*CRuUuUnCh*

A sound that doesn’t make sense confuses my ears. Back when the world had electronic speakers, sometimes if you put two of them next to each other, they’d pick up the vibrations and generate a horrible noise, feedback. This sounds almost like that. An awful, squeaking, two pieces of chalk pressed together in the most horrible way. It takes me an unusually long second to find the source because it seems to be coming from multiple places at once.

“MsHabUnnACH!”

Gibberish. That’s what it is.

When I see what’s causing the noise, I instinctively reach into my coat and take my cleaver out. The crack in the blade is reflected by the jagged moonlight as I stare down the impossible creature in front of me.

I’ve seen all manner of System Monsters and undead before…but you…you are something different!

It has this strange haze surrounding its features. Like I’m staring at its body through blurry glasses. Though it seems almost human, this thing is tall. Much taller than me at least, a giant amongst mortal men. The head tilts curiously, but it seems all wrong, more like how an owl might twist its neck than any actual person. As it considers me, a five-fingered hand reaches out as if to pull me closer for inspection.

*Kacha Kacha Kacha*

The air between us two beings which should not exist begins to twist and fragment. Cracks of white light shatter space in strange and incomprehensible ways I do not understand. For some reason, perhaps it’s all the time I’ve spent alone, I don’t instinctively avoid the danger, though every instinct should be screaming I’m under attack. It takes the shout of someone else to break the spell.

“Watch out!”

Sierra’s shout makes time to start move again. Briefly, I realize that my Basic Prescience skill did not activate. Normally whenever I’m in danger it would alert me ahead of time and give me more time to react. However, as I roll out of the way, it’s in real time, the System is not assisting me.

*KACHA*

The white cracks in the air reach where I was standing a second ago as the blurry man-like figure clenches its freakishly long fingers into a fist. The smell of the atmosphere changes as the air flashes in a bizarre series of explosions. I’m not chemist but even I can tell that this isn’t right. It’s as if everything in the space I was standing is being shredded from existence. A soundless cracking noise, like someone compacting glass in a vacuum, sounds. Then I raise my nose and sniff.

Nothing. The smell of the trees, of the snow, even that of cold air. It’s all gone.

Staring at the footprints in the snow where I was, I notice that a layer of powder has been completely removed from existence. Wrinkling my nostrils, I give the blurry figure a dirty look.

So, you would have done the same to me if I hadn’t moved huh? Want to kill me?

“N-N…” I try to speak, but my mouth muscles are still not ready. A pathetic noise comes out instead of my thoughts. Now I’m mad.

“What is that?!” Seirra alerts the rest of the party and no one understands what they’re seeing. However, I am close enough to see what the System defines this strange entity as-

Lvl.??-999 MobGLiTcH

MobGlitch? Level -999? What the hell is that supposed to be? I’ve never seen a negative level before!

When I come up from my roll, the creature is glaring at Sierra as she runs to my side. Or at least, I think it’s looking at her. It’s kind of hard to tell with everything blurred out like that. A spear suddenly appears from nowhere.

“This thing is dangerous! Everyone, get away!” Chiang says something very sensible. The man has finally realized what a terrible position he has put his party in. “It probably killed Senna’s party!”

*Kacha Kacha Kacha*

The MobGlitch raises its hand as Chiang’s spear arcs towards it. When it closes its fingers, white lines appear in the air in front of it, a shield of shattered space that pulverizes the metal spear and leaves nothing behind. Even the sound of the wood splintering is muted, as if the very vibrations are being cut apart.

I’m not sure about much but one thing’s for sure. It’s capable of wiping this party out.

Slowly, I back away from the MobGlitch. The way it watches me is not natural. Somehow its blurry face seems almost human, yet not human at all. The five-fingered hands touch a tree trunk as it rises to its full staggering height and towers over us. Deep grooves are carved into the wood by some ungodly forcefield protruding from its body. Just being near it is destroying the environment. I can’t tell how powerful this thing is. It’s fighting style and defenses are one big blank.

“R-Ru…n.” I mutter, but it’s not loud enough. The father who threw his spear doesn’t understand the danger he’s in. Though he told his friends to run, he hasn’t left himself. White cracks shatter the firmament of reality.

*Kacha Kacha Kacha*

They spread towards him with all the speed of a viral plague, expanding until they touch his outstretched hands. Whatever level Chiang is, it’s not enough. I don’t even know if level matters before this thing. Basic Prescience didn’t even activate when it attacked…

“Ahhh!” A very simple cry as the white cracks reach him.

Then nothing.

I can see the blood splattering.

Pieces of his body shred, peeling like the skin of an apple before a knife.

There is no noise, just the awful sight as his body falls to the ground soundlessly.

“CHIANG!” So many people come out of nowhere.

It seems the signal flare was successful.

