Silence reigned in the luxurious penthouse apartment after Ji-won and Nayun had fallen asleep. Anas stood alone before the glass window, contemplating the lights of Seoul glittering like stars beneath his feet. He whispered.
Anas: (Whispering) "Come."
The air behind him trembled. Particles of silver light began to gather from every direction, taking shape, flowing. In seconds, a feminine hologram materialized before him, semi-transparent, shimmering with a violet and silver glow.
She was a woman of indescribable beauty. Her long silver hair cascaded to the middle of her back like a waterfall of moonlight, its strands gleaming with tiny, living stars. Her deep violet eyes contained miniature galaxies, stars sparkling and moving slowly within them. She wore an elegant black maid's dress, with a silver apron shimmering with faint stellar glimmers, and a white collar around her neck. She was semi-transparent, light passing through her, yet her presence was as weighty as the cosmos itself.
She bowed before him with a light, courteous inclination.
MOD MENU: (In a quiet voice, like a whisper that fills the space) "I am at your service, my lord."
Anas: (Looking at her calmly) "Raise your head."
She lifted her head, her starry eyes gazing at him. She smiled faintly.
MOD MENU: "Are you enjoying yourself?"
Anas: (Laughing a genuine laugh, filled with astonishment) "Hahaha... yes. Yes, I am enjoying myself."
He paused for a moment, looking at his hands, then at the window.
Anas: "I am feeling... sensations I haven't felt in a long, long time."
MOD MENU: (Taking a step forward) "Why are you embodying Anas's persona so deeply? And why are you so concerned with his family?"
Anas: (Contemplating the question) "First... because I took his body. He was on the verge of death, and I gave his body a new life. The least I can do is return the favor."
MOD MENU: (Listening silently)
Anas: "Secondly... Nayun. That child is innocent, beautiful, charming. She loved Anas despite his failures. And she loves me now without knowing my true nature. That... deserves respect."
MOD MENU: "And your wife?"
Anas: (Smiling) "Ji-won... a woman who refused to abandon her husband despite his bankruptcy and failures. She worked two jobs to pay off debts. When she saw me changed, she was scared at first, but she quickly came to trust me. She is truly strong. And I appreciate that."
MOD MENU: (Nodding) "Is there a third reason?"
Anas: (Gazing at the horizon) "Yes. All of this... fits perfectly with my future plans. A loving family, a normal life, a good reputation. These are all tools I will need later."
MOD MENU: (Smiling) "So... what will you do with the other people who know Anas? His friends, neighbors, former colleagues?"
Anas: (Coldly) "I will deal with them according to their actions. Whoever treats me well, I will treat similarly. And whoever tries to harm me... will see what they never expected."
MOD MENU: "Will you take power in this world by force?"
Anas: (Shaking his head) "No. I want to take power... their way. The human way. Not because I cannot take it easily, but because true enjoyment lies in the journey, not the destination."
MOD MENU: (Bowing again) "I understand, my lord."
Anas: (Looking at her) "Go."
MOD MENU: (Fading slowly) "As you wish."
The particles of light faded, and the room returned to its silence. Anas stood alone, looking at the lights of Seoul.
Anas: (To himself) "I have missed these sensations... for a very long time."
He went to the bedroom, where Ji-won was sleeping peacefully. He lay down beside her and closed his eyes.
---
The Next Morning
Sunlight gently filtered through the bedroom curtains. Anas felt warmth on his face and opened his eyes. He found Ji-won staring at him.
Ji-won: (Laughing) "You finally woke up! You missed the view of the sun rising over the river. It was beautiful!"
Anas: (Smiling) "I'll see it tomorrow."
Nayun: (Jumping onto the bed) "Dad! I'm hungry! What are we having for breakfast?"
Ji-won: (Laughing) "Let's see what's in the kitchen."
They went out to the spacious living room. Light streamed in through the glass windows, and the river sparkled under the sun. The family sat at the luxurious wooden dining table.
Nayun: (Eating enthusiastically) "Mom, breakfast is delicious!"
Ji-won: (Patting her head) "I'm glad you like it."
Nayun: (Thinking) "Mom... where will I go to kindergarten now? Our new house is far from the old one."
Ji-won: (Looking at Anas) "I was thinking about that. There's a prestigious kindergarten near here, in Hannam-dong. The children of the wealthy and famous go there. I've heard it's excellent."
