Ethan and the A Rank were the last two to enter the gate.
The others had already vanished, one by one, into the swirling tear in space, their figures swallowed by the shifting black-and-purple haze.
He stood just before it, hands in his pockets, staring in awe at the unstable surface of the rift. It pulsed faintly, like something alive but also ominous.
Behind him, the blonde woman lingered.
She was silent as always, and he had yet to hear her voice or know her name. But more than that, she was hesitant and seemingly on edge.
It still didn't sit right with Ethan that an A Rank could appear so weak and be so timid. Despite that, he was curious about her and wanted to gauge as much as he could.
He scratched the back of his head and glanced over his shoulder.
"So…"
He started casually, but before he could finish, she scurried forward and stepped into the Gate.
Ethan blinked, then let out a short laugh.
"I guess she's not much of a talker either."
