A full moon hung bright in the dark night sky.
Deep in a deserted alley, we arrived at the location Lee Seowon had given us. A strange aura brushed against my skin the moment we got there. Turning toward the direction it came from, we reached a dead end—and before us shimmered a wavering, hazy light.
'Unidentified Rift.'
I recalled the words that had appeared in the status window and asked Sahyeon, who was still wearing his choker, “You don’t sense any flowers nearby, do you?”
Sahyeon blinked once, then shook his small head. “Nothing but this.”
Which meant the flower was inside that rift.
Well, of course. It was never going to be that easy. My lips twisted faintly.
Even though I’d expected this outcome thanks to Seowon’s foresight, it still left a bitter taste.
“I guess we’ll have to go in.”
When I turned around, Kwon Taehyuk and Ryu Sunghyun—both already prepared—nodded calmly.
Beside them, Eun Woojeong, his face hidden behind a mask, spoke with a hint of curiosity.
“We’ve dealt with monsters pouring out of rifts, but isn’t this our first time actually going inside one? I wonder how different it is from a dungeon. Who knows—we might discover something completely new.”
“Whatever we discover, I doubt it’ll be pleasant.”
The word unidentified alone was unsettling enough, and to make it worse, this was a rift created by those cult bastards. There was no way it would be normal.
“Let’s go.”
Still, standing here staring at it wouldn’t change anything. We’d have to enter to find or learn anything at all.
Not knowing what might appear the moment we stepped in, I drew my sword. The night breeze blew, scattering my now-golden hair.
“I’ll take the lead.”
For the first time, Mook Jeongho—who had been silently standing by—spoke up.
Kwon Taehyuk, who had been about to move ahead of me, froze when Jeongho stepped forward and blocked the way.
Taehyuk’s eyes narrowed; being preempted clearly hurt his pride.
'What a thing to get worked up over.'
Personally, I was glad to have Mook Jeongho go first.
We had no idea what might jump out, and if Taehyuk went in first and got seriously injured, it would only complicate things.
'He’s the protagonist. I have to protect him.'
Of course, Mook Jeongho’s name was also listed on the subquest now, so technically I needed to protect him too—but the main character took priority. Jeongho’s sturdy physique and defensive skill meant he’d endure better anyway, and I could always heal him if needed.
“Let’s move.”
I gave him a light nudge forward. Jeongho glanced back at me briefly, then stepped into the rift without hesitation.
The rift was oval-shaped, just large enough for one person to pass through. As Jeongho approached, the surface rippled like water and swallowed him whole.
“I’ll go second,” said Kwon Taehyuk, gently pushing me back before entering.
Next was Ryu Sunghyun. That left only Eun Woojeong, who shrugged lightly.
“Same S-rank as the rest, but they’re treating me like I’ll break. Guess I’ll just play along. I’ll guard the rear.”
Whether he truly meant to guard the rear or simply wanted to go last, I couldn’t tell.
I didn’t feel like forcing him, so I took Sahyeon’s hand and stepped into the rift.
“...!”
A sharp tingling sensation swept through my entire body.
A dizzy wave hit, consciousness flickering for a second before returning.
When I finally opened my eyes—without even realizing when I’d closed them—dry grass brushed against my palm.
“What the...”
I had definitely entered holding Sahyeon’s hand. A shiver ran up my spine as I bolted upright.
A soft breeze blew from somewhere nearby. I swallowed dryly and scanned the vast meadow spreading out before me.
'What is this place...?'
Could we have been scattered—each of us thrown somewhere across this endless plain?
Looking up at the sky filled with drifting white clouds, I slowly rose to my feet. Thankfully, my sword lay nearby.
“...Kid.”
I called out just in case, but of course, there was no response. Normally his shadow would have appeared by now.
Clicking my tongue, I started walking.
There was nothing in sight but an endless expanse of grassland, so moving was the only option.
I walked.
'How long has it been?'
I couldn’t tell.
I wasn’t out of breath, nor did I feel tired.
The surroundings stayed bright as midday, and even the sun hanging high above refused to move.
