By Zephyria 
After arriving at the Gate, I filled out the Guide roster and changed into a simplified combat suit for Guides.
I put on a tough black inner layer made of monster hide, and over that, I wore a vest coated with minerals quarried from the Gate. The pants were military-grade bottoms made from monster fur as hard as iron, and the cold, rough texture brushed against my skin.
As expected for a Guide’s version, the composition was much simpler than the combat suits actually worn when entering the Gate. To think it ends with just a top, bottom, and a vest. There was no complex weapon mounting or heavy weight that felt like it would crush my entire body. If that’s the case, this is a piece of cake.
While I was finishing the suit in an instant and watching others who were still struggling, I locked eyes with a senior who looked somewhat skeptical.
“Rookie, have you been to a Gate before?”
Ah.
Seeing the senior look at me with suspicion, I belatedly realized my mistake. Come to think of it, today was my first dispatch to a Gate, so this should have been my first time wearing a combat suit. It was only natural that it looked strange for me to put on the complex gear so naturally.
I quickly racked my brain for an answer.
“I learned how to wear it before coming here.”
“Well… I guess. I suppose video training is well-done these days…”
His face still looked doubtful, but for now, I managed to slide past.
It seemed that things I used to do without a second thought now invited unnecessary suspicion. Thinking that I should be more careful from now on, I quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
While I was resting in the waiting room for a bit, a few Espers who needed guiding came to find me. I stayed in physical contact with them for a while, but once all the Espers entered the Gate, even that disappeared. Looking around, everyone was either taking a leisurely nap or just fiddling with their smartphones.
Ah, I never in my life thought I could work this comfortably at a Gate. To think I could be this relaxed with a Gate teeming with monsters right before my eyes. Although the environment of the waiting room, which was set up as a tent, was a bit poor, it was practically heaven compared to the inside of the Gate.
To relieve the fatigue I had accumulated, I also closed my eyes for a moment. However, after some time, a commotion woke me from my sweet slumber.
Looking around with a half-asleep face, I saw the Guides huddled together at the entrance of the tent.
“What’s going on?”
“It looks like there’s a problem outside. I don’t think the Gate is rampaging, but…”
I knew it wasn’t a rampage because the ground shakes violently when that happens. Wondering why it was so noisy when there wasn’t a problem with the Gate itself, I poked my head out of the tent along with the other Guides.
I could see people gathered at the Gate entrance a short distance away. And in the center, there was a strange lump of ice.
I narrowed my eyes and muttered.
“That ice looks familiar for some reason…”
Vasily was also an ice-type ability user. However, since there were plenty of ice-type Espers, I shook my head, dismissing it as a trick of my imagination.
Just then, cracks began to form in the ice.
“It’s breaking out! Request backup quickly!”
The lump of ice suddenly shattered into pieces, and something pitch-black leaped out from within. As the Espers surrounding the ice hurriedly created distance, the identity of the creature was finally revealed.
“A monster?”
I frowned upon confirming its identity.
Disgustingly glinting red pupils. It looked like a dog, but it was larger than a horse and so hideous that not a shred of cuteness could be found. Its black hide glistened, reflecting the sunset.
“What… did a monster escape?”
The Guides who were observing the outside with me began to buzz in fear.
“The rookie is unlucky, seeing a monster as soon as they arrive.”
“I know, right…”
I nodded glumly. I thought I wouldn’t have to see a disgusting monster’s face for a while.
The monster looked around, engaging in a psychological battle with the few Espers present, and then it looked toward where I was. The red pupils, having discovered prey, flashed eerily. The moment our eyes met, my body stiffened reflexively.
It’s okay. It’ll be okay. Barely calming my heart, I quickly assessed the situation.
The Espers were confronting the monster, surrounding it. Since there were Espers guarding against the monster, it wouldn’t come this way under normal circumstances. That is, unless someone over here stupidly turned their back to the monster.
“Hieek…!”
“Wait! You can’t run away!”
