Chapter 30 — Why The Hell Does This Gate Exist
Aken didn't go back to sleep.
He tried. Closed his eyes, lay still, even slowed his breathing the way he usually did when he wanted to force slumber. Still, It didn't work. The moment things went quiet, his mind replayed it again—the voice, the pressure, the system freezing mid-response.
"External Authority."
He exhaled through his mouth and opened his eyes again. The ceiling stared back at him, plain and unhelpful.
"Yeah… this isn't normal."
Miokuo resting against the wall near the bed, responded without delay. "No. It is not master."
Aken turned his head slightly. "You've seen something like that before?"
He paused, it wasn't long—but noticeable.
"…No," Miokuo admitted. "Not in this form."
That was enough to keep him awake. Aken sat up slowly, dragging a hand across his face before swinging his legs off the bed. His body felt fine—more than fine, actually. The cursed energy inside him was stable, steady, circulating without resistance. If anything, he felt sharper than usual.
Which only made things worse, because it meant whatever had happened wasn't physical. He stood, walked to the window, and pushed it open. Cool air flew into the room, carrying the distant noise of the city. Cars, people, something metallic clattering far below. Normal sounds, grounding sounds.
For a few seconds, he just stood there. Then he said quietly, "Status."
The system actually responded instantly this time.
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STATUS WINDOW
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Name: Aken Ezomo
Level: 1
Trait: Level 1 Curse
HP: 320 / 320
Cursed Energy: 100
STR: 23
INT: 14
STA: 18
PER: 15
AGL: 13
LCK: 12
SKL: 12
Stat Points Available: 7
Possibility Points: 191
Inventory Slots: 15
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There was no delay, no flicker, no sign that anything had gone wrong.
"…So now you remember how to behave," he muttered.
Miokuo spoke, its tone steady. "It is stable now because the interference has ceased."
"Temporarily that is," Aken corrected.
"…Yes."
That word lingered longer than it should have. Aken closed the window with a soft push and leaned back against the wall. His eyes drifted back to the system interface, studying it more carefully this time—not the numbers, not the stats, but the structure itself.
Something about it had changed, not visibly. If someone else had looked, they wouldn't have noticed anything different. But he could feel it. Like a system that had just… pushed something away.
"…You said it rejected it."
"Yes." Miokuo responded.
Aken frowned slightly. "Systems don't just reject things like that, do they?"
"No master."
"…So why did mine?"
Miokuo didn't answer. That silence said more than anything else. Aken let out a slow breath and dismissed the window with a flick of his hand. Standing here and thinking in circles wasn't going to help. If something had tried to reach him, then the real question wasn't what it was—it was why now.
His phone buzzed on the table. He looked at it, already expecting who it would be.
[Jae-Min]
Aken picked it up and answered. "You're alive."
"Wow," Jae-Min shot back immediately, "that's how you greet people now? No 'good morning,' no 'how are you,' just straight to checking if I'm dead?"
"You called me at six in the morning yesterday," Aken said flatly. "This is progress."
"First of all, it was important. Second of all—wait, are you actually awake right now?"
Aken glanced at the window. The sky was still dim, early morning just starting to bleed in. "…Define awake."
"Not unconscious is good enough. Anyway, get dressed."
"Why. Is something the matter?"
There was a brief pause on the other end, followed by a quieter, more serious tone. "Something's wrong."
Aken didn't respond immediately. "That's not new information."
"I'm serious this time," Jae-Min said. "The Union's been receiving reports since midnight. Small-scale distortions. Not full ruptures, but… something close."
Aken's expression sharpened slightly. "Where?"
"Everywhere," Jae-Min replied. "Not just one location. It's scattered. Random. And the weird part—"
He hesitated.
Aken pushed off the wall. "Say it."
"…They all have the same energy signature."
That got his attention almost instantly, especially for someone like him who rarely cared about things.
"The same as what?" Aken asked.
Another pause. Then, quieter—
"The Hunter."
Silence settled between them. Aken's grip on the phone tightened slightly. "…That thing's dead."
"Yeah," Jae-Min said. "That's what I thought too."
Aken ran a hand through his hair, already moving toward his wardrobe. "Give me ten minutes."
"You said that last time and showed up forty minutes later."
"This time I mean it."
"…You never mean it."
Aken ended the call. For a second, the room went quiet again. Then Miokuo spoke. "You intend to investigate."
"Obviously," Aken replied, pulling a shirt from the wardrobe. "If that thing—or something like it is showing up again, I'd rather not be caught off guard."
