He casually walked up the stairs, his boots echoing in the silence.
When he reached the exit—the same one he'd entered from—he was met with the pitter-patter of rainfall. The streets were empty, the sky dark and overcast, casting a somber glow over the scene.
Except for one man.
A soldier in full suppression gear stood guard, a rifle slung in his hands, visor up, posture stiff. He tensed the moment he saw Jinwoo appear.
"What are you doing?" the soldier barked. "Why did you step out of there?"
The soldier stepped closer, lowering his rifle slightly. "Didn't you hear the—"
Then his voice faltered.
His eyes locked on the soft pink scarf wrapped around Jinwoo's neck. Only... it wasn't a scarf.
It was a snake.
A snake with faintly glowing pink scales, its body coiled lazily, its eyes locked on the soldier with eerie intelligence.
"...announcement," the soldier finished weakly.
Medusa lifted her head, eyes narrowing at the man. "Master…" she said, voice low and sultry. "He seems yummy. Can I eat him?"
"E-Eat me?" the soldier stammered, instinctively taking a step back. A cold sweat broke across his forehead as an overwhelming pressure surged from the snake—no, the creature. It was like facing down a B-rank Hunter at full release.
Jinwoo raised a hand and gently stroked Medusa's head. "No, Medusa. You can't eat humans."
Medusa let out a disappointed sigh, curling slightly tighter around his shoulders.
The soldier stood frozen. That aura... it was terrifying. That snake alone felt stronger than anything he'd ever encountered outside of top-tier dungeons.
And it called him master.
A thought struck him like lightning. Is he… a summoner?
But that didn't make sense.
The strongest known summoner Hunter could only command a C-rank beast at most. Anything more required a mana on par with that of an S-rank Hunter.
This guy… could he be the first ever S-rank summoner?
The soldier's expression changed instantly.
"S-Sir!" he said quickly, bowing at the waist.
Jinwoo blinked, caught off guard. Huh? Why is he bowing to me all of a sudden?
"S-Sir, please help us!" the soldier stammered again, desperation creeping into his voice. "The city needs your help!"
Jinwoo's eyes narrowed. A sudden pulse hit his senses—chaotic, untamed energy tearing through the city like a storm. It wasn't just a mana signature. It was a Gate Break. One powerful enough to threaten the district.
And at its center…
"...Something strong," he murmured.
A presence. Not unlike Kasaka. Maybe even stronger.
Jinwoo exhaled slowly, lips curling into a faint smirk. "Yeah… I know."
He turned to the soldier still frozen in awe.
"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
Before the man could reply, Jinwoo leapt. A single burst from his legs cracked the pavement beneath his boots, and he vanished from sight—rushing through the city like a blur.
The moment he arrived, chaos greeted him.
Downtown was in shambles. Cracks laced the roads, store windows shattered, and rubble lined the edges. A perimeter had been set up with flimsy barricades and a few emergency trucks.
Inside the chaos, seven E-rank Hunters struggled against small rock golems—each the size of a child but ruthless and tough. Meanwhile, a towering electric golem wreaked havoc at the center, its crystalline core pulsing with lightning. Four D-rank Hunters fought it together—but barely. They were getting pushed back, one of them limping, another already down and groaning.
Jinwoo didn't waste a second.
He vaulted past the security fence and landed squarely in the battlefield, drawing gasps from the civilians nearby.
"Medusa," he called calmly, eyes locked on the battlefield. "Take care of the little ones. Protect the Hunters and civilians."
"Yes, Master," Medusa purred from around his neck—and then she dropped.
Her coils hit the ground with a heavy thud. Mana surged around her, and in an instant, she transformed—expanding, stretching, her pink scales glowing faintly as her body grew massive. As big as Kasaka had been. Her slit eyes glinted with hunger and excitement.
Gasps of terror erupted from the sidelines.
"A-A s-snake?!"
"Why did another beast suddenly appear?!"
A female archer, panting as she loosed another arrow at the golem, froze in place.
"That thing—" she started, panic rising.
But before she could act, Jinwoo appeared beside her, Kasaka's Fang already drawn.
"Don't worry," he said softly. "That's my familiar."
"F-Familiar?" she blinked, eyes wide. "A-Are you a summoner?"
"Yeah," Jinwoo confirmed, loud enough for the nearby Hunters to hear. Then, raising his voice, he shouted:
"Everyone, retreat! Me and my familiar will handle this!"
Gasps. Confusion. A D-rank Hunter turned in disbelief.
"What?! A summoner?! With only one familiar? Does he think that snake's enough to—"
A thunderous crash cut him off.
The electric golem's arm rocketed forward, its fist aimed straight at the man's chest. His life flashed before his eyes.
'Shit. Is this how I die—'
But the impact never came.
Thud!
The golem's severed fist hit the ground, crushed rock and sparks scattering across the battlefield.
Jinwoo stood on the monster's arm, crouched low with Kasaka's Fang in hand—its blade gleaming with residual lightning.
He smiled.
"Wow… I didn't think this dagger could even cut through rock," he said, admiring the edge. "It's better than I thought."
Without hesitation, he leapt again—straight at the boss.
The D-rank Hunter, still alive, could only stare in awe.
'A summoner… fighting head-on with a boss?'
"Everyone fall back!" the archer shouted, finding her voice again. "Get out of his way!"
The remaining Hunters didn't hesitate. They pulled back, dragging the wounded with them, disbelief on their faces.
The golem's arm sparked violently, its crystal core surging in rage. But Jinwoo didn't stop. With every strike of his dagger, cracks began to form along its body—cut after cut, swift and precise.
Behind him, Medusa slammed her massive tail into the smaller golems, hissing with glee. One went flying into a wall. Another was crushed under her coils. The rest didn't last long—she was hunting them like prey.
Civilians and Hunters alike could only watch.
This wasn't normal.
This wasn't a normal summoner.
Amongst the healers tending to the wounded, Lee Joohee stood frozen, her eyes wide with disbelief as she watched the young man tear through the golem like a storm.
"Jinwoo… is that… you?"
To be continued...
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How was this chapter? Good?
Also, I made the boss a little bit stronger, wanted to make things a bit different. Also, I didn't want to make Jinwoo hide himself like in the original, I know it's best to keep a low profile until he hasn't reached the S-rank power, but he'll reach it in a while, so that's not a problem.