The Howling River wasn't too wide.

However, it was extremely long.

So much so, in fact, that even those cursed to stay in the god-forsaken, monochrome domain didn't know exactly how long it stretched.

It had been more than two hours since Daru began the long journey with the Damnedling Army, and they somehow ended up tracing the banks of the river at some point.

More questions flooded his mind after realizing that wherever their lair was, it wasn't close to the Cemetery of the Damned.

This, in turn, made him wonder why the seemingly sentient wretches abandoned their operation to raid the misty graveyard because of him.

The Damnedling Army could be considered a horrifying force.

Naturally, the lost ones — who lived an every-wretch-for-themselves lifestyle — didn't dare attack him.

The journey was long but peaceful.

Although Daru was deep in thought most of the time, he also appreciated the uncolorful surroundings from time to time.

It seemed that dead trees, stone slabs, and ruins were the main features of the god-forsaken realm.

It was as though it had once been a vibrant world before becoming what it currently was.

Either way, Daru liked the eerie and unholy atmosphere, mainly due to the fact that he's able to strengthen his heart and improve his courage here — a difficult, almost impossible thing to do in the peaceful Neo-Earth.

How would one not be used to horrors if one is staring at and fighting them every single day?

Another hour of dead trees, stone slabs, ruins, and endless ash later, the Damnedling Army finally stopped.

Daru looked around with deep interest.

The wretched group had strayed away from the Howling River, probably around half an hour ago, possibly more, and in front of them stretched a vast ashen plain with literally nothing except the ground of powdered and condensed ash.

The Damnedlings suddenly began dispersing, seemingly proceeding to sit beneath the dead trees, with some even proceeding to pull out sustenance from their ragged, makeshift bags made from whatever the pale-gray material was.

'Hmm? Is this their base of operations?' Daru wondered, finding the journey way too long for such a common location.

Nothing was special about this place, except the vast ashen plain beside it.

But he soon realized that their actions suggested that the rest was only temporary.

'Oh…maybe they're just tired?' he mused, proceeding to choose a tree close to the Damnedling Army and resting beneath it.

Daru made sure that he was facing the abominations.

He still didn't trust them that much yet, even though they've done nothing to harm him in the past few hours.

The level fifty-five Damnedling rested on the dead tree right next to his, glancing at him from time to time with the friendliest smile it could make, though Daru couldn't deny it was every bit as creepy and horrifying as the appearance of the hunching abomination was.

It seemed like they would be here for a while, for whatever reason.

So, Daru made himself comfortable, proceeding to observe the vast, ashen plain a few minutes later, since he had nothing better to do, anyway.

He noticed that on one of the far ends of the plain was a misty forest full of dead trees and stone slabs, while on the other was another settlement, with ruined stone walls and all.

Then the ground rumbled.

Daru frowned and stood up, eyes narrowing as he gripped the handle of his tachi tighter.

The leader of the Damnedling army stood up, too, but for a different reason.

It waved its arms around as if explaining.

One of Daru's brows curved upon realizing that the level fifty-five wretch was trying to convince him to sit and calm down, and reluctantly, he did, shifting his gaze back to the plain.

Every other Damnedling in the army was looking that way, so he did the same.

The rumbling continued for another dozen seconds before, finally, he saw them.

Another army.

From the misty forest, wraiths — ones that looked like the Accursed Soulcatchers of the cemetery, emerged.

The only difference was that they were wearing war armor made of stone instead of the seemingly more modern ones donned by the enforcer wraiths.

Daru also noticed that they wielded stone swords, his eyes momentarily widening upon recognizing their familiar appearance.

'Where have I…'

Pondering for a few moments, he finally recalled where he saw them: Rocante's destroyed ears.

The swords plunged deep into them accurately resembled the ones in the war wraiths' bony hands.

But Daru didn't have much time to linger on the fact, as his attention was soon snatched by a spine-chilling war cry from the other side of the ashen plain, from the settlement.

Another wraith army.

However, unlike the first one that emerged from the forest of dead trees and stone slabs, this army looked far more pitiful.

They wore only ragged tunics and wielded shovels, pitchforks, and the occasional sword — all made of stone like the weapons of the warrior wraiths.

Daru's mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.

He was already standing up and walking closer to the ashen plain without realizing it.

Fortunately, the strange Damnedlings didn't do anything, and their leader only followed him.

Daru loved historical war movies, admiring the valiant commanders who stood in the forefront of battle to defy the overwhelming odds.

This naturally made him root for the inhabitants of the settlement, who might not be outnumbered but were severely outarmed.

What a sight would their victory be?

Unfortunately, the monochrome world was a cruel place, and before his very eyes unfolded a ruthless, one-sided slaughter.

The warrior wraiths easily decimated the settlement army, severing their limbs and heads.

Daru clenched his fists in frustration.

He was disheartened and slightly disillusioned as the forest army entered the settlement.

A few moments later, anguished howls and screams made for a chilling symphony that echoed across the entire Ashen Plain.

The harrowing event lasted for more than fifteen minutes before finally, the warrior wraiths finally left the city.

What Daru saw filled his heart with indescribable anger.

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