Species: Titanfang Boar (Apex Variant)
Force Alignment: Earthen Might (Minor Force – Earth Affinity)
Level: 11
Recent scouting confirmed the worst — the Ironsworn Ravager had leveled up. Its territory had expanded, and the frequency of its tremor-inducing roars was a sign that time was running out. If left unchecked, it would eventually wander closer to the settlement… and wipe it off the map.
Ever since the system broadcast announcing the first participant to reach Level 10, many had pushed themselves to catch up. A handful had succeeded and, in doing so, obtained their first classes — titles that marked their entry into true combatants of the Expanse.
Among the newly advanced were:
- Dracco Dragbane – Class: Drakeforged Warlord (Class Rank: Epic)
- Kaito Ren – Class: Lunar Reaver (Class Rank: Epic)
- Nyx Everhollow – Class: Umbral Shade (Class Rank: Ancient)
- Reinhardt Vale – Class: Bastion Paragon (Class Rank: Epic)
- Tarek Vol – Class: Stormborne Juggernaut (Class Rank: Rare)
- Gale Veyron – Class: Typhoon Dancer (Class Rank: Rare)
- Darius Hallowbrand – Class: Flame Warden (Class Rank: Rare)
Each had carved their own path, forged through blood and survival, and now their strength would be tested against a calamity given form.
Present Leaders at the Settlement Gathering:
- The Iron Fang – Reinhardt Vale
A steadfast warrior known for facing high-level beasts solo. - The Eclipse Sisters – Mira & Lillian
A mysterious twin duo with unknown Force abilities tied to celestial phenomena. - Ghostwalkers – Tarek Vol
An elite assassination guild operating in the shadows. - The Silver Hunt – Valeria Eris
Independent archers and trackers who operate outside guild control. - The Risen Ashes – Darius Kain
A survivalist faction focused on scavenging, knowledge, and adaptability. - The Dawnborn – Asha Quinn
A calm mystic revered for her understanding of Aether manipulation. - The Black Talon – Orin Graves
A brutal group of ex-soldiers seeking power at any cost. - Verdant Pact – Eldrin Mossvale
A druidic herbalist rumored to commune with the Expanse itself. - Stormbreakers – Gale Veyron
A speed-focused force user who leads with precision and storm-like efficiency. - The Forgebound – Varek Ironholt
A legendary blacksmith whose weapons have earned renown. - The Shadow Veil – Nyx Everhollow
A master of stealth and deception, leading the deadliest covert operatives. - Aether Wardens – Selene Ardentis
A scholar determined to unlock the deepest secrets of the Aether. - The Bloodied Tusk – Darius Hallowbrand
A mercenary leader with a reputation for brutality and battlefield contracts. - Dragon’s Maw – Orrin Dragbane (Now Dracco Dragbane)
A raw-force warrior who commands authority through sheer might. - Zephyr Striders – Tahlis Windsong
A wilderness tracker who leads with instinct and silence. - The Covenant of Embers – Ignis Vaelthorn
A fire-aligned zealot chasing transcendence through flame. - The Lone Fang – Kaito Ren
A powerful solo adventurer who refuses to join any group, known for taking on impossible odds.
“Time is of the essence. If we are to succeed in defeating this Apex Boss, we must act soon,” Reinhardt commanded, his voice steady and authoritative. “You have until next week to prepare. Get your equipment checked, potions stocked, and any other plans finalized. No excuses.”
Before him stood a full gathering of participants—some eager and fired up for the challenge, others visibly tense, fully aware of the danger that lay ahead. Their enemy was no ordinary foe. The Apex Boss loomed like an impossible wall, and only the best stood a chance of scaling it.
In the midst of the crowd stood Reese, Talia, Owen, and Kai, freshly returned from Kei’s clearing. All of them had reached Level 10, though none had yet chosen a class. Their growth was evident, but still incomplete.
Standing beside them was Kei.
Draped in all black, he blended into the edge of the gathering like a living shadow. His attire, crafted entirely from Wooloo’s wool, resembled the sleek outfit of a traditional ninja—practical, silent, and built for freedom of movement. It hugged his form comfortably, reinforced in subtle places, allowing him to flow through the battlefield without restriction. There was no metal, no excessive armor—just clean functionality wrapped in purpose.
Having seen his members now returned, Draggbane raised an eyebrow—wordless, but questioning. Have you improved? His meaning was clear.
In response, Kai gave a firm nod while the others offered casual thumbs up. Draggbane’s other brow lifted—he wasn’t asking if they were fine. He was asking if they were ready.
His silent expectation hung in the air… until Kai casually pointed off to the side, as if to say, You’re missing someone.
Draggbane followed the motion with a confused frown, seeing no one. Then—just for a brief moment—Kei’s presence flickered into reality.
It was subtle. Barely noticeable. But the shift in wind, the gentle distortion in the air, was just enough for Draggbane’s eyes to widen slightly in realization. He’s here.
