RVN CH 1

 

<Year 20XX – District 13>

A dungeon that children under the age of ten had entered suddenly transformed into an S-class dungeon.

The mere fact that an S-class dungeon had appeared after several years was enough to send chills down one’s spine, but to make matters worse, children were inside. It was only natural for the military command to be thrown into chaos.

“Block the reporters immediately! Set up barricades, and don’t let a single person near the area! If word gets out that kids are trapped inside the dungeon, it’s over!”

A man who had received an emergency call shouted orders. The military was already struggling with increasing opposition from various organizations due to its heavy-handed reliance on Espers, and this incident would only add fuel to the fire.

And now, children had entered a dungeon.  Worse yet, it had been for the purpose of discovering stronger espers. If that information were to be exposed, not only the Child Protection Association but also countless other social organizations and advocacy groups would rise in outrage.

“Damn it, of all times—”

Brigadier General McCain stormed toward the situation room, his brows furrowed deeply. The idea of educating children to effectively awaken their Esper abilities and cultivate high-ranking Espers had been his proposal. This project had been progressing under his command.

Gathering children with high potential before they awakened as either Espers or Guides and sending them into dungeons under the guise of field training was also part of the program. Those who cleared dungeons and returned safely tended to manifest their abilities earlier than average. Most of them awakened as B-class or higher Espers—at the very least, they turned out to be decent.

Because of that, dungeon field training had become an indispensable part of the project.

Injuries and deaths among the children were common occurrences, but not a single incident had ever been leaked to the public. This inhumane, top-secret project had never once been halted.

Of course, the military had no desire to see potentially powerful Espers die needlessly. High-ranking Espers were an invaluable resource, and losing them was a disadvantage for the military as well. So, they took what precautions they could.

One such measure was a rule stating that children participating in field training would only enter B-class or lower dungeons, accompanied by adult Espers of A-class or higher rank. It was a crude safeguard, but a safeguard nonetheless.

But today, the dungeon the children entered didn’t remain B-class—it transformed into an S-class dungeon. The discrepancy between the initial assessment and reality was staggering. Never before had there been such a severe measurement error, throwing the situation room into a state of panic.

“What the hell happened?! You said it was C-class, B-class at most!”

As soon as Brigadier entered the situation room, he shouted.

“The system measured it that way. We’re currently investigating the error—”

“What good is an investigation now?! The dungeon has already mutated into an S-class!”

An S-class dungeon—something that hadn’t appeared for years. And of all places, it had to emerge in a dungeon filled with children. A complete team wipeout was practically guaranteed. Losing A-class Espers was bad enough, but the bigger concern lay elsewhere.

No one knew what might come out of an S-class dungeon. If even a single creature escaped, District 13 could be wiped out in an instant.

“What’s the status of the emergency deployment order for all A-class and higher espers?”

Brigadier General McCain clenched his teeth, his voice sharp with urgency.

“They are currently waiting in front of the dungeon portal. The assembled forces consist of one S-rank, ten A-class, and fourteen B-class, totaling twenty-five personnel.”

“What? Even though this district is far from the central zone, that’s all we could gather?! We have no idea what might come out of that dungeon, and you expect us to handle it with just one S-class and ten A-class?!”

“That’s only because we got reinforcements from District 11—otherwise, it would be even fewer—”

“Enough excuses! Contact all nearby districts and get them here immediately!”

Brigadier General McCain, unable to conceal his anxiety, was pressing the commander for reinforcements when—

“T-The gate—! The dungeon gate is opening!”

Someone’s frantic shout echoed through the room. At that single cry, everyone in the situation room held their breath. Their eyes locked onto the massive monitor covering the wall. A gasp—almost a scream—escaped someone’s lips.

Beyond the opening dungeon gate, the small figure of a child appeared. A pale face, unfocused eyes, and an expression completely devoid of awareness—the child looked utterly dazed.

“……”

“……”

The situation was so bewildering that no one could immediately find their voice. The small child barely managed to take a single step out of the dungeon before coming to a halt. Slowly, he glanced around—and then, as if his strings had been cut, he collapsed onto the ground. Murmurs swelled into a commotion in an instant.

“Check the child’s condition! Send a rescue team and a healing Esper!”

“Cover him so the cameras don’t catch anything!”

“Identify the child immediately! What about the others? What happened to the rest of the Espers?!”

