The wind howled through the trees, rustling the leaves with a whisper of unseen warnings. Niko stood at the entrance of his castle, his dark robe billowing slightly as he stared down the rugged path leading up the mountain.
Beside him, Fumito gripped the massive Sword of Rust, its jagged, corroded edges gleaming faintly under the light. Their gazes were sharp, their bodies tense—not with fear, but with the readiness of men accustomed to danger.
Above them, nestled in the trees like silent phantoms, over eighteen ratmen spirits lurked, their beady, spectral eyes glinting as they watched the mountain’s base. They clung to branches, poised to strike at a single thought from their master. Niko’s spirits had become an extension of his will, a vast and unseen army always lingering on the edge of battle.
Then, from below, a figure emerged.
At first glance, he looked like a brute—a hulking man draped in leather and furs, his muscular arms bare despite the cold winds.
His long, unkempt hair hung in dirty strands over his sharp, weathered face. Around his thick neck was a necklace made of canines—sharp, yellowed fangs strung together as trophies of past kills. In his right hand, he held a broad bronze axe, its edge dull but heavy, meant more for cleaving through bone than finesse.
He strode up the mountain with long, powerful strides, his piercing gaze locking onto Niko and Fumito as if measuring them. His frown deepened slightly, but he continued forward undeterred.
"That's far enough," Niko commanded, his voice firm but level. He raised his hand slightly, signaling his spirits to stay hidden but prepared. His caution wasn’t paranoia—it was survival. "This is my territory. State your business."
Even as he spoke, Niko’s mind activated [Celestial Probe], his vision momentarily clouding with system text. Information poured into his mind:
[Name: Finas Bendtner]
Level: 15
Skills:
- [Beastial Awakening]
- [Beast King’s Call]
- [Beastial Keen Senses]
A faint pressure rolled off the man, an almost primal aura that made Niko's instincts itch. The moment their eyes met, Niko could tell—this man wasn’t just strong. He was dangerous.
Yet, despite his wild appearance, when Finas finally spoke, his voice carried a surprising level of refinement. "I mean no offense, stranger," he said with an ease that contrasted with his barbaric visage. "You hold yourself like a leader, so I figured we should talk."
Niko wasn’t convinced. "You climbed my mountain without permission," he said, his tone cold. "That’s not how people introduce themselves where I’m from. Why are you here?"
Finas smiled, revealing teeth that were slightly sharper than they should be. "I was out for a stroll," he said casually. "Following the scent of blood. It’s a lucrative habit of mine."
Niko's fingers twitched against his staff. “That answer was anything but innocent."
Niko was also a little surprised by the man’s level. How could someone like this defeat someone like the monk?
Finas chuckled, unbothered by the accusation. "You’re not wrong to be cautious. But I’ll be honest with you." He gestured vaguely toward the vast forest stretching behind the mountain. "The lands beyond your little castle are… complicated. Many different groups fight to survive there, all of them too weak to claim a dungeon and establish a proper clan."
That piqued Niko’s interest. He had seen the territories near him on his map, but they were just empty names and vague borders. He hadn’t had the opportunity to learn what truly lay beyond his domain.
"So you're saying they’re all struggling to establish themselves?" Niko asked, his gaze narrowing.
"Struggling isn’t the right word," Finas admitted. "It’s more like… clawing at each other, trying to be the first to enter the inner layer beyond this place. The gates towards the inner layers open only at certain times. Months could go by or even more without its opening, but there had been rumors of a gateway opening up north from here in the near future."
At that, Niko felt a flicker of something new—curiosity. "The inner layer?"
Finas tilted his head slightly, as if considering how much he should reveal. "You’ve noticed, haven’t you? This world isn’t just one land—it’s a patchwork of stolen pieces, stitched together. The layer we’re in? It’s just one part of something bigger. Beyond this place lies a world much harsher, much older… but filled with opportunities. Its also the place where those summoned before us headed to. We all know of the tales that lie within the center of the world, and for many reasons, everyone wants to find out."
Niko said nothing for a moment, processing what this meant. He had already begun forming a theory that this world was a fractured mess of different lands, forcibly brought together. Finas' words only solidified his suspicions. In addition, he was aware of the fact that the closer to the center you traveled, the higher the rank of the layers, meaning more danger but better opportunities.
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"How do you know all this?" Niko asked.
Finas gave him a knowing smile. "I’ve been here longer than you think."
Something was unsettling in the way he said that as if he carried knowledge that few others possessed.
Niko crossed his arms, his sharp gaze fixed on Finas. "Why can’t they just travel from layer to layer?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism. "If the next layer is so full of opportunities, why are they all stuck here, clawing at each other for scraps?"
