NOVEL NEXT chapter 20
It didn’t take long after Alpha-1 entered the irregular Gate for them to realize something was wrong.
“The connection with the Center’s been cut off.”
The comms officer reported to Dojin. His face hardened.
“Looks like there’s interference.”
“Then maybe we should pull out for today—”
“We can’t. We haven’t learned anything yet.”
At Dojin’s curt refusal, the officer fell silent, uneasy but obedient.
Normally, when signal interference prevented contact with the Center, Gate suppression was handled with extreme caution. The suggestion to retreat had been standard procedure.
But Alpha-1 was the exception—the S-class Esper team that operated above most regulations. Under Team Leader Seo Dojin’s authority, they could ignore combat protocols and act unilaterally.
Perhaps because this was an irregular Gate, however, the members who usually followed orders without question looked especially uneasy. Maybe it was the strange, heavy atmosphere filling the place.
“The monsters are going down weirdly easy, Captain,” Taegun muttered, frowning.
As a psychic-type Esper, he was sensitive to things others couldn’t perceive. Even so, Dojin’s stance didn’t waver.
“Even if it’s irregular, the color will stabilize soon. Red at worst—we can handle that.”
Confident as ever, Dojin walked on. Alpha-1 had never failed a suppression. Irregular or not, a late color designation was nothing to panic about. Even with Siwoo’s unstable readings, this Gate should still be manageable.
In truth, Dojin had never intended to withdraw after reconnaissance. He’d long been dissatisfied with how timidly everyone treated irregular Gates. The disasters they’d caused were all in the past, weren’t they?
He, who had cleared even the top-grade Red Gates others had deemed impossible, brimmed with confidence. Ignoring the countless warning signals from the perimeter, he strode forward.
Flash!
“Kh—!”
A burst of light flared before him.
***
“…Nam Taegun?”
“Why the hell are you—”
The figure who appeared before Raon and Hamin was Taegun. He blinked at them, confused.
At least it wasn’t a monster. Raon exhaled and lowered his weapon.
“Han Raon? Lee Hamin too…?”
Because the comms were down, Taegun had no idea that Guides had been deployed. Scowling, he glanced between the two of them, still trying to make sense of it.
“You’re alone? Where are the others?”
Raon scanned the area around him as he asked. Having an S-class Esper nearby was a relief, though Taegun wasn’t combat-type, which didn’t help much. He didn’t voice it, but part of him hoped Siwoo might be with him.
“I dropped in with a few team members, but we got scattered. They’re checking the perimeter now.”
“I see.”
So Siwoo wasn’t here. Raon fought to hide his disappointment.
“This place feels off. I’ve seen jamming before, but this… something’s wrong.”
“Obviously.”
“What?”
Raon looked at him, voice even.
“When you entered, the color showed gray.”
“Gray?”
Let’s see how long we can stay alive in here.
Raon flexed his fingers.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
“Come here. I’ll guide you.”
“Are you insane?”
“I’m offering, idiot.”
Normally Taegun wouldn’t need it.
But this was a gray Gate. Not as bad as a Black one, but still far beyond anything the special forces had experienced. Knowing what was to come, Raon had resolved to raise every Esper’s levels as high as possible.
“Quit whining and give me your hand. We’re short on time.”
“….”
Taegun stared at Raon’s outstretched hand, then—almost as if entranced—moved to take it.
Boom!
“…!”
“What was that?”
They turned toward the sound. Flames roared up amid monstrous screeches. A battle, not far away.
“Stay here! I’ll check it out!”
“Wait—!”
Taegun dashed off, leaving Raon and Hamin behind. Raon watched him go, dumbfounded.
Leaving the Guides behind, really? That idiot.
He sighed and looked at Hamin.
“We’re going too.”
“What? But—”
“If monsters show up while it’s just us here, /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ what do you plan to do?”
“Ah… right.”
Still, it wasn’t only Taegun at fault. After ten years without any Guide ever entering a Gate, younger ability-users like Taegun and Hamin simply didn’t know how to coordinate with Guides inside one. Simulation training helped a little, but it wasn’t the same as experience.
Raon took off after Taegun, Hamin close behind. Fortunately, they caught up easily.
“Damn it, these bastards are hard as hell!”
Taegun was swearing—rare for him—as he unleashed his power. Normally he’d manipulate monsters to fight each other, but that trick wasn’t working here.
These creatures were on a different level altogether. Raon crouched behind cover, observing.
“Hamin, remember what we did in the Training Hall?”
“Y-yes, I remember.”
“On my signal, we’ll perform radiative guiding together.”
“Understood.”
It was his first real battle; Hamin’s face was pale but determined. Seeing that steadiness, Raon nodded and gave the order before the Espers’ readings could drop further.
“Now!”
“Yes!”
Being only B-rank, Hamin’s efficiency would be terrible unless he was guiding Dojin himself—but he was only the assistant. Raon alone could carry it. He was, after all, the country’s only S-rank Guide.
“What… what’s this?”
“Guiding—!”
The Espers, who had been pushed back, suddenly felt their energy stabilize and surge. Realizing they were being guided, they unleashed their abilities harder. In moments, the tide turned and the monsters fell under their advance.
“Phew…”
For now, they could breathe. Raon watched Taegun and the others fight, occasionally reinforcing those whose readings dipped.
“Hamin, stop for now.”
Unlike him, Hamin needed to conserve energy for Dojin later. Raon turned to tell him so—
“Huh?”
“Ki-eeek!”
“…!”
A monster lunged at Hamin, jaws gaping. Raon didn’t even think—he grabbed him and rolled.
Crash!
“Ugh…!”
“R-Raon!”
Pain flared in his shoulder—he’d been grazed. At least he wasn’t torn in half; that was something. A narrow escape.
But Raon didn’t relax. A Guide’s body was only human. Dodging once by luck didn’t mean he’d manage again. Drawing his weapon now would be useless.
Damn it. Guess this is it.
He tightened his arms around Hamin. If a monster was going to kill him, at least Hamin had to survive and reach Dojin. Maybe the other Espers would find them in time.
“Ki-eee!”
“Ugh…”
He shut his eyes, half-resigned—
—and then rain began to pour from the sky.
Shhhhhh—
…Rain?
He blinked, startled. Rain, inside a Gate? That wasn’t natural.
“Ki-eek?”
Even the monster hesitated, wary, drenched.
In the next instant, the falling drops sharpened into blades.
Slash.
“…!”
The creature collapsed without a sound. Raon could only stare.
Rain drenching the battlefield. That familiar wavelength.
Only one person he knew could do this.
“…Siwoo.”
Beyond the fallen monster, Siwoo stood. His presence burned sharper than usual; when his eyes met Raon’s, his teeth clenched audibly.
“Thanks for—”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“What?”
Raon had meant to thank him for the rescue, but the raw fury in Siwoo’s voice froze him mid-sentence.
“Do you have any idea where you are? Are you insane? Huh?”
“Uh…”
Siwoo’s voice cracked with rage as he shouted. Raon could only stare, dumbstruck.