Sung Jin-Woo is seen sleeping in his room when he suddenly receives a call from Jin-Ah, reminding him that he needs to attend a meeting at her school. Realizing he’s already late, he rushes there. Upon his arrival, Jin-Ah notices that he looks different, and her classmates find him quite attractive. She even offers to introduce him to one of them since he doesn’t have a girlfriend, but Jin-Woo brushes it off, reminding her that they’re late.
He then meets her teacher, who believes Jin-Ah has the potential to get into medical school due to her excellent academic performance. However, the teacher wonders if Jin-Woo would allow her to work as a hunter if she were to awaken her powers. Jin-Woo firmly states that he wouldn’t. The teacher then asks him for a favor.
Jin-Woo later meets Song-Chi-Yul, who recognizes Jin-Ah from a photo and realizes she is his sister. She mentions that she won’t be returning to school because she wants to focus on her career. However, Jin-Woo warns her that she can’t make a living as an E-rank hunter. She refuses to listen, pointing out that he is also an E-rank, but Jin-Woo clarifies that he isn’t telling her to give up, just to reconsider.
Meanwhile, Go Gun-Hee is at the airport, welcoming Thomas Andre to Korea. Thomas instantly recognizes him as the Chairman of the Hunters Association. Gun-Hee asks how long he plans to stay, but Thomas reassures him that he won’t be around for long. However, Gun-Hee knows that Thomas wants to meet Jin-Woo and Yoo Jin-Ho since they were involved in his brother’s death. Gun-Hee warns him not to play dumb, as the surveillance team is already aware that he’s here for revenge.
Elsewhere, Choi Jong-In meets with Baek Yoon-Ho, who reveals that the monsters on Jeju Island have evolved. They are attempting to use their wings to fly across the sea. Choi acknowledges that while they still can’t fly far, they might become an even greater threat in the future.
Back to Jin-Woo, he joins a group of hunters near a newly appeared gate and greets Woo Jin-Chul, who realizes that Jin-Woo has brought Song Yi along. It is revealed that Jin-Woo had asked Woo Jin-Chul to allow her to join the raid. Their timing is perfect, as a C-rank gate has just appeared. However, a man named Hwang Dong-Su suddenly interrupts them. Jin-Woo doesn’t recognize him, so Woo Jin-Chul explains that he is an A-rank hunter who will serve as the group’s tank. Dong-Su looks down on Jin-Woo and Song Yi, despite them both being A-rank hunters.
The team, consisting of ten hunters, with half being B-rank, prepares for an on-site practice. However, Woo Jin-Chul’s assistant, Hyun Ki, advises Jin-Woo to let the others handle the raid, as most of them are inexperienced.
As they enter the gate, Jin-Woo suddenly senses something strange. Before they can react, the gate turns red, leaving everyone in shock. Jin-Woo immediately realizes they are in danger and tells Song Yi to contact the assault team, but before she can act, he is sucked into the gate.
Baek Yoon-Ho learns about the incident and wonders why the gate suddenly turned red. He decides to investigate the situation himself. Inside, the team finds themselves stranded in an unfamiliar location, and they soon realize that the gate has disappeared. Chu-Gong mentions that they have entered a Red Gate, meaning they have lost all contact with the outside world. Jin-Woo explains that the only way to escape is to either defeat the dungeon boss or wait for the gate to collapse.
Before they can process the situation, the team is ambushed, and an arrow kills one of the C-rank hunters. Everyone quickly prepares to fight. Song Yi realizes that Jin-Woo just saved her life, while Dong-Su spots high-level elves positioned above them. Jin-Woo notes that the enemies are targeting the weakest team members and quickly moves to counter.
Chu-Gong steps up and tells everyone to follow his orders if they want to survive. However, he admits that he can’t lead everyone, so he decides to split them into two groups, ensuring that only the strong will be in his party. One of the C-rank hunters tries to join him, but Chu-Gong pushes him back, declaring that only B-rank hunters are allowed. He explains that one day inside the Red Gate equals one hour outside, meaning they could be trapped for months. To survive, they need to leave the weak behind.
Despite the circumstances, Hae-In decides to join Jin-Woo’s party. She saw him catch an arrow mid-air, proving that he is reliable. Chu-Gong leads his group down the main road, while Jin-Woo and his team head into the forest. Dong-Su notices claw marks on the trees and realizes that Ice Bears inhabit the area. He assumes that Jin-Woo’s team will be wiped out, but his companion doesn’t care and orders everyone to prepare for battle. A group of Ice Bears suddenly appears, attacking without hesitation.
One of the hunters bravely faces an Ice Bear but barely manages to block its attack with his shield before slicing it in half. Meanwhile, Hae-In warns Jin-Woo that they have entered Ice Bear territory and suggests turning back. However, Jin-Woo insists on moving deeper into the forest because he knows that the elves pose an even greater threat.
