Chương 53: FIRST RIFT (1)

The bus finally reached its destination, the F-rank Rift in Mapo district. As soon as Jimin got out of the bus, his gaze fell upon a massive facility, guarded by a number of soldiers. Armed personnel stood at every visible checkpoint. And tall metal fences surrounded the entire perimeter. But there was no Rift in sight. Because the facility was actually built around the F-Rank Rift. So, the Rift was inside the facility. It was basically a small-scale military research base.

"Woah," someone muttered behind him. Jimin silently agreed. The structure didn't resemble anything civilian. Reinforced concrete walls, surveillance cameras, and scanners installed at the entrance gates. After all of the students got off the bus, they were lined up and guided toward the entrance by the instructors.

"Stay in line. Prepare your student IDs. Do not wander," The instructors' voices were calm but firm. Jimin walked forward with the others, trying not to stare too obviously at everything around him, though his curiosity got the best of him anyway. Panels displaying mana fluctuation readings flickered on nearby screens. A transport vehicle carrying sealed containers rolled past them, escorted by two armed guards. At the entrance, each student passed through a scanning gate.

Blue light swept over Jimin's body from head to toe. BEEP!

"Cleared." He stepped inside. The interior was even more advanced than the exterior suggested. Clean silver metallic corridors stretched ahead, illuminated by soft white lighting embedded into the ceiling. Transparent panels displayed facility maps and safety protocols. Researchers in white coats walked past, occasionally glancing at the students with mild curiosity. The students were visibly excited. Whispers filled the hallway. Jimin couldn't stop looking around either.

"Woah," The word slipped out before he realized it. For someone who had only watched Rifters through screens and news clips, this felt unreal; like stepping behind the curtain of a world he had only imagined. Inside the facility, the students gathered in an assembly hall. The space was large enough, with reinforced walls and emergency barriers installed along the sides. At the far end stood Seong-ho with his arms crossed, watching them settle down. Once everyone gathered, he spoke.

"Your combat suits will be distributed now." The hall quieted instantly.

"And you can take any gear you need from the arsenal as well. There are changing rooms for both boys and girls. So, gear up within half an hour and report here."

"Yes, Sir!" the students replied in unison. Staff members began handing out small flat boxes, each labeled with student identification numbers. Jimin received his box and weighed it in his hands. The students quickly dispersed toward the changing rooms. —----- Inside the changing room, the atmosphere turned noisy immediately. Lockers opened and closed. Conversations overlapped. Jimin ignored most of the chatter and found an empty corner bench. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen.

Report the violation. He opened his box. Inside lay a tight black whole-body suit with thin grey lines running across it. The material looked sleek and flexible, almost liquid-like under the light. He picked it up. It felt light… but sturdy. After changing into it, he stretched his arms slightly. It's a tight fitting but it's actually quite comfortable… Quite stylish as well. Jimin then wore his own gear on top of the suit. Then, it was time to choose additional gear. —----- The arsenal was larger than he expected.

The shelves and tables had a variety of weapons. Swords, spears, shields, bows, blunt weapons, and specialized tools designed for different combat styles. Some students rushed in excitedly. Jimin walked slowly instead. I basically have everything I need for now. I don't need extra baggage for this raid… A chakram should be enough. He searched through several racks before finally spotting one. He lifted it and gave it a gentle spin with telekinesis.

"Perfect," he muttered. After registering the weapon, he left the arsenal. —------ A while later, the students gathered at the same spot again, now fully geared. The atmosphere had changed. Earlier excitement remained, but now tension mixed into it. Seong-ho observed them carefully before speaking.

"I can see that all of you are fully geared up. So, I will begin the instructions now." He paused briefly, letting silence settle.

"As I said earlier, the monsters are mainly Slimes and Horned Rabbits. But you need to be careful in case you run into an Acid Slime." Some students straightened immediately.

"It is a sub-boss level monster, and you can run into multiples of it. It shoots acid shots at you, so just try to dodge the attack… You can kill all slimes by destroying their cores as soon as possible." He continued, "And… as for the horned rabbits, they are a bit trickier. Just dodge or block their charge and finish them right after. Is that clear?"

