The battle raged on, the air filled with the clash of steel and the stench of blood.
Even though Seraphina, Lex, and Levis were far stronger in level and skill, the sheer number of enemies made the fight chaotic—suffocating.
Arrows rained down like a black storm. Explosions lit up the ground. Screams and roars echoed as both soldiers and civilians fell amidst the flames.
"Cover the left flank!" Levis shouted, raising his shield as a blast of mana shattered against it. The impact forced him back several steps, the metal groaning from strain.
Lex appeared beside him, his sword gleaming with lightning.
"Levis—switch!" he yelled, slashing through two attackers before spinning to deflect an arrow aimed for Seraphina.
Seraphina's voice rang clear through the chaos.
"Divine Vines! Bind them all!"
Vines surged from the earth, wrapping around several enemies, but they were quickly cut apart by black blades infused with demonic mana.
From the shadows, Xinx smirked.
"Not bad for a lady," he hissed, his aura flaring dark red. "But numbers always win."
He raised his hand. "Zero Unit—advance!"
A hundred figures charged at once.
Lex and Levis roared, pushing forward to protect Seraphina. Their blades danced in deadly rhythm, each swing cutting down foes. But for every enemy that fell, two more took their place.
Levis slammed his shield into the ground, releasing a shockwave that sent several attackers flying. "We can't hold much longer!" he yelled.
Lex grinned through the blood on his face. "Then we'll die standing!"
But before they could regroup, Xinx appeared behind them, moving like a ghost.
Slash—!
Levis's shield arm burst with blood. Lex turned, too slow—
Crack!
A brutal kick to his ribs sent him flying into the dirt.
"LEX!!" Seraphina screamed.
He tried to rise, his sword trembling in his hand—but Xinx's blade pierced his side, the dark energy spreading through his veins.
"Lex!" Levis stumbled forward, only to take a heavy strike to his shoulder. His shield shattered—his knees hit the ground.
Seraphina's heart sank as she watched her two comrades fall.
"Enough." Her eyes burned gold, divine mana surging through her veins. The air around her pulsed with holy energy.
"Divine Wrath: Purging Light!"
A blinding radiance exploded outward, the ground shaking violently. Every vine in the area came alive, striking out like serpents. Enemies screamed as the light consumed them—flesh burning, shadows disintegrating.
Xinx leapt back, crossing his blades to block the blast, his face twisted with rage.
"What power—!" he snarled, his boots digging into the ground as the light seared through his armor.
Seraphina stood alone among the fallen, her breath heavy, her golden hair glowing like fire under the holy aura.
Even surrounded, she didn't retreat.
"Anyone who dares harm my people," she said, raising her sword high, "will face the wrath of the heavens!"
The remaining soldiers hesitated, trembling under her presence. But Xinx laughed through his burns, his eyes flashing with madness.
"You think light alone can save you?" he hissed. "You're already surrounded, My lady!"
Dozens more figures emerged from the forest, surrounding the battlefield from every side.
Seraphina clenched her teeth, preparing to fight again—
but her mana was running low, and her allies were down.
Still, she stood her ground.
Even if it cost her life.
And then—
the sky above began to twist.
Clouds tore apart as a shockwave of power rushed through the air.
The wind roared. The world itself trembled.
Something… was coming.
Even after Seraphina's group had taken down nearly half of the enemies, the battlefield was still crawling with killers.
Smoke, blood, and mana filled the air.
The cries of the wounded echoed through the burning village.
Then—
a shadow appeared above the clouds.
The wind howled.
And in the next instant—
BOOM!
The ground shattered as someone descended like a meteor.
Dust exploded outward, knocking several enemies off their feet.
Every head turned toward the impact.
Through the rising smoke, a calm voice echoed—steady, emotionless.
Haru stood there.
His eyes cold, his aura silent yet suffocating.
Seraphina, exhausted and barely standing, looked up at him. Her mana was nearly drained, her vision blurring—but when she saw who it was, she managed a weak smile.
"...Took you long enough," she whispered before collapsing to one knee.
Haru's gaze swept across the battlefield.
He silently counted them.
> "Seventy-three alive," he muttered under his breath. "Good. Less to chase."
Across from him, Xinx grinned, licking his lips.
"Well, well… another dish served hot," he said mockingly. "Let's see how long this one lasts."
Beside him, Sam—the assassin—cracked his neck, a cruel smile curling on his lips.
"Heh. Surround him. You're unlucky, boy."
The air shifted. Dozens of blades pointed toward Haru, forming a tightening circle.
Xinx smirked. "Let's see what makes you so confident to walk into death alone."
He activated his Appraisal skill, his pupils glowing blue as he tried to read Haru's status.
Normally, the system displayed a plain green border—
but this time, what appeared on his interface made his blood run cold.
The border wasn't green.
It wasn't even gold.
It was crimson red, pulsing like a heartbeat, surrounded by ornate marks—an intricate design unlike anything he had ever seen.
And then the text appeared:
[Information Detected]
Name: Haru Villamor
Level: ??
Job: ??
Title: RANKER (1)
(Your level is too low to view additional data.)
For a moment, silence ruled the battlefield.
Xinx's smirk vanished. His eyes widened in terror. His sword trembled in his hands.
"This… this can't be…" he whispered, his voice cracking.
Then he turned to his men, panic spreading across his face.
"RUN!" he shouted. "All of you—RUN NOW!!"
But it was too late.
The air around Haru began to distort—mana pressure crushing the ground beneath his feet.
Cracks spread outward like spiderwebs.
The sky itself seemed to darken.
And for the first time…
the killers of Zero felt fear.