In a world far removed from the human realm, a black dragon roared fiercely, its bellow shaking the earth around it. Flames burned in its eyes as it struck down enemy after enemy without mercy.
The corpses of monsters lay scattered across the cracked ground. The dragon stood tall, its chest rising and falling slowly, eyes of fire scanning the lifeless bodies before fixing on something ahead.
"System, check Tom's level now," a calm voice asked.
"Tom's level has reached 80, sir," the System replied, emotionless.
"He's nearly back to his primal form, just like before he died."
"Already 80…" Jack exhaled deeply. "No wonder he looks like a real dragon. What about my level?"
"Your level is currently 45. You only need to raise it five more levels to return to your original world."
"Five more…" Jack groaned, collapsing onto a nearby rock.
At that moment, the massive black dragon suddenly shrank. Its scales gleamed as its size diminished until it was no larger than a puppy. With tiny wingbeats, the creature flew and landed on Jack's lap.
"Good work, Tom," Jack said with a faint smile. "You've helped me a lot."
Tom gave a small nod, as if he truly understood the words.
From the first day Jack arrived in this world, his life had been one of flight and hiding. Every day, he had to evade the relentless monsters roaming the land. There were times he nearly became their meal.
Yet this world had its own rules.
Monsters did not only hunt him—they hunted each other. The small were devoured by the large, and the large, in turn, eventually fell prey to even more terrifying creatures.
In this world, only one thing determined survival:
Strength.
Jack sat calmly, stroking Tom's body. Tom was the first monster he had ever raised—an accidental result of the first skill granted by the System, triggered after Jack managed to kill a small monster in a panic.
Since Tom's awakening, Jack's life had become far easier. He had never imagined that the bones he had raised were the remains of an ancient dragon.
And from that day onward, Tom fought as if possessed by unending rage. Every time Jack encountered a monster, no matter its size—Tom would charge without hesitation and obliterate it.
"All right… let's raise those monsters again, Tom," Jack said.
Tom nodded as if he understood, then flew off, leaving Jack's lap.
Jack stood and stepped toward the corpses of the monsters Tom had just killed. Before him lay two horrifying creatures—a snake-tailed lion, and a gigantic humanoid still smoldering from its recent death.
"System?" Jack called.
"Yes, sir," the System replied.
"How many monsters have I raised so far?"
"The total is 120 Titan-sized monsters and 300 small-sized monsters. Four hundred and twenty in total, sir."
Jack exhaled slowly.
"If I raise these two monsters… how much will my level increase?"
"Only three, sir."
"Just two more to go…" Jack muttered.
He stepped forward and placed his hand on the corpse of the snake-tailed lion.
"Rise."
Immediately, the creature's skin peeled itself away from the dead flesh. The bones beneath creaked and shifted as if moving on their own will—slowly rising, coming back to life in a form far more terrifying than before.
Jack did the same with the giant humanoid. When the resurrection ritual was complete, he and Tom stood watching the two monsters, now upright before them—living skeletal frames radiating an aura of death.
"Now… return," Jack instructed quietly.
Both monsters bowed in obedience. In the next moment, the ground beneath their feet rippled like water. A dimensional gate silently opened, drawing the skeletal forms inside before closing tightly, as if they had never existed.
Without another word, Jack walked on. Tom flew faithfully at his side, his small wings flapping gently.
Jack lifted his gaze to the sky.
Two dim suns shone above, casting a muted light that never changed. Since arriving in this world, Jack had never seen the suns set. No twilight, no night—the world remained locked in an unending day.
Even now, Jack had no idea how long he had been here. Time seemed to have lost all meaning. Even the System could not provide an answer.
"What about Earth now…" Jack sighed deeply. "Is it still intact… or already destroyed?"
His steps faltered for a moment.
"Hope… my sister is still alive," he whispered, clinging to that hope
***
The sky over New York split open.
A black fissure appeared in the air between Manhattan's skyscrapers, pulsating like a living wound. Emergency sirens screamed endlessly, echoing off concrete and glass.
PORTAL BREAK — LEVEL A
A massive warning flashed on the holographic display of the American Hunter Department.
"All Hunters, positions now! Don't let the monsters escape into public areas!" shouted an officer through a loudspeaker.
The first explosion erupted as a scaly monster burst from the portal, crashing onto the street and cracking the asphalt.
