Standing before 'Le Centre Stargate,' I admire its grandeur. The building, reminiscent of French architecture, boasts tall glass windows, intricate ironwork, and elegant stone facades. It exudes a sense of historical significance while housing modern magic and technology within its walls.
As we enter, the bustling atmosphere greets us. The lobby is alive with Magicians of varying ranks, each armed with magical weapons, scrolls, and books. Unable to sense mana myself, I can't distinguish between the Manaless, Manaficials, or Magicians around me.
"Dominic, over here!"
André's voice pulls me from my observations. I realize I've been standing still, lost in the sights.
Hurrying over to the front desk where André waits, we are greeted by a receptionist.
"Bon après-midi, how may I assist you today?"
"We wish to request access to a Stargate, please," André requests.
"And may I inquire as to the desired rank of the Stargate?”
André glances at me, silently asking for confirmation.
"An [E] Ranked Stargate, please," I affirm.
The receptionist nods understandingly and summons a floating monitor before her with a flick of her fingers. She navigates the digital lists, searching for an available [E] Ranked Stargate. After a brief moment, she looks up.
"Fortunately, we have one available. Please, follow me."
She steps out from behind the desk, leading the way.
As we trail behind her, André leans in slightly. "Dominic," he whispers, ensuring our conversation remains private, "remember, it's against the law for minors to engage in Stargate raids without the supervision of a guardian or a certified professional Stargate Raider."
Oh yeah, I forgot about that. In Sylvestria, unsupervised minors caught raiding Stargates face severe consequences—details of which I prefer not to delve into.
"I'm aware of that, Dad.”
"That's good to hear."
Continuing our walk, we pass various Magicians, their murmurs breaking the silence.
"Hey, see that kid? He's Manaless."
"Really? Oh, I see. No mana aura around him."
"Another Manaless trying his luck in a Stargate, huh?"
Their whispers are loud enough for me to hear, perhaps intentionally. Yet, I choose to ignore them.
"We've arrived," the receptionist announces, pulling me back.
Before us stands a black Stargate, its size modest, reminiscent of a standard door, but its presence is ordinary. Stargates are also ranked by size; the larger they are, the higher their rank.
"Allow me to unlock it," she says, tapping her tablet. Magical runes light up the Stargate, then shatter and fade away, a safeguard to prevent monsters from escaping. "I'll leave you here. Best of luck," she says, departing with a polite nod.
"Got your guns ready, Dominic?"
I take out both of 'Galahad's Judgement' from my pockets, affirming my readiness.
"Excellent. After you," he gestures toward the Stargate.
Stepping through the Stargate, I find myself standing on a cloud dyed pink, surrounded by similar clouds on various levels. The sight is daunting. Memories of yesterday's training with Maurice flash through my mind, causing me to shudder. Those floating earth platforms were a challenge, and now this?
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"Dominic, you understand I'm only here to observe, right?"
Yeah, I figured as much. He had done the same during my training with Maurice.
"Yes, Dad, I'm aware."
"And you know how to complete a raid?"
"Defeat the Alpha."
To successfully raid a Stargate, one must defeat the "Alpha," akin to a dungeon boss in video games. The Stargates at 'Le Centre Stargate' remain open after the Alpha's defeat due to being anchored, but the principle remains the same.
"Good. Then off you go."
André gives me a slight nudge forward—there are no questions about my readiness. Well, there's no turning back now. This is all part of my training, after all.
I take my first steps into the raid, noting the eerie peace surrounding us. Too peaceful…
As I continue to advance, my senses heighten, and I am fully aware that the tranquil atmosphere could shatter at any moment. This is, after all, a Stargate, a place where calm seldom lasts.
-Crackle!
Instantly, I spin around, only to be met with space. Odd, I could have sworn I heard the sound of bones.
-Crackle!
Again, I whip around, but still, nothing is there. This is becoming unsettling. Persisting forward, I try to shake off the unease.
-Crackle!
This time, when I whirl around, my guns are drawn, ready to confront whatever is there, but once more, I find myself facing nothing.
