The wasteland fell silent.
Where the Ancient-class creature once stood…
There was nothing left.
Only a massive crater.
And at its center—
Rai.
---
The wind returned slowly.
Carrying dust, heat… and something else.
Fear.
---
Lucian stretched his shoulders.
"…Man."
He looked around at the destruction.
"You really don't know how to hold back, do you?"
Rai didn't respond.
His gaze remained fixed on the horizon.
---
Karn stepped forward.
His eyes sharp.
"…That fight."
"You controlled the vessel."
Rai finally spoke.
"Partially."
Lucian grinned.
"Partially?"
"Then I wanna see full power."
Ruun's voice echoed in his mind—
You might not survive that.
---
Rai turned.
"We're going back."
---
Back at the Outcast Settlement
The moment they returned—
Silence spread.
Every demon.
Every outcast.
Every worker.
Stopped.
Watching.
---
Word had already spread.
They had felt it.
That overwhelming surge of power.
That pressure.
That presence.
---
Grik ran forward.
"Boss!"
He looked at Rai from head to toe.
"…You look the same."
Then he glanced at the others.
"…But something's not the same."
Ruun walked closer.
His gaze was sharper than usual.
"…Your aura changed."
Rai nodded once.
---
The system appeared.
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Major Milestone Achieved
Ancient-Class Entity Eliminated
New Rank Achieved: D-Rank
New Skill Unlocked: Domain Expansion (Incomplete)
New Title Earned: Outcast King
Effect: Increases loyalty and fear response from subordinates
---
Rai closed the screen.
Lucian leaned in.
"…Well?"
Rai answered calmly.
"D-Rank."
Lucian's eyes lit up.
"HAHA!"
"That's fast!"
Karn crossed his arms.
"…Too fast."
---
Ruun looked at Rai carefully.
"…The faster you grow…"
"…the more attention you attract."
---
Rai looked around the settlement.
At the people.
The demons.
The outcasts.
Working.
Living.
Surviving.
---
"…Good."
---
Far Away — Human Kingdom
Inside a grand hall—
Knights knelt in rows.
At the front—
A man in white armor stood.
A commander.
A hero of humanity.
---
A messenger rushed in.
"Report!"
The commander turned.
"What is it?"
The messenger hesitated.
Then spoke.
"…An Ancient-class monster…"
"…has been killed."
Silence fell.
The commander frowned.
"Which army handled it?"
The messenger swallowed.
"…None."
"It was… one individual."
---
The room shifted.
Tension.
Disbelief.
---
"…Who?"
---
"…Unknown."
"But witnesses say…"
"…a human."
---
The commander's eyes narrowed.
"…Find him."
---
Demon Realm — Iron Citadel
The atmosphere had changed.
Completely.
---
Demon Lord Valthor stood in silence.
Below him—
Several powerful demons knelt.
---
"He killed Karn's test."
"He killed an Ancient-class."
---
The room trembled slightly.
---
Valthor's voice echoed.
"…Prepare the others."
One of the demons looked up.
"My lord… do you mean—"
---
"Yes."
His eyes glowed.
---
"The Demon Lords will move."
---
Back at the Settlement
Night fell.
But the settlement was alive.
More active than ever.
---
Torches burned.
Voices echoed.
Construction continued.
---
At the highest point—
Rai stood alone.
Looking over everything.
---
Footsteps approached.
Light.
Silent.
---
Seriha.
---
She stood beside him.
Saying nothing at first.
Then—
"…You're changing."
Rai didn't look at her.
"Yes."
---
Seriha's pink eyes watched him carefully.
"…Will you lose control?"
---
A pause.
---
"…No."
---
She nodded once.
"…Good."
Then she turned to leave.
But stopped.
---
"…Don't die."
---
Rai replied calmly.
"I can't."
---
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
Seriha spoke softly.
"…That's not what I meant."
---
She walked away.
---
Rai stood alone again.
But her words remained.
---
Because for the first time—
Someone wasn't worried about him dying.
---
They were worried about…
What he might become.