going on?"
"Most likely, the Earth System is turning the Gate that appeared in the DG Guild parking lot—the one that brought us here to revive the World Tree—into a Permanent Gate. If it intended to create a new one, the system would have used phrasing like, 'Creating a Permanent Gate.'"
"We're on the same page. The Earth System said transformation, not create."
"Exactly. That's why we need help from the Shine Guild, Baekdusan Guild, Golden Lion Guild, and the Hunters Association."
"You're thinking about organizing a guard force."
"We won't need that many. Our plan is to station at least two Hunters from each of those guilds to monitor the Gate. Including those from DG Guild, it would be ten Hunters in total. Of course, we still don't have full details, so we'll work out the practical arrangements after the transformation is complete."
As those around them nodded in agreement, Baek Min-Hyuk turned to Kim Ki-Rok and asked, "What about the government?"
"Of course, we'll ask for the government's help. But based on my prediction..." he trailed off. "Ah, this is just a guess, so don't get your hopes up."
"Noted. So, what is it?" Jang Baek-San asked.
Kim Ki-Rok began explaining slowly. "This would be the first Permanent Gate ever created. Moreover, it's the first Permanent Gate created as a clear reward. There's a chance that those who selected the Permanent Gate as their reward might gain some sort of authority over it."
"Authority?"
"Yes."
"Hmm! If you had to be specific, what kind of authority would that be?" Jang Baek-San asked, now wearing a serious expression.
"We wouldn't be able to change the difficulty or the rewards. In fact, the Northern Fortress is often attacked by various monsters, sometimes alongside Black Wizards or Intermediate and Lesser Demons aiming to destroy the World Tree. That means the Gate's difficulty might constantly shift, making any set difficulty level obsolete."
"Then what about the rewards?"
"There won't be any. A Permanent Gate doesn't have a clear condition to meet."
"Then what kind of authority would we have?"
"Let me repeat, this is only a predi—"
"Yes, yes. Just a prediction. So, Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok, what kind of authority do you predict we'll be granted?"
Whether it was because Sir Pilarin was nearby, or because all the surrounding Hunters were listening in, Jang Baek-San had been using formal speech. But as Kim Ki-Rok dragged out his words, he slipped into a more casual tone.
"I predict we'll be given the authority to rename the Gate and impose certain restrictions."
"Restrictions?"
"You know, like how some Gates say, 'Only those above Level 60 may enter,' or 'Entry limited to four people.' That kind of restriction."
"Ah!"
Gates with restrictions like that did appear from time to time.
"I'm not entirely sure how the authority will be distributed, since fifty-six people selected the creation of a Permanent Gate as their reward," Kim Ki-Rok elaborated. "However, there's a high chance we'll be granted the ability to impose restrictions and rename the Gate."
"Will it be a majority vote?" Lee Yeon-Hwa murmured.
A few people nodded in agreement.
"As Guildmaster Lee Yeon-Hwa suggested, I also believe it'll come down to a majority vote. After all, fifty-six Gate clearers chose the same reward."
That certainly seemed possible.
Hmm... Will there be any problems?
Given that the Northern Fortress was an extremely dangerous Gate, Kim Ki-Rok had immediately imposed a level restriction when granted authority over the newly formed Permanent Gate. He didn't limit how many could enter, only the minimum level of Hunters permitted to pass through. That meant the Gate was accessible to anyone, regardless of whether they were from Earth or another world.
His hope was that as many Hunters as possible would enter, battle high-ranking monsters, and grow stronger through the experience.
Well, at least it won't be a headache.
At the very least, this setup would prevent any foolish attempts to monopolize the Gate. And even if someone did try, they'd be dealt with easily. The consortium overseeing the Gate's management wasn't just the mid-sized DG Guild, it also included several major guilds and the Hunters Association.
It was a relief not to have to deal with opportunists bringing in absurd business proposals. Though a few would likely still appear, most would be filtered out. After all, why bring such proposals to the DG Guild when they could just approach higher-ranking guilds instead?
"Well, that's a topic we'll have to revisit after the transformation is complete. Let's return to the main point." Kim Ki-Rok shifted the conversation, drawing puzzled looks from the others. "I've been scouting the Northern Fortress under Serena's guidance and installed cameras in various locations. I should've asked beforehand, but would you all be willing to give me filming permission and allow me to upload the footage I recorded?"
Apparently, he had already documented part of the battle.
"If you're requesting permission..." Lee Yeon-Hwa swallowed hard, a strange tension rising in her chest.
What was this crazy bastard planning now?
"I'll create a video titled World Tree Revival Operation (Shine Guild) for you."
Lee Yeon-Hwa, having unexpectedly been chosen as the example, blinked in surprise and stared at Kim Ki-Rok.
In short, he was proposing to edit footage featuring the Shine Guild's members and produce a highlight video of their performance within the Gate.
"Here's the plan," Kim Ki-Rok continued. "We'll upload the original, unedited footage as a complete record. Then we'll also upload a version focusing on the DG Guild's contributions. We could go further and create individual highlight reels for Ji-Yeon, Yoo Seh-Eun, and a few others, but if we go that route, we won't be able to include the Hunters who contributed from the back lines. So instead, we'll stick to the guild versions. We'll also release a World Tree Revival Operation (Epilogue) video."
"Eh... epilogue?" someone echoed.
Kim Ki-Rok pointed toward the sky. The crowd instinctively looked up and gasped.
"Huh?"
"Wait, since when?"
Above them floated semi-transparent spirits, each one holding a camera.
"By the way," Kim Ki-Rok added, "we were able to get frontal shots too, thanks to the spirits stationed outside the party venue."
Everyone had been so distracted by the food, the Elves, the paladins and priests, even the reward announcements, that they hadn't noticed they were being filmed the entire time.
Kim Ki-Rok gave a sharp clap to redraw the crowd's attention.
"This is a great opportunity to boost your guild's reputation," he said. "What will you do?"
The decision-makers hesitated, unable to give an immediate answer.
"Ah, by the way, I'll give you the footage even if you don't request it."