Chapter 12: First Time Through A Gate (I): First Kill

The wind roared in Reiji’s ear as he sprinted through the road. His oversized hoodie swaying in the wind. The road was quiet and peaceful with hardly any car driving by.

This was because, after the global crisis where all men had vanished and the Gates had appeared, curfews were enforced. It was also because of the Gate that had recently opened not too far from here.

"It seems residents within 10 km of the Gates had been evacuated, that’s why there hard anyone in sight." Reiji muttered while he ran along the side of the road. Though his speed was nowhere near that of an F-Rank Awakener, it was still at an athlete’s level.

As Reiji ran further, the stranger the atmosphere became.

Abandoned cars were parked carelessly along the roadside. Some still had their doors open as if the owners had left in a hurry.

Police barricades blocked several intersections. Bright yellow warning tapes fluttered violently in the cold night wind.

[WARNING — GATE HAZARD ZONE]

[ENTRY PROHIBITED]

Several military trucks were stationed near the outer area while armed female awakeners stood guard around the perimeter.

Reiji lowered his hood slightly and slowed his pace weaving through the barricade zone.

"So this is how seriously they take even an F-Rank Gate..." he muttered.

Then he saw it.

Far in the distance. A massive crack of glowing blue light floated in the middle of the empty streets like reality itself had been torn apart. It was light blue, just as the description on the web.

The air around it distorted unnaturally.

Even from this far away, Reiji could feel pressure radiating from it.

"The Gate."

This was his first time seeing it. On the web there wasn’t any image, well there wasn’t any image for ordinary people only those who were awakeners and belongs to a guild, could access various information about Gates.

"Now how do I get in?" Reiji muttered to himself. His eyes scanning the environment.

Reiji’s eyes suddenly narrowed.

A large military truck was approaching the checkpoint slowly. Several awakeners immediately moved the barricades aside to let it pass. The moment the gate opened slightly for the truck, Reiji’s heartbeat quickened.

’Now!’

Without hesitation, Reiji lowered his body and sprinted forward using the truck itself as cover.

His movements were quick and silent because one wrong step and he’d immediately be caught.

Reiji noticed that the closer he got, the heavier the pressure became. Blue particles drifted through the air around the Gate like glowing dust.

Then suddenly...

WEEEEOOO! WEEEEOOO!

A sharp alarm rang out.

The Gate pulsed violently.

A powerful gust of wind exploded outward from the crack in space, sending loose debris and warning signs flying across the street.

"Stabilize the perimeter!"

"Fall back!"

Several awakeners immediately rushed forward.

That was the opening Reiji needed. He lowered his body and sprinted.

His heartbeat pounded violently in his chest as he slipped past the distracted guards and rushed straight toward the glowing crack in space.

Ding!

[Gate (F)] – {Unstable}

Reiji didn’t glance at the system prompt and went straight in.

The blue light swallowed him whole, and in an instant, the Gate that had once glowed light blue shifted into a normal shade of blue.

"The Gate Morphed. It’s now an E-Rank gate." The female operator reading the data was dumbstruck.

***

The air shifted, and Reiji appeared inside what looked like a cave.

But the moment his eyes adjusted, he realized it was not just a cave, it was a dungeon.

The entire place was dark and suffocating, and faint red crystal growing across the wall casted an eerie glow that barely pushed back the darkness.

"So this is a dungeon..." Reiji took in a deep breath and immediately regretted it.

Grrrrr!

A red pair of glowing eyes locked on to Reiji in the dark.

After a few seconds, Reiji adapted to the foul smell as he stared at the system that had popped up.

Ding!

[Dungeon Gate (E)] – {Stable}

"..."

Reiji stared in confusion. ’Is the system broken or what? Isn’t this an F-Rank dungeon?’

Ding!

[The dungeon became unstable when you entered and morphed into an E-Rank gate. ತ⁠_⁠ತ ]

Reiji instinctively glanced around. "What do you mean by it morphed."