'Feels like I’ve been walking five hours. Maybe thirty minutes. I don’t know anymore...'
Grinding curses under my breath, I kept going.
No matter how long I walked, I didn’t see a single person. I couldn’t sense anyone’s presence—no aura, no monsters, no other living thing.
Only grass and sky, stretching forever.
At this point, I would’ve preferred a monster fight to this endless monotony.
My body wasn’t exhausted, but my mind was. Just as I was about to go insane from the unchanging scenery—
“...What’s that?”
The words slipped out before I realized it.
It wasn’t an illusion. In the distance stood a small house.
A cozy-looking home with a red roof, smoke curling from the chimney, and a flower garden framing the porch.
My grip on the sword tightened automatically.
'Let’s check it out.'
There was nothing else to do anyway.
Taking a deep breath, I walked toward it. Amid the scent of grass, the sweet aroma of flowers drifted faintly by.
As I approached, the blooms swayed gently in the wind, their colors vivid and bright. I found myself staring, unable to look away—until ★ Novelight ★ the sound of a door opening broke the stillness.
“Who’s there?”
I quickly turned.
The white wooden door opened, and the homeowner cautiously stepped out.
Soft brown hair, bright eyes filled with wariness.
A man, slightly taller than me, looked at me with a mixture of fear and confusion.
“Who are you—and why are you approaching my house?”
“......”
I parted my lips but closed them again.
Lowering my sword slowly, I frowned.
Strange. I’d thought he was a humanoid monster.
'But I don’t feel anything.'
No monster’s aura. No awakened energy. Not even killing intent.
The man before me... unbelievably, was just an ordinary human.
“Guildmaster.”
A startled voice reached him.
“Ugh...”
“Guildmaster, are you all right?”
“Wh—what?”
The headache faded quickly. Kwon Taehyuk, lowering the hand that had been pressing his forehead, blinked open his eyes.
The first thing he saw—oddly enough—was Kim Kyungmin, his secretary general.
“Are you all right, sir? Should I have someone bring you some painkillers?”
Kyungmin’s expression said what’s gotten into you, of all people? as he looked at his boss.
'What... what’s going on?'
He was certain he’d entered the unidentified rift with Cha Seohu.
So why was he suddenly sitting in his own guildmaster’s office—with his secretary right in front of him?
'An illusion? A psychic attack?'
Either way, it was disturbing.
Kwon Taehyuk calmly dismissed Kyungmin from the room.
Kyungmin left with a polite bow, his face plainly saying can’t even accept help, huh, and silence filled the office.
Rising from his seat, Taehyuk examined his surroundings. Everything—the papers he touched, the cold wall beneath his fingers—felt vividly real. The view through the window was exactly as it should be.
“What the hell...”
A wave of discomfort surged up. It felt like sinking deeper into a labyrinth.
'First, regroup with the others. Think about the rest later.'
In an unfamiliar, possibly dangerous space, reuniting with his team was the top priority.
He reached inside his jacket. His phone was there, as usual.
He couldn’t be sure whoever picked up would really be his companions, but it was worth a try.
Just as he was about to find Cha Seohu’s number, his hand froze.
“...?”
There were far too many notifications—way more than usual.
All of them were from the Association or other guilds. A few stood out immediately.
'Simultaneous rifts appearing across the United States...'
Notice from the Association: Busan closure confirmed. The spread continues upward...
'Guildmaster, another black shadow has been discovered. Location—England...'
Kwon Taehyuk frowned.
None of this made sense. It was far too different from reality. Could this rift be fabricating everything?
After a moment’s hesitation, he opened a portal app instead of calling anyone.
As expected, the homepage was full of breaking news.
[The Catastrophe Approaches? Experts United in Warning: “What Exactly Is the Catastrophe?”]
[Mysterious Male Figure Appearing Worldwide—Rank Unassessable, Identity Unknown...]
“What the hell is this...”
He murmured in disbelief, about to tap on one of the articles—
Bzzzt.
His phone buzzed with an incoming call.
The caller ID read: Ryu Sunghyun.

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