The rain slowed.
The sky turned dusky.
---
Later…
Siyam rode on its back.
They moved deeper into the jungle.
"So… more monsters like you?"
"Hm."
"Stronger ones?"
"Exactly."
Siyam whistled.
"Nice… ranking system too?"
"Yeah. I'm mid-level."
"Got it… name?"
"Dhiyano."
"Oh… race name?"
"Hm."
Siyam grinned.
"Perfect. From now on, you're Dhiyano."
The monster stopped.
"…What?"
---
The Cave
A massive cave stood ahead.
"This is my home."
Siyam jumped down.
"Nice place."
As he entered—
WHOOSH!
Another monster attacked—
"Stop!" Dhiyano shouted.
The attack halted.
Siyam raised his hands politely.
"Excuse me… can you understand me?"
"Human… what are you doing here?"
(…I don't even know…)
"I… got lost."
Silence.
"…Fine."
"Why did you bring him?"
"I… uh—"
"I understand," she snapped.
"You're backtracking again?"
"No—!"
"THEN WHAT?!"
Tension rose—
"Stop."
Siyam stepped forward.
"He brought me for help."
Silence.
"…Really?"
Dhiyano nodded.
"Yes."
"…Alright."
---
Inside the Cave
Siyam froze.
Everywhere—
Monsters.
Huge ones carrying boulders.
Others dragging trees.
Then—
Silence.
Everything stopped.
All eyes locked on him.
The pressure was suffocating.
He took a deep breath.
(…Bro… did I walk into a zoo… and I'm the animal?)
---
The Queen
A massive hall.
In the center—
A half-mutated creature.
"Insect… and monster…"
"…Our Queen."
"…Oh."
(They all look the same…)
---
The Queen stared at him.
"Human… can you help us?"
Siyam swallowed.
"Yes…"
"How long?"
"…Three days."
Shock spread across the cave.
Three days?
The Queen smiled faintly.
"Interesting…"
Then—
"Dhiyano… you've done well."
"Your reward—freedom."
"And marriage with Nary."
"…WHAT??"
(Why am I matchmaking now…?)
Siyam's patience snapped.
"HEY! What kind of joke is this?!"
Silence.
"Ever since I came here… ugly monsters everywhere…"
"Some carrying stones…"
"Some thinking about marriage…"
"Did I come here for a mission or your family drama?"
Dhiyano tried to stop him—
He shook him off.
"And this Queen?"
"Queen only in name."
"Your people are dying… and you're matchmaking?"
"A rock on a plate would be more useful."
Silence.
TING!
[MISSION COMPLETED]
+80 Insult Points
Dhiyano started trembling.
"Bro… you're done for!"
The Queen's smile vanished instantly. A blue fire ignited in her eyes as her fingers slowly tightened around the armrest of her chair.
"Human…" her cold voice echoed through the cave, "do you even know who you're standing in front of?"
Siyam met her gaze without fear.
"I'm standing in front of a joke… I just want to see how old this joke is."
WHOOSH!
Before Siyam could blink, a black shadow shot out from the darkness to the Queen's right. It moved so fast that no one could follow what had happened.
In the next instant, a massive claw hovered beside Siyam's neck—its sharp nails barely a centimeter away from his skin. One slight touch, and his throat would have been slit open.
But the claw stopped midway.
Dhiyano had grabbed the monster's arm with all his strength. Sweat poured down his face, his body trembling violently, yet he didn't let go.
The Queen spoke coldly,
"Let him go."
The black monster withdrew like a shadow.
Leaning back slightly, the Queen studied Siyam. He stood completely still—calm, expressionless, as if death itself meant nothing to him.
A faint smile touched her lips.
"Human… your name is Siyam, right?"
Siyam said nothing. His face remained like stone.
The Queen stood.
"Alright, Siyam. You have two days. If you fail to cure the mutation, you will be executed… and Dhiyano… you as well."
Dhiyano's face turned pale.
"Y-yes… My Queen."
---
As soon as they stepped out of the hall, Siyam snapped back to reality.
His body began trembling uncontrollably.
(Siyam's thoughts):
"Bro… I practically blacked out! That monster was so fast I didn't even realize when death came close. My neck was already gone… only Dhiyano saved me!"
His heart pounded wildly. On the outside, he looked calm—but inside, his soul was shaking.
He took a deep breath.
These next two days… will decide everything.
---
Inside the hall, the Queen and the black monster remained.
The monster stared at Siyam's retreating figure.
"This human… has he really come to help us?"
The Queen's eyes held doubt.
"I don't fully trust him. Keep an eye on him."
A faint smile appeared on the monster's lips.
"He looks normal… but he could be hiding his real power with some item."
The Queen lowered her head, deep in thought.
"I feel the same… but there was no fear in his eyes. That kind of courage isn't normal."
Suddenly, her footing faltered.
She almost collapsed—but the monster caught her immediately.
"Queen! Did you use your 'Macro-Eyes'?"
She nodded, her body trembling slightly in his grasp. A strange mix of fear and excitement flickered across her face.
"What did you see?" he asked.
Her voice dropped.
"A 'Devil'… inside him, there was only darkness. Endless darkness… so silent that even my soul trembled."
The monster froze.
"What?! You couldn't see his power?"
A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead.
"No… there was nothing but darkness. I couldn't find his limits."
The monster slowly looked toward Siyam's direction.
"I understand… Queen Ziya."