Chereads / Gate Manager: Rise of the Unawakened Guild Master / Chapter 2 - Chapter 2 The Gate's Secret

Chapter 2 - Chapter 2 The Gate's Secret

Chapter 2: The Gate's Secret

Jaeho stood frozen in the doorway, staring at the swirling vortex of blue light that filled the center of the basement. His mind buzzed with questions, too many for him to process all at once. How was this possible? Was it a hallucination? A trick of his drunken mind?

But no, it was real. He could feel the air in the room shift, the weight of the energy that hummed in the space. The gate—whatever it was—was here, and it was connected to him.

Sooyun, standing behind him, finally broke the silence. "What... what the hell is this?" Her voice trembled, a mix of awe and fear.

Jaeho took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart. The system's words echoed in his mind: If no humans visit your gate within three days, you will be terminated. He couldn't afford to waste time. This wasn't just some random event. This was his chance, his one shot at something more.

"I don't know," he said, his voice low. He turned to Sooyun, forcing a casual tone. "But it's... it's real. And we need to make the most of it."

Her skepticism didn't fade. "So, what? You expect me to believe that this is some kind of... dungeon? A real gate, right here in our basement?"

Jaeho nodded slowly, still trying to process the overwhelming flood of information that had rushed into his mind. The system hadn't given him everything all at once—just enough to understand the basics. Gate Manager, it had called him. Manage your gate, grow its influence, and attract challengers to thrive. And if he failed? Terminated.

He couldn't explain it to Sooyun, not yet. The less she knew, the better. She might get involved in things that were beyond her—things he didn't even fully understand yet. But there was one thing he did know: he needed people to visit the gate, and fast.

"You'll see," he said finally, turning back to the gate. The faint blue light pulsed with a strange rhythm, as if alive, waiting for something.

"Alright, fine," Sooyun said, stepping closer, though still looking skeptical. "But this better not be some prank."

Jaeho glanced at her. "Just trust me. For once."

Her expression softened slightly. "I trust you... but if this is some kind of joke, you're going to owe me big time."

He gave her a quick smile before turning back to the gate. He had no time to explain further. He needed action. The system's timer was already ticking down, and time was running out.

Sooyun hesitated, watching Jaeho's focused expression. She wasn't sure if he was drunk out of his mind or if something more was going on here, but she could feel the tension in the air. Something was different about him tonight.

"Jaeho, seriously," Sooyun said, walking over to his side. "What's going on?"

"I don't know everything," he muttered, his fingers brushing the edge of the swirling light. The vortex responded to his touch, its energy humming louder. "But I think... this is the beginning of something huge. Maybe even something bigger than we could ever imagine."

His words sent a chill down her spine. What did he mean by that? He was still the same Jaeho she'd met months ago—the one with the dreams, the empty promises, and the small guild that hadn't even gotten off the ground. But now... he was different. There was a fire in his eyes, a glimmer of something far beyond the drunk, aimless young man she'd once known.

"Alright, let's just say I believe you," she said, nodding. "What now?"

Jaeho inhaled deeply, his gaze never leaving the gate. It was now or never. He had to make the most of this strange opportunity. It was the only chance he had to change everything—not just for himself, but for Sooyun and their guild. He had promised her a future, and he couldn't break that promise.

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his phone, tapping at the screen quickly. "First, we need to get people to visit the gate. We can't let it stay empty."

Sooyun raised an eyebrow. "You mean... like a challenge? Are we going to let people come and fight in our basement?"

Jaeho hesitated, looking at her. "Not just anyone. We need serious challengers, people who can bring in the right kind of attention."

"Challengers, huh?" She stepped forward, considering his words. "You think this is going to be enough to build a reputation for the guild?"

"I'm hoping it's more than enough," Jaeho said, his voice steady now. "If we manage this right, this could make us more powerful than we ever dreamed."

Jaeho opened the system's interface again, scanning the available options. He had earned points, he realized. Every time a human visited the gate, he would earn points, which could be used to expand the gate, recruit monsters, and even make it more challenging. A thought crossed his mind—a dangerous thought, but a thrilling one.

He could turn this gate into something legendary. It could be the key to everything.

The system prompted him to start customizing the Colosseum gate. He could feel the weight of the decision. He wasn't just running a guild anymore. He was becoming the manager of a living, breathing arena, one that could change his life forever.

Select monsters

Expand the arena

Create challenges

His fingers hovered over the screen. With every choice, the gate would grow more powerful. But with great power came great responsibility. If he messed up... there was no going back.

Jaeho's fingers brushed over the screen. He quickly made his first selection: Select Monsters. The available choices appeared, flashing in front of him, one by one. There were low-level monsters like goblins and wild dogs, but there were also high-level ones, such as a massive dragon, a minotaur, and even a shadowy creature that seemed to writhe with dark energy. Each monster had a rank and a cost. He had points, but he couldn't afford the top-tier creatures yet. For now, he needed to start small.

His finger paused over a creature that looked like a large, armored wolf. It was a solid E-rank creature—powerful enough to be a challenge for anyone who entered the gate. He confirmed his choice and moved to the next task.

Expand the Arena.

The basement was small—too small for what he had in mind. If he was going to attract challengers, he needed to make it grand. His heart pounded as he chose the option to expand the arena. The system requested a cost in points, and the number displayed made his stomach twist. It wasn't a small sum, but it was manageable.

The system asked for final confirmation, and Jaeho took a breath before confirming. His guild was about to change. It was about to become more than just a makeshift base in a dingy building. It was going to become the hub of something greater.

Sooyun watched in silence as Jaeho worked. The air around them seemed to hum, thick with tension. He wasn't just making decisions for a small guild anymore—he was building something bigger than himself.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Sooyun muttered, almost to herself. "This is crazy, Jaeho. This could go wrong in so many ways."

"I know," he said softly, not looking up from the screen. "But if we don't take a risk, we'll never get anywhere."

He glanced at her, and for a moment, their eyes locked. In that brief second, Sooyun saw something in him—something she hadn't noticed before. Determination. Confidence. A fire that was slowly beginning to ignite, despite all the uncertainty.

"I'm trusting you with this," she said, her voice steady.

Jaeho smiled faintly. "I won't let you down. Not this time."

---

The blue light in the basement flickered, then brightened. The gate was ready, and the clock was ticking. Jaeho wasn't sure what would happen next, but he knew one thing for sure: there was no going back.

This was their chance. And he would do whatever it took to make sure they didn't fail.

End of Chapter 2