AAGULT Ch 134

Chapter 134

Rumble, rumble.

It began with a deafening roar. The noise was so immense and uncanny that it resembled the eerie cry of a whale, shaking not only the people’s bodies but the entire building itself.

“Is… is this an earthquake?”

“Everyone gather up! Stay alert!”

Caught off guard, Jaeha instinctively pulled Aiden tightly into his arms and focused on the faint view outside. Dust from the building blew up in thick clouds, obscuring his sight, yet he could not help but be certain.

“The structure is changing!”

Jaeha shouted. He wasn’t the only one who realized what was happening; those who had instinctively tried to rush outside, thinking it might be an earthquake, quickly regained their senses and pressed themselves against the building’s walls and floors.

Indeed.

Just as the boss had said, the gate’s structure was changing. There had been much speculation about how exactly it would change since the announcement, but in the end, the process was… surprisingly simple.

The buildings inside the gate were literally moving with a thunderous roar.

It looked as if the entire layout was being rearranged into a labyrinth. Buildings that had been anchored into the ground were being shoved sideways, breaking apart the earth as they moved, making escape impossible. The building Jaeha’s group was in was also shifting, forcing everyone to grit their teeth and cling to whatever they could grasp.

Crash! Windows shattered under the impact of the building’s movement. The broken glass allowed even more dust to sweep into the building like a thick fog. If they had been on a higher floor, they might have had a clearer view of what was happening outside, but since they were on the lower levels for ease of movement, the impact hit them harder.

“Cough, cough!”

“Hold your breath!”

“Espers who can put up barriers—do it now!”

Soon, visibility indoors vanished as well. The dust-mist of dirt completely blocked everyone’s vision, and Jaeha felt his fear spike.

What about Father? What about Aiden? Are they still here? When the dust clears, will Aiden and everyone else be gone, and will I wake up alone somewhere else in this gate? Will I be left empty-handed again?

Sensing his trembling anxiety like a ghost, Aiden began speaking calmly at that very moment.

“Jaeha-ssi, I’m right here.”

“……”

“It’s okay. It’s okay…”

Before he realized it, Jaeha had been holding him too tightly. The strength of an adult must have been painful, yet Aiden didn’t show it; instead, he whispered softly, comforting him with a maturity beyond his years. It was only then that Jaeha noticed his own arms trembling.

“Don’t… don’t breathe in too much dust.”

Instead of answering, Jaeha quietly pressed his slightly shaking arm to Aiden’s jaw and said something else.

[It’s okay.]

“……”

[Don’t be afraid.]

Aiden obeyed without question. Instead of speaking, he soothed Jaeha silently with his thoughts. Even through the blurred vision, Jaeha could clearly see Aiden looking up at him without blinking, despite how the dust must have stung his eyes.

“……”

Just like before, Jaeha didn’t answer aloud. And he tried his best not to acknowledge the lump rising in his throat. He told himself it was just because meeting the father he had only ever dreamed of made him overly emotional and sentimental.

Until the entire structure of the gate finished changing.

Fortunately, it didn’t take too long for the gate’s structure to settle.

Perhaps ten minutes? Judging by the small groans heard around, it seemed that, unlike when they first entered the gate, they had not been scattered apart this time.

Even after the deafening noise ceased, the dust showed no sign of settling, so the team leader gave instructions.

“Everyone, if you can hear my voice, keep one hand on the wall and slowly make your way toward the stairs. Do not rush upward—go slowly!”

Everyone obediently followed. The faint sound of coughing accompanied the cautious footsteps. Jaeha rose to his feet as well.

“Whoa.”

“Uncomfortable?”

“No. I’m excited. Jaeha-ssi is amazing. Ah, should I call you hyung¹ now? Hyung, you’re awesome.”

“Ha ha…”

The dust was too thick for hand-holding, so instead Jaeha carefully supported Aiden’s bottom with one arm and wrapped the other around his back, lifting him into his arms. Aiden quickly wrapped his arms around Jaeha’s neck and rested his chin on his shoulder, getting comfortable. A faint smile escaped Jaeha.

After climbing two floors, the dust inside the building had thinned somewhat. Amid the murmuring crowd, Jaeha quietly approached his father.

“No one seems to be missing…”

“Father, are you okay?”

“Oh, Jaeha. Did you get guided?”²

There was a slight awkwardness in his father’s demeanor, perhaps from seeing his son suddenly grown into an adult. Honestly, Jaeha felt the same way, and he returned the awkward smile. Aiden, observing them, thought inwardly how alike the two looked.

“I got guided by Aiden-ssi.”

“Ah… Thank you, Guide Aiden.”

