Kaiser had been meaning to ask how Hazie knew about the Players in this dim, lifeless wasteland. The question lingered in the back of his mind, waiting for the right moment to be answered after settling their plan of action. But that thought quickly faded when she asked him something far more unexpected.

  "What’s your level?" The question echoed in his mind, catching him off guard. He halted mid-bite. His gaze lifted from the food to her, genuinely perplexed.

  'Forget about Players. How does she also know about Levels?'

  This revelation stirred a mix of curiosity and puzzlement. If Hazie could ask such a question brazenly, does this mean she understood more about this strange system than he did because he himself was unaware of his level, and unsure what it really is. However, Hazie seems to already know hers... Somehow.

  For Kaiser, the lack of a clear measurement of his progress had been sort of maddening. The vague, unquantifiable nature of his abilities that lacks specific measurements felt like trying to grasp smoke. It was as if he were a creature without a name or species, an enigma even to himself. Or doing your best in an exam, but unable to see the numerical results of your efforts, only its effects. And the more he grows in power in this world, the more that gnawing sense of frustration grows.

  'Seriously, what does she know?' The question burned at him.

  He had wished for details of his grade more than he could count, constantly asking why Leveling called as such if there were no specific levels an individual is climbing. If so, then what's his? Is it graded numerically, or observably like the level of water within a glass, perhaps something else entirely? New, or alien?

  And now, it appears Kai finally found a lead to that particular knowledge.

  Kaiser leaned back slightly, his voice tinged with halfhearted confusion and hidden excitement. “My level?”

  Hazie’s lips curled into a knowing smile, her eyes glinting with amusement. It was as though she had anticipated his reaction and took pleasure in confirming her suspicions, instead of being infuriated at Kaiser's odd reactions. “That’s no surprise,” she said smugly, pulling off the reinforce gloves that came with her armor with deliberate elegance. “After all, you don’t have one of *these*.”

  As she removed the final glove, she held up her hand, showing him her delicate fingers. They were pale, slender, and uncalloused but had hints of bruises, the kind one might expect of someone who had known gentler days, yet could withstand the harshest if needed. But Kaiser’s eyes quickly caught the silver ring adorning her finger.

  It wasn’t an engagement ring, nor was it adorned with intricate jewels or dazzling craftsmanship. Instead, the design was simple yet striking. The band was plain silver, with faint golden lines etched into it in an odd but aesthetically pleasing pattern. The carvings almost seemed like an alien language, swirling in a way that felt deliberate but incomprehensible.

  “What’s up with the ring?” Kaiser asked, narrowing his eyes as he studied the seemingly ordinary item.

  Hazie slid the ring off her finger, turning it over in her palm as she began to explain. “It’s a ring, just as it appears, but its function is what matters,” she said, holding it out for him to see.

  “We don’t know how it works exactly, but for some reason, this thing can display detailed information about its wearer. And I don’t mean just surface-level stuff—it seems to access our memories, I think, but not in the way you’d expect.”

  'So, they did have a tabulator to track their status in a form of a ring.'

  He wholeheartedly agreed to the senior Players creation of something to track their state, which constantly grow through Leveling, therefore, having something to tabulate progress was nothing short of helpful. However, there's one concerning detail about the ring.

  Kaiser’s brow furrowed. “Our memories?”

  That sounds ominous.

  “Exactly,” Hazie continued. “You’re familiar with games, right?”

  He gave a small nod, his expression darkening with curiosity.

  “Well, the stats this ring shows are a lot like the ones you’d see in a video game.” She held the ring between her fingers, twisting it slightly so the firelight reflected off its strange etchings. “For some reason, it’s able to quantify something called ‘Level.’ and thanks to those numbers, we also gained valuable insight, the kind of knowledge we wouldn’t have been able to figure out otherwise. It’s thanks to these rings that we’ve managed to survive as long as we have in this godforsaken cold wasteland in spite of the environmental difficulties."

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Her voice softened slightly as she looked down at the ring in her palm. “What’s even stranger is that the language it uses, the design, the way it works... it’s all eerily familiar. It’s written in the same language we used back on Earth, and its mechanics seem heavily inspired by games from there, too. And you know what’s even weirder?”

  “What?”

  “It refers to us as Players. Like we’re part of some twisted, cosmic game.” She paused, her tone laced with unease. “That can only mean whoever—or whatever—made these rings must have some connection to Earth. Maybe they’re even from Earth, like us. But if that’s the case, it means we’re just pawns in someone else’s cruel design, the gods, maybe?”

  She chuckled, though it lacked humor. “Of course, all of that’s just speculation. What we do know for certain is that this ring tells us one hard truth: killing in this world grants power, that's the only way to raise our level, therefore, become stronger and resilient. And because a normal human can't hope to last long in these mountains, we were forced to utilize such vile tactics for the sake of survival. I'm guessing you know where this is going because you've undoubtedly felt it as well, by now."

  He slightly nodded.

  Hazie's lips curled slightly in relief.

  "Saves me the trouble of explaining how we've been increasing our rate of survival. Think whatever you want, but I am not ashamed of forcing everyone to kill living creatures whether they like it or not. Because of me, everyone has blood on their hands, though, only barnacles blood." She chuckled at herself again, finding it funny how everyone became barnacle slayers because of her command. However, the hints of darkness in her humor never leave. For what she's doing—humanely acceptable, relatively righteous and bearable as it appears might very well be planting seeds of horrible bloodshed in her followers.

