Legions of Death
Black energy spread through the night streets of Shenyang, China, like mist over water. At first, no one noticed. People just felt a bit heavier, a little dizzy, nothing more. Commuters rushing home stared at their phone screens, couples wandered arm-in-arm between street vendors. Then the stray dogs started barking for no reason.
And in the next instant—
BOOOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the earth. From a shadowy alley in a quiet corner of the city, the black energy erupted violently.
"Wh-what the hell?!"
"Monster! Run!"
"Kyaaah!"
Abnormal mana reaction detected. Sirens wailing across downtown.
Cars slammed into each other in panic, crowds tangled in chaos—the streets turned to hell in seconds. The black energy surged like a tsunami, raging between buildings.
"Gah! C-can't... breathe...!"
"Help..."
People writhed in agony before collapsing. People's Liberation Army players arriving late stared in horror.
"Damn it, what the hell is going on?!"
They checked the fallen civilians, eyes widening. A woman with the Operator class pulled out her measuring device and tapped it.
"Mana anomaly confirmed. Looks like a toxic gas spreading through the air."
"From that black explosion earlier?"
"Yeah. It's not exactly toxic gas, but it's just as lethal to people."
A burly brawler grimaced and waved his hand.
"HP's dropping steadily. No issue for players, but for normals, it's fatal."
"Low-level players too. My skin's already cracking."
A woman in mage robes rubbed her arm, frowning. The man at the front shouted.
"No time for chit-chat! Rescue the civilians first!"
That's when a wriggling motion stirred in the alley. The Operator pointed at the dark corner.
"Something's there!"
"Wh-what is that... undead?"
The brawler furrowed his brow. A pale-skinned figure with unfocused eyes shambled out, arms dangling limply.
"Grraaah!"
It spotted the players and roared, mouth gaping. The leader drew his sword from his waist.
"One enemy. Stay calm and att—"
In that moment, countless undead surged from the darkness like a wave.
"Gyaah!"
Ambushed from both sides, the players fell without resistance. These weren't ordinary undead. Immensely strong, wielding weapons and skills. In seconds, his comrades were down, leaving the leader alone, eyes bulging in disbelief.
"Y-you! No way, a player—guhk!"
A massive greatsword pierced his heart. Slither.
From the black, puddle-like shadow rose a robed figure.
"Well done, my servants."
His unseen gaze turned toward the approaching army—tanks, armored vehicles, armed players.
"New entertainment arrives."
He curled his lips in malice. The players halted at the black shapes rising from the ground.
"Monster! Battle stations!"
"Wait... isn't that the Lord of the Necro Kingdom, Nevaros?!"
"The undead necromancer Nevaros?!"
"Shit, no warning about a world boss!"
"R-report to command now!"
Gazing at the panicked players, the world boss Nevaros emanated black energy from his entire body. He extended a hand toward the player forces.
"Rise and obey my command."
His deep voice reverberated through the air. Corpses on the ground began twisting upright—players and civilians alike, slain by the black mist.
"Damn! Retreat's cut off!"
"W-we're done...!"
The PLA players were surrounded in an instant by hordes of corpses.
"......An intriguing toy. A magic device for contacting the outside?"
Nevaros's gaze flickered with interest at the man on the radio, but only briefly. He stomped the ground with one foot and raised a hand.
"Behold salvation!"
Grind.
Skeleton warriors of gleaming white bone clawed their way through solid asphalt. Ordinary-looking skulls, but each matched a D-rank player's stats. Over a thousand of them.
"Th-the numbers are overwhelming!"
"Hold the line! Reinforcements are coming!"
"Gyaah!"
The army of the dead swept over the players like a storm. Frontline shields held desperately, but rotting hands clung atop, shoving with brute force. Swords and spears clashed in metallic shrieks. Magic and flashes from players and undead poured forth.
Amid the struggle, one player alone fended off the undead with seasoned skill.
Bam! Boom!
He darted across the battlefield, smashing skulls with his fists.
"Standing around changes nothing. You gonna give up without fighting?"
"Ooh, as expected of an S-rank!"
The players' faces lit up. But—
Splat—
"Guhk!"
Nevaros's icy scythe pierced the S-rank's heart. They groaned.
"......Fine material."
The players' ace became the enemy's in a heartbeat. The survivors tasted utter despair.
Shenyang had become hell. Screams echoed without end. People fled desperately for life as helicopters spewed fire from the sky before crashing into buildings. Massive explosions devoured structures whole.
BOOOOM!
"Kyaaah!"
Shattered helicopter debris flew, hot blast waves scorching faces. Bone dragons spewed crimson-black breath relentlessly. Black energy from somewhere eroded the streets.
"Gack! Guh!"
"Groooar..."
Citizens convulsing rose with vacant eyes. Millions-strong undead legions pursued the living.
"Raaargh!"
Boom!
Lead Death Knights cleaved tank battalions with greatswords. Fighters screamed overhead, bombing the ground.
Whiiiine!
But even they were shot down by Nevaros's chains piercing the sky.
Clank—BOOM!
The world felt apocalyptic. Yet people clung to hope.
"Just a bit farther!"
"We'll be out of Shenyang soon!"
The straight highway ahead was littered with wrecked cars. Almost free. That's when—
Slash!
People out front were bisected. Something impossibly fast blocked their path—a headless knight astride a flaming warhorse. Nevaros's summon, the Dullahan.
"Ahh..."
Some dropped to their knees. An S-rank nightmare even for top players. Their despair was sliced away before it fully bloomed.
Neigh!Clop-clop.
The Dullahan finished and galloped across fields to the next escape route.
"Groooar..."
Corpses risen on escape paths awaited fresh victims. Shenyang was perfectly sealed.
"Rise, my servants."
Nevaros surveyed the ruined city. Endless undead lined behind him, numbers swelling.
"Salvation is not yet over."
The Lord of the Necro Kingdom, undead necromancer Nevaros, marched into mainland China with his vast army.
I'd partied all night and lay sprawled in bed despite the bright midday sun. Just recalling last night sent shivers of delight through me. Clutching my pillow tight, legs crossed and kicking, I nuzzled into it.
"Mmm..."
Savoring the afterglow against the pillow—then my phone rang.
"...?"
Choi Ah-rin. Tch, bad timing. Grumbling inwardly, I answered anyway. Her usual cheerful voice.
"Sertina! How have you been?"
"Mmph..." Too well, that's the problem. I shifted comfortably, pulling the blanket to my chin.
Her tone grew cautious.
"Ah... were you sleeping?"
"I'm in bed, but awake. Exhausted from last night till dawn, body feels languid."
"So, what's up?"
"Just some news I thought you'd want to hear."
"What?"
Eyes closed, I focused on her voice. The blanket, warm from my body heat, felt cozy.
"Word is a world boss appeared in Shenyang, China. Nevaros or something—not all that strong."
World boss... China... My foggy mind pieced it together.
"Tell them to handle it themselves. Don't they have over 30 million players there?"