* * *
“Siwoo.”
“Yes.”
Raon called out calmly, and Siwoo quickly threw up a protective barrier around them.
While Espers could still function in this environment, it was far too hostile for Guides.
Even the A-ranks, Juwon and Taehyuk, were struggling to breathe through the smoke and volcanic ash.
“Haah…”
“Phew…”
Siwoo’s water barrier enveloped Raon and the other Guides, finally allowing Juwon and Taehyuk to breathe easier as they sighed in relief.
“Minjae, are you alright?”
“Ah, yes. It’s bearable.”
Since Red Gates were normally subdued by A-rank or higher Espers, Raon was concerned about Minjae, who was a lower rank.
Though his complexion was pale, Minjae still nodded with surprising calm.
Raon made a mental note to keep an eye on him and then continued.
“Could you relay a message to Team Leader Inho for me, Taegun?”
“Understood.”
The combat team was some distance away.
Raon could barely make out their silhouettes through the ash, but rushing toward them blindly would be dangerous.
So he tried telepathy first.
“We’re connected. Taegun asked if the team leader is safe.”
“Tell him he’s fine.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And tell Team Leader Inho to head in the opposite direction of the volcano.”
“Huh? Not toward the volcano?”
“That’s right.”
Minjae was visibly surprised as he relayed the message.
The volcano was the most obvious landmark.
Anyone would assume the core was there—or somewhere nearby.
But it wasn’t. In both his previous life and the original story, the volcano was a decoy.
The core was in a completely different location.
The volcano only constantly spat out powerful monsters, resulting in heavy casualties among Awakened even here.
Just like with the Blue Gate, unpredictable variables could arise, but they couldn’t afford to head toward a confirmed dead end.
Especially now that Siwoo’s contamination level had unexpectedly dropped.
“Inho said he’ll follow your direction.”
“Good.”
As expected, unlike Dojin, Inho didn’t question Raon’s command.
He might have been confused like Minjae, but as someone well-versed in military hierarchy, he didn’t argue with orders from the acting commander.
“We’ll follow behind the combat team.”
“Yes, Team Leader.”
Even the Guides seemed surprised they were avoiding the volcano, but no one voiced any doubts.
That was a relief—Raon wasn’t sure he could’ve convinced anyone otherwise.
Opposite the volcano was a hill coated in black volcanic ash.
Though magma streamed down and pooled along the ground, the hill itself was covered only in soot.
The special team moved toward it.
Crrrrrk.
“What… what is that?”
“A monster!”
The ground suddenly split, and something shot out—a pitch-black monster, covered in ash.
“Attack!”
At Inho’s command, the combat team began fighting in a coordinated response.
As battle commenced, more of the same black, stone-like monsters burst out of the cracked earth.
“Let’s join in if the situation calls for it.”
“Yes, sir!”
The monsters spewing fire from the volcano were deadly, but these ones weren’t weak either.
Made of rock harder than steel, they barely reacted to most attacks.
Raon narrowed his eyes, assessing the field.
Yoonchae, second only to Dojin in firepower, was leading the fight.
But these ash-born creatures seemed resistant to fire, making things difficult.
Watching her struggle, Raon clenched his jaw.
Siwoo probably needs to help out… Raon glanced sideways at Siwoo.
They’d been holding hands for a while to facilitate guiding, but the contamination level hadn’t risen much.
Raon didn’t want to push him when he was in this state.
But for the sake of the team, he had no choice.
Just as Raon instinctively tightened his grip on Siwoo’s hand—
RUMBLE.
The ground shook violently.
Raon thought it meant more monsters were coming, but then the ones already attacking the combat team froze.
Then they collapsed to the ground and started writhing like worms.
“Graaagh!”
Crunch, crackle.
The monsters’ bodies began to break apart under a tremendous force.
The sight was so grotesque that the esper combat team faltered, stepping back without delivering another blow.
“What’s gotten into Mikhail?”
“You mean that Mikhail?”
At Jaime’s mutter, Raon looked toward Mikhail, who was standing among the combat team.
It seemed he had been the one to take down the monsters with his powers.
From a distance, it was hard to make out his expression.
“Honestly, I expected him to half-ass it. This is… surprising.”
Jaime, who knew Mikhail’s personality all too well, spoke with a cynical tone.
Raon also hadn’t expected Mikhail to jump into the fight so proactively.
‘His contamination level was close to critical, too…’
He briefly recalled what had happened within the eye.
Like Jaime, Mikhail had no compatible Guide within the Union, so he must have struggled.
That might’ve been why he had lost control like that, trying to charge in.
Still… was it really okay for him to be using his powers like that?
“Hm?”
As the combat team took a moment to breathe, Raon felt Mikhail’s gaze meet his.
His eyes widened in surprise—but then Mikhail quickly looked away.
He couldn’t even be sure their eyes had truly met.
Thinking he must’ve imagined it, Raon turned his head away as well.
There was no time to waste—once they passed the ridge, the next stage would begin.
“Esper Hamin.”
“Yes, Team Leader.”
At Raon’s call, Hamin immediately stepped forward.
Raon pointed toward the ridge and gave his next instruction.
“Once we’re over that hill, use your ability to clear the volcanic ash and secure visibility.”
“Understood.”
Even this area, though far from the volcano, was filled with ash carried by the wind.
It was so dense that even espers couldn’t see ahead.
Hamin’s ability was essential to clear the view.
‘Whoooosh.’
The moment they crossed the ridge, Hamin swept the thick ash away with his power.
What lay beyond was instantly revealed to all.
“What the…!”
Shocked voices erupted from the combat team.
Raon, who already knew what to expect, was the only one who remained relatively calm.
“Why would something like that be here…”
Soon, the Guide team also climbed the ridge and stared down, murmuring among themselves.
Below the ridge was a vast lake of bubbling magma.
It was far from the volcano’s crater—something that made no sense.
But the reason soon became clear to the rest of the team.
“So there’s more than one crater?”
“That’s what it looks like.”
To Juwon’s question, Raon answered as if it were news to him.
In this place—one of the dual gates known as the Red Gate—there was supposed to be only one active volcano.
That led everyone to assume there was only one crater.
But beyond the ridge lay another one, sprawling wide.
Magma had already spread so far from it that it looked more like a lake than a crater.
It was easy to miss—far from the main crater, barely visible, and with infrequent eruptions. Juwon clicked his tongue.
“We could’ve passed right by without noticing.”
“Team Leader, did you know about this?”
“Not exactly. I just suspected something. The way the smoke spread… it didn’t seem normal.”
“Your eye for detail is incredible.”
Juwon praised him with admiration.
Not wanting to drag the conversation out, Raon gave an awkward smile and turned to Minjae.
“Now, let’s report this to Team Leader Inho—”
He never got to finish the sentence.
Crack, rumble.
Just like when Mikhail had crushed the monsters with gravity, the ground trembled again.
But this time, it wasn’t because of an ability.
The previously dormant second crater had begun to stir once more.
“Everyone, be careful! The magma’s going to erupt!”
“R-Right!”
The Guides rushed to gather around Siwoo.
Raon could feel Siwoo’s barrier growing stronger.
He bit his lip, eyes locked on the wide crater.
“It’s coming!”
Fwoooosh!
The magma shot upward—and something emerged with it.
A monster from the second crater.
The final obstacle of the Red Gate.
Raon scowled as he looked up at the beast—massive, almost dragon-like in form.
‘This isn’t good.’
Siwoo, who was supposed to use the most power in the Red Gate, was already in bad condition.
And while the team had managed to regroup, the other espers weren’t doing much better.
Raon turned and shouted to Dasom.
* * *
