Global Map – Nine Red Dots
They pulsed slowly.
Each one on a different part of Earth.
Mountains. Cities. Deserts. Ocean floors.
The Nine Gates had not yet opened fully—but they existed.
And across the world, the strongest forces—hunter associations, hidden clans, and forbidden science groups—were all asking the same question:
> "If the Crimson Guardian destroyed one entity alone…
What happens when the other nine awaken together?"
---
Seoul – Korea's Central Hunter Guild HQ
The conference room buzzed with tension.
Holograms of each gate flickered above the table. Data overlays. Mana forecasts. Time-delay probabilities.
But none of it made sense.
> "No core," one analyst said.
"No fluctuations. No elemental signs. They're just… sitting there."
> "Like seeds," murmured another.
"Waiting to bloom."
Guildmaster Lim—one of Korea's top S-Rank Hunters—slammed his fist on the desk.
> "What are we waiting for? Send strike teams. Seal them."
But the association director shook his head grimly.
> "And if sealing them triggers all nine at once?"
Silence.
And then:
> "What about him?"
"The red-eyed boy."
> "Still unidentified."
> "Then find him."
---
Suwon – Jung Family Apartment
The living room was peaceful again.
Ha-Joon quietly swept the floor while his mother hummed near the stove.
Ha-Rin arranged small potted plants outside the shop window.
The news continued in the background, its voice calm but uneasy.
> "Authorities confirm… nine unknown gate phenomena remain inactive, but Hunter Guilds worldwide are now on high alert. Citizens are advised not to panic…"
His mother clicked her tongue.
> "The world's gotten too noisy," she muttered.
Ha-Joon smiled faintly.
> "It'll quiet down again soon."
She glanced at him.
> "You're always so calm, Joon. Like nothing surprises you anymore."
> "Maybe nothing does," he replied gently.
She laughed.
> "You sound like an old man."
---
Tokyo – Underworld Clan of Sealed Flame
Inside a shrine buried beneath the streets of Tokyo, the clan elders whispered.
> "The Crimson has returned."
> "His vessel walks freely."
One of them burned incense and stared into a bowl of black liquid.
> "He is whole. But he is… incomplete."
> "Then we are not too late."
> "Send the girl."
---
Somewhere in Eastern Europe – A Cold Room
A young woman with white hair sat alone in a chair, eyes closed.
Chains bound her—not because she was a prisoner, but because she asked for them.
To keep herself from remembering.
Until now.
The door opened.
An old man entered, holding a scroll with a red seal.
> "You were right. He's back."
The girl didn't move.
But her lips finally parted.
> "I told you."
> "The boy with crimson eyes…"
> "He's the one I failed to protect."
---
Back in Suwon – Evening at School Grounds
Ha-Joon stayed behind after class, quietly cleaning up equipment in the gym.
He didn't need to—he simply wanted the silence.
Baek Seo-Yeon leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.
> "You're different," she said suddenly.
He didn't turn.
> "I mean… really different."
> "I know."
She walked closer.
> "But you're still here. At school. Living like the rest of us."
> "That's the plan."
> "Even after saving a city?"
> "Especially after that."
She sat beside him.
> "Why are you hiding it?"
He looked at her now, eyes soft.
> "Because the world doesn't need another god."
> "It needs someone who remembers how to be human."
---
Later That Night – Rooftop, Alone Again
Ha-Joon stood under the stars.
His crimson eyes reflected the galaxy above, but his mind was elsewhere.
He could feel the heartbeat of the Nine Gates.
Each one throbbed like a sleeping beast.
Still, for now.
> "You're waiting for me."
> "But I'm not coming to you."
> "Not yet."
He looked toward the horizon.
> "When you wake up…"
> "I'll be waiting."
---
Across the World – The First Sign Appears
Somewhere in the Sahara Desert, a group of explorers camped too close to one of the inactive gates.
They believed it was just a mirage—just like the rest.
Until the sand began to melt.
And from beneath the dunes, a tower of bone emerged slowly.
No sound.
No warning.
Just presence.
The Gate hadn't opened yet…
But something inside had begun to dream.
---