The wind shifted.
Leaves fluttered through the air, drifting like ash from a forgotten fire. Somewhere in the trees, a bird cawed once—then went silent, as if afraid.
Rei lowered his leg.
The space where the beast had been was now an open wound in the forest—splintered trees, blood on bark, silence where there had once been a monster. Bits of red mist clung to the leaves like dew.
The girl stood frozen in place, chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. Her eyes didn't leave Rei—not even for a second.
> "You… kicked it."
Her voice was quiet, dazed.
Rei turned to her slowly, expression calm.
She glanced behind her, at the broken branches, the distant streak of blood in the sky where the thing had vanished.
> "That was a Raintiger," she said at last. "They hunt in storms. Fast, armored… violent."
"That one was a Level 5."
She looked back at him, brow furrowing like she didn't understand what she was looking at.
> "You killed it in one strike," she whispered. "If that's real strength… you'd have to be at least Level 7."
Rei blinked.
> "Level?"
"You mean like… ranks?"
She hesitated. "Wait—you don't know?"
He rubbed the back of his neck.
> "I grew up in the mountains. No roads. No people. Just cliffs, beasts, and wind."
"All this…" — he gestured at the forest, the girl, the blood in the air — "…is new."
Ailith stared at him. Her lips parted like she wanted to say more, but all she managed was:
> "You're serious."
Rei met her gaze.
> "If I wasn't, would I still be asking?"
That seemed to hit her harder than the kill.
For a moment, she just stood there, arms wrapped around herself, looking like she was trying to remember how the world worked.
> "You're not from anywhere I've ever heard of," she said softly.
> "And people don't just kick Raintigers."
A breeze cut between them. Her dark hair fluttered across her horns.
Finally, Rei stepped closer and offered his hand.
> "Name's Rei."
The girl stared at it for a moment… then slowly reached out and took it.
> "Ailith."
Her hand was cold, trembling.
And yet, as they stood in the clearing together—blood cooling on the leaves, the silence of the forest wrapping around them—there was something unspoken beginning to form.
Not trust.
Not yet.
But a question shared by both:
> Just what kind of world was this… and how far from normal had it already begun to twist?
—