Gate Exploration (2): The Twisted Gate
“Good luck out there!”
“Whew! I’m seriously shaking right now.”
“Just breathe. Relax.”
It was the day of the gate exploration. Under Garein’s guidance, we gathered in front of the student-use gate. Unlike normal gates, this one was under strict supervision—a literal training ground meant to give students experience.
Strictly managed, my ass. We’d already gotten ambushed by that Chaos bastard once.
“Uh, team leader? The professor wants all the team leaders over there.”
“Got it. On my way.”
I stared at the gate we were about to enter, still unable to decide how to handle the Chaos executive waiting inside. The frustration gnawed at me. I had to take him down—the question was when.
Still turning the problem over in my head, I joined Garein. The other team leaders were already assembled.
“Looks like everyone’s here.”
I slid into the empty spot third from the left, and Garein immediately began speaking.
“We will now commence the gate exploration. Teams will enter two at a time. As announced beforehand, the gate’s trait is a competitive maze.”
A competitive maze. The Academy had altered the original trait to spark the students’ competitive instincts. In its unmodified form, it was a high-rank malicious gate where one team’s survival guaranteed the other’s death. The principal had modified it to make use of that very cruelty.
“The winning team will receive bonus points. All of your actions will be monitored from outside, so we can respond instantly to any emergencies.”
I responded with a lukewarm nod. Once the gate’s rank rose, the entrance would seal shut. Even if Garein wanted to come in, he wouldn’t be able to.
“Then let’s begin immediately. Team 1 and Team 2, proceed into the gate with your members.”
“Knew it. The second we got placed as Team 3, I figured we’d end up paired with you.”
The leader of Team 4—the team we were paired with—was Mir. Naturally, the moment the gate’s rank would spike was the exact instant Mir’s team stepped inside. If I’d been on any other team, I wouldn’t have had to wrestle with this dilemma.
“Let’s both do well.”
“This time, I’m going to win.”
Mir still seemed hung up on the outcome of our previous spar. Too bad—this run wasn’t about competition. We’d need to cooperate.
“…Good luck.”
Still, watching her burn with determination made me want to cheer her on. Even though I knew what the future held, I couldn’t bring myself to crush her expectations ahead of time. I quietly offered the encouragement and returned to my spot.
“Team 1 and Team 2 have begun their run.”
“Whoa, first up already.”
“Look how stiff their faces are.”
“We’re next.”
Each team had five members, including the leader. Both Team 1 and Team 2 were led by long-range mages, so the leaders directed their groups calmly from the rear.
Still, it looks like they’re learning something. Their instructions are pretty similar.
Stimulation through competition is excellent nourishment for growth. The Academy is using its head quite nicely.
Watching Team 1 and Team 2’s exploration wasn’t particularly helpful. Once we entered, the gate’s rank would rise and warp the internal traits anyway. So instead of studying strategy, I watched the footage the way someone might watch a movie—to loosen up before facing what was coming.
“Our team leader doesn’t look nervous at all.”
“Of course not. He’s the Iron Blood Prince for a reason.”
“……?”
What the hell did they just call me?
Puhahaha! I-Iron Blood Prince! The Iron Blood Prince! Puhaha!!
It’s not a bad nickname, but it really doesn’t suit my disciple.
Why~? It suits him perfectly! Iron Blood Prince!
I flinched at the unfamiliar title and whipped my head toward the kids. They quickly looked away the moment they felt my gaze.
“Were you talking about me just now?”
“E-eek?!”
“You heard that?”
They must have thought they were whispering, but unfortunately I’d been standing way too close.
“W-well… it’s kind of your nickname, Zeon.”
“Yeah. We’ve been calling you the Iron Blood Prince.”
“…Why?”
Where exactly did I come off as iron-blooded? That kind of word was usually reserved for cold, emotionless people. Why the hell were they sticking it on me?
“Because you always have this chilly aura around you, right?”
“Yeah, yeah. Exactly. You’re kind of… hard to approach?”
“Totally! It feels just like being around the principal!”
“Plus you’re ridiculously strong.”
“At first I thought you were some noble from the north.”
“……”
Dear god. The kids had been looking at me like that this whole time? The completely unexpected revelation left me so flustered I ended up scanning not just my own team but every other student nearby.
