She ran, feet forcing her forward, as the prey instinct encouraged her to escape the Ilosphat's relentless terror.

  KiAera, still panting from the chase, froze as a new presence emerged from the smoke. At first, she didn't recognize him as anything more than another monster. A fur-covered creature with an awkward, almost hunched stance. His eyes, however, weren't filled with the same primal fury she'd seen in the Ilosphat or even the Kobolbo. There was confusion there, hesitation.

  Another predator? she thought, instinctively stepping back. Her muscles tensed, ready to defend herself. The smoke, thick and swirling, made it hard to discern his full form. His fur coat gleamed oddly under the flickering flames, and he looked almost comical, like some bipedal bear that had misplaced its sense of menace. But KiAera wasn't fooled. Every creature in this twisted world seemed capable of tearing her apart if it wanted to.

  Her ear tightened around GamaGen, even though the book's energy was still drained. She didn't have many options. Specter Fire had bought her a moment, but the Ilosphat wasn't down for good. And now, this thing—whatever it was—stood between her and the only path of escape.

  The creature stepped forward, raising his hands—or paws—in a gesture that immediately struck her as unusual. It wasn't an aggressive move; if anything, it looked like... surrender?

  "Hey! Hey, uh, don't freak out!" His voice was oddly casual for a beast. "I'm not here to eat you or anything, okay? Let's... let's take it easy."

  KiAera's ears twitched, her eyes narrowing. The monster was talking. She'd seen weirder things, but it wasn't helping her trust him any more. "What do you want?" she growled, her claws slowly extending.

  ??. .????. .????. .??

  Creature: Bilpefur

  APeX: [20 Units]

  Attributes: [Beast]

  Variant Grade: [Common]

  Evolution Stage: [Fledgling]

  ??. .????. .????. .??

  The creature—a Bilpefur, if her Insight was to be trusted—flinched slightly, scratching the back of his head. "Okay, so... This is going to sound really weird, but... I'm not actually from here. I mean, I'm a person. Or, I was. I think. Well, you know... human? From Earth?"

  KiAera's heart skipped a beat. Her grip loosened just a little, and her eyes flicked over him again, more carefully this time. He wasn't moving like the others. His stance, his speech—it was familiar. Too familiar. Her ears twitched as she processed his words.

  "Human?" she repeated, incredulous. She'd been through enough to know that not everything that talked was trustworthy, but... there was something different about him. Something... mundane.

  "Yeah! Human! Well, I was. Dariel. That was my name. You're—" He trailed off, squinting at her, as if trying to remember something. "You too, right? I mean... before all this?"

  KiAera's mind whirled. This was the first time since arriving in this world that anyone had mentioned Earth. The cold, stark reality of her past hit her like a wave. The war, the devastation, the endless running.

  "Maybe." Her voice was low, guarded. "Maybe I was."

  Dariel—Bilpefur—lowered his hands slightly, sensing the tension begin to ease. "See? We're on the same side. I don't know what kind of messed-up place this is, but I'm pretty sure we're both stuck here. Probably as part of some experiment or... game."

  Her eyes darkened at the word game. "You think this is a game?" she spat, her claws flexing again. "You think this is fun?"

  "No! No, that's not what I meant!" Dariel backpedaled quickly, his paws raised again. "Look, I didn't mean like... fun for us. There's something bigger going on here. Something playing with us. I was just... a game programmer, before all this. I don't know why I'm here any more than you do."

  KiAera's heart raced. A programmer? This man was no warrior. No fighter. Just someone caught up in something he didn't understand.

  Her mind flickered back to GamaGen, still dormant. She thought of the strange pull of this world, the sensation that they were all being watched, played with, tested.

  Lord DeNultra's games, the thought surfaced. Another pawn, just like me.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "So what's your plan, Dariel?" she asked sharply, testing the waters. "You got one, or are you just wandering around, hoping not to get eaten?"

  Dariel let out a nervous chuckle. "Honestly? The second one, mostly." He rubbed his fur-covered arms. "I've been trying to avoid the bigger monsters, just like you, I guess. But... I think we should stick together. Safety in numbers, right?"

  KiAera hesitated. The idea of teaming up wasn't exactly thrilling—trust didn't come easily. Not anymore. But if this Dariel was really human, really from Earth...

  Behind her, the Ilosphat stirred, shaking off the last of the Spectral Flame's chill. It growled, stalking forward through the trees, regaining its deadly focus.

  "Okay," KiAera said at last, her voice firm. "But if you try anything, anything at all, I'll make sure you regret it."

  Dariel's face broke into a relieved smile. "Deal."

  Just as the Ilosphat lunged, KiAera pivoted on her heel. "Now, run!"

  She could still hear the Ilosphat snapping at her tail, its hissing as it pursued her relentlessly. The earth under her feet felt hot, unstable, as if the forest itself was a living, burning entity trying to swallow her whole. And the wailing Kobolbol screeches had finally faded into the distance, abandoning her to her fate with the monstrous reptile.

