Chapter 15

“Ridiculous! Who cares if someone’s wearing a suit or running around in their underwear? Why does he act like it’s any of his business? He never has anything nice to say!”

“……”

“Don’t let it get to you. They’re all just like that.”

Yoon Ga-eul, the mentor guide, was fuming as if she had been the one insulted. Her rapid-fire complaints poured out of her small mouth, one after another. Baek Eu-jin, quietly listening, glanced down at the polished tips of his shoes.

…Pretty sharp, isn’t he?

There weren’t any strict rules on attire, but anyone could see that Eu-jin’s outfit was unusually neat. He had deliberately come dressed as if he’d just stepped out of the office, hoping to project the image of a clumsy first-year guide.

Being paired with Delta Team was undoubtedly the result of some scheme between the center director and Director Kang. But Eu-jin had no intention of playing along with their plans. As Kwon Su-ho had pointed out, he fully intended to keep a low profile today.

“What if I mess up today? I’m really glad you’re here, Senpai.”

He played the part of the slow and awkward rookie, figuring it would be best to simply avoid drawing attention. With Yoon Ga-eul around, all he needed to do was support her enough to avoid being a burden.

Hearing him sound so nervous, Yoon Ga-eul clenched her fists with determination.

“Don’t worry. Just stick close to me. Treat today as a simple observation.”

“Have you had a lot of experience with rifts, Senpai?”

“Well, actually… it’s my first time back in three months.”

“…Sorry, what?”

Her overly determined expression turned out to be the result of her own nerves. Startled, Eu-jin glanced at her, but she stiffened her gaze again and nodded firmly, urging him to trust her.

Unfortunately, Yoon Ga-eul was a B-rank guide.

Can I really rely on her? An ominous feeling swept through Eu-jin, leaving him uneasy.

* * *

The moment they stepped into the rift, an entirely different world unfolded before their eyes.

Sometimes it was like a barren desert, other times jagged cliffs and canyons stretched out as far as the eye could see. Whatever it was, it was always an unreal and alien landscape.

This time, the sight that greeted Baek Eu-jin after crossing the Porta was a gloomy mountain valley. While the outside world was bathed in bright sunlight, here it was pitch-black, like the dead of night. Even the air brushing against his skin felt eerie and cold.

The Espers had gone off to scout a suspicious-looking cave, leaving only Team Leader Ahn Itaeh and the two guides waiting at the relatively safe entrance of the rift.

“This place looks like something straight out of a ghost story,” Yoon Ga-eul whispered, her voice trembling slightly as she surveyed their surroundings.

Towering deciduous trees stretched their branches upward, blocking out almost all light. A thick layer of fog cloaked the already dark valley, making it feel even more haunting.

“Haha, come on, ghosts don’t exist.”

“In a world where monsters roam, who’s to say they don’t?”

“Well… fair point.”

Inside rifts, there were far worse things than ghosts lurking around. While it was impossible to predict what they’d encounter, the Espers were tasked with eliminating any monsters they found. It was their duty and responsibility.

If they failed, the rift could collapse, and the monsters would spill into the outside world, throwing society into chaos. To protect their families, loved ones, and the peace of the nation, Espers fought tirelessly, often at great personal risk.

“Don’t worry, our team’s good at what they do. I’ll make sure you both get home safely,” Ahn Itaeh joked lightly, trying to reassure the nervous guide.

His calm demeanor, cultivated from countless rift missions, was infectious. Yoon Ga-eul’s stiff expression softened a little, and she even began to ask casual questions.

“You still haven’t found a team guide for Delta Team, have you?”

“It’s not easy. Finding someone who fits the criteria feels almost impossible.”

“That must be tough.”

As they chatted, the Espers returned from their reconnaissance. Their expressions, however, were far from encouraging.

“It’s a spider nest,” Kwon Su-ho reported, brushing sticky webs off his hair. His clothes were stained with splotches of green fluid, likely from the spiders he had already dealt with.

“Spiders?”

“Yeah. Fortunately, the passage is straight and not too long. We only went a little way in, but it looks like there’s a larger chamber further ahead. That’s probably where they’re gathered.”

“How big are they?”

“About the size of a calf.”

At this nonchalant report, Yoon Ga-eul let out a horrified gasp. Everyone turned to look at her. Ahn Itaeh quickly checked her complexion.

“Are you okay?”

“No… I… I can’t stand things with too many legs.”

She hadn’t even seen them yet but already looked terrified. Her pale, trembling face was almost pitiful to behold.

“Well, what can you do? We’ve got to go in. You planning to camp out here forever?”

Park Sae-byeok’s tone was as blunt as ever. She stretched her neck from side to side, then grabbed Ga-eul’s slender wrist.

“Don’t worry, Guide-nim. I’ll take care of all of them. Just follow me.”

With that, she confidently led the reluctant Ga-eul into the cave. Despite her whining protests, the rest of the group followed their lead, footsteps echoing as they ventured into the darkness.

* * *

The cave was an overwhelming mess of webs.

The ceiling, walls, and floor were covered in a tangled, sticky white network. The webs, created by the monsters, were unnaturally adhesive, slowing the group’s progress as they tried to avoid touching them.

