Chapter 55 — "Nest"
---
**Team 2 – Inside the Second Portal**
They walked in silence.
Jin-young led, sword tip dragging lightly along the crystal wall—leaving thin white scratches to mark their path.
Min-young stayed close behind.
The soldiers followed in tight formation, rifles ready, eyes darting into every shadow.
Jin-young's voice was low.
"Stay alert. After that heat burst… monsters can come anytime."
One soldier checked his magazine—taped double, ready.
They kept moving.
Step after step.
The blue crystal glow grew dimmer.
One soldier whispered—voice cracking.
"I think there's no monster inside… but if we keep going deeper, when the masks burn out… we'll never get out."
Jin-young didn't stop.
"I know."
He looked back—small, tired smile.
"But it's our mission. Sacrifice is the highest duty of soldiers."
He turned forward again.
The smile faded.
They kept walking.
The light died completely.
Torches clicked on—harsh white beams cutting through absolute black.
The air grew heavier.
Then—the ground trembled.
A low rumble.
Everyone froze.
Torches shook in their hands.
One beam flickered.
Went out.
Another.
Total darkness.
No one could see the person next to them.
Only breathing—fast, terrified.
Jin-young's voice cut through.
"Okay… we can't see anything. Let's turn back. Hold hands."
Relieved murmurs.
Hands found hands—clammy, shaking.
They turned.
Took one step back.
The floor vanished.
**"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"**
Screams echoed as they fell—bodies tumbling into endless black.
Wind roared past.
Blue light appeared far below—faint, growing brighter.
They crashed onto hard crystal floor.
Pain exploded.
Jin-young pushed himself up—ribs screaming.
He looked up.
The hole was impossibly high.
No way back.
The others stood—bruised, bleeding, eyes wide with terror.
Then they saw it.
Nest.
Hundreds of mana monsters.
Big ones.
Not small.
Towering, twisted, purple-veined horrors.
Eyes glowing.
They attacked—without pause.
**"CONTACT!"**
Soldiers opened fire—desperate bursts.
Jin-young drew his sword—energy igniting.
Min-young raised her rifle.
Monsters swarmed.
One soldier screamed as claws tore into his side.
Another was slammed against the wall—skull cracking.
Jin-young slashed—blade cutting deep into a monster's neck.
Purple blood sprayed.
Min-young fired—controlled, precise.
But the numbers…
They kept coming.
Jin-young backed toward the group—breathing hard.
"This is big danger now."
He looked at everyone—eyes fierce.
"Do or die. We can't run. Give your all. No regrets."
Soldiers looked at the ground.
Some cried—silent tears.
But they nodded.
"Yes."
They split—taking cover behind crystal pillars.
Firing.
Jin-young leaped—sword flashing.
Min-young covered him—shots ringing.
Monsters roared.
One broke through cover—slammed a soldier into the wall.
Head crushed.
Another was grabbed—half torn apart—screaming until it stopped.
A third was buried under collapsing crystal—buried alive.
Jin-young kept slashing.
Min-young kept firing.
No one stopped.
Even as blood pooled.
Even as the monsters kept coming.
Even as the darkness closed in.
---
*End*