D-Rank Reality

[There is a rift creature within a 100 m radius.]

[The rift creature displays extreme hostility toward humans.]

I was thinking about that when it happened.

Up until now, aside from the maze itself, we hadn’t encountered any real danger inside the rift.

Just as my nerves were starting to loosen, the system sent a warning.

I still couldn’t hear anything yet, but the system had detected the monster first.

I moved closer to Won-gyeong, sticking right beside him as I scanned the surroundings.

Won-gyeong didn’t stop me from approaching as long as I didn’t grab his hand or collar.

‘For now, just stay close!’

But… if it looks like Won-gyeong’s going to lose, do I ditch him and run?

As a faintly unnatural sound began to reach my ears, I considered it with cold practicality.

Not long after I started hearing it, Won-gyeong seemed to sense the danger too.

He glanced at me pressed close to his side and gestured for me to move behind him.

“Go back.”

“Back? Why?”

“There’s a monster ahead. I’ll deal with it quickly, so stay behind me.”

I asked like someone who knew nothing.

Won-gyeong explained in a matter-of-fact tone.

His face wasn’t tense in the slightest.

Most people would panic when facing monsters, but Won-gyeong looked almost bored.

[Rift creature approaching. Measuring creature rank.]

[Measuring….]

[Measurement complete!]

[Rift creature rank: A. Standard individual.]

[Rift creatures are classified as S, A, B, C, and D ranks. When converted to player stats….]

Converted to player stats?

Then I can know exactly how strong I am?

My heart started pounding as I stared at the forming message window.

‘It’s not going to say D, right? The very last rank?’

[D–rank.]

[Weaker than the average D–rank individual.]

[The average civilian’s ability rating is C+. Player rating is extremely low.]

[[TIP! If the player encounters a rift creature alone, there is a 97% probability of death.]]

You’ve got to be kidding me.

There really was a bottom beneath the bottom.

D–rank was already bad enough, but a 97 percent chance of death if I encounter one alone?

Are you serious?

That’s just saying I’ll die.

[TIP! This simulation does not support resurrection after death. Please exercise caution.]

[TIP! All ‘targets’ possess S–rank or higher abilities. Within a rift, it is strongly recommended to stay with a target at all times.]

My initial nervousness at encountering a monster for the first time vanished as the system messages kept piling up.

The cold label of “D–” stabbed straight into my chest.

My weakness had been quantified, displayed in numbers.

I didn’t want to know this.

Ignoring my painfully low stats, I focused on the last tip.

All targets were S–rank or higher.

That was the complete opposite end of the spectrum from me.

Different sexes aside, this gap couldn’t be explained by that alone.

The average civilian was C+.

Did being an ability user automatically grant higher physical stats?

‘Then why am I D–……?’

If ability users generally had stronger bodies than normal people, why was I like this?

[Rift creature encountered!]

While I was still spiraling over my stats, the A–rank creature revealed itself.

I peeked out from behind Won-gyeong’s back to get a closer look—and frowned.

Unlike the monsters I’d seen outside, this one had a form eerily similar to a human.

Its footsteps had sounded lighter than others, but I hadn’t expected something this humanoid.

Two arms and legs with elongated claws.

A human-shaped head, but its face was covered in more than ten large eyeballs.

No mouth. No ears.

It seemed to gather information purely through sight.

As its eyes rolled about, one of them fixed directly on me.

The other eyes stopped moving all at once.

Every eye turned in the same direction.

Toward me, standing behind Won-gyeong.

All of them were locked onto me, as if they’d found something fascinating.

I squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them again, staring at the monster that looked like it might smack its lips if it had a mouth.

‘Ugh, why is it staring at me like that? That’s disgusting.’

Goosebumps rippled up my arms as I rubbed them and ducked fully behind Won-gyeong.

I was trying to break its line of sight.

That tiny movement seemed to trigger it.

I heard rapid footsteps charging forward.

It was coming straight for me.

Even though I couldn’t see it through Won-gyeong’s body, I knew.

