Cheerful Title? Nah, It's a Funeral...

"According to the US announcement, statistically speaking, there are two tendencies in the occurrence of these so-called 'Gates'."

In a conference room that looked luxurious but reeked of exhaustion, the headquarters of the emergency supernatural disaster response task force—hastily assembled across parties in response to this unprecedented catastrophe—was buzzing nonstop with work.

"First is population density. The exact threshold is unclear, but Gates appear in areas with a certain population concentration, and the denser the population, the stronger the monsters that emerge."

"Second is natural environment. They pop up in well-preserved forests, uninhabited islands, or undeveloped areas. The more remote, the stronger the monsters."

"Just in: Additional info shared via the UN! At so-called landmarks like Ayers Rock or Niagara Falls, exceptionally powerful monsters appeared regardless of development or population."

Jo Min-gi, task force leader and Minister of National Defense, cut in while compiling the agents' gathered intel.

"Hold up. Is all this other data from overseas too?"

"Most of it, yes. As you're aware, our country's Gates are…"

"Right. Only the second type. Except around Mokpo-Gwangju and Jeju."

The reason all data was from abroad? Beyond Korea lacking superior capabilities, there was a critical issue: scant samples, and those were biased.

In other words, casualties were low.

Why? No one knew.

Elsewhere, monsters in city centers wrought massacres and destruction beyond imagination. But only here, in the Republic of Korea, things differed.

Gates in urban areas? Only in the southwest and distant Jeju. Across most of the country—like Sobaeksan—only nature-based ones opened, leaving population centers untouched.

Low casualties were a blessing a hundred times over, but for the TF team responding to this historic crisis, it was a disadvantage too.

The less data on the unknown, the more info gaps—and worse…

We're under suspicion.

Foreign eyes were the problem. Amid a catastrophe worse than war, if one nation suffered barely 0.1% losses?

They'd be prime suspects. Proving a negative was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠absurd, but no easy rebuttal existed.

Anyway, facing the utterly unknown. Evidence to explain? Near impossible now.

Demanding presumption of innocence from blood-soaked nations? Just fuel rage.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Drag this out, and foreign mobs—not monsters—would sacrifice them to appease fury.

"How's 'that thing' coming?"

"We've secured it for now, but…"

So Jo Min-gi prayed desperately. May this last card turn the tide.

"Good enough. Start the briefing."

"Yes! This is satellite footage from near Sobaeksan, where the first Gate closure occurred on day one."

From intel gathered post-catastrophe: Gates ignore physics—no countermeasures. Just wait for monsters to pour out and vanish.

But an exception existed. Again on the peninsula—likely fueling suspicions.

But if we glean key info here, it'll change everything.

Blind rage pushes irrationality; sweet hope scatters doubt.

All eyes locked on the footage: massive Gate above Sobaeksan peak, swarms of tricky flying monsters pouring out.

"Focus on this light spot."

The agent paused, pointing. Amid Gate fixation, a blurry blue something—like noise—had appeared.

"What is it? This object."

"Unknown. Captured rising from ground, but blind spot beyond—unobservable."

"Isn't this cam spotting scale scratches on monsters? Should pinpoint it."

"Impossible. Zoomed to adjacent dust, yet it stayed blurred—like rejecting footage."

"Does that even make sense?"

"Presumptuous, but none of this is sensible."

"…Continue."

Blue light moved; Gate split, vanished. Monsters winked out like afterthoughts.

"Similar in other 'Gate closures.' Connect closure order: light moves consistently, closing Gates en route."

Chasing Gates veered it slightly—to Gwangju.

"Lingered in Gwangju, closed it; swept Mokpo's; then vanished. No further track… ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but new clue from Gwangju."

Concertgoers' testimonies of salvation.

"Magical girl? A few such ability users emerged… Wait. Then these closures—"

Jo Min-gi's eyes bulged analyzing testimonies.

"A person? One person did this?!"

Not phenomenon—a single ability user among "awakeners."

Jo Min-gi checked footage timer: Sobaeksan closure to Gwangju arrival… under a minute.

Chills down spine.

Government tracked most awakeners: trivial powers to tank/bomber-surpassing threats.

Vast variances… but this was another league.

"Find her now. ID everyone who contacted this 'magical girl' there, recontact!"

Voice surging with agitation.

No way foreigners lack this footage.

Leaks inevitable from classified. Contact first—before they move. By any means.

Agents' faces darkened. Speed squared workload. Already buried in top-priority unknowns—this was a death sentence.

Pity the TF agents… they had a direct lead to the target.

…And it got deleted as troll bait on an internet forum.

Ignorance is bliss? Learning might burst uniforms never slept in since formation.