Jordan’s heart had already skipped a beat as he realized that the masculine voice was definitely the same one who’d been talking before. One whose accent, unlike the obviously British Crabs, he couldn’t really compare to one from Earth. If there was anything of note about how it sounded, it was that it actually made him cringe a little. Because as the person outside had spoken, their words had carried an undercurrent that sounded like jagged rocks being ground against each other.

But it sounded close, that much he was certain of. Just how close was a bit hard to say, however. As being several dozen feet down in this little cave was probably throwing off how things sounded. Yet in terms of horizontal distance across the surface outside, he believed that it couldn’t be more than a couple hundred feet.

What did he say his name was? Hay-jee? Maybe it’s just me, but that sounds like it’d be from somewhere in east Asian? Definitely not in any of those accents though, from how he’d spoken. But just from the fact he spoke English like the Crab, it at least proves that he’s an actual sapient being. And that now between both of them, it really does look like there’s a pattern where every Species also happens to speak English? Jordan asked himself.

However, knowing that did little to calm down his rushing pulse. If anything, that whole yelled-out speech just now was even more worrying. Since from the way it’d been said, it made the stone humanoid only sound like the stereotypical type of warrior that just loves fighting and proving himself in battle.

And the problem was that if said individual noticed the now more obvious hole in the ground and jumped down, Jordan would basically be trapped with him with nowhere to go. While he could sense that this cave was now considered a part of his Kingdom’s territory, the System hadn’t really provided anything he could actually do with that. Unlike before, it hadn’t even given him a free building that he could have potentially bunkered down in.

Instead, he was currently in a cave where the only way in and out was currently several dozen feet above his head. And Jordan didn’t even know how climbable the walls leading up the ceiling were, even with his current physical Stats, since they’d almost certainly be slick with ice.

If it weren’t for the person right above, Jordan probably would have still found it pretty easy to find a way up. Even just now, he could think of a couple of viable solutions between all the stuff in his pocket space and the potential use of Summon Air Drone. However, present circumstances made all of that not really doable for the moment.

Then there was the issue of time. Jordan knew that there were at least a few more minutes left until the ten-minute mark ticked by. But right now, he could tell that he wasn’t even halfway there yet. For as far as he could tell, the land drone beside him was still operating at its full power. It would probably take a bit longer until it even reached that point, especially as how when you were consciously waiting for time to pass, it did the funny thing of seeming to tick by at an even slower rate.

Jordan opened the two leaderboards for individual people. He wasn’t sure how Haje was spelled or if he had a last name that wasn’t known yet, but he tried to to search for him.

On the Mightiest Individual, there indeed was a ping for someone of that name, with no last name, listed at Level 4. As for the Mightiest Slayer leaderboard, there wasn’t a response.

Ahhh, screw it. Either he finds this spot and comes in here, or I let him know myself. If something’s about to happen anyway, then I might as well take control of it. Better than just sitting down here and twiddling my thumbs, Jordan decided with a long sigh. His father had once said that if you wanted to lead the flow of a conversation, then do the obvious thing and be the first guy to start talking.

“Hello, out there!” Jordan had cupped his hands together to yell out from the cave. “I’m sure your forefathers are quaking in fear at the thought of you rising up to meet them someday!”

For the next few moments, the only thing filling the silence was the echo of his own voice. Then there was… laughter. Or at least something that sounded kind of like laughter, as it was more like the noise of rocks being ground together again, but this time taken up by a factor of ten.

“Indeed! I am certain that they shall curse the day that I, of all descendants, became the end of our clan’s line! But tell me, are you a friend to celebrate my latest victory with? Or a foe to test my might, so that I may have my forefathers bear witness upon me once more on this day?” Haje said while clearly moving toward the cave. As for every step he took, they were heavy enough to shake an increasing amount of more snow down the ceiling.

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Alright, the classic friend or foe question. As far as an opening to a conversation with an alien goes, not the worst possible start. Beats being asked if I want to volunteer myself as a sacrifice, at least.

