Patching the Distance

by Nasha Rei-Kun

The whole point of the [System] had been to give Sung Jin-Woo gifts of power to prepare him for a role that would lead to a great loneliness at the peak of his world. Yet an addition, a man, a 'simple' addition that could have meant NOTHING... Had meant EVERYTHING. The man who kept up with him, who kept him grounded, who kept his HUMANITY, his uncle. Xover with 'Solo Leveling'.

6. S-Rank Power I

~NRK~

The morning came not even three hours later, Obito blinking awake in his bed with Gina asleep against his side.

'I feel better,' oddly enough? 'Maybe it's that power from the Frost Remnant, I've never interacted with an object like that before,' worrisome.

He lifted up his left hand, his right arm currently around Gina's waist, before he allowed some of his magic power to emanate.

Watching as his now-light blue magical energy flowed up his arm, Obito hummed as he observed it. Feeling it out, his own senses told him that, yes, this was his energy.

Looking at his left bicep's new tattoo, Obito closed his eyes and allowed his arm's energy to flow more.

'That knowledge from the night before,' Obito's eyebrows furrowed as he clenched his hands.

MANIFESTATION OF SPIRITUAL POWER

The words rang in his head as he recalled them. 'It's like the [System], isn't it?' But then what did that mean?

And now that he'd thought it, was this object created by Jin-Woo's powers despite their nature as a Red Gate? Was this 'Frost Remnant' something else?

'But then, how does that explain Baruka?' It didn't, meaning that… It might have meant more concerning things. 'They have a Great One who they follow, the so-called strongest Ice Elf. If that's true, he's around and he's waiting,' Obito didn't like the idea of it.

And then when Baruka's words had been blurred, that odd bit of static it seemed only he and Jin-Woo had noticed.

"Mmm, just focus on the main thing for now," Obito told himself as he dropped his energy and held his head. "For now, I've got most everything I need… But I need to make something out of Cerberus's Fang…"

"And you will," a voice at his side said as she snuggled against him some more, one eye open. "I think you're getting anxious about too many things," Gina said, kissing his neck. "We'll ALL find a path for you and your fight. You will win."

"... You beautiful woman in my bed."

She snickered.

~NRK~

A mere hour later, Obito nodded in a clean dark blue three-piece suit in the Sung living room.

"Hmm," he rolled his neck as Gina tucked in his tie in her usual Hunter attire. "I wonder what he'll say," Obito said to the living room where everyone else was.

Wearing a copy of Jin-Ah's workout wear, with the Sung siblings wearing their own sets, Song-Yi looked sheepish. "M-Maybe he'll help you out of this, shuushuu," she said as Obito blinked, raised a brow, and then shrugged, much to Gina's amusement. "Like, um, what if he pulled some rank on him?"

"Hmm… Well, in the grand scheme of things, knowing how strong Go Gun-Hee is," Obito considered that as Jin-Woo perked up. "Perhaps."

"Wait, how strong are we talking?" He asked.

"... Let's put this in a simple way. Chairman Go Gun-Hee is probably the most powerful person in Korea at the moment."

The group gawked at him before Jin-Woo grew intrigued.

'So, he's above even Jong-In and Hae-In?' That was terrifying. 'Even Dong-Su,' the fact such powers were still around made his head hurt at times.

With those four here, then there were the National Hunters.

The top five hunters in the world who'd fought in, survived, and defeated the greatest S-Rank Gate known to man.

He made to ask another question only for his phone to ring, the Reawakened man pulling it out and nodding as he got up.

"Come on, you two," Jin-Woo said to the girls as they followed his lead. "Uncle, good luck… Actually," he stopped and raised a finger. "Come out."

Four of his Shadows formed from beneath his feet… Oh God!

"Go back! Go back!" He shouted at one of the ice bears currently scrunching into the floor-Was something breaking?! "SHIT!"

Minutes later after that hilarious situation, the four now sported Shadows in their SHADOWS and the home now held several new dents in it as the [Player] facepalmed at.

"I'm such an idiot."

~NRK~

Walking down the street, alone, Obito checked his pocket watch he'd bought from the store some time back with this suit. "10 o'clock," he reminded himself as he closed it, ignoring the gawking people around.

Stopping in front of a large building a couple minutes later, he nodded to a familiar man standing outside the door by its sliding doors, walking up the large stone pathway to the steps leading up to him.

Jin-Chul nodded to Obito, the Monitoring Division member wearing his sunglasses again. "The Chairman should be finishing up with another matter at the moment, you came at the appropriate time," he said as Obito made it to him before the two of them were walking into the administration building. "... You went to the Red Gate incident," Jin-Chul said more than asked.

"I did," Obito said. "If my family is in trouble, there's not much else to do besides go and get them out."

The other suited man's eyebrow rose. "... Are you implying something?"

"Maybe, maybe not," he said as both the other man's brows shot up. "It's a secret nature to my power, after all, threading openings sounds doable," Obito chuckled.

'That's…' Utterly ridiculous and yet far too interesting. "I see… And you don't wish to join the Monitoring Division, do you?"

"Had I not been in the Hunters, had I met Jong-In second to Gun-Hee when I arrived here, I'm sure I'd have been your senior member. Sadly, I feel, it might not have mattered too much, no offense."

"You have family to take care of."

"And lead to a brighter, full, future," Obito finished with a smirk and tilt of his hat, the two going up an elevator. "My niece Awakened, by the way," he told him, surprising Jin-Chul.

"Truly?" He was surprised. "Is she going to get her Rank evaluated?"

"Not until after Monday."

Ah, now it made sense. Jin-Chul grimaced at that. "Tsk… That man… He's a damn disgrace," he hissed as Obito nodded with a frown. "Every time I think about him being an S-Rank, I feel ill."

"To be fair, sadly, there are all types," Obito reminded him. "The same way there are many good people in S-Rank, there were bound to be bad eggs who couldn't be asked to be better people," he wore a determined gleam. "One way or another, I'm ensuring S-Ranks become a bit more well-natured. Through death or humiliation," he admitted as they reached an office door.

Jin-Chul considered the man's words before wearing an apathetic expression. "I shouldn't be wishing for another's death, you understand," he said even as he stood up straighter and Obito nodded. "But the world could be filled with less scum."

Knocking on the wooden surface, the call to come in had both following suit.

As they entered a moderately large office with clean light blue tiles, wooden furniture, and a man sitting behind a large desk, Jin-Chul moved to the side before bowing and presenting Obito.

"Hunter Uchiha Obito is present, sir," he said.

"Thank you, Jin-Chul," the older gentlemen behind the desk said as he got up before walking around to stand eye-to-eye with Obito.

His hand came out before being grasped firmly, the two shaking on it.

'Still as impressive as ever,' Obito thought as he observed this man he'd not seen in a while.

Go Gun-Hee was a man of above-average height, a broad-shouldered build, and mature age, bearing short gray hair, wrinkled olive skin with a few scars decorating his face, greenish-gray eyes, and a kind-looking mustache & goatee combo, his magical power alone could have cowed a lesser man if they could interpret it.

Obito smiled softly as the Hunter Association Chairman reciprocated.

"Please, come, sit, there's a lot of news about you and… Well, one of our lost ones," the man said as he gestured to Jin-Chul with a nod as well. "All of us, I'm sure we have opinions about this," Gun-Hee said.

Getting seated in front of the chairman's desk, the three men sat in companionable silence, Gun-Hee milling over Obito's recent decisions.

"I'd have to ask, Obito, what made this situation even happen?" Gun-Hee asked.

Obito closed his eyes.

He explained the entire situation from start to finish, starting with Hwang Dong-Suk's party's 'Lizarding', their consequential deaths, Hwang Dong-Su's trip for revenge, their preparation, and now the recent 'fight'.

"I will take all the blame for what happened to Dong-Suk," Obito declared as the other men frowned. "I'll either win that fight or ensure neither of us live to see the next day."

"Ohh…" Gun-Hee let out a long sigh as Jin-Chul's frown melted into pursed lips. "You're serious," he said softly.

"My family is in danger while Dong-Su walks around with such confidence. I'm well-aware of what I'll need to do to ensure they live happy lives."

"I somehow think they'd be sadder than before."

"..." Obito looked down. "I understand emotions on a deep level due to hardship, I know that my death would cause a serious ripple that might bring in all the countries," he considered before showing determined eyes. "And that's why it won't come to that if I can help it. I'm well-aware of Dong-Su's two Artifacts: His auto-heal gauntlets and his 'Metal Realm' helmet."

"So, you've made plans for those?" Jin-Chul asked while Obito hummed.

"Sadly, I can't stop his first but I do have a way of handling his second," he admitted as his hands raised.

It released a single, vicious, spark that surprised the Division member while Gun-Hee grew intrigued.

"You really exploited your abilities to their highest potential, haven't you?" He asked, curious as Jin-Chul looked confused. "His powers are spatial threads, Jin-Chul, that's a power set that has two different concepts within."

"... Ah," it hit. "If you're right, and that shock is powerful enough, you do have an answer for one of his skills but [Auto-Heal] isn't some minor thing. It feeds off the tremendous amount of stamina Dong-Su received from his powers alongside his hideous strength. Can you truly beat that?" Jin-Chul frowned again.

"It'll depend on if I can make him waste his stamina," Obito smiled.

The Hunter Association members' eyes widened at his intent.

"I'm aware of what kind of tactics I need to use on a man of Dong-Su's personality. If it's an actual plan, I can force his healing to work against him, I just need to ensure I can remove enough of his limbs to cause that to sink in."

This man was truly something else, Gun-Hee realized.

"Hmm… If you defeated him, Obito," he began with steepled hands under his chin. "You realize you'd be recognized as 'S-Rank', correct?" Gun-Hee smiled as Obito rubbed the back of his head.

"I do. I can't imagine the amount of headache that's going to cause you, sir," Obito admitted.

"Hahaha! Honestly, we can't, that'd be such a sudden change and the political landscape is going to be filled with your information."

"It's sadly something I'll come across one way or another. So, what exactly have you done to Dong-Su in under twelve hours?"

Gun-Hee rubbed his chin. "Well… We're constructing a false city on an island off the side of Seoul," he admitted, surprising the Uchiha. "Please, we can't let you two fight in the middle of the city, it'd be an unprecedented tear in our wallet."

Obito sweatdropped as Jin-Chul cleared his throat.

"Yes, the amount of damage Dong-Su, alone, can cause would be damning," he began. "But if the night before showed me anything, it made me realize you're likely going to cause just as much property damage, we can't allow that to stay," Jin-Chul added as Gun-Hee nodded knowingly. "On Monday, as we've confirmed with Hunter Hwang Dong-Su, we'll ferry you both to the island to have your bout… And will be monitoring the entire event alongside some… Curious company."

Obito raised a brow at that. 'It's likely someone beyond important,' and if he were a betting man? "You mean Thomas Andre, don't you? Or, at least, one of the USA's top Hunters from the Scavenger Guild," he added as the two nodded.

"The National Hunter, himself, called us and decided to donate to this cause, oddly enough," Gun-Hee said as he rubbed his chin. "He's too intrigued by this, Hunter Obito, he thinks this fight might be entertaining."

"Well… I hope he doesn't try to jump me, there's only so few powers on this Earth who could stop him," he'd know. "Alright, what time?"

"Monday, at noon."

"I'll be ready by then."

~NRK~

Meanwhile, Jin-Woo observed more and more materials.

"Jin-Ho, do any of these werewolves have good skin? I kind of just ran past them," he said to the younger man, Jin-Ho observing one of the carcasses with a green, but curious, expression.