Kaito picked up on it too, his gaze locking to the faint spot where Kei had momentarily stood. His instincts kicked in faster than most, trained to pick up disturbances like this. He didn’t say anything, just smirked to himself.
Further back, Jin’s eyes narrowed as he followed their line of sight. At first, he saw nothing. Then he calmly redirected his stat points into Will, his gaze sharpening, scanning the area with deliberate focus.
Still nothing. But he felt it—the static in the air, the soft pull of presence hidden just out of reach.
“Impressive,” Jin muttered. His voice held no surprise or irritation, only passing intrigue. Whatever was hidden… wasn’t his concern. Not yet.
Kei, as usual, remained on the edge of attention—seen only when he allowed it.
Draggbane, already reading the situation, pointed off to the side, signaling for them to gather. Kaito fell into step beside him, arms crossed, expression calm but curious.
Owen and Reese were doing their best to drag Kei along—quite literally—ropes looped around his torso as he leaned forward like a bloodhound, his gaze locked onto Orin Graves with such intensity it was surprising the man hadn’t combusted on the spot.
Kei’s eyes were practically glowing with fury, locked so hard onto Orin it was as if he was trying to drag the man’s soul out of his body through eye contact alone.
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Orin, feeling the death glare pierce into the back of his skull, stiffened like he’d stepped into a blizzard. Sweat poured down his face as he broke into a shaky sprint, legs wobbling and nearly giving out beneath him.
He didn’t dare look back.
If he did, he might actually collapse.
Kei strained forward, practically dragging both Owen and Reese with him. “LET ME GO. I CAN STILL SMELL HIM.”
“WOULD YOU QUIT IT?!” Kai barked, pulling him back. “He’s long gone!”
Draggbane blinked once, calmly ignoring the chaos. “You have anything to report about your progress?”
Kai quickly composed himself, stepping forward. “Yes. Under Kei’s guidance, we’ve made remarkable progress. As of now, we can clear Grade F dungeons on Hard difficulty with little to no effort. We’ve also reached level 10, but haven’t chosen our classes yet—”
“LET ME JUST CRACK ONE OF HIS BONES—”
“NO.” Reese, still holding onto the rope like his life depended on it, tightened the slack.
Draggbane raised an eyebrow. “You must’ve had your hands full… and why is he dressed like a ninja?”
At that, Kei paused his bloodlust for a moment, adjusting the cloth wrapped around the lower half of his face and speaking proudly. “Oh, well, I made this neck wrap to stop her from strangling me—” he pointed at Talia without shame, “—and when I pulled it up to cover my face, I liked the aesthetic. Then I made these arm wraps to store throwing stuff and added weights to them for stronger strikes. So I figured, hey, may as well go full ninja.”
He gave a half-spin like he was showing off a new outfit on a fashion runway.
Kaito blinked slowly. “You can craft?”
Kei nodded. “Yup. Forge, tools, chemistry, tailoring. You want something made, I’ll figure it out.”
Draggbane muttered under his breath. “A walking death threat and a tailor…”
“Better than being strangled again,” Kei replied cheerfully, pulling his mask back up.
Kei casually tossed the Gale Fang sword over to Kaito, who caught it and gave it a curious once-over. Draggbane leaned in, equally intrigued, and the moment their eyes scanned the weapon’s details, both of them froze.
“This… this is a Bronze-grade weapon?” Draggbane muttered in disbelief. “It looks like a plain wooden sword.”
“Hold up,” Kaito added, tilting the blade in the light. “This thing is reinforced with Breeze Force? But it’s a wooden sword! How the hell—”
Draggbane continued, now visibly stunned. “Do you know how difficult it is for blacksmiths to even craft Uncommon grade gear? For a handmade Bronze-grade piece? That’s a feat. This is remarkable. Truly remar—"
THUD.
The loud crash cut him off mid-praise. Heads turned just in time to see Kei collapse face-first into the dirt, Owen standing over him, shield still raised like he was ready for a second strike.
“He also crafted this shield,” Owen said proudly, like he hadn’t just knocked out the person he was praising.
“…You knocked him out.”
“He was acting up again,” Owen replied with a shrug. “Trust me. He’ll be fine in five minutes.”
Kaito blinked, still holding the sword. “Why does it say Breeze Force, though? That’s… that’s supposed to be one of the weakest forces, right? But I could’ve sworn he froze me and burned me during our fight. Just who—or what—is he?”
He looked up, expecting an answer.
Silence.
“…Um?”
He turned his head, only now realizing Kei was out cold on the ground, dirt in his mouth and a small twitch in his leg.
“…Okay then.”
As Kei lay unconscious—face still half-buried in the dirt thanks to Owen's trusty shield slam—the others laid out the gear he had crafted for them like prized relics on display.
Reese’s spiraled bowstring, Owen’s earthen shield, Kai’s adrenaline-tuned spear, and even Talia’s mirage-reactive daggers—all crafted with ridiculous attention to detail and precision.
