The screen went black.
Jun Xin froze, his eyes locked on the dark monitor. The last thing he saw was the shadow—massive, hulking, and alive. The roar still echoed in his head. Beside him, Min Su gasped, her fingers gripping the edge of the table. The quiet buzz of the machines around them seemed deafening now.
"What happened?" Min Su whispered, her voice shaky.
Jun Xin blinked, snapping out of his shock. His fingers flew across the keyboard, trying to reconnect to the feed.
[ERROR: SIGNAL LOST]
"Damn it," he muttered. Sweat beaded on his forehead. "It cut off. Something inside the Gate is blocking the signal."
Min Su glanced at the other monitors. The sensors tracking mana levels were still spiking. The numbers were climbing far beyond what a C-rank Gate should have.
"This can't be right," she said. "C-rank Gates don't hit levels this high."
"It's not a C-rank Gate anymore," Jun Xin replied grimly. His voice was low, but there was a hint of fear in it. He leaned closer to the screen, staring at the fluctuating mana readings. "It was a trap."
Min Su turned to him, eyes wide. "You mean… the Gate hid its true rank?"
"Exactly." Jun Xin's jaw tightened. "Just like the others. Only this time…" He looked back at the blank screen. "It's worse."
Inside Gate #2092…
Captain Ryu stood still, his sword gripped tightly in one hand. His team had stopped moving the moment the ground started shaking. Dust rose into the air, creating a thick haze that made it hard to see. A low rumble echoed across the ruins surrounding them.
"Everyone stay sharp," Ryu ordered, his voice firm. He scanned the area, but the shaking had stopped, leaving only an eerie silence. "Report. What are our readings?"
One of the Rankers checked his wrist device, his face pale. "Captain, the mana levels are off the charts. These readings… they're way beyond C-rank."
Ryu didn't respond right away. He knew what this meant. They were in over their heads. But retreat wasn't an option yet—not until they understood what they were facing.
"Team, regroup," he commanded. "Form a defensive line. Be ready for anything."
The Rankers moved quickly, their weapons at the ready. Swords gleamed, energy bows hummed softly, and shields flickered to life. They were experienced fighters, but even the strongest of them were uneasy. Something wasn't right about this Gate.
"Captain, over there!" someone shouted.
Ryu turned his head just as a shadow emerged through the haze. It was enormous. At first, its shape was unclear, but as it stepped closer, its form became visible. A creature—taller than any building, its skin like black stone and glowing cracks of red mana running across its body—stood before them. Its head resembled a dragon, with horns curling upward and eyes like burning coals.
The team froze.
"What the hell is that?" one Ranker whispered.
Ryu gritted his teeth. "Something that doesn't belong in a C-rank Gate." He lifted his sword, the edge glowing faintly. "Prepare to engage! Stay focused and aim for its weak points. Do not let it split us up!"
The creature roared, its loud cry shaking the ground beneath them. Then it charged.
Back at the Monitoring Room…
"It's spiking again!" Min Su cried, pointing at the numbers on the screen. The mana levels had hit a new high. They were climbing faster than Jun Xin had ever seen.
"Ryu…" Jun Xin murmured, his throat dry. He slammed his fist on the table. "Why did Park send them in?! He had to know the readings were unstable."
Min Su didn't respond. Her face was pale as she stared at the sensors.
"Can we get their comms back?" she asked.
Jun Xin shook his head. "No. Whatever's happening in there—it's blocking everything." He pushed back from the desk, pacing. "We have to get them out. There has to be a way to contact them."
Min Su frowned, thinking hard. Then she pointed to another screen. "Wait. What about the emergency signal? If we trigger it, the team's escape beacon will activate. It'll pull them out of the Gate automatically."
Jun Xin froze, then rushed back to the console. "That could work," he said, his hands already typing. "But…" He paused. "If we use it now, we might not get any data on what's happening in there. We'll lose our chance to understand the Gate."
"We don't have a choice," Min Su snapped. "Ryu's team is going to die if we don't do something!"