"W-Well, they're only C-Rank so it might be below you, hyung… H-Hyung," he spoke as Jin-Ah, Song-Yi, and Joo-Hee spoke behind them. "Is your uncle truly going to be alright?" The wealthy young man asked.

Jin-Woo's eyes narrowed at the wall. "He will be, I trust in uncle with my very life. The fact remains, he's almost completely ready, Jin-Ho," he said, confusing him. "Uncle made his own gauntlets, shoes, and haori but he needs material for his shirt and pants."

"Hmm… Is he looking for specific abilities?" Jin-Ho pulled out his phone before going to the Hunter App. "Or specific things outside of just material for pants and a top?"

Jin-Woo cupped his chin, the two looking at the app's selections. "The auction app… I need to download it," he said as he pulled out his phone and did just that, eyes flicking over Jin-Ho's shoulder every chance he had before his own device was downloading. "Anything?"

"Well, there's this banshee flesh."

"Banshee flesh? Wait, hold on, aren't Banshees high-Rank monsters?"

"Yes. You might not know it but the auction sometimes has special quests," Jin-Ho explained. "They're called Auction Quests, you do them a favor and you can get promised a special item! See, the banshee flesh is up for grabs if you can complete this B-Rank Raid-"

"Jin-Ho, let's kill the boss and go," Jin-Woo said as he pulled the younger man along with narrowed eyes.

~NRK~

Having left Gun-Hee's office after an hour of conversation and topics, Obito had long since found himself back in his guild's forge, Jong-In and Gina at his sides.

The A-Rank Mage's power enhanced a mold, allowing the Jong-In-enhanced flames to broil in it with more pieces of the Cerberus Fang.

'This is easier for some reason,' Obito thought as his black material-covered arms slammed the magical hammer in his hands down on the sickle-like mold's molten contents, his new 'Skill' glowing softly the whole time.

It cooled in seconds as his mind flickered at something 'breaking'.

"Jong-In."

His former student lit up the mold once more as Gina wiped her brow, six metal balls surrounding the mold and resonating to keep it all in one piece.

"I-It's so intense," Gina said as she wiped her brow, her fire magic-resistant cloak barely doing its job. "Those rings must have really done you a favor, sir!"

"They did," Jong-In said, eight red rings glowing on his fingers before he snapped out another flame. "I've had to get a bit more used to the increase but it's been an amazing enhancement to my production."

"I'm glad!" Obito said as he slammed his hammer down, the molten material within cooling. "Again!"

The amount of time they spent making the sickles couldn't have been less than eight hours.

By the end of the effort, heat, sweat, and intense force, they all collapsed into their seats as the final products.

"Ugh," Obito groaned with a weak grin, Gina and Jong-In flopped against his sides. "F-For fuck's sake, we're FINISHED," he grunted as his forehead hit the table.

They only awoke two hours later thanks to Cheung's timely arrival.

"Ack!? Are you guys alright?!" She shrieked as Galdae-In jumped before hurrying over and casting a healing spell, Ki-Hoon chuckling weakly at the groaning trio while scratching at a new scar on his cheek. "Geez! What did you guys-"

There was a pulse of energy from beside her, the B-Rank Mage's eyes widening before she turned around and saw them.

That pair of crossing sickles that sat against an anvil.

They were easily two-feet-long with powerful-looking shafts covered by white bandages and pommels composed of a large empty gear-like circle. Bearing a small jutting arc coming out the back alongside some bristled Dreepee manes, the blades of the weapons were a foot long, held a thicker baser that tapered into an arcing point, with a fire-like engraving going down the bladed edge.

Being a bony-white like the material it came from and, now that she was looking harder, holding a series of demonic dog-like markings around the cog-like pommels, she grinned nervously at it.

Galdae shivered as well, head slowly turning to the creations in sheer confusion.

Ki-Hoon raised a brow at a… Was that some kind of small murmur?

"What the heck?" He blinked, coming in and looking at the weapons as well before balking at murmurs of a beast coming from the weapons. "The hell are those things?!"

"I-It's so scary, its energy doesn't even feel like a magic monster's!" Cheung said in shock as Obito finally lifted his head to stare at his creation.

"... My Gate Keeping Sickles, Cerberus," he said with a long sigh of relief even as his eyes throbbed in their sockets, the feeling of his magical energy surging out barely given attention. '...' Obito was sure he'd focus on it in a bit.

Still, God, he was tired… Yet, his body ached forward, the feeling of his creations a constant ping in his mind that craved his attention.

Gina and Jong-In groaned as they were lifted by beds of thread before Obito got up slowly and walked towards his creations, the other two asleep already.

The closer he got, though, the more intense the air grew.

Ki-Hoon's eyes widened as Cheung shivered involuntarily, Dae's feet stuck to the floor.

The closer he got, the more his shadow seemed to cast.

'What's going on?' The three thought in disbelief as Obito's magical power began to spill from his body. "Oppa," they called out.

Obito's eyes squinted even in his tired state, the feeling of the world around him falling away-

---

-And leaving him in that 'space' again.

"... So, it was you," Obito said in the mental realm, staring at the pair of sickles floating in the air across from him. "... You've touched my energy. That whole [Demon Tower] did and there's something on the edge," he added as his new power began to glow softly. "Spiritual Manifestation, it's a Skill that allows me to push forward my spirit… Or, at least, I believe so."

He reached out towards the weapons before his hand touched that 'pane' from last time.

His energy bounced off it and Obito's eyes closed.

"I can't take chances, not now, not ever," he said. "They need me, maybe more than even I know," Obito whispered as his hand spread out, thread spilling from his back. "But these weapons, weapons of a supposed demon," his eyes burned a powerful red as tomoe spun to life. "It needs subjugation."

The thread formed a circle in front of him, rotating at impossibly high speeds.

"I'm not breaking this boundary, it's not worth it… But peeking past it?"

A swirling portal flickered to life in front of him as the sickles… As his Gate Keepers began to resonate.

"That I can do," he said. "You've been fed by my presence the entire process," Obito said as the dual weapons pulsed, another portal of thread forming in front of it from its own being. "We've got a lot to do, Cerberus."

The weapons were enveloped by a powerful light blue sphere from the portal, the energy flickering red before it 'locked in' his energy's powerful hue.

Moments later, Obito grabbed them as they peeked out of his own portal, the man pulling Cerberus from it before closing the hole in dimensions.

The flickering portal-like barrier in front of him thrummed in… Annoyance, he supposed.

"Heh," he smirked at it before he began to vanish, his weapons floating in the air on this side. "Gotcha."

He vanished from the world before the Uchiha's magical power began to swirl in on the pair of sickles as their epicenter.

---

Obito opened his eyes as he gripped them.

"Cerberus," he whispered to his weapons, the pair 'humming back' as he gripped them solidly.

"H-Huh? Hyung?!" Ki-Hoon swallowed as he hurried over before blinking as Obito turned to him with a nod. "Wait, um, that feeling left?" The Tank looked confused as Cheung's eyes went to Obito's weapons.

"... They're connected to you, oppa," she said, getting a nod out of Obito as he hefted his new black-shafted, neon blue-edged, weapons. "?" Cheung wiped her eyes as she took another look.

At the emphasized blue flame-like marks along the new black blade's hamon line, the sight confused her to no end.

"I-I think you might need to get some rest, sir," Galdae said with a vigorous nod.

Obito looked at his weapons before nodding and releasing them from his palms, the sickles unfolding like balls of yarn.

And then he fainted.

"ACK!?"

~NRK~

Obito awoke to a relieved-looking Jong-In & Gina, the two looking at him from the sides.

The Uchiha slowly sat up and leaned forward as something warmed his chest. '?' Obito raised a brow before nodding to the two. "How long?"

"Give or take? Two hours," Gina said as the door to his room in the guild opened to allow in Jin-Ho, Jin-Woo, Jin-Ah, Joo-Hee, and Song-Yi. "It's been ten hours since we started and they finished raiding today."

"Sir! We have an amazing discovery!" Jin-Ho grinned as he took off the backpack he'd been wearing and brought it over. "You were looking for thin, tight, and stretchy material, right?! Well, we got you some banshee skin," he whispered as Jong-In perked up. "We were able to nab it thanks to all our effort and some bartering," he said, looking proud as Obito raised a brow.

"Hmm… You guys did well, I'm thankful," the Uchiha smiled proudly as Jin-Ho looked moved to tears. "Oh… J-Jin-Ho, please, it's nothing to cry over! Come on," Obito chuckled weakly as he pat the younger man on the shoulder. "Let me cook for everyone."

~NRK~

Reaching one of the many kitchens within the Hunters Guild 'dorm' building, Hae-In had joined them mid-way, the S-Rank Fighter observing the beef-filled linguine she'd been served with a voracious tint in her eyes, the others looking just as hungry.

"Go on, eat," Obito chuckled as he put away the two large woks he'd been working with. "Hmm… Ah, right, I didn't tell you guys," he said as he came over and sat at the table lined with food and hungry eaters. "I finally made Cerberus," he smiled as Jin-Woo perked up, swallowing some noodles before wiping his mouth.

"Cerberus, ey?" He grinned.

"Yes, the Gate-Keeping Sickles, Cerberus. I'll let you look at them in the field, apparently, they have powerful presences."

Now, Jin-Woo was downright excited at the idea. 'I wonder what rank they'll be. Cerberus was not an S-Rank monster, at least, I don't think so,' they might be dead if the three-headed demon dog had been. 'Still, he was at least A-Rank but weaker than Igris's real form,' actually, he wondered about that.

Had Cerberus been weaker? Or was Igris just so compact, he'd never noticed if they were the same strength?

"Ya did, shuushuu?" Song-Yi asked as Jin-Ah ate happily. "S-So, all that's left is a Banshee Shirt?" She continued.

"Well, no, there's more to it that I never brought up to anyone but Gina & Jin-Woo before," Obito said.

He explained not only his recent findings with Spirit Cores and resonance but also his idea.

"That'd truly set you apart," Jin-Woo cupped his chin. "If that's the case, it'd be like parallel programming?" He sweatdropped. "I-I barely know what that is."

Jong-In smirked knowingly as the younger man chuckled weakly. "Think of it like opening up many programs on your computer, that is parallel programming, male Hunter Sung."

"Smartass."

"Only the best."

Gina smirked at that, her large helping not shocking anyone. "Still, Obi, ya gotta get good at using 'em, first," she reminded him as Obito nodded before tapping his noggin.

"Well, you all know how my eyes work, correct?" He asked before Song-Yi and Cheung tilted their heads in unison. "Ah, well, for the sake of simplicity, I can perfectly copy physical, and magical, movements, you two. Down to the twitch in my muscles even if I've never used those areas before," Obito explained.

"T-That's so broken!" The school girl choked.

"It's kinda ridic, oppa. I mean, wouldn't that mean you can copy any style in the world?" The B-Rank Mage asked.

"Yep," Obito admitted casually as they gawked at him. "It's essentially that but you have to understand, that wouldn't make me better than the person who I learned it from. I can't copy experience nor can I assume I have the proper muscles for it even if I'm sure my body is trained to its highest point. Outside of those two, I'd have to research what those styles are used for or figure it out myself, it's an amazing skill but it's not all-powerful."

"How do you keep making a ridiculous power sound so simple?" Ki-Hoon asked in confusion.

"It's something everyone knows about their own well-earned skills, no? I mean, surely you've thought of your own skill set's weaknesses before, Ki-Hoon."

The Tank chuckled sheepishly. "Got me there. Speaking of, I'm going to be looking for better material for my armor," he smiled.

"I'll make it for you after this whole mess is over with."

"I'll hold you to it!"

~NRK~

Jin-Woo blinked at the feeling in the air as Obito held out both his hands in front of him.

