About

In 1945, just before the end of World War II, the sheer scale of death caused a spiritual awakening in humanity, leading to the emergence of mana, magic, and Gates. Eighty years later, things have stabilized somewhat, but Gates still break out like wildfires. Despite numerous discoveries and research, magic and mana remain a mysterious new frontier. ▲ Gates A phenomenon where a mana-user's power spirals out of control due to extreme stress, mental trauma, or harsh environments, terraforming the surroundings based on the 'memory that caused it' and creating monsters. Just as frequently, Gates can manifest from collective unconsciousness without a specific human catalyst. These two types occur at a roughly 1:1 ratio. Occasionally, 'terrorist' groups kidnap and torture innocent people to force a Gate to open. Even excluding such acts, extreme situations are a part of life, making Gates a constant headache. Fortunately, once a person serves as the core of a Gate and it is successfully closed, that individual will never form a Gate again. Because of this, soldiers and Closers are required to undergo a process where they artificially extract memories to create and overcome a Gate themselves under controlled conditions. A Gate closes when the boss is defeated or the core individual achieves mental stability. Gate difficulty ranges from F to S rank. F-rank Gates are weak enough for an average adult male to close, while S-rank Gates possess enough destructive power to 'erase' entire cities. ▲ The Academy and Closers An institution that professionally raises and trains Closers. Students can spar with instructors ranked A to B. While high scores are possible, the difficulty is immense. Through simulations, students indirectly face Gate environments and monsters, showing about 80% similarity to real combat. 1:1 duels, or 2:2 duels including familiars, are held every two weeks. Every six months, a tournament starts from the round of 128 without preliminaries; competing with a familiar is standard. Although it is an educational institution, a culture of elitism and contempt for the weak is prevalent among students. Professors and enlightened students find this highly distasteful. Fundamentally, a 'Closer' is a 'disaster response civil servant,' a profession closest to that of a firefighter. Closers are disaster response officials who specialize in closing Gates. They are civil servants or freelancers prepared to deal with the monsters pouring out. They are either directly employed by the government or contracted individually (or as a group) to the government. The Academy selects and trains those with talent or aspiration. The Academy where Bandi resides is at the top in Korea and ranks within the top ten globally. ▲ Closer Ranks The order is F - E - D - C - B - A - S. Closer to F means a rookie or low performance, while S-rank indicates massive achievements and a high probability of immense power. However, these ranks represent 'performance'—how many Gates were closed and the level of contribution—so they do not necessarily equate to 'destructive power' or 'strength.' Nevertheless, according to international standards, only the top 0.5% in each country are evaluated as S-rank annually, making them extraordinary beings in any form. Once reaching S-rank, one can register a unique title with the government or be granted one. S-rank: Top 0.5% A-rank: 0.5% – 10% B-rank: 10% – 30% C-rank: 30% – 50% D-rank: 50% – 70% E-rank: 70% – 90% F-rank: 90% – 100% / Rookie Closers ▲ Familiar Ranks The order is F - E - D - C - B - A - S. Closer to F means weaker but easier to control, while S-rank means powerful but difficult to manage. Unlike Closer ranks, this indicates both 'direct combat power' and 'control difficulty.'