July felt the wind picking up speed until it ripped at her clothing. She almost went to her knees, staring upwards, when the gate turned pitch black. From the inside out, it slowly changed color, the blue being swallowed. Shivers continued running down her skin. Her entire being screamed to run away, and her fingers dug deeper into the ice. Supreme Survivor was screeching for her to get away. 

Run, Run, Run, you will die. Run. 

Suddenly, the gate bulged downwards. It bent as if something was pushing against it on the other side. July cursed as she made out a dark figures in the middle. Hissing, she jumped downwards to where she had left Pancakes alone. Beasts and Monsters were running away from the bulge. "Panny!" She shouted and saw his blue hair in the distance. His eyes ripped wide open as he stared at the sky as if in a trance, joined by a few other monsters who did the same. "That Idiot!" She cursed and sprinted toward him. 

Navigating between more and more monsters entranced and forgetting to run, she grabbed pancakes from his waist. "Panny!" She shouted again. He didn't react. She gashed her teeth and made another dash. Following the fleeing monsters catching up to them. 

Faster than ever before, with her tranced baggage, she left the gate borders and turned around. Survivor was stills screaming at her, she wrenched it barely under control. The black thing was now almost touching the ground. Panny, whom she had been carrying like a sack of potatoes, moved on her shoulder. 

She put him down and then trembled in fright as the gate popped open. The black spread on the ground like a water balloon, exploding slowly, devouring everything it touched. A worm-like monster fell to the ground. Mouth open, it let out a deafening scream. A row of vicious teeth came into sight. Then the worm bit into the first monster, its teeth crushing it like candy sticks. 

There was a gruesome sound. Then, the mass of tranced monsters returned to life, shouting, yelling, and screaming as they moved. 

"What the hell is that?" Panny said, still sitting on the ground, as the worm-like giant monster devoured one after another of the fleeing beasts. Whatever was not fast enough. They could see it from this distance, which showed the mammoth size of the thing. 

"The gate that devours it all," July muttered. Survivor now almost blinding her mind. She gritted her teeth trying to keep it under control somehow. "Take my hand." 

"What?" He stared at her. When he saw her gaze, he grabbed her hand with both hands. 

"You better know how to keep a secret, or." She muttered giving in to her skill and opened a gate of her own—a small blue one, a pathway flickering like a light, almost as if there was a bad connection. Hesitating a moment, she jumped through it, dragging a motionless Panny with her. The last thing she saw was a large humanesque being with horns. Their eyes meeting.

Congratulations, you have gained the skill 'narrow escape' 

Her feet hit the ground, and she took a deep breath. The forest, familiar trees, and scents. With trembling legs, she listened as Panny went and lightened his stomach. Vomiting bile and liquid on the ground next to her."What the fuck was that?" He asked her. 

July took a deep breath. "The gate that devours all." She answered him. 

"And that is supposed to mean what?" He sounded off. Still on his knees large eyes lookign at her. "I almost shitted my Pants there. I am an A Rank Hunter, despite appearances and lack of height and mightiness. I don't shit my pants....usually." 

"I don't know." July switched back to her flat tone. "I heard about it...once. On a hunt from the boss monster." 

"From the boss monster?" Panny sounded even more like she was an alien. 

"Yes." She sat down on the ground. "They speak...sometimes." 

"They do? Sorry, that's not something I ever expected to hear." He appeared to need clarification. Tilting his head in her direction "I mean, speaking, Boss monsters. That could be the discovery of the century—one I wonder why it hasn't happened earlier." 

"I doubt anyone ever tried," July told him.

"Yeah, you must be desperate to speak with a Boss monster." Now that July didn't deny. It was true. She had been desperate and sometimes still was.

"Thank you, July," he said, and she looked at him. "Thank you for saving me. I would have been worm, or whatever that was, food if it wasn't for you." He bowed to her, but she again didn't know how to react. 

What did one say when they said thank you? You are welcome? Should she try? Or should she stay silent? She remained silent, tilting her head. 

"I won't tell anyone, hunters promise, and fingers crossed." She looked at him. And that was supposed to mean now. "I mean, your secret is safe with me. I promise I won't tell anyone I met you and what happened, not even my brother. Well he will probably find out anyway. We occasionally are like one person." 

She tilted her head and stood up. Penny suddenly appeared right in front of her and took her hand. Bowing down, he placed his temple on the back of her hand. "I, Pancakes, promise I will never reveal the secrets of July." He said his happy tone from earlier was completely gone as if he were another person. 

You have received a Hunter promise. Hunter Pancakes has promised to keep all secrets of Huntress July. 

A small blue emblem appeared on the back of her hand and vanished. 

"I might be the less awesome brother, but I am a man of my word." He was back to his smiling self. "No one was ever able to call me a guy who didn't keep his promises." 

July closed her eyes. "I never thought so," she answered this time. Like before with Gin, she seemed somewhat sure she was doing the right thing. "I highly doubt you are the less awesome brother." 

Penny laughed. Open, happily, and with unbridled joy until tears were in his eyes. "Thanks. I haven't heard that in forever. It is nice for you to say that. Doesn't happen all that often, not since I...eh we awakened." He rummaged through his pockets. "I would really like to keep talking to my lifesaver. This is my number. It would be really awesome if you could call me someday so we can stay in touch. It's really not every day I end up stuck in a dungeon with a....yeah." he blushed a bit, and she took the small card. 

"A business card?" She asked. That had been an antiquated thing even during her time. Who still used business cards?

"Yeah. I like them; they feel more accurate than the virtual stuff."

"Ah."

"Ehhh, entirely different question....where are we?" 

That was the last thing on her mind. July balled her fists she hadn't liked it. Being controlled like this by her skill. The black gate. Shivers ran down her spine. The large man, he had seen her...and her gate...