Into the Gate

"The Gate Opens, and the World Forgets the Weak"

At the break of dawn, the sky over Gate Zone E pulsed with ominous red light.

A massive circular platform had been raised in the heart of the ruins where the boundary between Earth and the Otherworld had grown thin—an ancient Gate pulsating with power at its center. Ethereal runes drifted in the air above it, cycling through symbols older than language. No birds sang. No wind stirred.

Only silence.

Then came the footsteps—hundreds of them.

Candidates from every slum, sector, and lower district marched in from every direction. Most wore salvaged gear or worn armor inherited from dead siblings. A few, mostly from mid-tier families, strutted in polished kits with freshly awakened abilities flaring around them like banners. And at the center of them all… the noble heirs.

They arrived in formation.

Enforcers pushed the crowd aside to clear the way for them. Long coats fluttered. Emblems of bloodline houses gleamed under the morning light. One by one, they walked to the edge of the platform as if the world belonged to them.

And still, the Gate pulsed.

A voice echoed through the loudspeakers.

> "Welcome, candidates. You stand before the threshold of your future—or your end."

"You will enter through the Gate and be transported to World Fragment 93—an unstable realm filled with beasts, relics, and hostile terrain. Your task is simple: collect as many beast crystals as you can and survive for 48 hours. Return to the Gate before time expires."

"Killing is permitted. Alliances are not enforced. Rankings are based on crystal quality, survival time, and combat value."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Jace stood near the back, his hood pulled low over his face. Kade was beside him, visibly nervous.

"We should've stayed in the ruins," Kade muttered.

Jace didn't respond.

Instead, his eyes locked on Callen Drake, standing smugly near the front with two high-tier awakened trailing him—one of whom already had a crimson glow of fire ki around his fists.

Then his gaze slid past them… and froze.

She stood just behind Callen—taller than most, dressed in obsidian-black armor trimmed in violet. Her long hair was braided tightly, eyes a deep, reflective silver. No emblem on her chest. No visible aura.

But something about her felt... wrong.

Not in a threatening way.

In a familiar one.

She's not normal, Jace thought. She's not like the rest of them.

As if sensing his gaze, she looked up and met his eyes.

For a second, the rest of the world fell away.

And then the Gate flared.

A siren wailed across the ruins.

> "Gate activating in 10… 9…"

A hush fell.

Jace turned back to Kade. "Stick close to the edge when you get in. Avoid the center zones. They'll be bloodbaths."

Kade nodded quickly. "And you?"

Jace pulled his hood tighter.

"I have something to find."

> "…3… 2… 1… ENTER."

---

The Gate exploded in red light.

Dozens of figures were sucked inward—vanishing into beams of twisting energy that launched into the sky like souls ascending.

Jace leapt last.

The world bent.

His body compressed and stretched all at once.

And then—

He slammed into ground.

Hard.

---

The air was thicker here.

He could taste it—iron and ozone. The sky was dark red with streaks of ash-colored clouds. Jagged black trees twisted out of the earth, and the terrain was a mix of volcanic stone and bone-white sand. Far in the distance, a broken moon hung like a sickle in the sky.

This was not a normal world.

Jace landed on a raised outcropping. Around him, dozens of other students were already scattering, forming groups or sprinting for cover. In the distance, monstrous roars echoed—deep, guttural, ancient.

The Forgotten Realm.

He stood, body already shifting into readiness.

And then the system pulsed.

> [Codex Notification]

World Fragment 93 Verified

Forgotten Beast Location: Unknown

Estimated Power Rating: S-Class or higher

Codex Alert: This realm is compatible with advanced blood integration

Suggestion: Track beast aura signatures to locate rare crystal carriers

Jace's eyes narrowed.

He needed crystals—and the bigger the beast, the better the reward.

But that wasn't all.

Somewhere in this world was the creature from his dream. The one the vampire king had shown him.

The one that could unlock the Codex further.

A shadow passed overhead.

Jace looked up just in time to see something massive soaring between the clouds.

Not a dragon.

Not a bird.

Something worse.

Its scream tore through the sky, sending a tremor through the bones of the world.

And then it was gone.

---

Far behind him, screams erupted.

He turned to see a pack of Lesser Ravagers charging through a nearby group of students—beast-tier monsters, Level 12 to 15, with jagged bone armor and razor claws. Their eyes glowed red with frenzy.

The students panicked.

Abilities flared. Fire, wind, shadow, light.

But most didn't have time to react.

One boy was caught mid-leap—ripped in half before he hit the ground.

