* * *
“You trying to play games with me now?”
“Games? In a democratic society, majority rule is vital, you know.”
“Ha.”
Dojin’s sharp gaze swept over the other team leaders.
Every one of them looked ready to oppose him.
Realizing this, Dojin spun around.
“If something goes wrong, you’ll all take responsibility.”
“Sure thing.”
Without another word, Dojin stormed out of the conference room.
The slam of the door echoed his fury.
“What a temper.”
As if this wasn’t the first time, Inho only muttered under his breath and smirked.
Yoochae, standing nearby, showed a similar reaction.
Only Raon breathed a sigh of relief, discreetly clutching his chest.
“Thank you for your help, Team Leader Kwon Yoochae. You too, Team Leader Beom Inho.”
“No need for thanks. You can speak casually, we’re all team leaders here.”
“But…”
“Yeah, same rank — why not?”
“Haha, I’ll… try to loosen up.”
Raon offered an awkward smile at their easygoing remarks, feeling slightly overwhelmed by their straightforward attitudes.
“Anyway, we need to enter the Gate soon. Let’s save the small talk for after.”
“Understood.”
Combat team members Yoochae and Inho headed off in the direction Dojin had gone.
Raon watched their backs briefly before turning toward where the Guide team was waiting.
“Team Leader, how did it go?”
Juwon approached and asked.
Raon addressed him and the other team members.
“We’ll be entering the Gate shortly. Everyone, prepare yourselves.”
“This soon?”
“Yes. It may not be an Irregular Gate, but it’s a new type with highly unstable waves.”
“I see…”
Hamin’s face darkened with concern.
Raon smiled and patted his shoulder reassuringly.
“We just need to stick closely behind the combat team. Make sure to maintain formation.”
“Yes, Team Leader.”
Perhaps thanks to their recent intensive training, the team members’ eyes sparkled with sharp focus.
If only they’d had a little more time… Raon regretted it, but it couldn’t be helped.
Soon, all teams gathered at the Gate’s entrance.
“Attempting suppression of the Gate that occurred in District 7, XX Month, XX Day, 2042.”
Dojin left a brief report over the radio and led the combat team into the Gate.
The ominous, purple-hued Gate quivered, swallowing the numerous personnel whole.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, sir!”
After the combat team entered, Raon led the Guide team in behind them.
In an instant, the scene around them transformed.
“Whoa…”
A soft gasp came from behind Raon.
It was Dasom, unable to hold back her awe upon entering her first Gate.
“Stay alert. We don’t know what might happen.”
“S-Sorry, Team Leader…”
Flustered, Dasom quickly apologized.
Nodding, Raon surveyed the surroundings with cautious eyes.
Fortunately, everything looked the same as the Gate he had entered in his previous life.
The very Gate where he, as the villain Han Raon, had first participated in suppression efforts.
The hazy, fog-like mist before him was identical.
The fog was so thick that you could barely see anyone unless they were right in front of you.
Raon narrowed his eyes.
‘I thought this was just a fog-covered wasteland at first…’
But it wasn’t that simple.
This fog wasn’t ordinary — it was mountain mist, the kind that appears at high altitudes.
Whoosh!
“Everyone, get down!”
“Ugh!”
The moment the sound of slicing wind filled the air, Raon shouted loudly.
At the same time, they heard the front-line combat team being attacked.
“Don’t break formation!”
Dojin’s composed voice rang out, and an Esper with wind abilities tried to disperse the mist.
But it wasn’t enough — the fog was too dense and heavy.
“Team Leader, what should we do?”
“For now, stay put.”
“Yes.”
The Gate’s backdrop was a cliffside.
With thick fog settled in, visibility was nearly nonexistent.
Following Raon’s command, the team stayed crouched, unmoving.
Screech!
“Ah!”
Given the cliff environment, the monsters here all resembled enormous birds.
With each beat of their wings, winds as sharp as blades swept across them.
‘We have to endure for now.’
Since they were still at the Gate’s entrance, the monsters’ attacks weren’t overly aggressive yet.
They were simply testing the intruders’ strength — not going all out.
So the smartest thing was to pass through this phase with minimal damage.
Of course, as a Guide team leader, Raon couldn’t openly instruct the combat unit.
“Attack!”
Frustrated by his lack of achievements during the previous Irregular Gate, Dojin was already getting impatient.
