---
Ki Ran and Rusdi's footsteps echoed softly through the dark corridor of the ruins, lit only by a small torch and the faint glow from the eyes of the summoned Skeleton. The air was thick with the scent of rust, dust, and dampness, making each breath feel heavier than the last. Along the right wall, ancient symbols were faintly carved, as if whispering stories of a world long gone—the world they once knew as Earth.
On his back, Ki Ran carried two small crystals recently retrieved from an old iron chest. Inside it, he'd also found a few strange metallic coins, a bone-carved charm, and... a crumpled paper filled with symbols he couldn't decipher.
> "This symbol... it's staring back at me," thought Ki Ran, as his fingers brushed against an engraving shaped like an eye.
Suddenly, a chill crept up from his fingertips to the base of his spine.
> [Skill: Death Sense Activated]
Unknown entity detected... Danger Level: Moderate.
Location: Undetermined.
"Ki Ran, do you see this?" Rusdi whispered, pointing at a large carving at the center of the room—a symbol shaped like a mechanical wheel, marked with red strokes resembling blood.
Ki Ran nodded. "This... doesn't look man-made."
---
Without warning, a monster emerged from the rubble. Its body was caked in mud, humanoid in shape, with a half-rotted face and arms that looked like stone tentacles.
[Name: Flesh Golem (Weak)].
Rusdi stumbled back in panic.
"Another one!" he shouted.
Ki Ran didn't flinch.
> "Skeleton, hold its movement."
One Skeleton lunged forward, drawing the creature's attention and forcing it to raise its arm—just as Ki Ran lifted his hand:
> [Bone Spike]!
A spear of bone shot from beneath the creature's feet, piercing straight through its neck. Another Skeleton slashed across its chest. Within seconds, the monster collapsed.
> [EXP +78]
[Loot: Cracked Bone Crystal ×1]
Current EXP: 312/380
Level up available in: 1 more day.
"Damn... that combo was brutal," Rusdi muttered.
Ki Ran simply stared at his own hand.
---
> "I'm getting used to… killing. At first, I thought it was just to survive.
But now—I want to see how far I can grow.
How strong I can become."
> "If this world rejects humans… then I'll become something beyond human."
---
As they stepped into the next chamber, a strange signal struck his mind.
> [Effect: Mental Surveillance – Ki Ran's Skeletons lose 10% accuracy while being observed]
Something in the air was watching them—an invisible presence.
Ki Ran clutched his chest, feeling an unnatural pulse deep within his bones.
---
Rusdi leaned against the wall, gazing up at the ceiling.
"Ki Ran… are you sure we're still in the same world? I mean... after everything we've seen?"
Ki Ran paused. "The world we knew is dead.
Moontoon isn't a place for the weak."
---
In a place unseen...
> Signal received...
Subject Observation: Park Ki Ran
"If he evolves... threat category will change."
---