Darkness enveloped a corridor, the flames burning on the walls becoming the only source of light.
An overturned sand ATV blocked the path of the corridor.
Not far from there, two black-haired young men lay sprawled, dressed entirely in white.
One of the young men with longer hair stirred, his eyes slowly opening, a groan escaping him as his body moved.
"Arghh…"
The young man held his head, his blurry vision gradually focusing, revealing the dark corridor.
He looked at his now dirty clothes and sniffed the air around him.
"Where is this?"
He scratched his head and looked at the overturned ATV he had been riding and the other young man lying unconscious beside him.
The long black-haired young man approached and looked at the one still lying unconscious.
He slapped the young man's cheeks.
"Hey, hey Alex, wake up."
A gust of wind hit his back, making the hairs on his neck stand.
He let out a breath and slapped harder.
Buk
Buk
Buk
Alex's unconscious cheeks turned red.
Slowly, his eyes opened.
He spat out the sand in his mouth.
"Puh…"
His eyes focused on the long black-haired young man.
"Ken?..."
Ken let out a breath.
"Damn it, wake up quickly! This place is creepy!"
Alex held his head and sat up.
He looked around.
His expression turned confused.
"Where is this? It looks ancient…"
Ken sat down on the ground, no longer caring about his dirty white robe.
"I don't know… this is the shortcut Katarina meant, right?"
Alex swallowed.
"So… we're the ones who have to get that flower?"
Ken grabbed his hair.
"We're dead…"
Alex sighed and tried shouting.
"Whoa!.."
His voice echoed, Ken smacked his head.
"Hey! What if you trigger something, idiot!"
Alex chuckled.
"What could even be here, right?"
Ken stared at Alex in disbelief.
Alex slowly stood up and flipped the overturned ATV.
Ken sighed.
"What are you doing?"
One of Alex's eyebrows raised as he looked at Ken.
"To the golden desert, right?"
Alex stuck a small paper with a symbol onto the ATV, and in an instant, the ATV disappeared.
Fwoosh
Alex exhaled.
"My mana's almost gone, damn…"
Ken stood up as well.
Alex looked forward and backward, both directions looking the same.
Ken asked Alex.
"So where are we going?"
Alex stroked his chin, speaking to the voice in his head.
'Is there any story about this tunnel, Krystal?'
Krystal sighed.
'There isn't. The people who returned from the golden desert said they found it by accident.'
Alex clicked his tongue.
Krystal continued.
'Just get out of here first. This place smells like death…'
A growling sound echoed just as Alex was about to decide where to go.
"Grrr…"
The sound of dragging footsteps was heard.
Alex and Ken looked in that direction.
Ken drew his katana.
"What is that?..."
Alex swallowed.
"How would I know…"
Alex pulled out a flashlight from his paper.
The growling sound grew closer.
When Alex shone the light into the darkness, dozens of figures appeared—some walking on the ground, others crawling on the ceiling.
Their bodies were rotting, liquid dripping from their eyes, a foul stench growing stronger, some missing limbs.
Their growls grew louder in the light.
Alex swallowed and looked at Ken.
Ken swallowed and looked at Alex.
Alex smiled.
He pointed in the opposite direction.
"I think we should go that way, right?"
Ken nodded firmly.
The undead who saw them screamed loudly.
"Akakkankakak"
They ran after Alex and Ken.
Their escape turned the once silent corridor noisy.
Alex pointed the flashlight forward to see their path.
Thud
Thud
Thud
From the ceiling above them, more undead appeared.
Alex and Ken shouted.
"Whoaaa!..."
"Damn….."
Their breaths grew ragged, sweat forming on their foreheads.
Alex swallowed and looked back, his eyes widening as he saw more undead.
Suddenly, his foot was caught by a hand emerging from the ground.
Alex's eyes widened as his face hit the ground.
Thud
Ken tried to help Alex, but undead emerged from both the ceiling and the ground.
Ken slashed them before they could fully appear.
Slash
Slash
Slash
Alex quickly looked back and pulled out all the papers and stones he had.
Throwing them while shouting.
"Eat this, you damn corpses!"
Thud
Thud
Thud
Everything he stored came out—blue fire, river stones, kinetic energy, shadow knives, food supplies, lake water.
The undead screamed, their bodies torn apart, but they still moved.
Ken, seeing Alex like that, shouted.