Raon watched him with uneasy eyes.
Thud!
“Ugh.”
“Hyung, you okay?”
“Yeah… I’m fine.”
The Guide team was protected by Siwoo’s water barrier.
As the monster slammed against the barrier and shrieked in frustration, Raon regained his calm and scanned their surroundings again.
If his memory was correct, after fending off the cliffside monsters, they needed to locate a stone structure hidden somewhere.
Only then could they proceed to the next phase.
‘I can’t tell them outright… I’ll have to guide them subtly.’
If he acted too comfortably inside the Gate right from the start, the people around him would think it strange.
In the previous Irregular Gate, only guides and their escorts had been present, so he could behave somewhat freely.
But now, the combat team was here too.
“Minjae Esper, you can contact Nam Taegeon, right?”
“Huh? Ah, yes. I can use telepathy.”
The upcoming Gates were known for severe signal interference.
Radios wouldn’t work inside.
That was why they had brought Minjae, a psychic Esper, onto the guide team.
“Send my message to Nam Taegeon via telepathy.”
“Understood.”
Since they were some distance away from the combat team, Raon intended to relay his thoughts through Minjae.
But Minjae’s face turned pale as soon as he sent the telepathic message.
“Uh… Team Leader…”
“What is it?”
“I definitely sent the telepathy, but… there’s no response.”
“……?”
Raon frowned at Minjae’s words.
No response?
Was it because of the combat situation?
But they were still near the entrance; the monster attacks weren’t that intense yet.
‘Or is he ignoring me on purpose?’
Given Taegeon’s personality, that was entirely possible.
He had blown up with anger just recently when Raon recruited Minjae to the guide team.
Raon let out a deep sigh he had been holding back.
“Sigh… Alright. For now, let’s just monitor the combat team’s situation.”
“Okay…”
Minjae nodded, still looking flustered. Raon focused his attention on the battlefield.
Keeeek!
Boom!
In the distance, a burst of flame from Yoonchae was clearly visible.
The feathers of the monster burned black as Raon silently admired the sight.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long to deal with the monsters.
Once the combat team drove them out completely, the thick fog gradually began to lift.
“Medics and guide team, move up!”
“Yes, sir!”
After the battle ended, the medics approached the combat team to tend to their wounds.
Raon and the guide team also moved forward to provide guiding.
“We’ll begin guiding now.”
The guides swiftly began their work.
They prioritized Espers whose data appeared on their watches.
Luckily, it was still early, so not many Espers required guiding yet.
“Team Leader Dojin, what’s your plan for the next course?”
“Why do you care?”
When Raon approached and asked, Dojin shot him a wary look.
Originally, Raon planned to steer the group’s route through Taegeon, but with communication failing, he decided to speak up himself.
He pointed toward the area where the fog had cleared.
“You probably noticed from the monsters’ bird-like forms, but this isn’t flat ground — we’re on a mountain. Just a bit further out, there’s a cliff.”
“Hm.”
Dojin’s gaze followed where Raon pointed.
The cliff wasn’t visible yet, but with Dojin’s experience inside countless Gates, he would notice the difference from flat terrain.
“The monsters resemble birds, so they won’t attack with the wind at their backs. We should head that way to avoid being attacked from behind.”
The direction Raon indicated led to the stone building.
In his previous life, they hadn’t known this, which led them to circle dangerously near the cliff and suffer unnecessary casualties.
“If someone heard this, they’d think you were the combat team leader, not the guide team leader.”
“I’m merely offering my opinion.”
Still, Raon wasn’t sure if Dojin would accept it.
He snuck a glance at Dojin, tense with anticipation.
Dojin’s brow furrowed deeply, clearly displeased.
“Fine. We’ll head northeast.”
“Phew…”
As Dojin accepted his suggestion, Raon let out a breath of relief.
Once the preparations were complete, Dojin turned away and distanced himself from Raon.
But Raon couldn’t relax yet.
He watched Dojin relay instructions to the team, then returned to his own group.
“Let’s regroup with the main formation now that guiding is done.”
“Yes, Team Leader. But…”
“Yes?”
“Don’t you hear something… strange?”
“Sound? What sound?”
Hamin asked nervously. Raon tilted his head at his words.
“What sound could you—”
“Hyung!”
“……!”
Before Raon could finish, his eyes widened as a massive dark shadow loomed over them from the sky.
* * *
