Gates

After leaving the room, William led Alex down a long, secured corridor. Alex immediately noticed that the security in this section of the facility was unusually high, even for the Ironhart family. Guards in high-tech exosuits stood at attention, armed with weapons Alex had never seen before. Surveillance drones hovered silently above, scanning everything with precision. The walls were lined with complex mechanisms, and some doors required multiple biometric scans to open.

As they continued walking, Alex's mind wandered back to his recent revelations. He still hadn't fully processed what had happened in the pod—the system, Sylvie, and his past life as a 'pioneer.' Though the system had revealed only fragments, it was enough to shake his understanding of reality.

Finally, they arrived at a massive door, reinforced with layers of an unknown alloy. William stopped in front of it and turned to Alex.

"This is something very few people in the world have ever seen," William said, his expression unreadable. "Brace yourself."

He placed his hand on a scanner, and the door slowly slid open with a deep mechanical hum. Inside, the air was different—charged, almost electric. The room was dimly lit, but at its center stood something that made Alex's breath catch in his throat.

A crack in space and time.

It was like a wound in reality itself, twisting and shifting, its edges pulsating with a faint glow. The very air around it seemed distorted, as if light and gravity obeyed different rules in its vicinity.

William walked forward, standing before the anomaly. "This," he said, "is what we call a gate."

Alex stepped closer, his gaze fixed on the shifting crack. He could feel an unseen force tugging at him, as though something beyond was calling him.

William continued. "This gate appeared approximately two months ago. So far, we've identified two types of gates. The first is what we call a 'Mana Gate.'" He gestured toward the crack. "Like this one. Currently, it holds no value because people can't enter it. No one has managed to breach its boundaries yet. More importantly, some allow a strange energy to pass through them."

Alex frowned. "And the second?"

"The second type is a 'Mineral Gate,'" William said. "These are far more useful to us. They allow us to collect rare minerals—substances we've never seen before. Some of them exhibit properties that defy known physics."

"Energy?" Alex asked.

William nodded. "Something we don't yet fully understand. We've had researchers analyze it, but it doesn't behave like normal energy waves. Some suspect it might be a form of exotic radiation, but we can't be certain."

Alex's eyes narrowed as he absorbed the information. "And these mineral gates… are they dangerous?"

"So far, no," William said. "The ones we've found appear calm, with no detected life forms inside. They seem like empty landscapes—silent and untouched."

Alex folded his arms. "And how many of these gates have appeared?"

"Currently, there are about thirty confirmed gates worldwide," William revealed. "But we suspect there maybe more. Governments are keeping the information under strict control. The general public knows nothing."

Alex let out a slow breath, staring at the shifting gate before him. "And you're telling me this because…?"

William's expression darkened slightly. "Because you need to know what's happening in this world. Things are changing, Alex. And I have a feeling they're going to change faster than we expect."

Alex was about to respond when he suddenly thought of Sylvie. He called out to the system mentally, and after a brief moment, the ethereal figure of Sylvie appeared before him. Time froze, the surroundings darkening slightly.

(Sylvie: You called, host?)

Alex nodded. "These gates… what exactly are they?"

(Sylvie: The one before you? A mere prototype. A fragment of something greater. It is merely the beginning of what's to come.)

Alex frowned. "Explain."

(Sylvie: The gates are preparing the world. Increasing its mana quality. You could say they're upgrading this planet so that the real event can begin.)

Alex's unease grew. "The real event?"

(Sylvie: The 'Universe Cradle.' A grand stage where only the worthy may tread. But that is not for you to know… yet.)

Alex scowled. "You're being cryptic on purpose, aren't you?"

(Sylvie: Of course. Information must be earned, not given.)

"Fine," Alex muttered. "Then what's the purpose of the system?"

(Sylvie: For now? To make you qualified. To prepare you. I will issue quests and provide you with tools. Whether you succeed or fail is up to you.)

A window materialized before Alex, displaying various options:

[Status]

[Roulette Points: 100 (Beginner Gift)]

[Roulette Wheel]

[Quests]

[Shop: Locked]

Alex's gaze landed on the "Status" tab. He hesitated, then clicked on it. Another window popped up:

Name: Alexander Ironhart

Age: 20

EXP: None

Strength: 5 (Comment: Better than nothing?)

Agility: 7 (Comment: Faster than a small car, but not impressive.)

Physique: 5 (Comment: Maybe you won't die if hit by a rubber bullet?)

Intelligence: 8 (Comment: Studious to the bone.)

Charm: 3 (Comment: Even a zombie has higher charm than you.)

Alex's eye twitched. "The hell is with these comments?"

(Sylvie: Oh? You actually read them? Fascinating.)

"I mean, they're right there! Why wouldn't I read them?!"

(Sylvie: You're free to ignore them, of course. But where's the fun in that?)

Alex exhaled sharply, deciding to drop the topic. He returned his attention to his father, who was watching him closely.

William's gaze was unreadable. "You suddenly spaced out. Did something happen?"

Alex hesitated before shaking his head. "No, just… processing everything."

William nodded but didn't pry further. Instead, he turned his attention back to the gate. "Alex, I need you to understand something. These gates are changing the world, and we don't know how deep this rabbit hole goes. But if history has taught us anything, it's that secrecy never lasts forever. Eventually, the truth will come out."