The battlefield was quiet.
Too quiet.
The ground was shattered.
Cracks stretched for meters in every direction.
Rocks were reduced to dust.
And at the center of it all—
Karn the Hunter lay motionless.
Defeated.
---
Rai stood over him.
His breathing had returned to normal.
His eyes…
Back to ice blue.
But something was different.
Subtle.
Invisible.
Yet heavy.
Like a shadow clinging to him.
---
From the settlement—
The gates slowly opened.
Grik was the first to step out.
"…Is it over?"
Lucian walked past him without hesitation.
"Obviously."
He looked around at the destruction.
"…Damn."
Ruun followed behind, silent as always.
His sharp eyes moved between Rai and Karn's body.
"…He's alive."
Grik blinked.
"Wait, what?"
They all looked down.
Karn's chest moved slightly.
Weak.
But still breathing.
Lucian grinned.
"Of course he is."
"He'd be disappointed if he died that easily."
---
Rai turned away from Karn.
"He's no longer a threat."
Grik scratched his head.
"So… what do we do with him?"
Lucian cracked his neck.
"We could fight him again when he wakes up."
Ruun sighed.
"Or we could not do that."
---
Karn suddenly coughed.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
"…You…"
Everyone looked down again.
His eyes slowly opened.
He stared at Rai.
"…You held back at the end."
Rai didn't deny it.
"If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead."
Karn let out a weak laugh.
"…Good."
"That means I didn't lose to a monster…"
"…but to someone stronger."
---
Silence fell for a moment.
Then—
Karn slowly pushed himself up.
Grik stepped forward.
"Don't move too much, idiot. Your chest is half gone."
Karn ignored him.
His eyes stayed on Rai.
Then—
To everyone's surprise—
He dropped to one knee.
"I acknowledge you."
The settlement froze.
Lucian raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Karn continued.
"You are worthy of the vessel."
"And worthy of being followed."
Grik blinked.
"…Wait, is this happening again?"
Lucian laughed.
"Hahaha!"
"Another one!"
---
Ruun watched carefully.
"…This isn't submission."
"It's respect."
---
Karn spoke again.
"My duty was to test you."
"I have failed."
He lowered his head slightly.
"But if you allow it…"
"…I will fight under you instead."
The air went still.
A warrior sent by a Demon Lord…
Now asking to join them.
---
The system appeared before Rai.
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Special Condition Met
Enemy Converted: Karn the Hunter
Rank: High D-Class Combatant
Trait: Hunter's Instinct
Effect: Increased efficiency in tracking and combat against strong enemies
Settlement Strength Greatly Increased
---
Rai closed the system.
He looked at Karn for a moment.
Then spoke calmly.
"Stand."
Karn obeyed immediately.
"You don't kneel here," Rai continued.
"We fight together."
Karn's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Understood."
---
Grik burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
"This is getting ridiculous!"
Lucian crossed his arms.
"I like it."
"More strong people means more good fights."
Ruun shook his head.
"…We're building something dangerous."
---
Rai looked toward the settlement.
The broken land.
The growing number of allies.
And the enemies that would come next.
Inside him…
The voice whispered again.
Soft.
Faint.
YOU ARE CHANGING.
Rai ignored it.
But he knew one thing.
That power—
The one that awakened during the fight—
Was still there.
Waiting.
---
Far away…
Inside the Iron Citadel…
A messenger knelt before Demon Lord Valthor.
"My lord…"
"Karn the Hunter…"
"…has joined the vessel."
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
Valthor laughed.
A deep, echoing laugh.
"Even better."
His eyes glowed brightly.
"Let him build his army."
"Let him grow stronger."
His smile widened.
"Because when the time comes…"
"…I will crush everything he has built."
---
Back in the wasteland—
Rai walked toward the settlement.
His allies followed behind him.
A new member added to their ranks.
A new step forward.
But also—
A new danger.
Because the stronger he became…
The closer he moved toward something inevitable.
Something unavoidable.