Chương 101: THE FINAL EVALUATION (4)

Outside the Rift- Soon after the monitoring device had started its frantic beeping, the situation had completely spiraled out of control. The security team on standby had immediately rushed toward the gate, weapons drawn, but they had been abruptly thrown back. The gateway had been completely locked. The space had long solidified into an impassable wall of dense, violent energy. As expected, it was entirely impossible to enter or exit the Rift until it was cleared from the inside.

The bluish glow of the Rift gate had slowly begun to turn crimson.

Panic spread through the staff like wildfire. The supervisor's face went entirely pale. He grabbed his communication device, his voice shaking as he called the school management to report the catastrophe.

"Emergency! It's a Rift Corruption! Team Four is trapped inside." Simultaneously, the senior staff member contacted the Association to report as well. But what they heard back was even more terrifying than the lockdown in front of them.

"I know… We are tracking it," the Association official stated through the receiver, his voice tight and strained, yet not surprised.

"Now, listen to me carefully… This isn't an isolated event."

"What do you mean?" the staff member asked, his heart sinking.

"Four more Rift Corruptions have already been reported just within Seoul. One from every single rank, except S," the official whispered grimly.

"Simultaneous Rift Corruptions...?" The staff member gasped, gripping the desk for support.

"It's not just us. Most countries are facing the same crisis right now… It's a global emergency," the official added in a strict, unyielding tone.

"We are closely monitoring the situation. The Association president has issued an immediate, absolute command: you are strictly forbidden from leaking this news to the media. Not a single word. We absolutely cannot handle a mass panic right now. Maintain your perimeter and keep the area clear." The line went dead. The staff member slowly lowered the device. His wide open eyes met the supervisor's. Neither spoke. They didn't need to. The horror was clearly visible in their eyes.

The world outside was witnessing chaos, while the kids trapped inside that Corrupted Rift, were entirely on their own to survive… Or die.

Back at the school- Ryu Seong-ho was slouched in the chair of his private office, the blinds drawn to keep out the oppressive morning light. The stoic instructor mask he had worn in front of the students had completely crumbled the moment he closed his door. Both of his hands were clamped firmly against his temples, trying to stop the rhythmic, sledgehammer thumping inside his skull.

"Damn that soju," he groaned, his eyes squeezed shut. I am never letting anyone offer me the drinks again. Suddenly, the silence of the room was shattered by the shrill, aggressive ring of his office transmission device. The sound sliced right through his hangover, making his teeth grind.

"Damnit," Seong-ho murmured, reaching out and swiping the device off his desk, pressing it to his ear.

"I thought I told no calls unless the school is on fire," he grumbled, his voice thick and irritable. The frantic, breathless voice on the other end answered immediately. As soon as the words registered, his blood ran cold. He immediately stood up, slapping the table?

"What!"

Somewhere in Gangnam- A middle-aged man was casually walking along the sidewalk, carrying a well-worn leather satchel on his left shoulder, navigating the upscale district with slow, easy steps. It was none other than the closest friend of Jimin's late father, Min Kang-eun. Or as Jimin called him, Uncle Min. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. He was holding his phone to his ear, wearing a relaxed smile.

"Don't worry. I reached Seoul safely," Kang-eun said.

"Yeah, I just got off the terminal… No, I'm planning to drop by the orphanage after evening. Tell Yun-seo I'll bring back those specialty pastries they like. Yeah. Take care, honey. I'll call you later." He hung up, slipping the phone back into his coat pocket. As he continued walking, his thoughts naturally shifted toward the boy. According to what Mrs. Han had mentioned, Jimin should be taking his final evaluation test right now. The timing works out perfectly, Kang-eun mused, adjusting the strap of his satchel.

If everything goes smoothly, he should be back at the orphanage by evening. I'll just head over after that. I did tell him that I would visit around this time. I just hope my sudden appearance gives him a good surprise. A small chuckle escaped his lips at the thought. He paused at a crosswalk, glancing up at the towering high-rises lining the streets, briefly considering whether to utilize his free afternoon to dig up some dirt. No… He shook his head. Let's leave the business for tomorrow.

