After thirty minutes, the car carrying Leon and Eira came to a stop in a barren wasteland.

The sun hadn’t risen yet. Darkness blanketed the entire area.

Click!

The car door opened, and Eira stepped out.

Leon followed behind her.

Before them stood a wall so massive that Leon had to tilt his head back almost to its limit just to see the top. It stretched for miles in both directions. A gigantic gate stood at its center. It was difficult to tell what material it was made of from the distance. But as Leon and Eira approached, he realized just how crude and indestructible it appeared.

As they got closer, Leon noticed a man in a military uniform standing before the gate.

"You are Leon Bale?" the soldier asked.

Leon nodded.

The man’s gaze shifted toward Eira for a moment, but he said nothing.

"I thought I made it clear. No sentries," Eira said coldly.

"I’m only here to open the gate for you," the soldier replied. "You aren’t authorized to open it yourselves."

Without waiting for a response, he walked toward the gate and placed his finger on a scanner.

Immediately, the ground began to tremble.

Dust rained down from above. A thin line of brilliant light appeared in the middle of the gate. Then it slowly widened as the massive doors slid apart in opposite directions.

Only now could Leon see it clearly. The gigantic metallic structure was actually man-made. It wasn’t the gate itself. It was merely sealing the entrance to a Gate. The actual Gate resembled the entrance to a colossal cave.

Once the doors were fully open, the soldier turned around.

"It will remain open for thirty seconds before closing again. Once you’re inside, human authorization through the palm scanner will be required to open it from the other side."

That was all he said. Without offering any further explanation, he turned and walked away.

Eira moved forward without the slightest hesitation. Leon followed behind her.

Although the entrance looked like the mouth of a cave, nothing beyond it could be seen.

An azure barrier covered the opening. It looked like flowing water suspended in midair.

The moment Eira stepped into it, she vanished. Leon followed immediately.

As soon as he emerged on the other side, his eyes widened slightly.

He found himself standing in a crimson world.

A world completely different from Earth.

Completely different from the Hidden Realm he had been trapped in before.

’So this is what the inside of a permanent gate looks like...’ Leon looked around carefully. ’Unlike temporary gates, which disappear after the dungeon boss is defeated, permanent gates have existed since the beginning of the dungeon era, when gates first started appearing. Civilians are kept far away from places like this because there is always a risk that monsters could emerge and slaughter everyone in their path. And unlike temporary gates, these don’t simply lead to dungeons.’

Leon looked up at the open sky overhead.

’They transport those who enter to an entirely different place. A place that definitely isn’t on Earth.’

Leon looked at Eira. "I don’t know what purpose you have for coming here, but with just the two of us, we won’t even be able to cross the fifth layer."

Eira, who had kept her eyes closed ever since entering the gate, slowly opened them and looked at Leon.

"Awwww." The amusement in her eyes made the smile obvious even beneath the veil. "You’re not worried about me, are you?"

Leon felt disgusted just hearing those words.

"Stop talking nonsense." He frowned. "Stop daydreaming and start whatever you’re here for. I want to get back as soon as possible."

"Sure," Eira replied with the same irritating grin still on her face. ’Can’t wait to die, huh? Well... don’t blame me when I grant that wish of yours.’ Without saying anything else, she turned around and started walking forward.

Leon stood there for a few seconds before following after her.

Meanwhile, the notifications that had been flooding the panel finally stopped.

[Grade 3 Poison has been fully neutralized.]

[Poison Resistance has increased significantly.]

[Poison Resistance: 5.67%]

’Just 5.67%? Fuck.’ Leon’s mood immediately soured. ’I was hoping for more.’

He glanced at Eira’s back. ’I wish I could ask her for some more poison. But if I do, she’ll realize she doesn’t have any leverage over me anymore. I can’t let that happen. I really want to see what’s so important that made her come all the way here.’

They hadn’t even walked for a full minute when hungry growls echoed from somewhere nearby. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Leon and Eira immediately stopped.

The growls grew louder.

Then...

From behind a rocky mound, four monsters emerged.

They stood nearly three meters tall and possessed grotesquely muscular bodies. Their skin was a mixture of dark black and crimson, covered in thick scales that looked as tough as armor.

Sharp fins and jagged spines protruded from their backs and shoulders. Their massive arms hung low, ending in clawed hands. Long tails swayed behind them while strings of saliva dripped from their mouths.

Each creature had a single enormous eye in the center of its face. The blood-red pupils glowed with hunger as they locked onto Leon and Eira.

The moment they spotted Leon and Eira, their lone eyes lit up.

Fresh prey.

The four monsters lowered their bodies and began advancing, their hungry growls echoing.

"It’s my first time seeing monsters like these. What class are they?" Leon asked.

"B-Class."

Before Leon could even react, Eira brought something out.

When Leon saw it, he was stunned for a moment.

A folding fan rested in her hand. It was dark blue in color, almost resembling the night sky. Its surface was decorated with intricate silver patterns that spread across it like flowing waves. The ribs appeared to be forged from some unknown metal rather than wood, giving it an elegant yet deadly appearance.

Eira casually flicked it open.

The next moment...

She waved it fast as if swinging a sword.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Sharp, dart-like objects whistled through the air.

The four monsters froze instantly.