‘Finally...!’

    Suho’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

    *Hogong-ryu.*

    This was one of the skills he had come to acquire in this gate.

    ‘It’s also why I absolutely needed the Nameless Sword.’

    When Suho first developed his swordsmanship, he thought he had glimpsed the pinnacle of sword techniques. However, as time passed, he came to realize that the Suho Sword was just one of countless human-made techniques, unable to contend with the world’s most powerful beings.

    Then he discovered the existence of the Nameless Sword, and from that point, his swordsmanship began evolving to an inhuman level. The first supernatural technique he mastered was *Hogong-ryu Style One: Slash - Steel Cutter.*

    [ You have achieved a remarkable feat, earning 10 bonus stat points from the system. ]

    With the mastery of Steel Cutter, the system granted him 10 bonus stats.

    Yes, *Hogong-ryu* was indeed a great achievement.

    In his lifetime, Suho had never encountered anyone else who wielded this technique.

    ‘I got it sooner than I expected.’

    In his previous life, it had taken Suho years after acquiring the Nameless Sword to master Steel Cutter. But this time was different. He had already fully understood the intricacies of Steel Cutter, and all he needed was time to prove it to the system.

    Suho invested all his newly earned bonus stats into strength, then looked over at Maleyon with a slight smirk.@@@@

    Maleyon seemed visibly shaken.

    And it was no wonder, as he could feel the surge in Suho’s power even as they fought.

    - What trickery are you using now?

    “Trickery? It’s the culmination of pure effort.”

    - What?

    “Watch and learn.”

    - Nonsense!

    In a fury, Maleyon extended his hand, and a dozen Sogwaebalgu tendrils shot toward Suho like arrows.

    Suho clicked his tongue.

    “Seems you don’t learn very quickly.”

    He didn’t dodge. Instead, gripping his sword with both hands, he swung it with all his strength just as the tendrils closed in.

    [ Steel Cutter activated. ]

    *Slash!*

    A red line blazed through the air. When the glow faded, there was nothing left in its wake.

    *Thud!*

    The heads of the Sogwaebalgu tendrils fell to the ground, cleanly severed. Suho had purposefully swung wide to cut down each tendril in one strike.

    Maleyon’s eyes widened in shock.

    - How... how did you...!!

    “What do you mean, how? I cut them with a sword. Are your eyes just for show?”

    With that, Suho stepped forward toward the lake.

    “You planning to just stay there?”

    - Hmph!

    Instead of responding, Maleyon raised his hand.

    The ground began to shake.

    *Boom! Boom! Boom!*

    Heavy footsteps reverberated, and Suho turned around.

    “Groooooo...”

    Emerging from the forest were massive golems.

    Suho observed the status above their heads.

    - Twisted Golem of the Murky Forest Lv.96

    - Twisted Golem of the Murky Forest Lv.98

    - Twisted Golem of the Murky Forest Lv.97

    They weren’t one-star monsters, but their high levels suggested they would be tough to handle, especially with their considerable defense.

    Suho sighed.

    “Typical of a cursed druid to summon such abominations.”

    - Let’s see how long you can keep that smug attitude!

    At Maleyon’s command, the golems charged at Suho simultaneously.

    In a swift motion, Suho pushed off the ground and leaped high.

    [ Leap activated. ]

    [ As MVP, you receive one bonus stat. ]

    [ Level Up! ]

    [ All stats increased by 1. ]

    [ You have received 1 bonus stat. ]

    As Maleyon died, system messages poured in.

    Suho grabbed the monster’s head and body as they floated in the air, hauling them out of the lake and laying the corpse on dry land. A moment later, Maleyon’s body disappeared, leaving behind a murky red gem.

    Suho picked it up to examine it.

    [ Cursed Druid’s Dominion Gem ]

    - Rank: S

    # The power of Maleyon, the druid cursed and shunned by the gods.

    # Maleyon’s druidic power wasn’t one of harmony, but of dominion.

    # His dominion corrupted pure spirits, driving him to be exiled from his home forest, forcing him to settle in the Twisted Forest where no ordinary druid could survive.

    The Dominion Gem.

    This was the primary reason Suho had entered the Twisted Forest.

    Though he had intended to master Hogong-ryu, the Dominion Gem had been his ultimate goal.

    It would allow him to gain what he needed in the next gate.

    Suho stowed the gem in his inventory and invested all earned stats into strength.

    “Status Window.”

    [ Suho Ahn ]

    - Lv: 64

    - Class: Healer

    - Trait: New Blood

    - Strength (R): 55

    - Stamina (R): 26

    - Mana (R): 26

    - Perception (R): 26

    - Bonus Stat: 0

    His progress felt swift.

    Satisfied, Suho closed the status window and headed toward the exit.

    ---

    **Outside the Gate**

    As the gate was cleared, it began to tremble, signaling its conquest.

    Bang Dueok, having heard the news, rushed outside, frowning deeply.

    “Damn it...”

    He hadn’t expected Suho to actually conquer the gate.

    Choi Yun was equally stunned.

    ‘He really cleared it...’

    They had already conducted a thorough investigation on the Twisted Forest. Bang Dueok had sent a team to assess its risks, concluding it was S-rank in difficulty.

    Inside were numerous high-level monsters, including one-star creatures like Ents and golems, making it nearly impossible to clear for anyone without substantial power.

    ‘And the entry limit was only eight people...’

    Yet, Ahn Suho had managed to clear the entire gate alone.

    Watching Bang Dueok’s twisted expression, Choi Yun commented, “It’s been cleared.”

    “I can see that, so shut up.”

    Owning a gate was a rare opportunity. Not only did it require discovery and secrecy from the public and government, but also the power to manage the gate’s shocks independently.

    But despite all these risks, people sought gate ownership because it was an incredible source of wealth.

    The Twisted Forest was like a newly opened business that had just received its first customer.

    Only for that customer to have fully cleared it.

    Bang Dueok’s face contorted with rage as he muttered, “Damn it. Do you know how much I invested in this place, and he clears it for a measly hundred million? Not a chance. Boys!”

    “Yes!”

    At Bang Dueok’s command, his men drew their weapons.

    Choi Yun frowned and asked, “Are you really doing this?”

    “Hell yeah, unless you want to pay the difference.”

    “Can you handle the consequences?”

    “Oh, please. Your precious Union, can you call them right now...?”

    At that moment—

    *Thud!*

    A spear shot through Bang Dueok’s face, instantly killing him.

    The one who had thrown it?

    None other than Suho.