The wind whispered, but the sea raged. Waves churned by battles and the Unknowns created a chaotic spectacle. The entire sea was dyed a gruesome reddish-brown. The scent of the sea seemed to vanish completely, overwhelmed by the stench of blood in the wind and the screams of victims mingling with the roars of monsters.
The three of them arrived at Hải Hòa in the late afternoon. From a distance, the sea looked like a mess of ash—gray, dense, and lifeless. Waves of blood continuously crashed onto the black sand, carrying fragments of shipwrecks and the mangled remains of both humans and Unknowns, creating a horrifying battlefield. Each gust of wind carried the putrid breath of death, seeping into every corner, clinging to the skin.
The area that once sheltered survivors was now nothing but ruins. Along the roads, human and Unknown corpses lay piled upon each other like lifeless mounds, decaying under the setting sun. Flies buzzed around, landing on open wounds, creating a disgusting symphony of decomposition. Tattered tents flapped in the wind like mourning flags, proclaiming the destruction of an era. Overturned vehicles with fresh, uncoagulated bloodstains marked the ground, grim testimonies to the recent massacre. A thick layer of smoke and dust covered the sky, obscuring the last rays of daylight, making everything gloomy and bleak. The air was thick with the stench of death, the smell of fear and despair.
The safe zone had been completely crushed! Buildings had collapsed, leaving only broken concrete skeletons reaching towards the sky like the bony fingers of a dead giant. Everywhere were signs of fierce fighting: walls riddled with holes, metal fragments scattered around, and black burn marks blotching the ground.
"We're too late…" Nam said with a mournful expression, his voice lost in the whistling wind and the eerie silence of a place that had just experienced the apocalypse.
Circle of Death
Amidst the twilight of late afternoon, as the last rays of sunlight struggled to fall on the horizon, they only served to highlight the tragic scene.
On the black sand beach was a chaotic jumble formed by the corpses of humans and Unknowns, arranged in a massive circle, a gruesome setup that filled anyone who saw it with horror. It wasn't just a pile of bodies, but a circle of death, a horrifying memorial to the fallen souls. In the center of that circle lay a girl, her once fiery red hair dulled and matted with blood and dirt. She had collapsed on the sand, her eyes staring blankly into the void. Beside her, a staff broken in two was stuck in the ground like a stake, a symbol of failure and despair.
Hundreds of monsters were silently closing in on the exhausted girl—mangled pieces of flesh with festering mutations, incomplete bodies with extremely horrifying details, their red eyes flickering like fireflies in the night, filling anyone who saw them with terror. They didn't growl or attack frantically, but slowly, deliberately crawled forward, like ghosts from hell, increasing the horror and feeling of helplessness. The heavy footsteps, the scraping on the sand, and the ghastly sounds emanating from their throats were the only things breaking the deadly silence of the twilight…
Seeing this, Nghĩa immediately unleashed "Shadow Step"—gliding forward like a shadow, slashing and clearing away the Unknowns approaching the girl lying there. His blade sliced through the air, tearing the night and leaving trails of blue light. Each strike carried terrifying power, turning the monsters into minced meat.
Without hesitation, Nam slammed his shield into the ground, erecting "Stone Pillar Shield," a sturdy stone wall blocking the entire western front—where the monsters appeared most densely. The sound of breaking rocks echoed as a solid wall rose, stopping the surging flood of Unknowns and creating a solid shield for his teammates.
Hoa rushed over to check on the red-haired girl, her eyes anxiously scanning her injured body. Then, her voice cried out, breaking with joy and relief:
"She's alive! She's alive!" Hoa's voice rang out amidst the chaos like a rare ray of hope.
She immediately planted her staff in the ground and used the Healing Wave skill. A hemispherical barrier emitting an emerald light mist spread out, covering a 12-meter radius around the faltering red-haired girl, enveloping her in the embrace of life. The soothing light spread, dispelling some of the coldness of the battlefield. The girl's face gradually brightened as if life was slowly returning.
Wrath of the Gods
The red-haired girl suddenly opened her eyes, her pupils blazing with a fierce purple light, a mysterious energy igniting within them. Her body instantly released terrifying Mana.
"NO! AREN'T YOU ALL DEAD YET!!!" she screamed in a frenzy, raising both hands to the sky.
The girl roared madly, her whole body glowing. Mana surged around her, and suddenly… the sky darkened, gray clouds rushing in, swirling together. The wind howled, roaring like a wounded beast, carrying dust and debris. Then, fiery tornadoes gradually formed, growing in strength, ferocious pillars of fire reaching towards the black sky. A clap of thunder shook the space, an earth-shattering sound tearing through the night. Following that, thunderous rain poured down, combined with violent fire tornadoes, making the entire space look like the wrath of the gods engulfing the battlefield. Lightning struck repeatedly, slicing across the sky, terrifying explosions echoed everywhere, combined with the raging pillars of fire devouring everything in their path.
