Chapter 176
The airship Zom tore through the skies at blistering speed—covering miles in re seconds—but to Han, it still felt unbearably slow. Ti crawled. His thoughts raced faster than any vessel ever could.
After about an hour, they crossed into the Northern Continent. The ship pressed forward, cutting through clouds and tension alike. A heavy silence hung over the crew. No one spoke. Everyone wore the sa grave expression.
Ronan, now fully healed, stood near a window, his eyes drifting toward Han’s stiff back. He could feel the storm brewing inside him. They all could.
He sighed inwardly. A part of him felt helpless—useless in the face of such overwhelming devastation. But more than anything... he felt guilt. If only they hadn’t co for him... If they hadn’t left Serenya behind, maybe none of this would’ve happened.
Then, suddenly—
"I’m going ahead," Han said coldly.
Before anyone could respond, he vanished—teleporting without hesitation.
With his Eagle Eye now at S-Rank, Han could see hundreds of miles away. The mont Serenya entered his perception, his heart sank—and he instantly teleported to the source of the chaos.
---
Serenya...
Han reappeared right at the shattered entrance of what had once been the city’s proud gate.
His face darkened instantly.
His body tensed with every step he took forward.
Then he froze.
His eyes scanned the ruins. His breath caught.
The devastation stretched further than he could comprehend—entire districts flattened, buildings turned to rubble, the scent of death hanging thick in the air.
So many lives lost... Hundreds, maybe thousands. Gone.
He clenched his fists tightly. His chest ached—not from exhaustion, but from sothing far worse.
Grief.
He closed his eyes and reached out with his senses, trying to trace any lingering energy signatures. A cold, biting sensation tugged at his awareness. It was faint—but unmistakable.
Ice.
Very few in the guild wielded such a skill. He wasn’t sure who was responsible, but he raced toward the source without a second thought.
It took him less than thirty seconds to arrive.
But the cold energy was already gone.
The sight that awaited him turned his stomach.
Standing motionless amidst the rubble was a familiar figure—Ron.
His eyes were closed.
His chest... still.
Not breathing.
Han’s heart dropped.
He stumbled forward, his eyes wide with disbelief. "No..." he whispered.
He knelt beside his fallen friend.
Tears pricked the corners of his eyes as sorrow, rage, and guilt clawed at his chest. His hands trembled.
"I’m sorry, Ron... I’m so sorry," he whispered, voice cracking. "If I had just been faster... if I hadn’t left..."
He bowed his head.
mories of their childhood flooded back—awkward beginnings, endless argunts, but also late-night laughs, battles fought side by side, unspoken brotherhood. Ron had always been there... helping in his own way.
And now he was gone.
Because of him.
Because Han wasn’t here to protect the city.
To protect his friend.
"Why... why does it hurt so much?" Han muttered his eyes closed.
Then sothing shifted.
Han slowly looked up.
Across the battlefield stood a man in black, holding sothing—soone.
Han’s breath caught.
He recognized the outfit instantly.
A Dark Emissary.
The answer was clear. If Ron was dead... and this man still stood... then he was the one who had done it.
Han took a step forward, rage igniting in his veins.
But then...
His gaze dropped to the figure in the man’s arms.
Ti froze.
His heart stopped.
His body locked.
"...Laura."
His voice cracked like broken glass.
The figure in the Dark Emissary’s grip... was none other than his sister.
Han’s eyes widened with horror.
Terror—raw and consuming—rushed through his soul.
"Let her go!" Han roared, desperation breaking through his normally steady voice. His eyes trembled with terror. If anything happened to Laura... he didn’t know if his sanity would survive it.
Freak Eye turned to face him, tilted his head slightly as if in mock curiosity—then shrugged. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and fired a concentrated beam of dark energy straight into Laura’s chest.
Ti froze.
Laura’s mouth opened in a silent scream, but no sound ca out. Her body jerked slightly, then stilled. She looked at her brother—her gaze soft, filled with sorrow.
"Why... are you so late...?" she whispered.
Her eyes dimd.
Her head slumped forward.
She was gone.
"You did well, my friend," tallo’s euphoric voice broke the silence like a whip crack. He clapped Freak Eye on the shoulder, smiling like a proud ntor. "Didn’t want to have the second kill, did you?"
Laura’s body fell through the air like a lifeless doll.
Han blinked—then vanished and reappeared below, catching her in his arms. He fell to his knees, holding her close, feeling the warmth drain from her skin.
