Vanished
It had all disappeared.
The countless people who had been there just moments ago. Well, "moments ago" was a stretch—it had been mere seconds. In the blink of an eye, the hundred or so people around him, front and back, had vanished completely from sight. As if they had never existed in the first place.
What the hell was going on?
"Boss? Chief of Staff?"
His pointless call was answered by Gerard's voice.
It appears we've been caught in a Phantom Void.
"Phantom Void? What the hell is that?"
It refers to translocation into a space created by illusion.
"So this whole thing is an illusion?"
Affirmative. However, it is also a real, existing space.
"What the fuck does that even mean? Explain it so I can understand."
The Phantom Void denotes an undiscovered 3.5-dimensional space. Think of it as a sub-space between this world's 3D realm and the 4D gates—a pathway connecting the two dimensions.
"A pathway? Fine, whatever. But why the hell was I pulled into this place?"
It seems a powerful force activated the Phantom Void's magic circle. The source is likely that pillar we saw moments ago.
"You knew that and didn't say shit?"
I only realized it after we entered this space.
"What about the others?"
They all seem to have been translocated together.
"Then why can't I see them?"
Events within the sub-space are beyond my detection. However, since no one from B6-1 in 3D space has detected them, it's clear they were pulled in together.
"What? So the skill's still back in the real world?"
It stayed outside the radius and wasn't swept up. But without mana infusion, it will dissipate soon.
Taejeong mulled over Gerard's words one by one. If 3D was Earth, 4D was the dungeon. This place was somewhere in between. And the prime suspect behind it all was that pillar in the lab. Smash that, and maybe they'd return to normal.
"If I destroy the pillar, do we go back?"
High probability. Destroying one core between the two spaces should return you to the origin.
"Then let's do it right now."
He spun around—but the pillar was gone.
"It's not here? Everything's the same, but the pillar's missing."
The crumbled lab, the entrance gate, the overcast sky—everything matched without a hint of dissonance, except the pillar was nowhere.
The Phantom Void is a formation used to trap or draw in targets.
"Yeah."
If it could be easily destroyed, the formation would serve no purpose.
"So it's hidden away nice and tight? Wait. Then couldn't I hit the origin point with my B6-1 still in 3D?"
Without mana infusion, attacks are impossible.
"Yeah, I figured you'd say that. Just checking. Alright, what now? Find the people first?"
He decided to search the surroundings. If they'd all been pulled in together, at least a few might have landed nearby. Taejeong rocketed into the sky with his Blaster, gathering any stragglers.
His view opened up, revealing the downtown skyline.
"Let's drop down."
He started with the south. Heading north past the lab would change zones, so searching familiar downtown first made sense.
The expedition team might've been dragged here too...
It wasn't impossible. Circumstantially plausible.
As he flew around scouting, two figures caught his eye—men in familiar gear.
Up close, they were team members from this op.
"Over here!"
Taejeong shouted in relief, and they looked up, rushing over as he landed.
"Regional Commander."
"Just you two?"
"Yes. Everyone suddenly vanished..."
"What's your unit?"
"We're from Team 2's mage squad, under the Chief of Staff. What the hell happened?"
"Not sure on details, but it feels like we got hit by a formation."
"A formation? You mean a trap?"
"Something like that. Mages can use Fly, right?"
"Yes."
"Might be more people around. Let's scout from the air. Oh, your comms working? Mine's dead."
"No signal on ours either."
"Got it. Circle downtown without leaving it, meet back here. If emergency, flare your biggest spell—I'll come running."
"Understood, sir."
The three split south, fanning out in three directions.
"Gerard."
Yes, Master.
"B6-1 still hasn't returned?"
Correct.
"How's it holding without maintenance? Be perfect right now."
Appears a data error from forced recall is sustaining it.
"Error, huh. Anyway, people are here, so everyone's crossed over like you said. But who set this up? What's the goal? What do they want here?"
Deploying a formation this advanced requires superhuman intelligence. Not a typical monster.
"Any guesses on who?"
Impossible to speculate at present.
Chatting idly as he searched, another figure appeared.
That guy...
A lone hunter wandering desolately. Melee class, one of the special forces who'd searched the lab with him.
"Hey—"
Taejeong's call died as the man was sucked away, vanishing.
"What the? What just happened?"
He landed where the man had been, stepping in the same direction. The world spun, the scenery flipping instantly.
"This is..."
He was inside a building, surrounded by machinery and electronics. Unfamiliar, yet oddly familiar.
I've been here before.
"Wait. This is..."
A flash— he'd been here an hour ago.
"The lab?"
Too pristine to recognize at first. Gleaming LEDs, pristine equipment, spotless floors—like a total overhaul.
"This the same lab from before?"
Taejeong muttered skeptically, and Gerard replied instantly.
Structurally identical to the building I scanned.
"Structurally same means like a branch lab or unit 2?"
Unconfirmed. The design matches exactly.
"Fine, whatever. How'd I get pulled here again? Another formation?"
Phantom Void formations are highly complex. Can't rule it out.
"Hmm. Back to square one. Let's poke around. Where'd that guy go?"
Taejeong explored inside. Twice now, so people might be here too.
Stepping into the hall, an unbelievable sight: foreigners in white coats milling about in groups.
"What the fuck?"
Stunned by the unexpected, a few passed right by him naturally. Then—a hand jutted out inches from his face. Attached to an arm embedded in his chest.
Before he could speak, a man popped out of him like nothing, walking ahead casually.
Taejeong's hand flew to his chest instinctively.
"What was that? Something just came out of my body...?"
Muttering like he was possessed, he spotted an approaching group. They walked right through him despite blocking the path.
He flinched aside, but they moved faster. Another bizarre scene: bodies collided, no impact.
Glancing back, he reached out—his hand passed right through.
Theirs too.
"This make any sense? Can't touch them."
The most absurd moment of his life. Vivid, living humans phasing through him. Not holograms—real skin texture, lively eyes, wrinkles, oil-slick faces, jiggling throats, swaying hair. Real people.
That made it worse.
"Gerard, what the hell is this?"
What do you mean, Master?
"You can't see this? People phasing through. Untouchable."
I don't understand what you're referring to.
"People—no substance. No substance!"
Apologies. I don't comprehend.
"You can't see these people? Look—hand goes right through!"
Apologies, but I see no humans as you describe.
"What? You can't see this? Then what do you see?"
A dilapidated hallway, crumbled walls, debris scattered everywhere.
"..."
Taejeong almost thought the AI was joking. This spotless hall, not a speck of dust, looking wrecked to Gerard? Unbelievable.
"So you don't see these people, and this pristine hall looks trashed to you?"
Affirmative.
"And that first room?"
Frame was rotten, on the verge of collapse.
"No way. It looked fine to me..."
Deeper into the maze, familiar faces appeared at the hall's end—black hair, Asian features.
Korean? Japanese? Chinese?
Not Western, anyway. Chatting over charts, heading his way.
Welcoming Korean voices.
"Kim's presenting the project, right?"
"Yeah. If developed, it'll revolutionize weapons—away from airframe-centric systems."
"Why announce before completion? Worried it'll just give ideas to other countries."
"Intel says several are already on similar projects. Rumors of announcements soon. Gotta strike first."
"That's the boss's thinking, not the team's?"
"Can't deny it..."
"Always chasing legacy before term ends."
"Name a politician who doesn't."
As they laughed past him—
"Hey."
His reflexive hand grazed a shoulder. Then—the man receded, a translucent window popping up.
Secure the Close-Range Special Weapon System Project Documents