Cp 9

After Mori took care of the Mantis, he and Yoonho went ahead an scouted the cave. All they found were more corpses. 

"Seems that mantis we fought was the only one." Yoonho deduced as they walked back to the team. 

"Yeah." Mori nods, not feeling any more mana signatures. "But it's weird you know?" He says with a frown. "Why eat all the other mantises? Is that what made him as strong as he was? If that's true then shit just got a whole lot scarier." He says grimly. 

Yoonho had his own thoughts on the matter, but nonetheless scarier. "Let's regroup before exiting the gate." Yoonho spoke. 

"It's a shame the mantis ate the mana crystals as well." Mori sighed, thinking about the scene of small broken mana crystals strewn around the main cave where the boss monster dwelled. "I'd kill that thing again if I could." He mutters before they reach the team. 

"Alright. Let's quickly gather the monster corpses before exiting the gate!" Yoonho commanded. 

a Few quick minutes later they set off to the exit. 

Mori suddenly realized something and looked behind him, spotting a smiling Fatty. "Fatty?! Where the fuck were you? I didn't see you while we were fighting the mantis." Mori said gripping the fatty's head. "And why are you smiling so stupidly?!" He asks. 

Fatty drops the smile, glancing from side to side before taking something out of his pants. "This is why." He says, revealing a weird stone with a rune etched on it. 

"What the fuck?!" Mori whispers, grabbing the stone from Fatty. "a Rune stone.." He mutters before walking to Yoonho and tapping his shoulder. 

Yoonho turns around with a raised eyebrow. "Yes?" He asks, only for Mori to smirk and hold the Rune stone in front of his face. 

"We said 50/50, but who takes this? There's only one." Mori asks, still smirking. He didn't try to take it for himself or hide it from Yoonho because he didn't need it and he's not that type of person. 

Yoonho's eyes widen at the sight before he calms himself down. "You take it." He speaks, turning back around and walking. "Without you, my whole guild would've been wiped out." He finishes, leaving Mori. 

"It's settled then..." Mori mutters, looking at the stone. 'Well I don't need it... I'm basically a god... I guess I'll just give it to him." He says, walking back to Fatty before throwing the stone towards him. "Don't use it now. We don't know what might happen." He commands, receiving a grateful nod from the fat man. 

a Few minutes pass as they finally reach the exit of the gate. 

"Let's get out of here." Yoonho speaks, turning to his team with a sad smile. Sure it was great to finish the gate with almost no casualties, but there being only one hit him hard. Surely he could've done something to stop it from happening, but he didn't blame himself. He just mourned for the loss of a comrade silently. 

Stepping through the gate, the team's shoulders relax as the feeling of air hits them... "The hell?" Mori mutters as he looks at the army in front of him. "What happened here?" 

---

Two minutes earlier, Go Gunhee stood a few meters away from the gate. Behind him stood thousands of Hunters. In the air flew helicopters, cameras recording the scene. 

By now the news had spread about the S-Rank gate within Korea. Nothing could be done about it except preparing for a dungeon break. 

"If only I knew it'd be like this." Gunhee muttered, thinking of the Hunters who entered the gate. 

"The gate's reacting!" One hunter exclaims, snapping Gunhee out of his thoughts. "Something's coming!" He yells, everyone standing ready with their weapons. 

---

"The hell?" Mori mutters as he looks at the army in front of him. "What happened here?" He asks before spotting Go Gunhee at the front. "Oh! It's you captain! What's all this?" He yells, jogging to the chairman. 

"Haaaah." Gunhee exhales, a huge smile plastered on his face. "False alarm! Return home!" He speaks, as the confused Hunters shrug and follow his command. "I'm going to need a report on the raid." Gunhee says, his tone serious as he looked at Mori. 

"Just get that from him." Mori points to Yoonho at the back before yawning. "I'm quite tired right now. I'll be going now. Bye, cap." He waves before walking to Yoonho. 

"I'm gonna go now. Captain wants to see you." Mori says and motions to Fatty to get ready to leave.

'Captain? Oh, he's talking about the Chairman.' Yoonho nods, ready to go to the chairman but stops as Mori cleared his throat. "What?" He questioned, looking at the stupid expression on Mori's face. 

"So... You have a daughter?" Mori draws out, his voice silent. "I'm nineteen right now and I was-"

"Piss off." Yoonho sneered before going to the chairman. 

Dejected, Mori could only watch as Yoonho walked away. "What a shitty father-in-law." Mori mutters. 

"What was that?" Fatty asked as he stood next to Mori. 

Shaking his head, Mori walks off. "Nothing. Let's get out of here and test out that stone."

---

Within Mori's office stood Mori and an excited Fatty. "What are you waiting for?" Mori questions, looking at the shaking Fatty. "Just use it man." 

"You're ruining the mood, Boss." Fatty muttered, looking at Mori before frightfully crushing the stone as Mori's face turned sour. 

*Crack* 

a Feeling of mana enters Fatty's hand, traveling through his arm before reaching his head. "Haaah." Fatty exhaled, looking at his arms. "Hm..." He hums, confused. 

"What's wrong?" Mori asks, spotting Fatty's expression. 

"I don't know... I feel... Stronger." Fatty speaks slowly, clenching his fists. 

Curious, Mori inspects Fatty's mana, and what do you know, it did get stronger. "Well your mana is more abundant. But what skill did you get?" Mori questioned. 

"This." Fatty smirks before closing his eyes and his whole body starts getting covered in stone as shiny as metal. 

"So you got the mantis' exoskeleton? Pretty good skill for a Tank." Mori nods before starting to walk out of the office. "Tomorrow we're going to get you reevaluated." He spoke, closing the door behind him. 'What a long day...' He mused. 

"Yes, Boss." Fatty muttered, still fascinated by his newfound strength. Thinking about it, he turns to the closed door. His mind wanders to his guild leader. Not anybody could just give away a Rune stone, much less to a low ranked Hunter such as himself. But he didn't think too much on it. He was just grateful. He would've never gotten this much if he didn't take the leap that day and ask Mori to become the Guild Leader on a whim. 

"Looks like I'll be trusting my whims more often." He mutters, also walking out of the office, his smile never leaving his face. He came one step closer to his dream today.