# Chapter 78
As everyone expected, the battle ended quickly. Swarms of ant-type monsters kept appearing endlessly, but the battle was so easy it could be described as trivial.
“These seem to be scouts.”
Moreover, ant-type monsters typically form colonies of hundreds or thousands that act together. While individual specimens were weak, comparable to D-class monsters, they were classified as C-class because of their tendency to move in large groups.
“If they’re going to show up, they should at least come in larger numbers.”
But the ant-type monster swarms that kept popping out from the forest numbered only between 30 to 50.
“They seem to be trying to assess our combat strength.”
Lee Minhun, a rookie Esper, continued talking while stepping on the densely piled ant corpses.
Just then, another swarm of ants burst out from the forest.
-Keeeak!
But no one was tense anymore. Some were even relaxed enough to be smiling with their eyes. That was Minhun.
“Should I just handle all of them?”
He was the only rookie Esper in this team who had been assigned to this Gate as his first mission. However, no one underestimated him. He was an A-class Esper. Additionally, he possessed a special ability among ability users.
“Everyone step back. I’ll take care of them all at once.”
Everyone stepped back as if acknowledging his skills. Dohyun also authorized him to fight solo, knowing his abilities.
“Just about 30 of them.”
Minhun grinned and stretched his hand toward the ants. Simultaneously, a large pillar of fire erupted where numerous ants were gathered. The ants’ bodies burned, and the smell of burning insects reverberated through the air. Minhun looked satisfied at the sight.
In truth, Minhun had been growing increasingly dissatisfied. The ants that had been rushing at them trying to bite suddenly stopped approaching only him at some point, as if they feared his incompatible ability. Yet they still approached the other Espers!
This was a frustrating situation for Minhun. Wasn’t this Gate his first mission? He wanted to make an impact. That’s why he stepped forward now.
“Nature-type ability users are certainly specialized for combat.”
One of the Espers remarked while watching Minhun from behind.
Indeed. Lee Minhun was a nature-type ability user, known to be possessed by only a very select few among Espers. Specifically, he was an Esper with fire-type special abilities.
Unlike other abilities, nature-type abilities had all their stats concentrated on combat. They could perform area attacks like now and possessed greater attack power compared to other ability users. For ants that overwhelm through numbers, Minhun was the most troublesome existence.
“This is just too easy.”
Minhun burned all the newly appeared ant swarms and turned his head to look at the Guides, shrugging his shoulders. Until now, when he was in an unmanifested Esper state, he had hardly any contact with Guides due to the risk of one-sided bonding.
He had undergone high-difficulty training, but because most Guides suddenly went to regional Gates, he received guiding from guiding machines rather than Guides. And now, in front of him were plenty of Guides. A and B-class Guides at that.
No Esper disliked Guides. The same was true for Minhun, so he wanted to make a good impression on the Guides. Especially on Jaehee, the S-class Guide—very definitely!
“I think that takes care of everything.”
Minhun said that while dusting off his hands. The pillars of fire that were still actively burning ants around them gradually subsided and disappeared. That’s how nature-type abilities worked. They wouldn’t disappear unless the controller turned them off.
“By the way, I’d like to receive some guiding soon.”
Minhun subtly revealed his personal desire. After creating a mountain of ant corpses, his expression seemed to say, “Isn’t this enough to deserve guiding?” Then he walked confidently toward Jaehee.
“Guide Lee Jaehee.”
Minhun tried to leave a good first impression on Jaehee by smiling brightly. This would be his first formal guiding. He couldn’t help but be excited.
But then.
“Get it from another Guide.”
Dohyun blocked Minhun’s path. Jaehee, who had clearly been in front of him until just a moment ago, disappeared—hidden behind Dohyun’s large frame.
“……”
Minhun furrowed his brow. He raised his gaze slightly to look at Dohyun.
‘I could win, couldn’t I?’
In that moment, Minhun, the rookie Esper, felt a surge of irritation. He didn’t like how another Esper was hiding and not showing the Guide he had his eye on.
