"Do you even understand what money is for?"
The first to speak was Lee Jin-ho.
"Ugh,"
Do Min-jun replied, his expression one of disbelief. "I live in a world where economic concepts exist too, you know? Sure, we don't create filthy bills or coins that spread germs like humans do."
"What?"
"Think about it. Money gets passed around from person to person. It's not like anyone washes it before carrying it around. Just how dirty is money?"
Do Min-jun was aware of what Jin-ho was getting at. But that wasn't the point of the question, was it?
With a serious expression, Lee Si-woo interjected, "No, Min-jun. What your father is asking is whether you understand the value of money and what we truly need."
Min-jun nodded in understanding. "Yes, of course. We need money with economic exchange value to protect our family's home."
Jin-ho looked at him in surprise. "How do you know all this?"
Min-jun waved his tablet PC in response. "I hardly sleep, so I've spent all night exploring the human world with this."
"Wait, isn't that Si-yeon's?"
In response to Jin-ho's question, Min-jun blushed slightly as he explained, "Yeah, she lent it to me when she saw I couldn't sleep."
'Why does he turn red whenever Si-yeon is mentioned?'
For a moment, Si-woo's thoughts wandered off track, but he quickly shook his head to dismiss unnecessary distractions. That wasn't what mattered right now.
So he asked, "So what's your plan? How do you intend to get this money you claim to have?"
Jin-ho's eyes lit up with curiosity; both were burning with anticipation.
Min-jun pointed at Si-woo and said, "You learned how to use mana thanks to my blood."
"That's right."
"And people like you are called hunters on Earth, right?"
"Exactly."
"So we just need to go into a gate and hunt! I've seen that even the most trivial monster parts sell for an outrageous price on Earth!"
"Hah."
A sigh escaped Si-woo's lips. It wasn't that he didn't know this; it was more complicated than that. A wave of regret washed over him as he pondered whether he should explain their past to this kid.
But then something clicked—an emotional connection formed between him and Min-jun.
'Right. We're bound by blood.'
In that moment of realization, Min-jun exclaimed as if struck by inspiration, "Oh! So that's why you have that history!"
"Did you just figure me out?"
"I told you! We're connected on a deeper level now!"
"True."
Si-woo nodded in agreement but felt a twinge of disappointment as well. He had hoped Min-jun would have a genuine solution.
------
Suddenly, Do Min-jun spoke up.
"Well, if that's the case, we just need to find the black market."
"Hmm?"
What was he talking about?
Lee Si-woo looked at Do Min-jun with wide eyes, surprised by his statement.
With a smile, Do Min-jun continued, "What you really want is to earn money without getting caught and to level up your Hunter rank, right?"
"That's true," Lee Si-woo replied.
"Then it's simple."
"How?"
"I can open a gate."
"What? Really?"
Both Lee Si-woo and Lee Jin-ho jumped up in disbelief. Could Do Min-jun really open a gate? Was that even possible?
Seeing their eager expressions, Do Min-jun chuckled. "Let's sit down and talk. You both don't seem to know much about me."
He pulled out a chair and sat down. "Oh! And Hyung, I'd love a cup of cocoa."
He said this with a hint of arrogance in his posture.
'This kid. Just when I think he's being humble, his royal demeanor slips out,' Lee Si-woo thought to himself.
"Alright. Just wait a moment," he replied, unable to suppress a smile as he headed to the kitchen.
There was something endearing about Do Min-jun that he couldn't quite dislike.
Or maybe it was just cute?
'Please let his words be true!'
As he boiled water, Lee Si-woo silently wished for it.
"Wait! Are you serious?" Lee Jin-ho asked, astonished.
"Yes, I am," Do Min-jun answered nonchalantly as he savored his cocoa.
This was truly remarkable.
Every two days, Do Min-jun could generate a gate of at least D-rank using the mana he had collected. And he could do it right here at home! Without any issues!
Lee Si-woo leaned forward eagerly and asked, "But didn't you say there was something wrong with your mana heart?"
Do Min-jun's expression turned somber. "That's true. But this situation is a bit different."
"How so?"
"This planet is currently experiencing a rift in space-time. It's quite unstable, which makes opening gates easier and requires very little mana."
"So Earth is in a special situation?"
"Exactly. But the gates that open here are limited in their space-time dimensions."
"Right."
Lee Si-woo nodded in agreement with Do Min-jun's explanation.
Limited space-time gates.
That was how the gates on Earth functioned.
Every gate had its own confined area. For instance, the Pyeongtaek Gate was only about the size of Gyeonggi Province.
And this confined space opened somewhere on a planet in the universe.
To put it simply, 70% of the P-type gates on Earth led to a planet designated as H257.
This meant that entering any of the many P-type gates across Korea—like Pyeongtaek Gate or Gunsan Gate—would lead to H257.
The only difference was that each gate accessed different regions within that planet.
For example, the Pyeongtaek Gate might be like placing a bowl over a specific area of H257 that matched the size of Gyeonggi Province.
It was restricted to that size; there was no way out beyond it.
For reference, H257 was about 70 times larger than Earth, so having multiple gates wasn't an issue at all.
