While it was true that he was constantly putting himself in danger, entering gates, dealing with unpredictable situations and mysterious enemies lurking in the shadows, this Golden Gate represented something fundamentally different.

This wasn’t calculated risk.

This was a coin flip with his life on one side and Ethea’s survival on the other.

Taking a deep breath, Soren locked eyes with Garin.

"You’re right," he said, his voice measured and cold. "The law doesn’t stop you from entering. But it also states very clearly that if you die inside, it’s on you. The government isn’t liable. Neither is the academy or me." He paused, letting the weight of those words settle. "Furthermore, as your assigned supervisor, I have the authority to halt this exam and retreat if I determine the situation presents an immediate, life-threatening danger with no viable alternative."

Garin’s smile didn’t falter. If anything, it widened.

"Right," he drawled, taking another step forward until barely two meters separated them. "But are you certain it’s one hundred percent guaranteed death in there?"

Soren stayed silent.

Because he couldn’t say yes. The truth was, he didn’t know. No one did.

That was the entire problem with Golden Gates: they were Schrödinger’s treasure chest, simultaneously holding salvation and annihilation until someone opened them.

"Heh." Garin’s smirk widened, sharp and predatory. "Thought so."

His expression shifted, the fake friendliness draining away like water through a sieve, leaving only cold arrogance behind.

"If you don’t want to enter, then don’t. I didn’t like the idea of sharing the loot anyway." He waved a dismissive hand. "But if you think you can stop us..."

In an instant, the air in the chamber grew heavy.

Swoosh!

Garin’s mana erupted outward in a visible wave of crimson energy, crackling and writhing around his body like living flame. The sheer pressure of it pressed against the stone walls, rolled across the floor, and made the air itself feel thick and oppressive.

Garin’s smile turned vicious.

"You’re welcome to try."

The other four team members immediately shifted into combat stances. Narcus raised his shield, planting his feet wide. Chloe nocked an arrow, the string drawn halfway back. Dia’s hands drifted to the daggers at her belt, her body coiled like a spring. Even Hana, the healer, took a step back and began channeling defensive mana.

All of them stared at Soren with cold, calculating eyes, ready to engage the moment he showed any sign of battle intent.

’Damn my luck,’ Soren cursed inwardly, his grip tightening imperceptibly on his spear. ’It’s always worse when it comes to teenagers.’

But outwardly, his expression remained unchanged, a mask of iron composure.

"I won’t repeat myself again," he said, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "You are not allowed to enter the Golden Gate. We will either continue the raid or retreat and report this discovery to the academy and bureau." He gestured toward the small devices pinned to their chests. "Everything you’re doing right now is being recorded. Every word and action. So think carefully."

For a brief moment, something cold flickered through Garin’s eyes before he spoke, his voice barely above a murmur.

"Chloe! Dia!"

Almost immediately, a condensed sphere of crimson flame erupted from Garin’s palm, hurtling straight toward Soren’s chest.

’!’

Soren’s body moved on instinct, his spear snapping up as he twisted to the side. The fireball roared past him, close enough that he felt the heat sear the air beside his face, and slammed into the stone wall behind him with a deafening crack.

’Crazy! He is actually going this far?’

But shock was a luxury he couldn’t afford. His senses sharpened to a razor’s edge, cataloging every movement in the chamber.

Behind Garin, near the entrance, Dia had already moved like a shadow. But she ignored Soren and went straight for Ryan, her hands shooting out and grabbing him by the shoulders.

"Argh!" The blue-haired boy let out a strangled yelp as she spun him around and shoved him hard toward Narcus, who stood directly in front of the Golden Gate.

Soren’s body reacted immediately.

[Quick Step!]

Mana surged through his legs as he launched himself forward, closing the distance in a blur. He had to reach Ryan before-

Twang!

Soren’s instincts screamed a warning half a heartbeat before he caught the flash of movement in his peripheral vision: the glint of an arrowhead cutting through the air, straight at his chest.

’Urgh!’

Soren twisted mid-sprint, his spear coming up in a sharp arc to deflect the projectile. The arrowhead scraped against the spear shaft with a metallic screech, veering off course and clattering against the wall.

But it had done its job.

It had slowed him down.

By the time Soren recovered his balance, Narcus had already caught Ryan by the arm. The tank’s grip was iron, and without hesitation, he hurled the struggling boy toward the swirling golden surface.

’Shoot!’ Soren’s eyes widened as he activated Quick Step one more time.

But Garin was faster, his hand slamming into Ryan’s back with a surge of mana-enhanced strength.

"Don’t worry, support," Garin said, his smile cold and sharp. "Just do your job and scout ahead for us."

Ryan’s scream tore through the chamber as his body was launched forward, disappearing into the golden light.

"!"

Hana’s eyes widened, her face pale with shock. Even Chloe looked momentarily stunned before her expression smoothed back into careful neutrality.

Dia and Narcus, however, showed no surprise at all as they’d been part of the plan from the start.

Garin didn’t seem to care. He turned to the others, his voice casual but commanding.

"Hand over the cameras."

There was a brief hesitation, then one by one, the team members unpinned the small devices from their chests and placed them into Garin’s outstretched palm. He crushed them in his grip, mana flaring briefly as the circuits sparked and died.

Then he turned to Soren, letting the broken fragments fall.

"Now," Garin said, his smile cold and victorious. "What are you going to do?"

Soren’s eyes narrowed, his mind working at full speed.

That’s right...

What should he do?

Abandon... or rescue?