Standing in the Hunters Field, his eyes widened as the older man slowly pulled a pair of threading-into-existence weapons that popped up a screen of great intrigue.

'No way…'

{Item: Gate-Keeping Sickle, Cerberus}

{Item Class: S}

{Type: Sickle}

{ATTACK + 140 / STRENGTH + 20 / SENSE + 20}

{GRANTS THE USER [SKILL: ?]

-'?': ?}

"I-It's S-Rank," Jin-Woo said in shock as Obito nodded, letting the [Player] hold one of them.

The feeling of it in his hands felt almost perfect if you'd believe it. Holding it up, Jin-Woo realized Ki-Hoon & Cheung had been right.

There was a sound coming from the weapon as he moved it and just the feeling of energy in it was outlandish… If he'd never felt it before.

'The [Demon Tower],' he realized as the others inched closer after getting used to the change in atmosphere.

"T-They've certainly got p-presenc-ACHOO!" Hae-In tried to say before letting out a wicked sneeze behind a napkin with a watery-eyed whine. "Nooooooo…"

"Actually," Obito blinked before walking over to her and pulling something out of his personal spatial pocket. "One moment, young lady," he chuckled as she wiped her eyes while pouting.

Placing a thick-looking 'bandage' across her nose, Cha Hae-In got one weird look in before finding a Cerberus in her face?!

"Eep!?" She jumped back, held her nose- "... E-Eh?" The S-Rank looked alarmed as she removed her hands from her nose in confusion. "W-Wait, what?!"

Jong-In chuckled knowingly as she pouted at him. "We'd long since wondered if he couldn't help you by sealing your magical nose," he smirked at her blush, Hae-In muttering something as Gina pat her shoulder with a chuckle. "Honestly, we figured there was something to do."

"The thing is, the Spirit Cores can be programmed to block specific senses if you know what you're looking for and have the right rarity," Obito explained. "So, through them, I tried to cut down magical senses around the nose. It took a couple tries, I accidentally shut down the entire ability to smell at one point," he sweatdropped as Jin-Ah shivered.

"I-It was so weird," she grumbled while tapping the sides of her nose. "I-I could breathe through it b-but the air was so dirty," the newest Healer trembled at the reminder. "Ugh!"

"So, he adjusted the intensity," Jong-In said, looking intrigued as Hae-In sniffed the air before looking immediately relaxed. "I'm taking it that it's going well."

"T-The smells are diminished, sir, oppa! Usually, being near Jong-In is unbearable."

"Hrgk?!"

"L-Like being near hot burning garbage!"

"Oof!"

"B-But now it's like being near charcoal!" Hae-In smiled happily before blinking at her stony-looking boss. "Ack!? Wait, sir, i-it's not what you think!"

Jong-In melted down Obito's side, utterly defeated.

"W-Why would she say such things?" He pleaded with the amused-beyond-words older man. "I-Is my cologne NOT working?!"

"I'm sorry!"

~NRK~

Getting past that hilarious situation, Gina had been right.

Obito needed to get used to these new weapons.

So, how else would he besides taking on Jin-Woo's Shadows?

~NRK~

Wearing his training clothes, Obito nodded across the field of that specific park they'd trained Song-Yi in.

Standing there with most of that same group but 'plus' Hae-In and Jin-Ho, Obito retrieved Cerberus from his spatial pocket.

"Give me the strongest two," Obito told his nephew as the younger man nodded as he released a breath. "I know who they are, already, after all," he said.

Jin-Woo's hand raised ahead of him, palm facing the ground as he grew a powerful blue.

"Arise."

His shadow spread out into a wide circle before a familiar knight pulled himself out of it followed by a figure who was already landing out of the shadow from his blurring jump.

They landed in a crouch as Igris pulled his sword out by his master's command, the second figure whistling a bit as he placed his hand above his eyes.

"It's like a memory," he said, his angular face, still-pure-white eyes, and long wild spiky hair bringing up a recent memory for the Uchiha, the Shadow's nearly foot-long ears shifting with his tilt of the head. "... Oh, oh, oh oh!" The Shadow Elf grinned, his shadowy form, glowing blue hair, and still fuzzy parka shifting as he bounced on his heels. "You're seemingly stronger than in my memories!"

"What the hell?" Jin-Ho gawked as Hae-In's eyes widened at the sight of the two Shadows. "H-Hyung?! When could they talk?!"

"This one's a bit… Different," Jin-Woo admitted, rubbing the back of his head, Song-Yi's jaw dropping alongside Jin-Ah. "Just remember my words," he told those two who got it immediately. "Shuushuu," he began, focusing back on the powerful presence across the field's expanse. "Ruka."

Shadow Baruka, Ruka, grinned as he pulled out both his daggers.

"Igris."

The tall knight's eyes narrowed in challenge, lowering his body as he leaned forward.

"Full power," Jin-Woo commanded. "Uncle's not weak, give it your all."

"Then, this fight will start at my call," Gina began, floating in the air above at the center between the two sides. "Ready?" She asked both sides.

Obito's clothes 'tightened' as the floor beneath his feet began to vibrate, the man hopping in place.

"Set!"

Jin-Woo took a deep breath as he spread out his senses, all of them focusing on his Mage opponent.

"START!"

Her arm swung up and came down.

And both sides erupted from their spots in two explosions of dirt.

Obito found Ruka ahead of him first, the two of them locking one of their dual weapons together in a loud clash as Igris came down from above.

The Mage's knee slammed up into the guarding elf's prepared palm before he kicked out at the Ruka's chest, sending both of them away from the stabbing greatsword sinking into the ground.

Recovering mid-air into a flip, the Uchiha twisted his body harshly with an arcing slash that slammed into Igris's oncoming own.

Bone and shadowy steel 'CLANGED!' loudly as Obito brought his lower-half up and around before he slammed both his heels into Igris's shoulders.

The knightly Shadow hit the ground with a crunch, Obito kicking off him in time to dodge Ruka's dashing slash before the elf turned on a dime and gave chase a mere half a second later.

Obito came to a sudden stop with an explosion of air before his back leg shot up.

Ruka grinned-

Before being barraged by a series of kicks that shot out at the speed of sound.

---

"That's Ruka's move," Jin-Woo realized with interest as the older 'Mage' sent the Shadow Elf flying. "Uncle's got good control over his body movement, too-"

Just then, in a confusing act of… Maneuverability? He thinks?

Obito jumped up over Igris's stabbing greatsword but the control of the blade came for him even mid-air with the Shadow's sheer strength, skill, and ability.

So, how had the man just suddenly appeared behind him?

"... Wait, that's actually ingenious," Hae-In said in shock as Jin-Woo and the others blinked, confused. "You all don't see it, right? There's no explosive kick-offs so it's not like he's snapping his thread," she grinned as Gina nodded.

"Obi's ability to form his thread is literally faster than a bullet, you know? He can form it from anywhere on his body, guys," the A-Rank explained as the group perked up. "So, if he can do that…"

"He's…?" Jin-Ho considered with a thoughtful hum. "Ah! He's bouncing off his strings!"

"T-That fast?!" Song-Yi's jaw dropped. "I-I couldn't even see him, Raid Leader!"

"I know! It's great!"

Jin-Woo never considered it as Joo-Hee tried to follow the fight.

Obito's ability to move alone made the fight seem one-sided.

"I-It's rather incredible," she said to him, the Reawakened man nodding in awe as well. "It's just… How far could he have taken his power, really? I don't see the end to it!" Joo-Hee said with a look of wonder.

At how Obito just seemed to move through the air in the tightest of spaces, in between Igris's swings.

Ruka's kicks.

The Shadow duo's pincer attacks.

And just the Shadow Elf's speed advantage, which was being utterly neutralized.

She could tell Ruka was faster than the man currently was but somehow, some way, he made that not matter.

---

Spinning in the air behind Ruka, Obito's left sickle swung back at the Shadow Elf's neck only for him to lean back and lock one of his daggers over his shoulder.

The ground beneath Ruka's feet cratered before Obito, using their locked weapons as a stable base, swung his lower-half around to slam the back of both his feet into the elf's head while dodging Igris's vertical slash.

Kicking back off the small circle of thread he'd just made beneath his feet, he sent his body flipping upright to dodge the knight's diagonal slash.

Igris's eyes snapped to the Mage and lunged only for the man's legs to shoot up, even mid-air, to lock around his neck.

The knight Shadow stopped and pulled his upper-body back, Obito throwing his body off the knight as Ruka cross-slashed the space where he'd just been.

Kicking back and then skidding to a halt a bit away, the Mage chuckled. "They learned," he realized. "I guess my fiance's constant leg locks got to you," Obito said in amusement as Igris stood up and rubbed his neck with a nod. "Alright, let's turn this up a notch," the man said as he raised his right arm up to look at the new black band around the bicep where a small blue orb sat. "[Wrath]."

The air thickened between the two sides, Ruka grinning as he lunged forward-

Only to cross his daggers barely in time for those air slashes to hit him.

The blows sent him skidding back to Igris, the elf's arms lowering to show his utterly excited grin. "Ohh… This is going to be GOOD," he whispered with a flick of the tongue.

Obito's body was surrounded by his spiraling magical power, the man tapping his foot against the ground.

Then something snapped and he vanished.

The Shadows' eyes widened as a crackling sound emanated from behind them.

They swung back in unison only to slam their weapons into a pair of spinning Cerberus sickles, Obito already within their guards and resting his palms against their chests.

"Ni-Senko."

---

The air shot past the group as the ground split ahead, the loud and large sparking attacks sending both Shadows' bodies into nothingness.

"And that's with just [Wrath] active," Jin-Woo said as Joo-Hee blinked behind her own crossed arms, the Healer looking awed. "I didn't expect just one blow from that move to destroy them so easily. I'm pretty sure that, since they're both A-Rank, they're decently strong but uncle decimated them."

"I-Is that how it works?!" Joo-Hee squeaked as he chuckled.

"A little."

"Alright," Obito said as he looked at his bangle, body still thrumming with energy. "... Can I?" He wondered as his other hand held his right bicep.

He willed the bangle to shut off, the feeling of his magic entering it and trying to pull out an odd sensation… Before he grinned as the air around him finally died down, the Mage nodding.

"Alright, I can turn it off at will," Obito said to the others as they reconvened. "Also, Ruka's not as strong as his real self, right?" He asked in vague but easily misconstrued-able words.

"Yep, I don't know if there's a way to get back to that or not," Jin-Woo said before smiling. "But he's not even that far off, both Cerberus are an amazing addition, shuushuu."

"He's right, sir!" Jin-Ho said with a look of awe. "I-I've seen how those strong Shadows do it a-and you beat them all on your own!"

"They're easily A-Rank, without question," Obito said. "But as they are, they have their own weaknesses or I'm simply on or above their levels. Igris is basically a juggernaut but I can beat all his stats while Ruka is faster than me but can't take too many blows. He's going to react more or be more cautious."

"I figured but wasn't sure," Hae-In said, intrigued. "So, your Shadows have personalities?" She asked Jin-Woo who nodded.

"I guess it's just what's going into them, ya know? I didn't think powers like mine would even allow that," he said, actually pretty truthfully.

To this day, he knew that many of his normal cavalry summons were basically goobers who got amused by any little thing if given the chance.

He sweatdropped as Joo-Hee chuckled.

"Yeah, actually, they're all weirdos."

Jin-Ah grinned as Song-Yi wore a look of intrigue.

"C-Could I fight one of them?" The E-Rank asked with a blush as Jin-Ho wheezed.

"H-Hey, be careful with those guys, they're crazy strong!" He yelped.

"I know but… I-I mean, if I can beat one of them, I've gotten pretty strong like oppa and shuushuu. Why wouldn't I wanna at least try?"

