The sky was cracked.
Not figuratively—literally. Long jagged lines of violet lightning stitched through the heavens like some celestial glass dome had shattered. The air buzzed with static, the mountains groaned with pressure, and high above it all, a massive Gate hovered like a hungry spiral, yawning open to the void beyond.
Zairon blinked once.
Then again.
"Oh hell yes," he whispered.
He sat up, slowly, taking in the apocalyptic dreamscape around him. The ground beneath him was scorched and pulsing faintly with blue veins of energy. Trees in the distance were twisted, their leaves glowing with bioluminescence, and creatures—real, actual fantasy monsters—slithered, stalked, and floated through the broken terrain like they owned the place.
There was a four-eyed wolf with a mane of shadow.
There was a floating jellyfish with rune-carved tentacles.
And—wait—was that a fairy?
Zairon gasped, eyes sparkling like a lunatic toddler in a toy store.
"I knew it! Another world! Monsters, fairies, corrupted wildlife—this is it. This is my moment. This is what I was born for!"
He threw his arms wide, grinning like a maniac at the distant Gate.
"Oh ancient cosmos, ye have finally fulfilled my destiny! Your chosen one has arrived!"
A distant boom echoed from the Gate.
Zairon didn't flinch.
"No need to kneel, world. Just form an orderly line to witness my rise. I'll be gracious."
He stood up, brushing dirt off his tattered pants. His clothes weren't from Earth anymore—they looked more like beginner-tier RPG gear: a long, tattered coat, boots with metal soles, and fingerless gloves that screamed edgy anti-hero in development.
"Alright. First order of business—kill monsters. Second—become the strongest. But not just SSS+... nah, that's baby stuff."
He raised one fist to the sky.
"There must be a secret rank above it. Something only the universe knows. Like… X-Rank. Or Ω-Rank. Yeah. That's me. First of my kind."
A bush nearby rustled.
He turned with a smirk. "Ah. The tutorial encounter."
A snarling beast emerged—scaled, spined, and angry.
Zairon cracked his knuckles.
"Let me guess: if I kill you, I unlock my hidden potential? Gain a rare skill? Or maybe this is where my mysterious teacher shows up and says, 'You have potential, boy, but you're reckless.'"
The beast charged.
Zairon ducked.
Barely.
"Oh. Right. I'm still F-Rank, probably," he muttered, stumbling backward. "Okay. Okay. Tactical retreat."
He tripped over a rock.
The beast lunged.
"Plot armor, don't fail me now!"
A burst of energy erupted from his body without warning—wild, unstable, but there. The air shimmered. The beast recoiled, screeching as if burned.
Zairon blinked, panting. "Holy crap. Did I just…? Oh my god. I have a hidden bloodline. I knew it!"
He held his hand up, watching faint violet sparks crackle along his palm.
"Yes… this is it. The beginning of my rise. First I'll master this weird unstable power. Then I'll tame a dragon. Then I'll accidentally steal the heart of the Ice Queen of the North Guild. Then I'll build my own hunter guild with hundreds of thousands under my command!"
The fairy he saw earlier fluttered closer, clearly confused.
Zairon pointed at her dramatically.
"You. You will be the first member of my harem."
The fairy shot a tiny fireball at his face and zipped away.
He staggered back, nose smoking.
"...Fair. Too soon. We'll revisit that arc later."
He turned back toward the Gate, arms wide, hair tousled like a windswept anime protagonist.
"World of monsters! Beasts of Raur! Cultivation rankings! Gorgeous overpowered women with tragic backstories! Prepare yourselves!"
He grinned, absolutely unhinged.
"Your destiny has been fulfilled."
He pointed at himself.
"Because you've met me."