[Explanation]
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On the planet Caelus, life didn't mirror Earth's monotony. Here, humans and monsters lived side by side—not in constant conflict, but in casual coexistence. Monsters were not myths or menaces; they were your neighbors, your co-workers, the ones behind market stalls or walking dogs. Winged demons tapped idly on phones, scaled lizardmen zipped through traffic in muscle cars, and horned oni slouched in coffee shops after their 9-to-6. Society was loud, distracted, and indifferent to what once would've been called "fantasy."
But the Caelus Forest—that was a different world altogether.
A sprawling, unpredictable wilderness, the forest was both haven and hell. Those who couldn't adapt to the rigid expectations of city life—those who were discarded by school, college, or corporate slots—often drifted toward its endless canopy.
To some, it was a battleground, where adventurers fought tooth and nail for survival, hunted for rank, and died for pride.
To others, it was peace—a place to walk, live, and breathe as a Traveler, outside the chains of society.
And to a few?
It was the final test—of skill, of purpose, of self.
Among the many who wandered or warred in the forest, one stood above the rest: Ari Rayne, green-ranked adventurer.
Green ranks weren't just powerful—they were forces of nature. So far beyond human capability, they were said to walk between mortal and elemental. These were the humans who transcended natural limits, who could reshape terrain, collapse cities, raise forests from dust. They were known by a title few earned:
Fair Human—humans who had awakened to the highest form of natural energy:
Vita.
And Ari Rayne—real name Halcyon—was one of them. A deceptively soft boy with skin like milk, crimson eyes, and the scent of freshly baked cookies, he was both beautiful and monstrous. No one who met him ever truly understood who—or what—they were dealing with. But all of them learned the same lesson:
Never mistake softness for weakness.
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