Beno stumbled through the dimly lit streets, his body aching from exhaustion and his mind clouded with worry. His wounds throbbed, but the pain paled in comparison to the weight in his chest. Every step felt heavier as he clutched his side, his breath ragged. Eventually, he found himself near a quiet park, where the streetlights flickered under the late-night sky.


    An old man sat on a worn-out bench, flipping through a slightly crumpled newspaper. His silver hair shone under the lamp''s glow, and his deep-set eyes carried the wisdom of years past. Beno, dragging his feet, slumped onto the bench beside him.


    The Vanishing Gate Incident


    Beno turned his gaze toward the newspaper in the old man''s hands. The headlines were bold and grim:


    "March 20, 2025 - The Unknown Gate Emerges! Hunters Missing Without a Trace!"


    His heart pounded. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he turned to the old man and asked in a low, shaky voice, "Sir… what exactly happened on March 20?"


    The old man sighed, folding the paper on his lap. His voice was steady but tinged with unease.


    "It was a disaster, one the world has never seen before."


    He cleared his throat before continuing.


    "An unknown gate appeared—unlike any seen before. Even the weakest of hunters could feel the ominous, suffocating aura it emitted. It wasn''t like the usual S-rank gates, no... this was something else entirely. It sent a shiver down the spine of even the strongest hunters."


    Beno listened intently, his fists clenching.


    "The Libeus government immediately sent its best hunters to investigate. The Hunters'' Guild assembled a team—117 elite hunters, enough to shut down even a catastrophic S-rank gate. And leading them..." The old man paused, glancing at Beno. "Was Renizo Mark."


    Beno''s breath hitched.


    "As soon as they stepped inside the gate..." The old man''s voice dropped lower, his fingers tightening on the newspaper. "They vanished."


    "Vanished?" Beno echoed, his voice barely above a whisper.


    "Yes. The entire team disappeared in an instant. No signs of life, no remains, nothing. The gate remained open, but it was eerily silent—like it had swallowed them whole. It was as if they never existed."


    Beno trembled.


    "News of the incident spread like wildfire across the globe. Every major government—USA, South Korea, India, Australia—demanded full reports. Scientists and researchers flooded Libeus, trying to understand what had happened, but there were no answers. Just one question—what kind of gate was it? And where did it take those hunters?"


    The world was watching. The world was waiting.


    And Beno was breaking.


    A Brother''s Sorrow


    Tears welled in his eyes. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay composed, but his emotions betrayed him.


    "It''s been a week... I hope they''re okay..." Beno whispered, his voice trembling.


    The old man turned to him, a hint of sympathy in his wise eyes.


    "Do you have someone in there?"


    Beno hesitated before nodding. "My brother… he was in that mission."


    The old man''s expression changed. Shock flickered across his face, but it quickly softened into sadness.


    "I see..." He let out a slow breath. "It must be unbearable for you."


    Beno''s tears finally fell. "I''m weak. I''m nothing. I couldn''t stop him from going. I couldn''t protect him. And now, he''s gone." His voice cracked. "I''m not even awakened. How can I save him? How can I help him when I have no power at all?"


    His chest tightened, as if the weight of his powerlessness was crushing him.


    The old man studied Beno for a long moment before speaking. His voice was calm, steady.


    "Do you know, young one… that every strong hunter was once a weak human?"


    Beno sniffed, looking up.


    "Strength isn''t something you''re born with. It''s something you forge through hardship, through suffering, through relentless effort. Your brother walked his own path, and now you must walk yours. But the question is... do you have the will to fight for it?"


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Beno stared at him.


    "Power isn''t given," the old man continued, his gaze piercing. "It''s earned. If you want to stand beside your brother again, you must rise. And you must never stop walking forward, no matter how painful the road may be."


    Beno wiped his tears. He wasn''t sure if the pain in his chest had lessened, but something inside him shifted. He bowed his head.


    "Thank you, sir."


    A Mysterious Encounter


    As he stood to leave, the old man suddenly reached out.


    "Wait. Let me heal you."


    Before Beno could react, a golden glow radiated from the man''s fingertips. Warmth spread through Beno''s body, his wounds closing, his strength returning in an instant.


    Beno''s eyes widened.


    "You… You''re a hunter?"


    The old man chuckled.


    "Once, a long time ago. I was an S-rank hunter from China. But now… I just enjoy my retirement."


    "Titles don''t matter anymore." The old man waved dismissively. "But you… you are about to embark on a long journey. Walk it with courage, young one."


    Beno bowed deeply.


    "Thank you, sir. I swear—I will become stronger."


    The old man smiled.


    "I''ll be watching, young one. Go—your path is just beginning."


    The Rising Star


    As Beno disappeared into the night, a black Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of the park. A sharply dressed man stepped out.


    "Master Wong, we''ve been searching for you," the man said respectfully.


    Wong let out a hearty laugh, his gaze still fixed on the direction Beno had gone.


    "I was observing something interesting."


    "What do you mean?"


    Wong smiled.


    "A rising star. One that will soon shake the entire world."


    Luna''s Urgent Discovery


    Meanwhile, Luna paced anxiously, searching every corner of the city. "Where the hell are you, Beno?"


    Her phone rang. "Mora?"


    "Luna, listen. Have you seen Beno Mark?"


    "No, why?!"


    Mora hesitated.


    "An unregistered civilian entered an E-rank dungeon."


    Luna froze. "So? What''s the big deal?"


    "The problem is… he looks exactly like Beno."


    Luna''s heart dropped. "What?!"


    "His name is different in the records, but Luna… he entered with a party of three hunters."


    Luna gritted her teeth. "Why did you let him in?!"


    "That''s not the problem!" Mora''s voice was strained. "The dungeon—something''s wrong with it."


    Luna''s blood ran cold.


    "It was an E-rank… but the moment they entered, its color changed from blue to dark blue."


    Luna''s grip on her phone tightened. "That means—"


    "Yes," Mora confirmed. "Something inside that dungeon isn''t E-rank anymore."


    The Hunt Begins


    Inside the dungeon, Beno stood frozen as dozens of hound-like creatures circled them. Their glowing red eyes pierced the darkness, saliva dripping from their razor-sharp fangs.


    Hunter One cursed. "Are you sure this is an E-rank?!"


    The female hunter''s voice was shaky. "No… I don''t think so."


    Beno''s hands trembled. His body screamed at him to run.


    Then—


    A deafening howl.


    From the shadows, a massive three-headed hound emerged, its growl vibrating through the air.


    Then—


    It lunged at Beno.


    To be continued…


    [End of Chapter 4]


    What do you think will happen next? Will Beno survive this deadly dungeon, or is he walking straight into a nightmare?


    Let me know your thoughts in the comments! If we hit 5 comments, I''ll drop a bonus chapter! Let''s keep the hype going!