Haru flew through the clouds, the wind cutting across his cloak as he soared toward the ruins of the Zerath Empire.
It took him half a day to reach it.
Once known as the Jewel of the South—a land of beauty said to rival the ocean itself—the empire now lay in ruin.
Nothing remained but shattered walls, broken towers, and an endless sea of fog.
And in that silence… the dead stirred.
Skeletons, ghouls, and revenants crawled from the blackened ground, their hollow cries echoing through the ruins. Each one carried a faint trace of mana—levels between thirty-five and fifty. For anyone else, it would have been overwhelming.
But for Haru… they were nothing but experience.
He moved like a storm—his sword cleaving through the air, his mana burning cold.
One strike. Ten corpses. A hundred more.
A thousand undead fell beneath his blade, and still, he didn't stop.
Days blurred into nights. Weeks passed like moments.
By the end of the first month, he had cleared an entire district of the fallen empire—no undead remained standing.
Yet despite all his searching, he found nothing. No clues. No humans. No trace of life.
Two months later, the land remained silent, choked in fog and despair.
When even hope began to fade, Haru returned to Valtherion, seeking information. But every report was the same—Zerath was dead. A place abandoned by gods and men alike.
He returned again and again, wandering through the wasteland, destroying the last remnants of the undead as he searched for a sign—for him.
Six months passed.
Not a single survivor.
Not a single answer.
Only a dark shadow moving among the ruins when the moon was high.
Yezlyn had begged him to stop, but he refused. She had told him that Minji was alive—but barely. Her body and mind were broken, and she had thrown herself entirely into training.
Yezlyn had sworn not to mention Haru's name, fearing it would shatter her fragile focus.
And so, Haru continued alone.
A solitary figure floating above a graveyard of kingdoms.
Until one day—
BOOOOM!
A deafening explosion erupted miles away, the shockwave tearing through the fog.
Haru's head snapped toward the sound. His instincts flared.
Without hesitation, he shot across the sky, his aura cutting through the mist like a comet of white light.
When he arrived, the ground below was in chaos.
A group of seven humans stood against a massive, monstrous silhouette. The earth cracked beneath its feet, its presence radiating pure malice.
Haru narrowed his eyes and activated his System Scan.
Luis — Lv. 50 — Swordsman
Daniel — Lv. 52 — Warrior
Josh — Lv. 47 — Mage
And then, he turned his scan toward the creature.
The interface flickered for a moment before the name appeared.
??? Detected
Name: LIMBO
Race: Unknown
Level: 90
Affiliation: Tenth Seat of Paradox
Haru's heart went still.
Haru didn't feel fear—only a cold, burning rage.
After all these years, after countless sleepless nights, he finally found it.
The creature responsible for the death of his companions.
A dark figure born only to slaughter humans and devour their life force.
Below him, the surviving adventurers were barely holding on.
Luis: "Damn it! That monster already killed half of our team. It's toying with us—it won't let us leave alive!"
Daniel gritted his teeth, his armor cracked and stained with blood.
Daniel: "I'll rush him. Buy as much time as I can. The rest of you—run! Get as far as you can!"
Josh turned to him, shouting.
Josh: "Are you insane?! If you die here, I'm dying with you! We've been through hell together—brothers don't run!"
A voice joined them from behind.
Vanessa, an archer with a bow glowing faintly with mana, took aim.
Vanessa (Lv. 45 – Archer): "Don't worry. I've got eagle eyes. I can see every move that bastard makes. We can still win!"
Up in the distance, Haru hovered in silence—watching.
Like a predator watching prey exhaust itself before the final strike.
Luis charged first, blade gleaming through the fog as Josh unleashed a Smoke Screen, covering the field in thick mist.
Daniel followed, roaring with all his strength.
Daniel: "C-RANK SKILL—War Roar!"
The ground trembled under his voice, but the creature didn't move.
Limbo just stood there.
Watching.
Smiling.
And then—its body pulsed with power.
A suffocating, black aura burst from within, sweeping across the battlefield like a wave of death.
The adventurers froze. Their bodies trembled, unable to move under the crushing pressure.
Luis: "Wh-What kind of monster is this…?"
Josh: "This aura—it's not just a beast… It's—something else. Something higher."
Luis: "All of you… RUN!"
But before they could, a figure landed behind them, silent and calm.
The ground cracked slightly beneath his feet.
A faint breeze scattered the smoke, revealing a lone man standing with his cloak swaying in the wind.
For a moment, relief washed over them.
Vanessa: "Someone's here!"
But Limbo only grinned wider, its hollow eyes locking onto the newcomer.
Limbo: "Another human… another meal to devour."
He stepped forward, but then stopped.
A strange feeling crawled up his spine.
Something in that man's presence—something cold and ancient—sent a chill even through him.
Josh, the mage, could feel it too. His instincts screamed in warning.
Josh: "No… that's not just a man."
Luis frowned. "What are you talking about? Are you blind? Look—he's human!"
Josh turned, his eyes wide with fear.
Josh: "No, Luis… that's not a man."
His voice trembled.
Josh: "That's a monster… among monsters."