Ethan's casual demeanor vanished instantly at the man's words. He glanced at Lia, whose eyes had widened in alarm, then back at the burly man gripping the clerk's shoulder. The bustling guild hall fell silent as others noticed the commotion.
"A portal? Are you certain?" the clerk asked, clearly panicked.
The man nodded grimly, sweat dripping down his temple. "I saw it myself, just outside the eastern forest. It's massive. It's only a matter of time before creatures start spilling out of it."
A murmur of concern rippled through the guild. Adventurers exchanged tense glances, some already heading toward the exit.
Ethan's brows furrowed. "What's a portal? And why does it mean evacuating the city?" He whispered to Lia who was still frozen solid.
Lia shuddered, her voice trembling. "A portal… it's a rift between realms," she whispered, clutching the badge against her chest as though it might offer protection.
"They can connect our world to others, but they're dangerous. Monsters spill out of them—sometimes low-level ones at first, but they always get stronger. And if the portal stays open long enough… sometimes even the entire land can be laid waste."
"Several years ago… there was an invasion. Vile creatures stepped out of the portal. They destroyed our land and people and have claimed half of our world. I have heard only stories. I-"
She didn't need to finish her sentence. Ethan could already see the fear in her eyes.
The murmurs in the guild grew louder, a mix of panic and determination. Adventurers were grabbing their weapons, some strapping on armor, others heading straight for the exit to either prepare for battle or flee.
Ethan could see that they had only two options in front of them. Flee or fight.
Sure, all of this seemed extremely dangerous but it also looked like a good way to silently get his power up. He glanced at the adventurers running over to fight at the portal. Even if he could find a few dying but not already dead creatures he could quickly shoot up in power!
"How strong are these creatures stepping out of the portal?"
Lia hesitated, glancing at the chaos around them. "I… I don't know. Portals are rare, and they're only dealt with by powerful adventurers—ranked ones. I've never seen one."
The clerk nodded. "It's utterly foolish for you both to hang around. All the beginner adventurers would be well advised to "...evacuate immediately," she finished sharply, her gaze flicking to Ethan and Lia. "Portals aren't for novices. The monsters that emerge are unpredictable, and even if weaker creatures come out first, they'll be followed by much stronger ones."
Ethan frowned, glancing at the adventurers rushing toward the portal. His mind raced as he weighed the options. Fight or flee. Fleeing seemed like the safest choice, but it would also mean losing an opportunity to grow stronger—and to figure out how his unique summoning powers could stack up against real threats. But recklessness wasn't an option either.
"How long before the creatures start spilling out?" Ethan asked, keeping his voice steady.
The burly man who had sounded the alarm turned to answer. "Could be hours, could be minutes. Portals are unstable, and there's no telling how quickly they'll open fully. If I were you, kid, I'd start running."
Ethan ignored the man's comment and turned to Lia. "We'll head toward the portal but stay on the outskirts. No diving into the thick of it, and we retreat at the first sign of real trouble."
"Master…" Lia's voice was barely above a whisper, her fear evident. "It's dangerous. What if—"
"It's always dangerous," Ethan said, cutting her off gently but firmly. If it was one thing he had learned in this world so far, it was that he needed to take risks. No risk no reward.
The clerk overheard and sighed, shaking her head. "Suit yourself, but don't expect anyone to come save you if things go south."
Ethan was about to ask her for the gear but the woman had already left. In fact, most of the people in the guild hall were clearing out quickly. It didn't look like they were going to get any supplies.
"Damn it. Fine. We will just work with what we have. Let's go."
As they exited the guild hall, the city square was in chaos. Families were packing wagons, merchants were closing up shop, and soldiers were hurriedly setting up makeshift defenses.
"We need to stay out of sight," Ethan said, steering Lia toward a quieter side street that led to the forest. "No need to attract attention to ourselves."
They moved quickly but carefully, the sounds of panic fading behind them as they approached the edge of the forest. As they crested a small hill, the portal came into view.
A massive, swirling vortex of black and crimson energy loomed in the distance, crackling with bursts of lightning. The forest below it was shrouded in an eerie glow, and faint roars and growls echoed from its direction.