"Hey! Hey! Control yourself! Don't throw food, bastard!"
Alex gritted his teeth.
He pulled out a small stone with a symbol and threw it into the crowd of undead.
The stone glowed, and a giant statue blocked their path.
Boom!
The undead passed through the gaps created by the statue blocking the way.
Alex scratched his head and thought.
He pulled out paper and the ATV appeared.
The undead that got through began forming again, charging at Alex and Ken.
"Hold them for a moment, Ken!"
Ken gritted his teeth.
He slashed every undead that got through.
Alex got on the ATV and tried to start it.
Only the sputtering sound of the engine and flickering lights appeared.
Sweat poured down Alex's forehead, his hands becoming slippery.
Ken shouted as he held off the increasing undead.
Those on the ceiling began appearing again.
"Hurry up, bastard!"
Alex tried starting it frantically.
A rotten hand grabbed his shoulder from above, the smell of decay overwhelming.
Alex's eyes widened as he looked up.
Long black hair brushed his face.
Alex shouted.
"Whoaa…"
He punched the undead's head repeatedly.
Thud
Thud
Thud
The undead fell on top of him, Alex immediately threw it aside.
Ken shouted again as he was overwhelmed.
"Hurry up!"
Alex punched the ATV.
After several hits, the sound he desperately wanted to hear finally rang in his ears—the ATV's lights illuminated the dark corridor.
Alex shouted.
"GET ON, KEN!"
Ken kicked one undead and jumped onto the passenger seat, still holding his katana.
Alex pulled the throttle as hard as he could, the ATV roaring as it left the horde behind.
The wind hit Alex's face, a smile slowly forming, a soft chuckle escaping him.
"That was close, huh?"
Ken held his forehead with his left hand while his right still gripped the katana.
"Damn… I almost died, bastard!"
Alex clicked his tongue, the ATV engine becoming the dominant sound.
"Tch tch, you just needed to slash them with mana! Use your talent!"
Veins popped on Ken's forehead.
He grabbed Alex's neck from behind, causing the ATV to sway, almost hitting the wall.
"They're corpses, they don't have weak points!"
Alex struggled, steering with one hand.
"Guh… bastard! I'll crash this into the wall!"
Ken sighed and released him.
Ken wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Laughter came from Alex.
Slowly, Ken began to smile as well, and soon their laughter filled the corridor, competing with the engine.
"Hahaha"
"Hahaha"
Their laughter stopped as more undead appeared from the ceiling.
Ken frowned, slashing them all while the ATV continued moving.
After some time, Alex and Ken stopped.
The ATV's light no longer illuminated a path—only a staircase rising upward.
Ken got off the ATV, still gripping his katana tightly.
"Is that the exit?"
Alex looked up at the towering stairs.
"Maybe?"
Alex got off the ATV.
He wanted to store it back into the symbol paper, but hesitated.
He looked at Ken.
"Should I store it again?"
Ken shrugged, not caring.
Alex scratched his head.
"Katarina won't be mad, right? I mean, she'll replace it, right?"
Ken chuckled.
"I don't know."
Alex clicked his tongue and decided to leave it, his mana already low just from storing the ATV.
"Let's just leave it. Come on, let's climb."
Alex and Ken climbed the stairs.
Tok.
Tok.
Tok.
After a few steps, something blocked the way up.
Alex touched it hesitantly.
Sreet.
His eyes widened, his hand feeling something familiar.
He looked at his hand and at Ken.
"Sand… golden sand."
Ken followed, touching the golden sand.
He looked at his hand as grains fell.
"So we're already there?"
Alex scratched his cheek.
His right hand pierced into the sand, this time up to his shoulder.
His hand went through, wind brushing his palm.
His eyes widened.
"Wind…"
Ken swallowed.
Alex smiled.
"Push me."
Alex grabbed the surface sand, leaped, and Ken pushed him.
Above, Alex's hand wriggled, and a bulge formed.
It grew until Alex's head emerged, wind hitting his face as he looked around.
He inhaled deeply.
"Woahh"
He spat out sand.
"Puh"
He slowly pulled himself out, wind brushing his skin.
The blazing sun at its peak blinded him.
He swallowed and looked around.
Only the golden desert stretched endlessly, with a green forest in the middle.
Another bulge formed.
Ken's hand emerged.