He dressed quickly, movements efficient, mind already shifting gears. The exhaustion from earlier was gone, replaced by a sharper, more focused awareness. The kind that only came when things were about to go terribly wrong. As he stepped toward the door, Miokuo's voice stopped him.
"Master."
Aken paused. "What?"
"…Please be cautious."
Aken glanced back at the blade, one eyebrow lifting slightly. "That's new."
"This situation is not consistent with known system behavior."
"…You've said that already."
"Yes," Miokuo replied. "And it remains true."
Aken stared at it for a moment, then let out a quiet breath. "…Yeah. I figured."
He picked up the blade, letting it settle naturally into his grip before stepping out of the apartment. The hallway was empty and quiet. Too quiet for that time of day.
Aken didn't slow down, didn't hesitate because now, the feeling from earlier was back. That same pressure, faint but growing. And somewhere out there— something was already moving.
[13 minutes later]
The Union's private hall wasn't meant for noise. Aken stepped inside. No chatter, no unnecessary movement. Even the air felt controlled—like the space itself understood the weight of decisions made within it. Seven chairs arranged in a semicircle, six occupied, one waiting.
Aken walked in last. Jae-Min was already there, leaning back in his seat like he owned the place—until he saw Aken, then immediately sat up straight.
"…You're late."
"What are you taking about. I'm right on time."
"You're always on time. It's annoying though."
Aken ignored him and looked ahead. Soo-ah stood near the center of the room, arms folded, expression calm but sharp. Beside her was Jin Wong, posture straight, gaze unreadable. He hadn't spoken yet, but the tension around him was obvious—like a blade waiting to be drawn.
And then—the old man.
Aken's eyes lingered on him for half a second longer than necessary.
"So it's you."
The same man from before. The one who had questioned him like he already knew too much. Now standing at the front of the room, authority undisguised. Jae-Min leaned closer and whispered, "That's him."
"I know."
"You know?"
"…We've seen him before, remember."
Jae-Min blinked, trying to recall. "I really can't"
"…That's the Vice President of the Union."
The old man stepped forward, clasping his hands behind his back. His presence wasn't overwhelming, but it carried weight. The kind that came from years of experience—and too many decisions that couldn't be undone. Or for some, it would be regret.
"Now that everyone is here, lets begin."
No introduction, no formalities, just straight to the point.
"I assume you've all been briefed to some extent."
There was silence.
Soo-ah nodded slightly while Jin Wong remained still. Jae-Min raised his hand halfway. "Uh… define 'some extent'?"
The Vice President looked at him for a moment. Not annoyed. Just… assessing.
"You'll learn the rest shortly."
Jae-Min slowly lowered his hand. "…Okay."
Aken didn't speak. He just watched, listening. The Vice President turned, gesturing toward the large screen behind him. It flickered to life, displaying a map—distorted in several areas, like something was interfering with the data.
"This is the location."
He zoomed-in. An isolated zone near the outskirts of the city. Industrial structures, yet abandoned.
"Two days ago, a dungeon appeared here."
"What's the rank?" Jin Wong asked.
"B-rank."
Jae-Min let out a low whistle. "That's… not exactly beginner-friendly."
"No," the Vice President said calmly. "It isn't."
He paused for a moment, then continued.
"Normally, a B-rank dungeon would be handled by a standard high-level raid team. However—"
The screen shifted, images appearing. Corrupted footage. Static. Glitches.
"…this one is different."
Aken's eyes narrowed slightly.
Cursed energy.
Even through the screen, he could feel it, dense and suffocating to the eyes. The Vice President continued. "Energy readings fluctuate beyond expected parameters. Entry attempts by other scouting teams have failed."
"Failed in what manner?" Soo-ah asked.
"They entered the dungeon. But did not return."
Jae-Min swallowed. "…That's always a bad sign."
"No bodies. No signals. Nothing. It was as clear as day."
Silence settled over the room. Then—
Aken spoke.
"It's rejection?"
The Vice President's gaze shifted to him. "Explain."
"Some dungeons reject entrants based on conditions. Whether it's level, energy type, or external interference. If it's not letting people out… it might not be letting the wrong ones in."
Jin Wong finally moved, turning slightly toward Aken. "You're saying the dungeon is selective of its entry."
"I'm saying it knows what it wants."
A brief silence followed them. Then, the Vice President nodded in agreement. "That aligns with our current theory."
Jae-Min blinked. "…Wait, that means—"
"It means," Soo-ah cut in, "this isn't a normal dungeon."