The Tank trembled with a sweaty face, Jin-Woo's smirk saying it all.

"Honestly, why not try that? You, Jin-Ah, and Song-Yi have different Skills and roles, you might be able to do it," the Reawakened man said with interest. "Definitely not Ruka but Igris has some semblance of holding back and can just fight you all without his sword."

Jin-Ho's lips puckered inward as his eyes went around in thought, Jin-Ah patting his back vigorously as she grinned.

"Let's try it, boss man!" She said while Jin-Ho looked more pale.

"... M-Maybe, I suppose?" He tried weakly.

"It'd be good for you to know how to lead, Jin-Ho," Obito encouraged. "As a Guild Master, you need to be familiar with all aspects. After all, Jong-In, Yoon-Ho, hell, even Jong-Soo enter raids still. You're going to be on the field and need more experience being an actual part of the raiding."

"Mmmm, yes, s-sir," Jin-Ho agreed with shaky confidence.

"Definitely Igris," Jin-Woo tilted his head, chin in hand. "I'd have offered the Ice Bear King but… Well, he's kinda big and you guys might not be able to get used to him. I don't have any weaker Shadows who are, say, around C-Rank, unfortunately."

"That's not a loaded sentence or anything," Gina said with a smirk as he reciprocated. "Haha!"

~NRK~

The following day, with his uncle working in his guild's forge, Jin-Woo wiped his brow in the afternoon.

Standing in an empty living room, he grinned as his Shadows gave him a thumbs-up as they finished. Just in time for Joo-Hee to come in from the kitchen with a big smile and a tray of cookies and sandwiches.

"Thanks, Woo," she said gratefully, minding the tarp on the floor before offering him the food. "Here, a show of my thanks."

Removing his gloves and placing them into his [Inventory], he graciously took a sandwich before eating it as they looked around.

"You could make a business out of this," Joo-Hee giggled as he raised a brow with interest. "... W-Wait, t-that was just a joke!"

"Hmm," he swallowed. "The thing is, I'm sure you are joking but it's not even the weirdest thing, is it?"

"Would people like Shadow painters?"

"... That could be a 'yes or no' question."

She rolled her eyes at his idea. 'This is why you're so…' weird.

Stupid a bit, a dummy, kind, courageous, handsome as of late, and even funny.

Jin-Woo was a lot of things to her and…

Her face burned as her expression went blank. "H-Hey, Jin-Woo?"

"Yeah?" He answered mindlessly.

"I-I like you a lot."

"Oh, yeah, me too."

"Like, for a while now," Joo-Hee said without stopping, face growing neon red.

"Same, I'm pretty sure I had a crush on you since… Long… Ago?!" His eyes widened before they snapped to the horribly blushing Healer. "Hrk!?" Jin-Woo froze, thankfully empty hands twitching as Joo-Hee looked down.

"T-That's… Reassuring," she blushed some more, looking off to the side. "S-So… Um, w-we like e-each other, right?" Joo-Hee asked, mouth wobbling as her eyes widened despite herself.

The Shadows all around leaned in anticipation.

"I… I…" Did he hear her right?

Had Joo-Hee liked him even before his glow-up!?

"I… I-I didn't think… I mean, you were a beautiful lady while I was just a boy-faced bastard!" He said quickly, fumbling his words. "I-I don't know how you could have l-liked ME before nowadays."

Joo-Hee found it in herself to pout at him, the act getting a nervous smile out of him. "You must think I'm quite shallow, Woo," she pouted some more.

"Nope! Not at all, I mean it!"

"... Hmm," she blushed again while looking pensive. "... I told you in the beginning that you're braver than anyone we know," Joo-Hee smiled embarrassedly as he burned. "I-I wasn't just saying that to cheer you up. I've been watching you, for so long, ever since we Awakened on the same day, joined Raids at the same times, and more. I-I guess, at some point, it just became a lot bigger than I-I was expecting."

What the hell was he supposed to do now?! D-Did he hug her? But he was dirty and she was holding food!

Sung Jin-Woo swallowed, looked down in thought, and then focused all his being onto focusing on her.

His admitted crush. This woman who'd decided that he, even as an actual E-Rank, had been worth her affection, care, and even admiration.

Jin-Woo had never thought about someone caring that much for him outside his family, especially not with his Rank… But Joo-Hee had made it clear, hadn't she?

She did care.

"... I-I like you, a lot, too," he admitted. "I-I'm just saying that again so we're both clear on it," Jin-Woo blushed as she nodded with those big expressive eyes of hers. 'God, she's cute!' How had she hid this from him? "I-If you're down for… Well, me & you being a thing… I-I'd like it, a lot."

And then they both jumped before burning up as the Shadows clapped for them like a waiting audience.

"Oh my God, STOP!" They shouted at them in unison.

~NRK~

Obito perked up in a workshop just to the side of his guild's field.

"I feel like I'm extremely proud right now," he said to Cheol and Galdae, the three working on some Banshee 'Mail' shirts. "Actually, I'm thinking of making a cake once I get home."

The Healer looked excited while the Tank looked amused.

"That, my friend, is called a sixth sense. I think you know something good happened," Cheol said with a chuckle.

Obito nodded.

~NRK~

"Alright, well," Jin-Ho nodded to both schoolgirls, him and Jin-Ah helping Song-Yi catch up on her schoolwork. "Simply apply some proof here," he told her. "These paragraphs all have some sort of structure to them. The topic, in any good document, will be the first sentence so you follow after that."

Song-Yi's eyebrows furrowed as she kept working through her problems. "H-How are you five years older than us? This feels like torture and I'm seventeen!" She groaned, head hitting the table as Jin-Ah chuckled.

"You've gotta make up a lot of time, Yi," she reminded her as her friend groaned again. "Besides, we're already making good headway and you were only gone for a month! This should be fine."

"Yeah, well, genius-Ahn, us mere mortals are much simpler creatures."

"Drama queen," Jin-Ho whispered as Jin-Ah began to laugh, much to Song-Yi displeasure. "I-It's nothing, come on, let's go and get something to eat. I can't cook but I know some good places."

"Rich places?" Song-Yi asked as she shot up.

"H-Heheh, um, well, I do know places that are a lot more high-standard but I prefer the normal homey kind. My father never did just eat high-class food, we've eaten everything from lobster to ramen."

"Really?" Jin-Ah asked him, utterly shocked as he nodded.

"Of course, it's… The best way to look at it, I guess, is that Yoo Architextures is a lot more 'down to earth'."

"Huh, I mean, it makes you guys seem approachable," she smirked knowingly as he whined, getting more pats on the back. "Why, some might even call ya, normies."

"I-I'm normal, dammit, you're the one surrounded by super-scary, very powerful, people!"

She snickered as they got up and moved to the door.

"Hmm… Actually, now that it's been a day," Song-Yi said as she opened her phone and finally turned on her data. "Let's see what the public opinion is like," she added as the other two peeked around her shoulders.

"Actually, you're right, I haven't heard anything from the public as of late," Jin-Ho realized. "I expected either disinterest or outright focus on your uncle but he hasn't said anything. He seems like the days are going by like normal."

"Well, uncle wouldn't really show it, sometimes, ya know? He'd just take it in stride," Jin-Ah said as he nodded before the three blinked at Song-Yi's 'Obito Uchiha' search on Goo- "What the mackerel?!"

The amount of chat rooms they were seeing with the topic line as her uncle's name made her feel faint.

"T-That's a lot of attention," Jin-Ho said, looking up and down the forum. "... There's a poll at the top," he pointed out.

Picking it, Song-Yi raised a brow at the 'Hidden S-Rank' poll that held a surprising 25-75 split on if he was or not. "Wow, that's… That's just weird," she said as she saw videos posted to the poll.

Opening up one of them, they watched Obito and Dong-Su's altercation at the Hunters Guild.

And then jumped at the amount of force being applied on the S-Rank's face, the Mage man looking cold and unfeeling as he kept bringing his foot down. With the from-an-apartment-window point of view they had, the size of it was unreal.

"H-How? Sir doesn't usually show that much strength when he's fighting in the Raids!" Jin-Ho said in shock and awe. "I'm feeling more confident but, seriously, what kinda skill set is your uncle making up?"

"Hmm…" Jin-Ah hummed. "Well, bro told me, apparently, uncle's got a literal secret technique," she grinned as Jin-Ho and Song-Yi's eyes widened in awe and excitement. "Like, deadass, he said that it put uncle above any normal A-Rank with that alone."

"That's so cool!"

She chuckled.

~NRK~

And then gawked an hour later, back home with everyone else.

And being presented, nay, offered the sight of her brother's new relationship!

Jin-Woo and Joo-Hee blushed up a storm as Obito chuckled, Gina grinned, and the younger trio gasped.

"I'm happy for you, hyung!" Jin-Ho declared with a fire in his eyes. "You as well, noona!"

"I felt like something went right for someone today," Obito declared as he pulled a cover off a cake stand to reveal a maple-colored cake. "So, I made us a cake," he smirked as Jin-Woo and Joo-Hee wheezed out their next words.

"S-Shuushuu," the two stuttered in unison.

Song-Yi drank from a bottle of juice with a raised brow.

Not the weirdest thing to happen as of late.

~NRK~

The third day came with a sudden increase in their raiding party's numbers.

Gina nodded to Jin-Ho who shook his head.

"Please, let me give you the full three, ma'am. You're helping us do the last five Gates in record time," he told her as they finished the fourth one. "Besides, I had to find some way to pay sir, he won't take anything despite how much he's helped change my way of thinking," Jin-Ho whispered as Gina looked amused. "H-He even made me some armor, ma'am."

Wearing a long-sleeved zip-up top, brown cargo pants, and black boots with steely-looking bands going across the top, adorning Jin-Ho's shoulders was a cape of brown latched in by bone pauldrons.

"I just wanna show him how much it means to me."

"I'm sure he's just happy to know you're alive and well," Gina said as they spread out the loot. "So, one more, right?"

"Yes, there's a Gate by an old abandoned railroad, it's the last one."

"Hmm," Obito looked through his phone. "Oh, good, we finally landed some," he smiled, gaining Joo-Hee's attention as Jin-Woo explained some know-how to Jin-Ah and Song-Yi.

"What is it, shuushuu?" She asked as he showed her the 'We got it' text he'd gotten from Jong-In.

Scrolling down, they saw four large Spirit Cores currently being carried by a grinning Ki-Hoon & Hae-In.

"I know what to do with all of them already," Obito smiled as the Healer reciprocated. "All I'm missing now is material for pants. Jin-Woo's given me a good rundown on all my pieces' effects and the like, I just need to finish up the Cerberus Sickles and make my pants."

"So, you used up all the Cerberus parts?"

"Yes. Those sickles… They're all the parts we had, which was basically the majority of the fang. I kind of wanted to make some armored bits and pieces but I think my weapons are actually better off for having all the material. They'll keep the effect of the monster to its near maximum potential."

She understood the concept, the man had explained the smithing process to the group if only to see if they cared for the idea.

So far? She knew that Song-Yi was actually intrigued by making clothing while Jin-Ah looked at some aspects in the frame of medical science alongside that.

"Well, I hope we can find all the right parts," she said. "Did you figure out a color scheme?" Joo-Hee asked with a big grin as Obito chuckled.

"I did but I might enjoy some second opinions," the man smirked.

~NRK~

Looking at the 'blank-element' Mid-Level Spirit Cores, Obito nodded as he grabbed one and engraved an ability upon it.

It swirled with his light blue magical might, the memory of Reika filling Obito's mind.

'[Terrain].'

That power it had to infuse its surroundings with its magical power and melding with it.

