That morning, sunlight filtered through the window blinds, bathing my room in a warm glow. It was a bright day, but different from usual.
I wasn't going to the academy. Today, I chose to rest at home.
With my eyes still half-closed, I went downstairs to the dining room. The aroma of food greeted me.
"Mom, what are you cooking this morning?" I asked with a yawn, then slumped into a chair.
My mother was standing in the kitchen, wearing her favorite red apron. Her hair was still slightly damp, her face cheerful. As she stirred, she glanced at me.
"Wait a minute, it'll be ready soon."
A few minutes later.
"The food is ready!" she exclaimed, carrying a full plate to the dining table.
"Wow, it looks delicious!" I replied impatiently.
We ate together. I, as usual, was the greediest.
"Hmmm... delicious," I said through my mouth full of food, my eyes squinting in pleasure.
My mother just smiled.
This is my home. A simple life with the person I love most.
Since childhood, our family has been happy. But everything changed when my father died during a Gate Blue Class cleanup mission. I was in middle school at the time. With his party, he entered the gate… and never returned.
I still remember how my mother fell into depression afterward. But she chose to persevere—because I was still here. She raised me alone. And now, she's my only family.
After breakfast, I left the house to go to the convenience store to buy snacks. But I stopped in my tracks.
A subtle vibration filled the air. People on the street began to shout and gather in one spot.
In the center of the city, a gleaming green gate stood, spinning like a vortex. A chill spread from it, sending shivers down my spine.
"That's… the Green Gate!" someone shouted from the crowd.
Soon, the Korean Ability User Association blocked off access to the road, setting up barricades. Dozens of ability users arrived, forming a party to close the gate before it was too late. I paused. My heart was pounding. I don't know what prompted me, but my feet took a step forward.
"Ability user needed with Support or Fighter abilities!" shouted a man recruiting members.
I immediately approached him. "Can I join your team?"
He stared at me sharply. "What do you specialize in?"
I swallowed hard. "I specialize in close-quarters combat and endurance. You're looking for a fighter, aren't you?"
However, inside, I was whispering bitterly: "This is just a copy ability..."
The man smiled faintly and extended his hand. "Okay. Come in. My name is Kim Min-Jun."
I shook his hand. "Kang Ryuumin. Nice working with you."
Min-Jun led me to his teammates.
"Let me introduce you," he said, pointing to a large, bald man. "This is Kang Dong-Hyun, our tanker."
Dong-Hyun simply nodded curtly, his towering figure standing nearly two meters tall with black armor plastered to his chest.
"Next to him, Lee Ji-Hoon, assassin."
The thin man grinned faintly. His hair was disheveled, his steps so light they made no sound.
"And this one, Jung Soo-Min, ranger."
A tall, long-haired girl chewed gum, staring at me lazily from beneath her hood. A faint scar was visible under her eye.
"Lastly, I'm Kim Min-Jun, this team's mage."
With his handsome face and neat, curtain-style hair, he clearly looked like a natural leader.
Then he introduced me to them.
"This is Kang Ryuumin, our new fighter."
They greeted me with a brief greeting.
"Okay," Min-Jun raised his hand. "Let's go in."
The five of us stood in front of the Green Gate. The vortex of energy spun continuously, sucking in the surrounding light.
I took a deep breath, my heart pounding.
"This is… my first gate."
One by one, we stepped through, through the bone-chilling green light.
As soon as my entire body passed through, a strange sound echoed in my ears.
GROAAAR!
To Be Continued...