Do-Yoon and Min-Jae continued walking through the strange world together.
The farther they walked, the more unreal everything became.
At first, they had been excited because of the floating mountains and glowing rivers, but now they started noticing even stranger things.
Huge creatures flew far above the clouds. Some looked like birds, while others looked completely unknown. Small glowing particles floated through the air like fireflies. The wind carried strange sounds from very far away, sounds that almost felt like whispers.
Neither of them understood this world.
But both of them wanted to know more.
Min-Jae stretched his arms while walking. "Bro… this place is way too huge."
Do-Yoon nodded slowly. "Yeah."
They had already been walking for a long time, yet they still felt like they had explored nothing.
Every direction looked endless.
"Do you think people actually live here?" Min-Jae asked.
"I don't know," Do-Yoon replied honestly. "But if this place has systems and guardians… then probably yes."
Min-Jae looked around carefully.
"…Bro."
"What?"
"If monsters suddenly appear, I'm sacrificing you and running."
Do-Yoon immediately looked offended. "WHY ME?!"
"Because your skill is common."
"…I regret becoming your friend."
Min-Jae laughed proudly. "Rare skill users deserve survival priority."
Do-Yoon kicked a small rock toward him. "Shut up."
Both continued walking while arguing like usual.
But deep inside—
Both of them were nervous.
This world was beautiful.
But it also felt dangerous.
Like something could happen at any moment.
Then suddenly—
Do-Yoon stopped walking.
"…Bro."
Min-Jae looked forward too.
And both of them froze.
Far ahead—
Another giant gate stood before them.
This gate looked even larger than the previous one.
Its size was unbelievable.
Dark silver metal covered the entire structure, and strange glowing lines moved slowly across its surface.
It looked ancient.
But also futuristic somehow.
The gate itself gave off pressure.
Not physical pressure—
Mental pressure.
Just looking at it made them feel small.
And beside the gate—
Another guardian stood silently.
Unlike Sir Crantos, this guardian wore lighter armor. Long cloth pieces moved with the wind behind him, and his eyes glowed faintly blue under the helmet.
The moment the guardian saw them—
He immediately spoke.
"You two."
His voice echoed deeply.
Do-Yoon and Min-Jae looked at each other.
"…Us?" Min-Jae asked.
The guardian slowly nodded.
"Are you the newly acknowledged Players?"
Do-Yoon and Min-Jae both nodded carefully.
"…Yes."
The guardian looked at them quietly for a moment.
Then he spoke again.
"Prepare yourselves."
Min-Jae blinked. "…For what?"
Do-Yoon also looked confused.
The guardian crossed his arms.
"A test."
Both immediately became serious.
"…A test?" Do-Yoon repeated.
The guardian nodded once.
"To determine whether you are worthy to pass through this gate."
Min-Jae slowly looked up at the giant structure behind him.
"…What's inside there?"
The guardian stayed silent.
That silence alone made them even more curious.
Do-Yoon swallowed.
"…Now I really want to know."
Min-Jae nodded quickly. "Same."
The guardian finally stepped forward slightly.
"If you wish to proceed, you must complete the trial."
Do-Yoon looked at Min-Jae.
Min-Jae looked back at him.
Then both nodded.
"We'll do it," they said together.
The guardian raised one hand slowly.
"The rules are simple."
The air around him shifted slightly.
"You may use your skills."
Do-Yoon immediately became alert.
Min-Jae grinned slightly.
The guardian continued,
"You both may attack together."
Min-Jae whispered excitedly, "…Bro this actually feels cool."
Do-Yoon nodded nervously. "…Yeah."
Then the guardian finished speaking.
"You only need one thing."
His glowing eyes locked onto them.
"Touch my body."
Silence.
"…That's it?" Min-Jae asked.
"That is all."
Min-Jae suddenly smiled confidently. "BRO THIS IS EASY!"
Do-Yoon looked at him. "Don't get overconfident."
The guardian calmly added one more sentence.
"I will dodge every attack."
Min-Jae's smile disappeared immediately.
"…Oh."
The guardian stepped backward.
"Begin."
For one second—
Nobody moved.
Then suddenly—
"DISK DASH!" Do-Yoon shouted.
His body burst forward instantly.
Min-Jae's eyes widened. "BRO YOU'RE FAST!"
Do-Yoon moved far faster than before, almost like his body slid through the air.
Within a second—
He appeared behind the guardian.
"I GOT HIM!"