Jace gritted his teeth.

He had no ability yet. No weapon but instinct.

But if he didn't start earning crystals now, he'd fall behind before the trial even began.

He crouched behind a boulder, analyzing the battlefield.

Three Ravagers. One had already taken wounds. The others were fresh.

Jace spotted a broken glaive half-buried in the dirt nearby—a dead student's arm still clinging to it.

He darted forward, grabbed the weapon, and rolled as a Ravager lunged at him.

Its claws scraped stone.

He rose, spun, and slashed.

The glaive sank deep into its neck.

Not enough.

It shrieked and swung wildly, nearly throwing him back—but he didn't let go.

Instead, Jace kicked off the beast's leg, yanked the glaive free, and drove it into the eye socket.

The Ravager dropped.

> [Codex Notification]

Beast Crystal Acquired: Grade C+

Absorb? [Y/N]

Warning: Absorption without compatible bloodline may trigger mutation or rejection

Jace didn't hesitate.

> Y.

---

Pain hit instantly.

His body arched, blood boiling.

But this time, he welcomed it.

The Codex flared.

Symbols burned down his arms, vanishing into the skin.

His eyes turned red for half a second.

Then the pain stopped.

And he stood.

Alive.

Upgraded.

> Codex Integration: 3%

Passive Trait Unlocked: Enhanced Reflexes I

Strength +1 | Agility +2 | Perception +1

Jace exhaled.

Then turned to the remaining Ravagers.

"Let's see how much blood I need to rise."

"Blood Spills, and the Strong Take Root"

The battlefield was quiet now—if only for a moment.

Two of the Ravagers lay dead. The third stood between Jace and the remains of a fallen group of students, blood dripping from its claws, muscles tensed, breath steaming in the chilled air of the crimson world.

It growled.

Jace stepped forward.

The glaive in his hands felt… lighter. Sharper. Or maybe it was him. The blood crystal he'd absorbed hadn't just enhanced his reflexes—it had awakened something deeper. His thoughts were clearer, like time had stretched for him. He could see the Ravager's balance, its movement, even the subtle twitch in its shoulder before it pounced.

Now.

He ducked under the swipe, pivoted, and swept the glaive across the beast's hind leg. The creature roared in pain, stumbled—

—and Jace was already moving.

He launched forward and stabbed up into its underjaw, driving the blade through the skull.

> [Codex Notification]

Beast Crystal Acquired: Grade C

Absorb? [Y/N]

Crystal Type: Basic – Bone Armor Fragment

Compatibility: 76%

Jace hesitated.

Armor. That could be useful.

> Y.

This time, the Codex didn't burn—it coated. His skin itched, then hardened. Faint gray lines shimmered along his shoulders and spine before vanishing under his shirt.

> Codex Integration: 5%

Passive Trait Unlocked: Bone Armor (Rank F) – reduces physical damage slightly

Agility +1 | Defense +2

He exhaled and looked around.

The other students—those who hadn't fled or died—were staring at him.

Some with awe. Some with fear.

"Was that… two kills solo?" one whispered.

"Who the hell is that guy?"

Jace didn't stay to bask. He turned and sprinted into the forest of ashwood trees beyond the ridge, disappearing into the haze.

---

Elsewhere in the trial zone…

Callen Drake sat atop a boulder as his minions torched a den of Spitter Wolves, their flaming corpses stinking up the wind. He lazily twirled a dagger made of pure fire in his hand, eyes scanning his Codex feed.

"Fifteen crystals already," one of his lackeys reported. "Five of them Grade B."

Callen scoffed. "That all?"

The silver-eyed girl stood a few meters away, silent. She hadn't spoken once since the Gate opened. She'd followed quietly, killed efficiently, and avoided interacting with anyone beyond the bare minimum.

Callen eyed her again, distrust simmering beneath his smirk.

Who is she really?

He approached.

"You've been quiet, Violet."

Her eyes flicked toward him.

"I kill. I don't chatter."

"Tch. Fine by me. Just remember who's leading this squad."

She turned away.

He stepped closer. "You know, if you're looking for a bond partner after the trial—"

"I'm not."

Callen's smile twitched.

Ice bitch.

He didn't push it—yet. But in the back of his mind, he marked her.

Someone to keep an eye on.

Someone… dangerous.

---

Deep beneath the scorched earth, something stirred.

An ancient heartbeat, sealed by forgotten rituals, beat once—twice—then began to quicken.

It felt blood.

It smelled awakening.