"Visual contact! Reptilian-type monster!"
"Front units, engage!"
A Rank B Hunter leapt forward, his body enveloped in a blue aura. A gleaming longsword appeared in his hand. With a single swing, he struck the creature's neck—but black blood spurted out, and the monster remained standing.
"Not dead?!"
The creature roared, its tail sweeping across nearby buildings, shattering glass into shards. Civilians screamed, running for their lives.
"Rank C Hunters and below, protect the perimeter!"
"Rank A, focus on the portal!" ordered a higher-ranked Hunter.
In the air, a female Hunter hovered, wings of light extending behind her. Her hands rose.
"Skill: Holy Barrage!"
Dozens of spears of light rained down on the monsters emerging from the portal. Some fell, but many more followed—fanged beasts, wolf-like creatures, and even half-insect forms.
The streets of New York had turned into a battlefield.
An overturned taxi. A burning bus. Partially collapsed buildings.
"All Hunters, assemble! Don't let the monsters advance any further!" commanded the female Hunter, floating above the chaos.
Hunters from the National Hunter Department joined forces with Hunters from several guilds, uniting to attack the relentless waves of monsters pouring out of the portal. A fierce battle erupted in the heart of the city—buildings crumbled, streets shattered, and the air was thick with the smell of smoke and blood.
Blades clashed against scales. Explosions of shimmering skills lit up the Manhattan skyline.
For a time, they managed to hold back the monsters' advance. The front lines remained intact, while a female Hunter in the air unleashed a relentless assault, spears of light raining down like arrows of pure energy upon the enemies below.
But suddenly,
A voice boomed from the sky—deep and authoritative.
"Everyone, step aside!"
The Hunters froze in shock.
Moments later, a figure plummeted from the sky, crashing onto the street with a deafening impact. Asphalt cracked, shockwaves rippled outward, and golden sparks shot in every direction.
When the dust cleared, a tall, muscular man stood in the center of a small crater. His hair was wild, flowing like a lion's mane. A golden aura radiated from him, pressing down on everything around.
The Hunters instinctively began to retreat. No one dared interfere.
He was
Maverick Blaze.
Rank S Hunter, leader of The Lion Guild.
With calm steps, Maverick walked forward, sucking on a cigar, a thin wisp of smoke curling from his lips. His eyes swept over the monsters as if they were nothing more than insects.
"Bold little bugs," he said casually, "coming into my territory."
The monsters did not understand his words.
With a piercing roar, they charged at Maverick like a swarm of enraged bees.
Maverick smiled.
The cigar fell from his mouth.
He swung his fist lazily.
But the moment his punch landed, golden sparks erupted from his knuckles, shooting straight toward the monsters. In the blink of an eye, their bodies were obliterated, reduced to black dust scattering into the air.
Yet the wave of monsters did not cease.
Roars echoed as the creatures continued to surge forward, lunging at Maverick without fear.
The leader of The Lion Guild merely smiled.
He raised both fists once again—and this time, the power he unleashed was far greater. Golden light struck like a storm, crashing into the monsters' front lines with overwhelming force. In a single blow, nearly eighty percent of the monsters in the area were obliterated without a trace.
Maverick advanced.
The remaining monsters retreated in terror. Their instincts screamed for them to flee—they no longer dared approach him.
Maverick lifted his gaze to the sky. The portal above pulsed weakly, gradually closing bit by bit.
"Finish off all those bugs," Maverick ordered coldly to the Hunters.
At that moment, the female Hunter who had been fighting in the air landed beside him.
"The Portal Breaks are happening more frequently now," she said.
She was Clara X, a Rank A Hunter, Maverick's right hand.
"Any portals left unfinished?" Maverick asked without taking his eyes off the battlefield.
"As far as I know, none," Clara replied.
"What about the Hunter Department?" Maverick pressed. "Do they have answers for all this?"
"They said what's happening here is occurring in other countries too," Clara explained. "But the Portal Breaks that appear only involve monsters like these."
Maverick snorted softly. "Even if they're weak… their numbers are overwhelming." He glanced at the destruction around him—collapsed buildings, shattered streets. "The damage to our country isn't small. What about the other guild leaders?" he asked.
"Most of them are still inside the portals," Clara answered.
Maverick chuckled. "Seems the wealth they're amassing still isn't enough."