Keon sighed, kicking a loose chunk of concrete as he strolled through the empty streets. The town was long dead—rusted-out cars lined the roads, their metal frames corroded by time, while shattered windows and collapsed buildings told stories of a world that had given up.
"Still the right world," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.
Everything was quiet. Too quiet. Even though he had experienced far more dangerous places, something about this emptiness felt... off. It wasn't the kind of silence that came with peace—it was the kind that came after something had already happened.
A gust of wind stirred up dust, and Keon sighed, stretching his arms. "Man, I need to find a city or something. Walking around a ghost town with nothing to do is—"
BZZT!
A sharp hum filled the air. A plasma shot.
Before Keon could even react, the attack struck him—only for a sudden barrier to ripple around his body, instantly absorbing the energy.
His eyes narrowed as he snapped his head toward the source.
On a rooftop, barely visible against the setting sun, a figure in high-tech armor was crouched low, gripping a plasma rifle still humming from the shot.
Keon tilted his head.
"Oh?" A smirk crept onto his lips. "Finally, something interesting."
The woman remained crouched on the rooftop, her rifle still aimed at Keon, but she didn't fire again. Instead, her visor flickered with data as she analyzed him.
"…Who are you?" Her voice was sharp, wary. "Identify yourself."
Keon dusted off his cloak where the plasma had struck, acting as if nothing had happened. "That's kinda rude. You shoot first, then ask?"
The woman didn't lower her weapon. "You absorbed a direct plasma shot like it was nothing." Her visor scanned his form, lingering on his cloak. "Are you… a humanoid beast?"
Keon raised an eyebrow. Humanoid beast? So that was a thing here.
He clicked his tongue. "Tch. Do I look like one?"
The woman hesitated, gripping her rifle tighter. "With that cloak hiding your body? I can't tell."
Keon exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders. "So, what? If I say 'I'm human,' you'll believe me?"
"…No."
He grinned. "Didn't think so."
The two stared each other down, the air between them tense. Keon could tell she wasn't just some random soldier—her stance was professional, her gear high-grade. Whatever her story was, she wasn't here by accident.
Now, the real question was… should he mess with her or just walk away?
The woman kept her plasma rifle raised but didn't fire again. Instead, her sharp gaze studied Keon, her suspicion growing.
It wasn't just the way he absorbed the plasma shot—it was why he was even here.
This place was far from any city. A wasteland crawling with high-ranked beasts. Even her team, equipped with cutting-edge gear and air transport, barely made it out alive. Yet this guy? He was just… walking around. Alone.
No armor. No visible weapons. Just a cloak hiding his features.
Her grip on the rifle tightened. "You're human, right?"
Keon sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Last time I checked."
That didn't reassure her. "Then explain how you're still breathing."
Keon gave her a lazy smile. "Good lungs."
She didn't laugh. "I don't like jokes."
Keon shrugged. "I don't like getting shot. Guess we both have problems."
She ignored the remark, still analyzing him. No sane human would be out here alone. Even Espers with powerful abilities didn't wander these lands without serious backup.
"…Were you sent here?" she finally asked.
Keon raised an eyebrow. "Sent? By who?"
She wasn't sure if he was playing dumb or if he really didn't know. Either way, she didn't lower her guard. Something about him didn't make sense.
The woman remained silent, studying Keon with wary eyes.
Keon, on the other hand, was starting to feel bored. If she wasn't going to say anything, he might as well entertain himself.
He focused on his Rift Barrier, trying to sense it.
Almost immediately, a strange sensation washed over him—like recalling an unforgettable memory. He could feel the plasma beam from earlier, still lingering inside the barrier, stored within like an imprint of the attack.
It was different from Rift Storage. With storage, he had to check the system to see what was inside. But with Rift Barrier, it was instinctual. Natural. He could just tell the plasma shot was still there.
A thought crossed his mind.
If I can store attacks… can I also release them?
Now that would be interesting.
Keon narrowed his eyes, concentrating on the Rift Barrier around him.
He focused it onto his left arm, shaping it with his will. As he did, he felt a shift—an almost fluid movement within the barrier.
The plasma beam.
It wasn't just stored inside like an object. It was still energy, still alive. And as the barrier condensed around his arm, the plasma shifted with it, flowing along his skin like a formless current, waiting for release.
A slow smirk formed on Keon's lips.
Now this is interesting.
The woman remained silent, still eyeing Keon with suspicion.
Keon, growing impatient, crossed his arms and smirked. "Listen, how about this? I show you a little trick, and in return, you tell me what happened here."
She didn't answer immediately. Her eyes flickered with doubt, weighing whether she should speak or not.
Keon took the silence as a yes.
Without another word, he lifted his left arm and aimed toward a nearby pile of rubble. Focusing on the plasma stored in his Rift Barrier, he willed it forward.
A streak of blue plasma erupted from his arm, faster and sharper than before. It cut through the air like a concentrated bolt of energy, hitting the rubble with a burst of heat and force.
Before Keon could admire his handiwork, a painful screech echoed from behind the wreckage.
His eyes narrowed. That wasn't just rubble.
A wolf-like beast, previously hidden among the ruins, staggered out, its black fur scorched where the plasma had grazed it. Its glowing amber eyes locked onto Keon, filled with rage and pain.
Keon let out a slow whistle. "Well, that's new."