“Is that your doing?” Kaiser asked, concerning the distant rumble that shook the ground moments earlier.

  Hazie smiled proudly in response, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. “On my way here. It just so happens a giant boulder was on the brink of falling, so I took the liberty of... speeding up its fall. Call it a big surprise for the monster once it tracks my real blood trail in that spot. I didn't really expect it to work, but it did. It might stun it for a bit. Maybe even injure it severely. Or if I'm so lucky, perhaps the trap would kill the thing.”

  Kaiser raised an eyebrow. “You don’t sound very confident about that last part.”

  She shrugged, standing up and dusting off her slim armor. “I don't have my hopes up, either. It'll delay it at best. Speaking of which...” She turned to him with casual air. “Do me a favor and turn around, will you?”

  Unmoving, he questioned. “Why?”

  Hazie crossed her arms, a teasing grin spreading across her lips. “Do you want to watch me clean up and change?”

  “Uh, no. But—there’s a freaking monster coming for you, Hazie. Is this really the time for that?”

  “Yes, and quit questioning me. I’m a woman, and I have my priorities.” She waved him off, unbothered. “Besides, don’t worry so much. We have time to spare.”

  Her confidence was unnerving, but Kaiser had no choice but to trust her. After all, she was the one who had set the trap, and she seemed sure of its effectiveness. With a resigned sigh, he turned away, still seated. Whatever Hazie was planning, it wasn’t his concern at the moment. She knew what she was doing, Kai knew her that much.

  He shifted uncontrollably. Not that he was particularly interested in sneaking a peek—Hazie wasn’t foolish enough to bare herself in the shivering cold, so there wasn’t much to see anyway if he secretly looked. Besides, there were far more intriguing matters on his mind.

  If Hazie was so sure they had time, then he would make the most of it. Kaiser turned his attention back to his interface, eager to learn more about the ranking system.

  The first line read:

  Cipher (1–99 points) LV: 1–10

  - Ordinary people who hunt or kill small creatures for daily sustenance. Their lives remain mundane and unremarkable.

  'So that's what Cipher means.'

  Kaiser stared at the description. Cipher—the rank he was currently assigned, according to the system. It painted a picture of a peaceful, uneventful existence. Farmers, villagers, and others who killed animals not out of malice but for survival. These were people who lived their lives quietly, taking what they needed from the land to feed themselves and their families. Mundane folks, to say the least.

  Despite his earlier frustrations with the system, he had to admit: this part, at least, was written with surprising neutrality. There were no snide remarks or sharp words designed to ridicule the reader. It was just a simple, honest definition.

  'Good to know the creator of this thing had some respect in some areas,' Kaiser thought, nodding slightly as he moved on to the next rank.

  The second line made him pause, his eyes narrowing as he read it carefully:

  Slayer (100–999 points) LV: 11–99

  - The transition into true warriors. These individuals have proven their strength and skill, earning the title of Slayer by defeating dangerous foes, including monsters and hostile people.

  A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. 'Slayer, huh? Sounds good...'

  Putting all his strength into consideration, Kaiser is undoubtedly at the ranks of Slayer, rather than Cipher.

  He leaned back slightly, folding his arms as he considered the description. This rank also reminded him of the hunters from the village, the mercenaries for hire and the knights and soldiers who had taken up arms for king and country—or simply for coins.

  Unlike the peaceful Ciphers, Slayers chose—or were forced—to embrace violence. They walked a blood-soaked path, wielding their strength against the monsters of the world and the people who sought to harm them. Because if no one will do it, who else?

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  It wasn’t always a choice born of ambition. Some fought out of desperation, driven by circumstances beyond their control. Others fought for a dream—for glory, for vengeance, for freedom. Some even grip their weapons for wicked malice. Whatever their reasons, Slayers were true warriors that bore the burden of violence so that others wouldn’t have to be harmed by the opposing side.

  Kaiser had walked that path himself. Partially for those he had learned to care about, but mostly for himself—to prevent others from harming him in this broken world... He was just so tired of being weak.

  He stared at the glowing text, his mind drifting to the battles he’d fought and the creatures he’d slain. It wasn’t a life he had chosen willingly, but it was the one he belonged to—and the one he would forever be bound to, for death could not end his journey.

  'The path to power is never easy...'

  More so because the rank of Slayer wasn’t an end; it was merely the beginning of a warrior’s ascension. Kaiser’s gaze shifted down, settling on the next rank displayed before him.

  Beyond Slayer, requiring more than a daunting 999 points to transcend, roughly equivalent to slaying a thousand man was the rank of:

  Centra (1,000–9,999 points) LV: 100–499

  - A Slayer whose capabilities have grown exponentially. They are feared and respected, capable of taking down threats that would devastate entire communities.

  Kaiser furrowed his brow, unable to fully grasp the scope of such power. He tried to imagine someone who had surpassed the rank of Slayer and ascended to Centra, but his mind faltered. In all his encounters, even Zara—who was undoubtedly one of the strongest fighters he had known—was likely still within the Slayer rank.

  The thought made him uneasy. If someone like Zara was still a Slayer, then what would a Centra look like? Someone who could level an entire community with their strength, leaving nothing but ruin in their wake. The ground cracking under their boots, trees toppling against their punches.

  Perhaps Bakar had long surpassed the Slayers rank, but that creepy monstrosity was too eerie to measure his true rank.

  And beyond that...

