Chapter 250: Inside The S-Rank Gate

Chapter 250: Chapter 250: Inside The S-Rank Gate

The moment the expedition began, the assembled Awakeners started moving toward the enormous Gate, with the three guild masters at the forefront and Yoon Tae-ho walking alongside them. Hundreds of meters away, the swirling deep-blue surface of the Gate continued to ripple like an ocean suspended in midair, its dense mana pressing against the surroundings with an almost tangible weight.

Kang Ji-hoon walked with a composed expression, his hands resting casually at his sides, while Yoon Ha-eun occasionally exchanged a few words with Park Tae-hyun, who towered over the people around him. Despite their relaxed appearances, all three were experienced S-Rank Awakeners who understood the dangers of entering an S-Rank Gate better than most. Their conversation gradually faded as they approached the entrance, and one by one, the Awakeners behind them stepped into the swirling blue light.

Ares followed without hesitation.

The instant he crossed the Gate’s threshold, the scenery around him changed completely.

The vast gathering area outside the Gate vanished, replaced by an endless expanse of barren land stretching toward a distant horizon. The ground beneath their feet consisted of dry, cracked earth covered by layers of pale sand, while enormous dunes rose and fell across the landscape like the frozen waves of a desolate ocean. Jagged rock formations protruded from the sand at irregular intervals, their weathered surfaces bearing the marks of countless years of erosion, and the distant air shimmered beneath a scorching sun that hung high above the wasteland.

There was scarcely any vegetation to be seen, save for a few clusters of thorny plants scattered between the rocks, their twisted branches appearing almost black against the pale surroundings. A dry wind swept across the desert, carrying grains of sand that scraped against armor and clothing, while the occasional hollow sound echoed from somewhere beneath the dunes, suggesting that the seemingly lifeless landscape was anything but empty.

The mana in the atmosphere was considerably denser than that of the outside world, though its composition felt somewhat different from what Ares had encountered in other Gates. Beneath that oppressive energy lay countless faint presences, some barely distinguishable from the surrounding mana while others radiated an unmistakable hostility that made even the more experienced Awakeners instinctively tighten their grips on their weapons.

One of the Awakeners near the rear of the formation surveyed the barren landscape with a wary expression, his eyes moving between the dunes and the dark crevices scattered throughout the rocky terrain.

"I heard that this place is crawling with poisonous and venomous monsters," he remarked, lowering his voice as though the creatures might emerge simply because he had mentioned them. "Apparently, some of them can deliver enough venom to kill an ordinary B-Rank Awakener within seconds, while others release poisonous substances capable of weakening even those with considerably stronger constitutions."

The man beside him adjusted the straps of his armor before looking toward the distant dunes.

"That is what the preliminary reports indicated. Most of the monsters are believed to be B-Rank or A-Rank, but their abilities make them considerably more troublesome than their classifications suggest. Physical strength alone won’t be enough to deal with some of them, especially if we encounter species that can attack from underground or release poison over a wide area."

"Which is precisely why the Association requested several S-Rank Awakeners for this expedition," another participant interjected. "According to the information we received, the boss inhabiting this Gate is powerful enough that sending a single S-Rank Awakener would be considered an unnecessarily dangerous gamble. Even if the surrounding monsters are manageable individually, their numbers and the environment could easily turn the expedition into a disaster."

His companions exchanged uneasy glances.

"Let’s hope the reports are accurate. I would rather not discover that the monsters here are stronger than expected after we’ve already wandered into their territory."

Their conversation continued in subdued voices as the Awakeners spread out across the sand, checking their equipment and ensuring that the members of their respective teams were still present. Although the initial assessment had suggested that the expedition would be relatively straightforward for a force of this size, none of the experienced participants appeared foolish enough to treat an S-Rank Gate as an ordinary hunting ground.

Ares listened to their conversation without showing much interest, his gaze traveling across the expansive desert as he quietly assessed the environment.