In any case, that was the nature of the limited space-time gates on Earth.
They could lead to other universes or galaxies, but only allowed glimpses into parts of that planet.
While Lee Si-woo pondered these thoughts for a moment,
Do Min-jun sipped his cocoa and continued speaking. "If my mana heart were functioning properly, I could create gates without any limitations."
If what Do Min-jun said was true, that would be an incredible feat!
That thought made Lee Si-woo's heart race with excitement.
But he couldn't afford to get overly excited just yet.
Regaining his composure, Lee Si-woo asked, "So you're saying it won't be limited to just one area?"
"That's correct. But as you know, that's currently impossible. So I can only create gates similar to those on Earth."
Even if he could create gates like that, where would they lead?
Maintaining his calm demeanor, Lee Si-woo pressed further. "Is this for real? You're not lying?"
"Why would I lie to you and the elder? It's just…."
"Just what?"
"There's a time limit on the gates I create."
"A time limit?"
"Yes. Because I don't have much mana, I can't keep the gate open for long."
"How long can it stay open?"
------
"It'll take about four to five hours."
"Alright," he said.
Isiu nodded. That should be enough time. Even if it's just a D-grade gate, there should be plenty of monsters to hunt within that timeframe.
"I need to start making a list today," Isiu thought to himself, getting excited without realizing it. Was there another blessing like this in the world? Not only did he get to become a hunter, but he also had a secret gate in his house, all thanks to Do Min-joon.
Isiu grasped Do Min-joon's arms and said, "Thanks, Do Min-joon. I owe you one. I was able to avoid danger because of you."
Do Min-joon replied with a serious expression, "But I have a condition too."
"Huh? What is it?" Isiu asked.
"I need a lot of materials to fix my mana heart, and to get those materials, you need to grow stronger quickly," Do Min-joon explained.
"That means the materials you need aren't from low-grade monsters, right?" Isiu inquired.
"Correct. By Earth standards, you'd need to hunt at least S-grade or higher monsters, like SS or SR-grade," Do Min-joon confirmed.
Isiu nodded. He had a feeling that ordinary materials wouldn't be enough to fix Do Min-joon's mana heart, given that he was a high-level being.
Do Min-joon continued, "You have your goals, and I have my mission. That's why I want to return home quickly."
Isiu understood. He knew about the world Do Min-joon lived in and how Fantaurous was in danger. This thought worried him: what if Do Min-joon's world was destroyed before he could return?
Sensing Isiu's concern, Do Min-joon erased the worried look from his face and said, "But fortunately, time isn't as tight as it seems."
"Really?" Isiu asked.
"Yes. I calculated it yesterday, and surprisingly, there's a time difference between this planet and my world. One year on Earth is equivalent to one day in my world," Do Min-joon explained.
Isiu was both amazed and perplexed by this. However, he realized it was due to some cosmic relationship between the universes. The most important thing was that Do Min-joon still had hope.
"Good, really good," Isiu said, relieved.
Do Min-joon nodded seriously and added, "Then you need to prepare to grow stronger. Hunting monsters isn't easy."
Isiu agreed. Growth was crucial. He wanted to become a powerful hunter who wouldn't be intimidated by anyone, especially not Kang Myung-joon. He vowed to face him and drag him to the depths of hell.
"Okay, I'll prepare," Isiu said firmly.
With his mother's name etched in his heart, Isiu clenched his fist and steeled himself.
Later that evening, Isiu arrived at So Byeong-seop Tech. He had spent the morning talking with his father and Do Min-joon, and in the afternoon, he visited the Pyeongtaek Gate. He didn't want to give anyone a chance to observe him.
"At least an A-grade hunter," he thought. "If I become an A-grade, I can create a guild protected by the government."
Isiu planned to continue visiting the Pyeongtaek Gate until he grew strong enough that Kang Myung-joon wouldn't dare touch him.
As he entered So Byeong-seop Tech, he noticed the equipment was operating busily, even on a Saturday.
"Must be a lot of work," he thought. Otherwise, they wouldn't be working so hard on a weekend.
Isiu walked through the factory, thinking about his meeting with So Byeong-seop earlier. He desperately needed new armor and hunter gear, and today was the day he would receive both. He was also a bit nervous about another request he had for So Byeong-seop.
As he approached the office, he suddenly heard, "Oh no!"
Isiu quickly turned the corner and saw someone rushing out. He swiftly adjusted his shoulder to avoid a collision, showcasing his quick reflexes.
However, the problem wasn't him. The person in a work uniform suddenly pulled back and lost their balance, looking like they might fall among the narrow machinery.
Isiu instinctively stretched out his arm and caught the worker, holding them in his arms due to the urgency of the situation. The worker ended up leaning against him, reminiscent of a classic movie poster.
The worker looked up at Isiu with startled eyes, and Isiu gazed back.
"Is that a woman?" he wondered. Previously, she had worn a mask, but not today, revealing her gender.
But that wasn't all. "She looks familiar," Isiu thought. "Where have I seen her before?"
Suddenly, he remembered. "Could it be Choi Hyun-jung?"
Isiu stared at the woman in his arms, his eyes wide with surprise.