Gates, as we know, are inter-dimensional rifts from which monsters emerge, and Awakeners are the ones who saved humanity as a whole.

But there was a hidden page, one that remained widely unpublished. In this world, it was impossible for Awakeners to earn Destiny Points. However, there was still an incentive for them to enter these gates.

Inside the gates, they had the opportunity to level up their talents!

They couldn't earn karma, but by killing monsters, they could strengthen only their talents. This was the reason Awakeners ventured into the gates, actively seeking them out for the hunt.

The world wasn't all sunshine and righteousness, and Awakeners weren't naive. Those who were had already perished in the worlds they traveled to.

And where there is absolute power, there will always be a dark side.

"So, you guys want to go here?"

Eryke pointed at the cross mark with a skull emoji on the piece of paper, his mind filled with bewilderment.

"Yes."

The woman nodded.

"..."

Eryke glanced behind her. Two brawny men in military vests stood there, along with a skinny man wearing glasses. The second woman dressed more casually—a simple oversized t-shirt and short pants.

She looked rather cute in it, and Eryke couldn't help but steal another glance at her.

"Do you know?"

Eryke met her gaze in silence.

"No."

With that, he turned around and left.

"I'm also a foreigner here. Ask the locals," he added with a dismissive wave of his hand.

But before he could walk any farther, a loud voice made him pause.

"Hey, you! Who are you to look at me!?"

The woman in the oversized t-shirt and short pants bent forward, placing both hands on her hips as she made a provocative expression.

Eryke looked at her silently, then turned around and left.

"I don't want to deal with a brat. It'll just give me a headache," he muttered in his heart.

"You…" Seeing Eryke act like this took the woman slightly by surprise.

"It's fine. Let him go. We shouldn't bother a civilian for no reason, Luna."

Luna jerked her head back and let out a low "hmph."

"Let's go, Belle."

Without another care, she walked away.

Watching Luna's retreating figure, Belle sighed before silently following her.

The two brawny men remained stern as they followed, while the skinny man hesitated. He gripped the compass hidden in his pocket, his teeth clenched, before finally stepping forward to join them.

Whistle!

With a rustling of the wind, Eryke breezed through the forest, closing his eyes. The scent of nature filled the air, the wind brushing against his threadbare tunic, making his sleeves flutter as if floating.

It was a satisfying experience.

Landing gracefully on the ground, he stretched his body, then glanced around.

"Hmm… Those people looked strong. What are they doing here?"

If Eryke were just an ordinary person, he might not have been able to sense anything unusual about them. But he was no longer ordinary—he was Awakened.

'I am an SSS-Rank Awakener, after all. How could I not know?' Eryke muttered. 'I can sense it, two of them, that woman in the oversized t-shirt and the lean man, have mana. As for the other three… they give off an explosive presence.'

He tugged at his chin thoughtfully.

He was certain the first two were Awakeners. As for the other three, it was more of a hunch. But at the same time, a question surfaced in his mind:

Why are they here?

This place was in the middle of nowhere. Although close to an urban area, there was nothing of value here.

Unless, of course, it was a…

"Gate."

Eryke turned to his left, his eyes widening as he sensed turbulence in the air.

"A Gate…? Here? In the middle of nowhere?"

He could walk away without getting involved if he wanted to… but—

Curiosity got the better of him.

Following the flow of energy in the air, Eryke moved swiftly, guided by the disturbance in the molecules. Finally, he arrived—standing before a dark, abyss-like void, a chakra-shaped distortion in space.

"Is this… a Gate?"

He looked down at his trembling hands.

Suddenly, a memory flashed through his mind, a scene that he vividly remembered, one that was etched into his mind.

[Past scene]

A raging inferno.

Flames of destruction consumed everything. He lay on the ground, twisting and writhing in the ground from grave injury as a car pinned his body.

The screams of men, women, and children echoed all around him.

A gate had broken in the city completely unknown and the monsters had wreaked havoc, although the Awakeners had taken care of the monster, there was still chaos everywhere...