'I could form threads from the space around me, right?' Did the 'Terrain' follow the user, though? Obito didn't know.

Also, how big could he make it? Reika had been a seemingly grand monster of, at least, A-Rank ability. How did he compare with his C-Rank magical levels?

'I have time, I need to focus on training after finishing this one,' Obito thought as he engraved upon it before the Spirit Core shrunk down to a golf ball-size.

As it was fully-engraved, Obito let out a breath.

And then it flickered red, shocking the Mage as the ground around him sparked and flickered before a circle of thread formed and spread out to the length of the room… The hell?

He looked around in shock at the domain he'd somehow called into the real world. "Wait, isn't this part of the [Demon Castle]?" So, he'd been right about Cerberus changing him.

That and those odd 'flickers' of energy jumps he'd gotten when he entered and left the Instant Dungeon. He'd been noting the feedback after they happened and grew worried.

Then, he noted how Cerberus's Fang interacted with him, that barrier, the fact it had its own energy and sounds, and more. Obito could feel it as he held it.

Cerberus was not a weapon of the normal world and connecting to it, through his spirit, had fully-changed something within him upon his naming of it.

'What will come out of it?' Obito didn't know but this current situation had made him confused. 'What does this mean?'

---

[How did he garner a piece of the Demon World?] The winged being wondered in disbelief. [What has he done? How did he make something that was essentially fake into something real? What is this human?]

'Replaying' the scenes he'd missed in the small bit of time he'd been busy observing the other human, the winged being tilted his head.

The energy of the [Demon Tower] had… Assimilated some of itself into Obito Uchiha's spatial power through his own 'breaking and entering' of the realms. Those spaces weren't meant for him, he shouldn't have been there… But the man had matched their frequency, syncing with the other realm, and made an opening.

This was unprecedented. Was his power not only spatial manipulation? How had he reached this far beyond his own ability as just a human?

[Actually, now that I'm watching him… Is his mind truly capable of copying Skills?] When had this been an ability of his? [Hmm… He's deviating.] The floating being thought as a floating vial left his sleeve. [Perhaps this is for the best. Humans are usually so fickle but this one…] He chuckled. [He's useful and worthwhile. That Sung boy should hopefully climb the Demon Tower soon and, hopefully, with the man… After this ridiculous fight, anyway.]

Humans really didn't make any sense to him. Why did the Uchiha care if that slightly impressive human came for his nephew's head?

Just sell him out! The worst that could have happened was someone else's pedestal as 'King' being removed for him.

[If he can ascertain the usefulness of Terrain, he'll be more fit for Baran's blood besides having a capable spirit.]

{Item: DEMON KING'S BLOOD}

{Item Class: S}

{Type: BLOOD ESSENCE}

---

Obito clenched his free hand before closing his eyes. 'It's a domain of my power,' his magical energy had increased, to be fair, doubling its amounts compared to the [Wrath]. 'I'm at least A-Rank in magical ability with this alone,' but if [Terrain] was, in fact, a single field on the ground, Obito couldn't see himself removing the other Skill. 'Hmm… I do wonder, how does this work with other Classes? It does say magical might but everyone uses magic, one way or another,' it was what made them Hunters.

Even if the powers within all seemingly came from the sky as he'd noticed with many others he'd seen Awaken, Jin-Ah being his most notable, and closest, viewing.

'Gina will definitely be able to abuse this Skill,' he thought as he paced in this space. "... Wait, hadn't the item description said that [Ice] would have grown with more use from the Frost Remnant? Will my Spiritual Manifestation increase as well? And if it does, what does that mean? What of [Wrath] and [Terrain]? Will I get better at them as things go?"

… He had a feeling, call it an odd hunch.

'I need to talk with Woo and see if he has what I think he has,' because if Obito's weak amount of game knowledge was correct… "He might be able to give me an idea."

---

Observing the human's curious nature had the floating being grinning.

[Oh, if I couldn't have taken him for myself.] That kind of interest in his world's mechanics made the being feel more and more intrigued. [But I need to ensure He gets a proper Vessel. The Shadow Lord desires to return, after all.]

---

Looking at the small bit of another dimension he'd brought with him, Obito considered his next move.

'...' He raised his hand into the air.

It glowed and, soon enough, Obito grinned at the large number of magical threads sprouting out from the walls, floor, tables, and more.

"Good," he said. "There's likely some form of trick in this. I have part of the [Demon Tower] in my reach," Obito muttered. "There's got to be something here."

~NRK~

~Undisclosed Location~

He wiped his chin as he finished eating that large rabbit monster.

"It's been… How long have I been up there?" A single man wondered to himself as he kept walking in a large cavern-like dungeon, his eyes going every which way. 'The way out is supposed to open soon,' with how his luck was going?

He had the worst feeling that he'd be mistaken for the boss, especially with the energy coming off of him now.

'What's the outside world like, now?' They hadn't told him, he'd only been informed of the oncoming threats. 'I wonder if my kids are alright?' He hoped so.

Ten years of being, essentially, left alone by their father had probably had some sort of effect he wasn't happy with.

He looked down in thought before his eyes went to something on his bicep?

He blinked at his arm for all of three seconds, lightly-tan skin slowly stretched as his jaw dropped.

"OBITO'S AROUND, I FORGOT!" He yelled in relief and yet no small amount of… Uh-Oh. "Oh, shit, he's been tugging on this thing, hasn't he?" The man didn't remember, long, scruffy, wild black hair shifting as he grinned nervously. "He's around, I know he can help them but he's probably been looking for me, too."

The man who was his wife's brother, his brother-in-law, that oddly powerful guy who wielded thread like it was his very muscles.

There was no doubt in his mind that he was doing what he could.

"I have to get out of here," if he was right, Obito would be a good comrade for this. "This fight will include everyone," he frowned, fists clenched.

All around, monsters sprouted from small burrows or even the ceiling.

"We need to be ready."

~NRK~

The fourth day, Obito raised a brow as he, Jin-Ho, and Jin-Woo went through the Auction Quests, wearing workout clothes and already sweating.

"If you just want something that grants good protection, perhaps some more scales?" Jin-Ho offered as they looked at their phones, scrolling through the auction. "Hmm… Oh! There's someone selling Naga skin!"

"Really?" Obito and Jin-Woo asked as they leaned over the youngest of the three of them. "Where?"

"Turns out," the youngest chuckled knowingly. "Putting my name in gets me some privileges."

"Hmm…" Obito cupped his chin as they saw the request. "... Hmm, they want us to participate in a raid with…" He let out a surprised breath as the other two saw the 'Requirements'.

Jin-Ho choked as Jin-Woo blinked.

"Who's Lee Min-Sung?" The Reawakened man asked, utterly confused.

"H-Hyung?! He's an actor and the son of the vice-president of Yoo-Jin Architextures," Jin-Ho whispered hotly as he looked back at his phone, suddenly nervous. "Oh man… I-I didn't think he'd be a Hunter."

"It says that it's his debut?"

"It seems like someone's trying to make a big name for himself," Obito said to them as they considered the quest.

Only then, Jin-Woo perked up at his ringing phone, the Sung man blinking before he pulled it out and read the text-

His body trembled as his cheeks reddened, eyes shadowed by embarrassed bangs. "I-It's Joo-Hee," he said with a shaky grin to the other two, their right brows raising as he did. "S-S-She wants to go on a DATE?!"

Jin-Ho gasped in awe. "Y-You've gotta do this, hyung!"

Obito chuckled. "He's right, you should focus on your relationship," he checked over the Auction Quest before nodding, patting Jin-Ho on the shoulder. "We will go and handle the quest while you enjoy your date. It's fine."

Jin-Woo swallowed before nodding, twitchy fingers replying back to his girlfriend.

The sheer amount of happiness and joy that followed was hard to miss.

"YES!" The [Player] cheered loudly, hands to the sky.

Jin-Ho shed manly tears as Obito laughed.

~NRK~

"Alright," Jin-Ho whispered as they made it to the site. "Oh, it's near the ocean," he realized as he and Obito left the former's well-kept van. "Sir… I-Isn't there a problem here?" He asked with a sweatdrop.

At the large crowd of people who'd just turned their heads their way before gaining the eyes of 'hunters'.

"THERE HE IS!"

"GET HIM!"

"OUT OF MY WAY!"

The stampede that headed towards the two was startling as their expressions grew shaky.

Mid-way, though, there was a hiss of tires as a car screeched between the two sides, alarming them before Jin-Ho's eyes widened.

"N-No way!" He shrieked as the passage-side door opened and allowed a single greave-covered heel to step out. "N-Noona?!"

Obito blinked at that, his eyes going to the woman who'd exited the vehicle with a scoff at the reporters and, seemingly, the entire situation.

Then, she blinked in confusion as she looked at Jin-Ho and gawked.

---

Standing off to the side, Obito nodded to the grinning woman who patted the embarrassed Jin-Ho's back.

She was almost the same height as Jin-Ho, bore the same fair skin, had dark brown eyes, and long luscious sandy-brown hair. Bearing a model's build due to her profession, Obito hummed curiously at her Class.

Wearing a pair of boot-like lavender-gray greaves with thigh-high black socks beneath it, she had on a black chainmail-like top that came down to her thighs where a pair of black spats peeked out and was tied at the waist by a thick brown-robe.

Wearing a pair of lavender-gray gauntlets, she had a curious chain whip on her hip that held a silvery-looking gemstone on the pommel.

"So, you're this crazy Mage I've been hearing about," the female Fighter said with a grin. "Yoo Soo-Hyun, the older cousin to this one," Soo-Hyun said with an emphasizing pat on Jin-Ho's back before looking intrigued. "What's this? Have you actually been getting tougher?"

Jin-Ho muttered something in embarrassment as she chuckled. "Maybe… Ahem," he cleared his throat before gesturing to Obito. "This is Mr. Uchiha, he's been mentoring me alongside a friend I made recently," Jin-Ho explained as a sleek-looking white longsword sat on his right hip while a shield of similar design and curling gold vine-like borders sat on his upper-back. "This noona, as she introduced herself, is my cousin."

"Pleased to meet you," Obito greeted her with a nod. "Uchiha Obito, at your service, Ms. Yoo. Curious question, you are a Fighter, yes?" He asked her as she chuckled.

"I am. A bit surprising?"

"Not really, I mean, you seem to know how I am."

"And your Guild," Soo-Hyun said with a sagely nod. "You know the Cha Hae-In and Choi Jong-In. How the hell you ended up in the situation you're in with the latter, I'll never know," she added before frowning as Obito crossed his arms and shot her a tilt of the head. "And speaking of people in odd positions with S-RANK HUNTERS… What the hell is actually going on with you and Hwang Dong-Su?" She asked nervously.

"It's as it sounds," Obito said as Jin-Ho nodded. "I'm going to put his head into freshly-made pavement."

The woman's brow twitched something fierce as the reporters kept taking pictures. "D-Did my cousin get involved with crazy people? Y-You realize he's the literal strongest from Korea, right?!" Soo-Hyun's face contorted in horror. "Y-You'll die."

"I-I know how this looks, noona," Jin-Ho began with a focused expression. "But Mr. Uchiha has shown me, and hyung, that he's strong. He knows what he's getting into."

"..." Soo-Hyun sighed at that, looking worried for Jin-Ho. 'Your heart's gonna break if he dies, come on,' it's not that she didn't think the Mage was impressive.

Videos of his fight, the news, being Jong-In's mentor, and even facts of him leading Strike Team B of the Hunters spoke beyond well of his abilities.

She was still curious about the fact that it'd been said he was going to get a Recommended Rank-Up, from two S-Ranks. A crazy-ass thing she'd never seen in her life but, lo and behold, the man's name was already up for a Rank-Up in the Hunter website.

