Chapter 92: The Gate That Didn’t Morph This Time

The familiar red crystals embedded in the ceiling bathed the cavern in a faint crimson glow.

Moisture dripped rhythmically from the jagged rocks overhead, creating small puddles across the uneven stone floor. The cool air carried the familiar scent of damp earth mixed with monster mana.

Reiji quietly ran his fingers across the rough dungeon wall.

"It’s been a while..."

A faint sense of nostalgia washed over him.

Not long ago, caves like these had been life-threatening. Every corner hid danger, and every monster could have been his last battle.

Now... after surviving evolved Gates, after fighting in the Blacklake Realm, after defeating a B+ Rank Boss fused with an anomaly.

An ordinary F-Rank Gate almost felt peaceful.

Behind him, Aoi remained vigilant.

One hand rested firmly on the hilt of her longsword while her sharp eyes swept across every corner of the cavern.

Unlike Reiji, she hadn’t relaxed even slightly.

’He’s not even on guard...’

Her gaze lingered on his back.

’Just what kind of monster have I gotten involved with?’

She was about to witness the Night Empress’s strength firsthand.

Even so... Watching him casually touch the dungeon wall as though visiting an old friend felt surreal.

She slowly stepped forward.

Before she could take a second step, a hand caught her wrist.

Aoi looked down.

Reiji hadn’t even turned around.

"What are you doing?"

She blinked.

"...Walking."

"Our deal."

His calm voice echoed through the cavern.

Silence followed.

Then Aoi remembered.

She let out a quiet sigh.

"...Right."

The agreement.

Reiji would clear the Gate.

She would collect whatever monster cores happened to drop.

Nothing more.

He finally released her wrist.

"I don’t want you interfering."

"I wasn’t planning to."

"You were."

"..."

Aoi clicked her tongue.

"You noticed."

"I notice everything."

There wasn’t even the slightest hint of arrogance in his voice.

He simply stated it as fact. Which somehow annoyed her even more.

"You really aren’t very likable."

"I never tried to be."

"..."

She couldn’t argue with that.

Reiji adjusted the hood covering his head before walking deeper into the dungeon.

His footsteps were slow.

Unhurried. Almost leisurely.

Aoi watched him disappear around the bend before folding her arms.

"...Standing here really is boring."

She waited.

Five seconds passed. Ten. Twenty.

"..."

’This isn’t going to work.’

She couldn’t just stand at the entrance while someone else cleared an entire Gate.

That wasn’t how she fought. Nor was it how she’d been trained.

After another brief hesitation, she quietly followed after him.

Not beside him. Not close enough to interfere.

Just several meters behind.

’I’m only watching.’ She silently justified her decision. ’I never promised I’d stay in one spot. And he never said I couldn’t follow behind him quietly.’

Ahead of her, Reiji continued walking without looking back.

Detect Presence had informed him of Aoi’s decision almost immediately.

He said nothing.

As long as she didn’t interfere... He didn’t particularly care.

The tunnel gradually widened.

Broken weapons lay scattered across the ground, half-buried beneath years of dust.

Several cracked monster bones rested against the walls.

A typical beginner Gate.

Reiji had seen countless places like this.

Detect Presence quietly expanded outward.

Three life signatures.

Small and weak Goblins.

He continued walking.

The monsters hadn’t noticed him yet.

They stood around the next corner arguing over what looked like the remains of a giant rat.

A second later... one of them sniffed the air.

It turned.

"Kii?"

The other two followed its gaze. Their ugly green faces twisted into vicious grins.

"Kiii!!"

They rushed forward while raising crude stone clubs.

Aoi instinctively reached for her sword.

’Three goblins—’

Her thoughts stopped.

Reiji didn’t stop walking.

He didn’t change his pace.

He simply drew the bone sword from his Inventory in one smooth motion.

Black-and-amber mana quietly flowed along the blade.

Then...

SHING!

A single flash.

The tunnel became silent.

Reiji returned the bone sword without even looking behind him.

Three goblins remained standing.

For exactly one second.

Then...

Their bodies separated cleanly at the waist.

Blood splashed across the rocky floor before their corpses dissolved into blue particles.

Only one small mana core remained.

Aoi stared blankly.

’...One swing.’

She hadn’t even seen the sword move.

It wasn’t fast.

It was beyond fast.

By the time her eyes reacted... Everything had already ended.

Reiji calmly continued walking.

He didn’t even glance at the monsters.

It was as though swatting three goblins carried no more importance than brushing dust from his clothes.

Several steps later, he spoke without turning around.

"Core."

Aoi blinked.

"...Hm?"

"You missed it."

She looked behind herself.

Near the place where one of the goblins had died...

A faintly glowing crystal rested on the ground.

"..."

She hurried over before picking it up.

A small F-Rank mana core.

Warm.

With green blood on it.

She slipped it into her pouch before looking toward Reiji.

He hadn’t waited. Nor had he looked back.

He simply kept walking deeper into the dungeon.

’He really means it...’

Everything that dropped belonged to her.

He wasn’t even interested enough to stop walking.

Aoi quickly caught up, remaining several meters behind him.

Neither of them spoke. The silence wasn’t awkward.

It simply suited them in a strange way.

Several minutes passed.

Detect Presence activated again.

This time... Six goblins.

Reiji sighed quietly.

"They never learn."

The goblins charged the moment they noticed him.

Weapons raised. Screaming wildly.

Aoi instinctively slowed her steps.

She wanted to observe this time.

Reiji didn’t stop.

His right hand rested casually on the handle of the bone sword.

The goblins closed the distance.

Ten meters. Five. Three...

SHING!

A silver arc flashed across the corridor.

The six goblins froze.

Reiji continued walking straight through them.

One...

Two...

Three steps later...

Their bodies split apart simultaneously.

Blue particles filled the corridor.

Another mana core rolled across the ground.

Reiji never broke stride.

Behind him, Aoi silently picked it up.

Her eyes remained fixed on his back.

’He’s like a killing machine.’

It wasn’t overwhelming strength that impressed her most.

It was efficiency.

Everything Reiji did served a purpose.

Every movement. Every step. One slash.

Nothing existed beyond what was necessary to eliminate the enemy.

It was almost mechanical.

No not mechanical.

Experienced.

Someone who had repeated the same action so many times that perfection had become instinct.

Aoi slowly tightened her grip around the mana core inside her pocket.

’Just how many Gates has he cleared...?’

She had asked herself that question before.

Now... she wasn’t sure she wanted the answer.

Ahead of them, the tunnel gradually widened once again.

Detect Presence quietly swept through the area.

This time...

Reiji smiled beneath the hood but suddenly his smile froze.

"An F-Rank Boss Monster...?"

Far deeper inside the Gate... A far larger life signature quietly waited.

Not that it was strong but because Reiji finally realized that he had entered a gate which hadn’t morphed to he next Rank.

’Does it have something to do with her or maybe I’m just overthinking this...’

Reiji muttered to himself but decided to leave it for now. He can’t use one gate to justify his thoughts.