The sleek SUV sports car hummed along the highway, cutting through the early morning mist like a knife. The wind outside was cool, but inside, Yusha, Jisoo, and Uncle Baek Dohyun were enveloped in the comfort of the leather seats, the only sounds coming from the soft hum of the engine and the occasional conversation between them.
Jisoo was the first to speak up, looking out the window with a playful grin. "This place is so peaceful, isn't it? No one ever expects to run into a Hell Gate on a quiet road like this."
Yusha chuckled but didn't respond, his thoughts lingering on the conversations they'd had earlier. Uncle Baek Dohyun, or simply Unc, had told them that they were headed to the Magic Volcano, the fourth-largest magic source in the world, located deep in the core of Mount Baekdu. Unc's casual attitude was both reassuring and comforting, as it often was.
As they neared a long tunnel, a flash of light blinked in the distance. Yusha's eyes narrowed.
"Wait..." Jisoo muttered, his expression shifting. "That's not right."
Before Yusha could react, the warning alarms sounded off from the vehicle's console. The Hell Gate had appeared. The anomaly was small but powerful, a D-rank rift that had opened right in the middle of the tunnel.
"We've got no choice. We have to clear it," Unc stated flatly, his hands gripping the wheel, face calm as always.
The car slowed and finally came to a stop. The bodyguards behind them immediately took their positions, waiting just outside the vehicle but not daring to enter the gate. This was Yusha, Jisoo, and Unc's task.
"Jisoo," Unc said without looking back, "do your thing."
Jisoo's eyes lit up. "Of course!" With a crackle of electricity, he stepped forward, his body crackling with Thunderbolt energy, his movements now even faster. He dashed toward the Hell Gate with blinding speed.
Yusha watched, his arms crossed. Jisoo's Thunderbolt ability allowed him to move with lightning speed, but more impressively, it gave him the power to summon and control thunder, as though he were Thor himself. The boy was a powerhouse of speed and raw electricity.
In moments, Jisoo was already inside the Hell Gate, disappearing into the rift's swirling chaos. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a series of lightning bolts that disintegrated several minor demons that tried to rush them.
"Nice," Yusha muttered, not impressed but certainly acknowledging his brother's strength. Jisoo was quick, and his speed made him an excellent damage dealer. The Substitution attribute allowed him to teleport, too, making him nearly impossible to pin down in battle.
The miniboss appeared next, a dark, shadowy creature that towered over them, wielding a jagged sword. But before it could even fully materialize, Jisoo launched himself at it in a streak of electric energy, his Thunderbolt power crackling as he delivered a quick, precise strike. The miniboss barely had time to react before it disintegrated into dust.
Yusha remained still, only watching. This was a good opportunity to assess what kind of weapon he would need, as Unc had suggested. He had always been more about strategy than raw power, preferring to observe before taking action. As he glanced at the Hell Gate's edge, he could feel it calling to him—the dimension was always waiting to be shaped.
"Alright, let's handle the boss," Unc said suddenly, his voice serious now.
The three of them turned to face the boss, a larger and more powerful creature made entirely of shadow. The air grew thick with tension. The monster roared, dark energy radiating off it like a storm cloud.
"Yusha," Unc said, his voice firm, "this one's on you. No help from Jisoo. You need to do this quickly. Use your dimension powers. Cut it down."
Yusha blinked, taken aback. Unc knew? Of course, his father must have told him something about Yusha's powers, but hearing it out loud was still a bit of a shock.
He glanced at Jisoo, who nodded. "You've got this, bro."
"Fine," Yusha replied, pushing off from the ground and stepping toward the creature.
He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the air around him shift. The power of dimension was more than just a tool—it was a way to manipulate the world itself, to cut through reality. He outstretched his hands, one pulling downward, the other upward. It was a clapping motion.
For a brief second, it felt like the very fabric of space had been cut in half.
The creature roared as its body was cleaved into two, instantly destroyed by Yusha's power. The remaining fragments of the monster disintegrated in the air, leaving nothing but dust in their wake.
Jisoo blinked, eyes wide. "Whoa, that was... fast."
"Just like that?" Unc asked, impressed.
Yusha stood still for a moment, trying to grasp the weight of what he'd just done. His dimension powers weren't something he showed often. The sheer simplicity of the motion had caught him off-guard.
"Well done," Unc said with a nod, before turning back toward the Hell Gate. "Let's get out of here."