  Kaiser’s stomach churned at the bluntness of her words, understanding the weight. Hazie continued, her voice growing colder. “Slaying other living beings feeds into this so-called ‘Leveling’ system. That’s how it’s translated, probably to make it easier for us to understand. But let’s not sugarcoat it—this world is nothing but a brutal hierarchy where the strong thrive by feeding on the weak. It’s a mess, isn’t it? Killers are rewarded, while the weak are left to rot. As if humans aren't horribly enough already, this world just had to add a twisted law that literally announced that the strong trample the weak. Discouraging peace, unity, any hope for a better society—What kind of horrid system is that? Are they trying to destroy all civilizations here?”

  She paused, then added wistfully.

  "Then again, in a world where the sea is in the sky and the land has nothing but black rocks, is it really surprising that the laws of survival are just as warped?”

  Hazie glanced at Kaiser, her sharp eyes softened by an undertone of weariness. “But in the end,” she murmured, as though speaking to herself, “we’re just fragile humans stuck in this twisted game. Forced to play by its rules, no matter how much we despise them. All for the sake of not dying.”

  Silence...

  Kaiser set down his food with a quiet thud, his fingers curling loosely over his knees as he leaned forward. The firelight flickered across his face, catching in his eyes like smoldering coals, but his expression remained unreadable. For a long, drawn-out moment, the only sound between them was the crackle of the flames and the faint howl of the wind outside.

  Hazie watched him carefully, her gaze lingering, as if searching for something hidden beneath his stoic exterior. She might’ve assumed he was deep in thought, mulling over her words, but the truth was far less profound. Kaiser wasn’t one for philosophical musings about humanity’s plight or the weight of moral choice. That sort of high-minded chatter might mean something to people like Hazie—clever, deliberate, and far more interested in the grand scale of things—but to him, it was just noise. Not after knowing it already from the Chief, therefore, nothing startlingly new in his mind.

  'What the hell is she even talking about?' he thought, feeling as lost and disinterested as ever.

  Finally, he let out a slow sigh, not because he had arrived at some grand realization, but because it felt like he was supposed to, so Hazie will let him borrow the ring. He met her gaze, his tone low and resolute, though it carried the subtle edge of someone acting like he had it all figured out.

  “I’m not sure where you’re going with all this,” he admitted, blunt as ever. “But so what if killing makes us stronger? Nothing’s going to change that. The laws of this world are what they are—unless you’re some god or something.” He shrugged. “I don’t really care. But if that’s how it works, then maybe surviving isn’t just about staying alive. Maybe it’s about deciding who you’ll become in the process. For better or worse.”

  Hazie blinked, clearly not expecting that kind of insight from him. Slowly, a faint, bittersweet smile tugged at her lips. It wasn’t mockery; it was more like the acknowledgment of a truth she hadn’t expected him to stumble upon.

  “Exactly,” she said softly. Her eyes lingered on him, studying him with an expression he couldn’t quite place—something between curiosity and quiet contemplation. She tilted her head slightly, almost wistfully, before adding, “I wonder… What kind of people we’ll become someday in this wrecked world.”

  Kaiser’s gaze flickered to her, but he didn’t answer immediately. The fire crackled and popped, the sound filling the silence. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet, almost introspective.

  “I don’t know,” he said simply.

  Hazie gave a short, knowing laugh, though there was no joy in it. “Figures,” she replied, shaking her head lightly. “You don’t strike me as someone who’s got a clear goal in mind. Not yet, anyway. I just hope…” She paused, her expression sobering. “I hope there won’t come a day when I have to straighten you up. If we survive long enough, that is.”

  'Is she indirectly saying I have the potential to be a mass murderer? A battle hungry maniac or something?'

  Kaiser raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Straighten me up?”

  Her smile widened slightly, amused by his reaction. “What can I say? You’ve got that reckless, wandering look about you. Strange lack of fear and the eye of a natural born killer. You’ll need someone to guide you eventually.”

  Before he could retort, Hazie leaned back and stretched her legs, staring up at the sky, through the tears of the tent ceiling. Her voice softened again, though it still carried that note of authority she wore so well.

  “Hey, Kai,” she said, her tone light yet earnest. “If you ever get lost—really lost—know that you can seek my guidance.”

  Kaiser snorted, leaning back as well. His patience was running thin. Hazie’s speeches—eloquent and full of meaning—were the sort of thing people like her probably found reassuring, maybe even profound. But not for him, he had never been great at sitting through long, winding conversations. Still, out of respect and secure his intentions, he let her finish.

  But he couldn't contain his excitement anymore.

  “Yeah, sure. Whatever.” He stretched his arms lazily and gave her a pointed look, his patience reaching its limit. “Now, can you pass me the ring already?”

  Hazie blinked at him, startled out of her thoughtful reverie. Then, her lips parted, and for a moment, she seemed genuinely speechless. Then, with an exasperated sigh, she muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like “Unbelievable…”

  She tossed the ring toward him, and he caught it mid-air, inspecting it closely. Hazie watched him for a moment longer before shaking her head, the faintest hint of a smile still playing at the corners of her lips. Though, it looked forced.

  “Kai... You didn't listen, did you?”

  Kaiser didn’t respond, having gotten what he wanted. He was too busy studying the silver band, its golden etchings glinting in the firelight like a secret waiting to be unraveled, his gaze filled with anticipation. Right now, all he cares about is finally... At long last, he'll find out what his Level is.

  Without lingering any longer, he put it on.