The city.
On the rooftop.
A leaden-gray sky hung low over the jungle of steel and concrete like a burial shroud soaked in industrial waste. Wind wandered through shattered buildings, carrying the stench of blood and rot. Whether it was the distant skyscrapers or the nearby power lines and water towers, everything felt vivid, detailed, and disturbingly real.
"Where the hell did I end up?""This is really a secret realm?!"
Just at first glance—
The veteran adventurer was already shaken to the core, stunned by what he saw.
He had spent his entire life researching secret realms.
How many had he seen?Thousands, at least.
He had long believed that no type of secret realm could still surprise him.
And yet—
Never had one delivered such overwhelming immersion.
This didn't feel like a secret realm at all.
It felt like stepping into a grotesque, living, breathing alternate world.
No wonder it captivated young people so completely.
This thing had real substance.
As he absorbed the oppressive atmosphere, and felt the vigor of his temporarily youthful body, a long-dormant restlessness ignited deep in his chest.
When was the last time he had truly gone on an adventure?
Years ago?
It felt like a lifetime had passed.
Hakutsuru Sennin had not personally challenged a secret realm in far too long.
"Miracle City," he muttered,"let this old man see what you're really made of."
He moved immediately.
First priority: gather supplies.
Hakutsuru Sennin recalled the forum posts written by Kaze Nemuri, detailing monster abilities, habits, weaknesses, beginner-stage resource distribution, and suggested routes.
Even though this was his first run—
Even though the city's style felt alien and surreal—
His memory and comprehension were sharp enough to grasp most of the intelligence at once.
He opened a door.
The first zombie appeared.
Three steps forward.
Blood sprayed.
Instant kill.
Hakutsuru Sennin continued advancing, a fire axe in hand. Gods fell before him, Buddhas shattered under his blade. For ordinary adventurers, encountering even two zombies at once usually meant pulling out a handgun to be safe.
But when four zombies emerged simultaneously—
He used the terrain to reposition and evade.
Each swing of the axe split open a skull with surgical precision.
"Holy hell!"
"The old man is insane!"
"This is his first time challenging Apocalypse Frenzy?!"
"Everyone's stats are the same inside the realm!"
"Then why can't we pull off moves like that?!"
"..."
With nothing but a fire axe, Hakutsuru Sennin slaughtered dozens of zombies without ever drawing a gun. His mastery of combat rhythm and terrain usage left other adventurers speechless.
Exhilarating.
Absolutely exhilarating.
Hacking through zombies nonstop.
Flesh flying.Brains splattering.
This kind of release had been missing for far too long.
Years of pent-up frustration poured out with every swing.
This secret realm lacked many things—but zombies were unlimited.
It was a pure slaughter playground.
A mowing-down experience he had never encountered even in decades of adventuring.
The monsters were weak.
But there were so many.
Which meant—
They likely cost no mental energy to create.
Did the lord awaken a zero-cost inspiration material?
That alone made him a once-in-a-million genius.
With just this single monster type, Apocalypse Frenzy was already unmatched in Blackstone Town.
This secret realm—
Was addictive.
Of course, Hakutsuru Sennin was strong.
But this was still his first run.
After breaking out of a building, unfamiliar with the surrounding environment, he accidentally triggered a zombie surge.
His first death followed shortly after.
"Interesting."
"Again."
He had come here to interrogate.
Instead, he was hooked.
Without hesitation, he launched a second run.
This time—
Using only a fire axe.
He killed one to two hundred zombies without taking a single hit.
With guidance from spectators, he located the safety door buried in a sea of corpses. Using the firearms and ammunition he had accumulated, he unleashed overwhelming firepower, mowing down everything in his path.
Bodies filled the streets.
He entered the safety door.
Perfect clear.
The crowd exploded.
When Hakutsuru Sennin exited the realm, his face was flushed red, his blood still roaring from the frenzy.
This secret realm…
Was absurdly fun.
With little more than an axe, he had torn through the beginner stage that countless adventurers had suffered through, turning it into a mindless slaughter fest.