As the rift slowly closed behind them, they made their way back to the SUV. The tension from the battle had faded, and the road ahead seemed clear.
They stepped out of the car, and Yusha and Jisoo were immediately struck by the size and scale of the facility. This wasn't just any research center or weapons forge—it was an entire city, nestled within the heart of an active volcano. The air hummed with raw energy. Magical artifacts and weapons were displayed in neat rows in large halls, while machines whirred in the background, their designs sleek and futuristic.
But what surprised them most was the lack of people greeting them.
"Where are all the employees?" Yusha asked, a little taken aback. It was supposed to be one of the most important magical research and development centers in the world, yet there was a distinct lack of personnel around the main entrance.
Jisoo furrowed his brow. "Yeah, it feels like a ghost town."
Unc didn't seem phased by their confusion. "They're probably all busy with their work. The place is so vast that most of the research is done in isolated sections. People don't gather in the main areas unless it's a high-priority meeting or an important event."
Even so, Yusha couldn't shake the feeling that something felt off.
Unc led them through the main hall, nodding at a few workers who were scattered across the facility. His presence was undeniably commanding, yet no one came to greet him. That was when it hit them—Unc was the CEO.
"Wait, what?" Jisoo said under his breath, eyes widening. "Isn't that... weird? No one's even coming to greet you, Uncle?"
Yusha nodded. "Yeah, you're the head of all this and there's not even a single person here to welcome us? It's like they don't even know who you are."
Unc chuckled lightly. "Well, to be honest, they all know me. They just don't have time for small talk right now. There's a lot of research and development going on at the moment. I prefer it that way—less attention means more work gets done."
Still, both Yusha and Jisoo felt a little unsettled. They had expected some grandiose welcome for the head of such a powerful facility, but instead, it felt almost like Unc was just another employee in the mix.
As they walked deeper into the facility, Unc guided them to a large office. The interior was sleek, with magical devices arranged neatly alongside modern technology. As they entered, the first thing Yusha noticed was the cold, sterile air. Despite the high-tech equipment, there was something oddly intimate about the space. This wasn't just a place of work; it was Unc's personal realm of creation.
"Welcome to my office," Unc said, giving them a quick tour of the room. "This is where we design and create everything. From weapons to magical outfits, everything starts here."
The employees finally appeared as Unc motioned them in, and the three of them were introduced to a group of four people—two men and two women.
The first person was Minji, a tall woman with bright, intelligent eyes. She had the power to separate and combine objects, a rare and highly useful ability in the research field. Her mind was sharp, and she often worked on disassembling materials and analyzing their magical properties.
Next, there was Junseok, a large, burly man with a kind face. He specialized in constructing powerful artifacts. His creations were renowned for their durability, with magical properties that made them nearly indestructible in battle.
Then came Fang-Le, a young man with a quiet demeanor. He was an expert in weapon enchantments, imbuing his creations with magical properties that enhanced their power and abilities. His work was crucial for the development of specialized combat gear.
Finally, there was Jiwon, the most energetic of the group, with a sharp mind for strategy and magical warfare. She often worked on planning and resource management, ensuring that all the magical technologies were optimized for efficiency and use.
Unc introduced each of them with a brief nod, but it was clear that these four were a tight-knit team of researchers and engineers. Despite the laid-back atmosphere, there was no denying the sheer talent each of them possessed. Yusha and Jisoo were impressed—this wasn't just a research facility, it was a hub of innovation, driven by the brilliant minds of its employees.
"Alright," Unc said with a grin, "you'll be working with them to customize your weapons and armors. We'll have a few tests to see what suits your styles. And make sure to use this opportunity to experiment with the gear."
"Wait," Yusha said, a thought suddenly occurring to him. "You said there are over 1200 people working here... and you're just introducing us to four?"
Unc shrugged. "The rest are mostly focused on research. Some work with magical research; others are working on enchantments and magic items. You're only going to be dealing with the specialists today. Don't worry about the others—they're all good at what they do."
Yusha glanced at Jisoo, both of them processing everything that had happened so far. The scale of the operation was overwhelming, and they were only beginning to scratch the surface.
"Unc," Jisoo said with a mischievous grin, "you're really the head of this whole thing, huh? No wonder you're always so chill. You practically run the magic world from here."
Unc smiled faintly. "Let's just say I'm the guy behind the curtain. And now, you two get to see it all firsthand."