  Her mind raced, weighing options that felt futile. The Ilosphat was gaining ground, her abilities were too weak, and GamaGen was still in its dormant state. She willed it to do something. Anything! For a moment, she wondered if this was how it would end. From a war-torn Earth, to this absurd world, where she would fall in the jaws of a flame-drenched dino.

  But then, without warning, a massive force slammed into the Ilosphat from the side.

  The creature let out a screeching roar as it was knocked off balance, skidding across the charred forest floor. KiAera spun around, ears retracting instinctively, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

  Through the thick smoke, a figure emerged. At first, KiAera's instincts flared with alarm—a hulking beast, covered in a coat of thick, dark fur, bipedal but unmistakably monstrous. He looked like another predator, with sharp claws and glowing eyes. Her claws instinctively slid out, and she crouched, preparing for yet another fight.

  The Ilosphat scrambled to its feet, hissing in fury. The new creature didn't hesitate. It moved with alarming speed, faster than anything she'd seen, its fur rippling as it leapt onto the frilled horror and sank its claws deep into the scaly flesh. The Ilosphat screeched again, thrashing wildly as its attacker dug in with terrifying precision.

  KiAera blinked, momentarily stunned by the ferocity of the attack. This… this was no ordinary monster. It fought like a seasoned predator but with a kind of deliberate grace that felt out of place in this wild world. There was a certain… control in its movements.

  The Ilosphat finally managed to throw the beast off, sending it crashing into a nearby tree with a sickening thud. But as soon as it hit the ground, the furred creature was back on its feet, unfazed.

  "Stay down!" The voice came from the creature—a low, rough growl, but unmistakably human in tone.

  KiAera froze, her mind trying to process what she was seeing. Was this… a person? But before she could react, the furred figure launched itself at the Ilosphat again. This time, it didn't hold back. There was a sudden shift in the air, a palpable surge of energy that sent a shiver down her spine.

  The monster's APeX level… it was rising. Rapidly.

  KiAera's eyes widened as she instinctively activated her [Insight]. The readings she received left her breathless.

  ??. .????. .????. .??

  Creature: Bilpefur (Dariel)

  APeX: [130 Units]

  Attributes: [Beast] [???]

  Variant Grade: [Fledgling] (F)

  ??. .????. .????. .??

  She stared in disbelief. 130 APeX? That was insane. Even the Ilosphat, formidable as it was, only measured at 48.

  Dariel, or whatever this thing was, didn't waste any more time. He moved with a speed that blurred, his claws flashing as he tore into the Ilosphat, slashing its frills and striking with such force that the ground beneath them seemed to shudder. The Ilosphat fought back, but it was no match. The fight was over almost as quickly as it began. With one final swipe, Dariel drove his claws into the creature's throat, cutting through sinew and bone with ease.

  The Ilosphat crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

  ??. .????. .????. .??

  [ding! [Ilosphat] defeated!]

  [ApeX obtained: 48 Units]

  [Conversion: 4.8 Units > 5 Units!]

  [PENALIZED] [Reason: Double Power]

  [Depreaciorl's Rule: 5 Units > 2.5 Units]

  [Conversion: 3 Units!]

  Dariel's [APeX]: 130 Units > 133 Units!

  ??. .????. .????. .??

  Dariel stood over the fallen creature, his breathing heavy but controlled, as if the exertion hadn't fazed him at all. Slowly, he turned toward KiAera, his glowing eyes meeting hers through the haze of smoke.

  "You alright?" His voice, still rough, carried a strange warmth. It was so incongruous with his bestial appearance that KiAera found herself staring, unable to form words.

  Her heart raced, instincts screaming at her to either run or fight, but neither option felt right. She'd seen monsters, sure, but nothing like this. She tried to process what had just happened. A creature that looked like a wild beast, yet spoke like a human, fought with skill, and had the APeX power to level half a forest.

  "I—" She hesitated, narrowing her eyes. "Who… what are you?"

  The creature—Dariel—chuckled, and the sound was almost… friendly. He wiped some blood off his fur and gave her a small, almost apologetic grin. "Yeah, I get that a lot. It's… complicated." He scratched the back of his head, his demeanor suddenly far less threatening. "Let's just say I’ve been around a little longer than I look."

  KiAera took a step back, her claws still out, her mind racing. This wasn't some wild beast. This was someone… something far more dangerous.

  "I'm not here to hurt you," Dariel said, raising his hands as if to show he meant no harm. "Just passing through. Saw you were in a bit of trouble."

  KiAera wasn't sure what to say. She had questions. A lot of questions. But for now, she focused on one. "Why help me?"

  Dariel looked down at the Ilosphat’s corpse and then back at her. His eyes softened, though the beastly glow still lingered. "Because," he said simply, "you looked like you needed it."

  The world around them smoldered, the smoke beginning to clear, but in that moment, KiAera felt the weight of the chaos lift. Just slightly.

  "Besides," Dariel added with a half-smile, "you remind me of someone."

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