What started as an army was demoted into a squad, all of which encircled the injured. Rachel sowed her head into Mayumi's torso, clenching onto her leather vest with meager strength.

Mayumi eyed the downed individuals. Sniffling and batting her dark eyelashes. She didn't feel incredibly attached to Sebastian or Laria; their bond could've been summarized simply as "comrades." Still, she'd cherished the compassionate woman she'd journeyed with and the goofy man that had her back on more than one occasion.

[[

A deplorable memory wriggled from the depths of Mayumi's mind. One that dated back many days, weeks, and months. All the way to Day 2, only hours after their arrival on the new planet.

It was remarkably sunny and chilly, and the rotten stench of corpses from the recent massacre had wafted across the forest. At this time, there was no town, just a growing shelter too small to house all the despairing humans.

Before hunters or workers, there were just humans. Men were the first to be thrust into the wilds of the planet, forced to slay creatures they'd believed to be fictional. On few occasions, women volunteered to join the early searches because those who assisted were ensured food and shelter. After all, there were more mouths to feed than those willing to contribute.

One afternoon Mayumi found herself in the treacherous woodland. Her father had become incredibly ill and unable to provide, so she worked, hoping to deliver nourishment to him.

As Mayumi wandered the colorful terrain with her detachment, she was outcasted. She constantly heard the insensitive comments of the men around her, scorning her company.

"She think we're shopping for groceries? Chick is already in the way."

"No point in carrying a weapon you won't use."

Their comments were frivolity to her then, just a minor irritant that didn't influence her objective of uncovering food.

Disinterested in hunting animals, Mayumi strayed from the pack to pick any fruit or vegetation that looked edible. Aside from the makeshift sword at her waist, she was still in casual clothing. Her joggers were torn at the legs, and the blue spaghetti strap top she wore was a shade darker from the accumulation of grime.

Not the image of health; Mayumi was panting from a brief walk and had to rest against a tree. She closed her eyes momentarily and breathed.

Unmoving, the smells and sounds of the forest heightened. She relaxed for a brief moment, but only that because the rustling of bushes quickly drew her eyes open again.

"Told you she was gonna ditch and make us do all the work," complained one of the group's men.

"It's bull shit," voiced another.

"My sister was never this much of a coward; she should be here, not this bony Asian doormat."

Whatever their grievances were, it wasn't her concern. Mayumi crossed her thin arms, then trekked from their watch. She planned to rejoin the central unit, but-

"Hold it, princess," commanded one of the men, grabbing her frail wrist and forcing her against the tree she'd rested against.

Mayumi's eyes widened at the shock of being pinned down. The feeling of being so easily manipulated was one she'd never experienced. She was a master of the human mind; she did the controlling, not the other way around.

In a fit of anger, she lifted her right leg and punted the man in the testes. Or, at least she meant to, but her legs lacked the flexibility, and she only booted the tall man's mid-thigh.

"Get off me!" she yelled, kicking and squirming with both her arms restrained.

"Shut the hell up!" exclaimed the second male, who slapped her across the cheek and then covered her mouth.

Tears trailed the sharp pain on her face. It wasn't the bruise that frightened her but what could follow after being hushed. Mayumi couldn't fathom her predicament; she'd had it all just days before. Wealth, a caring father, and a successful, handsome boyfriend. She even thought about the parrot and obedient German shepherd she'd raised.

Mayumi grew more frantic and struggled even more to escape. However, her aggressor's raw strength was indomitable, and she was quickly exhausted.

A disgusting, sweaty hand grabbed and pulled down her shirt's strap. Mayumi screamed, but it was muffled by the fleshy hand across her lips.

Subsequently, she heard a man muttering in a languid and dry tone devoid of sentiment.

"What are you doing," he said, only loud enough to be perceived.

In Mayumi's panic, she couldn't discern that the new voice differed from the first two.

Both of the men that subdued her jerked and quickly rotated to see the appearance of a third. A skinny, straight-faced man with straight black hair that reached his shoulders. Dull skin, puffy eyes, and an oversized anime shirt, the male looked like he'd never stepped foot from his home.

One man still pinned Mayumi down, but the other confronted the outsider. He had to uncover Mayumi, and she screamed for help when he did.

"Fuck, look what you caused," the man grumbled.

"Has no one taught you that it's rude to sneak up on peop-"

Before the offender could finish his sentence, the thin male in front of him delivered a swift karate chop to his throat.

It looked effective and made a threatening, 'thump' sound. However, the aggressor merely coughed and became irate. He attempted to strike back, but the young black-hair man ducked behind him and chopped the back of his neck.

Again, the attack did little to no damage. Nevertheless, the two that'd intruded upon Mayumi shifted their attention to the new nuisance.

