Hunter of the Lost Gates-Chapter 6 - : The Hunt Begins

Got it! I'll write **Chapters 6 to

Sai sat in the dimly lit cavern, his back resting against the cold stone wall. His breathing had finally slowed, but his body still ached from the battle. His fingers tightened around the hilts of his daggers, the memory of that voice still ringing in his ears.

*"I see you now."*

The pressure that had nearly crushed him was gone, but the **feeling of being watched** remained.

He exhaled sharply, forcing himself to stay calm. **Panic wouldn't help.** He needed to assess his situation.

First, he checked his surroundings. The cavern was unlike the Lost Gate's ruins—this was a **natural cave**, with jagged rock formations and faint traces of **mana veins** glowing in the walls. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, and the faint trickle of water echoed in the distance.

The **Lost Gate was gone.**

He turned to his system notifications.

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**[Lost Gate Synchronization: 15%]**

**[Trial Completed.]**

**[New Ability Unlocked: Abyssal Step (F-rank)]**

---

His synchronization was increasing. **Was that a good thing? Or was it making him more visible to whatever had spoken to him?**

Sai exhaled, pushing that thought aside. He had more pressing concerns—**like getting out of here.**

His fingers brushed against the dirt. He wasn't sure where this cave was located. It could be **deep underground**, or he could be near a known hunting zone.

He needed to find an **exit**.

As he stood, another notification flickered across his vision.

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**[Warning: External Forces Are In Motion.]**

**[The Hidden Order Has Become Aware of Your Existence.]**

**[A Hunt Has Begun.]**

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Sai's stomach twisted.

**The Hidden Order?**

That was new.

The system had warned him that an "external force" had detected him, but now he had a name.

Sai clenched his jaw. **Was this Order related to the Lost Gates?** If they were already aware of him, that meant they had been watching the dungeons—possibly erasing them before people like him could **find them.**

And now that he had stepped inside one?

**He had become a target.**

Sai took a breath, shaking off the unease creeping up his spine. **Worrying wouldn't help.** He needed to **move.**

---

He followed the cavern's tunnel, keeping his steps **light and controlled**. His abilities were useful, but they didn't make him invincible. If the Order was hunting him, he had to assume they were experienced killers.

Minutes passed.

The deeper he went, the more the cave began to **change**.

The walls weren't just stone anymore—**faint carvings** lined the surface, almost hidden beneath layers of dust and time. Sai ran his fingers across the etchings, frowning.

These symbols... **they resembled the ones in the Lost Gate.**

That meant this wasn't just a normal cave.

**It was connected.**

A chill ran through him. If this cave was part of the Lost Gates' **erased history**, then whoever was trying to destroy these dungeons **might know about this place, too.**

And if they did—

A distant **click** echoed through the tunnel.

Sai's instincts flared.

A trap.

He threw himself **sideways** just as the **floor collapsed.** A deep pit opened beneath where he had been standing, sharp spikes jutting from the bottom.

**Close. Too close.**

He barely had time to recover before **he heard voices.**

"...Nothing here."

"Keep looking. He has to be nearby."

Sai's blood turned cold.

He pressed himself against the tunnel wall, **daggers in hand**, his body tense.

**They had already found him.**

---

The footsteps grew louder.

At least **three people** were approaching, their movements precise and calculated. **Not ordinary hunters.**

Sai had to make a decision—**fight or flee.**

He exhaled, steadying himself. If he tried to fight **three unknown enemies in an enclosed space**, he'd be at a severe disadvantage. His best bet was to **get past them.**

He activated **Abyssal Step.**

His vision blurred—**and he reappeared five meters ahead.**

It was enough.

Sai broke into a sprint, his footsteps muffled as he dashed through the tunnel. He needed **distance.**

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But the moment he moved, a **sharp whistle** cut through the air.

A dagger embedded itself in the wall **inches from his head.**

Sai barely had time to react before another voice rang out.

"There he is!"

A **flash of mana** surged behind him.

Sai **jumped**, twisting mid-air as a bolt of energy **slammed into the ground where he had been.** The explosion sent dust flying, but he kept moving, his mind working rapidly.

These weren't just normal assassins. They were **enhanced hunters.**

And they were **fast.**

He needed a way to turn the fight in his favor—**and fast.**

Then, as he rounded a bend, his eyes caught something.

A **faint light.**

An **exit.**

---

Sai didn't hesitate.

He **pushed himself forward**, his legs burning as he sprinted toward the opening. Behind him, the assassins **weren't letting up.** He could hear their footsteps closing in.

He needed to **slow them down.**

His eyes darted to the cavern's ceiling—**stalactites.**

Sai flipped his dagger, adjusting his grip. He only had **one chance.**

He launched the blade **upward.**

The dagger struck its target. A **crack** echoed through the cave as the stalactites began to **fall.**

Sai didn't stay to watch.

He reached the exit just as the **rocks collapsed behind him.** A cloud of dust filled the tunnel, blocking the assassins' pursuit.

He didn't stop running.

The tunnel led upwards, and as he neared the end—**he finally saw it.**

Moonlight.

---

Sai **burst out of the cave**, inhaling the crisp night air. His body **screamed** in exhaustion, but he forced himself to keep moving.

He was in a **forest**, the thick canopy of trees stretching endlessly in all directions. A river ran nearby, its surface reflecting the moon above.

**Where was he?**

He took a moment to steady his breathing, listening carefully.

The assassins were trapped. **For now.**

Sai exhaled sharply. **He had escaped.** But this wasn't over.

The System had said it clearly.

**The Hidden Order is hunting you.**

And now, he knew for sure—**they weren't going to stop.**

Another notification appeared.

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**[New Quest: Unravel the Hidden Order.]**

**[Objective: Learn the true purpose of the Lost Gates.]**

**[Warning: Enemies are already aware of you.]**

---

Sai's fingers tightened around his dagger.

So this was it.

The Lost Gate wasn't just **a mystery dungeon.** It wasn't just some anomaly he had stumbled into.

Something **bigger** was happening.

And now, whether he liked it or not—

**He was part of it.**

Sai took one last breath, then turned toward the darkened forest.

This was just the beginning.

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