Theo's POV
Day 3
We stood in front of the gate.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Up close—
It felt worse.
The air around it twisted unnaturally.
Like it didn't belong in this world.
A low hum filled the hall.
Not loud—
But constant.
Pressing against my senses.
So this is what raiders face…
"Listen carefully."
Professor Drayke's voice cut through the silence.
"All teams will enter in assigned order."
"Maintain formation."
"Do not act independently."
"If you encounter something beyond your level—retreat."
A pause.
"This is not a test."
We already knew that.
"This is survival."
"Team Five."
Sera stepped forward.
"We're up."
Dain smirked.
"About time."
Bran cracked his neck slightly.
Luna inhaled quietly.
I steadied my breathing, letting my mana settle under control.
No hesitation.
"…Let's go."
We stepped forward together.
Closer.
Closer.
The gate pulsed.
The moment we crossed—
Everything twisted.
Sound disappeared.
Light bent.
For a split second—
It felt like falling.
Then—
We landed.
Cold ground.
Sharp air.
I opened my eyes.
A forest.
Dark.
Dense.
Wrong.
The sky above was dim—
A gray light filtering through twisted branches.
"…Everyone here?" Sera's voice.
"Yeah."
"I'm good."
"I'm okay…"
I pushed myself up, adjusting quickly.
Something felt off.
"…Mana density is higher," I said.
Sera nodded.
"Stay alert."
Bran moved to the front.
Dain slid into position behind him.
Luna took the rear.
I stayed in the center.
"Move."
We advanced slowly.
Every step mattered.
Every sound.
Leaves crunched beneath us.
Branches shifted.
Too quiet.
Then—
A low growl.
We froze.
"Left," Sera whispered.
Something moved between the trees.
Then it stepped out.
A wolf.
No—
A monster.
Larger than normal.
Its body twisted, dark veins pulsing beneath its skin.
Eyes glowing faintly.
"…First one," Dain muttered.
Another shape appeared.
Then another.
Three.
"Formation," Sera said calmly.
We moved instantly.
Bran stepped forward.
Dain adjusted his stance.
Luna raised her hand slightly.
I drew on my mana.
The flow responded—smoother than before.
The wolves lunged.
Fast.
Bran blocked the first.
The impact echoed through the forest.
Dain moved immediately—
A sharp strike—
One wolf staggered back.
Luna followed with support.
Her timing—
Better than before.
I focused.
Not spreading my magic.
Not wasting it.
Refining it.
The flow tightened around us.
Bran held firm.
Didn't budge.
Dain's movements sharpened.
Cleaner.
Faster.
But—
The third wolf slipped through.
Straight toward me.
Too fast.
My body reacted before my thoughts.
I forced the flow outward in a sharp burst—
Not clean.
Not complete—
But something formed.
A partial structure.
The moment it struck—
The impact shifted.
Not fully stopped—
But redirected.
Its claws grazed my shoulder.
Pain shot through my arm.
But it wasn't deep.
Dain appeared instantly.
A clean strike—
The wolf dropped.
Silence.
Heavy breathing filled the space.
"…You okay?" Dain asked.
"…Yeah."
Barely.
Bran exhaled.
"…Three down."
Luna lowered her hand slowly.
Sera scanned the area.
"…Good."
Then her eyes landed on me.
"…That just now."
I flexed my hand slightly.
"…Incomplete."
"But it worked."
Not perfectly.
But enough.
I tightened my grip slightly.
Still not enough.
If that attack hit properly—
I'd be done.
Sera turned forward.
"Stay sharp."
"This is just the beginning."
And she was right.
Because deeper in the forest—
More sounds echoed.
More movement.
More monsters.
Waiting.
I steadied my breathing, forcing my mana to stabilize despite the tension.
It responded—
But not perfectly.
I need to get stronger.
Fast.
Because inside this gate—
hesitation can get you killed.