  Kaiser’s gaze moved further down, his curiosity growing heavier with each new rank.

  Prime (10,000–99,999 points) LV: 500–749

  - A rank of excellence and dominance, where Slayers become legends in their own right, often influencing the tides of wars or hunting infamous monstrosities.

  'Slayers at this level, could probably destroy entire kingdoms or rule under an iron grip.'

  He exhaled sharply, trying to imagine such power. The thought of wielding that level of strength felt... impossible.

  But it didn’t stop there.

  Mega (100,000–999,999 points) LV: 750–999

  - Slayers at this level are titans of the craft, capable of altering the course of history with their actions, their feats transcending mortal comprehension.

  The description literally stated that it's beyond mortal comprehension.

  'Just how powerful are Mega's?'

  The words seemed to hum with weight, their implications staggering. Titans wasn’t an exaggeration—Mega-ranked individuals could alter the balance of nations, topple empires, or carve mountains apart with their might.

  Kaiser clenched his fist, both fascinated and unnerved. 'Empires... maybe even entire continents...'

  His beginning to have trouble measuring the rankers strength.

  And then, finally, at the pinnacle of the rankings:

  Giga (1,000,000+ points) LV: 1000**

  - The ultimate apex of the Slayer ranks. These individuals have slain countless, unimaginable creatures, cementing themselves as myths.

  He stared at the description, his breath catching in his throat.

  Giga-ranked Slayers... weren’t just powerful. They were beyond comprehension. Their strength was not bound by mortal limitations, nor by the constructs of the world. Such beings could likely destroy realms themselves, tearing through boundaries as if they were nothing but fragile paper.

  It was difficult to imagine such raw, uncontainable power.

  Of course, that's just Kaiser's vague speculation. And expectations were often far from reality, but Kai would rather settle on his expectations forever instead of ever meeting goliaths on the upper ranks.

  And yet, there was one more line.

  Other - ????

  Kaiser frowned, tilting his head slightly. The text offered no information, no hints as to what lay beyond the Giga rank. Only a string of question marks.

  “What the hell is ‘Other’?” he muttered, leaning closer. It was the first time the interface had failed to provide a description except question marks, and that alone was unsettling.

  It implied something even beyond Giga—a level of power that defied the very system that had defined everything else.

  Lost in thought, Kaiser sat there, staring at the mysterious rank, his mind a storm of possibilities. Eventually, he shook his head, exhaling a slow, measured breath.

  It made sense for such a designation to exist. Whatever lay beyond Giga was shrouded in utter uncertainty. Gods? Celestial beings? Forces beyond human comprehension? In any case, even the ring systematical data itself seemed to hold no answers. But then again, if these ranks were displayed, did that mean someone had actually reached such heights? Or was this knowledge the result of ancient Players unlocking a glimpse of the divine through their abilities?

  'Forget about it,' he thought. 'I’ve got enough to deal with already.'

  Yet, as much as he tried to brush it off, the questions lingered, gnawing at him like an itch he couldn’t scratch.

  “I wouldn’t think too much about it if I were you.” Hazie’s voice cut through his thoughts, bringing him back to reality as if reading his mind. “We’re not even sure if we’ll make it out of this alive.”

  Her words were punctuated by the metallic clang of some steels hitting the rocky ground.

  Kaiser shifted, momentarily startled. Unknowingly, he had almost forgotten about the monster after their tail. Turning around, his eyes landed on Hazie, who stood in her new battle-ready form.

  Her intricate steel armor, once a masterpiece of modern ingenuity and sleek mechanical design, had seen better days. Though it had served her well in the run. Although, in terms of design efficiency, a medieval blacksmith's craft pale in comparison due to modern humans advancement. However, the lack of resources made her armor more fragile, repairs are also impossible in their circumstances, leaving the armor battered, dented, and broken in several places. What remained was a stripped-down version of the original—functional but far from pristine.

  Hazie had removed the damage and what she deemed unnecessary parts, keeping only the essential plates to protect her vitals: a chest piece, shoulder guards, vambraces, knee plates, metal boots, and a reinforced waist guard. What was revealed beneath the armor was not smooth skin, but a black bodysuit, sleek and form-fitting, covering her from neck to toe. It clung to her like a second skin, likely designed to regulate her body temperature in the freezing conditions—or perhaps to prevent the armor from chafing against her flesh.

  She had taken the time to clean herself up, her gorgeous face and visible injuries washed clean with warm water. The fresh look was striking. She now adorned a peculiar yet undeniably stylish ensemble: the remaining silver armor sections, the black bodysuit beneath, and a royal-blue leather coat draped over her shoulders, rimmed with white cotton. It was an odd mix of medieval practicality and modern flair, yet she pulled it off with ease.

  Kaiser studied her for a second, silently admitting how good she looked. Even in a dim world full of dread, injured and battered, Hazie carried herself like a model—because, as he recalled, she's also one back on Earth.

  Tying her silky pink hair into a high ponytail, Hazie glanced at him with a playful smile, her vibrant energy a stark contrast to the grim circumstances.

  “All done. What are you waiting for?” she teased, planting her hands on her hips. “Let’s move.”

  Kaiser lingered, watching her with a mix of admiration and exasperation. Before stretching his stiff body, shaking off the weight of his earlier thoughts, and sighed deeply.

  'This is why it’s tough to be with a pretty girl… they’re too damn distracting.'

  Unfortunately, Hazie's presence attracts more than men...