Kwon Su-ho, leading the group, finally lost his patience and waved his hand. Instantly, the surrounding webs froze solid. Now, even if they came into contact, the webs didn’t stick, and a little force caused them to crumble to powder.

As the frost spread, puffs of white breath escaped everyone’s mouths with each exhale. Baek Eu-jin, wearing only a thin dress shirt, shivered as the cold seeped in, and he rubbed his goosebump-covered arms while checking on Yoon Ga-eul next to him.

“Senpai, are you okay?”

“Y-yes,” she stammered.

Her face said otherwise. It was hard to tell if her chattering teeth were from the cold or sheer fear.

Click-click-click.

About 100 meters into the cave, a scuttling sound echoed from deep within. Everyone froze, falling into formation. The Espers silently focused their attention ahead, bracing for an attack from any direction.

“Above!”

Yoo Tak, stationed at the rear, shouted. Instinctively, heads turned upward.

Six spiders clung to the cave ceiling, their eight legs twitching as they crept closer. They had approached unnoticed, and now their hairy bodies and grotesque limbs were clearly visible.

Skreeeek!

The chilling sound of their screeches filled the air as multiple pairs of clustered eyes focused on the group. The reflections in their grotesque eyes perfectly mirrored their prey.

Just as one spider pounced toward the group, Park Sae-byeok stepped forward, blocking its path. Her psychokinesis activated, and the spider crumpled mid-air, its body bursting open in an explosion of viscous green fluid.

“These things are venomous! Be careful!” she shouted, wiping sweat off her brow.

The remains of the spider sprayed in all directions, filling the air with a foul stench. Kwon Su-ho grimaced, brushing the sticky liquid off his clothes.

“Disgusting.”

“Shame it didn’t hit your face,” Sae-byeok retorted with a sneer.

“Can’t you kill them more cleanly?”

“Ugh, who cares!”

Sae-byeok swung her arm dramatically and charged ahead. Now that the situation was clear, she unleashed her powers freely. One after another, the spiders exploded in her wake, filling the cave with loud bursts and the smell of their remains.

“That noona’s going to get herself hurt like that,” Yoo Tak muttered worriedly, cautiously moving forward.

Eu-jin, observing from behind, glanced at him silently but said nothing.

The narrow passage eventually opened up into the main chamber. The high ceiling and deep central pit made it hard to gauge the cavern’s size. It was as vast as an arena, the scale overwhelming.

“So those were just the babies,” Yoo Tak muttered, swallowing nervously.

Hundreds of glowing eyes stared up at them from below, unblinking and menacing. A massive congregation of spiders filled the chamber, crawling over each other in the pit.

“Yoo Tak, fall back.”

Kwon Su-ho summoned an enormous ice longsword, almost as tall as him, its frosty surface glowing faintly blue like ghostly fire. Wielding it like a toy, he stepped to the front, sending Yoo Tak behind him.

He glanced at the heart of the pit, where a hammock-like web hung suspended. It was teeming with eggs, the entire structure pulsating as if ready to hatch.

His expression twisted in frustration at the sheer scale of the nest.

“Team Leader, freeze time for me,” Su-ho said sharply.

“Already?”

“If those eggs hatch, we won’t be able to handle it. We don’t even have a fire Esper here.”

Ahn Itaeh’s ability, time manipulation, allowed him to freeze everything within a designated space for ten minutes. However, using it required guiding, and while the ability was active, he couldn’t move.

“Got it. I’ll prepare. Hold them off for a bit. Yoon Ga-eul, stay close and guide me. Yoo Tak, guard our position.”

“Yes, Team Leader!”

Amid the chaos, Ahn found a secluded spot and sat cross-legged, focusing his energy. The ground vibrated faintly as his concentration deepened.

Sensing the shift, the spiders swarmed as if in response, their grotesque forms crawling up the walls and ceiling.

Yoon Ga-eul, her hands trembling, placed them on Ahn Itaeh’s shoulders to begin guiding him. Yoo Tak, positioning himself in front of the two, shielded them with his body.

Click. Baek Eu-jin loaded his gun and stood next to Ahn and Yoon, ready to protect them. Now wasn’t the time to worry about his own plans—he had to stay sharp.

The spiders surged up the slopes toward them, their open maws dripping acidic venom that sizzled against the ground, leaving scorched trails in their wake.

“Come on, you disgusting freaks!” Park Sae-byeok roared, extending her hands. The spiders at the front of the horde were crushed instantly, their bodies bursting in grotesque explosions. The air filled with shrieks and the sound of rupturing flesh.

“Sae-byeok, shut your mouth,” Kwon Su-ho snapped, his face twisted in annoyance at her shouting.

Even as he scolded her, his ice blade cleaved through the oncoming spiders with precision, their bodies falling in halves to the ground.

Despite the pair’s fierce efforts, the sheer number of spiders made it impossible to stop them all. Some cleverly climbed along the ceiling and side paths, flanking the group.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Yoo Tak scrambled to take out the advancing spiders, frantically trying to cover both his teammates and the monsters. As a healer, he was already stretched thin, balancing between protecting and attacking.

When he missed one, Baek Eu-jin calmly stepped in, shooting the spider clean through its head. His shots were precise, each one a direct hit, almost like a seasoned sniper.