Two Months into the Gate Catastrophe... And a Tower Appears
Two months into the gate disaster… Looking out the window, life had settled into a relatively normal routine ever since Su-yeon moved in. No major incidents—just the usual streaming, tidying up around the place, that sort of thing. Even the viewers, who'd been bouncing between highs and lows every time stability seemed within reach only for chaos to strike, had finally sorted themselves out. Thanks to that, I'd carved out a fresh, dedicated fanbase distinct from my original handful of die-hard frosters.
"Unnie! You've arrived~? Dinner's all set!"
Life with Su-yeon… Well. Uh. Somehow, she'd taken over all the housework without me noticing. And damn if she wasn't better at cooking and cleaning than me to boot.
"Ahem. A proper lady is naturally adept at all household tasks, indistinguishable from a wise wife and loving mother~!"
Hmm. The noble ladies I knew back then freaked out at the thought of a single drop of water touching their hands. Anyway, it felt like we'd been living together from the start—totally comfortable.
"Let's eat first."
"Ehehe. I figured you'd say that~."
"…Sigh. You must be starving. Dig in quick."
I shoved the massive tiger carcass I'd hauled back into the freezer and took my seat at the table. A daily routine I couldn't have imagined just a few months ago. Back then, I'd cut off nearly all contact, wallowing in nostalgia from my rundown splash page days as a has-been streamer.
But… what if "normal" time doesn't just mean positive, peaceful vibes?
I'd flipped on the TV to kill the boredom during dinner, and the news droned on. Info about gates popping up more frequently. And some hopeful spin to ease the anxiety. For humanity, already invaded by unprecedented calamity, this was standard-issue reporting.
"Unnie……."
But anyone could see it plain as day. The situation wasn't hopeful at all. Just like the worried look Su-yeon was giving the screen right now.
If awakeners were keeping pace with the rising gates, humanity's turf should stabilize and recover bit by bit. What's the difference between gates and awakeners? Gates flicker in and out; awakeners were always here on Earth. Sure, that meant more people to protect—a chain around our necks—but it came with clear upsides. We could maintain our forces, society could adapt and support them, and above all, surviving awakeners grew way faster than monsters.
With forces expanding at the same rate, we'd gain ground inch by inch. That's just how the structure worked.
Yet the news was still… grim. Or worse. Even in our relatively safe country, economies were tanking under constant alerts. Overseas? Don't get me started. Just recently, the global awakener ranking system—pushed hard worldwide—stalled out because "we lack the capacity to verify ranks."
The real reason things felt worse was dead simple. Hidden behind the hopeful spin—or maybe not fully concluded yet—was another fact. Beyond more gates, each one's danger level was ramping up too.
Like the atmosphere slowly heating up. Peaceful days eroding faster toward extinction than toward triumph.
"Yeah. …It'll be fine."
I reassured Su-yeon while glancing at the freezer. And it wasn't just gradually worsening. Today, another irregular variable popped up like last time. This giant tiger outclassed the three-headed shark or octopus monster in mana output and utility. If those two were roughly equals, this thing was clearly a tier above. Even blatantly irregular me outpaced Earth's responses—but it was starting to laugh that off.
Maybe we'd miscalculated at a fundamental level. Crises in any world come with hope for overcoming them—divine guidance, human spirit, whatever. Even if missing it means doom, there's always a "must-go" path forward.
From that other world… beyond its structure, even its variables… what the gods called "providence." All crises are trials, and no trial is truly insurmountable. That'd just be plain death.
So if I handled the worst cases, natural victory should follow. But this flow felt off. Different from the "variables" in that other world. Like the premise itself was flawed from the start.
If it's just we haven't found the path yet, great. But if not… that's dangerous. Honestly, even if I got serious, ending gates entirely? Near impossible.
If there was a clear big bad like a demon king, I'd chop it and declare "crisis over!" Done. But gates? They just keep spawning. Protecting the area? Sure. Patrolling the world forever wiping them out? Mentally and physically impossible.