But Dohyun felt the same way. Minhun was someone personally requested by the Center Director. Since there hadn’t been an Esper with fire-type abilities until now, Dohyun had been asked to help with his growth.
The Center Director was likely handling the Deputy Center Director’s work well, so Dohyun should grant at least this one request. Moreover, if a fire-type Esper was well-trained, it would be a great help to their combat strength in the future.
‘But to set his sights on Lee Jaehee…’
Dohyun started to find Minhun irritating. He raised his hand to point at the Guides behind him, ordering Minhun to receive guiding from them. Or at least, that’s clearly what he intended to do.
But then.
“Give me your hand.”
Jaehee emerged from behind Dohyun and extended his hand to Minhun. Dohyun’s expression crumpled, while in contrast, Minhun’s mouth stretched into a wide grin up to his ears. He was thrilled that Jaehee had offered his hand first.
“Lee Jaehee.”
Dohyun called out as if trying to stop Jaehee. Knowing that the amount of Jaehee’s guiding energy was different from usual, Dohyun wanted to prevent Jaehee from performing guiding as much as possible.
“A little will be enough.”
But Jaehee didn’t back down.
“Besides, having participated in a Gate clearing mission, providing guiding is my duty.”
The implication was not to interfere in this matter. Dohyun understood that. The guiding authority rested with Jaehee, the leader of the Guide team. Nevertheless, Dohyun’s eyebrows rose as if he wasn’t pleased.
Minhun was snickering as he watched Dohyun and Jaehee from the side.
“Then I look forward to your guiding!”
Minhun focused solely on holding Jaehee’s hand and receiving the high-purity guiding energy, not understanding why Jaehee was providing guiding to him like this.
***
The battle continued. As ants poured out day and night, numerous red ant corpses piled up wherever the Espers and Guides passed.
After several days like this, they were heading toward a place where the intensity of the wavelength was gradually strengthening, in order to defeat the boss monster.
“Are there only ants in this Gate?”
However, there was one strange thing. In typical Gates, various types of monsters appear depending on the environment, but here they had only seen ant-type monsters. But even that doubt soon disappeared.
This was because the intensity of the wavelength emitted by the monsters was gradually growing enormous. It meant that the boss monster of this Gate was not far away.
“Oh? Look over there!”
Someone shouted softly.
“The strongest wavelength is coming from over there?”
Everyone had thought the boss monster of this Gate, where only ants appeared, would be a queen ant. They had expected a large ant colony, but the strongest monster wavelength that could be felt in a C-class Gate was spreading from a completely unexpected place.
“Ants live in a place like this?”
What was spread out before everyone’s eyes was a temple made of pure white stones. But it wasn’t intact. As if a battle had passed through, the temple was in a broken state here and there.
And in front of the temple door was the queen ant, emitting the strongest wavelength in the C-class Gate.
“Found it.”
Countless red ants that had been appearing all along were spread around the temple. These weren’t scouts. Their main force was here.
But the target monster was determined. If they eliminated the boss monster, the Gate entrance would open, and in the case of colony-type monsters, once they lost their leader, they would lose their will to fight and flee. In short, they only needed to target the queen ant.
Everyone prepared for battle. The Espers poured all their strength into the final battle without holding back. Black ant corpses were strewn near the temple. The same was true for the path the Espers and Guides had taken. Ant corpses were scattered everywhere.
“This will be cleared up quickly.”
The numerous ant swarms numbering around 3-4 thousand. But the grade difference was too great. There was the boss monster, the queen ant, but it wasn’t much of a concern.
That’s why the Guides were watching the situation leisurely while emitting radiant guiding energy. The Espers were also steadily reducing the number of ants. The ants with significantly lower intelligence could only deal with the Espers attacking them. Because of this, the Guides were relaxed.
But then.
“Guide Lee Jaehee?”
Jaehee’s expression was not good.
“Uh, uh? Guide Lee Jaehee!”
Then suddenly Jaehee broke from formation. He gritted his teeth and started running toward Dohyun.
