A Host-ile Planet

"Okay, Everyone listen up! My name is Ken-"

"Shut up! No one gives a fuck! What's some weakass third tier cunt gonna do? You aren't a leader! Let me let you in on some facts, I'm fifth tier, I was a leader before this, my name is John. Most of you are gonna die, that's the reality you face. Now that we've established that, let's move on." Some kid interrupted the other one as he lit up a cigarette. He wore the Russian VBKO uniform.

"I'm looking for tiers three and up, I'll do my best to keep you alive! But I'm only taking nine people with me! I'll be choosing who goes, and who stays. After that, you're all on your own. Now Let's see who's going." John shouted out. Lots of kids rose their hands, but not alot. Maybe fifty kids.

"I think you're full of shit. Why would anyone follow a prick like you?" Levi called out, the students parted like the Red Sea so a clear path was available.

[]Careful, one punch from you could obliterate his premature pawn body.[]

"What tier are you? Two? Three?" John scoffed.

"Above ten." Levi lied.

"Bullshit, your watch says two!" One kid pointed out.

"Okay, how about this. Who here will trust me out of blind faith? Because once I prove it, I won't take anyone along." Levi, who really did want to help some of these kids avoid death, proposed. Silence, and then one kid raised his hand and approached Levi.

"I'm only third tier myself, but I want to live, so I'll trust you." The kid who initially tried to speak, Ken, said as he stepped up next to Natalia and Levi.

"What the hell, why not." A girl said, she wore an M98 uniform much like Ken.

"I've nothing better to do." Drake, surprised Levi as he stepped up behind him, laughed. No one else stepped up to the plate.

"Is that all? Then let me show you the mistake you all made." Levi smiled as he stepped forward.

"Gonna fight me huh?" John laughed.

"No, I'm going to save you, just this once." Levi smirked. For awhile now, a leopard like creature, several times bigger than anything he'd ever seen, had hungrily been watching the group. Levi approached the stalking animal, never taking his eyes from where it perched above the now terrified group.

"Are you nuts! That's a tyrant class! Can't you tell by its deep crimson coloring and size?" John grabbed Levi by the arm and whispered frantically. All animosity forgotten.

Race: Catlah

Level: 25

Tier: 8.6

HP: 100%

SE: 2,000

"And? I'm Tier ten, remember?" Levi pushed John away and approached the beast, it jumped down and prepared itself for a meal.

Levi stopped, and waited. The beast stared at Levi, waiting for the right moment to pounce, thinking he was easy prey. Seeing how over confident the beast was, Levi turned his head as if he were distracted, making the Catlah leap towards Levi at blazing speeds and slammed its paws down on top of Levi.

With its tail twitching happily, it lifted its paws off to find, nothing. The creature began looking around the paws and in the surrounding area to see if maybe its meal had been blown away.

"Gotcha!" Levi had jumped into the air the moment the creatures paws had slammed downwards, and now he had a perfect strike at the base of the Catlah's neck. With all his might, Levi slammed his fist down and through the Catlah's neck. He felt the bones powderize and the flesh rip to meaty chunks.

To all that were present, it looked as if a mortar had plowed through the creature. The Catlah dropped, its Soul automatically sucked into Levi's Soul Realm.

(First Catlah Killed. +6,000 EXP. Opponent stronger than you killed. +1,000 bonus EXP gained. 7,000 EXP total earned. New skill learned. Energy Claws Lvl. 5- 30% chance Bleed Effect.)

"How? Wait, are you really a tenth tier?" John looked at Levi with awe.

"No faith? Me and my group are leaving. I hope to see you guys again. Ah, and my name is Levi Smith." Levi stated as he began walking towards the only opening to the crumbled building.

"That was impressive." The girl from earlier said, impressed.

"Thanks, now let's go." Levi responded. The group of five left, leaving the remaining students feeling stupid, but with more enthusiasm than before. A fire lit beneath them to become as strong if not stronger than the force of nature Levi was.

Amongst these students, Levi would come to be called Leviathan.

***

[]I thought you were told to lay low.[]

×Whatever works for me.×

"So you really gained a lot of power last I saw you. What did Greybrow do? Cause I want that!" Drake commented. The group were walking down a deserted overgrown vegetative street with post apocalyptic buildings that were crumbling and structurally unstable. A window fell and crashed, slightly startling the group.

"You definitely don't want that. Anyway, what's your names?" Levi turned to the two following behind.

"I'm Minamori Kenji. You can call me Kenji. I'm a 3.8 tier." Kenji had short black messy hair and dark brown eyes. He had tanned skin and was fairly tall.

"Futaba Shizimaki. You may call me Maki-chan! I'm a 3.7 tier!" Maki was a beauty. Though she was curvy, she lacked greatly in the chest area. She had long silver hair and green eyes. Delicate features and strangely attractive lips made her face. She was also a fair bit shorter than Natalia, at four foot nine. Natalia was five foot four.

