It took me three days in the Realm to reach the outskirts of Skylit City.What surprised me was that there were people, but they all wore masks while working, and there were monstrosities among them.
These creatures were like humans, but they had multiple arms growing out of their bodies in unnatural directions. They resembled humans to some extent, but their backs were hunched over, and they pulled carts like animals. Yet the people around them didn’t seem surprised by this sight, as if they were accustomed to it.
Just what happened here?
I didn’t dare get closer. What if they had a system that alerted them to intruders? From a distance, I could see the monstrosities pulling carts into the city, but there were guards everywhere—extremely heavy security. Something told me not to go inside, as if there was some great danger lurking.
Still, whatever they were doing felt extremely wrong, and I couldn’t just turn my back on it. I knew they were up to something terrible, but how could I sabotage them? No one would believe me, and if I spread such news, I’d likely be silenced by these people. From the way they all wore identical clothes, they looked like part of the same organization, but there was an overwhelming feeling of evil about them.
Could it be the Truth Seekers?
I quickly opened the system and started searching for something I could use. I found a herb that could drive beasts insane and make them even more aggressive.
But how could I make enough beasts consume it?
A river nearby gave me an idea. I could drink the essence of the herbs and pour it into the river over time. If beasts drank from it, the effects would fade gradually, but if I added beast-luring herbs to the mix, I could trigger their aggression.
With a plan forming, I started preparing.
37 Days Before the Cataclysm.
***
At the riverbank, I bought the herbs from the system and gathered more from the forest. Using two stones, I began crushing them.
I also found another herb, the moonflower, which enhances the rampaging effect significantly. If monsters drank water infused with it, their aggressive nature would easily surface.
I knew this would be a long process. I needed as many monsters as possible to drink from the river, but at most, I could infect half of them—maybe less. Still, that would be enough to cause chaos for the Truth Seekers.
At least I could delay their plan, right?
So I waited for the winds to start blowing at night to begin my plan.
36 Days Before the Cataclysm.
***
It took me two fucking weeks before the wind finally started blowing at night. At that point, who knew how many monsters had already drunk from the river water? I could only hope it was enough.
I began using the monster-luring herb alongside the moonflower, enhancing their combined effects. Soon, a powerful scent started rising from the herbs as I coated a piece of meat with it.
It Should charm even more monsters, right? Humans couldn’t smell it for some reason, but monsters could—and with the other herbs in the mix, it was bound to work.
As the wind carried the scent into the air, many monsters began picking it up. At first, they tried to ignore it, but then their bodies seemed to ignite with a burning desire. They couldn’t resist anymore and began running toward the source of the smell.
It was like a switch had flipped in their brains the only thought left was to get to the scent no matter what.
I could feel the Earth shaking beneath me, and the sound of trees being knocked down echoed through the forest. I turned toward Skylit City and started running.
More and more beasts began following me as I scattered smaller doses of the monster-luring herbs along the way. I kept the strongest, most potent version close to me—the one I’d enhanced using the new Herbalist Edition I bought from the system. It was an extraordinary grade and cost me 10 gold, but it was worth it.
I had also purchased new wrist protectors made of metal, leg guards, and steel-toe boots. The equipment alone cost me 8 gold, bringing my total expenses to 20 gold just to disrupt the Truth Seekers’ plan. I could only hope it would be enough.
As I neared the city, the ground trembled even harder, and the people inside realized something was happening. I watched as they scrambled to evacuate anything they could into the safety of the city.
Seeing this, I acted. Using my sword like a baseball bat, I swung hard and sent the monster-luring herb flying into the city. It landed deep inside, and though I couldn’t see it, I knew the monsters could still smell it.
Like a raging storm, the beasts charged forward, tearing through anything in their path as they raced toward the city.
As I watched the chaos unfold, a thought crossed my mind Why hadn’t I used this method before to hunt?
Then came the obvious problem—where could I lure them? It’s not like there’s a massive ravine nearby where I could trap them all.
Soon, I saw the monsters clawing at the walls, trying to climb their way up. The situation was spiraling out of control, and I knew I had to act quickly. If I didn’t, they wouldn’t cause nearly enough damage to the city. To my surprise, I even saw some monstrosities jumping off the walls and attacking the beasts below.
With my much smaller frame, I slipped into the horde, weaving through the chaos unnoticed by the guards above. I made my way to the front, getting closer to the city gate. Channeling energy into my sword, I slashed a section of the gate, creating a gap just big enough to slip through.
Inside the city, I immediately noticed people moving around the gate, trying to reinforce it. Their eyes widened when they saw me.
“Intruder!” one of them yelled, pointing in my direction.
Weapons were drawn as they prepared to face me. Some monstrosities who hadn’t jumped into the monster horde turned and began advancing toward me as well.