I haven't been in the capital in three months. So, he decided he would just kill some time first, find a quiet cafe, and enjoy a rare day of absolute peace before checking in on his late friend's son.

Deep within the Rift forest- Jimin and his party had been advancing forward without a single break. They moved through the fog, repeatedly clashing against vicious goblin and kobold groups. The quiet intervals between each encounter had grown dangerously small, and what started as minor scouting parties were slowly turning into savage mini-hordes.

Most members of the party had already depleted at least one of their primary resources, but the suffocating pressure of the environment gave them absolutely no time or chance to rest. They simply managed to push through by gulping down potions on the run to force their bodies forward. The party just finished a brutal encounter against a horde of twenty corrupted kobolds. The corpses on the ground were slowly vaporizing, while everyone was gasping for air, visibly exhausted. The only exception was Jimin.

He was simply focused on the notification window floating in front of him. ['Telekinesis' has reached Lv. 16] Great timing. Those monsters will go down even faster now. He could feel that his control over his hovering daggers had become sharper. Right then-"Yes!" Yu-jun suddenly shouted through his ragged breaths. Every pair of eyes turned toward him immediately.

"I've reached level 8!" His gasps turned vigorous midway, his wounds visibly healing. A level-up right now? Jimin's eyes brightened. That's a massive stroke of luck. We desperately needed a morale boost. The party immediately broke into excited chatter.

"Man, talk about perfect timing!" Gun-woo laughed. Min-su patted Yu-jun's armored shoulder, offering a tired grin, while the others quickly gave their congratulations. Once the initial excitement calmed, Yu-jun wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"I was seriously worried about my resources," he said.

"I only have one vial of healing potion left. The level-up didn't completely fill my stamina, but it was enough to get my HP back to full." Hearing that, Min-su's expression darkened slightly as he summoned a small vial from his storage ring. He gulped it down in one go, clicking his tongue.

"I'm on my last stamina potion too. If we hit a few more hordes like that last one, I'm going to be running on empty." Gun-woo nodded grimly.

"Same here. One last vial of stamina." Then-"Don't worry too much about the frontline supplies," Yuna stepped forward, her voice carrying a reassuring calmness that immediately caught their attention.

"We still have a few vials of potions left back here. The rear guard didn't need to use them much." Min-ji and Dong-hyun nodded in quiet agreement.

"Besides," Yuna added with a confident nod, "If anyone needs urgent healing or mana supply, Dong-hyun and I will take care of it directly. Save your potions for absolute emergencies." A wave of relief swept through the exhausted group. The suffocating weight of the Rift Corruption seemed just a bit lighter now. Yu-jun immediately became busy, meticulously distributing his newly acquired stat points. While, Jimin silently checked the LP he had accumulated.

[Current LP: 2241] I've gained a massive amount in just an hour. A small grin spread across his face. But right now, there's no need to spend it on anything particular. My current power is enough to push through. He stared at the window for a moment. I'll just hold onto it, just in case. Jimin closed the interface, his expression turning sharp as he addressed the group.

"Let's keep moving, everyone. We should be close to the Boss's lair by now." The party members straightened up, their expressions hardening with a mix of dread and anticipation. Without another word, they fell back into their formation and started moving again. As they walked through the damp forest, Jimin found himself reflecting on the current situation. This corrupted Rift doesn't seem as dangerous as I expected. Clearing it is still going to be difficult as hell, but it doesn't feel impossible anymore.

At this pace, if we stick to the plan, we might actually be able to pull everyone out alive. He let out a long sigh. It was a do-or-die situation to begin with. I just hope the Rift doesn't throw any further anomalies our way. The party advanced deeper into the woods, a cold, unblinking gaze locked onto Jimin's back, looming within the thickening fog and shadows of the trees. Completely focused on the path ahead, the party remained unaware that they were being watched.