In one of the cities, in front of a residential building with three floors, each floor having five rooms, there was one room that drew the attention of the crowd sitting outside—room number fifteen.
Inside, there was a massive hole, nearly three meters deep. Five people were standing there. The first was tall, with dark green hair, wearing sunglasses. The others all had sky-blue hair that caught the eye of anyone who passed by. They were surrounding someone.
That someone was a man with slightly dirty, shiny black hair, dark circles around his eyes, and a face that clearly showed exhaustion from work. He was of average height, thin, dressed in torn clothes and worn-out trousers.
Of course—that person was me. The tenant of apartment number fifteen, the one half-destroyed now. I didn't even know where I was supposed to live anymore.
The four of them looked at me with intimidating stares.
"What do they want? Why are they looking at me like that? They're terrifying."
The green-haired man fixed me with a calm yet frightening gaze.
"So, Mr. Dreigor… what exactly happened here?"
I stared back in disbelief.
"What do you think happened? There's a portal in my damn apartment!"
The green-haired one replied,
"Do you not know what portals are?"
I shot back sarcastically,
"How the hell would I know what this thing is?"
He sighed, answering,
"Seems we'll have to teach some idiots a few things."
I snapped in anger,
"I'm not an idiot, you frog!"
...
Portals. These strange gates first appeared more than a hundred years ago. Not everyone can see them—only those who have entered one before. Each portal appears uniquely to each individual, and no one but that person can enter it.
The first time you step inside, the portal takes you into a different dimension called the Gate World. Once you clear the portal, you gain powers far beyond human imagination.
Dreigor frowned in disbelief.
"So, like… video games, but in real life?"
The green-haired man nodded.
"Yes. But unlike games you can die. And there's no respawn."
"Damn it…" I muttered.
...
**A week earlier…**
I was returning from my grandmother's funeral—the woman I had lived with, all alone. When I walked into the apartment, suddenly, a strange portal appeared in front of me and destroyed half my home. I was shocked. I was terrified.
"Damn it, what the hell is this!?"
I rushed to call the police, but the line was cut off.
"Shit!"
Since the station was close by, I sprinted there. When I arrived, I screamed at the top of my lungs: "OFFICER! There's a damn portal in my apartment!"
The policeman ignored me, quickly making a call of his own instead.
And now… here I am. Surrounded by these lunatics, telling me about supernatural crap.
One of the blue-haired men said,
"There's no use now. He has to enter within an hour—or he'll die."
My eyes widened in shock.
"Die!? Why would I die!? I don't even have a girlfriend yet!"
He stared at me in confusion.
"Why are you thinking about a girlfriend right now?"
Then continued,
"Anyone who gets a portal must enter it before the time runs out. Otherwise, they die. Because once the portal appears, it binds to your soul. If it disappears, so does your soul. And so you die."
I shouted in anger,
"Damn it! Why did this cursed portal come to me!? All I want is a girlfriend!"
...
**An hour later**
The portal's glow turned white, with strange colors swirling across it. At first, you'd think it was beautiful. But the closer you got, the uglier it became—like slimy garbage mixed together.
The green-haired man finally broke the silence.
"You must enter now. Do you want anything before you go?"
I whispered quietly,
"I want… a girlfriend."
He shook his head.
"Unfortunately, we can't give you that."
"Wait, how did he hear me? Is he a wolf or something?"
(Wolves have strong hearing, after all.)
I sighed.
"Nothing then. Just… wish me not to die painfully."
He answered in a calm voice,
"Then I wish you good luck."
I walked slowly forward, turning one last time to look at my ruined apartment. So many memories had been made here, and now it was all gone.
I stopped in front of the portal, staring at it for a moment.
Then I stepped in.
Suddenly, a voice whispered in my ears:
**\[Welcome to the Gate World.]**
"…Damn it."
**The End**