I didn’t hesitate. Channeling my energy, I unleashed a wave of power with a single swing of my sword. The results were immediate many of them were sliced clean in half.
The rest stood frozen in shock, unable to comprehend what had happened. From their perspective, all they saw was me swinging my blade—and then their comrades were suddenly gone, severed bodies collapsing to the ground.
Why? I thought to myself. Why do I feel nothing?
Even though this was the first time I had killed anyone, I didn’t feel disgusted, remorseful, or even shocked. My mind was cold, and detached, as though this was something I had always done.
Pushing those thoughts aside, I swung again, sending another energy wave slicing through the massive tree trunks reinforcing the gate. Without the support, the gate creaked and buckled under the pressure of the monsters outside. Moments later, it shattered open, and the beasts poured into the city, driven by the scent I had spread.
Channeling energy into my legs, I leaped into the air, landing on the wall. I embedded my short sword into the stone to hold myself in place as the monsters passed beneath me like a violent tide.
“They broke in! How could this happen?!” Voices of panic and doubt echoed from everywhere.
I yanked my sword free and jumped down, landing on the back of one of the monsters. Without hesitation, I urged it forward, riding it deeper into the city.
I wasn’t sure exactly what was happening in the central area, but I had a feeling something was wrong. My suspicions grew stronger as I passed wagon after wagon—each one empty—moving toward the city center.
Are they transporting something?
Then I saw it.
My face paled beneath my mask.
The square was filled with humans—starved, hollow-eyed, and barely alive. They had long since given up on resistance. Their gaunt faces didn’t even turn toward the chaos I had caused. It was as if they were already dead inside.
What… is this place?
I even saw someone gnawing on another person’s arm.
I couldn’t bring myself to look too closely at what the cages held—anything inside was no longer human. They were shells, monsters wearing human skin.
As I moved forward, the situation only became worse. Some people had been sliced apart, their body parts hung up to dry like some kind of jerky.
No wonder the Truth Seekers are branded as a terrorist organization, hunted like vermin by every faction.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Soon, I reached the square—and for the first time, my legs nearly gave out beneath me.
24 Hours Before the Cataclysm.
***
Humans were crucified, their bodies pierced with different kinds of weapons. Blood dripped from their wounds, pooling onto the ground and flowing into an intricate formation.
The formation appeared to be forming a symbol I couldn’t fully recognize. It was a nine-pointed star, and at its center was a screaming head—its mouth contorted in agony as blood seemed to pour from its hollow eyes.
As I stared at the symbol, the head’s gaze shifted.
It looked back at me.
And then it smiled.
A voice invaded my mind, whispering words I couldn’t understand, yet they scraped against the edges of my sanity. Somehow, by sheer luck or willpower, I resisted, but my vision twisted violently as everything around me warped and spun.
I could barely stand. My legs wobbled beneath me as if the very ground rejected my presence.
Desperate to escape, I darted into the nearest house, stumbling my way into its basement. I collapsed against the wall, gasping for air, my chest heaving as sweat drenched my back.
What… did I just see?
I tried to recall the image of the smiling head, but my mind rejected it. The harder I tried to remember, the further it slipped away, as though my brain had deleted it to protect me. My body trembled at the mere attempt.
When I finally dared to look back, the head had returned to its screaming state. From a distance, no one else noticed it—but one of its hollow eyes remained fixed on the place where I had disappeared.
23 Hours Before the Cataclysm.
***
It took me three full hours for my mind to stabilize, yet the lingering dread refused to fade. I knew one more look at that thing would kill me.
Is it from a higher Realm? That was the only explanation I could come up with.
Outside, I could hear the chaos settling. The sound of beasts had grown quiet as the city finished cleaning up the monster wave. Their focus had returned to preparing for this grand, horrifying sacrifice.
I couldn’t allow it to continue. I had to do something to stop them.
Lying low in the basement, I opened the system and scrolled through my options. My mind flashed back to something I had once read about—a weapon.
A bomb.
I found it the Spiritual Bomb.
And there it was—an upgraded version that cost 10 gold.
I bought five of them.
Whatever they were planning, I had to stop it—even if it meant going bankrupt. Staying here would only make my plans more difficult.
As the bombs materialized in front of me, the system gave me a warning I couldn’t purchase more. The limit was five.
What a stingy system.
The bombs were simple lumps of iron—no holes, no pins. To detonate one, I needed to channel spiritual energy into it, and once the energy was fully infused, I’d have five seconds before it went off.
Five seconds to escape? Great.
Before putting my plan into action, I needed to recover my spiritual energy and calm my mind. I sat down and began to meditate, but almost immediately, I felt nauseous.
The spiritual energy in the air was tainted—infected by something. It felt sickening as I tried to draw it into my body like sludge polluting a once-pure stream. Even my passive energy gathering had slowed to a crawl.
