The Unclassified Resonant

CHAPTER 14 — THE FIRST GATE

The world had gone silent.

For a moment, even the alarms inside Averis Resonance Academy stopped.

Every person was staring at the sky.

The Gates continued to expand.

One after another.

Then—

A pulse of Resonance spread across the city.

Every terminal activated simultaneously.

[GLOBAL RESONANCE LEVEL: CRITICAL.]

[UNKNOWN GATE ACTIVITY DETECTED.]

[ALL RESONANTS ARE ADVISED TO REMAIN INDOORS.]

Shorui barely noticed the warning.

He was staring at his hand.

The Sovereign Seal was still glowing.

"Why is it doing this?"

Jo didn't answer.

"Sir Jo."

Nothing.

Shorui turned toward him.

"You said the awakening wasn't supposed to happen yet."

Jo finally looked at him.

"I did."

"Then when was it supposed to happen?"

Jo hesitated.

"Not for another ten years."

Adam's eyes widened.

"Ten years?"

Mike looked toward the sky.

"Then why now?"

Jo's gaze moved toward Shorui.

"Because something forced it."

Shorui frowned.

"Something?"

Before Jo could explain—

A loud impact shook the academy.

BOOM.

The windows rattled.

Students screamed.

Mike immediately moved toward the entrance.

"Another breach."

Jo raised his hand.

"Wait."

A second impact.

BOOM.

This time, the floor cracked.

A blue light appeared beneath them.

Shorui felt the mark on his hand burn.

He immediately knew.

"It's here."

Adam looked at him.

"What is?"

Shorui stared at the floor.

"The Gate."

Jo's expression changed.

"Everyone move!"

The floor exploded.

A circular Gate appeared beneath the academy.

Energy spiraled upward.

Mike grabbed Adam and pulled him away.

Shorui stood frozen.

The Gate was reacting to him.

Then something stepped through.

A creature.

Its body was covered in dark armor-like scales.

Its eyes glowed white.

Unlike the creature from the Dungeon, this one didn't bow.

It attacked.

Mike immediately released a burst of crimson flames.

The creature blocked the attack with one arm.

Mike's eyes widened.

"It's strong."

Adam raised his hands.

"Move!"

The creature's body suddenly shifted sideways.

Adam redirected its momentum.

It crashed into the wall.

Mike followed with another attack.

Flames filled the corridor.

The creature disappeared inside the smoke.

Adam breathed heavily.

"Did we get it?"

The smoke cleared.

Nothing.

Mike looked around.

"Where did it go?"

Shorui looked upward.

"Behind you."

Mike turned.

The creature was already there.

It swung its arm.

Mike barely blocked the attack.

He was thrown across the hallway.

"Mike!"

Adam rushed toward him.

The creature moved again.

Too fast.

Shorui stepped forward.

His body reacted before he could think.

A wave of Resonance spread from his hand.

The creature stopped.

Its eyes locked onto Shorui.

For one second—

neither moved.

Then the creature lowered its head.

Just like the Dungeon creature.

Shorui stared.

"Why?"

The creature whispered through Resonance.

"Not yet."

Shorui's eyes widened.

"What?"

The creature suddenly turned.

It stepped back toward the Gate.

Jo raised his weapon.

"Don't let it escape!"

But the creature disappeared through the Gate.

The Gate immediately collapsed.

Silence returned.

Mike slowly stood.

"What did it say?"

Shorui looked at Jo.

"It said..."

He paused.

"Not yet."

Jo's expression darkened.

Adam noticed.

"Sir Jo."

Jo looked at him.

"You know what that means."

Jo didn't deny it.

"It means the creatures aren't here to kill him."

Mike frowned.

"Then what are they doing?"

Jo looked toward Shorui.

"Testing him."

Shorui's eyes narrowed.

"Testing me for what?"

Jo didn't answer.

Instead, he walked toward the broken floor.

Something had been left behind.

A small black fragment.

Jo picked it up.

The moment he touched it, his expression changed.

"It's a Gate fragment."

Adam stepped closer.

"Can we track where it came from?"

Jo shook his head.

"No."

Shorui looked at the fragment.

"Let me."

Jo immediately stopped him.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know what it will do to you."

Shorui stared at him.

"You've been saying that since the Dungeon."

Jo looked away.

"And I'm still right."

Shorui clenched his fist.

Then—

the fragment began glowing.

It floated out of Jo's hand.

Straight toward Shorui.

The Sovereign Seal activated.

The fragment dissolved into light.

Shorui's vision blurred.

A message appeared before him.

[ADAPTATION RESPONSE DETECTED.]

[FOREIGN RESONANCE ANALYZED.]

[NEW PROPERTY ACQUIRED.]

Shorui froze.

"What..."

The message disappeared.

Jo saw his expression.

"What happened?"

Shorui looked at his hand.

His ability had changed again.

But this time—

he could feel the difference.

He had adapted.

Not to a creature.

Not to an attack.

To a Gate.

Shorui slowly raised his eyes.

"I think..."

He looked toward the sky.

"...I can open one."

Jo's face went pale.

"Don't."

Shorui stared at him.

"Why?"

Jo's voice was almost a whisper.

"Because if you open a Gate..."

He looked toward the thousands already hanging above the city.

"...something might open one back."