And it remembered the Codex.

---

Back in the wilderness, Jace crouched over a small stream of black water, scrubbing the blood from his arms. The Codex's notifications faded from his mind as he let himself breathe—just for a moment.

His system had stabilized at 5% integration. Two passive traits. Some stats gained.

But that wouldn't be enough.

I need an active ability. Something that can keep me alive.

His mind flicked back to the store screen he'd glimpsed after awakening. There were abilities listed there—locked behind crystal costs. Some cheap. Some… not.

He reached into his thoughts, willing the store open.

It shimmered faintly:

---

> [Codex Store – Tier I Access]

Available Crystals: 2 (C+, C)

1. Blood Fang Slash – 2 C Crystals – [Unlock: Yes/No]

2. Hunter's Insight (Enhanced Tracking) – 1 C+ Crystal – [Unlock: Yes/No]

3. Crimson Step (Burst Movement) – 3 B Crystals – [Locked]

4. Bloodline Echo (Clone Projection) – 1 A Crystal – [Locked]

---

Jace selected Blood Fang Slash.

> [Ability Unlocked – Blood Fang Slash]

A short-range blood strike that releases a razor arc of condensed blood energy.

Scales with Strength and Ki. Requires internal Codex flow to activate.

Note: Overuse before 10% integration may damage internal channels.

Jace clenched his fist.

He could feel the skill—coiled in his core like a predator ready to strike. Not some button to press. Not something handed to him. This was his blood reshaped into a weapon.

He stood.

Ahead, something growled.

Jace turned just in time to see a beast lurch out of the trees.

Not a Ravager.

This one was bigger.

[Enemy Identified: Goreback Thrasher – Level 19 – Tier: High D-Class]

Its back was armored with bone ridges, tusks curved from its cheeks, and saliva hissed off the black stone as it stalked toward him.

Its combat power was double that of the Ravagers.

But Jace didn't run.

Instead, he whispered, "Let's test it, then."

The beast charged.

Jace raised his hand—and cut.

A crimson arc burst from his fingertips, slicing forward like a blade of screaming wind.

It struck the Thrasher across the snout, carving a deep line through its hide. Blood sprayed.

The beast shrieked in pain and rage.

Jace darted aside, rolled, and came up behind it. His glaive found flesh again—piercing just beneath the armor plate near its rib.

The Thrasher bucked hard, throwing him back. He skidded across the ground and slammed into a tree, ribs cracking.

Pain exploded in his chest.

> Warning: Internal Damage Detected

Codex Flow Disrupted – Rest Recovery Required

Jace spit blood and stood anyway.

"Not yet," he growled.

The Thrasher turned, snarling.

It charged again.

Jace waited. Let it get close.

Then stepped through it.

His body blurred. Not quite teleportation—but Crimson Step's echo. Just a flicker of movement faster than instinct.

The beast missed.

Jace landed behind it and buried the glaive into its neck—deep.

> [Beast Crystal Acquired – Grade B]

Absorb? [Y/N]

Crystal Type: Bone Surge – Strength Boost

Compatibility: 94%

> Y.

His body roared.

Pain. Fire. Ice. Then—

Strength.

> Codex Integration: 9%

Passive Trait Upgraded: Bone Armor → Bone Surge Armor (Rank E)

Active Boost Unlocked: Strength Surge (temporary buff, 30 seconds)

Strength +2 | Defense +2

Jace dropped to his knees, panting.

But he smiled.

This world was killing people every second.

And he was growing.

"Even Predators Cast Shadows"

The second sun rose above the world fragment's horizon, a pale white orb that never blinked. Its glow mixed with the blood-red sky, washing the world in an eerie violet hue. Somewhere in the distance, another Gate shard pulsed, marking the central rendezvous zone.

Jace sat beneath a ridge of jagged rock, wrapping his side with scrap bandage pulled from a fallen looter's satchel. His ribs ached with every breath, but the Codex's passive regeneration was already working beneath the skin. The stolen strength from the Goreback Thrasher hummed like electricity in his bones.

> Codex Integration: 9%

Next Threshold: 10% (System Advancement Locked)

"One more," he muttered. "Just need one more crystal…"

But something wasn't right.

The air felt heavier. Not from the beast blood or injuries—something else. The forest had gone too quiet. No birds. No roars. No chatter from rival teams in the distance.

Just… silence.

And it wasn't the good kind.

---

Far across the zone, Callen Drake sliced down the final member of a rival squad, his dagger soaked in flame and blood. Two of his enforcers were scavenging their corpses for crystals when the screams started.

