The smoke still hung thick in the air, curling upward like a giant veil over the battlefield.
From outside the blast zone, the members of Squad Seven watched in tense silence — eyes locked on the cloud of dust where the monster once stood.
The ground was scorched, cracked, and littered with debris.
Then…
A single figure shot out of the smoke — stumbling, flipping once in the air before landing heavily in front of the squad.
Shen Hao.
He slammed down on one knee, panting hard, sweat pouring down his face. His robes were torn, his arms scraped, and blood trickled down the side of his mouth.
"...Ow," he muttered, barely able to stay upright.
Dren's eyes widened.
"You're still alive?"
Shen Hao lifted a shaky thumb.
"Barely."
Vira blinked.
"Did he just crawl out of an explosion?"
Ren Kael gave a rare, surprised look.
"On his own?"
The beast-man crossed his arms, a low grunt escaping.
"Not bad… for a kid your age."
Jorin simply hummed.
Shen Hao tried to stand — his legs wobbled like jelly.
"Okay… maybe I overdid it a little."
Behind him, the smoke started to clear.
The squad's eyes snapped forward.
Out of the fading dust… the monster still stood.
Its body was torn, deep cuts running across its arms and chest. Black blood oozed from several wounds. Its eyes burned dimmer now — no longer sharp with confidence, but wide… with fear.
Dren stepped forward with a confident grin.
"Alright, rookie. You've done enough."
He cracked his knuckles.
"Leave the rest to us."
Shen Hao wanted to argue… but his legs gave out beneath him.
He caught himself against a nearby tree, sliding down until he sat with his back resting against it.
"Sounds good…" he mumbled, his head starting to feel strangely light.
As the squad charged toward the panicked monster, Shen Hao's vision blurred.
The sounds of battle echoed in his ears — clashing steel, roars, war cries…
And then… nothing.
Darkness pulled him under.
…until soft voices and a strange humming sound woke him.
Shen Hao opened his eyes slowly, blinking against the low, soft lights glowing across the smooth ceiling above him.
The room felt… futuristic.
Polished steel walls with soft blue lines running across them pulsed faintly like breathing veins. The bed beneath him adjusted slightly when he moved — soft, clean, temperature controlled.
A half-open glass window showed tall trees outside, their leaves swaying under the moonlight.
Definitely not a hospital.
Shen Hao sat up carefully. His body ached all over, wrapped in sleek bandages that shimmered faintly — probably some advanced healing tech.
On a sleek chair nearby, his robe lay folded neatly, cleaned and repaired. His boots sat perfectly aligned beneath it.
"Okay… this is new," Shen Hao mumbled.
He stood slowly, wobbling a bit before steadying himself.
Downstairs, faint voices echoed — light laughter, the soft hum of conversation, someone joking loudly.
Shen Hao followed the sound, stepping into a hallway where glass panels glowed under his feet with each step.
The staircase leading down was curved, floating slightly — no rails, futuristic but cozy.
And when he reached the bottom… he stopped.
Around a wide, sleek dining table sat Squad Seven — relaxed, laughing, plates filled with food that seemed way too good for soldiers on the job.
At the head of the table sat Dren, waving a glowing fork in the air as he told a story, his booming laugh rolling across the room.
Next to him, a sharp-eyed woman with a soft smile — her hair tied back, her posture straight.
On Dren's other side sat a kid — looking about ten, munching on what looked like a glowing slice of fruit pie.
At the far end sat an older man, broad-shouldered, arms crossed, giving off the calm vibe of someone who'd fought his share of battles.
The walls around them glowed softly with embedded lights — screens displaying moving images of forests and stars.
Shen Hao stood there, trying to figure out if he was still dreaming.
Dren spotted him first.
"Hey! The survivor's awake!"
The table went quiet for a beat — then everyone turned toward him.
Shen Hao rubbed his neck.
"Uh… evening?"
Dren gave a hearty laugh.
"Don't just stand there, rookie! You're part of the crew now. Get over here!"
Shen Hao walked over slowly.
"You… brought me here?"
Dren shrugged like it was obvious.
"You passed out cold after the fight. We weren't about to leave you with the medics. So — welcome to Casa Dren."
The woman smiled softly.
"I'm Lira — Dren's wife."
The boy waved his spoon.
"I'm Kayel!"
The older man gave a curt nod.
"Orin. Dren's father."
Shen Hao blinked, giving a small bow of his head.
"Shen Hao. Uh… thanks."
Dren leaned back, grinning.
"You've been the center of every story tonight. You slept through the whole party."
Shen Hao smiled slightly, his shoulders relaxing.
"…Guess I needed it."
He hesitated before asking,
"Your… mom?"
Dren's grin softened.
"She passed on. About three hundred years ago."
Shen Hao nodded respectfully.
"Sorry."
Dren waved it off with a gentle grin.
"Life goes on. Now sit down — you're not leaving until you eat something."
As the laughter returned around the table, Shen Hao sat down… feeling, for once, like he wasn't just a guest.
He was sitting like this after a long time.
It reminded him of his family back home — those rare nights when everyone gathered around a meal… when the world outside seemed a little less harsh.
Except now, instead of home, he was sitting at a high-tech dinner table surrounded by a squad of battle-hardened hunters… and somehow, it still felt right.
