Chapter 30: A Red Gate

Nero answered the call while examining the inscription on his chest. He had barely brought the phone to his ear when a familiar voice greeted him.

"Hello, Mr. Savior~ I hope I’m not interrupting anything."

"Serina? How did you get my number?"

"Jasmine gave it to me. Anyway, have you made any progress with your awakening?"

Nero was speechless.

First, Jasmine had brought Lyris to his training room, and now she was handing out his phone number.

"Not yet. Why are you asking?"

"Well, there’s a newly discovered Gate outside the city, and I’m going in with a few others. We need some porters, so I thought you might want to come."

"You want me to carry things for you?"

"Something like that. You’ll be following behind us after we clear the monsters. You might find something useful, and being around that much Mana could help you fully awaken."

Hearing this, Nero’s attention immediately returned to the dark half of the inscription on his chest.

If demon spawns appeared inside this Gate, he might finally obtain the Demonic Energy he needed.

This could be his chance to enter before the powerful Awakeners claimed the place. Once the presence of demons was confirmed, someone like him wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near it.

"Send me the location. I’ll come."

"Oh? That was easier than I expected," Serina replied, sounding pleased. "Hurry over before we leave without you~"

After ending the call, Nero put on his shirt and booked a taxi to the address Serina had sent.

The taxi took him toward the outskirts of New Arcadia City, where a section of the road had already been blocked off.

Awakener Bureau agents were directing vehicles away from a swirling portal beyond the barriers.

Nero paid the driver and approached on foot.

Even from this distance, he could sense the Mana pouring out of the Gate.

Serina stood nearby with several familiar people. Lucas and Jasmine were beside Damian, while Richard was talking to Serina a short distance away.

Lyris was also present, and she noticed Nero before the others did. Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag as she glanced between him and Serina.

"Who’s this?" Damian asked. "Is he the porter you invited?"

"That’s the porter I told you about."

Serina waved Nero over before returning to her conversation with Richard.

Richard briefly glanced at him, and Nero gave an awkward nod.

This was the man whose birthday party had changed his entire life, yet Richard probably didn’t even know his name.

However, that thought didn’t bother Nero as much as he expected.

He had come here for the Gate.

Before he could approach it, Lucas and Jasmine came over.

"Nero, you made it! We were wondering whether you’d agree."

Lucas then asked, "I didn’t know you knew Serina."

"We’ve met a few times. She asked if I wanted to work as a porter."

Lyris examined Nero for a moment, seemingly troubled by something about his appearance.

She appeared ready to say something, but after noticing Jasmine watching her, she turned back toward Richard.

Jasmine returned her attention to Nero with a pleased smile.

"It’s a good thing I gave her your number, isn’t it? This could help you become more sensitive to Mana, which is the first step toward fully awakening."

Nero almost told her that sensing Mana was no longer a problem for him.

The Mana Sensitivity Enhancement he had received after massaging Lilia had greatly improved his perception.

In fact, simply standing near the Gate was enough to prove how useful the reward was. The Mana pouring through the portal was far denser than anything he had sensed on the streets.

"How did Serina find this place?" Nero asked.

"The military discovered it. Her father works for them, so she heard about it and wanted to come."

Jasmine glanced toward Serina before continuing.

"He wouldn’t let her go alone, though. She had to bring other Awakeners, so she chose us."

She paused briefly.

"I didn’t expect Lyris to be here either. Try not to let it bother you."

"You know I’m already past that, Jasmine."

"That’s what everyone says."

Nero’s lips twitched at her smile.

It seemed she would continue treating him like a heartbroken idiot no matter what he said.

Jasmine pointed toward a group of people waiting beside several large bags.

"You’ll be staying with the other porters. We’ll go ahead and clear the route before you follow."

"Just stay with them and leave the fighting to us," Lucas added.

Nero agreed before turning his attention toward the Gate again.

If there weren’t any demon spawns inside, he could simply finish the job and return home.

An agent soon approached Serina and informed her that they could begin.

She called everyone over while Nero stepped aside to let the Awakeners pass.

Damian caught up with Richard before they entered.

"Let’s see who gets the most kills this time, Richard. You won’t turn down a challenge, will you?"

"Not after you asked like that."

Lyris joined them near the portal.

"Compete if you want, but don’t go overboard. You two are always trying to turn everything into a contest."

Lucas followed them toward the Gate, while Jasmine gave Nero one final wave.

Serina was about to enter when she suddenly turned around and caught his eye.

She winked before mouthing a few words toward him.

"I’ll be right back. Then we can talk."

Nero watched her disappear into the Gate before joining the other porters.

An elderly man standing beside the bags made room for him.

"First time doing this? I’m Edmund Smith."

"Nero Martinez. Is it that obvious?"

Edmund chuckled as he handed him a bag.

"You keep looking at the Gate. Don’t worry about falling behind. We’ll show you what to collect."

The other porters also greeted Nero as they checked their equipment, making him feel a little more comfortable.

"You must have your reasons for taking this sort of work," Edmund continued. "What brings you here?"

"I’m mostly tagging along. I’m half-awakened, so I thought being around more Mana might help."

"Then make good use of it. People listen to Awakeners in this world, and you’ve still got a chance to become one."

Edmund adjusted the straps of his bag before looking toward the portal.

"This is my last trip. After today, I’m staying home with my wife and family."

"You’re retiring?"

"My granddaughter was just born. I don’t want to keep leaving the house and miss everything while she grows up."

Nero couldn’t help smiling at his answer.

Until now, he had only been thinking about what he might gain from entering the Gate.

"Then I hope we finish early. Your family must be waiting for you."

"That’s what I’m hoping too. My wife has already told me not to come back with another job lined up."

The porters waited until the main party had been inside long enough to clear the route ahead.

When an agent finally signaled them forward, Edmund checked that Nero had his bag before leading him toward the Gate.

Nero tightened his grip on the strap and stepped through the swirling light.

The voices behind him faded before he could hear what the agent said next.

As the last porter disappeared into the Gate, the agent reached for his radio to report that everyone had entered.

However, just as he was about to speak, the light spilling across his hand suddenly turned red.

"...!"

He looked up in horror as the color spread across the entire Gate.

"Red alert! We have a Special Gate!"

A siren immediately blared across the road as the other agents rushed toward the barrier.

The man kept his radio raised, staring at the portal they had just sent the students through.

Nobody could enter to help them now.

Those trapped inside would have to fulfill the Gate’s conditions before it could open again.

Some Special Gates required a powerful monster to be defeated, while others demanded the completion of a specific quest.

Whatever the condition was, the group inside would have to discover it themselves.

The agent immediately switched channels and shouted into his radio.

"Contact General William immediately! His daughter is inside!"