Nayun: (Hesitating) "New children? A new school?"
Anas: (Calmly) "You'll be wonderful. All the children there will want to be your friends."
Nayun: (Excited) "Really?! Then... okay! I want to go!"
Ji-won: (Laughing) "Then today, we'll buy you new clothes, a school bag, and new toys."
Nayun: (Jumping off her chair) "Really?! I get to buy new toys?!"
Ji-won: "Really."
Nayun: (Running to her room) "I'm getting dressed! Hurry! Hurry!"
Anas: (Laughing) "Don't rush too much."
After Nayun put on her little red dress and Ji-won made sure of her elegant appearance, they left the apartment. In the garage, two cars awaited them.
Nayun: (Looking at the two cars) "Dad! Our old car is back! It's cleaner than before!"
Anas: (Opening the door of the new car) "I'll go alone. You and your mother will take the other car."
Ji-won: (Looking at him) "Where to?"
Anas: (Smiling mysteriously) "I have some business at the association. Don't worry, I'll be back soon."
Nayun: (Waving to him) "Goodbye, Dad! Don't be late!"
The sleek black luxury car (Mercedes-Maybach S 680) drove out of the Nine One Hannam parking, while the old limousine (after its service) drove driven by Ji-won, with Nayun in the back seat playing on her phone.
They left the Hannam-dong gate and separated at the first big intersection. Ji-won headed towards Gangnam, where the most famous clothing and toy stores were, while Anas headed towards the Global Awakening and Hunters Association building.
---
Anas arrived at the association building in Seoul. The modern building reflected the sunlight. He entered the main lobby and headed directly to the director's office.
Director Kang: (Standing to greet him) "Mr. Anas! Welcome. What brings you here today?"
Anas: (Calmly) "I want to enter a gate."
Director Kang: (Frowning) "A gate? Which gate?"
Anas: "Any gate. No particular reason. I just want... to play."
Director Kang: (Staring at him) "Are you serious?"
Anas: "I am always serious."
The director was silent for a moment, then took out a gleaming silver card from his drawer, intricately engraved, with text written in golden script:
```
═══════════════════════════════════════
Global Awakening and Hunters Association
Seoul Branch - Temporary Permit
═══════════════════════════════════════
Name: Anas Sharif Yazeed
Assigned Rank: SS (Temporary)
Permissions: Entry to gates up to Crimson rank
Expiration Date: 30 days
═══════════════════════════════════════
```
Director Kang: (Handing it to him) "Mr. Carter left this card for you before he left. He said you might need it."
Anas: (Taking the card) "Thank him for me."
Director Kang: "And what is your combat specialty?"
Anas: "Magic Swordsman."
Director Kang: (Smiling) "Appropriate. There's a red gate that appeared at dawn today in one of Seoul's districts. An exploration team from the Blue Dragon Guild is there. It's the ninth strongest guild in Korea. Its leader is S-rank. Do you want to join them?"
Anas: "Yes."
Director Kang: "I'll inform them of your arrival."
---
Anas arrived at the red gate's location in the Jongno district, where the area was surrounded by barbed wire and security barriers. Soldiers and guards in armor, light military vehicles. In the center, a massive gate of a deep red hue shimmered in the air.
Anas parked his car by the curb and headed towards the gate. A security officer met him.
Officer: "Your card, please."
Anas took out the silver card. The officer looked at it, and his eyes widened.
Officer: (Bowing respectfully) "Please, sir. The team is waiting for you."
Anas entered the area surrounding the gate. A group of hunters stood there, wearing a uniform emblazoned with a blue dragon insignia. There were about sixty of them.
A man in his forties, wearing light armor, his face stern, approached him.
The Man: (Bowing) "Greetings. I am Lee Seong-ho, leader of Squad 7 of the Blue Dragon Guild. My rank is S. This is my squad: 30 B+ rank hunters, 15 A rank, 10 A+ rank, and four S- rank."
Anas: (Looking at the gate) "What is your mission?"
Lee Seong-ho: "To explore the red gate, gather information on the monsters inside, and secure the area."
Anas: (Reading the card he held) "The director has given me permission to enter."
Lee Seong-ho: (Bowing again) "We are at your service."