One terrified Guide eventually bolted. I hurriedly called out to stop them, but they didn’t even pretend to listen.
If there was one thing I learned from wandering inside Gates with Vasily, it was this: ‘Never show your back to a monster.’ Because, like any predator, monsters tend to chase the person who looks the weakest. Of course, even knowing that, not running away is no easy task.
Excited by the fleeing Guide, the monster leaped over the Espers and began charging toward us. Damn it! A curse escaped my lips automatically. There were no Espers on this side, so if that monster came here, we’d be lucky if half survived; otherwise, it would be a massacre.
“I-it’s coming this way! Run!”
“Aaaagh!”
As the monster charged toward us, everyone lost their minds, rushing out of the tent, fleeing, and screaming in total chaos. Now it was my turn to choose. Since the monster was coming this way, I could either run or stand still and pray it would chase the other fleeing people.
But it seemed I no longer had a choice.
“Why are you coming toward me!”
The one who showed their back first was another Guide, yet the monster was charging in a straight line toward me. Its running speed was faster than I expected, so it was too late to run now.
Damn it, damn it!
It was too late to escape. Now that I had become the target, I had to hold out somehow until the monster’s attention returned to the Espers. The Espers were rushing toward us in a hurry, but I was certain that those huge claws would tear me apart faster than they could arrive.
Cursing under my breath, I quickly looked around. Conveniently, there was a temporary weapon left behind by the Espers right next to me.
‘I’m not used to long spears, but it’s better than nothing.’
I hurriedly grabbed the weapon, but because the spear was long and heavy, I couldn’t aim it properly. I barely managed to point the weapon forward, but I wasn’t sure if I could effectively block the monster’s attack.
If it were the old me, I would have swung this without a second thought. I should have exercised a bit more after my regression.
Regretting it belatedly, I fixed my gaze on the rapidly approaching monster. To think this would happen after I finally escaped that guy by dying. Still, I wouldn’t give up.
I’ve been in and out of Gates for years. I’m not going to die easily to a piece of trash like this.
“Kieeeek!”
The monster let out a screech and leaped, lunging at me. Fine, this kind of movement is within my expectations. Aiming for the open maw of the monster charging at me, I thrust the spear inward.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
I succeeded in blocking the monster with the spear, but my arm almost snapped. Fortunately, I didn’t lose my grip on the weapon, but I was pushed backward by the immense force and fell. The tip of the spear barely grazed its flank and became embedded in the ground.
“Damn, what kind of strength… ah.”
And the moment I looked up, I wanted to ignore reality.
A wide-open mouth full of rage, and large, sharp teeth that looked like they would shred skin to pieces the moment they touched. Between them, my fragile weapon was stuck like a toothpick, barely holding the monster back, while giant claws thrashed violently before my eyes.
Every time the monster struggled, the tip of the spear sank deeper into the ground, and the gap between the claws and my face grew smaller and smaller.
Are the Espers not here yet? It seemed noisy around me, but my gaze was fixed straight ahead and wouldn’t move, so I couldn’t check.
It was then. The spear began to bend slightly.
“Ah.”
I’m dying like this.
I squeezed my eyes shut. The moment I sensed death, the image of Vasily suddenly came to mind.
Vasily had pushed me into the Gate, but at least he had saved me whenever I was in danger while fighting monsters. Of course, that was always followed by him calling me pathetic…
To think the person I remember at the end isn’t family, but Vasily. It was almost laughable.
Thump.
Then, with a dull sound, the spear that had been violently shaking went still. And something lukewarm poured over my face.
“Mmph… cough! gag!”
Because an unknown liquid entered my nose and mouth, I hurriedly spat it out. However, the liquid already in my mouth carried a nauseating scent.
It was the most horrific taste I had ever experienced in my life. Retching, I wiped the liquid off my face.
I barely opened my eyes and checked the situation. The monster was slumped over, its head pierced through by a giant ice spear. The momentum with which it had lunged to kill me just a moment ago felt like a lie.
And along the ice, black monster’s blood dripped down.
Where? Onto my face.