As the temperature drops, Jin-Woo retrieves jackets from his inventory and hands them to his group. They are shocked, questioning how he has four jackets, since even high-rank hunters can’t carry more than three items. Song Yi hesitantly asks him who he really is, but Jin-Woo simply reminds her that he was the one who brought her here, making it his responsibility to protect her. He then firmly tells her and the others to stop asking questions and just follow his lead.
An Ice Bear suddenly appears, causing Jin-Woo’s companions to panic, but he remains calm and prepares to take it on. Meanwhile, Baek Yoon-Ho arrives at the Red Gate and realizes that it has been sealed off. Woo Jin-Chul informs him that Sung Jin-Woo is trapped inside. Baek asks about his rank, and Woo Jin-Chul hesitantly reveals that Jin-Woo is an E-rank hunter, though he suspects that Jin-Woo has reawakened.
Just then, Hwang Dong-Su joins them, and Baek is surprised to see him since he was supposed to be in America. Dong-Su questions why E-rank hunters were allowed to enter the gate, making it clear that he knows Jin-Woo is inside. Go Gun-Hee, who is also present, believes that Dong-Su is frustrated because he can’t enter the gate himself.
Inside the Red Gate, Jin-Woo defeats the Ice Bears with his bare hands, shocking his companions. Later, they begin eating the bear meat for sustenance. Hae-In remains on high alert, suspecting that there may be more bears nearby, and warns the group not to let their guard down. However, Song Yi is more concerned about why Jin-Woo left them alone.
Jin-Woo, meanwhile, arrives at the Ice Bears’ lair and summons his Shadow Army, ordering them to attack. The shadows charge in, and the Ice Bears retaliate, but the Mage-class shadows continuously revive the fallen Knight-class shadows, allowing them to keep fighting. Jin-Woo quickly realizes that this process is draining his mana.
A massive Ice Bear suddenly appears, effortlessly wiping out several of his shadows. Jin-Woo realizes he’s out of mana and orders Igris to fight it. The bear lunges at Igris, trying to crush him, but Igris counters, slicing its legs. The bear attempts to unleash its full power, but Igris swiftly decapitates it. Jin-Woo is impressed, realizing that Igris might be even stronger than him.
After the battle, Jin-Woo resurrects the fallen Ice Bears, adding them to his Shadow Army.
Meanwhile, Chu-Gong’s party is struggling against high-level elves. His companions beg him to save them, but they are all slaughtered. Devastated, Chu-Gong can’t believe what’s happening—he was on the verge of becoming an elite member of the White Tiger Guild, yet he is completely powerless against the elves. He notices one of the elves smirking at him, and in sheer terror, he runs away, unaware that the elf leader is watching him from a distance.
Back outside, Woo Jin-Chul notes that three hours have passed since the hunters entered the gate. Hwang Dong-Su arrogantly assumes that Jin-Woo is already dead and considers leaving. However, he can’t shake the feeling of what Jin-Woo might be doing inside the gate, given that he isn’t an official member of the White Tiger Guild. Woo Jin-Chul then reveals that Jin-Woo is his friend, which is why he allowed him to join the party. Furious, Dong-Su grabs Woo Jin-Chul by the throat, demanding to know what he’s up to.
Baek Yoon-Ho orders Dong-Su to release him, but Dong-Su defiantly declares that he doesn’t take orders from anyone. Tension escalates as both hunters unleash their auras, creating a powerful shockwave before attacking each other. Go Gun-Hee quickly intervenes, stopping them before the fight escalates further.
Gun-Hee then reminds Dong-Su that his brother, Hwang Dong-Seok, was killed by monsters, but Dong-Su refuses to believe it. He insists that Yoo Jin-Ho is responsible for his brother’s death and is determined to kill him. Gun-Hee questions why Dong-Su is so fixated on Jin-Ho, and Dong-Su chillingly admits that he just needed an excuse to kill someone. Before he can act, however, he receives a message and abruptly decides to leave.
Meanwhile, Chu-Gong wanders through the forest and stumbles upon the corpses of the Ice Bears. He wonders if Jin-Woo’s team was responsible for killing them, but quickly dismisses the idea, believing that they shouldn’t be strong enough. He assumes that the elves were behind it—until he spots Jin-Woo’s group casually relaxing, as if they have everything they need to survive.
Filled with rage and resentment, Chu-Gong blames them for his party’s deaths. He accuses them of hoarding the supplies and food, claiming that his team was wiped out because they didn’t have enough resources. His anger reaches a breaking point, and he threatens to kill Jin-Woo’s group. However, before he can act, Jin-Woo slams him into the ground, telling him that he’s the one responsible for getting his teammates killed.