That was the last mistake they made. The instant the towering man released Mayumi, she drew the weapon at her waist and stabbed him in the back. It was too blunt and didn't fully penetrate his skin, so she recoiled and jabbed again.

The first was easy, but the second man that'd terrorized her was already alert after his mate was impaled. He drew his own weapon, but the bizarre stranger at his rear chopped him a third time. It caused no harm but was distracting enough for Mayumi to slash their exposed throat.

In hindsight, she didn't believe their transgressions merited death. They were just two bereaved men who'd suffered in a new world and acted on their unstable emotions. Her career taught her to understand their type; however, she was a different person then. Weak, scared, and desperate, just like them.

Sprayed in blood, Mayumi collapsed after her onslaught. She dropped her weapon, then gaped at her dripping, red hands.

The last thing she remembered about her encounter with the stranger was begging him to keep silent about the incident. She sobbed and promised to return the favor, to do whatever it took to compensate him.

Mayumi was speaking to a brick wall; the young man never glanced at her but wiped away the specks of blood on his face. Moments later, he closed his lifeless dark brown eyes and mumbled to her.

"Then-"

"Will you bring my mom back from the dead?"

At a loss for words, Mayumi wistfully dropped her gaze to his feet. He didn't add anything; he simply fled the unforeseen murder scene.

Even after everything she'd done, Mayumi's father lost against his illness. She had truly lost everything, but it wasn't the end of her story. She continued to hunt with men, and built herself up from zero. Leveling up, earning respect, and using her talents to persuade the outcomes she desired.

Mayumi became the ideal version of herself.

]]

As she recounted old memories, a sudden glow emerged behind her and lit the near pitch black ground.

For the first time since his transformation, Artie moved. Even as his friends expired, his stone expression didn't alter. Nor did he make any attempt at communication.

The startled figures of the crowded hunters became illuminated as Artie hovered toward them. More of his mortal flesh had shed, and his body radiated more electric light.

His otherworldly state was frightening. Monsters could be studied, read, or understood, but he was more ominous; he was hollow.

Even though individuals created a blockade to hinder him, Artie moved onwards uninterrupted. There was no need to stop or slow because their drenched bodies would tumble if they came into contact with his electrified aura.

Voiceless, he unhurriedly arrived at Sebastian and Laria's cold feet. He peeked at them, then held out his gleaming palm.

"Unable to comply. Subjects are unresponsive," sounded the immaterial Ai.

With a simple swipe of Artie's hand, electricity splashed from his claws and onto Sebastian and Laria.

A cry ejected behind him as a woman pushed forward in uproar after seeing her companion's lifeless body struck. Before getting close, Rachel separated from Mayumi and attempted to subdue her. Her strength alone was insufficient, but the hunter named Skull heeded Rachel's will without instruction.

Meanwhile, another energy pulse was directed at the two unresponsive individuals. Artie stuck them a third and fourth time, then when the Ai gave him the same notice, he fired again.

Artie never spoke, yet he seemed to somehow communicate with the sentient existence. No one understood what he was demanding, but they knew Sebastian and Laria had to be cognizant for it to work.

"Request authorized."

"Do you wish to appoint this player a disciple?"

"Acknowledged."

"Changing the player's affinity from sound to lightning."

"Complete"

"Error, player is a job class."

"As you wish, recoding the player into a hunter."

"Adding the affinity of lighting."

"Complete"

A glowing, sun-colored halo burned into Sebastian and Laria's chest, right over their heart. It shined for a wink but dimmed after the unknown procedure had concluded.

"Disciples will gain an increase in level while within range of their God and gain a buff while inside the user's domain," informed the invisible entity.

"Unable to comply, there are nearby hostile entities."

Rachel erupted and shoved the closest person to her. She yelled fiercely for everyone loitering around to move, taking no time to clarify why. Mayumi requested the same of the hunters, pleading gravely to her guild to assist in clearing the area.

With 30 yards between Artie and the hunters, his domain activated. The bubble-like dome covered him and his allies and freed them from the downpour.

Almost immediately after the domain was cast, Rachel dashed for the two on the ground. Though faint, they both were breathing.

She pivoted to share the news but noticed Artie had begun to gravitate away.

Rachel jolted up and attempted to contact him, but her comments were neglected. He merely gazed upward at the dreary sky as if it was beckoning him to join the storm.

He drifted- Then, with a final flash, he thundered away.

That day changed everything. It was the first storm humans had experienced on Earth-Two, so they naturally questioned:

"Will it snow if another individual calls upon a blizzard? What about tornados, earthquakes, and tsunamis? Is this world now entirely at the mercy of humans?"

Regardless of their disfavor, It continued to thunder. Not just there, but the entire mysterious continent would experience lightning showers.