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7. Imprint

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The hybrid created by the Rift.

With all kinds of environments, spaces, and even time chaotically mixed together in a Rift, how could any living being that sets foot in it be normal?

An ant and some unknown creature, plus Elf… Hume indiscriminately mixed together—would it look like this?

The armor-like hard exoskeleton clearly resembled an insect’s outer shell, but the slender neck and transparent face were human.

Moreover, the body that clicked threateningly beneath a head of normal human size was so enormous compared to the skull that it looked as if a giant insect’s body had a human head inserted into it.

‘It’s repulsive.’

Abomination. Something repulsive. Isn’t there such a word?

Regan and Nasir were completely different species from the human Haniel and were creatures of this world, but each of them shone with their own beauty and pride as proper races. But this thing before her eyes was none of those.

Haniel’s instinctive fear surged at the strange sense of discomfort its appearance evoked.

Even Regan, who was trained not to be startled by ordinary things in combat situations, was frowning. How much worse must it be for her?

With every part of her body trembling, including her eyeballs, Haniel tried her best to stay still as she moved her lips.

“Mi-mix, mi, mixed breed?”

Wow! I see. Not an ‘Elf’ but a hybrid.

They say fear stems from ignorance, so now that I roughly know what it is, I shouldn’t be scared… as if that could be true!

‘Was there ever an Elf species?! No, that’s not the issue… what do we do about that thing…!’

Haniel clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white and let out a strangled m*an.

That bear from earlier doesn’t even compare.

No… I’d rather have that nice bear come back…

‘You didn’t tell me something like this would appear…’

What made this situation even more chilling was that the ‘ant’s’ face wasn’t just mimicry to deceive prey or intruders by imitating another animal’s form—it was actually functional.

It could make expressions like a human and move its gaze.

Even now, wasn’t it turning that creepy face to look at Haniel while constantly wearing that strange smile…

Scary.

Haniel swallowed dryly.

The moment she saw that bizarre smile, she realized why she felt so creeped out and uncomfortable.

The expression was the problem. The smile and surrounding facial muscles of the hybrid monster were contorted in a way that no being with even the slightest understanding of human or Hume society and communication would ever make.

Though clearly a beautiful face, it moved in ways unfamiliar to people, creating only a sense of uncanny discomfort.

But the fundamental question was…

‘D*mn it… why is it looking at me…’

Why was that monster smiling specifically at Haniel?

Beasts must know that the tender flesh of young animals is delicious, so did it know that targeting Haniel would be more beneficial than going after Regan, who had bulging muscles and bones incomparably thicker and tougher than hers?

Compared to this rough and hard Hume man, Haniel was like a lunchbox that didn’t even need the meat to be filleted—just sink teeth into it. It wasn’t strange that it would eye her.

But… but if that wasn’t it.

Could it be?

Haniel’s eyebrows twisted strangely.

Ding!

“Haha, this is… insane.”

Haniel muttered a curse under her breath.

Love…? It’s frightening to even imagine how this creature might try to love her.

She tried her best not to look at the insect lower body of the ‘Mixed Wanderer’ as she thought.

‘…So the pheromones I picked up earlier were spread by this thing.’

Ant-like appearance and pheromones. It makes sense.

But what bothered her was…

‘It lives in groups?’

Perhaps they all wanted to answer Haniel’s small question together?

Just then, something whitish seemed to flicker behind the ‘Wanderer,’ and the sound of sharp arthropod appendages, not human, busily stepping on the ground could be heard.

And…

“Uh…”

“…”

Click. Click.

From the shadows, additional monsters of the same form as the ‘Wanderer’ before them revealed themselves.

Haniel’s face turned pale.

“There weren’t just one, but three.”

This must be what they mean by adding insult to injury.

Cold sweat ran down Haniel’s nape.

Even in this situation, the status window was showing sentences like ‘The Mixed Wanderer loves you’ as if trying to reassure Haniel, but what kind of love was this?

Perhaps this love resembled the mating of a praying mantis, and might end with her head being torn off and devoured.

Scary.

But…

“…Haah.”

Grip. Haniel readjusted her grip on the axe with trembling hands.

Her shaking body gradually found stability. It was in her nature to become calmer as situations worsened.

If she were alone, she would have used any method to preserve her life or prevent being used as a breeding tool, but she wasn’t alone now. Wasn’t Regan, whom she had personally taken in, right beside her? Running away alone with her tail between her legs wasn’t an option.

Moreover, unlike Haniel, who had the status window providing various conveniences in this world, Regan only had primitive weapons and his bare body.

Of course, that bare body was massive and tough enough to lift an armored vehicle with his bare hands, and he had said he would devote his entire body to protecting her, but…

‘Still, I can’t just stand by.’

She couldn’t let Regan face those creatures alone.

Despite wanting to run away immediately at this moment, Haniel whipped herself into determination.

Even if they had to struggle desperately and roll around, they would survive together.

And then return home safely.

At that moment.

Whoosh…

Without Haniel realizing it, a golden current swirled around her axe.

A faint golden energy like a heat haze. A seemingly sacred energy settled on the axe blade, but Haniel and Regan, who were urgently focused on the situation, didn’t notice it.

Haniel muttered to herself.

‘No matter how terribly scary it looks, this thing is a living creature. So… I should be able to use my ability!’

An ability that targets non-human living beings. She had no choice but to believe in it.

But before Haniel could take any action, Regan, who was beside her, extended his arm to block her way. Heat wafted from his thick arm that blocked not only her view but her entire face.

“…Regan?”

“You don’t need to step forward.”

Looking up slightly, Regan’s face showed hostility without a trace of fear. Surprised by this sight, Haniel blinked rapidly.

N*ked belligerence, wanting to tear the limbs of the ‘Mixed Wanderers’ approaching her even at this moment, just like that bear earlier. Despite the headless corpse in front of them, it felt as if the smell of blood was coming from Regan nearby.

The man’s fierce gaze scanned between the blood-stained joints of the wanderers, coldly estimating where to cut them to pieces.