Suho also saw the notification appear before him.

    [The gate has been cleared.]

    [MVP of the gate clearing: ''Ahn Suho''.]

    [Additional experience points granted for MVP selection.]

    [1 bonus stat awarded for MVP selection.]

    [For achieving a remarkable feat, the system grants you an additional 5 bonus stats.]

    [Your level has increased.]

    [All stats have increased by 1.]

    [1 bonus stat acquired.]

    Suho glanced at the notifications floating before him. His level had increased, which seemed like a typical outcome. However, this time, something was different—there was no notification of Bulgasal being defeated.

    Yet, there was no trace of Bulgasal around him. Instead, Suho shifted his gaze to the marble-sized orb in his hand. It was the ''Dominion Orb'' he had previously acquired from Malayon. Remarkably, Bulgasal was now curled up and slumbering within this orb.

    ‘So, it really can be tamed.’

    It wasn’t exactly capture; rather, it was a form of "taming" rooted in domination. Suho recalled his last clash with Bulgasal. The creature had charged at him with all its might, and Suho had met the charge head-on without dodging, using the Steel Cutter technique.

    The result was Suho’s victory. His Blood Sword, imbued with Hogongryu, managed to slice Bulgasal at an angle. However, Suho hadn’t aimed to kill it; his purpose had been to tame Bulgasal from the start. So, he deliberately cut at an angle, not a direct blow, and then poured magic into the Dominion Orb, casting it onto the ground.

    Before the orb even touched the ground, Bulgasal had been sucked into it with a burst and summoned again within the orb.

    [Bulgasal has been summoned.]

    The summoned Bulgasal appeared much smaller. It had used up all the minerals it had consumed in its final assault against Suho, and its state wasn’t the best, likely due to the capture occurring right after its injury. But Suho wasn’t worried.

    After all, Suho’s current class was not a warrior but a healer.

    He reached out to Bulgasal and activated a skill.

    [Heal is activated.]

    The healing light, now upgraded and more potent, carried Suho''s magic and swiftly began to restore Bulgasal. As the warmth of the healing spell enveloped it, Bulgasal’s eyelids drooped, and soon it fell into a comfortable sleep.

    Suho continued to pour his magic into the creature until its wounds were fully healed. Finally, when Bulgasal’s recovery was complete, Suho spoke.

    “Bulgasal.”

    “Bul-bul.”

    Upon hearing its name, Bulgasal instantly woke, standing to attention. The disciplined stance made it clear that it was now under the spell of domination, a subservient creature to Suho.

    Suho issued a command.

    “Begin.”

    “Bul-bul!”

    Bulgasal responded eagerly, starting to gather and consume the minerals and magic stones it had once lain upon like a makeshift bed.

    Suho watched the spectacle, nodding in approval.

    ‘Good worker.’

    Bulgasal, a legendary beast who feeds on iron and is vulnerable to fire, could convert consumed minerals into power. When Bulgasal first appeared as a summoned creature rather than a monster, people called it something else.

    ‘The world’s best miner, Bulgasal.’

    It wasn’t an exaggeration. Even Earthkeeper Kobolds or mining-mad dwarves couldn’t compete with a creature like Bulgasal, whose primary diet consisted of minerals. Suho checked Bulgasal’s information window.

    Seo Gi-won shouted out, “Leader!”

    “Yes, it’s me,” Suho replied.

    Everyone recognized his silhouette immediately. Dusting off the dirt from his clothes, Suho appeared without a scratch. Seo Gi-won rushed over.

    “What took you so long! Do you know how worried we were?!”

    “You could have come looking for me if you were so worried.”

    “But you told us not to! Do you know how awkward it was, having to keep the mining team from going in to search for you?”

    Suho chuckled at Seo Gi-won’s enthusiasm.

    “Well done. Keep it up.”

    “Absolutely!” Seo Gi-won beamed with pride, and even Gu Yeon-hwa couldn’t hide her smile.

    Suho turned to her and remarked, “You were quite patient, weren’t you?”

    “Who else would we believe if not our leader?”

    “Exactly. That’s the spirit of a good teammate. Well done.”

    “But why were you so late? The gate was cleared hours ago.”

    “Just some... business to take care of.”

    “Business?”

    “Nothing you need to worry about.”

    Gu Yeon-hwa gave him a bewildered look, but Suho only responded with a knowing smile. Turning to Ahn Sung-won, Suho addressed the mining team.

    “Thank you for waiting. Now, shall we all head back?”

    “Yes!”

    “Absolutely!”

    With the raid team following, Suho led them toward the gate’s exit.

    ***

    “He’s taking a bit too long...”

    “What’s going on?”

    “The gate was cleared, but... he’s still not out.”

    “Did something happen in there?”

    Outside the gate, the Nexus Guild members were also growing anxious due to Suho’s delay. Initially, they had expected him to finish quickly, but hours had passed since the gate’s clearance notification.

    ‘Could something have gone wrong...?’

    Bae Dong-hyuk was especially nervous. Suho was not only a rising star in the nation but someone marked by the Great Hunter Association. If anything serious had happened to Suho, it could affect his own standing.

    The moment Bae Dong-hyuk’s worry peaked, someone shouted, “Look! He’s coming out!”

    Emerging from the

    gate, almost like a victorious general, was Suho.

    “Hunter Ahn!”

    Seeing Suho, Bae Dong-hyuk hurriedly rushed out of the control room, running towards him.