The morning sun barely pierced the thick clouds as we stood before the first gate beyond the barrier. My heart raced, and the very air around us felt heavier—as if the place itself were trying to hold us back.
The gate was enormous, constructed from a strangely gleaming metal that seemed to change colors in the light. Its surface pulsed rhythmically—as if it were breathing in sync with an unseen force. The sculptures adorning its frame depicted monstrous silhouettes that shifted when viewed from different angles.
As we approached, the system displayed a notification:
[SYSTEM] Gate Detected: Low Class (recommended level: 1–10). Status: Low activity.
[Would you like to form a party? Party confirmation enables proportional EXP distribution based on team members' contributions.]
I glanced at Darius, and he nodded. Without a word, we accepted the invitation. The system reacted immediately:
[Party created. EXP will be distributed based on participation in combat.]
I took a deep breath.
"Ready?"
Darius smiled slightly.
"Always."
Without further hesitation, we stepped forward. The gate’s surface began to pulse even more intensely, and the metallic silhouettes of the monsters seemed to come to life before our eyes. The moment we crossed the threshold, I felt an invisible force pulling me inside, and the surrounding light vanished in an instant, plunging us into complete darkness. A biting chill seeped into my body, as if we had plunged into an icy ocean. I sensed the air growing denser, and my heart pounded in response to the sudden surge of energy. When I finally opened my eyes, we found ourselves in an entirely different world.
Moist, narrow underground corridors stretched out before us like ancient catacombs. The stone walls were cloaked in moss, and long drips of moisture hung from the ceilings. Dim light emanated from magical crystals embedded in the walls, casting eerie shadows that danced with every movement.
Raising my hand, I signaled Darius to be silent. We were certain we were not alone—after all, this was a gate, a place that by its very nature concealed dangers. Darius nodded and silently raised his hand. In the blink of an eye, a dagger appeared in his grasp, summoned by his skill.
I, too, refused to remain idle. Focusing on the chaotic energy, my right eye flared with violet light. I activated the Eye of Chaos to perceive the invisible currents of energy swirling around us. Every step we took was cautious, our vigilance unyielding for even a moment.
We slowly advanced along the narrow corridor, each step echoing off the damp walls while the scent of mildew and moisture filled the air. The dark tunnels seemed endless, with every twist harboring potential danger. The light from the magical crystals cast ominous shadows that danced at the slightest movement, intensifying our sense of unease.
At one point, Darius halted and pointed to the wall. Scratches, as if made by the claws of something large and agile, marred the stone. Nearby lay remnants of food—bones that looked as if they’d been freshly gnawed. From a distance, strange sounds reached our ears—scraping noises mixed with quiet squeaks.
Before we could ready ourselves, creatures the size of large rats burst from the darkness, their red, glowing eyes and mutated, unnaturally elongated limbs marking them as foes. For a moment, we were uncertain of what we were facing until the system immediately displayed a notification:
[SYSTEM] Detected: Mutant Rat (Level 3).
I reacted instantly, channeling the chaotic energy. I recalled Darius’s tale of battling a mysterious enemy who wielded bizarre magical items. That memory spurred me to adopt a new approach. Concentrating on my Basic Energy Manipulation skill, I formed a sphere of energy that hovered in the air for a brief moment before hurtling toward the charging rats.
The first sphere struck a rat head-on, tearing it to pieces. Without pausing to savor the effect, I created another sphere and launched it at two approaching monsters. The explosion of energy burst forth in the darkness, and the rats collapsed lifelessly. Each sphere cost me 10 mana, yet its effectiveness was astounding. As wave after wave of rats surged forward, I continued conjuring spheres, obliterating them one after the other with growing confidence.
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At the same time, Darius moved with remarkable ease. His motions were swift and precise, and the summoned dagger gleamed in the dim corridor light. Vanishing into the shadows, he appeared beside another group of rats, attacking with cold efficiency. His blade plunged straight into the heads of the monsters, dispatching them with a single, accurate strike.
Effortlessly, he dodged claws and fangs, spinning on his own axis to immediately target the next rat. In one fluid motion, he felled two charging rats before executing a quick turn and slicing the throat of a third. Every move was calculated, as if he anticipated each of the enemy’s next steps—the entire scene resembling a deadly dance over which Darius reigned supreme.
After the last rat fell, Darius snorted with laughter, flicking the remnants of blood from his blade.
"That's all? I thought the gates would be a bigger challenge. These monsters are a joke."
