Above Xenorift, the sky was a dull, heavy gray. Thick clouds loomed overhead as a sleek aircraft tore through the air like a falling meteor.

Ethan had finally arrived. Even with the most advanced tech, the trip from Southvale to here still took three full days.

Below, the terrain was wild and uneven—dense jungle stretched across the valleys, alive with the thunderous roars of beasts that echoed through the trees, sending flocks of birds scattering into the sky.

Predators and prey clashed constantly down there—creatures of all shapes and sizes locked in a brutal cycle of hunting and slaughter.

Xenorift was a deathtrap. Even a bug or a flea could carry venom potent enough to kill you before you realized you'd been bitten.

And most of the wildlife here? They were scavengers. Even the undead weren't safe from being torn apart and devoured.

Ethan switched the aircraft to low-speed cruise mode, letting the radar sweep the jungle below for signs of life.

But the moment he slowed down, a massive flock of birds wheeled around mid-air and came straight at him.

These weren't your average birds. They were huge—wingspans over thirty feet, beaks like blades, and mouths full of jagged teeth. They looked more like winged dinosaurs than anything else.

"Not exactly Buddy Crow material…" Ethan muttered under his breath.

The flock let out a chorus of shrill screeches as they closed in—but just as they got near, their bodies seized up mid-flight. Bones cracked and snapped audibly, and they dropped from the sky like hailstones.

It was like a storm of corpses.

Ethan didn't even flinch. The aircraft sliced through the falling bodies without slowing down.

The birds were all skin and bone anyway—evolution had stripped them down for flight. Barely any meat on them. Not even worth collecting.

Besides, he was sure there'd be plenty of "new flavors" to try out here. No need to rush.

"Best find something intelligent I can talk to…"

Ethan was thinking ahead. He needed to understand what the hell was going on in Xenorift—and more importantly, uncover the secrets behind the runes.

On the control panel, a screen lit up with a rotating green line sweeping clockwise.

A moment later, clusters of tiny light dots appeared on the display.

The AI's mechanical voice chimed in.

[Report... Detected large number of humanoid lifeforms. Distance: 5,000 miles.]

"Humanoid…" Ethan repeated, eyebrows raised. That sounded promising. If they were humanoid, odds were they had some level of intelligence.

Five thousand miles sounded far, but with the aircraft's speed, he'd be there in under twenty minutes.

Without hesitation, he adjusted course. The engines roared to life, and the aircraft shot forward like a comet, trailing a blazing tail of fire.

As he closed in, Ethan could feel the life signatures growing stronger—but something about them felt… off.

The radar said humanoid, but they definitely weren't human.

"What the hell are you?" he muttered. Whatever they were, he'd never encountered anything like them before. Maybe this was the "new flavor" he'd been expecting.

The aircraft descended slowly, settling into a clearing within the forest.

With a soft click, the hatch slid open. Ethan stepped out, then casually reached back and collapsed the aircraft into a compact form, stowing it away in one smooth motion.

The air was damp and cold. Towering trees—easily over a hundred feet tall—loomed overhead, their thick canopies blotting out most of the light. The forest floor was dim, almost twilight-like.

Strange bird calls echoed through the trees, eerie and distant.

Xenorift still held onto the raw, untouched terrain of Originis. Being here felt like stepping into another world entirely.

Ethan's boots crunched softly on a thick carpet of fallen leaves as he moved forward, heading toward the source of the life signals.

The closer he got, the stronger the presence became.

But oddly, it was dead silent. No insects, no rustling—nothing.

Ethan's instincts kicked in.

They were hiding.

Waiting.

Lying in ambush.

He stopped, scanning the area. The underbrush was thick—tall enough to hide a grown man. But here and there, some of the grass blades were trembling ever so slightly, rustling just enough to give them away.

And if he listened closely, he could just barely make out whispers.

"Hey, look! I think a human's coming this way!"

"Damn, his clothes are really white…"

"Should we go for it?"

"Not yet. Let him get a little closer. Don't want him slipping away."

"Alright, keep quiet for now."

"..."

The voices were low, cautious—barely above a whisper. And though they weren't speaking any human language, Ethan could still understand them, thanks to the brainwave frequencies they were unknowingly broadcasting.

They were plotting something. Loudly, in their own way.

With Ethan's enhanced hearing, every word was crystal clear.

"You can all come out now," he said calmly.

"...Huh???"

A ripple of startled confusion came from the brush. Clearly, they hadn't expected to be discovered.

"Did he just call us out?"

"No way, how the hell—?"

"White clothes piss me off!"

"..."

The murmurs picked up again, but now that they'd been spotted, there was no point in hiding. One by one, humanoid figures stepped out from the tall grass.

Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly. He hadn't expected this.

The creatures were humanoid, sure—but their skin was a deep, oily green. None of them wore clothes. Their bodies were lean and muscular, tails swaying behind them with every step.

Their heads were completely bald, no hair at all. Their eyes were a piercing yellow, pupils slitted like a snake's, glowing faintly with aggression. Where a human nose would be, they had only two dark holes. And their mouths—slightly protruding—were filled with sharp, interlocking fangs.

"Lizardfolk?" Ethan muttered. They definitely had reptilian features.

One of them, clearly the leader, stepped forward. He was massive—ripped with muscle, his chest heaving with each breath. A long, forked tongue flicked in and out of his mouth as he approached.

"How the hell did you spot us, kid?" the Lizardfolk growled.

"I picked you up from 5,000 miles out," Ethan replied casually.

"Bullshit! You think I'm stupid? You trying to start something?" the Lizardfolk snapped, clearly not buying it.

Ethan didn't bother explaining. Instead, he shifted the conversation. "So, what are you guys doing out here?"

"Obviously? We're here to catch you," the Lizardfolk snarled, eyes narrowing. "Judging by your look, you're here to rescue your buddy, right?"

"Buddy? I don't have a buddy," Ethan said flatly. Whatever this guy thought was going on, he was clearly mistaken.

But the Lizardfolk wasn't convinced. "You show up in that clean white outfit and expect me to believe you're alone? White clothes piss me off!"

Ethan blinked. What the hell does my shirt have to do with anything?

But the leader was already losing his temper.

"I've been waiting for you. Now die!"

With a roar, he lunged forward, fast—faster than most creatures Ethan had encountered. Judging by the force of his charge, this guy was easily S-rank.

The Lizardfolk closed the distance in a blink, leaping into the air, claws extended, aiming straight for Ethan's throat.

But Ethan didn't move.

He just stood there, completely still, as the claws slashed right through him.

"This guy in the white shirt's a joke… didn't even flinch," the Lizardfolk thought smugly, convinced he'd landed a clean kill.

But then—something felt wrong.

There was no resistance. No blood. No impact.

His claws had passed through… nothing.

The white figure in front of him began to fade, dimming like a dying light, until it dissolved into a cloud of shimmering stardust.

Gone.

...

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