Even the spectators felt exhilarated watching.
For the younger adventurers, the shock was indescribable.
"So strong!"
"That's insane!"
"This is why he was acknowledged as Blackstone Town's number one adventurer!"
"..."
After clearing the stage, Hakutsuru Sennin received a common Zombie Essence Soul, a type he had never seen before.
Shirasawa Yukari grinned."Well? We didn't lie to you, did we?"
Hakutsuru Sennin was still riding the high.
He had cleared countless secret realms in his life, and he knew the underlying logic of dungeon design all too well.
They existed to harvest adventurers.
But Apocalypse Frenzy was different.
The lord had a hundred ways to make it more difficult.
Instead, he chose to pursue ultimate experience, immersion, rhythm, and sheer enjoyment.
Supply points, resource distribution, weapon design, zombie placement, respawn pacing—
Everything reinforced positive feedback.
It felt less like a trap.
And more like a work of art.
Hakutsuru Sennin cleared his throat."It's… acceptable."
Yukari smirked."Only acceptable?"
He coughed again."A bit too easy. Lots of monsters, but not enough intensity."
Nekomi Momo laughed."Headmaster, you only cleared the beginner stage. The real difficulty comes later!"
Kaze Nemuri immediately added,"Why not team up with us and try the stage-based mode?"
"Team up?" Hakutsuru Sennin pointed at the interface."Isn't there a solo mode? This old man won't interfere with you youngsters."
"What?!"
"Solo mode?!"
"Headmaster, don't!"
"Solo mode is a trap!"
"The monster count drops, but if a special infected ambushes you, there's no saving yourself!"
"..."
Hakutsuru Sennin's competitive spirit burned hotter.
"Enough talk. When I started adventuring, you brats weren't even born."
The others exchanged looks and backed off, crowding around to watch.
Another challenge began.
Solo Mode Activated.
Hakutsuru Sennin efficiently gathered supplies, cleaving through zombies with an axe. His speed and proficiency surpassed even his previous run, leaving onlookers in awe.
But—
Reality soon set in.
No matter how skilled or experienced he was, Apocalypse Frenzy's solo mode exceeded his expectations.
More precisely—
The abilities of the special infected.
Even with perfect awareness, no one could handle every sudden crisis flawlessly.
First run:Killed by a sudden Hunter pounce.
Second run:Counter-killed the Hunter, then got ambushed by a Smoker—mutual destruction.
Third run:Cleanly defeated multiple Hunters and Smokers, avoided a Jockey, Boomer, and Spitter, but was gravely injured in a duel with a Charger, only to encounter a Tank shortly after and get instantly crushed.
"There's real difficulty here."
Each uniquely designed monster ignited Hakutsuru Sennin's desire to challenge even further.
So many monsters.
And more importantly—
A unique, cohesive style.
The lord's inspiration talent was terrifying.
Miracle City truly had the potential to rival top-tier dungeons in the future.
While everyone expected the stubborn old man to fail solo mode, his performance still left the younger generation stunned.
"The headmaster is still incredible!"
"I've never seen anyone solo a Charger!"
"That's insane!"
"At this rate…"
"Is he going to solo a Tank next?"
"Are you crazy? Is that even possible?"
"We couldn't do it, but I think the headmaster actually might!"
"He might become the first adventurer to solo-clear Apocalypse Frenzy's first stage!"
"..."
Under the admiring gazes of the young adventurers, a long-lost pride welled up inside him.
This heat.
This passion.
He had missed it.
Most secret realms had grown dull in recent years—but Apocalypse Frenzy finally made adventuring feel real again.
Hakutsuru Sennin was not satisfied.
If the first stage was already this rich and difficult…
And if the second stage truly had stronger and more varied monsters as Yukari claimed—
Then just how deep was this secret realm's foundation?
Even if he couldn't play—
He could still observe.
Absolutely not because he was hooked.
Purely out of responsibility.
To continue evaluating the quality of this secret realm for the younger generation.
Obviously.