’There are forty Awakeners in total, most of whom are B-Rank or A-Rank at best, while the four S-Rank Awakeners are expected to handle anything that exceeds their capabilities. Considering the scale of the Gate, the Association has assembled a fairly reasonable force, although the effectiveness of that arrangement will depend entirely on how well they cooperate.’

His eyes briefly settled on Kang Ji-hoon, who was speaking with several members of the Association near the front of the formation.

’Now that I think about it, isn’t he the only officially designated National Awakener in South Korea?’

Ares studied the man more carefully, allowing his True Sight to perceive the underlying structure of his mana and the abilities concealed within his body. The information he had heard before entering the Gate returned to his mind, particularly the reports concerning Kang Ji-hoon’s specialization in gravitational magic.

’Gravitation magic, huh?’

The surrounding mana shifted subtly as Ares examined him, revealing the intricate arrangement of energy that supported the guild master’s abilities. It was certainly a powerful specialization, one capable of exerting tremendous pressure over a designated area, restraining opponents through overwhelming force, and potentially crushing even formidable monsters beneath an invisible weight. In the hands of someone with Kang Ji-hoon’s level of mana control, such an ability could become devastating.

Nevertheless, after observing him for a few moments, Ares could not help feeling slightly disappointed.

A faint smile appeared on his face as he withdrew his attention, finding the comparison between Kang Ji-hoon and the people under his command rather amusing.

’Compared to Aurora, he still has a considerable distance to cover.’

The thought brought to mind the Four Black Roses, whose abilities had developed far beyond what ordinary Awakeners could reasonably imagine. Among them, Aurora stood at the pinnacle, her strength rivaling that of Vhan and Vince despite their exceptional standing within the Eclipsed Order.

’Her abilities are not limited to manipulating mana or controlling the battlefield through conventional techniques. The Authority of the Calamity Behemoth has elevated her power to a level where she could destroy an entire world if she were to unleash it without restraint. Even her ordinary attacks possess a destructive capacity that would make most S-Rank Awakeners appear insignificant by comparison.’

Ares’s smile deepened slightly as he considered the absurdity of the situation.

’To think that I am raising monsters like them in another world.’

The thought was not entirely an exaggeration, considering the terrifying capabilities of the individuals he had gathered under his banner. Aurora was only one example, and the remaining members of the Four Black Roses were hardly any less troublesome when it came to their respective specialties.

Octavia, for instance, could manifest countless swords imbued with different destructive properties, each weapon possessing a unique effect that made her attacks extraordinarily difficult to defend against. Even a high-level barrier might prove ineffective if it lacked the specific properties required to withstand the particular effect carried by one of her blades, and the sheer number of swords she could control made confronting her a nightmare for anyone who relied on conventional defensive techniques.

Herrera was equally troublesome, although her abilities operated on a completely different principle.

’Her threads are practically a cheat in their own right. The precision with which she manipulates them, combined with their extraordinary durability and versatility, allows her to restrain an opponent before they even realize they have been caught. If she were to focus entirely on controlling a single target, she could immobilize one of the Four Black Roses for several seconds, and that brief opening would be more than enough for her to turn the battle in her favor.’

The true danger of Herrera’s abilities lay not merely in the strength of her threads but in the manner in which she controlled them. She could alter their tension, trajectory, and arrangement with astonishing precision, transforming an apparently harmless network of filaments into a battlefield-spanning trap capable of restricting movement, disrupting attacks, and controlling an opponent’s options before the fight had properly begun.

Leonora, meanwhile, was an entirely different kind of opponent, one whom Ares considered nearly as troublesome as Vhan and Vince.

’Her ability to copy an opponent’s powers makes her particularly dangerous, especially when she has sufficient time to understand the nature of the abilities she is attempting to reproduce. Raw strength alone would not guarantee victory against her, since every additional ability she acquires expands the range of options available to her. Even Aurora would have to approach a confrontation with Leonora carefully rather than relying solely on the overwhelming destructive force at her disposal.’

