Chaos Outside the Residual Gate
Seoul's bustling heart was frozen in tension around the pitch-black rift that had torn open in the middle of the city. Management Bureau agents, police, emergency responders—and even civilians clutching their phones from behind the barricade lines—all held their breath, watching the scene unfold.
Ever since the gate ripped open inside a café of all places, the area had devolved into pandemonium in seconds flat.
"Ha, what a shitshow."
Mirinae, A-rank awakener and leader of the Management Bureau's Seoul Defense Team, scratched her head furiously in frustration, standing before the massive gate that had caused this unprecedented disaster.
"Hey, what's the rank on this thing?"
"We've only got the portable measurer, but... it's probably at least S-rank."
"How many people were inside that café?"
"They're still investigating, but... we estimate at least ten or more."
"Ha, ten people..."
Whether they heard her sigh heavy with conflicted emotions or not, short, urgent shouts erupted from all over the site.
"The mana interference device isn't working...!"
"The mana waves are too intense! Everyone, fall back...!"
"I know it's hard to see the gate, but just move back a little..."
Murmurs swelled.
"What the hell? Why's a gate popping up in the city?"
"Yeah, aren't they supposed to avoid downtown areas?"
"Fuck, property values are gonna tank. What even is that?"
"M-my shop..."
"Holy crap, if I post this on Insta, my followers are gonna explode lol."
"When are the Bureau guys showing up? I loved that café."
Click, click...
The carefree chatter from onlookers and the constant camera shutters were turning Mirinae's already muddled head into an utter mess.
Gritting her teeth, she glared at the gate while commanding the scene. A gate opening smack in the city center—where mana interference stabilizers were fully operational—was already absurd. And to top it off, civilians had been caught inside. Worst of all, the interference device wasn't functioning, leaving them blind: no clue on the interior conditions, how many were trapped, dungeon-type or field-type, what threats lurked—nothing.
"Should I just charge in?"
She was so fed up she was seriously considering diving into the unknown. Her subordinate reacted with deadpan sarcasm, as if catching her muttering nonsense.
What lay beyond a gate was anyone's guess. Sure, they classified them as dungeon-type or field-type, but gates weren't that neatly defined. The other side could be the airless void of space, an endless sky without ground, or a cataclysm humanity couldn't handle—a true disaster. Even the strongest awakener could get insta-killed the moment they stepped in. That's why they used interference devices to scout the basics first, confirm the type, and avoid pointless casualties...
But right now, it wasn't working. Only two possibilities: either this gate held S-rank or higher mana, or some off-spec powerhouse was inside. The latter was unlikely— even Prometheus, the world's no.1 awakener, had never caused something like this.
If it was the first case, they just had to wait for synchronization with Earth to stabilize the mana. Simple. But the problem? People were already trapped inside the café.
"...Goddamn it."
Delaying for the agents' safety would doom those inside—it was obvious. And this wasn't some low-rank gate with few monsters; the portable measurer had clocked it near S-rank mana.
'Should I just close my eyes and rush in?'
Honestly, the odds of instant death on entry were slim.
'Gamble it—peek inside and bail?'
"No idea what you're thinking, ma'am, but that's a no-go."
"..."
Her subordinate's low voice snapped her out of it.
"Sigh... Guess we just wait it out, huh."
Having power yet being powerless—it cut deep, a bone-chilling wait.
Woohyun's group hurried toward the source of the flowing golden energy. The warm, radiant glow was pinning nearby Living Armors in place, immobilizing them—so they didn't need to push their bodies to the limit like when fleeing.
But with no clue how long it'd last, they hustled.
Clank—screeech—
Plus, a massive Living Armor was twisting against the energy from behind them.
Staying in the same space as that would've wrecked their nerves—that was the biggest motivator.
......
"Huff... Where the hell are we?"
"What is this? A temple?"
Soon, as the cave widened, they emerged into a vast temple chamber. In its center, someone hovered mid-air.
"Gasp, no way that's..."
"...The proxy of God...?"
『...』
Awoestruck by the sacred, gentle glow and the poised beauty floating regally, Woohyun's group wondered if they were dreaming.
『Come hither.』
But that beautifully resonant voice shattered the delusion.
『You are the last. Exit through the path beyond.』
"...Exit?"
The café worker glanced around and spotted a faint rift behind the divine figure. Through it, the street outside the café flickered dimly.
Even the voices leaking through were Bureau agents'. A surefire exit.
"Oh, y-yeah?"
"Gasp, the exit! Exit!!! We're alive!!!"
The college kid and café worker screamed in ecstatic relief, bolting straight for the rift. With a whoosh, space rippled, and they vanished.
"...Um..."
The woman who hesitated instead of fleeing spoke up to the floating figure.
『Speak. Time is short—be quick.』
Clank—clank—clank—
Even as the proxy continued, Living Armors crept slowly from the tunnel's end.
"Crazy... they're still coming...?"
Startled by Woohyun's fearful mutter, the woman panicked too.
"Th-thank you!!"
Short thanks, then she dove into the rift without hesitation.
The Armors kept advancing slowly.
"H-hey... You come out too!"
Woohyun gestured to the golden woman. We're the last, she said. So let's go together?
But the reply was unexpected.
『I shall clean up these remnants before departing. Worry not for me—begone.』
Clank—clank—clank—clank—clank—
'That's insane...!'
Hundreds of Living Armors marched from the three branching paths connected to this temple.
"B-but...!"
Even if they poured out, it was all inside the gate. Without entrants for a week—no break event—they couldn't spill onto Earth and wreak havoc.
Yet this woman vowed to eradicate even that possibility.
『I commanded thee: go.』
Woohyun had witnessed their power firsthand—the middle-aged man's body minced, a person bisected. Now hundreds swarmed, and she chose to stay.
'Is she really God's proxy...?'
Tears welled in his eyes. But with her firm command and his own uselessness, staying meant nothing.
"...Sorry!!"
Screaming like a dying wail, he hurled himself into the rift.
And now, the only living being left in this temple was Lea.
Clank—clank—clank—screeech—
As if sensing it, hundreds of gleaming red eyes fixed on Lea, advancing slowly through the golden aura.
『...Humans, monsters—mere scraps daring to bare fangs at God's proxy.』
Fury boiled in Lea at the sight.
Rumble—
『I shall rend your arrogant flesh asunder.』
This temple crumbling meant nothing now. Everyone who needed to live had survived.
Awaken, O sacred first wing!
Fwaaah—
Thus.
Wings of Divinity: Judgment
『I shall judge thee!』
Just a little housekeeping.