"Careful!" Hoa yelled a warning, her voice almost lost in the roar of the magical storm. Immediately, she activated the Mental Shield skill. A transparent purple barrier surrounded her teammates, absorbing the damage of the falling thunderbolts, protecting them from destruction. Approximately two-thirds of the Unknowns were wiped out after the storm, their bodies dissolving in the lightning and flames, leaving pools of ash on the black sand.
The red-haired girl's body collapsed immediately afterward. Her mana was instantly drained—her breathing slowed, weak as if she were stepping into eternity…
Hoa immediately used her Mana Recovery skill. A green energy flow from her magic staff went straight to the dying red-haired girl. Her face gradually brightened, and her breathing returned to normal.
Nam shielded them with the Defensive Pillar skill, blocking all the attacks from the front of the Unknowns. He slammed his shield into the ground, creating a fan-shaped barrier in front.
Nghĩa quickly returned to the battle, his sharp eyes scanning the chaotic battlefield. He activated Stealth. His body seemed to merge into the darkness, disappearing without a sound, even his breathing seemed to stop. He glanced around quickly, then stopped at the massive Alpha Unknown leading the low-level Unknowns. Beside it were two hideous Elite Unknowns, their muscles bulging and their eyes glowing red. His eyes locked onto the clear "weak points" all over the bodies of both the Alpha Unknown and the two Elite Unknowns, like an eagle locking onto its prey.
Shadow Step! – A "whoosh" like the wind sounded, and Nghĩa had vanished from his original position. The moment he appeared behind the left Elite Unknown, his eyes began to glow with an eerie purple light.
"Found it…!" – He whispered softly. Weak Point Detection actively triggered, a brightly glowing "weak point" focused right on the top of its head, like a spotlight guiding the scythe of death.
Vitality Strike! – The two Shadow Flow daggers drew a dazzling cross in the air, shooting down like lightning bolts, aiming straight at the Core in the Elite Unknown's head. It let out a miserable screech, a heartbreaking sound echoing across the beach. Thick black fluid poured from its head like a spring after Nghĩa withdrew his daggers and vanished into the void with Shadow Step once more. He appeared right at the feet of the right Elite Unknown, his speed so fast that the naked eye couldn't catch it. Vitality Strike! A purple light flashed and flew straight into its Core. In just 3 short seconds, the two Unknowns didn't even have time to react before their massive bodies crashed onto the sand, creating two deafening "THUMP" sounds.
Next, without a second's delay, Nghĩa targeted the last Alpha Unknown. He activated Shadow Step, like a phantom streaking forward, appearing swiftly behind the Alpha. Then, a blinding purple light flashed, his sharp daggers aimed straight at the back of its neck, where its Core was hidden.
"CLANG!"
A deafening sound rang out, like metal striking stone. A spiderweb of cracks spread across its Core from the point of impact, like a deadly net. A pale purple fluid oozed out, fishy and viscous, but not enough to finish off the hideous creature. Nghĩa gritted his teeth slightly, his eyes flashing with determination mixed with a hint of surprise. He leaped back half a step, his body like a tightly drawn bowstring.
"Not dead yet? Then…" His voice was low, full of killing intent.
"SHADOW ANNIHILATION!" he roared, his voice tearing through the air. Then, he charged straight at the Core deep in the back of its neck, faster than lightning.
His whole body flashed a brilliant purple, a terrifying energy exploding. Darkness like a swirling black tornado surrounded Nghĩa, all the light from the surrounding environment seemed to be sucked in, converging at the tip of the Shadow Flow daggers, making them emit a deadly aura.
"Time to end this!" His voice rang out coldly, like the final judgment of death.
The Shadow Flow daggers plunged straight into the already cracked weak point.
"BOOM!!!"
An earth-shattering sound echoed across the beach. The entire upper body of the Unknown exploded into thousands of pieces, blood, flesh, and fluid spraying through the air, dyeing the twilight sky red.
Nghĩa landed right on the Alpha Unknown's corpse, taking a heavy breath. He had finished off the last monster—the stab completely shattered the Alpha Unknown's neck and jaw, causing it to lose its original form. Body parts and fragments of the Core were scattered across the beach, like remnants of a nightmare that had just vanished. All of this took place in less than 6 seconds.
From a distance, Nam muttered, his voice full of surprise mixed with admiration:
"Holy crap… He took out those three already… Appearing and disappearing like that is terrifying."
The red-haired girl, though still exhausted, was gradually recovering thanks to continuous support spells from Hoa. She slowly tried to stand up, her eyes blurred with fatigue but still shining with a spark of will to return to the battle.
After that, they continued to sweep, clearing out the remaining Unknowns scattered around. They moved in harmony, each step sure, not missing any threat.
After nearly 3 hours of non-stop fighting, the Unknowns were finally completely cleared, only the wind blowing across the desolate beach. The entire beach returned to an eerie silence, but the strong smell of blood and decaying flesh could not be dispelled, it still clung to the air, a reminder of the tragedy that had just taken place.
