Silence.
So deep that it felt like pressure building inside the ears.
Raijin blinked, as if someone had suddenly muted the entire world. There was no rustling of wind, no movement within the fog. Everything felt frozen… like a still image.
He tried to speak.
"Is everyone alri—"
The words left his lips… but no sound followed.
He tried again—
But this time, he couldn't even feel his own words.
As if sound didn't just disappear outside…
…but inside as well.
Even his heartbeat—
He couldn't hear it anymore.
Only pressure remained…
As if the silence itself had settled inside his mind.
Strangely, he wasn't afraid.
Not even surprised.
This feeling was familiar.
As if he had experienced this void… this silence… somewhere before.
Raijin looked at his hands. His fingers trembled slightly, but his body was still functioning. No new wounds—aside from his shoulders. His heart was pounding violently, even if he couldn't hear it. Something inside his chest felt compressed… like an unseen force was counting his breaths.
The fog surrounded him—
…but it wasn't moving.
What is happening…
Zenn had said this would only be an A-Rank monster.
But whatever stood before them…
felt far more dangerous.
Raijin scanned his surroundings.
Sofiya lay collapsed to one side. After her injury, she clearly wasn't in good condition.
Ishan and Kade were barely standing. Their breaths were broken, unstable.
Raijin muttered to himself—
No… this isn't the time to hesitate.
His eyes locked onto every direction, prepared for an attack at any moment.
Even though he couldn't hear anything…
he forced himself to feel everything.
He looked at Ishan and Kade.
His lips moved.
"Ishan… Kade… if you can hear me… one of you take Sofiya and get outside the seven-meter range. The other… stay with me."
Ishan and Kade looked at him.
They heard nothing.
But from his gestures…
they understood enough.
Kade glanced at Ishan—telling him to leave with Sofiya.
Ishan wanted to protest…
but immediately understood.
Kade would be far more effective staying here, distracting the Grim Howler Wraith. If Ishan stayed, he might only become a hindrance.
Ishan met Kade's eyes, silently encouraging him…
then lifted Sofiya and began moving out of the seven-meter range.
At that moment—
The fog shifted.
The Grim Howler Wraith attacked.
But before it could reach Ishan—
Kade jumped in.
His hammer struck with force.
The moment it hit—
his wrist vibrated violently.
As if he hadn't struck something solid…
but flowing air.
And then—
The impact came.
Delayed.
Heavy.
The Wraith's body flickered for a moment—
then was thrown back, dissolving into the fog again.
Kade and Raijin locked eyes.
No words.
Yet both understood.
Every time—
after every strike—
it vanished.
But—
its scream…
never stopped.
Raijin's eyes narrowed.
Something is wrong.
He stood straight.
Relaxed his entire body.
He wasn't in a combat stance.
He simply stood there.
As if inviting the Wraith to attack him.
Suddenly—
It struck.
But Kade intercepted again—
his hammer smashing into the Wraith's face.
Sometimes Raijin moved forward.
Sometimes Kade.
They kept switching positions constantly—
intentionally drawing attacks toward themselves.
Their movements had no pattern—
on purpose.
Sometimes Raijin stepped in.
Sometimes Kade.
Sometimes both opened themselves—
like easy prey.
But every time—
at the last second—
they switched.
One second late—
and death was guaranteed.
One small mistake—
and one of them would die.
But their eyes said the same thing—
Don't stop.
Meanwhile, the Grim Howler Wraith screamed repeatedly.
Each scream felt like countless needles piercing the brain.
But now—
it wasn't as overwhelming as before.
They trusted each other completely.
Then—
The Wraith lunged at Raijin.
Kade moved in—
but this time—
his strike passed through.
The Wraith's claws pierced straight into Raijin's abdomen.
His breath shattered instantly.
His eyes widened.
Pain came—
but not fully.
As if his body couldn't decide…
how much pain to feel.
His knees hit the ground.
His sword nearly slipped—
but he tightened his grip again.
Falling to his knees, clutching his stomach.
The fog shifted again.
The Wraith disappeared.
"Kade—"
No sound came.
Kade rushed toward him—
But at that moment—
The fog tore open.