Finas smirked, a glint of condescension in his sharp eyes. "Obviously," he drawled, "it’s because of the barrier."
Niko’s eyes narrowed.
Finas continued, rolling his shoulders casually as if explaining something to a child. "Not just anyone can pass through to the next layer. It’s not as simple as walking through a door. There’s a trial—one that occurs once you enter the gate. If you succeed, you move on. If you fail…" He let the words hang in the air, the implication clear.
As Niko and Finas spoke, Fumito found himself gripping the hilt of his sword just a little tighter. His sharp eyes darted between the two men, watching the tension rise between them like an unspoken challenge.
A gate? A trial?
His fingers twitched involuntarily.
That sounded eerily familiar.
His mind flashed back to his time in the Tera Settlement, to the hushed conversations between survivors huddled around weak fires, the grim whispers of the Gates of Hell—a forbidden passage that no human was meant to cross.
"The gates mark the end of us."
"It’s not for humans."
"Those who step through never return."
Tera’s Protectors, for all their arrogance, had been terrified of that place. Even the strongest among them avoided the subject like a cursed secret. The one time Fumito had overheard a conversation between a Protector and a squad captain, the only thing that stood out was the absolute certainty in their voices.
"We stay here. No one crosses that threshold."
"We’d be signing our own death warrants."
And yet… Finas spoke of it so casually.
A trial to cross through? To enter another layer? That was completely different from the way Tera described it.
Had they been lying to keep people from attempting it?
Or was there something even worse waiting beyond that gate?
Fumito’s eyes flickered to Niko, his expression unreadable as he continued questioning Finas. Did Niko know? Had he heard about the Gates of Hell before?
If he had, why was he so eager to learn about it?
Fumito kept his mouth shut, staying outwardly calm as the conversation continued, but inwardly his mind raced. He needed to talk to Niko after this
"So that’s how it works," Niko murmured, absorbing the new information. It made sense. This world wasn’t just some chaotic mess—there were rules, and systems in place that determined who could progress and who remained trapped. His sister had been here far longer than him. If she had moved on to the next layer, then she must have passed this trial.
And if that was the case… he would have to do the same.
"Well, since there's nothing else for you here, you should get going," Niko finally said, his voice steady but laced with underlying tension.
Finas nodded, but his movements were slow, measured. He knew something. His posture remained relaxed, but Niko could tell from the slight shift in his stance that the man was still on edge.
He senses them.
Even if he couldn’t see them, Niko was certain that one of Finas’ skills—probably [Beastial Keen Senses]—allowed him to detect the spirits lurking unseen around them. He didn’t know how much Finas could perceive, but it was enough to make the man tread carefully.
Even so, he never lost his confidence.
Finas turned, beginning his descent down the mountain. Every muscle in Niko’s body tensed. He could kill him now. He could command his spirits to attack from the shadows, overwhelm him with sheer numbers, and eliminate this unpredictable element before he became a threat.
But something in Niko’s gut told him no.
This man was dangerous—not just because of his level, but because of what he wasn’t saying.
He let us see him. He walked up this mountain alone.
Which meant either he was reckless—or he had something up his sleeve. Niko also remembered sensing more than one entity climbing the mountain, which then just became one, making him feel as though the man could have a skill similar to his.
As much as Niko hated to admit it, killing Finas right now was a gamble he wasn’t willing to take. Not yet.
Not until he was stronger.
As Finas disappeared into the treeline, Niko exhaled through his nose, frustration burning in his chest.
Fumito let out a slow breath, finally breaking the silence. "That guy gave off a fearsome aura," he admitted, his grip tightening around his sword. "If he wanted to fight, it would’ve been a real battle."
Niko nodded, though his jaw was tight. "He was intimidating, yeah. But more than that—he was careful." He glanced at the trees where his spirits remained hidden, their spectral eyes tracking Finas’ retreating form. "He knew there was more to us than just the two of us standing here."
Fumito hummed in agreement. "That means he was holding back too."
"Exactly." Niko turned back toward the castle, his mind whirring with possibilities. Finas was just the beginning. There were others out there—groups vying for control, people trying to break free of this layer. And somewhere out there… his sister.
He clenched his fists. If I want to find her, I have to reach level 20 quickly.
He didn’t know what his class would be or what new skills he would gain, but one thing was certain:
He wasn’t going to stay trapped in this layer forever.
With one last glance at the fading figure of Finas, Niko turned on his heel and stepped through the doors of his castle. Behind him, his spirits remained in the trees, watching, waiting—ensuring that Finas truly left without incident.
For now, Niko would let him go.
But next time, it won't be like this.