"No... no, no, no, you can’t... you can’t leave ," he murmured, shaking her gently. "Wake up, Laura. Please... say sothing. Anything..."
He pressed his ear to her chest.
No breath.
No heartbeat.
She was truly gone.
His arms trembled. His eyes widened. A deep, primal scream ripped from his throat, one so raw and thunderous that even the clouds seed to shudder.
Ronan and the others finally arrived, but the sight before them rooted them to the spot in stunned silence. Ronan clenched his fists, his face pale. He knew that pain—the kind that eats your soul from the inside out. But the question hanging in the air was: How would Han react?
Han’s scream finally died, replaced by a crushing silence.
He stared down at Laura’s face.
"Please... open your eyes," he whispered. "You can hit , freeze , do whatever you want... just... please... open your eyes."
But she didn’t.
She never would again.
His breath hitched.
And then sothing inside Han... broke.
A cold, twisted surge of energy tore through him, and his vision warped violently. His system blinked into view:
> Overwhelming rage detected.
Attempting to suppress emotions...
Suppression failed.
Creation Skill has been forcefully activated ...
New Skill Created
Skill: BERSERKER
Rank: SSS
Han slowly stood. His eyes turned a blinding, soulless white as a crushing wave of pressure erupted outward. The air stilled. The ground shook.
> Skill: BERSERKER activated.
All stats increased by 100x.
50% nullification to physical, ntal, and elental damage.
HP will decrease continuously while active.
Pain: Disabled.
Emotion: Overridden.
Rage: Unleashed.
A spiraling storm of dark crimson energy exploded outward, with Han at the center like the eye of a growing tempest. The ground quaked violently beneath him. The very air trembled, humming with an unnatural vibration. The temperature plumted as if heat itself had been erased from the world. Every breath felt heavy, oppressive. The atmosphere was suffocating—an overwhelming pressure that crushed the spirit as much as the body.
Clara clutched her chest, struggling to breathe. "W-What... what’s happening?" she gasped, eyes wide with disbelief.
Ronan didn’t take his eyes off Han. "It’s all... coming from him."
Aiden’s voice was shaky. "What do we do? Should we stop him? Run? I... I don’t know."
Ronan’s expression darkened, his brows furrowed in deep concern. "I don’t know either. But I have a very bad feeling about this." He turned to the others. "Prepare yourselves. This might be the beginning of sothing we can’t stop."
A few dozen ters away, tallo and Freak Eye stood frozen, confusion etched into their faces. The shift in the environnt was beyond unnatural—hostile, even to them.
"What’s going on?" tallo asked, his voice carrying a hint of unease. He glanced at his feet; even movent was becoming difficult, as though the air itself resisted him.
Freak Eye’s expression was unreadable, but his narrowed gaze was locked on the figure hunched at the center of the storm.
No... it can’t be him, he thought. This pressure... this madness... it’s too overwhelming. There’s no way a low-tier anomaly like him could generate this much power.
And yet, the truth was undeniable.
Han’s body, crackling with wrathful red energy, began to straighten.
Then he lifted his head.
His eyes snapped open.
Gone was the blinding white glow.
Now, his irises burned with deep, blood-red fury—like molten lava caged within a human shell.
The mont those red eyes locked onto them, both emissaries froze.
A chill ran down their spines. But it wasn’t fear.
It was worse.
It was dread.
Raw. Primal. Ancient.
For the first ti in their cursed existence, they didn’t just see an enemy.
They saw sothing beyond comprehension.
A monster.
And it was staring directly at them.
---
To be continued...
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Author’s Note:
Hey everyone! I hope you’re enjoying the story so far.
We’re now approaching the climax of the first arc—and trust , what’s coming next is going to be one hell of a ride! Buckle up, because things are about to get intense, emotional, and unforgettable.
Also, I wanted to let you in on sothing exciting:
I’ve recently launched two new novels that are part of the sa T&S Universe as this one! If you’re enjoying this story, I’m confident you’ll love these as well.
Book 1: Shadow Bender
A darker tale of survival, betrayal, and rising power in a fractured world.
Book 2: Gods Slayer
Follow a fierce journey of vengeance, divine conflict, and the hunt for ultimate power.
Both series have just begun, but there are already several Chapters available for you to dive into and get a taste of what’s to co.
If you check them out, I’d love to hear what you think—your comnts and feedback an the world to .
Thank you all so much for reading and supporting this story. Stay tuned... the next Chapter will be epic.
— Ultra.
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