The control room erupted into chaos. Brigadier’s voice, rough and desperate, rang above the uproar.

“What about the dungeon?! Is it really cleared?! Dammit, get inside and confirm what happened, now!”

The entire command center was scrambling to establish contact with the field team. The child was immediately transported in an emergency vehicle, while the Espers stationed outside the dungeon rushed in to investigate. Reports flooded in from the scene.

“The dungeon has indeed been cleared as an S-class. However, the interior is completely empty. There are no traces of battle, no signs of struggle—nothing at all.”

“What? Nothing? Not even bodies? How is that possible?!”

“As of now, the only survivor is the child who walked out.”

“Then are you telling me that child cleared an S-class dungeon alone?! That’s impossible—”

Each new report only deepened the disbelief. A dungeon that had swallowed an entire team, yet left no traces behind. No remains, no corpses, not even evidence of combat. As if nothing had ever happened inside.

As more information poured in, the expressions of those in the control room grew increasingly grim. No one knew how to process this unprecedented event.

“We’ve identified the child. A nine-year-old boy from a facility—”

“A discovery has been made inside the dungeon!”

The brigadier, who had been receiving information about the child, suddenly heard an urgent report in his earpiece. His anxious gaze shifted to the monitor.

[Transmitting footage now. A black egg has been discovered in the deepest part of the dungeon. It is a pure, untainted black, measuring 52 cm in width and 87 cm in height. It’s large and sturdy enough to hold a small child. Additionally, biological activity has been detected inside the egg.]

“An egg? Measure its stats and rank immediately. Be on guard for whatever might emerge from it.”

[Commencing measurement.]

A man holding a measuring device operated the machine with a tense expression. The process took longer than expected, and the reason soon slipped from his lips.

[Stats… Unable to measure.]

“What?”

[Rank… S-class. No, it’s rising… SS-class…]

The man’s voice trembled noticeably as he checked the machine. The brigadier’s eyes widened in shock.

[…SSS-class—]

With the man’s final words, a piercing beep erupted from the machine. Everyone monitoring the screen in the control room instinctively covered their ears. The ear-splitting noise only ceased when the man hastily shut off the ranking device.

“Report to the Supreme Leader.”

The brigadier, scowling at the monitor, braced himself against the table, breathing heavily.

“A catastrophe-class entity has emerged.”

His dry lips parted, and the weight of his words spread ominously through the room.

 

∗   ∗   ∗

 

<Present – Sector 13>

Thud. He bumped shoulders with a passing man. It was because he had been lost in thought while walking down the hallway.

“Sorry.”

Renault inclined his head slightly in apology. The other man remained silent. Strange. Feeling puzzled, Renault looked up to check his face.

His gaze traveled upward. At nearly 180 cm himself, Renault rarely had to tilt his head back to look at someone, but this man had to be at least 190 cm tall.

A basketball player? No, if he’s wandering around the Esper-Guide Center’s research facility, he must be either an Esper or a Guide. Judging by his build, he was likely an Esper.

Espers generally had superior physiques and stamina compared to Guides or ordinary people, so Renault assumed as much. However, he had never seen this particular Esper before, which left him with lingering curiosity.

The unfamiliar man looked youthful enough to be called a boy. Could he even be twenty yet? His jet-black, unkempt hair contrasted sharply with his pale skin, and his strikingly beautiful features drew the eye instantly.

But what stood out most were his blue eyes.

Like finely cut sapphires embedded in his face, his piercingly blue irises were almost frightening in their beauty. The transparent, brilliant hue held an almost otherworldly charm, as if they could recklessly ensnare anyone who looked too long.

Renault, momentarily entranced, quickly regained his senses and cleared his throat. Strangely enough, it wasn’t just he who was staring—this young man was also watching him intently. The weight of his gaze was unmistakable.

So… had they just been sizing each other up all this time? Standing in the middle of the hallway, shoulders still touching?

Renault let out a short sigh, finding the situation absurd. Regardless, he had already apologized. The young man hadn’t said a word in response, but there was no reason to linger.

“If you have nothing to say, I’ll be on my way.”

He had no desire to stand around waiting or reprimanding someone much younger than himself for not responding. That would be far too petty. But just as he was about to walk away, a low, velvety voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Wow…, you’ve grown up so pretty. Makes me want to devour you in one bite.”

Along with the sharp sensation of a gaze burning into the back of his head, those unsettling words froze him mid-step.