Jordan decided to keep his Energy Pistol within his pocket space. That way it could still be quickly drawn while giving him the friendlier appearance of seeming unarmed. Though his land drone would still be there with guns pointed, so… who was to say if that really made a difference?

“A friend, I hope! I saw how you wrestled that Wyvern out of the sky! That’s definitely something worth celebrating, I’d say!” He called back. Then from above, the heavy steps came to a stop as a figure appeared next to the ceiling of the cave. One whose large form managed to obstruct the sunlight coming down, and filled it with even more shadows.

From just where he could see from below, Jordan quickly realized that in terms of the other sapient races he’d met so far, humans were definitely on the short side. The stone humanoid standing above him was at least 15 feet tall, if he just had to make a guess. Though now that he was a lot closer, the term humanoid was becoming less accurate as Jordan had a chance to study his features with more detail.

Haje had four arms, with the bottom pair being considerably longer. Though like a normal human, he did have just two legs. However, it was in this generally bipedal form that the main similarities came to an end.

He wore no clothes, instead fully showing off a body that could be described more like some kind of stone golem or elemental, more than anything. While still vaguely humanoid in shape, it was rather blocky while also greyish brown in color. However, that was just what Jordan could tell from what was underneath the layer of snow that also covered it.

Then there was Haje’s face. He… didn’t really have one. It was just a somewhat blocky head sitting directly on the torso with no neck between, and appeared to be rather smooth. Jordan had no idea how he performed anything like yelling or talking, as there was no mouth alongside the total lack of any other facial features. While Crab had been elephant-sized and weird in its own ways, it had at least been a recognizable kind of creature from Earth. This being, however, was actually a lot more of what could be truly considered alien.

After looking at each other for a solid second, Jordan felt the almost skin-crawly sensation of Appraise being used on him. So while still starting at the person above him, he returned the use of the Skill in kind.

Name: Haje

Species: Jabelite (Unnamed Planet)

Guild: N/A

Class: True Master of One

Subclass: N/A

Level: 12 (4)

Grade: D

Jordan read through the screen. He paused for a second at the planet being listed as unnamed. Was a bit confused at what the Class name could mean. But then when he got to the Level and Grade toward the end, he completely froze. Jordan’s jaw was left slack as he truly couldn’t believe his eyes. He glanced between the screen and Haje, his mind needing to do a total mental restart just to form a coherent thought.

Wha- how?! How the actual fuck is that even possible?! Jordan mentally screamed as he suddenly became much, much more frightened of the individual above him. Both at the Level that seemed to be impossible as it contradicted the Mightiest Individual Leaderboard, but also… the Grade. Despite the apparent like of a Subclass that the System had promised upon reaching D Grade way back when, the letter presented was still there.

However, above very quickly turned into in front of him, as the so-called Jabelite then stepped too close to the edge of the ceiling. The snow beneath his likely heavy body practically had no shot at supporting it. And so he fell through the moment he stepped on a spot that didn’t have the actual ceiling, but was just the snow compacted into the hole.

Even as Haje fell like… well, a stone, he didn’t make a sound upon landing and kicked up a cloud of snow. A rather stoic being in that front, he was now much closer and practically loomed over the smaller human. While Jordan’s land drone was still at the ready, he was now far less confident in its ability to actually act as a way to defend himself.

“If you wish to call yourself a friend…” Haje began. Jordan tensed up, ready for anything from the now clearly much more powerful being before him. His mind raced at a thousand miles per hour as he wondered just what he could even do, should the worst-case scenario occur.

The stone giant then sat down with a thump. “Then allow us to swap stories of our greatest victories in combat! I would wish to share such tales with a drink, but I fear that I have none! So instead, let us drink in each other’s achievements!”

Well, perhaps things might not be that bad. At the very least, sitting down to hold an actual conversation would allow Jordan to do one thing. Like learning more about Haje, and specifically asking about one thing in particular.

Just what the Hell was up with his listed Status?