Swordsman, axe-wielding warriors, tankers with shields, they all rush in on the MobGlitch. One might think that they are the reason it leaves. However, I can see the truth. When they appear, the unknowably powerful creature barely spares them a glance. Instead, it stares off past a dark gap in the trees where a pair of slitted-eyes, one blue and one emerald glare angrily. I blink, and by the time my eyelids open it’s over.

“Where’d it go!” The incoming warriors of the Flame Hawk Guild are bewildered. However, I just listen, trying to hear past their confusion. Off in the distance, I just barely manage to make out some noises. It sounds like trees breaking, exploding, hissing, and a wild cat yowling. Then it’s over. “Anyone else see that thing? The hell was that?”

“…” The surviving members of the original party don’t answer. Some of the newcomers look at me warily, but I have no answers for them either. When they see the remains of Chiang and the other deceased, they fall silent. Some of them lower their weapons in sorrow.

“Dad…DAD?” Jie’s bravado from earlier has left him entirely along with his father’s soul. Anyone could tell him that his father cannot reply, but no one wants to be the one to say it. Sierra crumples to her knees like a tin can, her firebrand personality sizzling out as her hands fall limply by her sides. Rita holds onto her arm timidly, no longer is there any point in hiding the girl’s sight.

They should let her see. Even if it’s something that will haunt her forever.

For the first time in a while, I almost feel something watching this scene. In the end, though, these are just strangers. Their suffering is merely temporary. They’ll have someone to share it with, to divide the burden with.

At least you won’t be alone.

Looking up into the overcast sky, where the fading sparkles of the Flame Hawk Flare fades, I forget the strange eyes and incomprehensible beast.

So long as it is gone, I don’t care.

“Who are you?” The newcomers stare at me with undisguised distrust. Naturally since their friends died, I, as a stranger, am the target of their suspicions. Grieving people make for poor spokespeople. None of the original party chime in as they try to accept the death of Chiang. I stand there with an annoyed expression.

Are all members of the Flame Hawks like this?

Turning around, I begin to trudge away through the snow. I have no interest in getting involved with these people.

“W-Wait Mr. Tani!” Sierra calls out to me as the new members of the Flame Hawks move to stop me. “He’s not related to this, don’t hurt him!” They pause as she vouches for my innocence. “We found him…” She stops abruptly and covers her mouth as if she just said something she shouldn’t.

“You found him where…exactly?” The tall and slender man named Tani hefts a slender rapier in his hand. His black tuxedo jacket reminds me of a butler’s outfit. “As I recall, your party’s position was to guard the Western entrance to Tiendas City. Which means this man is…”

“He came out of the forbidden zone but he’s not a high level! And he can’t speak either. We’ll take responsibility, now that Mr. Chiang…is gone. So, leave him to us, yea?” Sierra walks over to Jie, who is still kneeling beside the remains of his father. “We need some time to sort out our affairs.”

“Very well.” Tani sighs, going to the clearing and examining the other party of dead Flame Hawks. “What the hell happened here, anyway? We came as soon as we could when we saw the first signal flare. I assume the second was yours?”

“Yes. It was ours!” Sierra pats Jie’s back with a teary face. Speaking over her shoulder, she elaborates, “We responded first but found Mr. Nino’s party like this already. While investigating, that…thing attacked us. It’s definitely responsible for what happened.”

“Mmm…I don’t like this.” Tani tugs on his tuxedo jacket and narrows his eyes. “That thing, I couldn’t see its level. MobGlitch…has anyone seen a monster like that? I don’t think so. We need to go back to HQ and make a report. Bring your friend. Is he registered for a card?”

“Uhhh…are you?” Sierra turns to me. “Do you know what we’re talking about?”

Blinking, I nod slowly.

Unfortunately, I do know what she’s talking about.

This is going to be troublesome.

I’ve been gone for longer than I thought.

The card she’s referring to is like a driver’s license. In my past life, the Top Guilds banded together to form a sort of alliance. And using a common magical artifact, they gave Hunters a grade and a card which could identify them by their level. Since Hunters cannot see each other levels, there were a lot of disagreements over who was qualified to lead raids on dungeons or command large parties. The cards cannot be easily faked so they allowed people a way to prove their identity and take control of tricky situations by directly displaying their level.

Of course…the part they don’t mention is that from that point onwards, your name and power level are in their records. That way the top guilds can keep an eye on how strong you are and where you’re training whenever you use your card. It’s an ingenious system. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that they’d start something like this again. And it doesn’t really matter if I register for a card now, after all, I’m just a low-level Hunter in this life. The only suspicion my level will cause is from how low it is.

It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. In the past, when I was trying to be the first to break the limit and reach Lvl. 100, I had to work hard to avoid anyone knowing my true stats.

“Come on then, you don’t have one, right? If you’re going to be a Hunter, you need to properly register!”

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