The sky trembled as two powerful beings faced each other. One glowed with silver light, while the other was covered in black mist that swallowed the light around him.
The ground shook. Every soldier — elf or undead — could feel it in their bones.
The Grand Elf Elder Vexus narrowed his eyes. "Fifth Seat Cane… you old demon," he said, his voice cold and steady. "It's been three thousand years since we last met. This time, I'll make sure your existence ends here."
Cane, the Fifth Seat of Paradox, only laughed. His voice echoed like a thousand screams in the wind.
"Ha! You still talk too much, Vexus. Do you even know why we appeared again? You'll beg for your life before the end of this battle!"
Vexus didn't answer. He raised his sword — its blade glowing with pure moonlight — and shouted:
> "Moonlight Elven Slash!"
A massive arc of silver light cut through the air, leaving a trail that split the clouds above.
Cane grinned and crossed his black claws together, dark energy building around him.
> "Claw of Destruction!"
When the two attacks met, the world exploded.
A shockwave swept across the battlefield — trees shattered, rocks broke apart, and both elves and undead were thrown into the air. The sound was deafening. Every second, hundreds of lives vanished in the chaos.
Haru fell to one knee, covering his face from the blast. The wind felt like a blade cutting through his skin.
When the dust finally cleared, Vexus was still standing, his body covered in wounds but his eyes burning with determination. Cane's figure had already disappeared into the far distance — drawn away by Vexus himself.
Haru realized what had happened.
> "He lured the demon away," he whispered.
The Grand Elder had sacrificed his own safety to pull the battle far from the main army — saving thousands from being caught in the middle.
Every elf on the field looked at the horizon, where flashes of light and darkness continued to collide miles away.
Haru clenched his fist.
> "So this is what power really looks like," he said quietly.
The battle between the armies still raged. Even with Vexus and Cane gone, the clash of steel and bone never stopped. Screams, explosions, and the sound of cracking earth filled the air.
Haru stood in the middle of it — surrounded by endless waves of undead.
He could still see flashes of light in the far horizon, where Vexus and Cane were fighting miles away.
Watching them made something burn inside him.
That overwhelming power... that pressure... it didn't make him afraid — it made him want more.
He gripped his sword tighter.
> "If that's the strength of the top... then I'll get there too."
Then he moved.
A blur of red aura and silver steel cut through the battlefield. One swing, ten kills. Another step, another hundred. Within moments, two hundred undead had fallen beneath his blade.
Every strike was clean, fast, and merciless.
But then — the air shifted.
A heavy, ancient mana pressed down around him. Haru stopped, his instincts screaming.
From the haze of dust and fire, a tall figure appeared — an undead samurai, his armor black as night and his blade glowing faintly with cursed energy.
> "...You're different, human," the undead spoke, his voice low and cold. "Too calm for someone standing in the middle of death."
Haru raised his sword slowly, eyes focused.
The undead's red eyes narrowed.
> "I am Shifu, one of the Four Generals of Paradox."
Haru silently activated his system.
> [Target Detected: Shifu – Level 80 – Undead Type: Samurai]
'Level 80...' Haru muttered in his head. 'This one's different.'
Shifu tilted his head, his gaze shifting as his pupils glowed with mana. He was scanning Haru's energy — the aura of life that every undead could see.
But then — his expression changed.
> "What…? I can't see it." He frowned. "No mana flow… no aura… how can that be?"
He paused, then smirked.
> "Must be an artifact. Let's see if it can save you."
In a flash, Shifu vanished — moving faster than the eye could follow. His blade cut the air where Haru had stood — but Haru had already moved.
> "B-Rank Skill: Flash Step."
In a blink, Haru appeared right in front of the undead. His sword came down in a powerful arc, sparks flying as their weapons clashed.
The shockwave blew the dust away.
Shifu's eyes widened slightly.
> "This human… his eyes. There's no fear. No emotion."
Their blades collided again — steel against cursed iron — echoing across the battlefield like thunder.
> Clang! Clang! Clang!
They were evenly matched in speed, but Haru's calmness, his precision, was unnatural. Every move felt measured — perfect.
For the first time in centuries, Shifu felt something he hadn't known since his death — excitement.
> "Good…" he said through a cold grin. "Show me more, human."
The clash of steel echoed through the dead forest.
Sparks danced in the air as Haru and Shifu's blades met again and again — both refusing to give an inch.
Shifu was faster, stronger, higher in level.
But Haru — every movement he made was exact.
No wasted breath. No hesitation. Only pure instinct honed by endless battles.
Shifu snarled, the flames in his eyes flaring.
> "How… how could a mere human fight on equal footing with me?! Your level is nothing compared to mine!"
Haru didn't answer. His face was calm — eyes sharp like the blade he held.
Every swing, every parry, it was as if he could see through Shifu's next move.
> Clang!
Clash!
Sparks exploded in the air!
The ground beneath them shattered with every step. Shifu leapt high, bringing his cursed blade down with both hands. Haru blocked with his shield, sliding back through the dirt but never losing balance.
> "You're not human," Shifu growled, his voice rising with fury. "You're a monster!"
Haru lowered his stance.
> "If that's what it takes to survive… then so be it."
The undead general roared — his blade gathering black mist and death mana.
> "Black Dust Blade!"
A massive dark wave erupted from Shifu's sword, cutting the ground apart and swallowing everything in its path.
The world went silent for a moment — until the mist cleared.
Haru stood there, unmoving. His body wrapped in faint golden light.
> Heaven Barrier.
The wave hadn't even scratched him.
Shifu froze, disbelief spreading across his face.
> "W-What…? My attack… didn't even break your defense?"
Haru looked up slowly.
> "It's my turn."
In that instant, his aura flared crimson.
> "B-Rank Skill — Mana Reinforce."
"A+ Rank Skill — Aura Blade."
His sword ignited in blazing red light — brighter than blood, sharper than flame.
He moved.
One flash — and Shifu's right arm flew through the air.
> "Wha—?!"
Black blood spilled across the battlefield. Shifu staggered back, clutching the stump.
> "You… you bastard!"
He swung his left hand, channeling dark energy — but before the spell even formed, Haru's blade moved again.
Another flash. Another scream.
His other arm hit the ground.
> "H-how?! How could this—"
Shifu's words cut short. His vision twisted.
For a moment, he saw the world spinning. His body… was still standing.
And his head — was already falling.
The last thing the undead general saw was Haru's cold, calm eyes staring down at him — not with hatred, not with joy, but with the silent understanding of a warrior who had long accepted death.
The head hit the ground with a dull thud.
Silence followed.
The wind carried the last of the black dust away.
> [System Notification: You have defeated Shifu – General of the Paradox.]
[Experience Gained: +950,000 XP]
[Level Up! Level 76 → Level 78]
Haru exhaled slowly, lowering his sword.
The battlefield was quiet again — the world painted in gray and red.
He whispered under his breath,
> "Even death can be cut."