The Wraith appeared—
and struck Kade's waist with full force.
His body was launched into the air—
and as he hit the ground…
the fog swallowed everything again.
Silence returned.
So deep that Raijin could feel his heartbeat like a hammer—
even though no sound existed.
His fingers dug into the ground.
Blood spread beneath his palm—
but the pain felt distant.
He slowly lifted his head.
The fog…
was still unmoving.
As if the world had stopped breathing.
In the distance—
Kade lay on the ground, trying to rise using his hammer.
Deep wounds marked his waist.
Raijin looked at him…
then stood up.
He tightened his grip on the sword.
This time—
he took no stance.
He simply stood.
The fog moved—
slightly.
Raijin's eyes locked onto it instantly.
A shadow—
both there…
and not there.
Then—
Flash.
The Grim Howler Wraith appeared.
Its claw aimed straight for Raijin's chest—
Raijin didn't move.
At the last moment—
he raised his sword.
Clang—!!
The impact cracked the ground beneath his feet.
At that instant—
the Wraith's body—
was completely solid.
A spark flashed in Raijin's eyes.
He swung toward the Nexus Seed—
but the Wraith leapt back.
Kade roared and attacked from the side—
his hammer crashing into its shoulder.
Boom—!!
This time—
it didn't pass through.
Impact.
The Wraith staggered.
"Now!!"
Raijin shouted—
though no sound came.
But Kade understood.
As always.
Raijin stepped forward—
a direct thrust.
His blade pierced toward the Wraith's chest—
This time—
it stopped.
It pierced.
The Wraith's eyes widened.
Its body trembled—
the fog around it spiraling violently.
But—
it didn't break.
Suddenly—
a counterattack.
Its claw tore through Raijin's shoulder.
Blood splattered.
But—
Raijin didn't step back.
He pushed the blade deeper.
The Wraith screamed.
This time—
there was no sound—
but the pain exploded directly in their minds.
Kade clutched his head and dropped to his knees.
Raijin's vision shook.
The world twisted again.
But he didn't let go.
Every time—
the same thing.
Strike—
then emptiness.
But the pain never ends.
The scream never ends.
This isn't a fight…
This is something else.
"Die…"
he muttered.
Suddenly—
the Wraith's body dissolved like smoke.
Raijin's blade passed through again—
as if cutting air.
His eyes widened.
"No…"
The Wraith reformed at a distance.
This time—
its form was more stable.
One step.
Two steps.
It approached Raijin slowly.
As if it was no longer in a hurry.
Raijin's heart pounded.
He raised his sword again—
but now—
his hands trembled.
Kade struggled to stand.
"Why… isn't it dying…"
His breath was broken.
Raijin didn't answer.
His gaze remained locked.
The fog thickened again.
And—
movement from three directions.
The Wraith—
in three places.
All identical.
Same motion.
Same presence.
No shadow.
No difference.
Choose wrong—
and the real attack would hit.
"Clones…?" Kade muttered.
First attack—
Raijin blocked.
But it dissolved.
Wrong.
Behind—
the air split.
Real attack.
Second—
Kade smashed it.
Third—
behind Raijin.
Claws pierced his abdomen again.
His body lurched forward.
His sword slipped from his hand.
The fog swallowed everything.
Kade shouted—
but no sound came.
The Wraith approached slowly.
Its eyes—
still filled with pain…
despair…
and something else.
Raijin looked up.
His breathing was breaking.
But—
there was no fear in his eyes.
Only understanding.
"You… don't need to be killed…"
he thought faintly.
"You… need to be ended."
The Wraith raised its claw—
for the final strike.
And—
Raijin smiled.
Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth.
Kade lay at a distance, gripping his hammer tightly.
The Wraith's claw hovered—
ready to tear Raijin's head from his body.
But—
Raijin didn't close his eyes.
He looked straight into them.
The claw descended—
But didn't strike.
Instead—
it gently rested on Raijin's head.
The touch was cold…
but steady.
Like a human hand.
And at that moment—
a flickering image appeared in Raijin's mind…
Someone else's.
.
.
.
Thank You For Reading This Chaptar.
Author: Mohammed Zaid Saifi