"Hmmm."
…Normally, my instincts would point the way by now. Nothing this time. What did that imply? Hoping for the best.
I mulled it over, popping some side dish in my mouth.
"You guys. Main content's main content—we do it anyway."
I said that, but they were sharp. There was a reason for today's pick. An extension of yesterday's thoughts, really. Hoping they'd dig useful info from my flashbacks.
…Why not just tell 'em straight? Embarrassing, but. To me, it's all just memories and obvious stuff. Hard to pick what's helpful knowledge. Sorry. Not the sharpest tool in the shed.
[Whoa~ Whoa~ Otherworld tales whoa~]
Hmm. Busy monitoring as always. Even the skeptics who'd eyed me suspiciously for spamming community tabs non-stop got melted by the National Intelligence Service's persistent play. Arrows of doubt finally pointing elsewhere. Had to respect that pro-level dedication.
I fired off a quick reaction to match the post-donation spirit of my respect-worthy fan, then dove into the tale.
"Right. Last time, we broke through the dungeon, found the egg, and bailed. Today picks up from there."
Good thing time had passed and I'd covered ground with a few contents—progress was decent. The next bit was heavy on otherworld theory I'd learned. If I'd let 'em pick freely, this is probably what they'd choose.
"Where we headed with the egg…"
"If it's a magical girl's mascot, the answer's obvious. Prisma."
The mage's claim got nods from the swordsman and leader. I had no clue back then, but Prisma was the magical girl kingdom. A nation where gatherings of magical girls protected citizens, ruled by them at the top.
With the egg tied to magical girls, destination was set.
Not much to the journey—standard travel out of the demon realm, warp straight to Prisma. Cost a bit, but party was beat from adventures. Best call in hindsight.
Hit the capital, Magical Heart, consulted on me and the egg. Boom—national guests.
Yep. They didn't even know the demon realm meteor was a mascot egg. Kingdom flipped. Me and party got noble treatment—city-sized domains for magical girls in Prisma terms. Even fast-tracked academy enrollment.
Prisma's academy was renowned. Far from noble hierarchies, powered by magical girls—perfect for a "no status gaps" setup like in novels.
"Man, thanks to you, we're living large."
"Good lord. Mage department profs are grand mages?"
Me? Blank slate—no choice but enroll. Rural buddies with skills but patchy knowledge dove right in too. Mage guy crammed classes, skipping lunch.
Grand mages? Maybe 5 per nation max—some had zero. Battle-oriented ones could solo a three-headed shark easy.
Humanity's aces over there. Party scattered for knowledge hunts; egg-linked me got VIP treatment. Full lecture access, plus tutoring/protection from one of Prisma's top magical girls, the Blazing Flower Magical Girl. Not a natural teacher—more guardian vibe. Focused on etiquette and basic magic over transformation skills. Couldn't transform yet anyway. Magical girls start with that.
About a year like that, till the egg hatched. Met the future hero party knight there too—duke's third son? Fun to smack around.
Clock said nearly midnight. Stream wrapped after a marathon—probably my longest chat session. Stuffed in every lecture detail I recalled. Hope it helped.
Flopped on bed, eyed the calendar. Tomorrow made December. Gates started early October—nearly two months in. Wild how "already two months" and "only two months" both fit the vibe.
Ugh. Memory workout after ages? Even I felt drowsy. Lights out as consciousness faded.
…….
"…Niya!"
"Un…!"
"Unnie!"
"Wha—huh?"
How long was I out? Su-yeon's panicked yell snapped me awake.
"What? Ngh. What's up? Accident?"
"Look! Over there!"
Followed her urgent point to the window, shaking off sleep. Dim dawn sky framed the usual: window, neighborhood, brush, not the tower, mountains… Huh?
"Wait a sec."
Brain kicked into overdrive.
"What the hell is that…?"
"It wasn't there last night—popped up outta nowhere~!"
Outside, a colossal tower pierced the heavens, standing tall and proud.
Eh. A tower? Why a tower?!