Do-Yoon reached forward confidently.
But then—
The guardian moved slightly.
Only slightly.
And Do-Yoon completely missed.
"…WHAT?!"
The guardian had dodged it effortlessly.
Do-Yoon stumbled forward in shock.
"That was too fast!"
The guardian calmly replied,
"Too direct."
Min-Jae immediately rushed forward next.
"MY TURN!"
Heat suddenly spread around his body.
The skill activated.
"FIRE FLOW!"
A reddish glow covered Min-Jae's arms, and heat waves spread around him.
Even Do-Yoon felt the temperature rise.
"WOAH!"
Min-Jae charged forward confidently.
"My rare skill will carry us!"
His hand shot toward the guardian.
But again—
The guardian moved calmly.
A simple side step.
Min-Jae missed completely.
"…NO WAY!"
The guardian looked at him.
"Too predictable."
Min-Jae nearly fell onto the ground dramatically.
"BRO THIS GUY IS CHEATING!"
"He's literally just dodging," Do-Yoon replied while breathing heavily.
Min-Jae pointed angrily. "THEN WHY IS HE SO GOOD AT IT?!"
The guardian silently waited.
Completely calm.
Not even slightly serious.
That somehow annoyed both of them even more.
The next few minutes became complete chaos.
Do-Yoon used Disk Dash again and again, trying to attack from different angles.
Every single time—
Dodged.
Min-Jae used Fire Flow repeatedly, making his arms hotter and faster.
Still—
Dodged.
The guardian avoided every move with minimal effort.
Sometimes he moved only one step.
Sometimes only tilted his body slightly.
But no matter what—
Neither of them could touch him.
After another failed attempt, both Do-Yoon and Min-Jae collapsed onto the ground.
"I'm dying…" Do-Yoon muttered.
"My rare skill was fake…" Min-Jae whispered sadly.
The guardian looked down at them.
"You rely too much on your skills."
Min-Jae looked offended. "BRO WE ONLY HAVE SKILLS!"
Do-Yoon sighed heavily.
"…We can't beat him directly."
Min-Jae stared at the sky.
"…Then what do we do?"
Silence followed.
Both breathed heavily.
Then suddenly—
Do-Yoon slowly turned his head.
At the exact same time—
Min-Jae also turned.
Both looked at each other.
And instantly—
They understood.
"…Bro."
"…Yeah."
Neither explained anything.
But somehow—
Both had thought of the same plan.
The guardian watched them quietly.
"Interesting."
A few moments later—
Do-Yoon suddenly activated Disk Dash again.
He rushed forward at high speed.
The guardian calmly prepared to dodge.
But this time—
Min-Jae didn't attack immediately.
Instead—
"FIRE FLOW!"
Heat exploded from Min-Jae's hands.
Not toward the guardian—
Toward the ground.
Dust and steam burst upward instantly.
The guardian's vision became blocked for one second.
Only one second.
But that was enough.
Do-Yoon suddenly changed direction mid-dash.
The guardian dodged the wrong side.
And then—
TAP.
Do-Yoon's fingers touched the guardian's arm.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Both froze.
"…WE DID IT?" Min-Jae whispered.
Do-Yoon stared at his own hand in disbelief.
"…WE DID IT!"
Both immediately jumped around happily.
"BRO WE'RE GENIUSES!"
"WE ACTUALLY WON!"
The guardian slowly looked at the spot Do-Yoon touched.
Then—
A small smile appeared under the helmet.
"Well done."
The massive gate behind him slowly began opening.
Deep metallic sounds echoed everywhere.
Do-Yoon and Min-Jae immediately stopped celebrating.
Both turned toward the gate slowly.
And what they saw—
Made both of them speechless.
Beyond the gate—
Was something impossible.
A gigantic city stretched endlessly into the distance.
But it didn't fully look like a city.
And it didn't fully look like a kingdom either.
It was both.
Massive towers stood beside ancient castles.
Glowing roads crossed between giant structures.
Flying objects moved through the sky.
Beautiful lights covered the entire place.
It looked advanced.
Ancient.
Magical.
And futuristic at the same time.
Neither of them understood what they were looking at.
"…Bro," Min-Jae whispered.
"…Yeah."
"…What even is this place?"
Do-Yoon couldn't answer.
Both slowly looked at each other.
Excitement.
Fear.
Curiosity.
Everything mixed together inside them.
And without realizing it—
Their real journey…
Had finally begun.