Chapter 0: The Black Hound

The sky above the small town was dark, but it had not yet collapsed.

Black clouds swirled slowly, like an ocean vortex holding its breath before crashing against the shore. From its center, rifts in the air tore open—just enough to vomit monsters, one by one, onto the cobblestone streets below.

This was the Black Tide Wave.

The first wave had already forced every player onto high alert. Now, the second wave hit without pause.

Along the main road and makeshift walls, players from various parties stood side-by-side, closing the gaps. There were no exaggerated heroic shouts—only clipped orders, heavy breathing, and the sound of weapons that never truly fell silent.

“The west is buckling!”

“Shadow-types on the roofs!”

“Don't get separated!”

Iron-clad goblins lunged without formation. Black slimes shattered upon impact with magic, leaving behind a fluid that corroded the earth. Alien creatures with unnatural movements crawled out of the rifts, as if the world itself was losing its grip on reality.

In the midst of the chaos, one party held their ground with a steady rhythm.

Black Hound.

Rei stood at the front of the line, his blade moving with straight, lethal efficiency. No movement was wasted. Every slash carved out space, not for vanity—but for survival. A shallow wound grazed his arm, a sharp reminder that the pain in this world was very real.

“Don't chase,” he said calmly. “Close the gap.”

Hikari stepped up beside him. Her holy staff struck the ground, emitting a golden radiance that spread like a warm wave through the cold battlefield. Several monsters were blasted back.

“We haven’t lost yet,” she said, her voice firm despite her ragged breath.

Kuroha’s arrows flew one after another, swift and precise. She didn’t rush; she didn’t panic. Every shot had a purpose—to break the enemy’s offensive rhythm.

“Spawn rates are increasing,” she reported. “This isn’t a normal pattern.”

Behind them, Chisaki concentrated her magic. A soft blue light flowed, mending minor wounds and keeping the party’s stamina from bottoming out. Her body trembled slightly, but her mantra did not waver.

“I… I can still go on,” she whispered.

A heavy thud echoed as Haruki braced against a massive strike with his shield. The ground beneath his feet cracked, yet he did not retreat. Every step he took was like a nail driven into the battlefield.

“As long as I’m standing here,” he said curtly, “nothing gets through.”

The second wave slowly began to wane. The monsters thinned out—but there were no cheers of victory. Every player knew that in this world, silence rarely meant the end.

Suddenly, the air grew heavy.

The rift in the sky widened, larger than ever before. The surrounding light dimmed, as if the world was bracing itself against total collapse.

Something descended from within.

It wasn't a monster they recognized. There was no name, no level indicator. Its form defied the logic of game design—too alien, too wrong to be considered part of the system.

The entire battlefield fell silent.

Rei felt a weight settle on his shoulders. His breath hitched. Around him, Hikari gripped her staff tighter. Kuroha slowly lowered her bow. Chisaki nearly lost her footing. Haruki drove his shield even deeper into the dirt.

This was the third wave.

Rei stared at the creature with weary eyes, yet he had not given up.

“Damn it…” he muttered under his breath. “When will all of this end?”

And for the first time since the Black Tide Wave began, no one could give him an answer.