Apocalypse with my SSS Harem Beauties-Chapter 84: The Second

After everything that happened, the ten survivors hoped the nightmare had finally ended. But that hope shattered the moment they realized that another shadow stirred within the mist.

It emerged tall and solemn while wrapped in tattered black robes that flowed like smoke, its towering frame veiled beneath layers of darkness.

Two lanterns swung from chains on either side of its body. Their dark-blue flames burning steady and silent.

No face existed beneath the hood of that giant and only a void where light did not touch.

If the three bone titans had already pushed them to their limits, then this creature—what they thought was their master—must be beyond imagination. Dread settled deep in their chests, it felt heavy and suffocating.

Myles could feel it too. His throat tightened as he swallowed hard. His pulse hammering in his ears. Fear threatened to claw up his spine, but he forced it down.

He couldn’t let it show right now, when every eye in the group was on him. If he showed any signs of weakness, their courage would crumble as well. And it will make everything worse.

He drew in a long breath, steadying himself, and stepped forward.

His steps scraped against the cracked earth. The Fangblade short sword gleamed faintly in his grip as he tightened his hold, feeling the tremor in his hand started to gone.

The others found their footing when they saw him move. The sight of Myles standing tall before that looming figure grounded them.

Ethan and Daniel exchanged a nod, raising their weapons again. Sam steadied her breathing. Ryan circled slightly to the flank.

Victor dragged himself beside Myles, the Ichorcleaver heavy in his hands.

He felt pain burn through every inch of his body, but he ignored it. His weapon still pulsed with a faint green light.

Myles glanced over his shoulder. The others were battered but fortunately still not broken and able to fight. He gave a single nod.

Then the figure in the mist changed.

Its huge gigantic form began to collapse inward, shrinking rapidly until it stood no taller than a man.

The tattered robes still clung to it, the lanterns still burning with that ghostly blue flame, but now it looked eerily human. It shows calm and composed manner, and completely in control.

The survivors froze, not sure what to expect. The air felt too still.

Myles didn’t lower his guard because he knows that smaller size doesn’t mean that there was no danger.

The robed figure began to move. Each step was slow and deliberate, gliding across the ground as though it wasn’t walking at all.

The lanterns swayed gently, casting blue ripples of light across the bones and dust.

It stopped a few meters away from them. For a moment, no one spoke.

Then, in a voice clear and smooth like a man’s voice, the figure finally broke the silence.

"You’ve done well," it said, it sounded almost kindly. "You have killed my three guardians. And none of you have died. That’s impressive."

Its tone was calm, almost casual, as though this wasn’t a battlefield but a simple conversation.

Myles and the others exchanged uncertain looks with confusion that rippled through them. Nothing of this made sense.

The figure before them didn’t move like an enemy and didn’t sound like an enemy either. But the chill in the air told them otherwise.

Still gripping his sword, Myles took half a step forward and asked quietly, "Who are you?"

The lantern flames flickered, reflecting in the hollow void where a face should have been.

"That is a simple question," the figure replied, his voice softening into something almost pleasant. "I’m just an undertaker of this world." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"An undertaker?" Myles echoed with a frown. "Of this world? What do you mean by that?"

The robed figure tilted his head slightly, the lanterns clinking together with a hollow chime.

"What?" he said, sounding almost puzzled. Then a faint laugh escaped him—low and quiet. "Ah... you still don’t know where you are."

Myles stayed silent, his eyes narrowing. The faint glow from the lanterns flickered across his face.

Victor lowered his cleaver slightly, his breath still heavy. He frowned.

"What the hell is going on?" he muttered under his breath.

"I think we really did get transported into another world," Myles replied quietly, after arriving at the quick conclusion.

Victor didn’t answer. He clenched his jaw and stayed where he was, waiting for more explanation.

The undertaker nodded slowly, as if confirming his thoughts.

"Yes," he said. "You all crossed through the rift. You’ve stepped into another world entirely."

His tone shifted. Soft at first, then colder.

"I’m sure you’ve already noticed strange phenomena appearing in your world, haven’t you?"

Myles nodded once, curtly. "Yes."

"Good," the undertaker said. "Then you already understand some of it."

He lifted one of the lanterns, and the blue flame inside flared brighter, swirling like liquid.

"All of this," he continued, "is caused by the leakage of the Arcane Veil. The barrier between worlds has cracked and the order of creation is collapsing."

The calm in his voice broke, replaced by quiet anger that rolled through the air.

The sudden change made Myles instinctively raise his guard again, the Fangblade lifting slightly.

"Centuries of balance undone by reckless hands," the undertaker hissed. "All because those creatures keep digging into things they were never meant to touch."

Then, almost suddenly, he relaxed. His tone softened again, casual and almost amused. "But don’t mistake me for one of the angry ones. I’ve been here far too long to care about rage."

He lowered the lanterns again, their chains clinking faintly.

"I knew this would happen, you see. So I prepared. I’ve been waiting for the riftwalkers like you, those who cross over from another world."

His hollow hood turned toward them, and even though no face could be seen the weight of his attention pressed down on them.

"Don’t look at me like that," he said with a dry laugh. "I’m not completely mad about it. Being an undertaker of a dying realm is tedious, to say the least. So when wanderers like you and group before you come through, I find some measure of entertainment in it."

The chill in his tone made everyone tense.

The undertaker tilted his head again, his lanterns swaying gently like pendulums.

"You survived my guardians," he said slowly. "That means you might actually be worth talking to before I decide what to do next."

The blue flames pulsed once, and the mist behind him began to twist and rise.

"A group before us? There was a group before us who came here?" Myles asked.

"Yes. You are the second group who have come here," the undertaker said.

—