The world outside… was far more chaotic than Ethan had imagined. What shocked him even more was the sheer number of humans who hadn't survived. Nearly half the global population had perished in just a couple of years.
Was there any hope left for humanity if this continued?
And more importantly… Why should he care?
Sure, he had once been human. But now? If he showed them what he truly was, a skeleton undead. Would they still treat him the same? He doubted it.
Nothing had changed inside him. He was still himself. Only the circumstances had shifted. And this cursed body, this unnatural existence, was something he never asked for. Just a twisted glitch in the system.
"We'll help you with anything you need. Whatever it is," Ash said suddenly.
"Sorry if we're jumping ahead," he continued. "But you've got incredible potential. You're strong. And maybe… you chose to stay out here to fight your own battle, keep to yourself. But the Maze has just opened. People are going to flood this area to claim the key, and then race to conquer it."
Now that got Ethan's attention. He was finally hearing something useful.
"But…" Ash added with a half-grin, "I'm guessing you've already secured the key from that boss we took down earlier. And… the thing is, you can only enter the challenge with a minimum of five members."
Then, he looked at Ethan with a hopeful glint. "So, are you planning to hire us? Just saying… we're short of a support role, but the rest of us are capable enough to handle the Maze."
"What do you even need a support for?" Ethan asked. "And why don't you already have one?"
"That…" Ash kept grinning. "Support roles are rare. And the few that exist? They charge a fortune. So, most of us rely on healing potions and careful timing. We try not to get overwhelmed by the challenges."
Reasonable. But he needed more specifics.
"So, what kind of preparations do you have for this Maze? Do you actually believe you'll be useful in there?"
That kicked off another long conversation.
By midday, they had resumed their journey, heading out to locate the Maze portal itself.
This particular Maze was believed to be Level 25. Which meant, by all logic, it should be well beyond their current capabilities. The four humans were all around Level 20, and Ethan himself had only just hit Level 19.
Still… he had an edge.
If he could bring his undead into the Maze, and especially if he could swap out any that fell with new ones from monsters he defeated. Then, technically, he had unlimited resources to survive inside.
The only real problem was… "You needed a minimum of five people to enter." And that was inconvenient.
"Tell me," Ethan said dryly, "if you do find a fifth member, are you planning to rename yourselves the Funtastic Five?"
He hadn't expected the jab to come out. But the sarcasm was impossible to suppress.
The whole idea of fixed parties registered with the Hunter Association… sounded more like bureaucracy than survival.
What if someone didn't get along with another member? Would they need to file paperwork just to leave? For people like him, who preferred working alone, the whole party system sounded downright ridiculous.
"Ah, hahaha… well, yeah, I guess we could," Ash replied, scratching the back of his head. "But, no. It's not about the name. We've just stuck together as four because we haven't found the right support role to fill the last spot."
Ash picked up his pace, moving to walk beside Ethan. "Only… if you… maybe…"
"No." Ethan cut him off before he could finish the sentence.
The conversation continued, shifting deeper into the workings of the Hunter Association and its many layers.
Ethan found himself particularly interested in one thing, and it was the funding. If he joined the association, it would open doors for future earnings from the monsters he hunted. Access to legal markets, buyers, and mission boards.
It was tempting. Even if he had no plans to form a party anytime soon.
"If someone's strong enough and has the right influence," Ash explained, "they can start their own clan. Grow it. Build their name. Eventually, that clan can become influential enough to stand on equal footing with Union leaders."
According to Ash, the difference between a party and a clan was significant.
A party was a small squad, operating like mercenaries. The Hunter Association would post missions, most of them involving monster subjugation, territory defense, or even war-related tasks. Every mission completed would earn the party a reward.
Over time, parties built their reputation, and that determined their rank. From F to E, D, all the way up to SSS.
The stronger the members and the more missions they cleared, the higher their standing became.
A clan, on the other hand, was essentially an extension of a Union, or a powerful central hub where missions could be organized and dispatched. Clans had the authority to recruit and oversee multiple parties under their name.
They also had the exclusive right to claim and control high-level Mazes.
While smaller Mazes were open to low-level hunters on a first-come-first-serve basis, the higher-tier Mazes required bidding, and only clans had the right to compete for them.
As clans grew in reputation and rank, they gained more privileges and expanded their sphere of influence. Sometimes even gaining a seat of power within an entire Union.
Eurasia United. Yes, Eurasia United, the Union that now governed the very region they stood in.
The name sounded unfamiliar at first when Ethan heard it. But it was one of the newly formed Unions, built from the remnants of what used to be parts of Russia, Eastern and Northern Europe, and the Central Asian countries.
The great nations had collapsed. Their borders crumbled. People had fled, scattered, and in the aftermath, a new civilization was born. This was the rise of their new order. A Union formed from necessity, survival, and ambition.
And yet, for Ethan, only one path lay ahead. Only one way remained to ensure his existence. An undying, endless existence that carried both purpose and peace in this chaotic world.
He had to become strong. Strong enough to climb the ladder of power. Strong enough to build a Union of his own. One not just for humans, but for the undead as well.
"The Maze is still fresh," Ash said again, just as something strange appeared before them. Something that caught even Ethan's attention.
It was like a crack forming in the air itself. A tear in reality. As if space had fractured, splitting at the seams.
Is this… the entrance to the Maze?
And if Ash was right. If in just two or three days the area would be swarming with hunters. Then it wouldn't stay safe for long. Ethan had to act quickly, clear the Maze before it was too late.
"But we've still got a bit of time," Ash added. "If you want to survive inside, preparation is everything. Stock up on potions. Healing, stamina boosters, the works. Make sure your gear's in top condition, sharpen your weapons, reinforce your armor. And don't forget food, something light but high in calories."
He glanced at the others, then back at Ethan. "Once you're in, there's no turning back. No breaks. You either clear it… or you get cleared out."
"We will go now."
Ethan's words dropped like a stone, silencing the group in an instant.
"What?" Ash blinked, stunned.
"Yes," Ethan said again, turning to face the four of them. "We go now. All four of you are coming with me. We're going to clear this Maze. Before the other hunters even get here."