The rain grew heavier.
At first it had been a quiet drizzle, but now it poured steadily over the dark street, turning the pavement into a mirror of trembling lights. Every streetlamp reflected in the water like broken stars.
The five of us stood at the intersection.
And across the street…
The hunters stepped out of the black vehicles.
Seven of them.
All dressed in long black coats that moved slightly with the wind. Their boots made quiet splashes against the wet pavement as they spread out slowly, forming a loose semicircle around us.
They were calm.
Too calm.
Not like soldiers.
Not like criminals either.
These people moved with purpose.
Like they had done this before.
Many times.
Seo-yeon leaned closer to me and whispered,
"Please tell me they're just enthusiastic fans."
I didn't answer.
Because the moment the first hunter stepped into the streetlight…
I saw the symbol.
A white mark stitched onto their coat.
The same symbol from the journal.
The one in the center of the seven rings.
The lock.
Jin-woo's silver ring glowed brighter.
He exhaled slowly.
"…They found us faster than I expected."
Tae-jun glanced sideways at him.
"You knew they were coming?"
Jin-woo didn't look away from the approaching hunters.
"They always come."
Seo-yeon rubbed her forehead.
"I'm going to need someone to start explaining things before more mysterious strangers show up."
One of the hunters laughed softly.
It was a quiet sound, but it echoed strangely in the empty street.
The man who laughed stepped forward.
Tall.
Sharp features.
Cold eyes.
Rain ran down his dark hair but he didn't seem to notice.
He stopped about ten meters away.
Then he spoke.
"Five rings."
His voice was calm.
Almost impressed.
"How efficient."
Tae-jun crossed his arms.
"And you are?"
The man smiled faintly.
"Someone who has been searching for you."
Seo-yeon raised her hand.
"Okay, seriously. Why does everyone keep saying that?"
The hunter tilted his head slightly.
Then his gaze shifted to Seo-yeon's hand.
The gold ring.
The faint glow beneath the rain.
His smile widened just a little.
"There it is."
Seo-yeon immediately hid her hand behind her back.
"Don't look at it like that. It's weird."
The hunter chuckled.
"Your grandmother was wiser than I expected."
My chest tightened.
Seo-yeon's expression hardened.
"…You knew my grandmother?"
The hunter shrugged.
"Not personally."
He gestured toward the ring.
"But she made our work… complicated."
Dae-hyun stepped forward slightly.
His voice turned cold.
"Leave."
The hunter looked at him.
Recognition flashed in his eyes.
"…Subject Four."
Dae-hyun's jaw tightened.
"Still using that name."
Seo-yeon blinked.
"You two know each other too?"
The hunter laughed again.
"Oh, we know him very well."
His gaze sharpened.
"He was supposed to die years ago."
Tae-jun looked at Dae-hyun.
"Well, that explains the mysterious personality."
Dae-hyun ignored him.
He kept his eyes locked on the hunter.
"You're not taking the rings."
The hunter tilted his head slightly.
"That depends."
He looked around the group again.
Five glowing rings beneath the rain.
His expression became thoughtful.
"You know… this is actually very convenient."
Seo-yeon frowned.
"For who?"
"For us."
The hunter lifted his hand slightly.
Behind him, the other hunters moved forward.
Slowly.
Quietly.
Like wolves surrounding prey.
Jin-woo muttered under his breath.
"…There are too many."
Seo-yeon glanced at him.
"How many is too many?"
"Seven."
Tae-jun cracked his knuckles.
"Perfect."
Seo-yeon stared at him.
"Perfect??"
Tae-jun shrugged.
"We have five."
Seo-yeon pointed at herself.
"I don't fight!"
He pointed at her ring.
"You glow."
"That's not a combat skill!"
The hunters were only a few meters away now.
Close enough for me to see their eyes clearly.
Cold.
Focused.
Professional.
The leader stopped again.
Then he spoke quietly.
"You don't understand what you're carrying."
Seo-yeon crossed her arms.
"Then explain it."
The hunter shook his head slowly.
"You wouldn't believe it yet."
Hae-in suddenly spoke.
Her voice soft but steady.
"We already believe enough."
