Solo Leveling: Forceborn

"True strength isn't just about power—it's about trust."

Chaos erupts inside the red gate. The Earthbound Titan roars out a thunder, signaling all of hell to let loose. Allen dashes ahead, his greatsword glinting in dim light. "Flank it! Force it to focus on me!"

His attack was countered by the Titan's fist-a huge slab of rock Allen just barely dodged. The earth cracked with the impact. I reached out a hand, using my mana to create a gravity well beneath the Titan's legs. It slowed its movement, the heavy pull dragging it down slightly.

"Keep it up!" cried Sara, the agile scout of the team. She flew in with twin daggers, slashing at the crystalline offshoots of the Titan, looking for vulnerable spots.

Meanwhile, Nora's hands emitted healing light.

She positioned herself at the back, scanning teammates with her gaze to step in and mend any wounds. Alan, our ranged specialist, fired off a few mana-based arrows into the Titan's rock hide. Every shot exploded upon impact on the Titan's hide, chipping away at its defenses.

The Titan countered, slamming into the ground, sending shockwaves rippling out. I set myself, my gravity manipulation working to keep me standing. Alan tumbled, and for a second, he nearly fell into a crevice, but Nora jerked him back in time.

"Focus!" Allen bellowed. He sprang into the air, swinging his greatsword down with the force of an axe cleaving into one of the Titan's crystalline spines. The creature let out a howl, lashing out wildly.

Outside the dungeon, the atmosphere was tense. The moment the gate turned red, the alarm was raised. The stationed Hunter, a C-rank named Jeremy Hart, immediately contacted the local guild office.

"We've got a red gate," he reported, his voice sharp. "Coordinates transmitting now. Evacuating civilians in the vicinity."

The response was quick. Ironclad's guild leader, Amelia Voss, moved within minutes. She was famous for her authoritative presence and strategic mind. Amelia herself was an A-rank Hunter, and she knew well what was happening.

"Status?" she asked as she reached the site, her crimson cloak billowing in the wind.

"Gate's mana wavelength is stable at high A-rank," Jeremy replied, handing over the scanner. "The team inside… they're good, but…"

"But that's above their pay grade," Amelia concluded. She gazed at the radiant portal, clenching her jaw. Red gates were cruel. Once activated, no one would be able to come in or leave until the dungeon's core was destroyed. This was a really cruel twist of fate, leaving the Hunters inside to their own devices.

Amelia turned to her assembled team. "Evacuation first. Clear the surrounding area. We can't risk collateral damage if the gate destabilizes further."

"What about the team inside?" Jeremy asked.

"We wait," Amelia said, her voice heavy. "And we hope."

Fighting continued inside the dungeon. I gritted my teeth in pain as the mana consumption for the gravity well continued to be absorbed by my arms, further slowing down the Titan's movements. Allen took advantage of it, striking with precision and speed.

"Kael, switch to offense! We need to bring it down faster!" Allen shouted out.

I changed tactics, releasing the gravity well and focusing on the head of the Titan. I amplified gravity around its skull, forcing it to bow under the sudden pressure. Sara took the opportunity to leap onto its back, driving her daggers into the exposed joints.

The Titan roared, shaking violently. Sara was thrown off, landing hard. Nora rushed to her, healing her bruises before the Titan could follow up with a killing blow.

"Stay on it!" Allen yelled, rallying us. "We've got this!"

Did we? I couldn't tell. My mana reserves were dwindling, my body screaming in protest. But there was no choice. We had to survive. For ourselves. For the people waiting on the other side of the gate.

Outside, Amelia stood with arms crossed, her gaze fixed on the portal. The air around her was electric with tension.

"If anyone can get out of there, it's Allen," she muttered, almost to herself. "But even he…"

Jeremy looked at her, uncertain. "Should we make preparations for when the gate breaks down for rescue?"

Amelia shook her head. "Pointless. We cannot intervene until the gate settles itself. All we can do for now is wait."

Her words were left to settle in the air. The gathered Hunters waited at the red gate with held breaths, their silent prayer welling silently for those inside.