Aken didn't respond, he already knew that. The Vice President stepped forward slightly. "This operation is classified. No external disclosure. No public records. Only those present—and a handful of trusted personnel—are aware of this raid."
Jae-Min raised a hand again, slower this time. "So if we die—"
"You won't be recorded in your history books."
"…Great. Love it."
Soo-ah ignored him. "What's the team composition?"
"Seven members," the Vice President replied. "You four, plus three additional Players selected for compatibility and experience."
"What about roles?"
"Balanced. Frontline, support, ranged."
Jin Wong nodded. "That sounds good."
Then—
The Vice President looked directly at Aken. A deliberate pause.
"You are the variable hear Aken Ezomo."
Jae-Min leaned away slightly. "…Yeah, that sounds about right."
Aken met the man's gaze without hesitation. "And?"
"We're going to be observing you."
Aken exhaled quietly. "Then don't get in my way."
Jin Wong's eyes sharpened instantly. The room tightened.
"You talk like you're the one in charge," he said, voice calm but edged.
"I talk like I don't want interference in my job."
"That's not how a raid works."
Aken tilted his head slightly. "Then adjust to it."
For a moment—it looked like Jin Wong might actually make a move. Soo-ah stepped in before that could happen. "Enough."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried authority. Jin Wong didn't look at her but he stopped.
Aken didn't even bother react. The Vice President watched all of it carefully. Then—
"Save the aggression for the dungeon."
That ended it, just like that. The tension didn't disappear, it just… settled. The briefing continued—details, structure, contingencies—but Aken only paid attention to what mattered. Entry point, energy fluctuations, unknown variables. Everything else was background noise. Finally—
The screen went dark.
"That concludes the briefing."
The Vice President looked at each of them in turn. "We move immediately."
No delay, no preparation. This wasn't a mission, it was a response. Jae-Min stood up, stretching slightly. "…Well. That's terrifying."
"You'll be fine," Aken said.
"You say that like you're not part of this."
"That's because I'm not worried."
"…That's even worse."
They began moving out. Soo-ah walked ahead, already focused. Jin Wong followed beside her, silent again but clearly alert. Aken fell into a step behind them. Jae-Min matched his pace.
"…You good?"
"Yeah."
"…You don't look like it."
"I look normal."
"…That's the problem. How are you able to keep a calm face in a situation like this.."
Aken glanced at him briefly. "…You talk too much when you're nervous."
Jae-Min didn't deny it. "…I could die, man. Let me talk while I still got the chance."
"…Yeah, I guess that's fair."
They exited the building. Outside—the transport was already waiting. Black and reinforced, with minimal markings. The kind of vehicle that didn't officially exist to the public.
Jae-Min stopped for a second. "…Wow."
Aken kept walking. "Get in."
"Yeah, yeah."
Inside, the remaining three Players were already seated. Different builds, different weapons. All quiet, all watching. Aken didn't acknowledge them. He sat down. Miokuo rested against his side, silent but present. Soo-ah took the seat opposite him while Jin Wong stood for a moment longer before sitting near the front. The door closed, then the vehicle began moving.
No one spoke at first. Then— Jae-Min leaned slightly toward Aken. "…So… B-rank huh."
"Yeah."
"…Have you ever done one before?"
"No."
"…Cool."
He paused for a moment.
"…We're definitely gonna die."
Aken didn't look at him. "Relax."
"I am relaxed."
"You're not."
"…Okay, I'm not but I'm trying too."
Aken smirked slightly. "You can stay behind me if you want."
Jae-Min blinked. "…That supposed to be reassuring?"
"It's a fact."
"…You know what, I'll take it. Fifty-fifty."
Across from them, Soo-ah watched quietly. Not judging but observing them. The vehicle slowed down, then came to a stop. The door opened, cold air rushing in. And with it—
That feeling. Heavy, pressing and abnormal. Aken stepped out first, the others following behind. In front of them—
The dungeon.
It didn't look like a gate, not really. It pulsed, like something alive. Dark energy swirling inside, collapsing and expanding like a heartbeat. Jae-Min whispered, "…Yeah. I hate the way it looks."
No one disagreed. The Vice President stood off to the side, watching.
"Final check," he said. "Once you enter, communication may be lost. So proceed accordingly."
Aken didn't wait. He stepped forward, the air shifted instantly. The dungeon reacted, for a moment—It resisted. Just like before, then—It stopped, and opened. Soo-ah's eyes narrowed slightly. "…So it accepts you."
Aken didn't respond. He just walked in. The others followed. And as the last of them crossed the threshold—
The gate closed. Sealing them inside.
END OF CHAPTER 30