"Eat, rookie!" Dren called out, sliding him a plate stacked with glowing buns that sizzled softly.
Shen Hao took one, eyeing it suspiciously.
"What… is this supposed to be?"
Kayel grinned from across the table, eyes sparkling.
"Glazer buns! Papa's specialty! They explode in your mouth if you bite 'em too hard!"
Shen Hao blinked.
"Explode?"
Dren shrugged with a grin.
"Only a little."
Laughter erupted around the table.
Shen Hao gave a half-smile and took a cautious bite.
The bun burst with sweet, tangy flavor — warm, spicy, and way better than anything he'd eaten on the run.
"…Not bad."
Dren slammed a hand on the table.
"He likes it! Kayel, that means he's officially part of the family!"
Kayel threw his fists up.
"YEAH!"
The squad burst into another round of laughter.
Even Orin, Dren's father, cracked a rare smile.
"Good. This fool could use a few more people who appreciate his cooking."
Shen Hao shook his head with a chuckle.
"I've had worse… a lot worse."
Vira leaned forward, smirking softly.
"Worse? I think this is the first time you've had real food since joining us."
Ren Kael added in his calm, even voice,
"First time you've eaten with people who weren't trying to kill you."
The masked figure gave a silent nod.
The beast-man rumbled in agreement.
"Good food. Good fight. Good night."
Another round of cheers echoed across the table.
Dren pointed his glowing fork at Shen Hao.
"You know, rookie… you surprised a lot of people yesterday. That move of yours — the big boom thing?"
Shen Hao scratched the back of his head, feeling a little awkward.
"Just something I've been working on."
Dren gave him a knowing smirk.
"Well… keep working on it. You're going to need it."
What followed was a long night of wild stories, jokes, and some very questionable mission tales.
Dren told how he once got stuck in a tree during a stealth operation — because the branch snapped right when a monster walked by.
Vira reminded everyone how Dren once mistook a monster nest for a supply camp.
Ren Kael, with a straight face, told the story of how he accidentally offended a monster queen… by slicing off her tail — which, apparently, in her species… was a marriage proposal.
The beast-man added his own tale about a time Jorin gave a monster advice on "moving on from a toxic relationship" before knocking it out cold.
The entire night passed in a blur of laughter, teasing, and friendly banter.
And for the first time in a long time…
Shen Hao felt like he belonged.
It wasn't just the food… or the stories… or the wild laughter that echoed through the futuristic home that night.
It was the way nobody treated him like an outsider.
No stares.
No whispered doubts.
No waiting for him to mess up.
They talked, they joked… they made him feel like part of the family.
For the first time since stepping foot in this universe, Shen Hao wasn't just that random guy from a backwater planet.
He was one of them.
The next morning…
"FIVE MORE MINUTES…"
Shen Hao groaned as he buried his head deeper into the soft, high-tech pillow.
The room stayed perfectly quiet… for exactly five seconds.
BANG!
The door flew open with a loud hiss as Dren kicked it wide.
"GET UP, ROOKIE! Breakfast's on the table — and guess where we're going after?"
Shen Hao grunted from under the blanket.
"Not interested…"
Dren folded his arms, grinning like a devil.
"We're collecting our mission reward at the Hunter's Palace."
Shen Hao bolted upright.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT FIRST?!"
He jumped out of bed so fast his blanket did a full spin in the air.
Robes on — boots laced — hair a mess — but who cared?
Dren leaned against the doorway, shaking his head with a grin.
"Unbelievable. Money's your true cultivation, huh?"
"I've got priorities!" Shen Hao called back as he rushed past him.
The breakfast scene looked more like a military feeding frenzy than a peaceful morning.
Shen Hao, Dren, and even the beast-man devoured their food like starving beasts.
Kayel stood on a chair, cheering them on like it was a sports match.
"Eat! Eat! Eat!"
Even Orin cracked a rare grin.
"I've seen battle drills move slower."
Ren Kael calmly sipped his tea.
Vira shook her head, chewing with an amused smirk.
The masked figure… well, who knew what he was thinking.
By the time breakfast was over, the table looked like a battlefield.
Dren slapped the table.
"Let's go!"
Fifteen minutes later…
Squad Seven was sprinting through the streets of Void Gate City like a pack of lunatics.
"WHY ARE WE RUNNING?!" Shen Hao shouted between breaths.
"BECAUSE IT'S FUNNY!" Dren yelled back, laughing like a madman.
Vira and Ren Kael jogged after them, shaking their heads.
"You two are children," Vira called out.
The beast-man lumbered behind, chuckling under his breath.
"Good food. Good pay."
Jorin and the masked figure brought up the rear, as calm as ever.
They burst into the grand hall of the Hunter's Palace — doors swinging open dramatically.
And there stood Zerak, looking up from his holographic screens with an expression that screamed "I'm used to this nonsense."
"Oh… you're here," Zerak said flatly.
Dren leaned on the counter, grinning wide.
"You know it. Now… show us the good news."
Zerak smirked, tapping on the glowing panel.
"Now is the time."
Behind him, a massive holographic screen blinked on — numbers swirling and flickering across it…
And right as the final numbers started forming —