Just then, Jin-Woo senses a presence and calls out to the elves hiding nearby. The elf leader, Baruka, emerges from the shadows and mocks humanity, calling them trash. Jin-Woo asks if he’s referring to the hunters, but he is surprised when he understands Baruka’s language. He suspects that it’s because of the System.
Baruka reveals that one of his soldiers wants to fight Jin-Woo. Jin-Woo immediately recognizes him as the same elf who attacked them earlier—without hesitation, he beheads him.
Baruka then charges at Jin-Woo, blocking his attack effortlessly. The elf leader seems amused, asking why Jin-Woo is associating with humans, since he’s not like them. He reveals that elves hear voices in their heads every time they see a human, urging them to kill. However, Baruka confesses that when he looks at Jin-Woo, the voices are silent. Because of this, he doesn’t want to fight him and even offers to spare his life if he hands over his companions.
Jin-Woo demands to know why elves wage war against humans, and Baruka starts to answer—but suddenly glitches, as if something is interfering. He repeats his demand for Jin-Woo to surrender his companions, but this time he seems confused.
Jin-Woo refuses, making it clear that he won’t hand them over. Realizing that Jin-Woo wants to fight, Baruka warns him that he’s outnumbered. Jin-Woo summons his Shadow Army, stunning his companions, who can’t believe what they’re seeing.
Baruka orders his men to attack, and a chaotic battle erupts between the elves and the shadows. Meanwhile, Jin-Woo’s companions try to flee, but the elven archers prepare to shoot them down. Reacting instantly, Jin-Woo cuts down the archers, but he notices that his mana is rapidly depleting because his soldiers are struggling against the elves.
Baruka himself charges at Jin-Woo, and Jin-Woo immediately recognizes that the elf leader is far stronger than he expected. He begins to realize that even with Igris’ help, he might not be able to win this fight.
Jin-Woo and Baruka fight evenly, but Baruka lands a kick and enjoys himself until the Shadow Mages blast him with a fireball. Chu-Gong sees the explosion and charges at Jin-Woo, but Igris stabs him, revealing that Jin-Woo predicted his move. Jin-Woo turns Chu-Gong into a shadow and pushes Baruka back, naming his new soldier Iron. Iron lets out a scream that provokes Baruka, who attacks, calling him slow. The others watch, clueless about the intense battle. Baruka taunts Iron, claiming he’s too weak, and tells Igris and Jin-Woo to fight him together. Even outnumbered, Baruka holds his ground.
Iron uses Provoke again, luring Baruka into attacking, but Jin-Woo stabs him from behind. However, he misses a vital spot, and Baruka mocks him, claiming he underestimated him. Jin-Woo tells him his army has already fallen, making Baruka furious. He charges, and Jin-Woo throws a dagger but misses on purpose. Baruka laughs, but Jin-Woo pulls it back using Ruler’s Authority, forcing Baruka to block it, breaking his weapon. Iron restrains him, and the Shadow Mages blast him with flames, causing a massive explosion. Baruka barely survives and threatens everyone, but Jin-Woo stabs him again, declaring the fight over. Iron finishes him off with a hammer smash, and Jin-Woo levels up. Iron keeps attacking Baruka’s body until Jin-Woo orders him to stop.
Jin-Woo tells his team they can go home, and they celebrate. Woo Jin-Chul notes that a week has passed inside the Red Gate, but as the gate disappears, only Jin-Woo’s group makes it out. Baek Yoon-Ho is shocked, wondering how only low-rank hunters survived. He demands answers from Jin-Woo, reminding him that six White Tiger Guild members are missing, but Jin-Woo simply says he saved two, implying Baek should thank him instead. Baek apologizes, but Hae-In notices that Jin-Woo looks upset. She doesn’t know why, but Song Yi assumes he’s just exhausted. Baek orders Woo Jin-Chul to bring Jin-Woo to their guild.
Jin-Woo takes Song Yi home, and she thanks him for everything. On his way back, he examines Baruka’s knife, recalling how he failed to turn him into a shadow. The next morning, Yoo Jin-Ho picks him up, but Jin-Woo says they need to pick someone else first. Song Yi joins them, looking tired. Jin-Woo asks if she slept, but Jin-Ho misreads the situation, teasing him about spending the night with her. Jin-Woo ignores him, and they head to their next mission.
During the battle, Jin-Woo’s shadows slaughter the monsters, shocking Jin-Ho. He asks about them, and Jin-Woo casually explains that he summoned them with his skill. After the fight, they collect Mana Crystals, but Jin-Ho insists on gathering them himself. Meanwhile, a mysterious man appears in the wreckage, assuring a panicked soldier that his companions are alive and that he just wants to go home.