What the hell are they doing here?
Just as I tried to figure out my next move, I heard explosions coming from the central area.
Climbing up to the second floor, I carefully peered out through a broken window.
I saw the rabbit—the same rabbit I had been with before—fighting against black-clothed figures. But she wasn’t alone. There were other beasts too a deer, a wolf, a tiger, and an enormous bear.
The beasts were ferocious, tearing through the Truth Seekers as if they were nothing. Even the monstrosities couldn’t withstand their onslaught.
But then I noticed something unusual. The black-clothed figure fighting the rabbit was different. I could sense spiritual energy emanating from him, but it wasn’t normal. It felt chaotic and unstable—a twisted, corrupted version of spiritual energy.
The rabbit wielded a hairpin as her weapon. Watching her fight, I finally realized—it was her.
The clash between her and the figure was intense, but she managed to block his attacks and landed a devastating blow, seriously injuring him. Clutching his wound, the figure began chanting something under his breath.
What happened next sent shivers down my spine.
The fallen Truth Seekers and monstrosities began dissolving, their bodies liquefying and pooling together into a single mass. In mere seconds, the mass coalesced, forming a grotesque humanoid monster.
It had five arms sprouting from different parts of its body, three legs supporting its distorted frame, and a mouth gaping wide on its stomach. Its head, however, was utterly featureless—no eyes, no ears, no mouth, just a blank, smooth surface.
“ROAR!”
The creature’s roar reverberated through the air, announcing its birth to the world. The sound came from its stomach.
I could feel the terror radiating from it, a primal fear that sank deep into my bones.
What is that thing?
The Realm reacted to the monstrosity, attempting to bind it like the python before, restricting its movements. It resisted, but unlike the python, this creature shrugged off the Realm’s grip with ease.
Soon, it turned its featureless head downward, focusing on the "ants" trying to obstruct its master’s plan.
With one devastating move, it unleashed a blast into the beast group. The others narrowly dodged, but the bear wasn’t as lucky. The impact sent it flying through five, maybe six houses—I couldn’t see beyond that.
Is it dead? I thought, panic seeping in.
The bear’s absence left the beasts at a severe disadvantage. What had once been an even fight was now tipping against them.
I have to help—but how?
My eyes darted to the black-clothed figure. He was still chanting, his lips moving furiously. The monstrosity seemed fully occupied with the beasts for now, but I knew the figure was the key to turning the tide.
Steeling myself, I left the house. The moment I stepped outside, an invasive voice slithered into my mind, scratching and clawing at my sanity. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to focus, and moved toward the chanting figure.
Several guards surrounded him, but I could sense they were ordinary humans. They were no threat to me.
I channeled energy into my legs, ignoring the voice growing louder and more insistent in my head, and leaped forward. My sudden attack caught the guards off guard.
An energy wave erupted from my blade, slashing through their ranks. Despite this, they threw their lives in front of my strike, buying the black-clothed figure precious seconds to prepare.
As my attack reached him, I felt an overwhelming resistance. My short-sword clashed against his energy barrier, but no matter how much I cut into it, the energy was replenished almost instantly.
His defense was fueled by sheer quantity, and I couldn’t match it.
Frustrated, I dropped my short sword. It was useless. Drawing my ice blade, I unleashed a chilling aura that froze the air around me.
The black-clothed figure faltered, his confidence visibly shaken. Desperation filled his eyes as he retaliated, sending several black orbs of energy flying toward me.
Not knowing what they did, I dodged instinctively.
The orbs expanded as they approached, creating fields of immense suction that devoured everything they touched. They blocked my path, forcing me to maneuver carefully to avoid being consumed.
Meanwhile, the monstrosity shifted its focus. It began lumbering toward the black-clothed figure, clearly responding to his command.
If that thing reaches him, I’m finished.
Time was running out.
Sending out an energy wave with the ice blade, frost trailed behind it, barely missing the black-clothed figure but slowing him down. One of his legs froze solid, anchoring him to the ground.
Without hesitation, he shattered his leg to escape, breaking free and leaping away.
I couldn’t let him get far.
Ignoring the burning pain as spiritual energy surged through my legs, threatening to tear my veins apart, I channeled everything I had and sprinted after him. His movements were clumsy now—his speed no match for mine.
“Wait—” he managed to sputter, likely to beg or stall for time.
I didn’t care. My ice blade sliced cleanly through him, cutting his body in two.
The moment his life ended, the monstrosity let out a distorted groan and began melting, its massive form collapsing back into black goo.
Breathing heavily, I turned my gaze to the beast group. They were regrouping, and to my surprise, the bear—though battered and bleeding—was alive. It had somehow survived the earlier devastating attack.
As I caught my breath, a deer approached me. It walked upright on two legs, its movements strangely human-like.