Before he could think further he head a low growl.

Grrrrrrr!

Reiji glanced over at the direction that leads further into the cave and saw pairs of glowing red eyes in the dark.

Without hesitation he summoned the Soul Torture Blade and got into his fighting stance.

Seeing this, the pair of glowing eyes didn’t feel intimidated at all. Instead, its primal instinct kicked in and it charged forward.

As it stepped into the dim crimson light, Reiji finally saw the creature clearly. It was a hell hound. Its black fur looking rough and uneven and jagged fangs dripping saliva as it ember red eyes burned with hunger as it charged at Reiji.

And there was something above its head a floating text. It hovered above its head like a label.

[Hellhound (E)]

Reiji stared at it in surprise. Before he could even react properly, the creature was already lunging at him.

Reiji didn’t freeze in place out of fear. This wasn’t his first time. After everything that happened in Devil’s Island dreamscape, he was no longer afraid of fighting. Instead, he felt even more hyped.

Deep inside, the burning anger from not being able to kill that dragon still lingered, plus the rage from whatever had shot him and nearly killed him was still there too. And this hellhound was practically delivering itself to him so he could vent some of that fury.

But he couldn’t get cocky. He knew the stats difference between an E-Rank monster and himself was huge. His only real advantage was the weapon in his hand. The Soul Torture Blade.

As the hellhound launched forward, its massive paw stretched out, jagged nails gleaming in the red light. Reiji sidestepped at the last moment, but the claw still caught the edge of his oversized hoodie.

Almost instinctively, he raised the Soul Torture Blade and slashed downward.

Slash!

The hellhound’s paw was cut off clean. Reiji was genuinely surprised. He didn’t expect it to sever so easily, as if cutting tofu. But then he remembered, this was a D-Rank weapon. It was only natural for it to be this sharp.

*Shriek!*

The creature let out a piercing shriek as dark blood gushed violently from the severed paw.

Its eyes immediately became bloodshot with rage as it tried to push itself back up and attack again. But because of the severed paw, it lost balance and collapsed heavily onto the ground with a painful thud.

Reiji stared at the creature for a long moment, gripping the Soul Torture Blade tightly. He knew he couldn’t act recklessly, even though it was badly injured, the hellhound was still a sneaky and dangerous monster. If he rushed in carelessly, it might use its last strength to land one brutal counterattack that could kill him.

’I need to kill this creature once and for all... but how?’

Reiji’s mind raced as he kept his distance, eyes locked on the struggling hellhound. He noticed something it couldn’t stand up and it’s ember red red seemed to be loosing its light.

’I didn’t expect the effect of the Soul Torture Blade to be this quick.’ Reiji thought to himself.

An idea instantly popped in his mind and he bent slightly and picked up a rock from the ground he hurled it at the creature. The stone reached its head and it snapped immediately.

GRRAAAARRRRR!!

The hellhound exploded forward with terrifying speed, its jaw snapping violently at empty air.

’I knew it. It was saving it’s strength for a one kill move.’

Now the creatures neck lated exposed and immediately Reiji shot forward and in one clean motion, he sliced the hellhound head off clean.

"Phew...."

Ding!

[Host has killed an E-Rank Hellhound]

[+10 EXP]

"Plus ten?" Reiji stared at it in disbelief, it was ten EXP.

Ding!

[Hidden Side Quest: First Kill Completed!]

[Rewards: 5 Free Stats Points, 1 Mystery Item, Skill: Charm (F)]

Reiji stared at this in dislief. Expect the skill the remaining rewards might definitely be useful as well.

Reiji galnced at his stats and distributed the points.

Ding!

_____

Strength: +3

Speed: +2

_____

"Alright... I think I’ll check the mystery item later. I need to get more EXP" Reiji clenched his fist as he walked deeper into the dungeon while the carcass of the Hellhound started slowly disappearing.