With a single, fluid leap, Rosaline effortlessly reached the edge of the crater. She handed the injured man over to a young officer and looked out at the chaos unfolding on the street. Though the initial event had lasted only a few moments, the casualties were mounting—some from De-von attacks, others from the pile-up where drivers had slammed into their dashboards.
Authorities were already whisking the wounded away and beginning the evacuation of nearby buildings.
"Thank you, Hunter. I am Second Lieutenant Marvin Leroy, Sector A District Officer for Star-Dream City," Marvin introduced himself with a crisp salute after handing the victim to the paramedics.
Marvin was a man in his thirties, tall and fit in a spotless light blue uniform. His hair was buzzed short beneath his dark blue police cap, and the single star on each shoulder spoke of his rank. His eyes burned with the fire of someone dedicated to their duty.
'A passionate rookie?' Rosaline guessed. She nodded and asked, "Has the gate-closing team arrived yet?"
"They're on their way. Five minutes out," Marvin said, tapping a communication device similar to the one Rosaline used. "Second Lieutenant Marvin calling Dispatch..."
"Then I'll be going," Rosaline said, turning to leave. She didn't want to linger; she knew all too well that satellite cameras were likely broadcasting the scene in real-time.
"Wait! Please, Hunter, help us a little longer—at least until the containment team arrives."
"...Aren't you a Hunter yourself?" she asked. He was the only one in the vicinity capable of launching fireballs, after all.
"I'm only a Rank C," Marvin admitted. "And I'm just a district officer here for temporary crowd control."
District officers were stationed in each of the city's four sectors. These groups consisted of low-to-mid-rank Hunters mixed with ordinary officers who handled logistics, technical support, and public relations.
"You should be able to handle this on your own," Rosaline replied, backing away toward the awning of a nearby cafe. she tucked her phone into her inventory to muffle the inevitable calls.
Marvin's face fell. He wasn't sure what he had done to make her retreat so suddenly. "And... what rank are you exactly?"
"...Can't you tell by my clothes?" Rosaline countered. Despite her plain attire, Marvin still looked unconvinced.
"Well... based on that fight just now, you seemed at least mid-to-high rank..." Marvin started, but his phone cut him off. He checked the screen, looking puzzled, but answered quickly. "Second Lieutenant Marvin Leroy speaking. How can I assist you?"
His eyes widened in shock as he listened to the voice on the other end. "Yes! Yes... understood."
He then held the phone out to Rosaline.
"Someone wants to speak with you," Marvin said. He watched as she bit her lip, seemingly fighting back an outburst, before slowly taking the black device.
Rosaline remained silent until the person on the other end spoke first.
The moment Commander Drake's voice crackled through the line, the Hunter's expression turned into a mask of pure annoyance as she looked up at the sky.
The Association's satellites weren't just for surveillance; they were linked to a real-time identification system. A few seconds of footage was all it took for her file to land on the Commander's desk.
'Damn it... I tried so hard to stay under the radar. This is exactly why I hate satellites.'
Rosaline watched as Marvin's team cordoned off the area, securing the perimeter to prevent anyone from wandering into the Gate. The 100-meter radius was now a restricted zone.
News outlets began live-streaming the event, and traffic was rerouted as the sinkhole obstructed the main road.
While waiting for more De-vons to emerge, Rosaline spent her time salvaging important belongings from the sunken car for Marvin. She paced the perimeter of the hole, checking for any signs of movement. For now, the sand was still—a good sign.
Fifteen minutes later, the gate-closing team arrived.
"Finally," Rosaline muttered, leaning against the cafe wall as she had for the last quarter-hour. Her dark blue eyes scanned the newcomers.
The team consisted of eight people—five men and three women. They were all low-to-mid-rank (Rank E to C). Rosaline wasn't overly worried; for a fresh Gate Dungeon like this, a team of this level could usually clear it with ease.
Gate Dungeons were generally less dangerous because high-ranking, massive De-vons rarely appeared in them—unless, like The Nest, the Gate had been left open for decades. Without that kind of time, Unique De-vons couldn't manifest. The priority was simply to close it as fast as possible.
Analysts theorized that because Gate Dungeons were closed ecosystems with limited space, the food chain couldn't support top-tier predators, preventing them from evolving or claiming the territory. According to theory, if a high-ranking De-von truly existed, it wouldn't stay in a Gate; its mere presence would distort reality, causing a Dungeon Break or turning the area into a Labyrinth.