I looked at him with a slight smile.
The system immediately displayed a notification:
[SYSTEM] Battle complete. Earned: 100 EXP (Ashira: 45 EXP, Darius: 55 EXP).
[SYSTEM] Level Up! Ashira reached level 3. Darius reached level 2.
[STATUS]
Name: Ashira
Level: 2
Talent: Legendary – Eye of Chaos
Experience: 0/400
Stats:
• Strength: 7 (+1)
• Agility: 10 (+2)
• Endurance: 7 (+1)
• Intelligence: 34 (+3)
Chaos Energy: 1000
HP: 120/120
Mana: 100/170
Unassigned Stat Points: 10
I looked at my stats and made a quick decision.
"I need to boost my endurance," I said aloud. Allocating all 10 unassigned points to Endurance seemed like the most logical step to survive these perilous corridors. Having only 120 HP in such conditions could prove deadly, and every extra point in Endurance increased my HP by 10—granting me a significant advantage.
[SYSTEM] Endurance increased by 10 points. HP increased by 100.
I glanced at my mana bar and frowned. "Even though that battle was relatively easy, I've already used up 70 mana," I muttered to myself. "At this rate, one or two more fights and I'll be completely out of mana. That's a serious problem."
Darius looked at me with a serious expression, noticing my furrowed brow.
"Something wrong?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
I sighed, watching the mana bar. "Surprisingly, this battle consumed more energy than I expected."
"How much?" he inquired, raising his eyebrows.
"Seventy mana," I replied, shaking my head. "One or two more fights and I'll be completely out of energy."
Darius pondered for a moment, then nodded.
"In that case, you'd better conserve your mana. I'm sure stronger enemies will appear in the dungeon. I can handle these little rats." "It seems your energy orbs make an impression, but they must cost a lot of effort."
I sighed and shook my head. "You're right. I didn't expect to use so much mana in one fight."
Darius then leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.
"Maybe you should save your mana for later. I'm sure stronger enemies will appear in the dungeon. I can handle these little rats."
I considered this for a moment before nodding. "That seems like the best solution—better to save energy for something truly dangerous."
But then I frowned. "But if I don't actively participate in the fight, how will I gain experience?"
Darius scratched his chin as he pondered. "You're right... that could be a problem."
Then, suddenly, he grinned slyly.
"What if... you act as bait? You’ll attract the rats’ attention, and I’ll take care of eliminating them. That way, you'll still be involved in the battle, and the system will credit you for your contribution."
I looked at him with slight skepticism. "As live bait? I don't really like that idea."
Darius shrugged. "Don't say it won't be exciting."
* * *
Shortly afterward, I was sprinting down a narrow corridor, fleeing from dozens of mutant rats that were charging right behind me. My heart pounded in my chest like a hammer, and every step echoed off the damp walls.
"What did I get myself into?!" I shouted, barely catching my breath. "DARIUS! AS SOON AS WE GET OUT OF HERE, I'LL MAKE YOU TAKE MY PLACE!"
Darius stood a few meters away, leaning against the wall with an amused smile as he watched the whole scene unfold—motionless and unperturbed.
"DARIUS! IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR ASS MOVING HERE, THEN INSTEAD OF KILLING THESE RATS, I'LL USE MY MANA ON YOU!" I bellowed, running with wide eyes as more rats closed in behind me.
Watching my frantic escape, Darius smiled under his breath. "That should be enough for the system to register that Ashira is actively participating in the fight by diverting the monsters' attention," he thought amusedly, before refocusing on eliminating the next foes.
His blade shimmered in the dim corridor light as he dispatched the approaching monsters with cold precision. One by one, the rats fell lifeless onto the damp stone, their squeaks gradually fading away in the tunnels.
When the last rat collapsed, I leaned against a wall, gasping heavily. "What did I get myself into..." I panted, sinking to the ground with my heart still pounding like crazy.
The system immediately displayed a notification:
[SYSTEM] Battle complete. Earned: 150 EXP (Ashira: 50 EXP, Darius: 100 EXP).
Darius looked at me with a slight smile, wiping blood from his blade. "Didn't I say it would be fun?" he chuckled softly, then added, "These rats are really weak if someone with as little dexterity as you managed to run from them."
He chuckled under his breath. "So, how about a short break before we go after more rats?"
I glanced at him from beneath narrowed eyes, still gasping heavily. "This isn't exactly how I imagined my first time in the Gate," I muttered, trying to catch my breath.