"Yes!" the students replied in unison. One student raised a hand nervously.

"What about the boss monster?" Seong-ho nodded.

"It's the Horned Rabbit King. It can feel a bit overwhelming. But you can engage with a proper party, especially with a good tank." His voice hardened slightly.

"But… don't be reckless and try to solo it. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Sir!" everyone answered. Jimin remained silent. I see… So that's the boss. Seong-ho continued, "Then, we will now move on to the party selection stage… We will not assign any parties officially. It's up to you." Murmurs began instantly.

"As you were previously taught, you can form parties among yourselves. But with a maximum of five students per party… or you can choose to go solo as well. But don't be reckless." Then he pointed toward a strange backpack with a glass container attached to it.

"A party will pass if each party member can fill a container with Slime Jelly and acquire three Horned Rabbit horns each. If not, the whole team fails." Staff members began distributing the backpacks.

"The raid will last for only three hours. A party will only pass if all of its members fulfill the requirement." Jimin raised his hand.

"Sir, can we sell those items as well?" A wave of laughter spread instantly.

"Is he serious?"

"God! How poor is he?" Jimin remained completely nonchalant. I can't help it. I'm broke right now. Seong-ho answered calmly.

"You cannot sell the ones you need to submit. But you can exchange the surplus amount." Great! I can at least get some cash from here. Seong-ho continued, "Okay, then. You have fifteen minutes to form parties and wear the backpacks. After that, you enter. Remember that only party members spawn at the same place after entering the Rift." He checked his watch.

"Your time starts right now." The students dispersed instantly. Chaos spread across the hall.

"Looking for a healer type!"

"We need one more!"

"Join us. We already have a tank!" Some confidently formed groups while others nervously searched for openings. Jimin stood still. A guy from the rich brats group approached him.

"Hey. Join our party."

"No," Jimin said directly and started walking away. The guy scoffed.

"Cocky bastard. Do you know who I am? You think you are special? I'm not like that Dae-ho…" Jimin stopped, turned and gave him a death stare. The guy had chills down spine.

"You want a duel?" said Jimin. The guy's expression froze. He visibly swallowed.

"N-No." He stepped back immediately and walked away. Jimin exhaled lightly. My choice is clear. I'm going solo. I'm not sharing my precious Exp with others. Anyways, I don't want to reveal any more of my skills. Suddenly, he heard someone calling him from behind, "Jimin." It was Yuna. Man… now I have to say no to her? She walked closer, calm as always.

"You're planning to go solo, aren't you?"

"Y-Yeah."

"Well, you are strong enough. But you definitely need those Exp…" Jimin's face went blank. She smiled faintly.

"I thought of teaming up with you at first. But I realized that with just the two of us, I will just drag you down. And you would have to focus on protecting me as well. So, it's better If we don't." She continued, "By the way, I was already asked by other parties to join them. I'll go with one of them. So, best of luck." Relief washed over him unexpectedly.

"Thanks. Best of luck to you too." She's an angel. As she walked away, Jimin felt oddly reassured. At that moment, Seong-ho approached him.

"As you are standing here alone, I suppose you are going solo, aren't you?"

"Yes, Sir."

"With your skills, it should be a breeze. But don't get reckless." Then he leaned forward slightly.

"And… definitely don't try to fight the boss." I definitely will, old man.

"I will remember that, Sir."

"Good. Now wear your backpack and get ready to enter."

"Okay, Sir." Seong-ho walked away. Jimin picked up the strange backpack and wore it. A whistle echoed through the hall suddenly. Which meant it was time. The students began moving toward another chamber deeper inside the facility. Finally, they entered a heavily fortified chamber. The air grew colder. And at the center, the circular F-Rank Rift was glowing. The students started whispering. Jimin's eyes lit up.

"Woah." So this is how a Rift looks from up close. A party of students stepped forward before him. One by one, they entered the Rift, their bodies slowly fading as they passed through the Rift's bluish glowing boundary. Jimin watched silently, as his heartbeat grew louder and louder. Mom. Dad. Finally…I'm entering my first Rift… My first step toward becoming a successful Rifter. Jimin stepped forward and entered the F-Rank Rift.