Game's Extra

After Aiden and Atlas met with Yuki, Atlas stretched his arms and said with a grin, "Alright, now that we've got Yuki, I'll call the rest of the group. You should know them by now, Aiden. You've met them before."

Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Who else is coming?"

Atlas pulled out his quantum watch and pressed a contact. A short beep later, a voice answered. "Luna, it's me. Meet us at the training grounds. We're finalizing the team for the spatial gate exploration."

"Got it. I'll be there soon," Luna replied before the call ended.

Thirty minutes later, Luna arrived at the training grounds, her long dark hair swaying as she walked up to them. "Hey, guys. What's this about?"

"We're planning a trip to a spatial gate," Atlas said.

Luna glanced around at the group. "This is the team?" Her gaze settled on Aiden for a moment before she gave a slight nod of approval.

"Yeah, we're just about to go over the details," Atlas said. "Come on, let's find a place to talk."

The group made their way to a private cubicle in the academy library. The enclosed space was quiet, with dim lighting and holographic screens built into the table for research purposes.

Atlas activated the central display, showing a 3D projection of a city map with a glowing red marker on the outskirts. "This is where the spatial gate is located."

Luna pulled out her laptop and started typing. "Let's check if there's any official record on this gate."

A few moments later, she frowned. "Not much information. It's a newly discovered gate, so there are barely any records. Just a brief entry stating it's still being classified."

Atlas rubbed his chin. "That's not ideal. What do you think, Aiden?"

Aiden leaned back in his chair and smirked. "Why don't we just yolo it?"

Yuki scoffed. "No way. We don't even know what kind of danger is inside. That's just reckless."

Atlas chuckled. "Alright, fair. How about we track down the people who've entered it before us? Maybe they have something useful to say."

Luna nodded. "That's a reasonable approach. I'll see if I can find their names."

After some digging, they managed to contact a few explorers who had ventured inside. The accounts were vague, but one thing was clear—the gate was classified as Level D, meaning it contained threats but wasn't considered highly dangerous.

"Alright, so it's not a death trap," Atlas said. "That means we're going in."

The group agreed, setting the departure time for the next morning.

Morning arrived, and the team gathered at the academy gate. Atlas greeted them with his usual energy. "Everyone ready? We're heading out!"

They boarded an academy-provided transport vehicle, a sleek hovercraft designed for quick travel. The city sped past them, transitioning from bustling streets to quieter, abandoned districts.

"This place feels eerie," Yuki muttered as she glanced out the window at the ruined buildings.

Aiden remained quiet, observing their surroundings. He could sense traces of past battles in the air—burned structures, collapsed roads, and signs of old conflicts. It was a reminder that even a powerful civilization like theirs wasn't invincible.

After some time, they reached a heavily enclosed facility. Federation soldiers stood guard at the entrance, equipped with high-tech weaponry and battle suits.

As they stepped out, one of the guards raised a hand, signaling them to halt. "State your business."

Atlas took a step forward and showed his academy ID. "We're from Zenith Academy. We've been authorized to explore the spatial gate."

The guard eyed them carefully. "Do you understand the risks? If you enter and something goes wrong, we may not be able to Help you."

"We're aware," Atlas said confidently. "We're prepared."

The guard exhaled and finally nodded. "Fine, Goodluck"

The group exchanged glances before stepping forward toward the shimmering portal, the unknown awaiting them beyond.