“Is the whole class thinking the same thing?”
“Uh… yeah.”
“Even Reglia and Mir?”
“Those two were actually the ones pushing it the hardest.”
Puhahahahaha! Those two were leading the charge? No way. Maybe if it were strangers, but Reglia and Mir—who actually talk to me every day?
Even your friends think you’re the Iron Blood Prince!
“Quiet, Hoya. The one who’s obsessed with the Northern Duke.”
Creak.
H-how do you know about that?!
She seemed desperate to know how I’d learned that information. I never imagined I’d actually use what Sun Wukong told me in a situation like this. Hoya froze solid while Cheonma voiced her confusion at the reaction.
Northern Duke? Isn’t that the male lead from that romance novel you’ve been reading, Hoya…?
Kyaaaaak! Shut up! Shut your mouth right now!
Who told you to tease her? I shifted my attention back to Hoya while Team 2, which had nearly reached the end, continued their run. Team 1 looked extremely tense—their movements kept freezing up at intervals. Their pace gradually fell behind the more relaxed Team 2, and by the time Team 2 reached the finish, Team 1 had barely made it to the midpoint.
“We should start getting ready too.”
“R-right!”
“Ugh, now that we’re actually about to go in, I’m getting nervous as hell.”
“If you’re shaking this much now, what are you going to do later?”
Team 2 had finally reached the end. The clear was right in front of us, so it was time to prepare.
“Let’s warm up.”
“Okay!”
My team stretched beside me while Team 4 did the same. Mir’s eyes met mine, and her lips moved silently.
Good luck?
Why mouth it instead of just saying it out loud? It made me chuckle, so I mouthed You too in reply and checked on my teammates.
“Listen up.”
“Y-yes!”
“No matter what happens, I’ll protect you. So don’t get nervous—just follow me properly.”
Right on cue, Team 2 emerged from the gate while Team 1 watched with gritted teeth. As expected, Team 2 won without any dramatic reversal.
“Next, Team 3 and Team 4. Enter the gate.”
“Let’s go.”
With Garein’s permission, we stepped into the gate at the same time as Team 4. And the instant we did—
Ziiiiiiing.
An anomaly occurred inside the gate.
T-this is…?
The gate’s energy is exploding. Did someone tamper with it?
They’d be bold enough to pull something here?
It’s not impossible.
As expected, the two of them had instantly identified the anomaly. Meanwhile, our teammates…
“What the—what is this place?”
“It looks nothing like the video!”
“And why is Team 4 here with us? Weren’t we supposed to be separated?”
Team 4, who should have been sent to a different area, stood right beside us. The scenery was completely different from what we’d seen in the footage. The students’ faces gradually drained of color.
They had realized it too—this situation was anything but normal.
“…Zeon.”
The leader of Team 4, Mir, stared at me with ice-cold eyes. Her expression was utterly different from the passionate, hot-blooded protagonist I’d seen just moments ago.
“This means something went wrong, doesn’t it?”
“…It does.”
“Haa……”
For some reason, the deep anger I sensed in her sigh… Her teammates also glanced nervously in our direction, reading her mood. I gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
“For now, let’s move together.”
“Fine.”
“U-um… shouldn’t we just wait here?”
“Yeah. The professor will be here soon. Let’s not move around recklessly and just wait.”
Fear was written all over the kids’ faces. They still lacked the experience to stay calm in a situation like this. Forcing them to follow would only slow us down.
And in that moment, my eyes gleamed. Perfect. This is it.
“…Then I’ll scout the area ahead alone first.”
“What?”
“The kids aren’t wrong. We should be cautious.”
“Then why are you going by yourself?”
“We can’t both leave. We’re the team leaders. At least one of us needs to stay behind and keep everyone calm.”
Besides, if I was going to scout, superior physical ability for quick retreat in case of danger was essential. My stats far outclassed Mir’s. Therefore, the one who stayed behind had to be her.
“…All right. But don’t go too far. If anything happens, come straight back.”
“Don’t worry.”
I turned and slowly walked forward. Somehow, I had unintentionally earned the chance to explore this place alone.
With nothing around to divide my attention, I finally settled on the decision I had been agonizing over.
Bell Artos of Chaos.
He dies here today.