Ten years later.
Steve still stared at the flickering tavis in his hand the relic that pulsed quietly in shades of blue and violet, almost like it was breathing. For a decade it had remained silent, just a cold, ancient ornament passed from one fading generation to the next.
But now… it was warm again.
Alive.
A sharp voice echoed across the rocky hillside, slicing through the silence like a blade.
"Alright, everyone! Get into position. The portal is stable. We're moving in five!"
Startled from his thoughts, Steve gently slipped the tavis into the inner pocket of his jacket. The old chain clicked softly as it disappeared beneath the fabric.
He took a deep breath and moved toward the group already assembling near the portal site a glowing, oval-shaped rupture hanging midair, humming faintly with green energy.
As he walked up, the familiar murmurs followed.
"Isn't that the E-rank kid?"
"Just got added 'cause he's smart or something."
"No magic. No physical strength. He shouldn't be here."
Steve kept his eyes forward. He didn't flinch. He didn't respond.
He was used to the comments by now. Being the weakest in a world that judged by magic ranks and raw power was a burden he carried like a shadow. One he'd never asked for.
But then, a calm voice silenced them all.
"That's enough."
It was Lee Hyun, the mission leader. Tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in reinforced black armor with a silver crest etched onto the chest. His presence alone could quiet a storm.
Lee Hyun scanned the group with sharp, unreadable eyes. "Every member of this squad was chosen. No one is less. No one is more. If you're here, it means you matter."
The ones whispering stiffened. "Y-Yes, sir," someone muttered, eyes dropping to the ground.
Steve finally looked up and met Lee Hyun's gaze. There was no smile. Just a nod one leader to another, even if Steve didn't feel like one.
A woman in sleek silver gear stepped forward. She was the portal guide tall, precise, and holding a small floating screen that displayed numbers and graphs in constant motion.
"C-rank portal confirmed," she announced. "Stable for now. Inside conditions unknown."
She paused, letting her eyes sweep over the team.
"You are a seven-member unit. Breakdown is as follows: One A-rank Lee Hyun. Two B-ranks Min Seo and Hwan. Three C-ranks
Dara, Jin, and Kyo.
And one E-rank Steve."
No one looked at him. But the air around him shifted slightly.
She continued. "Once inside, Lee Hyun will be your field leader. Standard formation. Stay sharp, watch your zones.
The portal began to shimmer louder now, as if it was listening.
Lee Hyun turned to the squad, his voice steady. "Stay calm. Trust your teammates. You've trained for this. Let's move."
The group approached the rift together. The green glow bathed their faces, distorting their shadows against the rocky ground. One by one, they stepped into the unknown.
Steve was the last.
The moment they stepped through the portal, the air changed.
It was colder. Heavier. The ground beneath their feet was blackened stone, etched with old scars some from claws, some from magic, and some from something far worse. A green mist floated across the dungeon floor, coiling around their boots like it was alive.
Steve tried not to breathe too loud. His heart was already pounding.
"Take this," said Lee Hyun, pulling a small blade from his belt. A slender dagger with a worn leather hilt.
Steve blinked. "For me?"
The A-rank leader nodded and handed it over. "It won't do much… but it might help. Stay back. Watch our flanks. You're the mind here, not the blade."
Steve nodded. "Got it."
They pushed forward in formation Lee Hyun at the front, the rest flanking left and right. The silence didn't last long.
From the ceiling and cracks in the stone, creatures emerged. Dragons the size of bulls, their scales jagged and eyes burning red.
"Positions!" Lee Hyun shouted.
The group moved like clockwork. Swords clashed, fire flew, magic lit up the air like a storm.
Three demons surged toward Steve too fast for him to react.
But Lee Hyun was faster.
He didn't strike them not directly. He slammed his sword into the ground with a thundering clang a shockwave of sound burst from the blade, invisible but devastating. The demons were flung back, smashing into the dungeon walls like ragdolls.
The others paused, stunned.
"He didn't even kill them…" Dara whispered.
"Just moved them with sound…"
Steve's jaw dropped. "Cool."
Lee Hyun's eyes didn't even flicker. "Move forward."
They did.
One by one, the team swept through the dungeon corridors, clearing demons with skill and speed. Steve mostly stayed at the back, his dagger still untouched until one demon lunged from the side and scratched his arm.
He stumbled. Pain bloomed but a hand was already on his shoulder.
Jin, the healer. "Stay still."
A soft green light circled the wound. It vanished. The pain with it.
"Thanks," Steve muttered.
They kept going deeper, darker until the corridor widened.
And then they saw it.
A massive stone gate, ancient and cold, standing tall against the far end of the dungeon. Strange runes carved along the edges flickered faintly in the darkness.
Everyone stopped.
Lee Hyun narrowed his eyes. "What does this mean?"
Hwan stepped forward, tense. "Isn't this… the Gate of Nygeris?"
Jin scoffed. "No way. That was just some fairy tale. A bedtime myth."
Steve felt something shift inside his jacket. The tavis. It pulsed once, hard.
Before anyone could speak, Min Seo strode ahead, brushing aside fear with false bravery.
"Whatever it is, it's not going to scare me." He reached for the door.
"Min Seo, wait!" Lee Hyun shouted.
Too late.
The moment the door cracked open and he enter, something snapped.
From the darkness, a thin, glowing arrow shot out like lightning. It pierced straight through Min Seo's forehead clean and silent.
His body dropped instantly.
No time to scream. No time to speak.
Blood pooled at the base of the ancient gate.
The group froze.
Even Steve couldn't look away.
END OF CHAPTER..