Rosaline listened as the team conferred with Marvin. Among the eight, a few stood out.
There was Charlwind, an expert on Gate Dungeons—a thin, middle-aged man in a heavy coat and thick glasses. Amalin, a Rank C Civil Engineer Hunter who managed the city's infrastructure. Malloch, a rugged, long-haired Artifact Hunter with a fierce expression. And Alka, the only Rank B in the group, also an Ex-Artifact Raider. The rest were Ranks E and F, including a lanky university student with a freckled face who was there for work experience, currently acting as the team's pack mule.
As for Rosaline, she was only there because Drake had ordered the nearest S-Rank Hunter to provide oversight.
'How frustrating. Lyse and Marui recommended those series, and I just wanted to go home and watch them. I finally had a free week too.' She thought of her students, Beethoven and the others, who had sent a message saying they'd hosted a "De-von fish BBQ" and ended up with food poisoning, canceling their lessons.
She certainly hadn't taught them to eat such strange things...
With Rosaline included, the team totaled nine—a perfect number for a Gate closure.
"Hey, you!" Malloch's voice boomed above Rosaline.
The Hunter looked up into a face covered in scars. Malloch, dressed head-to-toe in leather and a cowboy hat, sneered at her. "What's your rank?"
When she didn't answer, he laughed. "Look at this pauper. Rank F, right? And those sneakers... Did you steal them? What's with the fox mask? Are you some 'Chunibyo' playing hero?"
Rosaline remained stoic. "I was just a bystander."
"Bystander? Or just standing there trying to look cool for a photo op? Don't worry, if you want a picture, I'll strike a pose for ya!"
Malloch grew irritated by her lack of reaction.
"Commander Drake ordered me to join your team," Rosaline said simply.
Malloch smirked as if it were a joke. "Really? You? 'Golden Chair' ordered you to join us? Stop lying. You're just another Rank F looking for clout, like that college kid over there." He gestured to the scrawny student struggling with everyone's gear.
"Ask Officer Marvin," Rosaline replied tonelessly.
Malloch huffed. He had asked, and that was why he was so annoyed. Marvin had insisted she was a Hunter—possibly even a high-ranking one. But Malloch couldn't believe it. High-ranking Hunters didn't work petty jobs like this, and they certainly dressed better—Artifact Armor, at the very least!
He reached out, intending to snatch the fox mask off her face.
"I wouldn't," Rosaline said coldly. She caught Malloch's wrist. As he tried to pull away, she pressed her thumb and middle finger into the pressure points of his wrist.
"OW!" Malloch yanked his hand back, his arm momentarily going numb. He glared at her, ready to escalate.
"What are you two doing?!" Marvin shouted, seeing Malloch's strange behavior.
"He tried to take my mask," Rosaline said.
Marvin understood immediately and warned Malloch, "She is an anonymous Hunter on a mission. Please show her some respect."
Malloch grit his teeth in frustration, feeling the embarrassed stares of the other team members.
"You... our ninth member. What should we call you?" Marvin asked, pushing his glasses up. Everyone's eyes turned toward Rosaline.
"Grey Hood," Rosaline answered simply. "I'm a Support Hunter. I don't use Heals or Shields. My skills include Endurance and Sharpness, along with some personal traits. I am proficient with knives and firearms. I am physically fit and have no underlying health conditions."
"If you can't Heal or Shield, what exactly is your personal skill?" Amalin asked. "I need to evaluate the team to plan the entry. I need to know everyone's capabilities."
"...The conditions for using it are a bit complicated. But... let's just say it significantly increases your survival rate." Rosaline didn't want to over-explain; it would only lead to more prying questions.
Marvin, sensing her discomfort, stepped in. "We already have two members who can use Heals and Shields. It shouldn't be a problem."
Charlwind nodded with a smile. "No complaints from me."
Amalin and the others, including Malloch and Alka, still looked skeptical. Why would the Commander send a Support who couldn't even cast a basic shield?
Marvin handed a GPS-enabled earpiece to Rosaline. "Please wear this."
She hesitated for a moment before putting it on, already planning to toss it the moment the job was done. Then, she opened her inventory and handed a small white teddy bear in a pink shirt to Marvin.
"A child left this behind," Rosaline said. "The mother is probably looking for it. The child is young; they likely still need it."
Marvin gave a small smile. "I understand. I'll return it if she comes back."
And with that, the nine of them leaped into the sand pit, beginning the mission to close the Gate.