Arjun froze when the Global Ranking appeared before his eyes. The glowing blue screen floated in the air, visible to every awakened human on Earth. For a moment, even the chaos of the apocalypse seemed to pause. People stopped running. Monsters stopped attacking. Every gaze turned toward the massive holographic screen hanging in the sky. -- ## Global Ranking **Rank #1 — Kael (Level 31)** **Rank #2 — Unknown (Level 29)** **Rank #3 — Unknown (Level 27)** **Rank #4 — Unknown (Level 26)** **Rank #5 — Arjun Mehta (Level 24)** --- A chill ran down Arjun's spine. In his previous life, the Global Ranking had appeared nearly six months after the apocalypse began. Not on the first day. Not this early. The timeline was changing faster than expected. And Kael was the biggest reason. A second regressor. A second survivor carrying memories of the future. Someone capable of rewriting destiny just like him. Perhaps even better. Arjun clenched his fists.

The world seemed to hold its breath.Arjun and Kael stood facing each other across the ruined landscape.Between them stood Luna.The girl chosen by the Second World Key.The person both sides needed.And perhaps the person who would decide humanity's future.A cold wind swept across the battlefield.Dust rose into the air.Neither regressor moved.Neither blinked.Both were analyzing the other.Calculating.Predicting.Searching for weaknesses.Just as they had done countless times in their previous lives.---Kael broke the silence first."You're weaker than I expected."Arjun smiled."And you're more desperate than I expected."For the first time, Kael's eyes narrowed.A direct hit.Because Arjun was right.If Kael truly controlled everything, he wouldn't need to hunt Luna per

The ancient figure stepped out from the stone gate.For several seconds, Arjun couldn't move.The creature was enormous.Nearly three meters tall, covered in dark silver armor that seemed to have grown directly from its body. A long cloak hung behind it, untouched by the wind. In its right hand was a massive spear covered with ancient symbols.Its face was hidden behind a cracked metal mask.Only two pale blue eyes were visible.Yet those eyes were enough.Arjun could feel the pressure coming from it.It wasn't the pressure of an ordinary monster.It wasn't even like the Elite Bosses he had fought.This was something completely different.Something that had existed long before the apocalypse.---## Unknown Entity Detected### Title: Keeper of the Second KeyLevel: ???Rank: ???Information Access: Restricted---A

The road toward the Forbidden Forest was almost completely silent.Arjun walked ahead with Shadow Edge resting against his shoulder.Luna followed several steps behind.Neither had spoken much since leaving the railway station.The encounter with the five Hunters had changed everything.They weren't ordinary enemies.They weren't even monsters.They had rules.They had a purpose.And most importantly, they knew something about the Second World Key that Arjun didn't.That bothered him more than their strength."You're thinking too loudly."Luna's voice broke the silence.Arjun glanced back."I didn't say anything.""You didn't have to."She smiled faintly."You've been staring at that compass for the last twenty minutes."Arjun looked down.The Void Compass was still pointing toward the mountains.Beyond th