Ares allowed his thoughts to settle as he continued examining the desert.

The four women possessed abilities that differed considerably in nature, yet each of them had reached a level where ordinary classifications were no longer particularly meaningful. Their strengths were not interchangeable, and their combat capabilities varied depending on their opponents, but together, they represented a collection of powers that could overwhelm forces far larger than themselves.

For a brief moment, Ares wondered how the Association’s analysts would react if they were ever given the opportunity to examine the true capabilities of the Eclipsed Order’s elite.

He quickly dismissed the thought.

There was little reason to concern himself with what ordinary Awakeners might think of his subordinates, particularly when the organization itself remained concealed from the world.

Before he could continue his assessment, a low rumbling sound emerged from somewhere beneath the desert floor.

At first, it was faint enough to be mistaken for the distant movement of shifting sand, but the vibration gradually intensified until the ground beneath the Awakeners’ feet began to tremble. Fine grains of sand slid down the nearest dunes, while several of the more perceptive participants immediately turned toward the source of the disturbance.

"What was that?"

"Something is moving beneath us!"

The warning had barely left the man’s mouth when the sand ahead of the formation erupted.

A gigantic scorpion burst from beneath the dunes, throwing an enormous cloud of sand into the air as its armored body emerged into the sunlight. Its appearance was grotesque even by the standards of dungeon monsters, with a thick, segmented exoskeleton covered in dark brown and black chitin, each plate overlapping the next like layers of reinforced armor. Its eight legs ended in curved, razor-sharp points that dug into the ground with every movement, allowing the creature to support its immense weight while advancing across the unstable sand.

Its body alone measured several meters in length, and its massive pincers were large enough to seize a fully grown human and crush them within their serrated grips. Behind its abdomen rose a long, segmented tail that arched high above its body, ending in a curved stinger whose glossy surface glistened with a sickly green substance. Even from a distance, the venom coating its tip was unmistakable, and the faint vapor escaping from it suggested that a single wound could be considerably more dangerous than an ordinary physical injury.

The scorpion’s head was protected by a thick carapace, beneath which several clusters of small, dark eyes reflected the sunlight. Its mandibles clicked together as it surveyed the intruders, while the sharp movements of its pincers produced a grating sound that carried across the desert.

However, the first creature was merely the beginning.

The sand surrounding the expedition began to churn as more enormous bodies forced their way toward the surface, their armored backs breaking through the dunes one after another. Within moments, the Awakeners found themselves facing a swarm of giant scorpions, each several meters long, with the largest specimens approaching the size of a small vehicle. Their tails rose above the shifting sand like a forest of poisonous spears, and the clicking of their pincers blended into an unsettling chorus that echoed across the wasteland.

"Scorpions! We’ve got a whole swarm coming from the front!"

"Don’t let them surround us! Watch the ground beneath your feet, and keep your distance from those stingers!"

The sudden appearance of so many monsters immediately drew the attention of the three guild masters. Kang Ji-hoon stepped forward, his expression becoming noticeably more serious as he surveyed the approaching swarm, while Yoon Ha-eun and Park Tae-hyun began assessing the terrain and the positions of their respective teams.

"We’ll divide into three groups and attack from separate directions," Kang Ji-hoon ordered, his voice carrying clearly across the battlefield. "The first group will advance from the left, the second will flank them from the right, and the third group will engage them from the front under my command. Keep your formations intact, and do not allow the scorpions to break through into the rear. Above all, avoid their stingers; I don’t want anyone getting careless simply because their opponents appear manageable."

Yoon Ha-eun immediately began directing the Awakeners assigned to her group, ensuring that the ranged attackers positioned themselves behind the frontline fighters while those with defensive abilities prepared to support their advance. On the opposite side, Park Tae-hyun issued similar instructions, his deep voice cutting through the growing commotion as he ordered his people to maintain their spacing and focus their attacks on the creatures’ vulnerable joints.

