The War Outside — according to Russell Moon’s memory, as someone who hadn’t been able to publish his novel veiled in mysteries, it’s a war that would instantly begin after a hole in the Black Veil had been made. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

After all, the Black Veil’s existence served as the deterrence against the veiled Western World, making every war between races in the Eastern World purposeless because of greater enemies that had yet to be known but all prepared to strike at any given notice.

"Lunaria, are you ready to depart?"

In this concealed dungeon, a place that was hidden by the Obelisk Organization, named Cemetery of Oblivion, Russell Moon glanced at his companions as he breathed deeply, seemingly unsure of what the future held.

"At your word, Master. I am with you. Whatever you decide will be my path."

’Sigh. Why the hell does this mission prevent me from using every disguise skill or item?’ Russell Moon thought, preparing himself to be seen by what’s outside this facility.

He was certain that this day would come, that the reputation that he built, even though not as grand and fragile as a sand castle, would be put to the ground of scrutiny.

"Lunaria, what’s your weapon?"

"Master, until I’m able to escape, it’s only you and your companions’ power that’s been sealed. But as you desire, I won’t kill anyone in the way unless you say otherwise."

With her words, Lunaria summoned an army of monkeys conjured and chiseled from a dense fog. It numbered around a thousand, enough distraction to avoid the prying eyes of others.

"Shall we go, Master?"

Russell Moon looked back, seeing the determined expressions from his sister, Freya Moon, and his first Chaos Companion, Amelie Rose.

"Okay, Lunaria. At least this time, make a way for us."

"I thought you’d never ask, Master."

At that moment, Lunaria changed clothes, now donning a fully renewed maid outfit that exuded a mist. It followed her movement like a complete rhythm of one’s serene music.

With that, the ginormous door of the Cemetery of Oblivion had been opened to the world.

***

Within the facility that housed, sealed, and continuously monitored the existence of the hidden dungeon, Cemetery of Oblivion, hundreds of "Players" donning desirable equipment of different kinds based on one’s specialization were awaiting the burst of the dungeon portal.

It could be said that the original facility personnel of this secret facility were just non-combatants Players but since some time had passed when Russell Moon, his sister, and Amelie Rose went inside the dungeon, reinforcements had been made against them as intruders.

"Why don’t we just rush in?" A man in his early thirties, donning a full-plated armor and a silver shield in his right hand, addressed a certain well-built man, whose everyone’s attention was gathered.

"We don’t know the repercussions it may cause if we rush in. What’s more, the intruders went past the security even though no casualties were found." Said a man in a simple brown shirt, his eyes gold and short hair brown. He exuded an aura befitting of an S-Rank Player, responsible for defending this concealed facility against intruders. But since it’s been several years that no other men or outside forces had known this location, he became lax, thinking that no one would dare infiltrate such a place.

"Also, the fact that they’ve knocked out the A–Rank Players says about their strength. We cannot take them lightly."

"I see. But Captain, they’re just kids tho?" Interjected a Player with a Mage Class, holding her blue staff.

"Hey, do I need to remind you again that being a Player doesn’t concern one’s age?"

But before the woman answered the man with the shield’s question. The ginormous dungeon portal pulsated, glimmering like moon dust as it unveiled its ashen pulsating luminosity.

"Get ready! Tank in the front! Mages and Archers in the back! Swordsmen in the middle!"

Fortunately, those who were non-combatants had already been evacuated through the exclusive "Portal", far from the place where the war was continuously raging like a blazing fire. It was a protocol, that if any disturbance occurred within the facility, the safety of the researchers must be taken into consideration.

At that moment, as though the area had been frozen still, the pulsating dungeon rift, as though it turned into molten fragile glass, cracked.

Seeing this, the gravity of the situation suddenly turned into the code of black, referring to the highest alert of dungeon break especially this particular rift contained the intelligent Boss Monster called Lunaria, a mysterious element in the Player World, breaking the norms of the common knowledge.

A moment or two later, several discordant humming sounds entered everyone’s ears; it was tranquil and serene, like still waters in the midst of the torrential rain, something unrelenting and ominously comfortable.

"W–what now?" The Mage Class woman muttered, feeling the eerie atmosphere as the dense fog of the Cemetery of Oblivion found itself leaking to the outside world.

"BE ALERT! READY!" The Captain of the Squadron said, his voice calm and collected.

Crack—! Cling—

It then happened. A burst of monstrous monkeys with bodies chiseled from fog poured out, running towards everyone in the way. But something was different as these average-sized fog monkeys within the dungeon were... turned into atrocious six to seven meters outside their perceived home.

"RAAAA—!"

The sound of thunder entered everyone’s ears, followed by the Captain’s command:

"DEFEND AND ATTACK!"

Even though the monster’s size was enormous, as it was made from dense fog, its agility, and swiftness were something akin to horror as several of them jumped in the air, clenched their fists, and landed several massive punches against the Tankers.

Bang—! Bang—!

The sound waves reverberated as each of them seemed to realize that the dungeon’s difficulty rose by more than a rank than it used to be.

"RAAAA—!"

"Bastards!" Shouted the Captain, holding a chain mace in his hands as though it were a playtoy, swinging it in front of the shields acting as barricades of the squadron’s formation.

However, at that moment, at the back of one of the fog monkeys just standing behind as if it were their commander, four prominent figures emerged.

Three were human, one was human-like.

Seeing this, the Captain seemed to assume something as he shouted, giving the order to the Mages and Archers, "Target the intruders! It seems those humans if not all, are Tamers!"

It was the only explanation he could up with considering the current circumstances.

But before the ones in the back continued and redirected their offense, something fell from the sky.

They were massive spears molded from a fog of mystery, raining mercilessly.

—Boom!