Chapter 17: Sucked by The Gate and Is This Forest?
(Nari POV)
Ugh, I hate it when I have to hide my true feelings and give up on what I want. It's like I'm always living in Hari Noona's shadow.
Why am I always second best after her? My parents even pay more attention to her because of her innocent face, as if I'm some mature adult who doesn't match my age.
"Nari, you should let go of that doll. Hari wants it too," they would say, expecting me to understand because I'm supposedly smart.
Even though it goes against my heart, I can't help but be captivated by Hari Noona's innocence. "Okay, Mom and Dad, I understand," I would reply with a fake smile, enduring the annoyance.
But despite that, I still have a soft spot for Hari Noona, even though my parents frustrate me.
And time flies... Now I'm eleven, and I've grown used to this kind of life.
My plan for the future is to attend junior high school next year and work hard to graduate from college. I want to become an idol and live independently from my parents.
So far, my plan is going perfectly. I'm the top student in my school, which will help me get into a good school next year.
Currently, my family lives in New York because of my parents' work situation. They have to manage the Yoo family's branch company in America. That's why Hari Noona and I have to attend school here.
As for Soohyun Noona, she's quite strange and wild. I don't understand why she chose to study in America when she could have stayed in Korea.
...
Another ordinary day goes by. Soohyun Unnie takes the two of us for a walk in the park near our apartment complex.
It's not a bad idea, especially considering how scary the world has become.
But I can't help but get annoyed with Soohyun Unnie. She's always babbling about her idol or something, and I just can't relate to any of it.
I wonder if I would act the same if I were her age. The thought makes me want to vomit.
Sigh... I just want to clear my mind, enjoy the scenery of Central Park, and have some vanilla ice cream.
"Here's your vanilla ice cream, little lady," the vendor hands me my favorite treat.
"Thank you," I reply with a smile as I take the ice cream. Then, I go over to where my sister is sitting. But it seems they don't even notice my presence.
"Hari, look at this! The way he swings his sword and the lightning surrounding him is so cool! KYAA!" Soohyun Unnie rambles excitedly.
"Shhh... Soohyun, don't shout like that suddenly," Hari Noona reminds her, trying to maintain our public image.
Looking at the two of them, I can't help but feel that Soohyun Unnie seems more like the little sister compared to me.
Sighing, I leave my seat and walk out of the ice cream shop. I'm annoyed that I'm practically invisible to them.
Ring, ring... The doorbell of the shop chimes, and I expect them to realize I'm not with them, but apparently not.
"Well, I'll take a walk and head back to the apartment. Why not?" Since I'm in a bad mood, I just want to go home. I'll take a short walk in the park on my way.
The park is about two blocks away from the ice cream shop, and I know some shortcuts because I'm familiar with the area.
I'm almost there now, just walking down a narrow alley.
"Huh? What's that?" I stop in my tracks at the intersection, noticing a large blue circle to my left. Out of curiosity, I approach it.
"Oh no, there's a man there." I hide quickly as I realize someone is observing the circle.
"But wait, that circle... could it be?" I think to myself, but before I can process it further, the man glances in my direction and locks eyes with me.
"Ahjussi... what do you see?" I ask, trying to sound cute and hoping it works as an excuse since he already knows I'm there.
...
(Sasuke POV)
I glance at the girl hiding, though it can hardly be called hiding in my opinion.
I approach her slowly. "What are you doing? It's dangerous to be this close to the gate," I say, a hint of annoyance in my voice.
"Oh, so that's the gate? Are you going on a raid, Ahjussi? But why are you alone?" The girl bombards me with questions, realizing that I know this is a gate.
"Sigh... You should go home. It's going to be dangerous," I reply, slightly taken aback by her audacious behavior.
She flinches, and I notice a sense of danger as well.
Shuzzz... The gate starts emitting magical energy, attracting everything around it.
"KYA!" I manage to restrain myself from being sucked in, but the girl doesn't fare as well. She gets pulled into the gate in an instant.
"Oh no!" Without thinking, I move quickly and catch her, but the suction is strong, and I can't escape its grasp.
I get sucked into the gate along with the girl.
...
(General POV)
Whoosh... Inside the gate, chaos ensues as various objects get pulled in, creating a mess.
Sasuke and Nari are both sucked into the gate and find themselves in a vast meadow within a dense forest.
"This is no ordinary gate. Is it a red gate?" Sasuke quickly analyzes the situation while still holding onto Nari.
Red gates are special gates that seal off access once humans pass through them. They trap those inside and prevent others from entering until certain conditions are met, such as defeating the boss, wiping out the entire raid group, or triggering a dungeon break.
Red gates have a minimum difficulty level of at least B-Rank, meaning that the hunters inside need to have at least one A-Rank among them to avoid penalties.
The environment within a red gate is usually harsh, ranging from scorching deserts to freezing snowy fields. Hunters face not only the monsters but also the challenging conditions, such as frostbite, heatstroke, or starvation. Red gates are much more dangerous compared to normal B-Rank or A-Rank gates.
Time also behaves differently within red gates, with a day inside equaling an hour in the outside world.
Regardless of the danger, red gates initially appear as normal blue gates, only revealing their true nature once humans pass through them. They also stop emitting mana, making it impossible to accurately measure their energy levels from that point onward.
"O-oppa, please don't leave me to die here. Please..." Nari's voice trembles with fear as she clings to Sasuke.
"It's okay, don't worry," Sasuke tries to calm her down, feeling a mix of amusement and responsibility as he realizes how scared she is.
Squish... Nari hugs Sasuke even tighter, seeking comfort.
"Please promise me..." Her voice quivers as she makes her request, her fear and worry palpable.
Sasuke is taken aback but finds himself somewhat amused by the girl's reliance on him.
"Fine, I promise. I'll bring you back home alive," Sasuke's lips curl into a slight smirk. He feels a sense of being needed, something unfamiliar to him.
"I don't know what it's like to have a sister, but not bad," Sasuke muses, taking off his mask and revealing a rare smile.
Drop... Sasuke gently sets Nari down on the ground.
"So, what's your name?" Sasuke asks, his tone softer than usual. He tries to act like a caring older brother.
"Hick... Hick... N-Nari..." Nari's tears haven't completely subsided. She's still in shock from the sudden turn of events.
"And what should I call you, Oppa?" Nari looks at Sasuke, her eyes are tired from crying.
'Oppa? Maybe that's what they call older brothers in this world,' Sasuke wonders, still adjusting to the unfamiliar terms.
"It's Sasuke... Listen carefully, while we're here, never leave my side. Understand?" Sasuke's tone becomes more serious, emphasizing the importance of sticking together.
Nari stops crying and nods, her expression now focused. "I understand. Please take care of me, Oppa!"
A/N: Sasuke's character may be slightly out of character, but given the circumstances, it's within the realm of possibility.
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