[ *Third person point of view* ]
City Washington DC
Near the SS+ rank gate, newly called "the dark gates" because of their jet black color, were government-prepared camps for hunters. A few meters away, Ethan's camp, an experienced hunter, was slightly better built but remained similar to the others.
As Ethan took a short nap, seated in a plush armchair with his feet up on the desk, an employee from the American Hunters Association burst in.
"M-Mr. Ethan! It's an emergency!" the employee said in a trembling voice.
"What? What's the matter now?" Ethan asked grumpily.
"It's the gate... the one that appeared a few hours ago. Its energy level has just spiked alarmingly!" the employee explained.
"So what? What's the problem?" Ethan questioned.
"According to the latest analysis, there might be a rift forming... and it could happen in a few minutes," the employee finished.
"Damn it... But wait a minute, why are you coming to me? Aren't there Rank A and B hunters on site? They are more than competent enough to handle this," Ethan pointed out.
"That's precisely why you should go," Alex said, entering the office. "The sooner the job is done, the better... if you go, the number of dead hunters will decrease."
"Of course, it always falls on me. Fine, I'll be there. Let me get ready. You, go back there and tell them to hold their positions while waiting!" Ethan agreed with a sigh.
Ethan arrived at the scene accompanied by the employee, who seemed nervous and agitated. The present hunters were whispering among themselves, their low voices creating a constant buzz in the air. Ethan paid no attention to their murmurs and advanced towards the gate.
The employee, noticing the direction Ethan was heading, rushed towards him. "Mr. Ethan, the association's office is not in that direction," he said, trying to guide him elsewhere.
Ethan turned around, a mocking smile on his lips. "I don't care about the office," he replied nonchalantly. "The reason for my visit is right in front." He pointed at the dark gate looming before them. The employee sighed, resigned to Ethan's stubbornness, known for his obstinate character and disregard for rules.
Arriving in front of the gate, Ethan carefully observed the unfolding process, his hands in his pockets. The air was thick with palpable tension, and all the hunters took their positions, ready to attack at the slightest sign of danger.
Suddenly, sinister cracks resounded. Large fissures began to form on the smooth surface of the gate, extending like black veins on an ink background.
After some endless minutes, there was movement for the first time. A leg emerged from the gate, followed by another, then the upper part of a human body. Ethan squinted, trying to make out the silhouettes taking shape in the darkness.
On closer inspection, two people could be seen, a man and a woman, supporting each other. The woman was pale, almost lifeless, while the man wore a disgusted expression. They were hunters, but their appearance was far from reassuring.
Behind them, two more hunters emerged, followed by the rest of their group members. Ethan, along with the present hunters, seemed surprised by this unexpected situation.
However, when the last person, a woman, crossed the threshold, a chilling shiver ran down the spines of all those present at the scene. For a brief moment, they felt like they were facing death itself. This oppressive feeling lasted only a moment, but it left an indelible mark on their minds.
The whispers resumed among the hunters, more intense this time. "Damn, what was that?" one of them whispered, his voice trembling.
Ethan, who was closest to the gate, had been most exposed to this strange sensation. "Damn, what was that?" he muttered to himself. "Just now, I thought I saw two silhouettes come out after that woman," he said, his hand dripping with sweat.
He turned to the hunters who had emerged from the gate, then to those waiting, his mind racing. A troubling thought crossed his mind: "If those two silhouettes were real, I wouldn't bet on our survival... No one here would have made it."
Ethan shook his head, trying to dispel this unsettling idea. He turned to leave, but the pressure he had felt a few moments earlier continued to haunt him. "That pressure earlier, I really thought I was facing death," he muttered, a shiver running down his spine.
The hunters who had just come out of the gate seemed exhausted and disoriented. They staggered, leaning on each other to maintain balance. Their faces bore marks of fatigue and fear, as if they had crossed hell and barely come back alive.
Ethan approached them, trying to understand what had happened on the other side of the gate. "What happened in there?" he asked firmly.
Nox, supporting the pale Rhéa, looked up at Ethan, his haunted and distant gaze. "It was... it was horror," he muttered hoarsely. "Creatures... things I had never seen before..." Not wanting to continue, he fell silent.
The woman beside him shuddered, clutching his arm as if her life depended on it. "They were not human... they were monsters, no, demons," Rhéa whispered.
Ethan furrowed his brow, trying to make sense of their words. He turned to the other hunters who had come out of the gate, seeking answers. "And you? What did you see?"
The other hunters shook their heads, visibly traumatized by their experience. Some had vacant stares, as if they had seen things beyond comprehension. Others trembled, their hands clenched on their weapons, as if they expected the creatures to appear at any moment.
Ethan realized that something terrible had happened on the other side of the gate. Something that exceeded anything they could have imagined. He turned to the employee who had accompanied him, his face grave.
"We need to know what happened... tend to them and give them some time to recover... I'm leaving now," Ethan concluded.
The employee nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. He hurried to the association's office, determined to inform his superiors of what had just occurred.
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