For A-Rank… And if he honestly, impossibly, even edged out a win against Dong-Su?

Well, Soo-Hyun knew it'd only be a matter of time if God fulfilled this man's life.

"Haa… No offense meant to you, Mr. Uchiha, you understand, don't you?" She hoped he wasn't arrogant.

"I do," oh thank God. "No one save for a special few believe I can do it and I hope to prove my mettle and deal with that bastard," Obito declared as he shot the space at their side with a flat look. "Leave," he emphasized.

The pair of cousins' heads snapped to the side to see the small breaking of stone, startled as the reporter appeared out of the ether with a nervous smile.

"Y-Ya found me?" He asked, Obito's eyebrow raised. "N-Nothing, sir!" The man said, saluting him before running off with his giant camera.

Then he was mobbed by the other reporters, a fate 'worse than death', if you'd believe it.

"See?!" Jin-Ho grinned as Soo-Hyun wore an impressed look.

'He was so close,' she guessed that was a Mage's strength, right? "Hmm…" She shot Obito a raised brow as the man shrugged. "Well, aren't you interesting?"

"Speaking of interesting," Obito said with a raised brow at something behind them, the two turning and sweatdropping, Soo-Hyun groaning, at a silvery-white car surrounded on all sides by black vehicles coming to park by them.

And who should leave that car but the man of the hour and the one who'd offered the Auction Quest?

Lee Min-Sung.

He was a young man of around Jin-Woo's height with fair skin, black eyes, and wavy black hair.

Wearing gold armor that fit his athletic, if not lithe, frame that held a red chestplate that was framed like crossing wings, accents, and boots, he had a long thin blade with an ornate gold handle covered in magical symbols.

"Ah, you're here, my sweet~," came his call, his voice like butter and yet deep enough to hold a potential husky quality to it.

Watching him come over with a big bright smile set Obito's eyebrow high on his brow as Soo-Hyun grimaced under her cousin's concerned eye.

"Is everything alright?" Jin-Ho asked under his breath as she sighed.

"No… Not at all," she grumbled.

"Hyun, it's been some time," Min-Sung smiled in delight as the model wore the fakest of fake smiles, a fact he didn't pick up on. "I can tell you're looking more beautiful today than yesterday."

"And you're filling out your armor," Soo-Hyun fake-complimented as he grinned. "Especially your helmet," she grinned as he blinked before rubbing his head of hair with a grin. 'Clueless,' she thought as Obito chuckled while Jin-Ho's jaw dropped at this clueless man.

"Oh, come on~ You know I don't wear a helmet, after all, my face is for the masses."

'Along with your ego.'

"And who…?!" Min-Sung jumped at Obito's cross-armed form and then Jin-Ho's. 'Shit! That's the heir!' Of Yoo-Jin Architextures. 'Hehehe, this is my chance to woo her and gain brownie points!' All he had to do was get on his good side!

"You know some curious co-workers," Obito said to Soo-Hyun as she sweatdropped. "And, perhaps it's just myself," he continued as he saw all the additional Hunters coming out of the black vehicles that'd ridden alongside Min-Sung's. "But I don't remember him on the registry."

"He's only Awakened recently," she told him as Min-Sung snapped out of his reverie. "He hasn't gotten evaluated yet."

"Of course!" He declared as Jin-Ho rubbed the back of his head. "Why would I allow myself to be boxed in before I even show off my good points? No!" Min-Sung wore a determined expression. "I'll show the world this grand actor, Min-SUNG!" He grinned for the flashing cameras. "Will follow through on this Gate and win it with his skills!"

Obito squinted through all the flashing lights as Jin-Ho and Soo-Hyun groaned in unison.

"This hasn't changed," they said as he hummed, closing his eyes.

"He's got a lot of charisma," he said as he noted all the other Hunters about. "... Around 20 of us, a good number for a Gate of this size," Obito said, gaining the duo's attention.

"Right, you're used to Gates like this, right?" Soo-Hyun asked as Jin-Ho looked at the size of the energy portal. "Mr. Uchiha, are you used to A-Ranks, specifically? Do the Hunters do this often?"

"Pretty much. Usually, we only do B-Ranks and A-Ranks when they pop up in our area. As I've been explaining with Jin-Ho, Gates of a similar level are more often to show up in a similar spot. For example, for areas with a high density of people, there are bound to be more powerful Gates on average. A couple have appeared literally within our field before."

"Gates are so unusual, sir," Jin-Ho considered as he wrote Obito's words down in a notepad, much to his cousin's amusement. "Hmm… But what about ecosystems?"

"Sadly, there's no real connection as far as I'm aware. If you looked in the jungle and found a few Gates, chances are, you'll still find caves, stone mazes, or just as likely a forest," Obito explained as Soo-Hyun blinked, rubbing her chin. "Speaking of, do you go into Gates often, Ms. Yoo?"

"No, please, you'd be talking about either of our moms like that," Soo-Hyun said as her cousin sweatdropped. "Just Soo-Hyun is fine, sir," she grinned as Obito chuckled.

"Very well, Ms. Soo-Hyun."

"Perfect."

The flashes of cameras confused the three to no end, all three heads turning to see a flat-faced Min-Sung and the reporters drinking it in.

"... I don't deal with the media often," Obito began.

"Yes, they're always like this," Soo-Hyun whined.

~NRK~

Joo-Hee giggled as she ate with her boyfriend, Jin-Woo grinning with a nervous air about him.

"You need to relax, I-I think it's all about just enjoying yourself and seeing how you feel about it," she told him, their plates of toast half-finished.

"Do you remember your first date?" Jin-Woo asked her with a shaky look. "I'm sure you'd know."

"U-Um," she burned a bit as he blinked. "T-This… Is…" Joo-Hee's embarrassment sent his face into the 'Red Zone'.

'Oh shit!' H-He'd thought she had more experience at this.

He was drowning with a plus one!

And then the TV in the restaurant turned to an odd sight, the reporters there showing off the one known as Lee Min-Sung.

"Ohh… That's that guy," Jin-Woo said as Joo-Hee shot him a chuckle.

"You had no idea who he was, did you?"

"Am I that obvious?"

Watching the proceedings some more, they sweatdropped at this so-called actor's clear self-importance, Obito, Jin-Ho, and another woman they didn't know standing behind him with looks of exasperation.

Then, they were talking about some topic that completely ignored the actor before the woman giggled at something Obito chuckled at, gaining the cameras' attention.

Let it be said, they were sure the Mage hated it, what with his ticking brow and Jin-Ho's chuckles.

~NRK~

"Hmm?" Ryuji blinked at his phone, the release of Korea's little actor confusing him as he dropped a 300-pound dumbbell. "What is this?" He wondered as he sat down cross-legged in his dojo, alone.

Watching the proceedings, he rubbed his chin as he saw that man again.

'Has it really been two years?' Since his presence had been noted. 'And now he's the one who's fighting an S-Rank,' he questioned what this C-Rank even desired out of this.

What had happened to make this the situation? His eyes narrowed competitively, remembering the first video that had been the start of all of this.

A video of a Mage with physical might to put Dong-Su on his back with his limbs alone.

That hadn't made sense when he'd first viewed it and it didn't make sense now.

'Is there an S-Rank hiding within the lower ranks?' A false ranker. "But then, why? What purpose does that serve? Is he subservient to someone?" The news of his tutelage of the S-Rank Mage, Jong-In, had also been startling to learn of.

This man wasn't normal, especially not as a Mage. Obito Uchiha didn't make sense.

"Hmph… We'll see soon enough," he said to the air. "The time is approaching."

And he'd do his part to ensure Japan's greatness continued on.

~NRK~

Obito ran his hands through his hair as he stood together with Jin-Ho, Soo-Hyun, and the others as Min-Sung shot them a pout.

"... Hmph," he cleared his throat. "Today, we'll be going into the A-Rank Gate by Seoul's coast," Min-Sung said, gaining his confidence. "Now, I won't lie, I'm new to raiding and all that entails so, please, be easy with me," he smiled.

The Hunters looked intrigued or hummed in concern, those ones gaining a break in the actor's smile.

'Shit, come on, I paid you!' How could they be unconfident, NOW?!

"... Hold on," one of them said as they turned to Obito, confusing the others. "You're used to leading raiding parties into A-Rank Gates, right?" He asked, his young age showing as she rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I-I'd kinda like it if you helped him lead, no offense, sir," he said to Min-Sung. "But, as you said, you're still new to raiding so wouldn't it be better to have someone who's experienced help you?"

The other murmured, the majority nodding to that as Obito raised a brow while Soo-Hyun shot him a curious look.

"How far-reaching is your fame, Mr. Uchiha?" She asked as Jin-Ho grinned before yelping as she prodded his side with her weapon's handle, smirking all the while. "Nope, none of that from you."

"H-Hehe, noona, come on," the heir chuckled. "Well, sir's just got experience most of us don't. In fact, I fear not meeting his expectations!" Jin-Ho declared as the other Hunters began to look bashful. "He's raided with well-trained teams and Hunters the world over, we have to show our grit!"

The others coughed, looked worriedly embarrassed, or puffed their chests out.

Min-Sung's jaw dropped in horror.

~NRK~

"Hmph," Jong-In chuckled at that. "He's getting what he wanted," he said, amused.

"It's bound to be more to his infamy," Cheung grinned as he chuckled some more.

~NRK~

"Oh, uncle," Jin-Ah said as she and Song-Yi watched the projector.

"Ah, Mr. Uchiha," the teacher, the woman from her parent-teacher meeting, smiled. "For most of you that don't know, Jin-Ah is related to that man."

"We know him!" One boy said with a raised hand. "He's that guy who bodied that Assassin Hunter two years ago!"

"He did it without even trying, too!" A girl added as Song-Yi hummed. "Hey, what's he like? Is he all mysterious like all of the Hunters in the Hunters Guild?"

"Pfft," she laughed. "Mysterious? Shuushuu is basically…" Song-Yi slowly grinned. "In fact, he's actually rather high-class. I mean, he's got all the manners, knows people, and got connections."

"Hehe," Jin-Ah joined in. "That guy next to him, the other dude? That's Jin-Ho, ya know?" Her class gawked at her. "Yoo-Jin Architextures sound familiar? Yep! He's basically made himself uncle's student-in-raiding."

"No way!"

"That's so sick!"

"C-Can he teach my bro?"

More of such questions had Jin-Ah grinning smugly.

~NRK~

Min-Sung grumbled as he walked in at Obito's side, the man's simple workout attire offending him on so many levels.

'T-This is supposed to be my moment!' He grimaced but hid the expression from the trio of magic-camera-using cameramen he'd brought in with them. 'No, stop! You just have to one-up him!' Min-Sung thought with fire in his eyes.

"Stop," Obito ordered as the group came to the edge of a cliff-like precipice.

It was a wasteland-like field-type dungeon, a canyon of immense distance they couldn't see the end of.

"Whoa," Jin-Ho said. "W-We haven't seen any like these in the C-Rank Raids."

"There's a lot of interesting dungeon types," Soo-Hyun said with a hum as she looked at Obito. "So, Mr. Uchiha, what's the point of this?"

"Listen," Obito said as the group fell silent.

The air seemed to whistle on by, the feeling not something they were unused to.

"What is all of this? Are you senile?" Min-Sung scoffed. "There's nothing there."

"Exactly," Obito said, confusing him. "Tell me, has anyone else here ever been in a field-type?" He asked the group quietly, something that set Soo-Hyun and Jin-Ho on-guard.

There were a few nods from a couple Hunters who suddenly looked nervous, looking around in confusion as the others blinked.

"What is it?" The cameraman asked.