His father bowed his head to Aiden. Having once treated him like a child, his attitude had turned exceedingly polite after learning Aiden’s true identity as an adult.

“No, he’s my future paired Esper. I should be the one thanking you.”

Thanking him for what exactly? Jaeha felt baffled and embarrassed but held his tongue, knowing it would sound stranger if he asked aloud.

Aiden also bowed politely, prompting Jaeha to adjust his hold on him so he wouldn’t topple over. The whole situation was absurdly funny.

“Jaeha Hyung, I want to get down.”

“…Are you going to keep calling me hyung?”

“Hehe. The more I say it, the more it sticks…”

“…Watch out for the glass on the floor.”

Jaeha gave up on arguing, as usual, his eyes softening. He carefully set Aiden down. The floor was littered with shards of glass—likely from the building’s overall movement shattering all its windows.

“You can see outside from here.”

“…You’re right.”

Aiden safely stepped down, crunching over the broken glass toward the window. Jaeha’s gaze followed him. Unlike the lower floors still blanketed in dust, the view here was clearer. The crisp, cold winter breeze tickled the tip of his nose, and he sniffled slightly as he scanned the surroundings.

Like before, the gate’s interior was packed with massive buildings resembling a metropolis. But this time, the number of buildings…

“This is…”

“There are more buildings.”

“Did they rise out of the ground or something?”

The number had increased dramatically.

Not only Jaeha and Aiden but also the others who had climbed up were murmuring as they peered out the window.

Indeed. Previously, there had been glimpses of open spaces like a city center. But now, all they could see from the window was another building directly across. To the sides and diagonals, more buildings blocked every view.

The building opposite was a modern high-rise, but at their exact level, it abruptly ended, replaced by something like a stone pagoda.³ Atop that sharp, narrow tier rested yet another modern building. Rather than balancing precariously, it looked like it had simply been designed that way. Strangely, no one felt it might collapse. It resembled a colorful, mismatched tower built from uneven stones stacked together.

The gaps between buildings seemed less than two meters. Sunlight filtered faintly through the cracks, but the place was undeniably darker than before.

The buildings were so tightly packed that even checking the sky was difficult. Beyond the thin stone pagoda was—unsurprisingly—yet another building. Everywhere they looked, nothing but buildings filled their vision, suffocating in their sheer number. Everyone clicked their tongues in disbelief.

“Everyone, listen up.”

While people were busy observing the outside, the team leader, having checked their headcount, raised his voice. All eyes turned toward him.

“As you can all see, the gate’s structure has changed drastically. It seems to have become a labyrinth, but we’ll only know for sure once we head out.”

He swallowed a sigh and glanced around.

“At this point, we can’t even check the scoreboard without reaching the rooftop. We don’t have much time left, so once the dust settles, we’ll head out to hunt the monsters.”

“Understood.”

“Yes!”

“Until then, eat and recover your strength. I’ll announce new team formations twenty minutes before departure.”

Apparently, with new members joining, the leader planned to reorganize the temporary teams. Everyone nodded in agreement.

The floor was littered with shards of glass, making sitting down dangerous, but they carefully cleared spaces with their feet to rest and conserve energy. As they rummaged through their packs for food, it happened.

Step, step.

Footsteps echoed from the stairs. Not many paid attention; they assumed it was someone who hadn’t climbed earlier catching up. The footsteps were calm and deliberate, hardly like those of an unfamiliar presence.

Jaeha, too, while opening an energy bar, felt a strange sense of familiarity in the aura approaching.

“……”

He handed the bar to Aiden, but his gaze involuntarily shifted toward the open doorway.

“……!”

The moment he saw the figure beyond, Jaeha’s eyes widened. He opened his mouth to alert the others, but the newcomer spoke first.

“Everyone.”

“……”

The voice froze the room. Even the team leader, hunched in a corner fiddling with some device, scowled deeply and looked up.

Of all buildings, this person had chosen this one. And now, facing them all—

It was the President.

“A large gathering indeed.”

“Hey there!”

And the President wasn’t alone. From behind him, Seo Taegun, clad in a similarly torn restraint uniform, cheerfully popped his head out and greeted them.

Naturally, no one returned the greeting.

Footnotes:

1. Hyung (형) — A Korean term used by a younger male to address an older male, often implying closeness or brotherhood. Aiden using this toward Jaeha emphasizes emotional intimacy despite the unusual circumstances (Aiden appearing as a child). 
2. Guiding (가이딩) — In this context, a supernatural or psychic process where a “guide” stabilizes an “esper’s” mental state or power flow. 
3. Stone pagoda (석탑) — Traditional Korean stone towers often found at temples; here, it describes the strange hybrid architecture formed by the shifting gate.