Jun Xin hesitated for only a second. Then he nodded. "You're right. I'm activating the signal now."
His fingers moved across the keyboard, and a red light began flashing on the monitor.
[EMERGENCY EVACUATION SIGNAL ACTIVATED]
Captain Ryu dodged to the side just as the creature's massive claw slammed into the ground, sending cracks through the stone. The force nearly knocked him off his feet. Around him, his team was fighting desperately. Energy arrows flew through the air, swords clashed against the creature's stone-like hide, and bursts of magic lit up the ruins.
But it wasn't enough.
The creature was too strong. Its hide deflected most of their attacks, and its movements were faster than its size suggested. Two Rankers had already been injured, their armor shattered and blood staining the ground.
"Captain!" someone shouted. "It's not taking damage!"
Ryu gritted his teeth, scanning the creature for a weakness. The cracks in its body—the ones glowing with red mana—seemed like the only vulnerable spots.
"Aim for the cracks!" he roared. "Concentrate your attacks!"
The Rankers adjusted their positions, focusing their fire on the glowing cracks. Explosions of light and mana hit the creature, making it roar in pain. For the first time, Ryu saw it stumble.
"It's working!" he shouted.
But before they could press their advantage, the creature slammed its fists into the ground. A shockwave erupted, knocking everyone back. Ryu hit the ground hard, his sword flying out of his grip. He struggled to get up, but his body ached.
Then he saw it.
The creature was towering over him, its glowing eyes fixed on him. It lifted its claw, preparing to strike.
Suddenly, a sharp sound cut through the air—a high-pitched beeping. The creature paused, confused.
Ryu's wrist device flashed red. [EVACUATION SIGNAL ACTIVATED]
A blinding light engulfed him and the rest of his team. The creature roared in fury as the light grew brighter, swallowing everything.
Jun Xin and Min Su stared at the screen, holding their breath. The evacuation signal had gone through, but they didn't know if it had worked.
"Come on," Jun Xin muttered.
The emergency beacon indicators began flashing one by one. [SIGNAL RECEIVED] "They're coming back!" Min Su cried.
Jun Xin let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. One by one, the Rankers appeared on the screen, pulled out of the Gate and back into the safety of the real world.
Finally, Captain Ryu's signal appeared.
"They're safe," Jun Xin said softly, sinking back into his chair.
Min Su smiled faintly, tears of relief in her eyes. "We did it."
But Jun Xin didn't look happy. He stared at the screen where the Gate's data still flashed. The mana levels were dropping now that the team was out, but something about it unsettled him.
"No," he murmured. "This isn't over. That creature… it's still in there."
Min Su frowned. "But they're safe now, right?"
"For now," Jun Xin replied. He pointed to the screen. "But this Gate isn't done. It's getting stronger. And if it opens again…"
He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't have to.
In Park's Office…
Park sat at his desk, staring at the report in front of him. The emergency evacuation had saved Ryu's team, but the data… it was damning.
He leaned back in his chair, his face pale. The Gates are evolving. Jun Xin was right.
But instead of relief, anger bubbled inside him. He slammed his hand on the desk, knocking over a glass of water. "Damn it!"
If this information got out, it would cause chaos. The system relied on predictability—the ranks, the patterns. If people found out Gates were changing, everything would fall apart.
I can't let that happen.
Park picked up his phone and dialed a number.
"It's me," he said coldly. "We have a problem. Seo Jun Xin… he knows too much."
Later That Night…
Jun Xin walked home under the dim streetlights, his hands stuffed into his coat pockets. The events of the day replayed in his mind. Ryu's team had survived, but the danger wasn't over. The Gates were changing—and no one else seemed ready to accept it.
As he turned the corner, he felt it—a chill down his spine. Someone was following him.
Jun Xin stopped walking. He glanced over his shoulder, but the street was empty.
He frowned, turning back. Maybe I'm just tired.
But as he continued walking, the feeling didn't go away. In the shadows, a figure watched him—silent, waiting.