Jin-Woo and Jin-Ho celebrate their 19 successful raids. Jin-Woo asks about Jin-Ho’s plans, and he reveals that he’ll take the Guild Master’s license test to negotiate with his father. Jin-Woo mentions that they won’t see each other for a while. Jin-Ho assumes Jin-Woo finds him annoying, admitting that his own son dislikes him and that he and Jin-Woo never bonded as brothers. He thanks Jin-Woo for everything, and Jin-Woo finally acknowledges him as his younger brother.
The mysterious man is revealed to be Ilan, a hunter trapped in a gate for ten years, who somehow ended up in America.
They mention that Ilan can’t speak English and need a Korean interpreter to interrogate him, so they call Hwang Dong-Su. Meanwhile, Jin-Woo returns to Demon’s Castle, recalling that he was only Level 20 when he fought the Cerberus, but now his level has tripled, making him confident in clearing the dungeon. He unlocks the next area and receives a quest to collect 10,000 demon souls to craft the Elixir of Life. Though the amount seems ridiculous, he is determined to complete it.
Meanwhile, Yoo Jin-Ho talks to his father, Yoo Myung-Han, about becoming their guild leader. However, Myung-Han knows Jin-Woo helped him get the Guild Master license and doesn’t think he’s worthy. Still, he offers a chance—on the condition that he recruits Jin-Woo into their guild.
Back in the dungeon, Jin-Woo clears the first floor but learns he can’t turn demons into shadows due to their contaminated mana. He gains a permit to enter the second floor, but only through a teleportation circle. Not wanting to walk through the massive dungeon, he summons the leader of the Ice Bears, renaming it “Tank,” and rides it through the area. Demons try to block their path, but Tank charges through them with ease.
Meanwhile, Cha Hae-In is at a swimming pool when she recalls Choi Jong-In telling her about the winged monsters from Jeju Island. She wonders why the Hunters Association hasn’t revealed it to the public, but Choi explains that it was a direct order to avoid causing panic. However, he reassures her that they are strengthening their guild to face any upcoming threats.
Jin-Woo continues hunting demons, realizing the monsters are B-rank but becoming stronger as he ascends. He focuses on eliminating demons with entry permits to progress, but knowing that the castle has 100 floors, he realizes he needs to hurry since his food supply is running low. Meanwhile, Hae-In visits Woo Jin-Chul, searching for Jin-Woo, but he isn’t home. She assumes they shouldn’t have come, but Woo Jin-Chul states that Jin-Woo’s last known location was in an urban area, leading them to suspect he has gone somewhere else.
Jin-Woo eventually reaches the Lord of the Lower Floors, and his shadows engage in battle. With his increased intelligence, he controls his army more efficiently. However, the boss suddenly counterattacks, forcing Jin-Woo to punch it with full strength, sending it flying. Impressed with his enhanced power, he assumes victory—until the boss quickly recovers and charges at him. Iron throws his shield, allowing Jin-Woo to block the relentless attacks. Spotting an opening, he lunges forward, but the boss anticipates his move. Realizing he’s about to be hit, Jin-Woo uses Ruler’s Authority to halt the attack, dodging just in time. He concludes that the only way to defeat it is to strike its head.
Luring the boss, he leads it toward a building, then climbs up using his skills as the boss crashes into it. From above, he launches a surprise attack, slashing its neck. The boss falls, and the collapsing debris crushes its body, marking Jin-Woo’s victory. As a reward, he receives a World Tree Fragment.
Meanwhile, Ilan is interrogated, and Hwang Dong-Su mocks him, calling him a talking monster. Ilan insists he is human and dares Dong-Su to test his DNA. He is frustrated that his boss interrupted him before he could have fun, but he warns that the worst disaster is about to happen. Dong-Su believes they can stop it by gathering the strongest hunters, but Ilan disagrees, saying they won’t stand a chance. Checking Ilan’s records, Dong-Su realizes that he is Jin-Woo’s father. Furious, he threatens to kill him, claiming Jin-Woo is already dead.
Meanwhile, firefighters arrive at a disaster scene, where civilians realize the destruction was caused by two S-rank hunters. Fortunately, they believe they were lucky since Hwang Dong-Su was defeated instantly.
Back in Demon’s Castle, Jin-Woo’s minions slaughter demons on the 75th floor. He notes that the battle is one-sided, but the floor boss just stands there, seemingly terrified. After finishing it off, the system notifies him that he has leveled up again, but he soon realizes that he’s completely out of food. With 25 floors left, he knows his journey isn’t over yet.
As a reward for defeating the boss, Jin-Woo receives an earring and necklace from a set that boosts his stats, but he needs a final piece to complete it. He also gets Avaricious Glass, an item that enhances his Shadow Mages’ magic power. Opening a Cursed Loot Box, he finds a mysterious key, but the system provides no information about it.
With two of the required Elixir of Life ingredients secured, Jin-Woo decides to call it a day, knowing that he will need one last item to save his mother. Confident, he plans to find it next time.
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