After a full month of relentless hunting in the mountains, Haru finally decided to return.
He'd leveled countless times, slain beasts that ruled valleys, and left behind scars across entire ranges.
But as he descended—
he sensed something.
200 kilometers away from the Valtherion mainland, on a desolate mountain ridge, a humanoid figure stood quietly against the wind.
Haru stopped midair.
The figure had two large wings folded behind his back—one white, one black. Half his body seemed alive, pulsing with faint nerves and light, while the other half looked decayed, as if the flesh had long died.
Long white hair danced in the cold breeze, and on his forehead—a single black horn twisted upward.
> ZEX
Half-Demon, Half-Angel
Age: 490 years
Level: ??
He sat upon a boulder, eyes half closed, as though meditating. But even from the distance, Haru could tell—this was no ordinary being.
When Zex opened his eyes, the air around him froze. His gaze alone was sharp enough to cut stone, cold enough to make even Haru's body tense for a second.
Haru's instincts screamed, but his mind stayed calm.
He tried to analyze him—his mana, his intent, anything.
But there was nothing.
No killing intent.
No trace of blood.
No smell of fear.
Just… emptiness.
Like staring into the void.
Haru (thinking): "He's not angel… but not a demon either. "
Meanwhile—
from Zex's point of view, he could feel a presence descending from the sky.
A man drenched in the smell of blood, his aura spilling across the entire valley. The mountains themselves seemed to tremble in his presence.
Even the monsters hiding in the shadows backed away.
Zex narrowed his eyes.
Zex (thinking): "That energy… it's alive. No human should have that much mana overflowing…"
Curious, he activated his own System—a gift once granted to him by an unknown god centuries ago.
> [Scanning Target…]
Name: Haru
Level: ??
Job: ??
Title: RANKER (1)
The border of his system screen began to distort, its color shifting into deep scarlet, spreading like a virus across his interface.
> [Warning!]
[System Error: Target exceeds scan parameters.]
Zex's face went pale.
The system window shattered into static before disappearing entirely.
Zex: "Shit…"
The wind howled.
For the first time in decades, Zex felt fear.
Not because Haru had attacked—
but because something inside him whispered that the man floating above wasn't supposed to exist.
Haru slowly descended, his cold gaze never leaving Zex.
Two existences outside the world's logic, standing face to face for the first time.
Zex stared at the stranger who had just landed a few meters away.
His senses screamed danger — every instinct told him not to move carelessly.
Zex: "Hi… are you, perhaps, another worlder?"
He forced a polite tone, but sweat rolled down his neck.
(If this guy is another worlder, I'm screwed…)
Another worlders — they were known for one thing: killing anything for XP.
Haru didn't even blink. His calm, cold eyes locked on Zex like a predator examining prey.
Haru: "What are you? A demon… or an angel?"
His voice was quiet, but it carried the weight of death.
(If this guy's got a demon's nature, I'll cut him in half right now…) he thought.
Before either could move, a flash of light tore through the air —
a woman suddenly appeared between them.
> Eliz
Race: Fairy
Level: ??
Eliz: "Hey, Zex! I found someone—"
She froze mid-sentence.
Her eyes widened as she caught sight of Haru standing behind Zex, his aura pressing against the world itself.
The fairy's wings trembled. Her instincts flared —
a suffocating pressure wrapped around her chest.
Without hesitation, she raised her hand.
Eliz: "Barrier— Ethereal Dome!"
A golden barrier burst from her body, expanding in a dome of light —
a shield no mortal attack could destroy.
Fairies were sensitive creatures, closer to dragons than elves.
They could feel danger in ways no other race could — and right now, Haru's presence felt like a walking calamity.
Eliz (tense): "Zex… be careful."
The air thickened.
Haru's mana started leaking out — heavy, overwhelming, and ancient.
Mixed with it was something far darker… the scent of blood and death qi, strong enough to drown an army.
The mountain trembled.
Even monsters kilometers away began fleeing in panic.
Then—
A sharp whoosh cut through the air.
A man appeared out of nowhere, blade flashing toward Haru's neck.
Clang!
Haru tilted his head slightly — the sword passed just by his cheek, missing by an inch.
Haru turned his eyes toward the attacker.
> Leo
Race: Human (Enhanced)
Level: 77
Job: Expert SwordMan
Title (Outsider)
Leo: "Another outsider…?"
Like Zex, Leo activated his System Scan.
A crimson window appeared before his eyes — and immediately began to glitch.
> [Analyzing target…]
Name: Haru
Level: ??
Job: ??
Title: RANKER (??)
[Your level is too low to view further details.]
Leo froze.
Even the system seemed afraid to speak the truth.
Zex gritted his teeth, tension breaking the silence.
Zex (thinking): A Ranker…?
This isn't just another worlder. This is something else entirely.
The three surrounded Haru, but none dared to attack again.
And Haru — calm as ever — simply brushed the dust off his shoulder, eyes empty and cold.