Everyone looked at her.
Even the hunters.
Hae-in lifted her hand slightly.
The green ring glowed brighter.
Rainwater slid across the surface of the emerald stone.
"You're looking for the rings."
She continued.
"Because they unlock something."
The hunter smiled.
"Correct."
Tae-jun sighed.
"Ah great. Another mysterious door."
But the hunter's smile slowly faded.
"It's not a door."
He looked at the sky.
"It's a gate."
The word hung in the air like thunder.
Seo-yeon frowned.
"That doesn't sound better."
Jin-woo spoke quietly beside me.
"It isn't."
The hunter turned his attention toward him.
"Ah yes."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"The runaway."
Jin-woo's shoulders stiffened.
Seo-yeon blinked.
"Runaway?"
The hunter nodded.
"He belonged to us."
Tae-jun slowly turned toward Jin-woo.
"You didn't mention that."
Jin-woo looked annoyed.
"I didn't think it was important."
"IT'S VERY IMPORTANT."
Seo-yeon whispered loudly.
The hunter raised a hand.
Behind him the other hunters stopped moving.
Perfect discipline.
"Let's simplify things."
He looked directly at Seo-yeon.
"Give us the rings."
Seo-yeon laughed.
A single short laugh.
"…No."
The hunter sighed.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
He snapped his fingers.
Everything happened at once.
Two hunters rushed forward.
Tae-jun moved instantly.
He grabbed a metal trash can and swung it like a bat.
The first hunter dodged easily.
Too easily.
The second hunter kicked the trash can aside.
It flew across the street.
Dae-hyun moved next.
His movements were fast.
Precise.
Military.
He grabbed one hunter's arm and twisted hard.
But the hunter didn't even flinch.
Instead he flipped backward and landed smoothly.
"…Not normal," Tae-jun muttered.
The leader chuckled softly.
"Did you really think we were ordinary?"
Then I saw it.
A faint glow beneath one hunter's sleeve.
A ring.
Blue.
My stomach dropped.
"Tae-jun."
He saw it too.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
The hunter lifted his hand slowly.
The blue ring gleamed under the streetlight.
"We've already collected one."
Seo-yeon's eyes widened.
"There are supposed to be seven!"
The leader nodded.
"Yes."
He raised two fingers.
"Now there are six."
The street suddenly felt colder.
Hae-in whispered,
"…They already have one ring."
Jin-woo's voice turned tense.
"That means the gate can still open."
Seo-yeon looked between us.
"Wait wait WAIT."
She pointed around wildly.
"Can someone explain the rules of this insane ring game??"
But the leader answered instead.
"When all seven rings gather…"
His eyes gleamed slightly.
"…the gate awakens."
Tae-jun frowned.
"And then?"
The hunter smiled slowly.
"Then the world remembers what it tried to forget."
Lightning flashed in the distance.
For a brief moment the entire street turned white.
And in that flash…
My head exploded with another memory.
A battlefield.
Ancient armor.
Seven figures standing together.
And a massive stone gate rising from the ground.
Covered in the same symbol.
The lock.
A voice echoed in the memory.
"Guard the gate. Even if it costs everything."
The vision shattered.
I staggered slightly.
Seo-yeon grabbed my arm.
"Ji-hoon?"
I shook my head.
"…I'm fine."
But I wasn't.
Because the memory felt too real.
The hunter leader noticed my reaction.
His smile widened.
"Ah."
He pointed at me.
"The soldier is remembering."
Dae-hyun turned sharply.
"…What?"
The hunter laughed quietly.
"That's right."
He looked straight into my eyes.
"You were there too."
My heart stopped.
"…What?"
The hunter tilted his head slightly.
"The last time the gate opened."
The rain kept falling.
The hunters stood ready.
Five glowing rings in our group.
One ring already taken.
One ring still missing.
Seven pieces of a key.
And suddenly…
I realized something terrifying.
This wasn't the first time the rings had gathered.
It had happened before.
And the last time…
The world almost didn't survive it.
The hunter lifted his hand.
"Take them."
The hunters moved.
Fast.
Deadly.
Silent.
And the battle for the rings truly began.