Nghĩa approached the girl, his expression still cold but his eyes softened somewhat. Her red hair, matted with blood and dirt, fell over one eye, partially obscuring her gaunt face. Around her neck was a charred lucky charm.
"Your name?" Nghĩa asked briefly, his deep voice resonating in the silent space.
The girl didn't answer immediately, only whispered, her voice weak and broken: "I tried… but no one… no one… huhuhu."Before she could finish, she choked up and burst into tears, the drops rolling down her dirt-streaked cheeks, mingling with dried blood and grime. She hung her head in pain, her hands still clutching the broken magic staff, as if embracing her own despair and self-blame for being too weak.
Hoa stepped forward, gently placing a hand on her shoulder, her eyes full of sympathy and understanding.
"We are a small group that has traveled through the northern provinces and are gradually moving south. We had just finished a Boss dungeon in Ninh Bình when we received the emergency notification about the Unknown wave in Hải Hòa. We rushed here to help as soon as we heard the news. I'm sorry, we were a step too late…" Hoa explained, her voice soft as if trying to soothe the girl's pain.
Hương said nothing, only looked at Hoa, her eyes filled with tears, then whispered:
"Thank you for coming – But…" Her voice choked, unable to form words. Hoa immediately hugged her, a tight embrace as if wanting to convey warmth and empathy.
"I have no one left… I've lost everything. They were all massacred by the Unknowns." - Hương said in pain, her words tearing at the hearts of those who heard them.
Nghĩa spoke, his voice firm:
"Then from now on… adventure with us… okay?" A simple invitation, but carrying the weight of shared loss.
Nam also spoke, his words carrying the sincerity and simplicity of a mountain person, yet touching the depths of her soul:
"Everyone here has experienced loss. But we have all moved forward strongly.
Nam looked directly at Hương, his eyes resolute.
"Keep moving forward, transform your pain and loss into rage, your fear into fury, and use them to destroy all those Unknowns out there!"
Hoa and Nghĩa, as if empowered by Nam's words, shouted in unison, their voices echoing with determination:
"Until the blood of the Vietnamese no longer falls on Vietnamese soil!"
Ái Hoa knelt down, gently grasping her shoulder, her eyes looking straight into Hương's sorrowful eyes:
"We can't change the past… but you can move forward – Be strong. Think of the survivors out there."
Inside Hương, a flame of hope suddenly ignited in the seemingly endless darkness, then shone brightly, illuminating the space within her, dispelling the darkness of despair. Hương stood up abruptly, her eyes burning with a determined will to fight for the living, for the dead. The moment Hương stood up, a pillar of mana erupted from her body, like an affirmation of her rebirth.
"I will not let their deaths be meaningless. From now on, wherever there are Unknowns, there will be a fire that burns them to ashes!" Hương declared firmly, her voice full of determination and anger.
All four of them shouted in unison, their oath echoing across the beach:
"Until the blood of the Vietnamese no longer falls on Vietnamese soil!"
The girl looked up, her purple eyes gleaming from under her fallen hair, a smile blooming on lips that had been hardened by suffering.
"I am Hương. A Quad-Elemental Sorceress. But… currently I have only learned two elements: Lightning and Fire." She introduced herself, her voice containing sincerity.
"I Swear! I will Destroy the Unknowns in my path, so that no one else has to become their victim!" Hương said, clenching her fists.
She smiled, her body battered, but her eyes full of resilience.
"Let's help each other. Everyone."
Hoa hugged Hương tightly, saying happily:
"Finally, I have an older sister! Haha!" A warm moment dispelling the coldness of the battlefield.
"Let's help each other." Nam and Nghĩa smiled, their eyes meeting with trust and determination.
The group then silently looked at the beach covered in corpses, where thousands of souls had fallen. Their eyes no longer burned with anger, only deep sorrow for the immense loss. A new chapter had begun, with a vow to fight to the end.
System Update:
Ting!
[NEW MEMBER HAS JOINED THE PARTY]
CHARACTER PROFILE – HƯƠNG.
Class: Sorceress
Level: 15
Rank: A+
Title: Furious Sorceress
Class: Sorceress
Element: Multi-Elemental
Role: Damage Dealer – Area Control
Skills:
Turn to Ash.
Launches a large, deeply spiraling fireball. Upon impact, it explodes, scattering fire around and causing widespread burning for 5 seconds.
Effect: "Deep Burn" – persistent, difficult to extinguish
Combination: Use with "Lightning Annihilation" to create Fire Tornado & Thunderstorm effect – ideal for defending against waves of Unknowns.
Lightning Annihilation.
Summons lightning from the sky to strike a 4-meter radius, causing paralysis and significant damage.
Paralysis: 2.5s for normal monsters, 0.5s for Elites/Bosses.
Combination: With "Turn to Ash" → combined elemental weather effect.
Mana Burn.
Type: Passive
30% chance to burn 200 mana from the attacker when attacked by magic. Does not affect Bosses.
Equipment:
"Broken Lightning" Staff – B+ (Severely Damaged)
"Fire Rune" Cloak – B
"Destruction Stone" Ring – B+