As they were speaking, suddenly, everyone heard a sharp electronic sound. A massive blue screen appeared in the air before the gate, written in red:
```
╔══════════════════════════════════════╗
║ [SYSTEM ALERT: URGENT WARNING] ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════╣
║ [Unexpected change in gate rank] ║
║ Current Rank: Crimson ║
║ Three additional gates will open ║
║ in random locations within 10 sec. ║
║ Immediate evacuation of nearby areas required. ║
║ ║
║ [10...] ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════╝
```
Everything stopped. Silence reigned for a moment, then the place erupted in shouts.
Hunter: (Shouting) "Crimson?! That's a higher rank! That means the monsters inside are S-rank!"
Another: "Three new gates?! How did this happen?!"
Lee Seong-ho: (Face pale, fist clenched) "Everyone... prepare for battle! We don't know what will come out of these gates!"
A few meters away, the security guards stared at the screen in terror.
Guard: (Shouting into his radio) "Control! The gate has turned Crimson! Three additional gates are about to appear! Requesting immediate reinforcements!"
Another Guard: (Trembling) "Three gates... in Seoul... this is a disaster!"
On the screens of the control room at the association, Director Kang and his deputy Choi Min-jun watched the streaming data. Red lights flashed, alarms blared.
Director Kang: (Shouting) "Send all available high-rank hunters! Contact every guild! This is a top-level emergency!"
Employees began calling the major guilds with trembling hands.
Employee: "Lion Guild... requesting immediate assistance... they apologize, all their teams are on other missions and cannot reach."
Another: "Blue Dragon Guild... their teams are deployed, but they will send whoever they can within half an hour."
Third: "Golden Eagle Guild... they refuse, saying this is outside their jurisdiction and they need official authorization."
Fourth: "Storm Guild... they agree. They will send 5 S-rank hunters within 10 minutes."
Fifth: "Shadow Guild... they agree. They will send 3 S-rank hunters."
Sixth: "Iron Fist Guild... they agree. They will send 4 S-rank hunters."
Director Kang: (Clenching his fist until his knuckles turned white) "Only three guilds out of the top 10?! The rest are making excuses in the face of disaster?! Record their names, we'll hold them accountable later... if we survive!"
On the ground, the countdown pulsed in the air.
```
[5...]
[4...]
[3...]
```
Lee Seong-ho: (Shouting) "Everyone, fall back! Move away from the gate area!"
Hunter: (Trembling) "We're at a Crimson gate site... this is above our level!"
```
[2...]
[1...]
```
KRA-KOOOOOOM!
Light exploded at three different locations in Seoul. In the control room, screens lit up with three large red points.
Employee: (Shouting) "The first gate has appeared in Myeong-dong! A bustling commercial district full of tourists and shoppers! There are thousands of people!"
Another: "The second in Hongdae! A university and arts district! Students and artists are in danger!"
The Third: (Face freezing) "The third... in Gangnam! Specifically on the main shopping street... where thousands of families, stores, and cafes are! This is the worst possible location for a gate!"
Director Kang: (Jumping from his chair) "This is a catastrophe in every sense! Send everyone who can get there! Open the emergency stockpiles! Bring all available equipment!"
At the site of the original red gate (which had turned Crimson), the gate itself began to recede, dissolving into the air, disappearing after releasing the three new gates. Nothing remained but faint light flashes.
Lee Seong-ho: (Looking at Anas) "Mr. Anas... we have received orders to head to the gate in Myeong-dong. Will you come with us?"
Anas: (Looking at the sky) "You go. I'll handle the other gate."
Lee Seong-ho: (Hesitating) "But... alone?"
Anas: (Smiling) "Don't worry."
He turned to a nearby guard.
Anas: "Take care of my car. I'll reward you."
Guard: (Trembling) "Yes... sir."
In an instant, Anas vanished. He didn't run, didn't jump. He simply disappeared.
Hunter: (Shouting) "Where did he go?!"
Lee Seong-ho: (Whispering) "My God... what kind of power is this?"
---
One thousand meters above Seoul, Anas suddenly appeared. The wind whipped his clothes, and the entire city lay beneath his feet. From this height, he saw three pillars of crimson light rising from three areas.
He looked east: Myeong-dong. West: Hongdae. And to the south...
He froze.
Gangnam. Where Ji-won and Nayun had gone.
Anas: (His eyes narrowing) "Gangnam... of course."