Despite the sound of the monster rushing in, Won-gyeong didn’t move an inch.

I was just starting to wonder if he’d frozen in place when he finally moved.

I thought I saw his left hand lift—

Crack.

Something split apart with a wet, violent sound.

Won-gyeong had grabbed the monster’s head with one hand and slammed it into the ground.

‘…What?’

All I’d seen was him extend his hand.

I blinked once, heard the crack, and it was over.

The monster’s head was crushed into the floor, thick fluid oozing out.

Thank god it didn’t have a mouth.

At least I didn’t have to hear it scream.

This barely qualified as a fight.

I stood there dumbly, blinking in shock.

Before I could even think to step away from the spreading sludge, Won-gyeong—already upright—pulled me aside.

With his clean right hand, he brushed back his slightly mussed hair and said calmly,

“Only one this time.”

“J-just one? It’s u-usually not j-just one?”

I tried to stay calm, but my tongue kept tripping.

Not attacking them when we first met really had been the right call.

If I had, I wouldn’t have even left bones behind.

Pretending to know Jaeyul might end up being the best decision I made this year.

“They usually move in groups. Just like monsters outside rifts. Weaker ones cluster together, so this might actually be strong… but I’m not completely sure.”

Yeah. It’s A–rank.

It’s strong.

Watching Won-gyeong tilt his head in mild uncertainty, I lowered my gaze obediently.

I was terrified.

Absolutely terrified.

Is this the moment when “humans are the scariest” really applies?

How does a human who crushes monsters one-handed even exist?

As my posture shrank instinctively, I noticed Won-gyeong’s left hand was coated in thick slime.

“Wait—your hand….”

I murmured carefully and reached out.

Grabbing his much larger hand, I tugged down the hem of his shirt.

“Doya, your clothes will get dirty.”

“Mm, it’s fine.”

As he watched me, Won-gyeong tried to twist his hand away while wiping it against my collar.

I tightened my grip and carefully cleaned between his fingers.

Who cares if clothes get dirty?

What mattered was staying on the good side of the predator standing in front of me.

These weren’t even clothes I cared about.

I hadn’t worn anything precious since they’d invaded my bunker.

After wiping away all the slime with my shabby clothes, I lifted my head and smiled brightly.

Seeing my satisfied grin, Won-gyeong smiled faintly in return.

“That’s enough. It’s clean now.”

“Thanks. But still, don’t do that next time. Your clothes’ll get dirty.”

‘Mm. There won’t be a next time. I just decided I’m never following you people again.’

I thought it with a smile.

Won-gyeong’s strength was overwhelmingly absolute.

No matter what I did, I couldn’t beat him.

The ever-smiling Jeong Iheon.

The hot-blooded Ju Noeul.

Even Hyeon Jaeyul, who’d obeyed me so easily.

If I ever opposed them, it wouldn’t end with a few injuries.

Injuries healed faster now thanks to the system, but death was different.

Death meant everything ended.

A perfect ending.

And that wasn’t something I was going to experience now—

[[TIP! Rift creature defeated.]]

[[TIP! Something appears to be glinting among the crushed remains. You may want to take a closer look.]]

My drifting thoughts were cut off by the system.

Just as Won-gyeong was about to move on, I grabbed his collar firmly.

When he turned to look at me in question, I bent my knees and reached toward the corpse.

He looked at me strangely, but I pushed my hand through the sticky slime to confirm the system’s notice.

Ugh, it’s so sticky.

Digging through the crushed head, my fingers caught on something.

“What is that?”

Won-gyeong asked, kneeling beside me.

As we both looked down at what I pulled out, we realized it at the same time.

“There’s writing on it.”

After wiping off most of the slime, Won-gyeong frowned.

Just like he said, but the characters meant nothing to me.

I wiped the oval, tag-like object on my collar and handed it to him.

“Do you recognize it? I don’t.”

“Neither do I. It might not be a human language.”

Won-gyeong answered as he stood.

He rose first, then reached out to help me up, taking my hand with his clean one.