Draggbane blinked. “An exceptional fighter,” he said slowly, arms crossed. “But probably an even better craftsman. This is genuinely impressive.”
Kaito held up his spear, inspecting the craftsmanship. “Do you think he’d craft me a longsword? Maybe a short sword too.”
“I could use new gauntlets,” Draggbane added. “And a greatsword. My current gear doesn’t even compare to this.”
Kaito scratched his chin. “Actually… I’d need a scythe crafted too. I know someone who's outgrown her old one.”
They all looked down at Kei, still twitching slightly in his dirt nap, mumbling something about sheep curry and betrayal.
“Think he takes custom orders?” Draggbane asked.
“He might,” Owen replied. “But you’ll probably need to wait until he regains consciousness... or at least stops frothing.”
“Should we heal him?”
“…Nah. Give him a minute.”
Further recounting their time training with Kei, the group was careful to omit anything regarding his creatures—especially Zeph—and the strange yet terrifyingly effective way Kei used his own blood to train and form connections. Owen did mention his successful contract with a powerful earth-aligned bear, noting that he used a proper Beast Companion Scroll to form the bond. He left out the part where the bear initially rejected his blood and only tolerated him after Kei’s intervention, choosing instead to frame the success around the contract itself.
More importantly, they stayed silent on the natural training methods Kei drilled into them—methods that broke their bodies down and rebuilt them stronger than any stat point ever could. Not because of Kei’s veiled threat (though that definitely lingered in their minds), but because they had experienced the struggle and the reward firsthand.
Kei had a theory he shared with them: the more stat points one added through the system, the harder it became to grow naturally. According to him, the system’s boost wasn’t just supplementary—it altered how your body adapted. He himself had only used the five starter points and regretted it. Since then, the three bonus points he earned had remained untouched, and he had no intention of ever spending them.
“Better to let my body grow the way it's meant to,” he told them once. “I don’t want to be shaped by the system. I want to shape myself.”
And after everything they’d endured and gained, they couldn’t disagree.
In the midst of their debrief, Draggbane seemed satisfied with the team’s progress—especially once Kei finally came to. No sooner had he regained consciousness than Kaito and Draggbane bombarded him with crafting requests. Kei agreed readily, only asking for precise measurements from each of them.
To his credit, Draggbane didn’t overreach. Despite being a guild leader, he only requested equipment for himself, stating, “You already trained four of mine. That’s more than enough. I won’t ask you to outfit an entire guild—you don’t owe me that.”
Kaito, on the other hand, rattled off the specs for both a longsword and a short sword before rushing off, muttering something about grabbing a scythe for reference.
“While you’re at it,” Draggbane added, “mind crafting a pair of leather arm and leg guards? He’ll definitely need them. No point having our strongest member running around under-geared.”
With that, Kei made his way toward the settlement’s blacksmithing forge to borrow the space and tools. Kaito eventually caught up, scythe in hand and one ear still ringing.
“For someone so lazy, she really can be bossy and loud,” he mumbled.
He entered the forge—only to stop dead in his tracks. Every blacksmith inside was unconscious, slumped over their workbenches and anvil tables. His eyes locked onto the only person still standing.
“What... happened?” Kaito asked, bewildered.
The figure didn’t even glance back. “What? I like peace and quiet. Their hammering was too noisy.”
“You couldn’t just ask them to let you work alone?”
“Would you leave a stranger alone with your forge?” he replied nonchalantly. “Besides, I only drew the air out of their lungs—just enough to knock them out. They're still breathing.”
Kaito sighed, staring blankly at Kei. “Please stop talking. If you say anything else, I might become an accessory.”
“But quick question,” Kaito asked, “why don’t you just use the forge you normally work at? If you’re a stranger here, then you didn’t craft all that gear in this place, right?”
Kei froze mid-step, turning slowly as realization dawned. “Oh yeah… you’re right.” Without a hint of shame, he turned on his heel and walked straight out the door.
Kaito blinked. “Wait—seriously?”
As they walked, Kaito glanced over. “Aren’t you hot wearing that outfit in this heat?”
“This?” Kei tugged at his ninja-styled attire. “I designed it for forging. Breathable, lightweight, and the lining has an aether-threaded weave that circulates a steady breeze around me. Keeps me cool even next to the furnace.”
“That’s... actually pretty brilliant,” Kaito muttered, mildly jealous.
“Oh, also—Draggbane told me to ask if you could design the arm and leg guards with a concept in mind. Something like… stat point redistribution during combat. I know it’s a stretch, but he figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask.”
Kei paused mid-stride. “Redistribution of stat points mid-combat? That’s an actual ability?” His eyes narrowed in thought. “Huh... interesting. I’ll see what I can do.”
He continued walking toward his clearing to get started on the orders when he casually called back over his shoulder, “By the way, what are you guys paying me for all this?”
Kaito stumbled. “What!?”
Kei didn’t even turn around. “I don’t remember agreeing to work for free.”