Then, with a screech of tires and a blur of motion, a convoy of matte-black transport vans tore through the cordon and came to a synchronized halt. The crowd surged forward only to be held back by police drones and barricades.
The van doors hissed open.
And they stepped out.
The Salamanders.
A wave of silence washed over the crowd, replaced a heartbeat later by shouts, gasps, and camera shutters.
They didn't come to assess the gate.
They came to dominate it.
They came for war.
News spread like wildfire Redman was in the vicinity.
Within minutes, his loyal fans swarmed the area, pouring in from every direction. The crowd erupted cheers and shouts rising like a tidal wave, camera flashes strobing as fans surged behind the barricades.
And they stepped out.
Doguen Guild.
A guild of seven. Pro hunters. Untouchable in the eyes of many.
The crowd fell into stunned silence broken a heartbeat later by a roar of excitement and a thunderstorm of camera shutters.
"We love you, Redman!" someone screamed, waving a foam gauntlet shaped like a power glove.
"Can I get your autograph? Please!"
A teenager clutched a homemade Doguen banner, eyes wide with awe.
"I heard they signed three of the seven rising stars this cycle! One of them's a speedster they snatched him right out from another guild!"
"No way," someone nearby gasped. "The speedster? You're kidding."
"Oh, it's not just the speedster. They brought the twins too. Massive steal this year."
"They brought the twins! They brought the twins!" another voice echoed in disbelief.
"Doguen always goes in full force when it's a gate," someone shouted.
"Classic Doguen," a fan said, shaking their head with admiration. "Always first to poach the best talent. They don't play. They invest in future legends."
"Gotta love the new ranking system," added a man in a HeroTube cap. "Makes scouting feel like a pro draft. Doguen's killing it."
The noise surged again as the guild stepped closer to the gate.
Fans began to chant in perfect unison, a chorus of devotion rising through the barricades:
"Doguen! Doguen! Doguen!"
Across the street, barricades held back the press and civilians. Behind them stood Tabaki, Iwaizumi, and Gin.
Nanami his authority stripped now that the zone had been handed over to the Dungeon Division crossed his arms and muttered,
"Well, Gin. You finally get to see a real guild in action... and a guild master, no less."
Gin stood at the edge of it all silent, unmoved, eyes scanning the chaos with a strange detachment.
But his attention wasn't on the fans.
It was fixed on one figure: Redman.
How strong is he really? Gin wondered. What kind of power does it take to erupt a crowd like that just by showing up?
None of them spoke.
They just watched seven silhouettes framed in the van floodlights and camera drones waiting to see what the Doguen Guild would do next.
Then he appeared.
The first to step out was Redman.
Clad in red-and-black combat gear that clung to him like a second skin, a heat shimmer rippled around him as if the air itself bent away from his presence. Each step hissed softly against the ground. He raised a hand lazily, waving to the riotous crowd.
"Alright, alright," he called out, voice half-smirk, half-scorch. "Don't die from excitement before we even go in."
The fans roared louder, drowning in their hysteria.
Seris, the Healer, descended gently behind him more apparition than person. Her silver cloak fluttered without wind, glowing gloves leaving soft trails of light. Her feet never touched the pavement.
She clicked her tongue.
"Tsk. They cheer like it's a game. If only they knew…"
Redman chuckled without turning.
"Relax, Seris. They're just excited. The government doesn't want us stirring panic, remember? Let 'em enjoy the show we're entertainers, after all."
"Smile for the drones. Wave for HeroTube. I'm so sick of it," she muttered bitterly.
"Keeping things pretty when it's a bloodbath inside."
Redman nodded.
"What's the point of shouting doom when the crowd wants drama? You wanna tell those happy faces the gates aren't following rankings anymore? That they're shifting?"
Seris narrowed her eyes at the cheering crowd.
"Yeah. That'd cause panic. Especially if they knew what those orcs did to Freeze and Handyman."
Redman's voice hardened.
"Seris… I told you not to bring that up in public."
"I was their healer, Redman. I was supposed to treat them if not save them, at least minimize the damage."
Her voice cracked, then hardened.
"But I wasn't there when they needed me most. And now they're in the ICU because I didn't do my job."
Redman met her gaze, steady.
"You're being too hard on yourself."
He exhaled.
"We got separated in that dungeon. You were the only healer I made the call. That's on me, not you. They're in Intensive Care now. Let the advanced team take over from here."
Heavy footsteps signaled the arrival of Babu, the team's defensive wall. His body more stone than flesh rumbled with each step.
"Boss... Let's be honest. They won't be able to hunt again."
Redman exhaled slowly.
"Losing an arm and a leg in this line of work... yeah. It's a steep fall. They'll need a new path."
"I hope they find it," Babu said quietly, looking up at the sky.
"Freeze. Handyman. Hang in there."
Seris's voice returned, sharp and curious.
"But why are the gates becoming inconsistent? Why aren't they matching our rankings anymore?"
"No one knows," Redman answered.
"Could be a fluke. Could be something worse. Either way, we stick to the old ranking system. We can't afford to spread uncertainty."
"So that dungeon was just an anomaly?"
"Exactly," Redman said.
"The moment things stop making sense, people panic. And with elections around the corner? That's the last thing this president wants."
Seris shook her head.
"Maybe if HeroTube actually showed what's really behind those gates..."
"Honestly?" Babu rumbled.
"If I'd seen all this before signing up, I wouldn't have touched this job either."
Redman nodded.
"Exactly. They don't and they shouldn't. HeroTube filters out the worst. No bodies, no screams. Just victories, slow-mo hero shots, and curated narratives."
"And all to make it look glamorous," Seris muttered.
"As if all it takes is awakening your Pulse and you're suddenly a pro hunter."
"That's how they sell it," Babu shrugged.
"HeroTube's the entertainment branch. You want people watching, not crying every time a team walks into a gate. They sell the dream, not the horror."
A beat. Then a wide grin broke across Babu's stone-carved face.
"Plus, Lady Justice makes it worth it. You seen her dungeon outfits? Mmm. Fan service with a great sword."
Seris rolled her eyes.
"Ugh. Lady Justice is a walking thirst trap. She's turning pro hunting into soft-core fantasy. It's disgusting."
"Not my fault she's got style," Babu grinned.
"Her gear barely covers her chest last week. I remember it vividly."
"Babu. Please," Seris groaned.
"Just... stop."
Redman sighed, half-amused.
"What happened to heroism these days, Babu? Where's the morality, the sense of duty—where's the link?"