"...That's a hard pass. I'll call you Shizimaki." Levi responded bluntly.

"Levi... Onii-san! That's what I'll call you. Since we're just going with 'I'll call you what I call you.' So, Onii-san, where are we going?" Shizimaki asked. Levi paused for a moment.

×It's some weeb shit.×

[]False, it's a term of respect in Japanese Culture. Shes calling you her older brother basically.[]

×If you've ever watched anime, you'd agree with me.×

[]Respect their culture young lady.[]

[]I will end you![]

"Shelter, food, water. We need those basic items to survive. If we can find a relatively safe place for shelter, we can get sleep and keep warm and dry. Food is a staple needed by the human body, therefore we must find some, quickly too. And then obviously water. That's what we are doing, not where." Levi responded, he held his stomach as his hunger had become a gnawing discomfort.

×I'm unusually starved right now.×

[]You are Rephaite. My recommendation is meat, as vegetables or fruits won't be of any use to your new bodies. The more raw it is, the more nutritious it will be for you.[]

[]Purely.[]

×I can live with that.×

[]Humans provide you the best nutrition.[]

×Sounds good actually.×

Levi halted completely and looked at Natalia in apparent disgust.

"What?" Natalia asked innocently.

"Nothing, let's keep moving." Levi sighed. Just then the group heard whistling and what seemed like skipping was heard.

"Stay close, and prepare for a fight!" Natalia instantly said. Levi intently watched the left intersection. The whistling turned to excited laughter, and the skipping to a sprint. Then silence. The group began to move apart, skills at the ready.

"Uhuhu! Its guests! Say, how did you get here? Hmm, did you come to save little ol me!" Someone said right behind Levi, making him jump far away and spin around. All the students turned and stared at the strange man. He was wearing a tattered zebra print three piece suit with a rugged and torn dirty white top hat. An empty and bent eyepiece adorned his child like face.

"Woah! Such hostility! Huhuhu!" The strange man laughed.

"Who are you?" Levi immediately asked.

"I'm Jax. You lovelies look like you need somewhere to cultivate. I can already sense in two of you dense energy." Jax said as he leaned in way to close to Levi.

"Uh... sure. Is it safe? Is there food? Water? Meat?" Natalia stepped in.

"I don't know. But it does keep the Jibwas away." Jax said in a sing song voice

"Jibwas?" Drake cocked his head slightly.

"The locals. They may look nice, but they'd just as soon skin you and eat as they would tear you limb from limb and SCATTER THE PIECES OF YOUR CORPSE ALL ACROSS THE CITY!" Jax laughed maniacally. Everyone took a step backwards.

"Huu, so... anyone thirsty? I know the best bar in town!" Jax continued as if he'd been having a completely normal conversation.

"Uh, sure. Just tell us about the local beasts around here on the way." Levi interjected before anyone could voice protest.

×Me too. I hope this guy isn't entirely insane.×

"Splendid! Absolutely fabulous! Follow me, and do ask any question! Except where the bathroom is, I can't remember." Jax added joyfully.

"Okay, will do to remember. So what local beasts should we be most aware of?" Levi asked, ignoring the strange comment.

"The Jibwas, though I wouldn't call them beasts... or would I? Do you think I should? Hmm, perhaps later. Come along, quickly, dont dilly dally! The Frizzers will get you if you're out here in the open! Nasty bugs those are, catch you in their antennae and fry you with electricity. Trust me, it's a terrible way to die.... I think?

Also avoid dark places. Nothing special, I just don't like dark places. Oh, and keep your eyes on the sky! And the Ground, the buildings.... you should grow a few more pairs of eyes, just the one will get you all killed." Jax rambled as he skipped along, leading the weary group God knew where.

"Jax! Can you provide us some details on what's in the skys, on the ground and in the buildings?" Natalia called as they followed.

"In the skies huh? Hmm... Ragies, terrible winged creatures, snatch you up as quick as lightning. Oh, and they smell rancid too, thankfully that's how you know they're coming. I believe Lagis' tend to enjoy flight as well, but they're relatively harmless. Junkets, God I hate those. They make so much racket tearing animals, cars, buildings, eachother.... where was I going with this....

The ground creatures are numerous, but mostly watch for the Catlahs. Big cat creatures with claws. Then theres the Frizzers of course. Gutzies are no fun either, they'll come from nowhere and latch onto your stomach, then in seconds they'll be inside you, eating away at your guts. Hopefully you're dead by then, because being eaten alive is not pleasant, on my eyes or ears.

Terrible, the screams. Ah and the look on their faces!... Horrid!" Jax rambled some more, proving more and more to the group that he was beyond insane.

"Jax, please tell us about the creatures that lurk inside buildings." Levi sighed.