Alex chuckled and pulled him out.
Thud
They both fell.
Ken's face showed confusion as he looked at the sand.
"So we're really here?"
Alex slowly stood, brushing off sand from his now stained white clothes.
He pointed toward the forest.
"Let's go there… seems like it's there."
Ken stood up.
"Yeah… better finish this quickly."
They walked slowly.
As soon as they stepped into the forest, a fresh breeze welcomed them.
The sunlight was blocked by trees, no sounds, no animals—only the rustling of leaves.
The golden sand gradually lessened.
A light shone through the trees.
They walked side by side.
As they approached the light, a strong gust hit them.
A vast green field spread out.
At its center stood a stage, bathed in sunlight, surrounded by black and white flowers.
On the stage sat two men.
Alex and Ken's eyes widened.
They looked at each other.
Alex gripped his robe.
"Is that the flower? The flower of life and death?"
Ken hesitated, then nodded slowly.
Alex pointed at the two figures.
"Then who are they?"
Ken sighed, shaking his head.
"How would I know? First time here."
Alex stroked his chin.
"Then… small talk and leave?"
Ken nodded.
"Small talk and leave."
They walked forward slowly, wind blowing their white robes.
—
The same strong wind hit a pink-haired girl and a white-haired young man standing side by side, looking at a tall building.
The girl twirled her hair with her fingers.
"So this is the place, Arthur?"
Arthur nodded.
"Yeah…."
Arthur looked at her.
"Was the restaurant really closed yesterday, Eve?"
Eve nodded.
"No people, no activity, even the door was locked."
She shrugged.
"I asked my father, and apparently it's completely empty."
Arthur scratched his neck.
"Let's do this quickly, this heat is killing me."
Eve chuckled.
"Yeah… let's meet the owner quickly."
They entered the skyscraper.
They took the elevator.
Their steps led to a door in a quiet hallway.
Arthur glanced left and right.
"Too quiet…"
Eve nodded.
"Yeah…"
Arthur knocked.
Knock knock knock
No answer.
He knocked again.
Knock knock knock
Still silence.
Arthur sighed and sprayed disinfectant on his hand.
They exchanged glances and nodded.
Arthur channeled mana into his leg.
Boom!
The door burst open.
A foul smell rushed out.
Arthur almost gagged, covering his nose.
Eve's eyes widened as she rushed in, covering her mouth.
Arthur shouted.
"Hey, wait!"
He followed.
Inside was a dim living room, sunlight filtering through thin curtains.
The smell grew stronger.
Arthur tiptoed forward.
Eve froze.
Arthur looked—and froze too.
There, hanging with hands suspended and feet off the ground, were twenty naked men and women.
Large claw wounds marked their bodies.
Liquid dripped from them, something small wriggling on their skin.
Arthur felt nauseous.
"Wuekk…"
He vomited.
Eve trembled, covering her mouth.
They reported it immediately.
Chaos followed.
Residents were evacuated, investigators arrived.
Arthur and Eve sat outside after questioning.
A cool breeze hit them, cold sweat on their backs.
Eve spoke first, voice trembling.
"That was horrifying…"
Arthur massaged his forehead.
"Damn… I won't sleep tonight."
Eve gripped her knees.
"What actually happened? Isn't this getting bigger?"
Arthur sighed, looking at the sky.
"You said Julian heard it from his head butler, right?..."
Eve nodded.
Arthur clicked his tongue.
"...then why is he the only one fine?"
Eve raised an eyebrow.
"What could that old man even do?"
Arthur brushed his hair.
"He's the only one unaffected, while his subordinates ended up like that…"
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"...even the restaurant they ate at was brutally killed."
Eve scratched her head.
She was about to speak when a voice interrupted.
"Eveline Jergis?"
They turned.
A man in a black robe approached.
Arthur stood.
"Who?"
The man pulled down his hood, revealing antennae from his bald head.
Eve stood.
"Beastman?"
Arthur scratched his temple.
"What is a beastman doing here?"
The man took a breath and pulled out a pin with blue flames on a dark red background, handing it to Eve.
Eve took it, eyes widening.
"Rina?"
She looked at him.
He nodded.
"I'm Sahir Al-Nahl. I was sent by Princess Katarina."
Arthur and Eve exchanged looks, then looked at Sahir.
Sahir smiled slightly.
"Do you have a moment?"