The distance was not particularly far, and the Gate had not been designated as an Emergency, so there was no need for Fiona to hurry.
Besides, by the time she arrived, a sizable crowd had already gathered. None of the faces were familiar to her, though.
It wasn't that she was bad at remembering people. On the contrary—aside from her exceptional durability, even among S-ranks, one of Fiona's core strengths was her memory.
She simply chose to be selective about what she retained. Those she did not recognize were, by default, people who were not truly important, or individuals she did not need to remain cautious around.
This meant they were not Syndicate executives, members of the Twelve Main Families, or—at the very least—S-rank Hunters.
"She is here. She is really here!"
"Oh… isn't that the Black Death?"
"Move aside, move aside—I want to see."
In an instant, the crowd that had been keeping a nervous distance from the Gate transformed completely. Anxious stares gave way to excitement. Cheers erupted. Photos were captured without permission. People surged toward her.
Fiona dealt with it as best she could. She allowed two or three people to take selfies, signed clothes and hands, and offered what she judged to be an appropriate smile.
That last part had always been the hardest—especially during the first few years after the Liberation War, when Hunters, particularly those certified as S-rank, had been elevated into Symbols of Peace.
This meant they were expected to be role models: noble heroes standing between humanity and annihilation, celebrities clad in justice and valor.
At least I should thank Valerie for this, Fiona thought.
Valerie had always possessed a peculiar talent: making something artificial feel sincere. That, in itself, was the irony.
"Ms. Black Death, I sincerely thank you for accepting our invitation."
The man who greeted her once she finally entered the Hunting Zone—the restricted area surrounding the Gate, accessible only to Hunters or those with official authorization—was clad in heavy armor and stood nearly as tall as she did.
He carried a golden shield and a sword far too large to be wielded with one hand.
"And you are?" Fiona asked.
"Ah—right. My apologies for the lapse in manners. I am Solaris Whitewell. I am the party leader, and the one who requested your presence here."
"Your rank?"
"Last year, I successfully obtained my A-rank license. The average rank of my party members is also A-rank. Allow me to introduce them."
Solaris guided Fiona closer to the Gate, where four others were already waiting.
He introduced them one by one:
Hax Durandal, a frontline fighter who had obtained his A-rank license at the age of twenty;
Elise Clue, a mage specializing in fire-element Ether;
Yvonne Markworld, a B-rank healer who allegedly possessed A-rank capability but had failed to obtain the license due to technical issues;
and Flint—a scout and semi-assassin wielding a katana, who merely offered Fiona a brief nod upon introduction.
"Honestly, we could have entered right away, but this is mostly my fault—or at least thirty percent of it. The other seventy percent belongs to that Syndicate guy," Yvonne said with a weary sigh. "That forgetful man filed my name under the wrong section and made me redo everything as B-rank."
Hax immediately broke into a mischievous grin. "Or maybe… your capacity was only ever that high to begin with? I mean, I know it is hard to accept, especially at your age—"
"What is wrong with my age, brat?" Yvonne snapped, her tone sharp as an enraged Cerberus. "Say one more word and I will leave you behind the moment you get injured."
Hax went pale instantly. "Eh? Isn't that a bit too cruel for a joke?"
When no response came, he turned to Solaris in panic. "Mr. Whitewell, do something. I think that Old Hag is serious!"
"WHAT DID YOU JUST—"
Solaris rubbed his forehead, already exhausted. "Good grief… can't the two of you act normal, just this once?"
He then turned to Fiona with an apologetic smile. "Please forgive our rude behavior, Ms. Black Death. I assure you, however, they are all competent—very much so."
"Fiona."
"Huh?"
Fiona stepped forward, becoming the first to cross into the Gate. "Black Death is a title they gave me. I prefer to be called by my actual name."
"Understood, ma'am."
After giving brief instructions to the others, Solaris followed. One by one, the six of them entered the Gate.
Conditions within Gates varied wildly.
Sometimes it was a narrow cave, filled with stalactites that amplified every sound into haunting echoes.
Sometimes it was a vast grassland so expansive and surreal it felt unreal.
And sometimes… it was a world devoid of sunlight, like this one.
Fiona lifted her gaze. The ceiling loomed roughly fifty meters overhead, ending in a flat plane that appeared pitch-black from where they stood. The environment was illuminated by Lampions—non-aggressive 'monsters' whose bodies were no larger than plankton, existing in the millions and glowing faintly.
"A Zinc world, huh," Solaris muttered with a sigh.
His reaction was understandable. Of the three known world types beyond Gates, Zinc worlds were the most troublesome. They did not confine Hunters within a narrow, deadly maze—but instead presented a different kind of trap.
Zinc worlds closely resembled the human realm: wide, open terrain, flat land, and numerous branching paths.
Too many paths, in fact.
In other world types, there were typically no more than three intersections. In contrast, a Zinc world was virtually limitless.
This meant it could take days—sometimes even weeks—to locate the Boss room and successfully tame the Gate.
"Good thing we brought plenty of supplies," Hax said with a broad grin, hoisting his oversized backpack onto his shoulders.
Yvonne shot back immediately. "A fool's thoughts never stray far from food, I see."
"Food is a basic human necessity—fool or not," Hax retorted. "Or is your decaying brain starting to forget simple facts like that, Old Hag?"
"I told you, thirty wasn't that old, you shitty brat!"
"Miss Fiona," Elise interjected, deliberately ignoring the pointless argument behind her. "There is something I have been curious about for a long time. What is your actual Class?"
Fiona glanced at her briefly. Elise had naturally white hair and a slender, fragile-looking frame—as though she might break under pressure. Yet her eyes burned with clarity and resolve.
It reminded Fiona of someone.
"Tanker."
"… Huh?"
"Eh?"
"Seriously?"
"For real?"
Even Hax and Yvonne stopped arguing.
Was it really that surprising?
"I always thought you were an Assassin," Elise admitted. "I have seen some of your Raid footage—your speed is unbelievable."
"I can do that as well, when necessary. Assassin and Warrior could be considered my side Classes," Fiona replied calmly. "I can condense Ether into projectiles and fire them like bullets, though apparently that still is not enough to qualify me as a Mage, so…"
She stopped when she realized she was being stared at—wide-eyed, nervous, and full of admiration.
"Side classes… is that even possible to begin with?"
"Condensing Ether?"
"Three classes in one person—that is basically a one-man army."
Solaris let out a bitter laugh. "I thought finally earning my A-rank license meant I was only a few steps away from S-rank. But now it feels like the distance between heaven and earth."
"And I heard you obtained your S-rank license at eighteen—"
CRASH!
The ground suddenly shook as something massive landed nearby. Dust and debris erupted into the air, forming a thick cloud.
As it settled, a green-skinned creature over three meters tall emerged before them, gripping a crude wooden club. Its blazing eyes swept across them one by one.
An orc.
As it let out a thunderous roar, Solaris shouted—
"Formation, now!"
And just like that, the battle began.