"Field-types like this should allow us to see, at least, one magical beast," Obito whispered as he looked over the edge with a frown. "And that means one of two things," he explained as Min-Sung grimaced before he regained a fake smile.

"Please, sir, there's likely nothing around because they're out of sight," he began, walking up to the edge. "Why, there's not a damn thing here-!"

Obito's eyes snapped to him.

Min-Sung was sent flying back over the crowd just in time for the floor to rumble and something to crush past his previous spot.

The actor swallowed nervously as he was lowered to the floor by nothing but 'air', hitting his rear in shock. "W-What?!"

"Gryphons," Obito sighed as the seemingly-silent half-lion half-eagle monsters shot out of the canyon and began to circle the group.

And then the wind seemed to pick up and toss their hair and loose cloth all over, the cameramen jumping as the noise erupted into their ears.

"S-Sir!" Jin-Ho shouted over it. "They're deafening us!"

"The boss is probably coming!" Soo-Hyun declared as the other Hunters got ready. "We need to get out here!"

But that was better said than done for, as they looked around them, the group noticed not just Gryphons… But Wind Spirits?!

"Oh shit!" Someone yelled as they saw those weasel-like spirits floating around the perimeter of the tornado.

Wielding long sickle-like tails, they were animal-like beings that snarled at them before slipping into the harsh winds.

The air was filled with air slashes that carved up the ground and deafened the group some more.

Obito considered his next move. "... All Mages! Attack the back of the tornado!" He ordered over the area, thread forming up his knuckles and down to his elbow, the thread tripling in speed around his fingers as they did.

The other four Mages in the crowd gathered at the back and raised their hands before numerous glowing spells slammed into the rear-end of the spiral.

The wind was disturbed for a single moment before the Wind Spirits lunged at the presented magicians.

Only to be cut in half behind a landing Obito, the man dragging both his hands back.

The Gryphons slammed together by black cables before the Mage brought all of them down into the ground a bit away.

"Prepare yourselves!" Obito shouted at the others as he crossed his arms and thread before clenching his fists.

The threads snapped.

And an explosion the size of a large apartment rocked the air and sent dust & wind shooting past the group.

Min-Sung wheezed as Obito's thread shot out and shielded the group in a series of high-speed rotations.

"Sorry, that was a bit more destructive than I wanted," the man admitted as he walked over to them. "Don't relax, though, Gryphons are A-Rank Monsters, after all."

The wind around their shield shot past like a powerful torrent, Obito's eyes narrowing as it did.

"Prepare!"

~NRK~

"Hmm… Is it just me?" Jong-In considered with a raised brow. 'Is he more powerful than I remember?' He knew that Obito's threads could act like 'spatial matches'.

The spatial force could transfer down their lengths like lit matches and allowed a great effect but… Wasn't that too strong just now?

'Perhaps he found a new accessory? He doesn't seem to be using the Wrath Orb right now.'

"Man, oppa can really lay down powerful blows and magic strikes," Cheung said, tapping her lip in confusion. "I really should get better at manipulating my own energy and summons. H-He even told me that I should learn more about my talismans but I'm not sure where to go."

"There are likely small properties you'll learn about them," Jong-In said.

~NRK~

"His leadership skills and power aren't too bad," Ryuji said to himself as the door to the dojo slid open, allowing in a familiar woman. "Kanae."

"You're watchin' it, too, huh?" The woman, Kanae, asked with a hum as she walked in before sitting down in front of him, legs tucked beneath her. "This is the guy who Dong-Su has a hate-boner for."

Watching the man lead the Hunters at his sides was honestly interesting.

"I want half the Tanks on our cliff-side! All Mages at the center with the rest of the Tanks at our right. Fighters will handle the front and rear, DO NOT get separated, I'll handle all the debris!"

Watching how this Korean-Chinese man moved, saved, attacked, and stabilized their surroundings with impressive footwork, flicks of his fingers, his body, and, most of all, his seemingly 'weak' power was downright inspiring.

'This guy…' Was this honestly a C-Rank Hunter?

Nothing about the way he moved, reacted, dodged, or ordered were something she couldn't have expected from even an Elite C-Rank. Obito Uchiha just seemed too good.

"He defeated an A-Rank Assassin at his own game," she remembered with a blink as the man's threads removed all available Gryphons' wings with a single flick that released a ridiculously long-reaching cutting thread. "And that reach and versatility, t-that's honestly more than most A-Ranks could muster."

Ryuji frowned at that as the so-called 'C-Rank' decimated more of their opponents than his single-job comrades, the man's body never still as he moved around the battlefield like a phantom.

By the end of it all, the man wiped his brow with a nod to Jin-Ho and Soo-Hyun, the other Hunters looking relieved or speaking with him at length.

"..." His stamina alone was clearly at a high level in and of itself.

~NRK~

"Not surprised," Jin-Woo said with a nod as he and Joo-Hee rested in a park after their food, sitting on a bench and watching the livestream currently showing on a nearby building. "If it was me, I'd have used my infantry Shadows to bring them down so the others could kill them."

"He's commanding them so easily, too," Joo-Hee said. "How would he know the Mages aren't sporting different spells, though?"

"A-Rank Mages are high-rank for a reason, honestly," he said with a hum. "Put it like this, no Mage with that Rank has no idea how to attack, ya know? Uncle can do so with even just a single attacking thread, they all have more general powers so it's not impossible."

Watching the raid go on with great results, Obito gestured to the corpses.

"Anyone who can carry a large number of Mana Crystals, bring them here so I can put them away," he told the group, a pair of Mages going forward before releasing a large metal plate and black box that slipped under, or attracted all, the magic crystals, respectively.

Watching Obito send them all away, he nodded to the group.

"I'm concerned about whether the boss is now in the sky or in the canyon," he said suddenly.

"H-Huh, why?" Jin-Ho asked. "Sir? Why would it be in the sky? The Gryphons came from down below."

"Or do you think the boss pushed them there?" Soo-Hyun, as the two had learned from the group's idle conversation, wondered as Obito nodded. "Wouldn't we have run into it by now?"

"Most likely but we need to keep our options open. For example, I think we can all assume it's a wind-type boss."

The amount of nods and words of agreement had Jin-Woo and Joo-Hee agreeing as well.

"They had too many wind-based opponents," the Healer said. "How wouldn't the boss be wind-based?"

"I mean, you have a point," the Reawakened man said as he held her hand with a blush, the woman burning up as she intertwined their fingers. "A-Ahem, the point stands, it's likely an Elite A-Rank-level monster."

~NRK~

Obito nodded to the group as the two Mages also gathered all the monster parts. "Good idea, we can use those," he praised the preening two. "Back on track, if the boss is down below, it's going to come up," he admitted. "Likely, we'll see hints of it soon. It's either that or it's on the way," he added.

The group looked around them, the sky above a light green hue and filled with numerous clouds but not enough that blocked out the sun.

"Hmm," Jin-Ho looked around with a small telescope, an item Obito had insisted more Hunters had for faraway monsters. "... Perhaps I'm thinking too much?" He asked, lowering his scope with a blink.

"No such thing with Gates B-Rank and above," Soo-Hyun admitted. "Paranoia isn't as crazy as it seems in these kinds of places."

"Oh! Well… What if the boss is in the clouds?"

The group went silent, eyes slowly going up and around at the many clouds to see… Wait.

"Good idea," Obito said with narrowed eyes at a set of moving clouds above… Their speed wasn't normal. "Jin-Ho is right, the boss will have the area as an advantage, why wouldn't it choose to truly rule the skies?"

They all saw it, that odd large clump of clouds that seemed to part the other ones around it. This one's colors almost looking like the sky itself.

"Shit," one of the Tanks grimaced. "Odds? Like, how likely is it that it can cause tornadoes that outstrip the Gryphons'?"

"A boss of such powerful minions can likely perform greater than them but it might not even follow the same skill path," Obito said as he observed the other side of the open canyon. "... How many people are confident with hitting that thing from down here?" He asked curiously.

The calls of the three Rangers in their midst and the two Mages from before didn't fill Obito with too much confidence.

"Alright, does anyone have any fire-like ability?"

"W-Well," Soo-Hyun rubbed the back of her head as her whip's head glowed a blazing white. "I'm not exactly winning at that much range."

"No, not like this," Obito hummed as she and Jin-Ho tilted their heads.

"Sir?" The D-Rank Tank asked.

"It's clear that you all can't reach up there so I need to bring that thing down here," the C-Rank Mage tapped the floor. "And we have just the space to trap it in."

"Oi!" Min-Sung found enough of his wit to balk at that stupid plan. "That's crazy! You can't bring that thing down here!" Was this man insane?

A C-Rank, at best, couldn't do that-

"No, I can. As long as it has a solid form within that mess, I can bring it down here. It's not even that big," Obito said.

"S-Sir, that thing is bigger than a ten-story apartment," someone said weakly.

"So?"

~NRK~

Kanae blinked in interest. "Oh?" She was intrigued.

How would the man do so? She had some ideas, his thread seemed pretty powerful, actually, even from that distance. If they were to attack the boss from straight up, he might be able to lock it in.

Ryuji, meanwhile, frowned deeply. 'It's an Elite A-Rank… Yet he's so confident?' Something about this picture didn't make sense.

~NRK~

"Is he going to use that?" Jong-In asked, surprised, as the others around blinked at him. "... Well, hyung does have the ability to truly hit above his pay grade. He can easily access S-Rank-like strength for a limited time."

"Wait, since when?!" Someone asked nervously. "H-He's never done it before!"

"Because we're strong enough that he doesn't need to. That group, sadly, doesn't have the kind of synergy ours does."

~NRK~

Yoon-Ho observed the Mage on his television. 'That One-Horned Oni thing, right?' Was the man fine with revealing that with the time frame of now to his and Dong-Su's fight? "... Did something else happen?" He leaned forward, eyes wide in interest. "Of course, he wouldn't stay idle, he's clearly been making his advantages but can he truly tip into S-Rank like that?"

And then his door opened, allowing in a grinning Hee-Jin in a black suit. "Oh, you're seeing it, too, sir!" She smiled as she entered with a pile of paperwork in her arms and her phone sitting up on a floating rock, the stream on its screen.

"I see you are, too. More about that crazy island Gun-Hee is making?"

"Seems like it," she said, putting the stack down on his desk, the two looking at his TV. "I believe he's got a lot of skills to use here, sir."

"Hmm… After our fight with the Ice Elf leader, I'm not of the opinion to disagree," Yoon-Ho admitted as she perked up.

"Y-You saw another Skill?!"

"Amongst all his others? This one outstrips them by a series of magnitudes."

~NRK~

Obito had put the group to work immediately.

Helping them reach the other side, he'd laid a huge net of triple-spun thread all about the canyon via the help of their one Assassin's high speed and Obito's own, the whole area covered by thick cables.

It took them five minutes, the oncoming boss a large reminder of what they were here to do, before grouping back up.

"Alright," Obito said as he stood ahead of the group. "The moment I bring it down, you know what you have to do," he told the others as the wind shot against them like a hissing hurricane. "We can't let that thing get the chance to set up!" He declared.

"This is stupid!" Min-Sung shouted back. "You CAN'T! You're just a C-Rank!" He grimaced.

This bastard was stealing all of his thunder! And now he was making stupid claims?!

His debut was ruined!

"Sir!" Jin-Ho frowned. "Are you sure? What could you do to bring it down?" He asked.

Obito blinked at him before realizing something as his thread formed a sphere around them, blocking the harsh winds for a moment. "Oh, right, you didn't know about my smithing successes," the older man chuckled as Jin-Ho perked up. "Jin-Ho, I've got everything I'd need to bring that thing down," he explained as the cameramen recorded him. "... I guess this would be the best showcase of it," Obito said as he showed his bangle.

