When a gate’s emergence is predicted, the association preemptively evacuates civilians, with stricter controls for higher-ranked gates.
“Entry is prohibited due to gate emergence. After the gate disappears….”
The taxi couldn’t even approach the gate, due to these restrictions.
“I’m Cha Jae-woo’s Guide. I need to get in.”
Having been denied entry before, I immediately showed my Guide registration to the person blocking the taxi. The taxi driver seemed surprised by my identity, but I had no time to worry about that.
“Uh….”
The man, who appeared to be a low-ranked Esper, hesitated at my words. Those brief moments felt like an eternity. Impatient, I shouted before he could respond.
“How far is it to the gate? I’ll go as far as the car can take me. If the taxi can’t go, then someone from the association should take me in!”
An ominous feeling urged me on.
I might be able to reach the gate. My physical condition hadn’t improved, but the situation shouldn’t be dire enough to warrant my rushed journey.
Yet, my body moved on its own. My heart raced, and the back of my neck stiffened with tension. An inexplicable anxiety pushed me forward. I had to get to Cha Jae-woo immediately. It felt as if someone was whispering urgently in my ear.
“Let’s go in the association’s car.”
Fortunately, the hesitation didn’t last long. It seemed they decided it was unsafe for even the taxi driver to approach the gate.
All that mattered was getting inside quickly. I handed the driver all the cash I had and rushed out of the taxi, jumping into the just-started car. The driver, also an Esper, looked familiar.
Yes, I must have seen him somewhere before. I had been in and out of the association and had been to gates before. My memory of him was hazy, so he probably wasn’t someone I saw often. But that didn’t matter now.
“Hurry. Please, hurry.”
Before I could even close the car door, I urged him to move quickly. The man, sensing my urgency, swiftly started the car.
“How long will it take?”
My legs trembled with anxiety.
“About 5 minutes.”
“Please, go as fast as you can. Please.”
Even if it took five seconds, it would feel too long. Why did I feel this way? I rubbed the back of my stiff neck, sighing deeply.
Something felt off. No matter how I thought about it, something was wrong. I didn’t believe everything in the book was true. As Kim Sol said, there weren’t many precedents. But I couldn’t ignore it completely. Every symptom described in the book matched what I was experiencing.
‘It can’t be.’
It just couldn’t be true. But what if it was? Why did Cha Jae-woo enter the gate? Did he believe I would guide him if his condition worsened? No, that couldn’t be it. His condition was deteriorating even without him doing anything. There was no need to make things worse.
“Is there a problem with the Esper?”
My mind was a whirlwind. The careful question from the Esper driver only added to my turmoil. I neither nodded nor shook my head. I just buried my face in my hands and sighed deeply.
“I hope not.”
That was all I could say.
It couldn’t be true. It just couldn’t. Right? I still didn’t understand what Cha Jae-woo was thinking. I couldn’t trust what he said. So, I couldn’t be sure of anything.
That’s why I rushed here. Because of this ominous feeling, because I couldn’t fathom why Cha Jae-woo had entered the gate alone last night and hadn’t come out yet.
“Actually, we were considering entering the gate ourselves. Of course, nothing could have happened to Cha Jae-woo Esper, but… the gate hasn’t closed yet.”
As long as an Esper is inside, a gate’s door will not close. Everyone knew this fact. As the man muttered to himself, almost as if talking to no one in particular,
“If he died in there, the door would have closed….”
“What did you say?”
Startled, I suddenly came to my senses at his words. Surprised by my abrupt outburst, the man stammered, “Uh….”
“What do you mean? The door is closing?”
My heart raced with urgency. I couldn’t bear even a moment’s delay, and questions poured out of me. The man finally regained his composure and nodded.
“Yes. Uh… I thought you knew. The gate remaining open is proof that the Esper is safe.”
My racing heart began to calm slightly. But the man offered no further reassurance.
“Of course, if he’s unconscious inside… that could be a problem. We were just about to send in a few Espers to check.”
A vision of Cha Jae-woo’s wavering frequency flashed before my eyes.
Just then, the gate came into view. It was the largest gate I had ever seen. I hesitated, then spoke slowly.
“If an Esper is rampaging inside the gate… would the door still be open?”
It was an absurd thought, but a sudden fear gripped me. What if Cha Jae-woo had foreseen his end? If his chaotic frequency was about to cause a rampage, he might have entered the gate to contain it.
Many said Cha Jae-woo’s rampage would be catastrophic, capable of destroying entire regions or even countries. Rumors swirled, but no one believed he could rampage without consequence. Someone would get hurt, or even killed.
But if it happened inside the gate… If Cha Jae-woo chose to face his final rampage alone inside the gate, to protect others…
“….Well, I’m not sure. There’s no precedent for an Esper entering a gate on the verge of rampaging, but… the door stays open until they die—”
As the man spoke, the car came to a halt. The gate was close, and without a moment’s hesitation, I threw open the car door and rushed toward it.
“Guide!”
No one expected a madman to suddenly appear and rush into the gate.
That madman was me. I dove into the gate without a second thought. My mind was blank, consumed only by the thought that Cha Jae-woo might be facing his rampage alone inside.
No, that can’t be right. Why would Cha Jae-woo make such a choice?
It made no sense, but my body acted on its own. When I came to my senses, I was already inside the gate.
“Haa!”
The gate resembled a cavern. It was vast, dwarfing even the largest gate I had seen before. The towering ceiling and winding rock formations took my breath away.
But what truly gripped me was Cha Jae-woo’s frequency, filling the gate with an overwhelming presence.
“Cha… Cha Jae-woo….”
He couldn’t have chosen to end it all here. Why would he? He could have just kept me by his side, receiving my guidance.
Did he really not know? That despite my protests, I couldn’t turn my back on him?
I couldn’t abandon Cha Jae-woo. If I could, I would have done so long ago. He must have known that, and yet he used me…
My legs trembled, but I forced myself to move. The gate was like a maze, but somehow, I knew where to go.
I walked on, certain that Cha Jae-woo would be at the end of the path.
“….Cha Jae-woo!”
And there he was, just as I had imagined.
Surrounded by a mountain of monsters, Cha Jae-woo was engulfed in a dark, twisted frequency. He turned to me slowly, his eyes vacant.
“Cha Jae-woo….”
A terrible, grotesque frequency surrounded him, unlike anything I had ever seen.
Painpainpainpain.
His frequency screamed with endless pain, but his eyes were empty.
Cha Jae-woo turned to face me fully. I stood frozen, staring at him.
Crackle, snap.
A dark blue frequency flickered in his hand. I bit my lower lip and forced my legs to move.
Cha Jae-woo’s hand rose slowly, as if ready to attack. I rushed toward him.
I knew it was dangerous. Running away would have been the wiser choice. But I chose to run toward him, to reach him before the darkness consumed him completely.