Am I losing my mind? Those sounds are unmistakable.
-Crackle!
Then, a feeling in my gut screams danger. I dive to the right, acting purely on instinct without a second thought. My instincts don't lead me astray. A skeleton wields a sword, now embedded in the ground where I stood just moments before. It aimed to strike me from behind.
The skeleton raises its sword again, charging me with a menacing air.
[Rapid Retaliation]
I deploy one of the techniques from the Gun Arts manual, dodging the skeleton's slash with a swift sidestep.
Rapid Retaliation is a technique from the Gun Arts Manual. It involves a nimble counterattack where the fighter deftly rolls or sidesteps an incoming strike, swiftly regaining their stance to deliver precise, powerful shots. This maneuver highlights the combination of agility and immediate, decisive force.
With my gun now aimed directly at its head, I don't hesitate.
-Bang!
The skeleton's skull shatters upon impact, its bones clattering to the ground before dissolving into pink clouds.
Ah, that explains it. This place must be under the influence of an Alpha with cloud-based abilities or something akin to it. The environment of a Stargate often hints at the Alpha's powers.
For instance, an icy setting likely indicates an Alpha with ice magic. Yet, appearances can be misleading. Sometimes, the Alpha's abilities starkly contrast their domain's aesthetics, throwing off preconceived notions.
Strength (+1)
Agility (+1)
Speed (+1)
Endurance (+1)
Nice! I just got a little boost in my stats.
-Clap! Clap!
Hearing applause, I glance back to see André offering a round of applause.
"Nicely done, Dominic!"
Weirdly, his praise makes me feel a bit shy. Shrugging off the embarrassment, I move on. My main goal now is to track down the Alpha, but a quick scan of the area reveals... just more clouds. Seriously, is there anything else here?
Suddenly, the cloud under my feet starts shifting direction. Surprised but steady, I let it carry me. Where to, though?
-Crackle!
That's when I hear it—crackling noises. Turning around, I spot three skeletons armed to the teeth: one with a claymore, another with a bow, and the last wielding a spear. Here we go again.
The spear-wielder charges at me. I sidestep smoothly and aim my gun right at its head.
!
But then, I sense danger from behind. A quick roll to the side saves me from a claymore strike that would have been my end.
!
And just like that, I dodge again—this time, an arrow, its tip ablaze with fire. These guys are coordinated, much to my annoyance.
The Claymore skeleton is surprisingly agile for its choice of weapon. Dodging its swing by a hair, I fire at it.
-Bang!
An incoming fiery arrow intercepts my shot. Talk about teamwork.
Another spear thrust heads my way, narrowly missing as I lean back. Rolling out of its path, I regain my stance and, this time, aim the archer.
-Bang!
-Bang!
But no luck—the skeleton with the claymore steps in, deflecting my bullets with its massive sword.
!
Feeling a surge of danger again, I dart to the side just in time as a spear leaves a shallow cut on my cheek. I touch the wound lightly, feeling a trickle of blood. This is getting intense, and I'm on the defensive too much.
Suddenly, an arrow crackling with electricity zips towards me. I leap to the side, narrowly avoiding it. But the danger isn't done with me yet. Glancing up, I spot the claymore-wielding skeleton leaping at me, its weapon raised for a powerful strike. Instinctively, I raise both of 'Galahad's Judgement' in defense.
-Clang!
Our weapons clash, and to my surprise, the skeleton's strength is formidable. We are locked in a tense standoff, but I can't let this drag on.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see the spear-wielding skeleton charging at me and the archer skeleton nocking another arrow. I am in a tight spot.
"Hah!"
With a determined grunt, I push the claymore aside, using it as a shield against the spear attack.
-Clang!
The sound of metal-on-metal rings out as the claymore meets the spear. Seizing the moment, I aim one of my guns at the archer's skeleton and fire.
-Bang!
The bullet finds its mark, shattering the archer's skull. The skeleton disintegrates into pink clouds, just like its companion before it: one down, two to go.