Real screams.

Not pain.

Terror.

By the time Callen turned around, one of his own was already gone—dragged backward into the shadows, limbs flailing before vanishing completely.

"What the—!?"

Then the second fell. A snap of bone, a choked gasp—and silence.

A figure emerged from the mist. Cloaked in black, its face obscured by a tattered veil, its hands dripping with red mist.

It didn't walk. It floated.

Callen raised his dagger, flame bursting to life.

"Who the hell are you?!"

No answer.

The shadow drifted forward.

Callen slashed.

The flame licked across the figure's chest—and passed through. No burn. No damage. Just cold.

Then the shadow struck.

Callen's world exploded into pain as a clawed hand slammed into his gut. He flew backward into a tree and slumped, gasping.

His attacker reached down… and yanked a glowing crystal straight from his fallen guard's chest.

A system prompt blinked in the air above the corpse:

> [Crystal Extraction – Unauthorized Codex Detected]

Then it vanished.

Callen's vision dimmed.

What the hell is that thing…?

And then darkness took him.

---

Back near the outer ridge, Jace moved cautiously now. Every step forward was one measured in instinct. The trees whispered, not with wind, but with presence—something unnatural in the air.

And then he saw her.

The silver-eyed girl stood alone on a ridge, her obsidian armor stained in beast blood. Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes glowed faintly in the violet light. She was watching him.

No, waiting.

He approached slowly, hand resting on the glaive at his back.

"I've seen you," she said before he spoke. "Twice now. The Ravagers. And the Thrasher."

Jace nodded. "And I've seen you do nothing."

Her lips quirked. "I do plenty. Just not around witnesses."

That gave him pause.

"…Who are you?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she tilted her head. "Do you hear it?"

Jace listened.

Far off, a shrill keening noise echoed. Almost like wind. But sharper. Hungry.

"What is that?" he asked.

Her voice was soft now. "It's hunting the ones with potential. It drinks blood. But not for nourishment. It takes… memories."

Jace narrowed his eyes. "You've seen it?"

"I've fought it."

That made him pause. "And lived?"

She nodded. "Barely. It doesn't care about the trial. It's not part of this world."

"…Then what is it?"

She turned to him fully.

"The same thing you are."

That froze Jace in place. "What?"

"You have the Codex."

His heart skipped.

Her voice remained calm, but her eyes searched him like she could see every secret. "I saw it in the symbols. I felt it when you absorbed your first crystal. You're like me."

"You have it too?" he asked, cautiously.

A pause. Then—

"No. But I carry something older."

She reached toward him—slowly, deliberately.

Not with malice. With curiosity.

"Your blood isn't human anymore. It's trying to remember something. Something ancient."

Jace stepped back.

But then the ground shook.

Trees shattered a hundred meters to the east.

The violet sky darkened.

And from the smoke, the shadow emerged again.

The figure glided toward them—silent, hovering inches above the earth.

Jace felt his system scream inside him.

> [Warning – Hostile Entity Detected]

Designation: Nullblood Shade

Tier: ???

Codex Corruption Source: Active

Kill Reward: ??? | Crystal Value: Unique]

Estimated Kill Chance: 4.7%

The silver-eyed girl drew her sword. It shimmered with runes unlike anything Jace had seen—glyphs that spoke to the blood in his veins.

"It's hunting us now," she said.

Jace steadied his stance, glaive in hand.

"I'm not ready."

She smiled faintly. "Neither was I the first time."

And then the Shade shrieked.

Its body exploded in a burst of shadow mist and launched toward them, faster than thought.

Jace activated Blood Fang Slash—the crimson arc whirling toward it, cutting through mist—

—but doing nothing to the creature's core.

It slammed into him.

Jace flew backward, struck a tree, and dropped.

Pain surged.

> Health Critical

System Alert: Fatal Damage Imminent

Then a sword gleamed through the smoke.

The silver-eyed girl slashed upward, her blade tearing through the Shade's midsection. For a split second, the veil dropped—

—and Jace saw a skull face beneath. Hollow. Hungry. Ancient.

Then it vanished again.

The Shade screeched and darted back into the trees.

Gone.

For now.

---

Jace groaned and forced himself to stand.

The girl helped him up.

"You saw it, didn't you?" she asked quietly. "Its face."

Jace nodded.

"I think it remembers you," she said.

"…Why?"

She looked at him.

"Because that thing was made to hunt Codex bearers. And until today… they thought there weren't any left."