The night wind moved quietly across the wasteland.
The Outcast Settlement slept.
Small fires burned along the wooden barricade while a few demons stood guard.
Grik leaned against the wall, half-asleep.
"This watch duty is boring…"
He yawned loudly.
"Nothing ever happens at night."
Not far away, Ruun stood silently on top of a rock, scanning the darkness.
Unlike Grik, his instincts were sharp.
Something didn't feel right.
The wasteland was too quiet.
Then—
A shadow moved.
Ruun's eyes narrowed.
"What…?"
But when he looked again, nothing was there.
Just empty darkness.
High above the settlement, hidden among the jagged rocks of a nearby cliff…
A figure stood silently.
Watching.
The demon wore black armor that blended perfectly with the night.
His eyes glowed faintly red.
This was Kael, the elite scout sent by Demon Lord Varkesh.
He looked down at the settlement below.
"A wooden barricade… weak defenses…"
His gaze moved across the demons inside.
"Thirty… maybe forty followers."
Kael frowned slightly.
"This is the territory that destroyed two gangs?"
He didn't believe it.
Then his eyes landed on one person.
Standing alone near the edge of the settlement.
Rai.
Arms folded.
Calm as always.
Kael studied him carefully.
"That's the human…"
At first glance, Rai didn't look special.
No horns.
No wings.
No demonic aura.
But Kael had survived hundreds of battles.
And his instincts were screaming.
Danger.
"Strange…"
He whispered quietly.
"Why does he feel… different?"
Suddenly—
Rai spoke.
Without turning around.
"You've been watching long enough."
Kael's eyes widened.
Impossible.
There was no way the human could sense him from that distance.
But Rai slowly turned his head.
His ice-blue eyes stared directly toward the cliff.
Directly at Kael.
For a few seconds…
Neither of them moved.
Then Kael smiled.
"So he noticed."
He stepped out from the shadows.
His black armor reflected the faint moonlight.
In a single step—
He disappeared.
And reappeared inside the settlement.
Several demons gasped.
"Enemy!"
Grik jumped to his feet immediately.
"Who the hell are you?!"
Kael ignored them.
His eyes stayed locked on Rai.
"So you're the one causing trouble in the wasteland."
Rai looked at him calmly.
"You're stronger than the others."
Kael chuckled.
"Of course."
"I serve a Demon Lord."
The settlement went silent.
Even Grik froze.
"A… Demon Lord?"
Kael crossed his arms.
"My name is Kael."
"I was sent to investigate you."
His red eyes narrowed slightly.
"Tell me something, human…"
"Why are you helping demons?"
The outcasts tensed.
They waited for Rai's answer.
Rai looked around at the settlement.
At the demons who once had nowhere to go.
Then he answered simply.
"Because they were thrown away."
Kael blinked.
"That's it?"
Rai nodded.
"That's enough."
The answer surprised him.
Most humans hated demons.
Most demons hated humans.
But this one…
Was building something new.
Kael looked around the settlement again.
Then back at Rai.
"You know…"
He smiled slightly.
"You're interesting."
Grik raised his hammer.
"Stop talking and leave!"
Kael ignored him.
Instead he spoke to Rai.
"My lord is curious about you."
Rai's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Your lord?"
Kael's smile grew darker.
"Demon Lord Varkesh."
The name sent a chill through the outcasts.
One of the most powerful rulers in the Demon Realm.
Kael continued calmly.
"He wanted to know if you were worth killing."
Grik shouted angrily.
"You bastard—!"
But Rai raised a hand.
Stopping him.
Then Rai looked directly at Kael.
"And what did you decide?"
Kael stared at him for a few seconds.
Then he turned around.
"You're not strong enough to threaten my lord yet."
He began walking toward the darkness.
"But…"
He stopped.
"And if you keep growing like this…"
His red eyes glowed faintly.
"…we will meet again."
With that—
Kael vanished into the night.
The settlement remained silent.
Grik finally spoke.
"Did… that just happen?"
Ruun nodded slowly.
"That was no ordinary demon."
Rai looked toward the horizon where Kael had disappeared.
His instincts told him something important.
The Demon Lords were watching now.
And if he wanted to survive in this world…
He would need to grow much stronger.
Much faster.
Because sooner or later—
The Demon Realm itself would come for him.