The blue portal rippled violently before spitting Hajin and Juna out onto the ground just outside the gate's boundary line.
Hajin stumbled forward the second his boots hit the ground, his knees buckling under his own weight before Juna quickly slid her shoulder under his arm to keep him upright.
He was completely exhausted, his head pounding with a painful ache while dried blood crusted around his nose and ears from the monster's roar.
"Hey!" a voice yelled out from the barricade.
The two checkpoint guards pushed off the fence and jogged over, their eyes wide as they took in the sheer amount of blood covering both of them.
"Are you alright?" the older guard asked, his hand hovering over his sword hilt nervously as he looked at Juna's new glowing white hair and ears. "Did you... did you beat that thing?"
Hajin stopped leaning against Juna for a second, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the guard.
"Beat that thing?" He repeated, his voice dangerously quiet.