The Awakeners responded quickly, splitting into the three designated groups and moving into position before the swarm could reach them. Weapons were drawn, spells began to form between outstretched hands, and the mana surrounding the participants stirred as their abilities were prepared for combat.

Ares, however, remained where he was.

While the others organized themselves for the impending battle, he stood several paces away from the nearest group, observing the approaching monsters with the same composed expression he had worn since entering the Gate. He had no intention of interfering before it became necessary, particularly when the expedition had been organized to allow the Association and the participating guilds to demonstrate their own capabilities.

His presence did not go unnoticed.

"Hey, look at that guy," one of the Awakeners muttered, glancing toward Ares while tightening his grip on his weapon. "Everyone else is preparing for the fight, but he’s just standing there. Is he seriously planning to fight those things bare-handed?"

Another man followed his gaze, recognizing the unfamiliar face from the gathering outside the Gate.

"Wait, I heard something about him from Director Han. Apparently, he’s an S-Rank Awakener who was recently registered with the Association."

"An S-Rank? Seriously? Then why haven’t I heard anything about him before? Someone of that caliber should have been all over the news by now, especially with how much attention the media gives to newly registered S-Rank Awakeners."

"Maybe the Association is keeping his information confidential for the time being," a third Awakener suggested, lowering his voice as he glanced around to make sure no one from the leadership had overheard them. "I heard Director Han himself admitted that he doesn’t fully understand the nature of Tae-ho’s abilities. Apparently, they’re unusual enough that even the Association hasn’t been able to determine their precise classification."

The first man raised an eyebrow, looking at Ares with renewed curiosity.

"That sounds suspiciously vague. Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand what you heard?"

"That’s what I was told, although I don’t know how much of it is accurate. Either way, the Association is supposed to make an official announcement tomorrow, so we’ll probably learn more about him soon enough."

Their conversation ended when a commanding voice rang out from the front of the formation.

"All groups, prepare to engage! Maintain your positions and wait for the signal. Do not waste your abilities before the monsters enter effective range!"

The Awakeners immediately abandoned their conversation and turned their attention toward the approaching swarm. Frontline fighters lowered their centers of gravity and raised their weapons, ranged attackers began gathering mana for their opening strikes, and those responsible for support prepared to reinforce the formation as soon as the fighting began.

Kang Ji-hoon stood at the head of the central group, his gaze fixed on the enormous scorpions advancing across the sand.

"Hold your positions!" he shouted. "Let them come closer, then strike together. We have the advantage in numbers and coordination, so use it properly. Do not let a single creature slip past our formation!"

The scorpions continued their advance, their massive pincers opening and closing as their venomous tails swayed above their armored bodies. The ground trembled beneath their weight, and the distance between the two sides steadily narrowed until the Awakeners could clearly distinguish the jagged edges of their pincers and the poisonous fluid dripping from their stingers.

Ares watched the approaching monsters with quiet interest.

’They seem capable of handling this much, at least. I’ll intervene if the situation becomes serious, but there’s no reason to take the opportunity away from them before they’ve even had a chance to fight.’

His eyes moved briefly across the three groups, noting their positioning and the way the guild masters had distributed their forces. The formation was not perfect, but it was reasonable for a first engagement, and the Awakeners appeared sufficiently disciplined to respond to their leaders’ commands.

Whether that discipline would survive once the battlefield descended into chaos remained to be seen.

For now, Ares intended to observe.

Kang Ji-hoon raised one hand, waiting until the leading scorpions had advanced far enough for the entire formation to strike at once. The creatures lowered their bodies and accelerated across the sand, their claws scraping against the ground as they closed the remaining distance.

"Now! Attack!"

The command rang across the desert.

The first group surged forward from the left, unleashing a coordinated barrage of magic and weapon strikes against the approaching swarm, while the second group attacked from the right in an attempt to draw the creatures’ attention away from the center. At the same time, Kang Ji-hoon led the third group directly into the fray, gravitational mana beginning to gather around him as the first wave of giant scorpions rushed toward their formation.

The battle had begun.