"Hey everyone! Hope I'm not late! " he called out with a slightly sheepish smile. " Had a little holdup... family stuff, you know! The joys of being a dad, eh eh... " he added, scratching the back of his head.

"Not this time. We've still got time. The van hasn't arrived yet, and we're ahead of the portal's activation. Besides, Hunters Kang Do-Hyun and Yoo Hae-Rin haven't shown up yet, but they shouldn't be long," replied Im Na-Rae calmly.

"Perfect."

Min-Jung scanned the area. A little farther off, he spotted Soo-Jin sitting and chatting with a cheerful young woman.

"Huh... Isn't that Kyuang-Ah with Soo-Jin over there? Already making friends? Or maybe... they already knew each other? Either way, that's good for him. If he's got someone to talk to, he'll feel more at ease. For a first raid, that's a real stroke of luck."

Just then, two new hunters arrived.

"There they are," said Im Na-Rae.

The two were Kang Do-Hyun and Yoo Hae-Rin the raid leader followed by his second-in-command. Five more hunters arrived right behind them.

The group was now complete.

Soo-Jin looked up toward Min-Jung, who was speaking with Do-Hyun. Kyuang-Ah, sitting next to him, noticed.

"You don't know them, right? It's your first raid, after all... I'll give you a quick rundown."

She pointed to the two men chatting nearby.

"The big guy is Go Min-Jun. The other one's Kang Do-Hyun. They've both been around long before me. Veterans of the group experienced and solid."

She continued calmly

"Kang Do-Hyun's the leader. Former military. C-Rank , Tank type. He doesn't talk much, but when he does, everyone listens. He's the one up front, taking the hits. Solid as a wall."

"Go Min-Jun is a D-Rank. Fighter type. A veteran. Calm, thoughtful, and reliable. One of the longest-standing members of the group, with plenty of raids under his belt. A guy you can count on."

She paused, then discreetly pointed to a woman methodically cleaning her daggers off to the side.

"Yoo Hae-Rin. Second-in-command. C-Rank, assassin. Fast, precise... lethal. She never misses her mark. The kind who could slit your throat before you even realized something brushed past you. She keeps a close eye on new recruits... especially low-rank ones. Don't give her a reason to deem you useless. She seems cold, but... she's actually nice in her own way."

Soo-Jin listened silently. Every word, every name, every tone he absorbed it all.

Kyuang-Ah went on, glancing toward a man with a loud voice.

"The loudmouth over there is Nam Gyu-Min. D-Rank, fighter type...or more like a Berserker. Loves to hit things. And mock people. Can't stand losing face, especially around those he thinks are beneath him. Best to keep your distance. He's always looking for a reason to show off."

Just then, a mocking laugh rang out. Soo-Jin instantly recognized it from earlier.

"Next to him is Lee Sun-Woo. D-Rank as well, Fighter type. Thinks he's clever. Loves games, bets, stirring up drama. He'll mess with people just to see how it unfolds. Be even more careful around him. He might not throw the first punch... but he's often the reason one gets thrown."

She turned her head toward a quiet young man observing the group from a distance.

"Seo Ji-Hwan. D-Rank, Healer. Doesn't talk much, but he's solid. If you go down... that's the guy you crawl to."

Then, her gaze shifted to a focused, upright woman standing still.

"Im Na-Rae. D-Rank, Arcanist or mage if you prefer. Cold. Precise. She hates small talk and will ignore you completely unless you get in her way. And trust me, that's a good thing."

She gestured toward an archer chatting with two other hunters.

"Choi Min-Kyu. D-Rank, Archer. Curious,sometimes a bit too much. Wants to know everything about everyone. Not a bad guy, just a bit too chatty, and... let's say imaginative."

She paused for a moment, then cast a discreet glance toward a solitary figure sitting off to the side.

"Over there... that's Ryu Se-Ah. Mage, E-Rank like me. She doesn't talk much. We started around the same time, often end up in the same raids. She looks lost, but she's determined to keep going."

She gave a small shrug.

"As for the others, I don't know their names or ranks. They're probably E-Rank too. Freelancers, independent hunters who join teams when a guild doesn't fill all the spots... kinda like you today."

Silence fell again.

Soo-Jin had listened to it all without saying a word.

Kyuang-Ah leaned her head back against the shipping container, eyes briefly closed. Then she exhaled softly

"Those are the people you'll have to survive with today."

Soo-Jin clenched his fists.

"Thanks..."

It came out as a murmur. She didn't answer. She'd said what mattered.

A van pulled up nearby. It was the vehicle set to take the hunters to the raid site too far to reach on foot.

Moments after it arrived, a deep voice rang out

"Everyone, move up!"

It was Do-Hyun. He was calling the group together.

"Come on, let's go. It's almost time, said Kyuang-Ah."

She stood up, and the two of them headed toward the gathering.

Do-Hyun spoke with a calm but firm tone.

"As you all know, we're headed into a raid. Most of you aren't part of any guild, but that didn't stop us from forming a team. Other hunters chose higher-ranked portals more profitable ones... They passed this one up, since it's only D-ranked . That means E and D-rank monsters nothing too difficult."

He paused briefly.

"With our group of 2 C-Rank hunters, 5 D-Rank hunters , and 5 E-Rank hunters, this should be an easy job. No big treasure haul, but if you keep stacking up these smaller raids, it pays off. Think of it as an opportunity especially for you independents. Don't lose heart."

He looked over the group for a moment.

"A new portal will open next week. I'll let you know when the time comes. But for now, focus on this one. Remember the simpler the raid, the more you can do. And the more you do... the more you earn."

He ended in a sharper tone 

"Departure in two minutes."

One by one, the hunters boarded the van. Each took a seat in silence.

The engine started. They were on their way to the raid site.

At that moment, a chill ran down Soo-Jin's spine.

All of this... was real.

The raid. The monsters. The portals.

He had just taken his first step into the world of hunters.

Even though he wasn't one of them.