Tabaki's eyes widened. "Look the Gate! It's opening…"
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Phones lifted, voices rose in a rush of murmurs and excitement.
A voice crackled through their comms and overhead speakers Redman.
"Eyes up, everyone. Gate's opening. That's enough fan-greeting, newbies. Squad, gather. We move out now."
The Twins turned at once. The sister calmly placed a hand on Nathan's shoulder.
"That's our cue. Let's go. Don't waste your time on him."
"Finally," Ryo muttered, cracking his knuckles. "Been itching to test myself. You ready, Nathan?"
Nathan's smile slowly returned, sharp and composed. "Can't wait," he said mockingly.
But just before he turned, he leaned in behind Gin's shoulder, voice low, cold, and venom-laced:
"You'll always be in my shadow. You hear me?"
Then he walked away.
The wind howled the moment the Gate yawned open.
A roar, like a storm trapped in a tunnel, surged outward as the air warped and light distorted in shimmering waves. The Gate, a silver-blue archway split wider, revealing swirling chaos beyond: twisted terrain, floating rock fragments, and thick, unnatural mist curling like breath from another dimension
The crowd gasped, phones trembling in raised hands, hair whipped wild by the gusts. Some fans clung to barricades, wide-eyed; others shrieked and stumbled backward.
The air shimmered with invisible pressure, thick with tension. A low-frequency hum had already begun inaudible to ordinary ears, but powerful enough to stir the very fabric of reality. The Activator Team stood in a precise half-circle formation, their hands moving fluidly across high-tech speaker panels that pulsed with iridescent light. These weren't just machines they were finely tuned instruments of resonance.
Each member of the team was more than a technician; they were genetically gifted with sound-based abilities, able to generate and manipulate frequencies through their bodies. Paired with their gear, they acted as living keys sound engineers and rhythm-code specialists, trained for one purpose:
To open gates without tearing the world apart.
They operated using sub-audible frequencies sounds not heard by the human ear, but felt deep within the bones. Each gate rank demanded a precisely tuned sequence, one meticulously calibrated to match the gate's internal resonance. Even the slightest deviation in pitch or rhythm could cause the gate to collapse entirely, disappearing and reappearing in another location."
"Frequency holding steady. 73.4 decibels below auditory threshold, but live," murmured one of the technicians, her voice muffled through a distortion mic as data flickered across her visor.
From a distance, Director Im cupped both hands around his mouth and called out, his voice a strange contrast against the scientific precision around him.
"We are good to go!"
Behind him, the primary control tower blinked green, confirming full stabilization.
Redman stood at the edge of the open Gate, the roar of the dimensional winds whipping around him. Without turning, he waited for the new recruits to fall in line behind the main team.
the wind from the threshold tugging at his hero suit, its fabric pinned with the crimson emblem of his guild a salamander wreathed in flame. Without turning, he raised a slow thumbs-up. The gesture wasn't merely a form of communication it was a tradition, a ritual passed down through generations of Gatewalkers, also known as adventurers.
His stance was unshakable, feet rooted like stone, eyes locked on the swirling unknown beyond. Though the dimensional winds roared, his pulse—his flame—remained steady.perfectly synchronized with the gate's resonance
"Before we move," he said, his voice firm yet steady, "Seris. Babu. Jaxx. Let's do an excellent job out there and let's all come back… alive."
A pause followed. A quiet, heavy silence settled over the group.
They weren't just doing this for themselves.
Somewhere in the ICU, Freeze their former teammate was fighting a different kind of battle. Everyone knew what that meant. A mission gone wrong had taken him off the field, maybe for good.
And Handyman... no one said it out loud, but the odds weren't kind.
This mission was for them, too.
Babu stepped forward. His voice was low but unwavering.
"Shavah Sha'el," he said.
A single phrase. A sacred gesture.
A farewell. A blessing. A vow.
A tribute to a brother who could no longer walk beside them whether through injury… or death.
One by one, the others followed.
"Shavah Sha'el."
"Shavah Sha'el."
"Shavah Sha'el."
Redman turned, just slightly. His eyes were sharp, focused.
"I want everyone returning alive and well. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir!" they echoed in unison, the weight of the moment grounding them.
Just then, Nathan, Ryo, and Syan approached the main group.
Redman's gaze narrowed.
"What happened back there?" Redman asked, his tone even but pointed. "Nathan, your mood shifted it was obvious. Trouble with a fan?"
Nathan said nothing, eyes avoiding contact. He gave a small shrug, trying to brush it off.
Ryo stepped in quickly, voice casual but firm. "One of the fans said something inappropriate. That's all."
Seris snorted. "Figures. Some of those fans talk like we're not even human."
Jaxx gave a short laugh, shaking his head. "There's a saying 'The customer is always right.' You kids better remember that. Image is everything. Bad press means fewer fans. Fewer fans, less funding."
Babu raised a hand, trying to keep the energy light. Always the joker, but with purpose.
"I'm sure it wasn't that deep. Let's keep our heads clear and eyes on the Gate.
Redman's voice was sharp. "Mission's simple: kill the three champions and get out. If you find any precious crystals, weapons or tools, grab those too."
Syan looked curious. "I wonder how strong these champions are."
"It's hard to quantify," Redman said, eyes scanning the team. "But Champions gain more power based on the number of opponents they've defeated. The strength of those opponents matters too taking down stronger foes amplifies their growth."
Jaxx nodded, folding his arms as he stepped forward, his voice carrying the weight of experience.
"Let me break it down. Champions are the top-tier fighters within their own species or creature groups. But here's where it gets complex there are five cultural classes you need to understand if you're going to survive out there."
Jaxx paused, holding up his hand and counting off on his fingers.
"Four are common. One's rare."
He pointed to each finger as he spoke.
"First—Elder culture. Ruled by a single elder, or sometimes a council of elders."
"Second—King culture. Led by a king."
"Third—Queen culture. With a queen at its head."
"Fourth—Gladiator culture. The strongest fighter leads—pure dominance."
"And finally… Swarm culture. No leaders. No structure. They attack in waves, every creature for itself."
Seris chimed in, arms crossed. "You're probably wondering which one's rare. It's Elder culture. I've seen a lot of things in the field but not many species follow that one anymore."
Redman nodded, tone firm. "Knowing these cultural types before or even during a mission can make the difference between surviving and being wiped out.
Redman's gaze hardened.
"If this Gate turns out to be an anomaly something unpredictable like last time don't worry. I won't hold back this time."
He looked straight at Seris.
"You know what to do if that happens."
Seris's expression tensed, a flicker of concern passing over her face.
"Redman, you promised. You said you wouldn't use your full abilities anymore."
Redman gave a grim, knowing smile.
"I did. But if it comes to that, I won't have a choice. Just focus on keeping everyone alive through the heat."
He tapped his chest lightly.
"When I go all out, the fire and heat aren't just aimed at the enemy. It affects everyone even our own."
Seris nodded slowly, the weight of the unspoken consequences settling between them.
Nathan, Ryo, and Syan exchanged uneasy glances. None of them had ever seen Redman at full power. And judging by the silence, they weren't sure they wanted to.
Redman's voice cut through the tension.
"Alright enough stalling. Time to move."
Their formation locked into place, clean and practiced:
Redman and Nathan took point at the front.
Babu and Ryo covered the rear, tanks steady and alert.
Seris, the healer, stood in the center with Syan, the barrier twin, shielding the group. Jaxx, ever the observer and recorder, held position just behind them.
Standard formation. For now.
They vanished into the Gate one by one.