It lowered its head in a respectful bow. “Thank you for your help. Without you, my group would have been wiped out, and the Chaos Master’s plan would have succeeded.”
Its voice was deep and masculine—the group’s leader. The sight of a deer speaking and walking like a man was surreal, but I didn’t let it show on my face.
“Not a big problem. I owed the rabbit over there one,” I said casually, pointing toward the rabbit.
The deer looked momentarily stunned before a small, knowing smile crept onto its face. At least it recognized I wasn’t an enemy.
“But we need to move fast,” the deer said, urgency returning to its voice. It turned its head toward the massive 9-pointed star formation on the ground, with the screaming head etched at its center. “We have to destroy this formation, or the entire First Realm will be affected.”
The deer’s gaze shifted toward the bear. “Are the spiritual bombs still usable?”
The bear, still hunched and struggling to stay upright, shook its head. “They were damaged when I was hit.” It lowered its head, ashamed.
“WHAT?! Damaged? How are we supposed to destroy the formation now?!” Panic crept into the deer’s voice.
Hearing their rising desperation, I stepped forward and spoke up. “You mean these?”
I pulled out the lumps of iron—my spiritual bombs.
The moment they saw them, the deer and the others turned to me, wide-eyed and ecstatic.
“Can you lend us those spiritual bombs?” the deer asked, its voice trembling with both hope and urgency. “We can pay you back a hundred times over if you let us use them now!”
“A hundred times the deal?” I echoed, smirking faintly as I handed the bombs over.
“Done,” the deer said, already reaching for them as relief washed over its face.
I didn’t know how to use the spiritual bombs properly, so lending them to the beasts seemed wiser. They likely understood how to control them far better than I did.
The rabbit glanced at me curiously, as if trying to figure something out, but shook her head and let it go. With the mask covering my face, guessing my identity would be difficult.
For her, this was probably just a fleeting episode in a long life. But for me, it was far more significant. Forgetting a person or two along the way isn’t hard when you’ve lived as long as they probably have.
“You should escape the city,” the deer said, turning toward me. “I’m guessing you caused the beast wave? If so, thank you. It made infiltrating the city much easier.”
With that, the lumps of iron in their hands began to glow, brightening the surroundings. Then their silhouettes started turning transparent. I realized they were likely planning to leave this place as soon as the bombs detonated.
But then a thought struck me How will they pay me back? I didn’t even know who they were. It was too late to ask. The bombs were moments from going off.
I hurried toward the city gates, channeling as much spiritual energy as I could into my legs. I didn’t look back. A massive explosion suddenly roared behind me, a blinding wave of light expanding outward with no sign of stopping.
The ground trembled beneath me as I sprinted for my life. Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpsed the cages filled with prisoners—people who were broken beyond repair. I knew, deep down, that there was no saving them. After the horrors they had endured, death might be a kinder fate.
Finally, I crossed the threshold of the city. The explosion’s expansion halted, but an even greater shockwave erupted, shaking the earth. The blast sent me hurtling several meters through the air.
I hit the ground hard, gasping for breath. Looking back, I saw the city walls had absorbed most of the shockwave. If they hadn’t, I would’ve been reduced to ash.
I sighed, realizing I’d been tricked. The spiritual bombs had done their job, but at what cost? Who was this Chaos Master they mentioned? Was he the one behind the Truth Seekers?
20 Hours Before the Cataclysm.
At least their plan was stopped—thankfully. I had no interest in combing through the ruins. There was nothing left after that explosion.
19 Hours Before the Cataclysm.
I decided to return to the waterfall cave. Rest was all I needed.
18 Hours Before the Cataclysm.
The path was silent as I walked.
15 Hours Before the Cataclysm.
I slept in the safety of the cave, regaining my strength.
11 Hours Before the Cataclysm.
Time dragged on, my thoughts lingering on the events in the city.
8 Hours Before the Cataclysm.
Feeling restless, I set out to gather monster corpses, retracing my steps toward the battlefield.
But as I moved closer, an overwhelming sense of dread hit me like a physical blow. A dark, oppressive aura surged from the direction of the ruined city.
Every instinct screamed at me to run.
5 Hours Before the Cataclysm.
I turned around, my heart sinking, as I saw a black pillar of light erupt into the sky. It pulsed with an unnatural energy, its presence both oppressive and terrifying.
2 Hours Before the Cataclysm.
What is that? The question echoed in my mind, but no answer came.
Then, a sharp cracking sound pierced the air, followed by a deafening shatter. The black pillar seemed to fracture something unseen. The sky above darkened abruptly as if consumed by an encroaching void.
0 Hours Before the Cataclysm.
I didn’t fully understand what I had just witnessed, but one thing was clear—it marked the beginning of something far worse.
This wasn’t just the end for humans. It was the true apocalypse, threatening all races and every corner of existence.