In Gangnam, the crowded streets had turned into chaos. Ji-won had gotten out of the car in front of an upscale clothing store, Nayun holding her hand happily. The streets were crowded with shoppers and families. Suddenly, they heard a massive explosion. A pillar of crimson light rose a few hundred meters away, and the ground shook beneath their feet.
Nayun: (Screaming in fear, clinging to her mother's leg) "Mom! What is that?! I'm scared!"
Ji-won: (Picking up Nayun confidently, placing her on her hip, her golden eyes gleaming coolly) "Don't be afraid, little one. Mommy is here."
She looked at the pillar of light. She felt immense power emanating from it, a savage energy, but she didn't move an inch. She was now the Phoenix. Her power was enough to destroy planets with a single punch. This gate? Nothing.
Nayun: (Crying) "Mom... are we going to die?"
Ji-won: (Laughing softly, wiping Nayun's tears) "Die? My love, nothing in this world can hurt us. I am here. And I will protect you from everything."
She held Nayun tightly, raising her head with arrogance. Her stance was confident, without a trace of fear. She looked at the gate as if it were a mere nuisance.
Ji-won: (To herself) "A Crimson gate? Is that all?"
At that moment, she heard a voice in her head.
Anas: (Telepathically) "Ji-won... are you alright?"
Ji-won: (Telepathically) "I'm fine. Nayun is with me. This gate is nothing. I could destroy it with one punch."
Anas: (Calmly) "I know. But don't."
Ji-won: (Surprised) "Why?"
Anas: "Because we need tomorrow's fame. If you show all your power now, they'll ask where it came from. Let them see just enough."
Ji-won: (Her eyes narrowing) "And what is enough?"
Anas: "Use no more than 10% of your power. Just enough to protect Nayun and those around you. Let them see a hero, not a goddess."
Ji-won: (Laughing in her mind) "Only 10%? That's like fighting a fly with a sword."
Anas: (Laughing) "I know. But let the fun continue."
Ji-won: "Fine... I'll play with them a little. But if anything gets near Nayun..."
Anas: (Seriously) "Then destroy everything. Even if you have to use 100%."
Ji-won: (Patting Nayun's head) "Agreed."
Nayun: (Looking at her mother) "Mom, are you talking to Dad?"
Ji-won: (Laughing) "Yes. He says we have to be heroes today."
Nayun: (Her eyes widening) "Is Dad coming?"
Ji-won: (Looking at the gate) "Soon. But first... let's see what comes out of there."
In the sky, Anas hovered, looking down. He saw the three gates open, and saw the first monsters starting to emerge from the gate in Gangnam.
He looked at Gangnam. He saw Ji-won standing firm, Nayun in her arms, her face showing no fear. He smiled.
Anas: (To himself) "She is strong. Stronger than I expected."
He saw monsters gathering around the gate, saw people running in panic. But he didn't move. He looked at Ji-won again.
Anas: (Telepathically) "The monsters are starting to come out. Do you want me to come?"
Ji-won: (Telepathically) "No. I can handle this. Go to the other gates. I'll take care of this one."
Anas: (Laughing) "As you wish. But remember... only 10%."
Ji-won: (Laughing) "I know."
Ji-won set Nayun down on the ground and stood before her.
Ji-won: (Looking at Nayun) "Nayun... watch your mother."
Nayun: (Looking at her with fear and curiosity) "What are you going to do?"
Ji-won: (Winking) "I'll show you how the phoenix protects her young."
She looked at the gate. The first monsters were emerging, massive beasts with red hides, their eyes blazing with malice.
Ji-won: (To herself) "Only 10%... this will be fun."
She raised her hand calmly and smiled.
In the sky, Anas watched. He saw Ji-won prepare, saw the monsters advance. He looked at the other gates, then back at Gangnam.
Anas: (To himself) "I trust her."
He smiled.
Anas: "Now... it's time for fun."
He looked at the sky, then at the city. The battle was about to begin.
And the true fun had yet to start.
```
╔══════════════════════════════════════╗
║ [SYSTEM ALERT: Beginning of Disaster] ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════╣
║ [Location: Seoul - Three Gates] ║
║ • Myeong-dong - Crimson Gates ║
║ • Hongdae - Crimson Gates ║
║ • Gangnam - Crimson Gates ║
║ ║
║ [The fun... has not yet begun] ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════╝
```