"I was just getting to that. Snatchers, super sneaky vines that grab you and pull you towards their mother, Vinra, they look cute and innocent, tempting even, but they love the flesh of living creatures. Then there's Brutes, big fellows, corrupted Jibwas, ate the vinra heart berry, didn't pass the test, became brute. That's the process you see.... Oh yeah! I forgot! Look out for Frank too!" Jax suddenly exclaimed.

"Who's Frank?" Kenji asked.

"Who Frank? Ah great guy, terrible conversationalist, always angry. But once you get past that big, nasty, hairy hide, you'll find that he's really just... sweet, some of the time. Also, if he's pissed, like right now, you should run!" Jax shouted with a happy tone, as he began to sprint away. Seconds later the ground started vibrating like there was an earthquake, and the roars of a giant beast could be heard down the street behind the group. They all turned to see a giant horror of mangled flesh, fur and vines, charging towards them.

Race: Mangled Horror (Frank)

Level: 45

Tier: 14

HP: 100%

SE: 35,000

Strength: 2,098

Dexterity: 160

Intelligence: 3

Charisma: 0

Defense: 1,054

Perception: 840

Once a peaceful creature until its nesting area was destroyed by Jibwas. Now a very angry being named Frank.

"Run.... FUCKING RUN!" Levi shouted as he started at a dead sprint. The others immediately followed suit, no hesitation. Levi and Natalia were sure that they could out run the beast, but the other three would be unable to.

"Run through those buildings!" Levi shouted as he dived into a window and crashed through shelves, rolling to his feet and continuing their mad dash. The other four followed suit and continued following Levi.

"No this way!" Levi dashed to the left, then the right, and then towards the road again. All the while Frank was plowing through all the obstacles and getting slowed by the debris, finally allowing the group to hide in the thicker vegetation further up the street.

"Holy shit! What the hell was that thing?" Kenji huffed.

"Frank. I told you he wasn't much of a conversationalist, especially when he's pissed. Alrighty, it seems he's preoccupied, shall we go sightseeing? These jungles are infested with Biters. Nasty eight legged creatures the size of cars. Snatch you quick with their jaws, and life ends there!" Jax commented happily and nonchalantly.

"You are one happy go lucky fellow." Drake huffed, trying to catch his breath.

"Luckily Happy Fellow I dare say!" Jax smiled as he continued leading the group.

"Jax, I'd like to inquire about, uh, Frank's nesting area? Somethings bugging me." Levi inquired of Jax.

"Ah, yes, sad day that was. Pretty sure it was about six hundred or so years ago? Them bullies, the Jibwas, they chased poor Frank out of his home and destroyed his children! Was such a beautiful creature, until he was consumed by hatred... or the dark places, always the dark places!" Jax shuddered.

"Hmm." Levi pondered.

"Ah! Here it is! Jibwas don't come here! Nothing comes here! But it has such great sights! Don't you think?" Jax suddenly exclaimed as the vegetation and destruction suddenly stopped. A very obvious line separating the destruction from the clean and nice street. Only the buildings were somewhat unkempt looking.

"What the fuck? How's this even possible?" Shizimaki gasped.

"I don't know! Theres the bar! Come on! I'll introduce you to Bartender Harry!" Jax said excitedly as he rushed towards the bar. The group trudged along towards the indicated building and entered.

"Exscuse me good sir! I request your finest beverage! Ah, what a lovely selection we have today!" Jax stood in front of the bar where a collection of broken bottles, canteens, and old looking plastic bottles were lined up in a row on the table. Levi looked at the back shelf, fully stocked with perfectly fine bottles of liquor.

"No. No. No. Hmm, that was a bad year... Ah! Yes, this is the one!" Jax grabbed a dusty canteen and began to drink its contents.

"I'm sitting down." Levi sighed and sat on a stool.

"Let me join you." Natalia too sat down with a sigh.

"Third that!" Drake huffed and took a stool. The other two gladly sat down as well.

"That guy, is nuts, but it seems he's right. It doesn't look like any beasts come here." Kenji nodded at the perfect wall of liquor.

"Hehe, true. You know what, let's drink!" Shizimaki said excitedly.

"Yeah, why not. Hey barkeep! I'd like your finest selection!" Levi called out jokingly.

"Of course sir. Here we have a oak aged whiskey, further aged thirty eight hundred years." Jax had suddenly appeared before the group, surprising them, in a fine red and black three piece suit with an apron and a bow tie. He looked cleaner, and calmer as well.

"...Wow you change quickly Jax." Natalia commented.

"...Ma'am you have me confused. I am Bartender Harry. Jax has gone off for a rest. Now about your drinks?" Jax/Harry asked, holding an unopened bottle of Jack Daniel's.

"...Give me that bottle." Levi grabbed the bottle, opened it, and started chugging.