Chapter 232: Entering the Gate [1] "Alright, buddy," Moon said, patting Mirage’s neck affectionately. "Time to head back. We’ve got an S-rank gate to conquer." Mirage huffed softly, clearly ready for whatever came next. [ Name: Moon ] [ Race: Human ] [ Class: Classless, Tamer ] [ Level: 25 ] [Awaiting Evolution] [ Lives: 24,673 ] [ Strength: 48 ] [ Agility: 48 ] [ Constitution: 53 ] [ Mana: 68 ] (+5 to all stats) [ Attribute Points: 5 ] [ Skills: Elemental Attack, Advanced Elemental Body, Tenacity, Golden Skin, Ignite, Dagger Arts, Rune Inscription, Appraisal, Lightning Raiju, Calmness, Beastmaster ] [ Talent: Grim Reaper ] [ Class Skill: Class Slot {1/1} ] Moon reviewed his status screen as he waited near the gate, standing among the growing assembly of elite awakeners. The bracelet he’d purchased added its +10 Mana to his total, bringing his real total to 83, a mana reserve that no awakener should have. Multiple S-rankers had already gathered in the designated staging area. Out of the ten awakeners who were supposed to participate in this operation, eight were already present, including Moon and Kael. The final two S-rankers arrived ten minutes later, cutting it close but still appearing a few seconds before the scheduled briefing was meant to begin. "They’re here. Gather up, let’s go," Tom said, motioning for Moon and Kael to follow him toward the main assembly point. Moon’s eyes landed on the two figures that had just arrived, and he couldn’t say he wasn’t surprised by what his eyes perceived. Two young children stood before the group. Or rather, they looked exactly like young children, perhaps twelve or thirteen years old at most. Moon immediately dismissed the possibility that they were actual kids since the system didn’t awaken anyone that young. These had to be adults with unusual physical characteristics or some kind of transformation ability. They wore matching outfits, identical combat gear in dark blues and silvers. They both carried swords, the blades proportioned to their smaller frames but clearly S-Rank weapons. Most strikingly, they appeared to be exact copies of each other, identical twins with the same features, same build, and same walk. Ten S-rankers gathered in a loose semicircle around the crackling rift, positioned approximately twenty meters from its unstable surface. Surrounding them were dozens of Evolvers maintaining the perimeter and two Ascenders overseeing the operation, including Tom and the Association representative. Reporters stood afar, filming a historic moment that would either go down as a tragedy that took the lives of ten future powerhouses at once, or a legendary moment where the first S-Rank Gate was cleared. The representative, the same Ascender who’d dismissed Selene’s request earlier, stepped forward to address the assembled team "There isn’t much time left, we’ve already wasted enough hours trying to gather all of you from various locations across multiple zones. Some of you were resting. Others were training. Others were in the First Sanctuary hunting. Some had to be recalled from personal matters." He paused, letting his gaze sweep across each face in the assembled group. "But none of that matters now. What matters is the fact that you are the last hope for this zone and potentially millions of civilian lives. Your predecessors, awakeners with similar strength to yours, died in there. All ten of them. This isn’t a joke. You can’t afford to play around or treat this like a standard dungeon clear." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚 "Naturally," the representative continued, his tone softening slightly, "the gate will also be filled with its own treasures. Natural resources that exist in environments housing S-rank beasts, rare materials, the cores and remains of the beasts themselves. This is an opportunity for those strong enough and smart enough to seize it." He looked at the gate with an expression that mixed wariness and something that might have been respect for the danger it represented. "This gate is not normal. Do not treat it as such. If you fail, then you have failed yourselves, your families, and... humanity. So don’t you dare fail!" Moon could feel his heart thumping harder in his chest, responding to the raw charisma and conviction in the Ascender’s words. ’This guy is no joke, he’s really charismatic when it comes to motivating people for dangerous operations.’ Moon thought, looking at the serious face of the Ascender. "Now, you have ten minutes to introduce yourselves and get to know each other. Basic information only, strengths and capabilities relevant to team coordination. Also, the Association has decided that the captain of this mission will be Grant." He gestured toward a burly man with a massive chest and broad shoulders who stood near the center of the group. The man was easily the largest person present, built like a fortress, with scars visible on his exposed forearms. Grant was the kind of person to leave scars to show his experience, it was a part of his persona. Grant stepped forward as directed, his expression serious and focused. "Grant will be your leader," the representative continued. "He is the oldest among you with the most field experience in high-risk operations. His class also naturally supports a leadership role. You will follow his commands, and you will NOT disobey him. Disobey him, and face the consequences... if you come out of that gate alive, that is. Is that understood?" "Yes, sir!" the S-rankers responded in unison, their voices carrying varying degrees of enthusiasm. Although they all verbally agreed, Moon could sense that none of them were particularly happy with the arrangement. The tension was subtle but present, the natural resistance that strong, independent awakeners felt when suddenly placed under someone else’s authority of similar strength and age. Moon especially felt conflicted about being tied to following a person he’d never met before this moment. Not that he was arrogant, or high on his horse. But Grant could very well lead them to their deaths through poor decisions. But knowing his own strength and advantages, Moon wasn’t particularly worried about his survival. Within two hours, his [Class Slot] skill would refresh and become available for use again. He could copy another S-ranker’s class, potentially gaining powerful new abilities that would make him even more formidable. This gate was actually a blessing in disguise in that respect. It placed him alongside some of the strongest awakeners of his generation, people with rare and powerful classes that he could observe, comprehend, and claim for himself. Moon’s gaze swept across the assembled team, already analyzing who might possess the most valuable abilities to gain. A slight smile crossed his face. ’This is going to be fun.’