The boss's wails echoed out towards them as the air vibrated.

"A success?" The Tank looked intrigued. "What kind of accessory is this?"

"The Wrath Bangle," Obito explained as the accessory glowed. "I made it from copying the Skill of a boss I fought once."

"Wait, you can do that?!" A cameraman choked as Obito's Sharingan blazed in front of him. 'The hell?!'

Then the man's aura erupted and cratered the ground beneath them.

"This accessory has the embedded Skill within that allows a person, for thirty seconds," he grinned. "To increase all their capabilities by 50%."

And vanished, leaving behind a startled group.

"What?!" Min-Sung hadn't heard of this! "Excuse me!?"

The five seconds that passed left him annoyed beyond measure as the wind kept beating again them-

And then there was a sky-clearing CRACKLE that alarmed the group, the torrential winds coming to a sudden halt as something let out a deafening wail a-and was that the boss coming towards them?!

His eyes shrunk in their sockets as he saw the falling boss.

"SHIT!" Soo-Hyun hissed out. "EVERYBODY TO YOUR STATIONS!" She ordered as the others scrambled to the large metal stakes all around them. "PREPARE FOR IMPACT!"

As the air screamed at them with that giant falling body, they prepared at their points.

"Hold!" Jin-Ho held up a hand, one of his five fingers ticking down. "Hold!"

The cloudy occurrence slowly dispelled to show the falling fish-like dragon beneath.

"Two!" The Tank shouted nervously. 'Can we really hold that thing?' Jin-Ho didn't know.

He really didn't… But he had faith!

The boss's air pressure seemed to disperse mere meters away as impossibly large lacerations carved apart its sides and cut off its fins.

"JIN-HO!" A voice shouted from atop the boss.

"NOW!" The D-Rank Tank declared as the boss fell into the nets. "GRAB IT!"

The fourteen Hunters cut their first ropes, another series of them shooting past their feet towards the canyon before they grabbed them with all their might.

"Healers! Buffs, now!" Soo-Hyun declared as she pulled on her own ropes with a hiss.

The three Healers of their group raised their hands into the air. "STRENGTH!" They cast in unison.

The Hunters pulled with all their might as the air battered against their fronts, Jin-Ho grimacing as he felt the boost in strength, great as it was, still failing him a bit.

"Hold tight, Jin-Ho!" His cousin shouted as they pulled on their own ropes.

Their feet crunched into the ground as they all kept pulling, the closer to the edge they got, the more terrifying it became.

"SIR!" Jin-Ho cried out. "HELP PLEASE!"

They got mere inches by the edge-

And it all stopped before their front feet could fall over, the tautness of the wires growing more and more slack as it did.

"W-What?" Soo-Hyun asked, utterly confused. "What did he do-?"

And then the weight on their ropes just… Let up.

The boss's form shot up out of the canyon before falling down in the distance by a collective CRACK that had the group hitting their rears as the large dragon hit the ground with a pained cry and their thread ropes broke apart into nothingness.

"W-What the hell?" Min-Sung said in disbelief as something shot out of the canyon like a blazing star. "... I-Is that a C-Rank?" He choked on his breath as that blazing blue tower settled by the boss in the distance.

And then the ground rumbled again as a tornado of arching flashes crushed flesh, diced apart scales, and brought the wailing dragon down for good.

By the end of it, a towering cloud of dust sat there as they all looked on in disbelief.

~NRK~

"The fuck?" Kanae asked, eyes widening as Ryuji's own narrowed fiercely. "W-What the hell was that? T-That didn't look like his normal magic stuff!"

"What did he mean?" He growled a bit at his phone. "He created an accessory that powerful?"

~NRK~

"Hmm, he truly went all-out," Jong-In said with a smug grin as Cheung's mouth dropped. "Truly the Wrath Bangle and One-Horned Oni are a match made in hell."

"W-What did you just say?" She asked him in shock. "S-Sir!"

He chuckled. "Of course, hyung's abilities can come together to make quite the S-Rank power."

~NRK~

Yoon-Ho blinked thrice. 'Jong-In, you bastard, is this what you meant?' He wondered in awe as Hee-Jin squealed a bit. "That bastard, he knew," the White Tigers Guild Master grumbled.

"It's amazing!" She grinned as he sweatdropped.

'And now he's taken the mind of one of my own,' did that man have no shame?

~NRK~

"That's what it looks like," Jin-Woo laughed a bit as Joo-Hee swallowed in disbelief. "That's [One-Horned Oni x Wrath]," he grinned in excitement.

"T-That's not even normal!" She squealed as he laughed some more.

"Of course it's not!"

~NRK~

Jin-Ah let out the longest whistle as her class gawked alongside her and Song-Yi.

"Uncle… Damn," she said in shock as the cameraman and Hunter party began to hurry across the expanse. "T-There's no way he's not broken, what the hell?!"

"Y-Your uncle makes no sense," Song-Yi said with a nervous grin. "Goddamn."

~NRK~

Gun-Hee raised a brow at it all, Jin-Chul wheezing out a breath as they saw the results of Obito's 'secrets'.

"Honestly, it was a good idea to make the island, that man would put us out of business," the chairman chuckled as the younger man cleared his throat before cupping his chin. "He can ascend into S-Rank for, what did he say? Thirty seconds? Or is there more at play here?"

"... If I had to assume some things," Jin-Chul began, eye glinting through the tint of his sunglasses. "There's another trick here, sir. He said that the accessory he made only gave him a 50% increase for thirty seconds. No offense but that's not good enough… Not without something else bolstering him."

"Like a technique or Skill, hmm," Gun-Hee cupped his chin with intrigue. "He's truly prepared to fight an S-Rank, Jin-Chul, and it seems that he has more than enough up his sleeves to make that victory possible."

~NRK~

"I-I don't know!" Jin-Ho said with a grin as Soo-Hyun kept gawking, the group walking over two long thread bridges that had, somehow, sprouted into existence from before Obito had taken down the boss. "But Sir's something else!" He chuckled happily as she swallowed.

Through the combination of some of the Mages' magic, they were riding stony black golems towards the dead boss, bypassing the now-open Gate out of there.

"W-What's going on?" Min-Sung asked anyone at that point, pale as a ghost, as they arrived to find a sighing man sitting atop a dead dragon's corpse, the light blue glow around him dying down along with the odd neon blue horn on his forehead. "W-What the hell is up with you?!"

Obito raised a brow at him, sitting atop the dead boss's head. "Oh, you all made it," he chuckled as he got up before hopping off. "That is my abilities at their mightiest, young man, that's about it," Obito admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck and observed the corpse. 'Defeating an Elite A-Rank boss on my own,' he'd stepped into S-Rank territory now.

With all his Skills together, he'd reached this plateau but would it be enough? Thirty seconds wasn't a lot of time and with One-Horned Oni's time limit, doing both at once would basically destroy his stamina.

'The vambraces are helping, though,' the stamina loss was being diverted really well, he still had over half his energy. 'These are going to go a long way,' and if he used this with the Ursine King Scythe, he'd probably be able to keep it going.

"Sir, that was amazing!" Jin-Ho grinned from beside him, looking at the dragon's scales with interest. "Actually, why not use this thing's scales? That'd be perfect!" He suggested as Obito blinked in surprise with a nod.

"Ah, you're right. I didn't think about that. This dragon's scales have to be above a Naga's, at least. It's Elite A-Rank quality, after all."

"So, you're just going to ignore what you did?" Soo-Hyun asked him flatly as Obito cracked a smirk. "You are? Okay then, Mr. Obito, you know how to impress a lady," she said with a pair of waggling eyebrows as he rolled his eyes.

"I'm engaged, young lady."

"Holy crap, you are?"

"You are?!" Jin-Ho gawked. "C-Congratulation!"

Obito just looked amused. "Hmm, for now, we have to get all this out… I wonder which part of this thing I need," he considered. "Getting the scales from the head is probably the best, that's got to be where the hardest ones are."

"The horns?" Soo-Hyun asked, intrigued.

"Those are for armor for my legs… Alright," Obito said as he raised his hand and thread spilled out. 'Just the arm…' He told himself.

The two gawked at his now-black-clawed-limb sprouting out thread at an obscene speed before it sank between the boss's scales and the like before peeling it away with ease.

"A-And this is?"

"That technique I performed alongside this," Obito touched his bangle. "It was two Skills in one, basically."

That sounded ridiculous and yet so cool, she didn't hate admitting that.

~NRK~

Leaving the Gate, Obito got one step out before being mobbed by reporters the world over, the man's flat expression utterly ignored in all the flashing cameras.

"Ugh," he groaned, his spoils already in his spatial pocket alongside the boss's magical crystal. "Alright, you all take the rest," Obito said as he released all the other magical crystals to the others save for the biggest one he'd gotten from the boss. "I've gotten what I wanted out of this," Obito yawned as Jin-Ho stretched. "I really shouldn't be trying to get some sleep right now."

More cameras flashed as he groaned again, Soo-Hyun wearing a sly grin as she nudged him a bit.

"Hehehe, look at that, they love you," she grinned in amusement as he groaned again.

"Don't you have to be modeling somewhere?"

"Not until tomorrow."

Obito considered that before shrugging. "Alright, you & Jin-Ho can come over for some invigorating food I suppose."

"You should, noona!" Jin-Ho said with a hungry gleam in his eyes. "Sir's food is delicious!"

Looking intrigued, she smirked. "Alright, let's get out of here," she chuckled as the gawking reporters parted for them as they left.

Leaving behind a jaw-dropped Min-Sung to suffer alone.

"W-What just happened?" He asked no one.

~NRK~

Obito ignored Gina's cheek-pulling as he cooked. "Rude," he told his smirking fiance.

"Just checking to see if you're real," she chuckled, releasing, and patting, his face. "I saw the craziness you caused this time," Gina smirked.

"She's right, hyung," Ki-Hoon said in the normal tunic below his armor as he sat in the living room, Cheung nodding rapidly beside him.

"You're ridiculous!" The B-Rank Mage said with a fire in her eyes. "I gotta find a way to use tentacles to my advantage!"

"H-Hoo?!" Her boyfriend burned like the sun as Jin-Woo nudged him with a knowing smirk. "I-I am not!" He squeaked.

"Sure you're not into it, I didn't say a thing," the Shadow Lord smirked some more as Cheol laughed. "Not. A. Word."

Ki-Hoon held his burning face as Hae-In blushed at the insinuation, her own armor also by the door and leaving her in her reinforced suit, Jong-In beside her in the same.

"T-This is the power of love," she muttered before taking notes as the redhead nearly broke out into laughter.

Yoon-Ho looked at him with a squinty eye as Hee-Jin wilted at the 'competition'.

"S-She's got all categories!" She whined as Song-Yi chuckled beside her. "H-How'd I lose so badly?" Hee-Jin asked with crocodile tears running down her face.

"I don't think there are a lot of people who could beat Gina-noona in womanliness," she said as Galdae nodded rapidly beside her.

Jin-Ah snorted as she helped her uncle with Joo-Hee, Gina, and Soo-Hyun, Jin-Ho gawking at the room.

"S-Sir is more powerful than I could imagine," he said as he got the dishes, the youngest Sung bumping his shoulder with her own. "Don't do this to me, I am on Cloud 9 right now!" Jin-Ho declared with flames of courage in his eyes.

She sweatdropped. "Your cousin's a weirdo," she said to the smirking Soo-Hyun.

"He is, isn't he?" She grinned as Jin-Ah smirked this time.

Obito shrugged at them all as Gina grinned, the Mages amused as they teased Jin-Ho some more.

~NRK Out~