The mountain wind still drifted softly after the rain stopped, carrying the scent of wet soil mixed with the fresh aroma of vegetables from the Great Ancestor's tiny stall.
Derrick was gone more precisely, he had fled while clutching two kilos of celery and whatever remained of his dignity.
Hana was inside, arranging the spice rack.
The Great Ancestor stood alone at the front of the stall.
Calm. Still.
But beneath that stillness, a small ripple stirred.
As if something was calling from far away… then drawing nearer… touching… and finally
TING.
A notification chimed directly inside his mind.
Not a human voice.
Not a spirit.
Not any Hunter device.
A transparent screen suddenly flashed before the Great Ancestor, trembling like a frightened kitten.
[ GLOBAL HUNTER SYSTEM 7.0 ]
[ Detecting Host with Unknown Identity ]
[ Auto-Defense Mode Activated… ]
[ …Canceling! Canceling! No resistance! Please don't destroy me! ]
The Great Ancestor tilted his head.
"What is this?"
The screen shook even harder.
[ P-p-please allow me to introduce myself… I am the Hunter System. ]
[ Please… don't eradicate me. I submit. ]
[ Kneeling. Prostrating. Whatever you want. ]
The Great Ancestor stared blankly.
"Why are you terrified?"
[ Because your energy level… e-e-exceeds all security protocols. ]
[ You are not a Hunter. You are not a monster. You are not an entity I can categorize. ]
[ You… are something that should not exist in this world… but does. ]
The Great Ancestor snorted.
"And what do you want from me?"
[ N-no! It's not me who wants anything! ]
[ I'm programmed to attach to the most compatible human. But you… you're not a target I'm allowed to approach. You're too… dangerous. ]
"Oh?"
A faint smile curved on his lips. "Then you're mistaken. I don't want your system."
The System fell silent.
One second.
A long second.
A second that felt like the server had paused to confess its sins.
[ F…forgive me, Sir. ]
[ I-I-I didn't choose you. You pulled me in. Without permission. ]
The Great Ancestor looked up at the sky.
"So I'm a magnet for useless things like you?"
[ …Yes. ]
The System seemed ready to cry.
[ But please don't delete me. I have a family uh, I mean a central server. ]
He found it amusing.
A being that once made immortal ancestors kneel… now confronted with a panicked text box begging for its life.
"Alright," the Great Ancestor said. "I'll ask one thing."
[ Ready! Anything! ]
"I want you to awaken my sister's power."
The System froze.
The screen turned solid, like ice.
[ M-m-my apologies… request denied. ]
The Great Ancestor's gaze sank.
"Reason?"
[ Because… your sister has something inside her. Something that is not within my domain. ]
"Explain."
[ … ]
[ This is Omega-level secrecy. Only those with world-emperor authority… or higher… may know. ]
The Great Ancestor raised an eyebrow.
"Higher than a world emperor. Who do you think I am?"
The System immediately prostrated again.
[ SORRY! SORRY! I'LL TELL! PLEASE DON'T RESET THE UNIVERSE! ]
The wind shifted softly around them, as if embarrassed to witness the drama between a supreme entity and a panicking system.
[ Your sister… is not an ordinary human. ]
[ Inside her is a residue of energy… identical to ]
The screen halted.
Shut down.
As if someone had cut every connection at once.
The Great Ancestor frowned.
A faint ripple of energy brushed the air.
A presence this world was never meant to contain.
Like a soft stroke of a brush watchful, deliberate.
"Interesting…" he murmured.
And at that moment
the stall door swung open.
"Kak! The lights are flickering. What did you break this time?"
He looked at Hana.
The girl stood there in a worn apron, hair messy, eyes innocent utterly unaware that a cosmic-level failsafe had just severed access to her.
The Great Ancestor stared at her.
Long.
Longer than she liked.
Then a small smile.
"It's fine, Hana. Don't worry."
Hana squinted. "Kak… why are you looking at me like I'm your birthday cake?"
He chuckled.
"Because you're worth more than every birthday cake in the world."
Hana pouted. "Ew. Cheesy. Doesn't suit you at all."
The Great Ancestor rearranged the vegetable baskets.
But deep inside…
he knew one thing.
Whatever was hiding inside Hana…
was something even the System feared to name.
And usually…
things the System refused to name fell into only two categories:
Ancient entities.
Or remnants of something he himself had once touched in the age before ages.
Both…
equally dangerous.